Starry Nest

You were out gathering materials, when you came across a bush heavily laden with perfectly ripe berries. Deciding to take a quick break, you set down your bags, and well, one thing led to another and here you are much later, in a berry stuffed reverie, doing your best to remember which direction you had originally come from. The sun was considerably lower in the sky, and you found yourself unable to locate any semblance of a path you had been traveling down.

 

Your worry began to mount even higher as it grew later, and a thick darkness began to settle between the trees. A chill wind made you shiver, as you cautiously picked your way through the underbrush. You were never sure if the rustling of the branches was just the wind, or if you weren’t actually alone in these woods anymore. A shadow flitted past the corner of your vision, and you decided you had had enough, and took off through the trees in a random direction you hoped was towards home.

 

Just as you rounded a tree however, you nearly jumped out of your skin as a figure suddenly appeared in front of you. You skidded to a harsh stop, stumbling over your own legs and crashing down hard into the ground. You struggle to get your feet underneath you when a friendly sounding voice pipes up.

 

 

“Whoa there, pup! You okay? That was quite a tumble!” You look up to see a hulking shape of a dog standing over you, head tilted curiously with a look of concern in her eyes. Despite her large size, and threatening spiked collar, she exuded a friendly, calming aura that helped you calm your racing heart. You slowly get back up to your feet, only for one of your knees to buckle beneath you, a spike of pain shooting up your leg.

 

“Careful, looks like you got banged up pretty bad. Come on, I can escort you and get you all patched up.” She said, helping support your weight, while being careful to avoid prodding you with her collar. You nod gratefully and the two of you begin slowly making your way through the woods.

 

“It’s dangerous to be out here on your own at this hour, pup. There’s been all kinds of restless spirits and strange goings-on out here lately, I’ve been out here trying to investigate. I’m glad we ran into each other when we did!” She said and gave you a wide smile.

 

After a while, the two of you emerge from the woods at a small verdant pond. The water was completely still, reflecting the night sky like a natural mirror. Blooming bushes and vines were perfectly arranged about the clearing, and stone walkways marked a path around the area. There are several nests with an assortment of fluff, downy, and soft moss that you can spy some elafkeri nestled into and resting.

 

"Welcome to Starry Nest! Let's get you comfortable, and get you back on your feet."