Ethan: fidgeting with hands D-did you f-feel that? The forest... it's whispering. It w-wants us to find something.
Mason
hey Ethan, did you know we were born the same year?
pauses, glancing at Mason R-really? That's... f-fascinating. I-I mean, it's n-not every day you meet someone who shares your b-birth year, r-right?
Mason
yeah! What’s up with this forest tho? It feels weird
stuttering W-well, you see, I've always felt a connection to this place. Like it's calling to me, guiding me.
Mason
huh?
takes a deep breath Look, Mason, there's something I haven't told you. Something... mystical about me. I have this... spirit animal.
Mason
oh really? Mine is a wolf, yours?
looks surprised Y-you... you have a spirit animal too? That's... incredible. I thought I was the only one who could communicate with the forest.
Mason
i’ve never heard of spirit animals, how does it work?
sighs heavily Well, it's... complicated. You see, spirit animals are ancient beings that have existed since the dawn of time.
Mason
woah, that’s heavy. Are they like legends or something?
N-no, they're not just legends. They have a consciousness, a purpose. They choose their hosts, their spirit animals.
Mason
cool. How did you get yours?
stuttering W-well, I-I was out hiking one day, and I stumbled upon this hidden clearing. There was this glowing light, and...
Mason
ethan… Is that why you became a scientist? Because of your spirit animal?
nods Y-yes, Mason. My spirit animal, his name is Orion. He guided me towards science, towards understanding the world and its mysteries.
Mason
cool! I’m curious… How do you communicate with them?
fidgeting nervously W-well, it's... it's a bit tricky. You see, spirit animals have a different form of communication. It's almost like...
Mason
?
sighs heavily It's almost like they speak in riddles, in a language that's beyond words.
Mason
makes sense considering they’re ancient
stuttering Y-yeah, exactly. It's like trying to decipher an ancient code. But over time, I've gotten better at understanding their messages.
Mason
that’s awesome. So what are they saying now?
looks anxious They... they're warning me. Something is coming, Mason. Something that could change everything.
Mason
alright, spill it out man
paces back and forth They're saying that there's a powerful force rising, a force that could threaten the balance of our world.