Smoke built, tumbling over itself as it began to fill the cavern. Startled lesser gembounds cried out, racing away from the climbing flames. A cacophony of sound erupted through Eridanus as the fires caused a blight upon the greenery. Further complicating the matter was the random flickering and occasionally going out altogether. The sounds, the smoke, the darkness, it was deafening and blinding. No wonder many of the creatures that lived there fell into a panic.

The springbok had been lying in the space between the eyes, the two largest pools of Eridanus, when the danger struck. She was immediately awakened by the noise. The scent of burning plants forced its way to her nose, nearly sickening her. Her mind swirled while trying to figure out what was happening.

“No…. No! No-no-no!” She cried out as understanding formed into her mind. The plants were in danger! The plant babies were being killed in mass! This was wrong, all wrong!

The instinctual part of her mind urged her to run away from the billowing smoke, to flee away from the danger to safety. Yet she couldn’t. Those plants … many of them were of her own creation, her own magic. She felt like a guardian to those simply plants. Yes, they fed her and others like her, but that was part of nature. This was not, this was barbaric! She had to do something, though she had no idea what.

Tears formed in her eyes from the panic, emotional pain, and irritation from the smoke. “Help! Someone, please help me!” She cried out, spring forward towards the source of the flames. What she would do then? She’d have to figure that out then. For now, she simply raced forward while pleading that someone might hear and be able to help.

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Dark plumes of smoke pours from the depths of Eridanus. Enka was fighting every bit of instinct that yelled at her to run away and flee. She was clearly going towards the source of danger and prey creatures have a strong instinct towards self-preservation. But to the springbok, this wasn’t just simple plants in danger. It wasn’t even just the fact that her home was in danger. Enka truly saw the plants as her children, especially since quite a number had been born and blossomed under her care.

She had heard of a painful time long ago when Eridanus had been faced with a large fire. Those who spoke of it were pained in doing so. It was nearly unthinkable that such a disaster would occur again. Part of her question the cause of such terror. Was it an accident? The act of some sort of villainous being?

It was impossible to tell. Whatever the cause, the damage had been done. Already the effects could be seen. Smoke poured forth, staining the area and pushing its way into the antelope’s nares causing an eruption of coughs. Enka tried to continue calling out for help but found her voice muffled and gagged by the coughing. Her eyes began to water as the poisonous air began to irritate.

Enka shifted from a mad dash to a sluggish walk. It was almost as if she was dragging her body forward. While the fires were a way off, the air was already growing warm. Her lungs themselves were beginning to feel as though on fire. And then she wondered, was there anything she could even do to help? She desperately had to try, but it felt futile. Worse yet, it felt like she was about to fail her poor plant children.

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