Chapter 8: First encounter
"Hi, are you hurt?" Mitch’s voice carried genuine concern as he knelt beside the woman who had been trapped in the spider’s web moments before.
The woman blinked slowly, her emerald eyes struggling to focus.
She pressed a trembling hand to her temple, wincing as she tried to sit up. "I think I got poisoned, but I’m feeling better now. Thank you for saving me, uhh..." Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.
"My name is Mitch," he said, offering her a generous portion of the boar meat he had cooked earlier.
The aroma of seasoned meat filled the air between them, and he noticed how her eyes immediately fixed on the food with barely concealed hunger.
"I’m Leya," she replied, accepting the meal with grateful hands.
Now that she was upright, Mitch could see her more clearly.
She was tall, almost matching his own height, with long, silvery-white hair that cascaded down her shoulders like moonlight.
Her clothes hung in tatters, torn and stained from her ordeal, but couldn’t hide her athletic build. What struck him most were her slightly pointed ears, a detail that sparked his curiosity about her heritage.
"Can I have something to drink, my savior?" Leya asked between careful bites of the meat.
"Sure, but just call me Mitch," he replied with a modest smile.
"Mhm," she nodded, a hint of warmth returning to her voice.