Yellow clapped their little hands together. "Yay! We can do whatever you want!" In their mind, there had been nothing odd about Khloros asking them to run or hide. They had simply assumed that the horse just wanted to play. Who didn't like a game of hide-and-seek, anyway? Although Yellow thought that it would be a very lopsided competition if they ever did a race. Khloros would clearly have the advantage with his long legs.

"The ribbon looks great!" they told Khloros, jumping down to gather their things. "Gold goes great with black! Actually, I think it goes great with everything!" They bundled their kaleidoscope in wrapping paper and fastened it to their neck with their remaining ribbon... but how were they going to get their music box up there as well? Perhaps they could... try to tie both of them together? They tried that, but the ribbon was a little too short for that.

So they would have to take the long way around, then. They climbed into the crystal alcove, setting the kaleidoscope down next to the shimmering rift. Then they unwrapped it and took the paper and ribbon back down, and used them to bundle up the music box. Finally, they made their way onto Khloros's back with the box attached to them, then reached for the kaleidoscope resting in its alcove. "All right!" they cheered. "Off we go!"

-- exit?
@Khloros

The little one was so... enthusiastic, so genuine, that Khloros couldn't help but feel warmed. The feeling, like so many of his, was distant: but it was not unwelcome. It was... unusual, though, and he pondered it for a moment, that pang of strange emotion.

"Thank you," he said, after a moment, to the compliment of gold ribbon in his mane--and his thanks was genuine. He turned, then--casting one last glance back at the strange portal--and faced the various tunnel exits one by one. Ahh--this must be the one that Yellow meant, he thought: the wooden-floored walkway back to Polaris.

"This way, yes-?" he asked, soft-voiced, one ear flicking back toward the sifaka. He began his steady stride, lanky limbs carrying him forward. "You'll have to guide me from here."

horse stock by venomxbaby on deviantart

exit Khloros

@Yellow (for visibility--and do you want to do an Ursa thread?)