Hey You. You're New!

When Avantika awoke, it was as gently and normally as a soft blanket. She stared at the wall of the den, waiting for her brain to reach full consciousness. Then it hit her. Where the heck am I? Why wasn't she back at the palace? This was similar to the caves but also, it definitely wasn't them. She knew what her home looked like, every little nook and cranny she'd once hidden in. This was not where she slept.

No, no, no, calm. She retraced her memories. She'd woken up in a strange place, then she met that woman and... ah, there it is. She brought her here. Good. That was solved.

She pulled herself to her feet and stretched luxuriously. Her eyes jumped straight to the little girl staring at her. She lowered her head and narrowed her eyes. "Hi," she greeted awkwardly, not looking up. She was aware of every nerve in her body. She'd never seen someone littler than her.