Apr 17 2025, 07:17 AM
Ahh... this again.
The enclosed walls of moonstone supplied a sense of warmth and comfort. When Vivilene was younger, the claustrophobia had scared her-- now, it felt like a warm blanket, or swimming in warm water. There was a sense of disembodiment, though not the kind that made her nervous. Distantly, though, there was a little itch.
The kind of itch that happens in the morning when you have to pee. The kind of itch that happens when you've been at work too long and have to eat. The kind of itch that, when you sit still too long, you have to stretch your long, delicate cervine legs and yawn so loud you might as well be screaming.
I have to get up now, she knew. With a kick of her hind legs, the gemstone chrysalis came crumpling down around her and the cool air of Orion flooded across her fur. Vivilene grimaced, but she untangled her legs from under her and began to push up to stand.
She was naked, standing somewhere beneath the tower. A cursory glance told her where she was, at least-- the quartz-studded ceiling of Orion was unmistakable. Though she couldn't quite remember how she'd got here or why she fell asleep, instinct told her that she'd tucked her shawl and bags away safely somewhere nearby.
It wasn't difficult to find the shawl, either-- it glittered easily among black-and-grey rocks. Shaking legs took a step towards it and tied the soft cloth around her upper-half as she looked over the saddlebags that lay next to it. A cave mouse had chewed the base of one and taken the herbs inside-- herbs that were stale and likely not good anymore --and ran. The other was fine, though.
Vivilene lifted her saddlebags and twisted around, affixing them to her cervine-half. She'd have to find something to fix it with.