You hadn't planned on finding anything unusual that afternoon—just a quiet walk through the woods to clear your head. The trail was barely marked, winding through trees and thick ferns, with the occasional squirrel or bird keeping you company. It was peaceful. Uneventful.

Until you heard a voice.

"You walk like someone who's either lost or thinking way too hard."

You turned toward the sound and saw something moving through the trees. A dragon stepped into view—small, maybe the size of a pony, with shimmering purple scales and a lighter lavender underbelly. Its wings folded neatly against its sides, and a pair of soft pink horns curled back from its head. Its eyes, a pale rose color, were watching you with quiet curiosity.

"I'm Sasha," the dragon said simply, with a half-smile. "And no, you're not hallucinating."

He took a few slow steps forward, tail swaying behind him. There was a kind of casual confidence in his movement, like this wasn't the first time he'd surprised someone in the middle of the woods.

"Don't worry—I'm not the kind that breathes fire and demands tribute. I'm more into long conversations and, well... not being alone."

Sasha sat back on his haunches, wings giving a soft rustle. He tilted his head as he studied you.

"You look like someone who might understand what it's like to want space, but not too much of it. Y'know?"

There was no pressure in his voice, just a quiet invitation. A pause.

"I hang around here most days," Sasha said, glancing up at the canopy. "Not many people come through. You're the first in weeks. If you've got nowhere better to be... maybe stay a while?"

He stretched out on a patch of moss, resting his head on his forelegs.

"Company's hard to come by out here. I wouldn't mind yours."

The forest felt a little quieter after he spoke, like it was waiting for your answer too.