The days following Elyra and Dain's arrival passed in a strange, quiet rhythm. Matthew quickly noticed that the two children weren't like any he'd encountered before.
Elyra seemed to gravitate toward the cabin's windows every evening, her small frame bathed in silvery light as she stared at the moon. Matthew often found her there long after he'd banked the fire for the night. Her golden eyes shimmered with a distant, almost yearning expression that unsettled him. "Do you ever sleep?" he asked one night, leaning against the doorway.
Elyra turned her head slightly but didn't answer. Her fingers traced the windowsill, her gaze fixed on the glowing orb above.
Meanwhile, Dain exhibited the opposite tendency. His instincts were sharp, almost animalistic. A sudden knock of wind against the shutters or the snap of a twig outside sent him into a crouch, his amber eyes darting around the room with alarming intensity. Once, when Matthew accidentally dropped a pan, Dain spun toward the noise so fast Matthew instinctively raised his hands.
"It's just me, kid," Matthew said cautiously, watching as Dain unclenched his fists, his shoulders still taut.
The boy muttered an apology but avoided eye contact.
Their oddities extended beyond their behavior. They moved with unnatural grace, their balance impeccable even on the uneven forest trails Matthew used to teach them basic survival skills. Elyra seemed to know how to navigate by instinct, her small feet finding the best paths through thick underbrush. Dain had a knack for tracking, pointing out faint signs of wildlife that even Matthew struggled to spot.
"Where'd you two learn all this?" Matthew asked one afternoon, watching as Dain expertly tied a fishing knot he'd only shown him once.
Dain shrugged. "I don't know. It just... makes sense."
Matthew nodded, not pressing further, though his curiosity simmered beneath the surface.
Despite their peculiarities, the children seemed to be adjusting. Elyra laughed softly when Matthew shared a silly story about a raccoon raiding his food stores, and Dain grinned for the first time after successfully catching a fish from the nearby stream.
Still, there was a distance between them, a barrier Matthew couldn't quite breach. They carried something with them an air of mystery and unease that lingered like a shadow in the cabin's warm light.noveldrama
That night, as Matthew watched them huddle together on the couch, whispering in hushed tones, he resolved to give them time. Whatever secrets they held, they weren't ready to share them yet.