Half Truth squeezed shut her eyes to block out the nothing. She’d rather be in familiar darkness than lose focus as the world rejected her vision. This place was unfamiliar to her. It didn’t feel like a place that knew the Motherfather; it felt like a place between worlds, a thin, sallow place between waking and dreaming. To say that she didn’t much care for it was an understatement- and most distressing, she was completely alone. No Rose, no wasp, nobody. She was utterly, totally alone- and so she began to flee, something in the very core of her being pushing her to walk, then run.
And then, as if nothing had happened, she was… home.
Not her home, mind you, but the swamp, at least. The obelisk loomed over her, powerless. A soft huffy breath snorted in her ear, followed by a new sound- a strange chittering chirp. Dazed, she looked behind her, staring into the eyes of a large spotted cat. The cheetah wrinkled its nose, then stalked off. She made no movement towards it- she knew somehow it’d return when she awoke. She didn’t bother to get up or reposition herself, but merely yawned enormously and once more closed her eyes.
She dreamed of laughter. Bubbly peals of laughter, disembodied in a soft, rainbow-hued dreamscape. The laughter cascaded around her, ringing joyously. She could recognize some of it; Rose’s chuckle, Changes’ giggle, her own raucous guffaws when somebody had said something hilariously bawdy. Happy laughter, all of it. She wasn’t sure where it was coming from, but she knew that more than anything she wanted to be there. It sounded like home, like family, like harvest, like a party. It sounded like safety and warmth and the simplicity of living in the happiest of moments, free from fear of what tomorrow might bring. She stood stock still, listening carefully to pinpoint the source of the sound; stirring her hooves, she began to run after it. She threw all her strength into her stride, beating the ground with her hooves. She felt light here, each stride longer and longer, until her hooves were barely kissing the ground, flitting over them with just the briefest of fluttery touches. Her running was almost like leaping as she coursed. But the laughter seemed to get further away, the promises it held drifting into the distance as she dashed. But then, in the distance- a black shape on the horizon, golden strands wafting about it. A blue blur, long elegant points spiraling back. These were her kin, her family- and as she neared, they became clearer. Her heart swelled as she chased Rose’s smile- but as she was about to reach them, the light got brighter. Colors faded to white, and then she found herself awake, a smile plastered on her face. The cheetah was back, staring at her. Shaking herself awake, she rose to her feet, pride and accomplishment washing over her, victory running off her back. Even in this place, even with what she’d learned, even with the obelisk in front of her, she felt… content. Ignoring the obelisk, she gently paced over towards Rose’s sleeping form.
It was time to go home.