A Light to Guide You [SWP]

WAKER

It's difficult to remain bitter when the world does its best to prove you wrong, and maybe it's for the best. You're not particularly interested in becoming a bitter creature, but at the same time, you're not particularly interested in denying yourself the right to feel either. So, silent, you move along, listening to the night sky mare speak of this Metus—and you realize you have no concept at all of what you're heading towards. What you've visualized is something like a vicious bear, or something akin to Kisamoa—the only kinds of monstrous beings you know. You don't want to call them monsters, because monster is a state of the mind, not a state of the body, so monstrous will have to do.

Then, Night Sky turns to you, and you tilt your head towards her, eyes bleak. "I'll be fine," you state, firmly, despite the tired note in your voice. You're basing this statement on the fact that you have wings, and this place—whatever the hell it is—seems to offer you somewhat of a getaway. It seems to mostly be made up out of broken, tiny trees and fog, reducing it to what's only a few feet away. If the Metus overruns your company, you can leave them.

Not saying that you will, actually, do that, but you can. Hence, you have the possibility to be fine, despite your blood.

But Night Sky's concern touches you.

You don't exactly get any further though, because a cave looms out of the fog. Tentatively, you head towards the entrance, following Otem and Dragon Man. In spite of yourself, you're curious.

You sense the confusion and surprise in those around you, and the former replicated in you. This thing doesn't look particularly dangerous. It looks thin and starved and dejected, and absolutely, fantastically horrible. Tall and narrow, built for two legs rather than four, it has no discernible face, and a long snout full of vicious teeth. You stare. You're pretty sure it won't notice—it has no eyes, after all.

Otem speaks, and you listen. An owl drops a terrified mouse.

"Are you hurt?" you ask it in the silence following Otem's plea.