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She shouldn’t be here. It comes as a realization, all of a sudden- she shouldn’t be here, and everything inside her is telling her to leave, regardless of if the stranger follows her out or not. But, despite that, her legs refuse to cooperate. Despite everything else, despite her instincts screaming at her, Ylva marched deeper into this odd, new land.

And then, just as suddenly, she hears it. Hears him. Ylva’s ears perk, and, despite herself, she finds her head swiveling, trying to make sense of things. But- there’s nothing. Certainly not a sign of the stranger she had heard just a moment ago. His words settle her nerves, though, a sense of calm washing over her like a blanket, and, with her mind clear, she inhales, just once, to hold her breath for a few pawsteps.

Ylva isn’t sure what she’s looking for, until she is- a faint blue glow, barely visible in the fog. Had it been there before? She was sure it hadn’t been. She would have seen it, wouldn’t she? Making up her mind to close the distance between it and herself is as easy as…well, maybe not breathing, in this case. As she gets closer, she can see the rock- and, a second later, she can make out the strange engravings there.

The stranger, the voice in her mind, reads them aloud, leaving Ylva’s brows to furrow in nothing but outright confusion. She had never heard anything like that, and she had surely never seen anything like it, either. Without thinking, she exhales, almost wincing once she catches herself. But her breathing is clear. The strange fog is still lingering, sure, but it doesnt have the same effect it did.

When the stranger speaks a final time, he doesn’t have to tell Ylva twice. His absence is just as sudden as his voice had been, and it leaves her with more questions than answers. But, as she turns to leave, she has hope that someone will know more than she does.