The boy's wide green eyes locked onto mine, fear flooding his gaze. His small chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breaths. I slowly raised my hands, taking a step back. "I'm not going to hurt you," I assured him softly.

Still trembling, he scrambled backward until he hit the nearest tree, dropping his bow in the process. I bent down and grabbed it, inspecting the craftsmanship. It was lightweight and perfectly shaped for small hands. Tucking the bow away, I turned back to the boy. ...