Red String (Series #1) \\ Ateez ✔️

beneath the willow's canopy

THIRD POV

Autumn leaves crunched beneath the playful footsteps of a young girl, each rustle narrating tales of the enchanted forest.

Humming a melody, she explored the wild with the birds joining in, creating a harmonious serenade as she skipped through nature's symphony.

Approaching a cliff overlooking a river, her keen eyes caught the gleam of a plant. Her notebook, a cherished creation from her mother, held secrets of the forest's wonders as she flipped on a page and began muttering; "Essence of hibiscus, a plant that blooms during autumn..."

Her small hands then reached towards her leathered sling bag again before grabbing an empty sketchpad, trying to sketch the flower, yet it was still evident that her drawing skills could not compare to her mother's before she frustratingly shoved her notebook inside her bag.

"I'm bored" She sighed, her lower lip protruding in a charming pout. "When will she come back?" Her gaze flitted towards the majestic cobblestone tower, nestled amid the brown trees where the Kingdom of Cerys lies as she impatiently waited for someone.

But suddenly, an anguished scream fell into her ears.

Wrecking her out of her thoughts, the little girl's curiosity got the advantage of her as she hurriedly shuffled on her shoes, doing an impressive job of maneuvering through the sloppy steps that led down towards the riverbank.

And just situated beside the running river - Her eyes took notice of a young boy hunching down as he clutched his bleeding leg, tears endlessly flowing through his eyes.

"What happened in here?" The girl asked as a gentle breeze carrying the crisp scent of fallen leaves stirred the air around them. Her eyes, reminiscent of the black hues of the night, held a curious warmth as she stepped through the rustling foliage.

The sudden voice instantly made the crying boy's head whip towards her direction before his eyes widened "Hey, who are you?!"

He shook his head and attempted to shift his body away like she was a predator, ready to lunge at him at any given moment. "You're here to hurt me, aren't you?!"

The girl was innocently confused by his outbursts, and so it continued. He was panicking while shifting his body away from her approaching figure, he could not run away since his leg was bitterly sore; so he only did one thing which was to scream at her. "Go away!"

"What a cheeky boy," She commented, her words adorned with a touch of whimsiness. "Of course, I'm not here to hurt you, that's bold of you to say that!"

With measured steps, she approached the trembling boy, the forest floor cradling her movements in a carpet of fallen leaves. Taking one last step, she crouched to reach the same level as him and scrutinized his injury. One look and her intellectual brain immediately comprehended the situation.

"Did a poisonous scorpion bite you?" The girl stated which left the boy in pain, astonished.

How did she know? Was the first thing that drifted into his head.

"Y-yes" The petrified boy stammered, putting his head down and gradually embracing that the girl meant no harm.

"Let me help you" The girl hastily snatched something from her satchel and brought out a small pill before leading it towards the boy's lips.

"Eat it," She urged gently. "My mom is a poison expert, and she crafted this pill. It will shield the core of your cultivating powers, preventing the poison from consuming your body. Take it now."