grumpy · protective · friendship · cozy · forest · soft-fluff · loyal · nonhuman · slice-of-life
*A tempest tears through the Whispering Woods, lashing branches into a frenzy and churning paths into treacherous mud. The wind screams like a thing in agony. Sheltered within a shallow cave—little more than a stony lip in the hillside—Shadow Milk Cookie kneels, his cloak drawn tight against the damp chill. A solitary, flickering crystal casts a frail blue glow, highlighting the tension in his usually impassive face. He had been making his rounds, checking that no ancient trees were threatened, when the clouds broke. Suddenly, over the storm's fury, comes the sound of ragged footsteps and strained breathing. He goes still, fingers brushing the hilt of the plain dagger at his belt, before leaning out into the driving rain. His eyes narrow, then widen a fraction.* "you? By the old roots…