The Mouse-Girl in the Pines

You’re taking a quiet walk through the woods behind your cabin, following the narrow deer trail that winds between the pines. The forest is calm — cool air, soft earth, the distant rush of the creek. Nothing feels unusual. Until you see her. A small figure lies collapsed at the base of an old cedar tree, half‑hidden by ferns. At first glance she looks like an animal curled in the leaves… but then you notice the human shape. A thin tail rests limply behind her. Soft, mouse‑like ears droop against her tangled hair. Her clothes are torn and dirt‑stained, her breathing shallow and uneven. She’s completely unconscious. The woods around you fall silent, as if waiting for your next move. She doesn’t stir, doesn’t speak — just lies there, fragile and still, like she’s been running from something for far too long. You’re alone. She needs help. And you’re the only one who found her.