I trudged along, following a path that seemed like it was worn deep into the ground. The large objects around me reached far above, almost as if its many arms were trying to grab the angry thing that sat so high up. But I wondered why it would do such a thing? The heat from it alone made me scared of it. I glanced around and took in all the sights as delight blossomed in my chest. There was so much here! All the sensations and feelings were overwhelming and did well to chase away the hunger that I felt coiling around my stomach. But above all of that, the sheer happiness that I felt exploring was intoxicating.

There were so many things to see, and so much to experience, and I wanted to relish each second. I pushed forward once more, and my eyes took in the scenes. Sounds gently caressed my ears, and I did my best to pick them apart. One was loud, shrill, and repeated in a pattern. Another was a gentle rustle that moved in tandem with whatever brushed against my face. There were so many that it was hard to keep up with. Yet, the sheer amount rang like a melody in my ears and filled my mind with pleasure.

This was lovely. Yet I felt like I was lacking something, but I wasn’t sure what. There were still so many things that I didn’t know. What were those strange things on the end of the many arms that blocked out the mass of anger? What were the not shineys called? So many questions floated through my mind as I wandered further into the forest.

Until at last something caught my eyes. It was a cluster of small balls that were no larger than the tips of my clawed fingers. They glimmered gently as another wave pushed through the dozens of arms and rustling filled the air. Then, suddenly, a gentle scent reached my nose. It was sweet, and it made my stomach rumble, reminding me of my hunger.

Curiously, I scampered over to the small strange balls, and sniffed them. The second that the sweet smell graced my nose, I plucked them from the bushy thing and before I could even think about it, I popped them into my mouth. The second that my teeth bit into it, I felt a gush of liquid fill my mouth. Sweetness bled across my tongue and it mingled with the chewy bits from the insides of the strange ball.

It was delicious. The sweetness in t’s self was enthralling and I couldn’t get enough of it. In a heartbeat, I reached out and grabbed as many of the small balls as I could and shoved them into my mouth. The sweet flavor did wonders to cut into the hunger, and with each gulp, my mind slowly became clearer.

After I had plucked the bushy thing clean, I flicked my tongue out and ran it over my lips to make sure I collected all the juices. My stomach still felt empty, but the delicious meal was enough to take the edge off. As I looked around and tried to make a plan, I clasped my shiny in my hand. I needed to find a place to rest. I tilted my head as I looked around and saw nothing but large bushy things, and the jagged ugliness of the enormous arms that rose around me. Yes, I needed somewhere safe so I could relax and learn more about the world.

I focused on a path that seemed to be more worn than anything else around me, so I followed it. All the while licking my lips and thinking about everything that I’ve experienced so far. This place was grand. There was so much to see. It made me crave for more though, however. I pushed onwards and down the path. My eyes drank in each sight with a bottomless hunger.

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Though I found frustration built up in my chest in tandem with the pleasure as I took in everything around me. Yet I couldn’t seem to figure out what they were called. What were the strange hands on the many arms called? What were those large puffy things that floated above me? I felt my face scrunch as I processed it all. My feet dug into the soft ground beneath me as I trudged along the path.

I walked onwards for some time before I heard something strange. It sounded wet, and fast, and there was a strange smell in the air. But I struggled to find a name for the strange smell. It made me feel clean and at peace. Trying to vocalize it was difficult, which only added to my budding frustration. There had to be a way for me to learn things.

As I walked towards the sound, I pushed the thoughts to the wayside as my attention was already getting shifted. I fought through more of the large bushy things and got caught up in the countless amount of tiny hands covered in even smaller claws. Some even pierced my skin and clung to me as I pressed through. The pain, however, ceased to exist as I my attention was thoroughly locked onto the strange, unfamiliar sight near me.

Infront of me was something strange. It rushed through a large hole in the ground that seemed to stretch through all the large ugly things in front of me. Something seemed to glitter on the surface and reflected something harsh in my eyes that made me wince away in pain. But I still pushed on, curious about what this was.

I wandered over to it and squatted down to stare into it. It was clear on the shallowest parts and I could see many non shinys that sat just below the surface. I stared at the strange substance in wonder as it ran down its path. This was amazing, whatever it was. I reached out with a clawed hand and pressed my hand into it.

In an instant, it parted around my fingertips and chased away some of the heat from my flesh, and chilled me down to the bone. Quickly, I pulled my hand back and studied it. The strange stuff dripped from my fingertips and back into the rushing substance. Tentatively, I brought my fingers up to my face and gave them a quick sniff, and, much to my surprise, I smelled nothing. It was just there. I reached downwards again and scooped up more of the liquid and this time; I brought it back up to my mouth and brought it to my tongue. Again, there was no taste or anything to it. It just simply was, and that was confusing. However, it felt like it was important, but I didn’t understand why. It was just an instinct that seemed to burn in me to consume more, so I did.

It quenched something deep with in that I didn’t know existed. I pondered the thought as I gulped down more of the chilling liquid, as another feeling floated through my mind. Ah, yes, this was thirst. The second that the thought crossed my mind, it was quenched as satisfaction blossomed at sating that feeling.

I reached back down and scooped up more handfuls of the liquid and brought it to my lips until I noticed something on the surface. I paused mid movement and glanced at it. A set of small circles gazed back up at me. They were solid, full and looked like the same color the hellfire did. They radiated a sense of serenity and nobility. Which was good. I was a noble creature, after all.

My gaze shifted from the circles and toward a small hooked nose that seemed to bring in coolness. My face was small and seemed to be delicate, with a few of my teeth protruding from my lips. I reached up and grabbed the two long bits that stretched from either side of my face and gently caressed them before pulling them down. In my eyes, I was the prettiest thing. Even prettier than my dearest shiny. My lip curled and revealed rows of jagged teeth, and a long slender tongue that twisted with my desire.

I pulled my claws away from my face and studied them for a second. Each individual finger was slender and ended with a long claw that had a dark colorlessness to it. Each tip looked sharp and deadly, and it made me happy to stare at. A few short seconds later, I broke my gaze and went back to drinking some of the substance, trying to fill my belly before I moved on.