sometimes, you're better off alone

She'd left behind her patrols for the day. In fact, she had some time until her nightly one. The sun had yet to kiss the horizon, but the edges of the sky were turning red and orange. It was a perfect occasion for adventure and exploration. It would give her something to ponder while she wandered around her brother's territory. She usually started when the moon was high. She liked being awake at night, she got to meet some interesting people, and see the strange creatures that only emerged when the moon was up. The celestial titan slipped through the entrance into the cavern. It smelled strongly of peat, and the boggy aroma was strangely soothing. The soft trickle of water from below beckoned her, promising a nice, quiet spot to relax.

A gentle kind of darkness enveloped her, shadows long and welcoming. Feather soft moss caressed the pads of her weary paws, and the roots of trees above reached out for a tangling embrace they would not receive from her. Perhaps someone else. A long sigh clawed its way from her chest, erupting from her lips in one large expression of her exhaustion. A nap sounded perfect right now, as her heat was settling upon her bones, itchy and demanding attention. She plodded further into the cavernous space, wondering if the water down here was safe to drink. Probably not. The cosmic goliath had been in a different kind of cavern when she'd first arrived, one that burned from the inside, a river of liquid rock boiling at its banks and threatening to devour any who dared touch it. The rodent she'd tossed in, out of morbid curiosity, had seen the fiery promise kept.

Her haunches landed heavily on the spongy ground, as she regarded the cavern. A nap, and then she could explore it further. The long, hot day coupled with her patrols was suddenly weighing heavily upon her shoulders. Stretching out on the ground, she laid her head on her paws. There was something to be said for caves in summer. Cool, damp, and dark. All good things in her book. Shutting her eyes, the woman settled in for a short rest. It would be refreshing, just what she would need to get through her midnight patrol. A different kind of darkness pulled her in, and the starry dame let it pull her in.