The moon hung high over Elandrial, casting soft silver light across the elven capital. The city's shimmering glow reflected in Lila's amber eyes as she hesitated before speaking again.
"There's something I want to show you," she said softly, her fingers brushing against the stone railing of the balcony. Her tail flicked behind her, a clear sign of nervous energy.
Hiroshi straightened slightly. "Something secret?"
Lila nodded. "It's… something only Beastfolk know. I want to see if you can trust us the way I trusted you back there."
Hiroshi was caught off guard by the seriousness in her tone. He'd expected Lila to remain quiet and reserved after the feast, yet here she was, willingly opening up—offering something deeply personal.
"Okay," he said, trying to sound confident. "What do I have to do?"
Lila gestured for him to follow. Without another word, she moved swiftly down the stairs leading away from the grand hall, her footsteps barely making a sound. Hiroshi, on the other hand, struggled to keep up, almost tripping over his own feet as he tried to match her pace.
They weaved through Elandrial's winding stone paths, past elegantly constructed homes and towering trees. After a few minutes, they stopped in front of a secluded grove deep within the city, surrounded by thick vines and glowing flora. Lila knelt by a cluster of small, shimmering blue flowers that pulsed faintly with light.
"These are called *Lunabloom*," Lila said, gently running her fingers over the petals. "They only grow in places where Beastfolk have lived for a long time. They react to energy—specifically to trust."
Hiroshi furrowed his brow. "Wait, flowers react to trust? How does that work?"
Lila picked one and held it out to him. "Touch it."
Hiroshi hesitated. He wasn't entirely sure what would happen, but after a moment, he reached out and pressed his fingertips against the petals.
Nothing.
The flower remained still in Lila's hands, its glow unchanged. Hiroshi blinked. "Did I do something wrong?"
Lila's ears twitched. "It's because you don't trust me yet."
Hiroshi opened his mouth to argue—but then stopped. Did he truly trust Lila? She had defended him back at the feast, and she had been kind. But trust? That was something deeper.
Lila gently placed the flower back among its cluster, sighing softly. "Beastfolk rely on instinct. We don't just listen to words—we *feel* truth and trust. That's why Lunabloom reacts to us. It's why Beastfolk rarely stay in places that reject them."
Hiroshi watched her carefully. She looked vulnerable, her expression distant as she traced patterns on the ground with her fingertip.
"I want to trust you," Hiroshi said after a long silence. "I don't know how this works, but I do want to try."
Lila looked at him, her eyes searching his face for something unspoken. Then, slowly, she picked another Lunabloom and held it out.
This time, Hiroshi didn't just touch it—he *accepted* it.
As his fingers wrapped around the delicate petals, a faint glow pulsed through the flower, shimmering brighter than before. Lila's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and Hiroshi felt something shift between them—a quiet understanding.
A bond.