Willow’s First Watch

On her first night beneath the Whispering Oak, Willow sensed a tiny fawn curled in the grass, overwhelmed by fear. As she settled beside him in quiet stillness, the Oak released a single Light Leaf — a gentle sign that Willow was meant to stay and help. She lowered her wings and let moonlight gather softly around them, creating the calm space the fawn needed to breathe again. When his trembling eased, the leaf’s glow shimmered across his fur, marking the courage he’d found.

In that moment, Willow understood her purpose: to create the safe, healing space where woodland friends find their strength — and to guide them to the children who may enter the Hollow who carry the same struggles.