The silence between them was as heavy as the still air over the lake. Veil lowered his gaze to the water, watching the faint ripples breaking the surface. He seemed to be searching for words—or perhaps even memories—deep within the blue expanse.

Veil (murmuring, voice low): "Honestly… I don’t even know where to start."

Alynia (gaze fixed on Veil): "Start from the beginning, Louveteau. Whatever you remember. Doesn’t matter the order."

He took a long breath, closed his eyes for a moment, then began to speak.

Veil (slow, focused voice): "I… I remember the sound of water first. Not like this lake, something… more mechanical. Rhythmic. Drops falling at precise intervals. It was coming from a white room. But not a sterile, pure white… something warmer, comforting. Like a… I don’t know."

He grimaced, trying to put images to his words.

Alynia (pensive, arms crossed): "A white room with the sound of water… Interesting."

Veil (eyes narrowing, concentrating): "There was something on the floor. Something that had fallen. I remember reaching for it. It felt important, but I… I don’t know what it was."

He ran a hand through his hair, frowning.

Veil (tense voice): "Then… all of a sudden… pain. Sharp, brutal pain. Here."

He pressed his fingers against the side of his head, just above his ear.

Veil (grimacing): "Like something was crushing my skull. Then, I felt something warm trickling down… I knew right away it was my blood."

Alynia (ears perking up, intrigued): "Your blood? You were injured back there?"

Veil (uncertain): "Yeah… or no? I don’t know… everything blurred after that. My vision went hazy. I remember dizziness, then everything turned black. Not like nighttime darkness, but… absolute blackness. Like I was…"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Alynia (studying him carefully): "Dead?"

Veil (silent for a moment, then shrugs): "Maybe… yeah, maybe. But after that… nothing. I don’t remember anything else until I woke up in that forest."

He shut his eyes again, as if trying to retrieve something lost deep in his mind.

Veil (sighing, shaking his head): "It’s all a blur. Like my memories are there, locked behind a door. I’ve tried forcing it open, but the harder I try, the further away it feels."

Alynia (watching him intently): "So, you woke up in the forest, no idea how you got there. And then, the wolves."

Veil (glancing sideways): "Yeah… wolves."

Veil (bitter smile): "And they weren’t the friendly kind. They were starving. I thought I was gonna die… but…"

He paused, searching for the right words.

Veil (slower now): "I used branches, rocks. I ran, dodged, fought with whatever I could. No magic, nothing. Just… luck and panic."

Alynia (raising an eyebrow): "No magic?"

Veil (shaking his head): "Nope. Didn’t even know I had any. It was pure survival instinct. The kind of thing you do when you don’t want to die."

He tossed a pebble into the lake and watched it slowly sink.

Veil (calmly): "I was exhausted. Kept tripping, getting back up… but they kept coming. Eventually, I took them down. Their bodies were there, I grabbed whatever I could—this dagger, some meat that we shared, and a few bandages."

He fell silent for a moment, staring at the still water.

Veil (calmly): "Then I just kept walking. But I was done. Didn’t take long before my legs gave out. I passed out. When I woke up, you were there. Not the best sight to wake up to."

He added with a smirk.

Alynia (smirking back): "You’ve got some nerve for a Louveteau."

They remained silent for a while before Alynia spoke again.

Alynia (gaze steady on Veil): "Do you think you’ll ever get your memory back?"

Veil (watching the lake’s surface): "I don’t know."

His eyes remained on the water, lost in the shimmering reflections.

Veil (soft voice): "Sometimes, it feels like it’s right there, within reach. But the moment I try to grab it… it slips away."

Alynia (raising an eyebrow, intrigued): "Maybe you don’t need to force it. Sometimes, memories come back when you least expect them."

She turned a flat stone between her fingers, looking thoughtful.

Alynia (focused on the stone): "What matters isn’t who you were before, but who you become now."

Veil (a faint smile forming): "You always have something wise to say, huh?"

Alynia (proud look): "I’m a wolf-woman, Louveteau. We watch, we learn, and we only speak when necessary."

She flicked the stone across the water’s surface, making three perfect skips before it disappeared beneath the waves.

Veil (impressed): "Nice one."

He watched the ripples vanish.

Veil (grinning slightly): "Think I could learn that too, or is skipping stones a wolf-only skill?"

Alynia (mocking look): "You can barely walk without tripping, Louveteau. Save your strength for something useful."

They laughed softly, both enjoying this rare moment of peace. Veil ran his fingers through his messy hair, still damp from sweat and the lingering lake mist. His smile gradually faded.

Veil (more serious tone): "You know… Sometimes I wonder if it’s not just my memory that’s missing. Like maybe… I’m incomplete."

Alynia (silent, eyes locked on him): "Incomplete or not, you’re still here, aren’t you? You’re not just a memory. You’re real. So instead of dwelling on what’s missing, use what you’ve got."

Veil (surprised, raising an eyebrow): "Hm…"

He slowly nodded, a thoughtful expression settling on his face.

Veil (pensively): "Yeah… Yeah, you’re right."

They sat there a little longer, listening to the sound of the water and the distant chirping of birds in the trees. Peace was fleeting, but it was precious.