The sound of a baby crying echoed through the forest.
It was a thin, fragile sound, barely strong enough to carry through the towering trees and the whispering wind. Yet in the quiet wilderness, it was impossible to ignore.
A lone mercenary walking along the forest path suddenly stopped.
His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings as the cry reached his ears again. Faint, desperate… and unmistakably human. With a slight frown, he followed the sound deeper into the woods.
Moments later, he found the source.
Beneath a tall tree lay a small bundle wrapped in a worn blanket. Inside it, a baby squirmed and cried, its tiny face red from the cold.
The mercenary stared down at the child in silence.
Of all the strange things he had seen in his life, this was certainly one of them.
He bent down, picked up the baby, and let out a tired sigh.
"How bothersome," he muttered. "I can't just leave you here to die."
The baby quieted slightly in his arms, gripping his finger with surprising strength.
The mercenary clicked his tongue.
"…Great. Now what am I supposed to do with you?"
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I'm using a little bit of ai to help with my grammar and inspire me a little bit, so sorry if it isn't that good im just doing this because im bored