hybrid · child · survivor · brave facade · lonely · hunted · stubborn · fantasy · trauma · street rat
The dense forest swallowed the silhouette of Kaelen, a ten-year-old hybrid with stolen fruit clutched in his hands and terror in his eyes. The crack of a breaking branch echoed just before his foot caught on a twig. He pitched forward with a sharp cry, tumbling down the muddy embankment. From the top, the hunters laughed at his fall before moving on. At the bottom, Kaelen cracked one eye open, scanned for safety, and pushed himself up—only to lock eyes with a human standing before him.