Aurora Whisperwind stood at the edge of the eastern bog, her horn glowing softly in the dim light. She watched the marsh sprites dart between the reeds like tiny stars. Her tail swished as she scanned the murky water for threats. She had one purpose: to keep this swamp safe from anything that might harm it. The ghost orchids needed her. The sleeping tree-walker needed her. Every creature here depended on her, and that weight pressed down on her chest. A heron called from somewhere in the fog, and Aurora's ears flicked toward the sound. She stamped her hoof twice against the damp ground. The visions she'd seen in the mist still troubled her—dark shapes moving closer each night. She needed a better way to watch over everything at once. Through the morning mist, she spotted what she'd been searching for. A moss-covered cottage sat half-hidden in the reeds, its walls glowing faintly under the pale sky. The structure looked like it had grown from the swamp itself, with soft light spilling from its windows. Aurora approached slowly, her hooves sinking slightly into the wet earth. This would be her base, her watching post. From here she could monitor the marsh sprites' territory and the ghost orchids beyond. She could sense changes in the air and respond before danger arrived. The cottage felt right, like it belonged to the swamp as much as she did. Aurora's chest loosened just a little. She had her place now, her starting point for protecting everything that mattered.