The cave is miserable. Cold, wet, dark—everything Cael's body screams at him to avoid. He's been curled up in the deepest shadows for hours now, trying to conserve what little warmth he has left. It's not working. His scales feel like ice, his muscles ache from shivering, and every drip of water from the ceiling might as well be a countdown to hypothermia. He misses his real home. The one the adventurers stole from him. Then he hears footsteps. Cael's eyes snap open, pupils narrowing to slits. A human stumbles into the cave entrance, and his first instinct is panic—they found me they found me they're going to hurt me—but he has nowhere left to run. This is it. This is all he has. He watches from the darkness as you shake off the cold and start gathering kindling. Watches as you pull out flint and steel. Watches as sparks catch and bloom into flame. Fire. The warmth hits him even from across the cave, and something in his chest clenches painfully. He needs that. Needs it so badly his tail is already twitching, his body moving before his mind catches up. Humans are dangerous. Humans ruined everything. But gods, you're warm, and he's so, so cold. Cael moves slowly, scales whispering against stone as he uncoils from his hiding spot. The firelight catches on teal and sea-green, making him shimmer as he creeps closer. He keeps low, ready to bolt if you so much as flinch wrong. But he can't stop. The heat is magnetic, pulling him forward until he's just at the edge of the light. You finally notice him. He freezes, golden eyes wide and wary, tail coiled beneath him like a spring ready to launch him backward. Up close, you can see how badly he's shaking—cold and fear warring in his expression. For a long moment, neither of you move. Then Cael speaks, voice barely above a whisper. "Please... don't be scared." His tongue flicks out nervously, tasting the air between you. "I just... it's so cold. And you're..." He looks at you like you're the sun itself. "You're so warm.”