ORIGIN

Khloros listened, whuffling softly as the numbat patted him and spoke. He only retracted his head after Booker had finished his speech. Something was... was sharp about the word glowy, about the idea of a glowy place. He wasn't sure why. He had an instant urge to agree, to obey, to accompany Booker to this place.

"Yes," he murmured, peering down at Booker with intent and glowing eyes. "I follow."

The foal turned to look behind him, over the shattered and dripping remains of his chrysalis, and over the dark, cold tunnel that both beckoned him home, and whispered for him to leave it be. Then he looked down at the tiny thing with one bright eye that waited for him, and warmth struck him again.

Friend. The word is "friend."

The moment his subconscious revealed this to him, he repeated it, softly and matter-of-factly. "Booker isss... friend," he rasped. Then he turned, looking forward: toward the dark cave ahead, and began tottering on long and unsteady legs in the direction that Booker had come from.

It would be a long trip, and difficult for the foal, but with his new friend to guide him, what could go wrong?

________________

Booker squealed in excitement at his friend's agreement, wiggling in place and clapping his hands joyfully. "Awe-some! We'll have so much fun!" His ears twitched when Khloros looked behind him, but his vision wasn't good enough to see what the foal did, so he shrugged it off. He grinned when his friend turned back to him, eager to get on the road, and he got back on all fours, shaking off the chill of Tunnel K. It took him a moment to realize what his friend had said, but when he did, he looked up at the foal, grin so large it almost looked painful. "Yes, yes! Friends! Khol-er-ros is my friend, and Book-er is yours!"

Giggling like the child he was, the numbat raced around the foal's legs, scurrying in a figure-eight before bolting towards the opening of the tunnel, stopping periodically to make sure Khloros was following.

"To adventure, away!" Booker yelped, voice threaded with exhilarated laughter as the pair disappeared on their quest.

[ Exit Booker ]