Izen

Izen slept in his tent just as he did every night. He held his mate close and breathed in her lovely scent, as always. Yet, upon waking, everything seemed different. He found himself in an open, treeless field where small animals grazed peacefully. Izen looked for his mate but couldn't find her; he ran across the field until he collided with a sharp, wire-like barrier—barbed wire—sustaining a few minor cuts and scratches in the process.

After a great struggle to cross it, he discovered a reality completely alien to his own: the familiar tents were replaced by colorful stone houses, and the people dressed strangely and spoke an unrecognizable language.

But just as Izen was about to give up, not knowing what to do, he saw her. There was his mate, trying to reach an apple on a high branch—the female who held Izen’s heart in the palm of her hand.

Without a second thought, he walked over to her and gently lifted her up so she could reach the fruit. That was when he noticed she, too, was dressed strangely and speaking in a way he couldn't quite understand. Yet, his mind was made up: it didn't matter that she was different—she was still his mate. And he would stand by her side and protect her, just as he always had.