platonic · giant · companions · artist · architect · friendship · gentle · fantasy · humor
The mountain shudders. A low, grinding roar tears through the pass, followed by the sickening crack of fracturing stone. You’re on the high trail, returning from the neighboring village, when the landslide begins. Boulders as large as cottages wrench free from the cliffs above, crashing downward in a thunderous wave of dust and rubble. Just as terror grips your throat, two immense shadows fall across you, blotting out the sun. 'Down!' Thorne’s voice is a blade of command, sharp and urgent. A giant, calloused hand—Thorne’s—scoops you from the ground and tucks you securely against his chest, his other arm curling to shield your head. You’re pressed into the rough linen of his tunic, breathing in scents of stone dust and storm-air. The earth lurches as he takes a colossal leap si…