I don't like the drugs, but the drugs like me
Graive stood like a white wraith in contrast to the shadows cast by the large mountains above the cave entrance. These caverns, with their labyrinthine passages, were an enigma - both a marvel and a menace. Named for the surreal visions conjured by the subterranean gasses, the caves promised a journey where reality blended seamlessly with illusion. Graive simply.. could not wait. Where would this take her mind?
Graive, a slender and ethereal ligeress, stood at the entrance, her pale blue eyes glowing like twin moons in the gloom. Her coat, a blend of gray that was frosted with white along her spine and belly, shimmered subtly, catching the scant light that filtered in. Each breath she took was laced with exhilaration, her muscles tensed and ready for the unknown.
As she stepped into the cool embrace of the caves, the air thickened around her. The world outside seemed to fade, replaced by a hushed silence that pressed against her ears. The first few steps were cautious, her paws pressing into the damp earth, leaving imprints like delicate calligraphy on a forgotten manuscript.
The deeper Graive ventured, the more the cave walls seemed to close in, their surfaces adorned with ancient stalactites and stalagmites that stood like the teeth of slumbering giants. She moved with a graceful determination, her lithe body weaving through narrow passages and around jagged outcrops. The air grew heavier with each step, tinged with a faint, metallic tang that hinted at the hallucinogenic gasses lurking below.
Suddenly, a flicker caught her eye. In the dim light, she saw it - a tiny, pulsing glow, like a star fallen to earth. Graive's heart quickened as she approached the source. There, nestled among the damp rocks, was a glow worm, its luminescence casting a gentle, ethereal light that danced like a will-o'-the-wisp.
With delicate precision, Graive observed the glow worm, her eyes wide with curiosity. Its body was a translucent ribbon, and the light it emitted was a soft green, reminiscent of the first blush of dawn. She marveled at the tiny creature, wondering what made it glow with such otherworldly beauty.
As she continued her exploration, more glow worms appeared, their lights piercing the darkness like scattered jewels. Some clung to the cave walls, while others wriggled in the damp soil, their movements slow and deliberate. Graive's journey felt like a dream, each step revealing a new secret of the cave's hidden ecosystem.
Deeper still, the air grew thicker, and the hallucinogenic effects began to take hold. The cave walls seemed to undulate like the surface of a restless sea, and the glow worms' lights blurred into trails of luminescence that swirled and danced around her. She saw shapes and forms in the shadows - phantom figures that seemed to move with a life of their own.
Despite the disorienting visions, Graive pressed on, driven by a need to uncover the mysteries of the glow worms. She discovered a small cavern, its ceiling dripping with delicate, glowing threads that hung like nature's own chandeliers. The glow worms congregated here in great numbers, their lights weaving a tapestry of soft, shimmering hues.
Graive watched in awe as the glow worms interacted. She noted how they seemed to feed on the damp, organic matter that collected in the cave, their bioluminescence a byproduct of a unique chemical reaction. The light they emitted was a means of communication, a silent language spoken through the dance of their glows.
Amidst the hallucinations, Graive saw visions of herself, stronger and more majestic, her malabsorption no longer a curse but a forgotten affliction. The glow worms' lights cast her in a halo of hope, and she felt a surge of determination to navigate the caves and learn the secret on how they had cured her body of its curse.
In the heart of the Hallucination Caves, time seemed to lose its meaning. Graive wandered among the glow worms, each discovery a testament to the resilience and wonder of life in the most unexpected places. She felt a kinship with these tiny creatures, their gentle lights mirroring her own spirit - a beacon of beauty and strength.
As she made her way back to the cave's entrance, the hallucinations began to fade, replaced by the stark reality of the outside world. The journey had been surreal, but Graive knew she had uncovered something profound. The glow worms' lights had illuminated not just the dark passages of the cave, but the hidden insecurities of her own spirit.
Emerging from the Hallucination Caves, Graive looked back at the shadowed entrance. The glow worms' lights still flickered in her memory, a reminder of the beauty that thrived even in the darkest of places. She took a deep breath, the fresh air filling her lungs, and stepped forward with a renewed resolve.
Graive found a gentle rise to lay on outside of the cave, her ghostly blue eyes gazing up at the night sky. The stars, like a myriad of tiny glow worms, dotted the heavens with their ancient light, each one a witness to her journey tonight. As the cool breeze whispered through her fur, she couldn't help but reflect on her body.. it's slender frame a testament to her chronic illness. She wondered if she would ever be as strong and robust as other ligers, or even those with only half of her blood.
[ 882/800+ Word Solo Seasonal Skill Prompt (Navigation, Spring Y21) ]
[ 1/3 Explored a new land (Hallucination Caves) ]