It was a quiet, serene Saturday morning, the kind that made the lake glisten like liquid glass. Dannah drifted just below the water's surface, her translucent form blending seamlessly with the gentle ripples. Her glowing core pulsed faintly as she watched the salmon dart through the currents, their silvery scales catching shafts of sunlight. She marveled at the harmony of it all; the way the water flowed, the effortless rhythm of life.

A soft smile spread across her face. This lake had become her sanctuary, the only place in the world where she felt truly accepted. The fish didn't care what she was or why she was here. They didn't look at her with fear or disgust, nor did they call her by the name that still haunted her: EDHS-30. To them, she wasn't a failed experiment, a discarded weapon. She was simply part of the ecosystem.

She swam with gentle, fluid movements, her tendrils brushing against the reeds as she checked on her underwater home. Over the years, she had cultivated a delicate balance in this place, ensuring every creature was safe. The fish no longer ate each other but instead relied on the food she provided, algae enriched with nutrients she herself produced. It had taken time, nearly a decade, but now the ecosystem thrived under her care.

Ten years, she thought, her expression softening. Ten years since I was thrown away like garbage... and yet, I'm still here.

The memory of those days was faint now, but the sting of rejection remained, buried deep within her. She shook the thought away, focusing instead on the beauty of the moment.

Breaking the surface, she swam to the edge of the lake, her semi-transparent form shimmering in the morning light. She climbed onto a large, mossy rock, her body shifting into a more defined humanoid shape. From there, she gazed out at the forest surrounding her sanctuary. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves dancing in a symphony of rustling whispers. The world felt alive, peaceful, a stark contrast to the sterile, suffocating lab where she had been born.

The sound of the wind brought her comfort, but suddenly, a different noise pricked her senses. The rustling wasn't rhythmic like the wind through the trees; it was sharp, deliberate. Her smile vanished as her core began to glow brighter, her body instinctively shifting.

The sound came again, closer this time. Dannah rose to her feet, her once-soft form hardening, growing. She towered over the rock now, her shape morphing into something monstrous. Broad shoulders, elongated limbs, and jagged edges gave her the appearance of a feral ogre, her translucent body darkening into a murky hue.

Her glowing core pulsed erratically as she scanned the treeline, every instinct screaming that this was no ordinary animal. She crouched low, gripping a fallen tree trunk with one of her tendrils. Her voice, usually soft and hesitant, now echoed with an unnatural ferocity.

"I have seen and connected with each creature in this forest," she growled, her voice trembling with both fear and rage. "But this presence... is different. It is no mere animal!"

Without hesitation, she slammed the tree trunk into the ground, the impact reverberating through the clearing. Birds scattered, their panicked cries echoing through the trees.

"Get... AWAY!"

Her voice boomed, but beneath the fury lay something raw, a mix of terror and pain. She had worked so hard to build this sanctuary, to make this lake her haven. If whatever was out there threatened to take that from her, she would fight to protect it with every ounce of strength she had.

But as the rustling grew louder, her grip faltered slightly. Memories of them, the scientists, the white lab coats, the cold instruments; flashed through her mind. She wasn't sure if she was warning the intruder or herself. Maybe both...