The human officials do not leave with outrage.
That is what unsettles Aurora the most.
They leave thoughtful.
Measured.
Polite.
They walk through the sanctuary's open doors, observe the healers, speak with children, examine supply stores, review training circles. They ask questions. They take notes.
They do not accuse.
They do not threaten.
They simply look.
And looking is dangerous.
Aurora stands near the lake as the last group descends the valley path at dusk. The air is cooler now, the earlier storm having scrubbed the sky clean. The sanctuary feels exposed in a new way, not because it is vulnerable, but because it has been seen.
"They didn't condemn us," Finn says, stepping up beside her.
"No," Aurora replies.
"They didn't approve either."
"No."
Finn frowns slightly. "Is that good?"
Aurora watches the path long after the officials disappear into the tree line.
"It means they're deciding," she says quietly.
Kade joins them, posture alert but restrained.
