Aisling Raven knelt in the morning grass, bandaging a stray dog's injured paw. The dog whimpered but held still under her gentle touch. She dreamed of running her own animal clinic here in Hollow Maple Woods. A real building with proper tables and medicine cabinets. A place where every hurt creature could find help. She stood and brushed dirt from her knees. The wooden sign she'd hammered into the ground yesterday read "Day 5" in rough letters. Five days of treating animals in this clearing. The young deer still lingered near the flowers, watching her work. The rabbit hopped closer, sniffing at her supply bag. Even the skunk had returned, black and white tail held high. Word was spreading somehow, animal to animal. But working outdoors had limits. Rain would ruin her bandages. Wind scattered her herbs. She needed walls and a roof. Down the path stood an old stone building covered in flowering vines. The lavender dome had smooth walls and wide windows. It sat empty, forgotten by whoever built it. Through the glass, she could see open space inside. Perfect for exam tables and storage. She walked toward it, already planning where everything would go. Her mobile cabin could park right outside. She'd carry supplies from the wheeled coach into the stone building each morning. The dome would be her clinic. The cabin would let her reach injured animals across the forest. Together, they'd help her serve the whole region. Aisling pressed her hand against the cool stone wall. This was how dreams started—one animal, one building, one choice at a time.

Aisling pushed open the heavy wooden door of the stone building and stepped inside. Dust floated in the morning light streaming through the windows. She needed to learn what this space required before it could become a clinic. The floor was solid stone, cold but clean enough. The walls would hold shelves. But she had no shelves yet, no tables, no supplies organized properly. She walked the perimeter, counting her steps. Twelve paces across. Enough room for three exam areas if she planned it right. Her first task was clear—turn this empty dome into a working space, one piece at a time. She locked the door behind her and headed down the forest path. The Healing Institute sat an hour's walk away, past the oak grove and the stream. Other healers studied there, learning about herbs and treatment methods. Aisling had visited once before to ask questions. Today she needed real answers about setting up a proper workspace. The stone building's facade looked calm in the afternoon light. Gardens of medicinal plants grew in neat rows outside. She knocked and waited. A woman answered, listened to her questions, then invited her inside to the library. Aisling spent three hours reading about clinic layouts and animal care stations. Back at the dome, she unloaded supplies from her mobile cabin. The glass medicine cabinet came first—steel frame, clear doors, multiple shelves inside. She carried it through the doorway and set it against the wall near the entrance. Bottles of medicine went on the top shelf. Bandages and tools filled the middle section. Everything had a place now, visible and organized. She stepped back and looked at it. One corner of the room finally had purpose. The sun dropped below the trees as she worked. An injured owl arrived, wing dragging. Aisling needed light to examine it properly. She lit the bog coal lantern she'd brought from the cabin—wooden frame, glass front, steady glow. The flame burned bright without flickering. She held it close to the owl's wing and found the break. Twenty minutes later, the wing was splinted and wrapped. The owl blinked at her from its box. She set the lantern on the floor, its light filling the space. The dome felt less empty now. One animal treated. One corner equipped. One step closer to the clinic she imagined.