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I had a dream I could never find the right path...

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For a shot to take one of these home, please use the form below, and include your take on a Short Story about getting lost in any way that feels interesting. Your story should be somewhere between 250 and 1000 words; if you tell your story as a kin and hit 500 words, this can absolutely count as your Legendary Storytelling Req!

You can only enter this contest once. Staff will judge to narrow down to our favorite selections and roll between those!
This thread will be locked on October 25th.

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost to the fae, lost at sea, lost in space, lost to anxiety,
Story:

Carry You With Me wasn't sure if she would classify herself as a solid story teller. It was often said that you are your own worst judge though, so perhaps she wouldn't taken to heart that she was nervous as she prepared to tell her story.

"Often enough we hear our parents or loved one's say, 'Be home before dark.' or 'Don't follow the shadowed paths.' Always something about staying away from the dark, seems silly, does it not? Why would they tell us such things? It couldn't possibly be for anything important, right? Well, I am here to tell you the story behind these simple phrases.

Dark and Light have always held an equal balance, one cannot survive without the other. Even on a moonless night, stars appear in the sky, just as even on the brightest days, shadow is present. It had always been as such and would always be. One day there was a rift, no one knew what caused it, but they say that the darkness became jealous of the light, for everyone always wanted to sleep when they were fully present on the lands. Why should the light get all the celebrations? There were reasons to love the dark as well. Despite the Darks attempt to be as loved as the day, it was a futile attempt.

It was then that kin began to notice that members started missing after dusk, or after going down a trail that was seemingly darker than before. The darkness had found a way to lead kins astray and hold them in the shadows. There is no particular reason why those that are selected are, one moment you could be talking to your friend and the next they're gone. Taken into the shadows, hidden behind a veil of fog, forever lost in the darkness. That is why when you're walking at night or on dark paths, you can sometimes hear voices. It's the kin who have been lost to the shadows, calling out for their loved one's, a desperate plea to find them. Sometimes it's just the darkness playing tricks, trying to lure you deeper into the shadows, to snatch you away as well.

Once the darkness has you, you're lost forever. Stuck in a place where shadows are ever present, not even the twinkle of starlight can pierce the veil of shadows. Though it is said, that on the brightest days the veil is weakened enough that those with the strongest wills are able to come back. The state of their being is unknown as it's only happened once, and the kin wasn't missing for long. All that could be recalled was that they were wandering on a never ending path, never seeing anyone or hearing anyone but themselves, never feeling hunger or thirst, just never ending shadows. So remember this, when you're traveling late or on a darkened path, carry a light with you to shield yourself from being lost forever to the darkness."

She finished her story, her heart racing in her chest with nervousness. Still, she had done something she was most afraid of, having everyone's eyes on her as she spoke, and she couldn't help but be a little bit proud.

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: lost in the mind, lost to the fae, lost to the hedges, lost in the woods
Story: [TW: implied drowning]

It was a calm night, the sounds of waves and the light salty breeze could be heard through the rough packed walls of the den Worlds Within Worlds shared with Bay Sleep and their five young foals. Tomorrow they were planning to bring the babes down to water to introduce them to the ocean and teach them to swim. Living on the coast, that was a needed skill, and one they wanted to impart upon the foals as early as possible. It was safer that way, of course, but Worlds had another reason to be so proactive. A sad, personal reason.

She was quiet that night before, a little more distracted than was usual for her as she listened to the gentle crash and hiss of the waves on the beach outside. It was bedtime, but of course the foals were excited, finding it difficult to bed down. Bay, of course, had found no such difficulty. She could here his stuff, rhythmic breathing beside her.

One of the babes, orange and yellow and blue, was sprawled across Worlds' front legs. She'd noticed her mother's distraction. "Mama? What's wrong?"

The question was enough to pull the bright doe's attention away from where it had lingered, back on her children. She looked a question down at her daughter, then smiled and nuzzled her cheek.

"I'm remembering something from a long time ago. Something sad." She was quiet again for a moment, considering, then lay her chin across her daughter's stomach. "Would you like to hear why it's so important to me that you learn to swim?"

The little foal's ears perked, and she nodded. Around them, more ears perked, eyes opening and noses turning. Worlds chuckled at her restless brood.

"Okay," she murmured softly. "it happened a long time ago, when I was just a foal myself. I was playing in the waves, at a beach a long way from here. It was a windy day, and the waves were big and unpredictable. I knew you had to be careful. That's you had to listen to the ocean and pay attention. Treat it with respect.

"But there was another foal there. Them and their family has come down from deep in the swamp. It was their first time at the coast, and they found it so enchanting.

"While the parents looked for shells, the came over to join me in the water. We played in the swells, racing the sea foam as it swept up the sand. It was a lot of fun."

Worlds could see she had the rapt attention of all of her children. She gave the foal on her legs another little nuzzle before continuing.

"The other foal grew bolder, she wanted to see if she could ride the waves in. I told her it was a bad idea, that the ocean was t in the mood for that sort of game, but she said that was silly. That water didn't talk." Worlds wrinkled her nose at that, then sighed softly.

"She swam out, didn't notice the way the current was moving. Didn't realize until it was too late that she was being pulled out further..." The doe quieted for a moment, the memory flashing through her mind,sharp and clear. She shook her head.

"Her parents couldn't find her. No one could find her. She didn't listen to the ocean, didn't know enough, and she was lost. Taken." Every little eye turned in her direction was wide. Worlds' gentle smile returned.

"That's why it's important to learn, and8 listen, and respect the ocean. It is accident and it is wise, and it will be your friend, if you let it. I want you to love it as much as I do, as much as you father does. We'll teach you how to be safe, and I know you'll love it too."

The doe smiled, flowering her voice to a whisper. "Now sleep my small ones. We have a big day tomorrow."

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost in the Mind, Lost in the Woods, Lost to the Fey
Story: Echoed Chorus was more than happy to talk to new friends about all sorts of things at any given time, even if they hadn't asked. Even if they weren't really friends, but Echo thought they were. Such was the case tonight as he found himself among a group of essentially strangers, a mixed gathering of all types of kin. To him, though, they were all friends in the making!

One Totoma was sharing how they had gotten lost in the mountains once which recalled a story of Echo's own to his mind. He waited, hooves stamping lightly on the soft ground as he tried to be patient. Interrupting someone else while they were speaking definitely wasn't polite!

"I had a similar experience, but in the desert!" he said once the Totoma had finished up and a few moments of silence had passed. All eyes turned to him and he lifted his head a little higher as he began to share his own tale. "It was long ago, before I'd come to the Swamp. I was young then, still figuring out how to make my way in the world. There was an oasis my mother was raising my siblings and I near, a little piece of perfection in the harsh desert. Water, trees for shade, grass and fruits for food...it really was perfect. But!"

Here, Echo lowered his voice and his head, looking at each of the gathered kin individually. "But one day...there was a butterfly. It was the most beautiful butterfly I'd seen! And...at that point, I think it was the only butterfly I'd seen," he added with a little laugh. "My mother and siblings were taking a nap so none of them were there to call to me as I followed the butterfly out into the desert. It flew for what seemed like only a few seconds, but in reality it was probably much, much longer. By the time it flew up too high for me to keep track of it, I turned around...and there was nothing. No oasis. Just sand and dunes as far as the eye could see!"

Echo paused for dramatic effect, gazing at his audience to gauge their reactions. Some looked invested but others looked unimpressed. He'd have to up the bravado.

"If you have never been to the desert, imagine the hottest day you can remember...then make it ten times hotter. The desert is unforgiving if you aren't careful. The heat alone can kill a kin if they exert themselves too hard or can't find water. I knew the dangers of the desert, my mother had told me and my siblings well and was teaching us how to navigate. But in that moment, I was scared. I knew to follow my tracks, but when I started to do so, I found the sands were being slowly blown back into place by the wind. Eventually, I had no tracks left to follow!" Now those kind that had seemed bored were more interested, captivated by his tale.

"For a while, I didn't know what to do other than stay in one spot. I hoped my mother would come to find me, but as the sun set and the stars came out, I was still alone. I tried to use the stars to find my way back to the oasis, but in my fear I couldn't remember which constellations pointed back home. It wasn't until the next day that my savior came." At this point, he turned to gaze into the bushes. From within the leaves two reflective eyes gazed back out. His lion, Lyric, rose to his paws and stepped forward to bump against Echo's side fondly.

"Lyric could have eaten me when he found me, helpless and alone on the sand that morning, a sniffling mess crying for his mother. But instead he picked up my scent that I'd left behind, faint as it was with the wind constantly blowing. He tracked me right back to the oasis. My mother and siblings were scared at first, but once I promised Lyric wouldn't hurt them, they ran to me and we all had a good cry. Without Lyric, I probably would have died out there."

The lion gave a little chuff as Echo leaned in to nuzzle into his mane, a happy sigh leaving the acha as he did so. "And he's been with me ever since, protecting me and making sure I'm safe! I'm not the best at looking before I leap, after all." He laughed again before pushing himself off of the lion, letting Lyric settle down beside him. "But that's my story! And now I try to pay a little more attention to my surroundings when I'm in a new place all by myself. Lesson definitely learned."

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost in the Hedges, Lost to the Fae, Lost in Space, Lost in the Mind, Lost to Anxiety
Story:

"Grandfather, are you well?"

The question wafted slowly in to his conscious, echoing in the fog of his disassociation, finally breaking the spell that had laid upon him for most of the afternoon. After a moment, the old buck shook his head a little, eyes returning to focus finally, turning to look towards the owner of said voice.

"Ah, Heavy Heart, hello," Dawn started, looking to his (great) grand-daughter, a soft acha who was as sweet as spring, warming up at her questioning face, "you caught me being lost in my mind, again."

With a cocked eyebrow, the pale mare moved closer to him, going to nestle down in the comfortable grass that has been growing in his shady little home since Honour moved in with his little salamander friend. Turning up to him, her face continued to show a sense of curiosity.

"What do you mean, have you truly been sitting here all day, just thinking?" She questioned, a soft air of disbelief layered in her voice.

"Oh, precious one," Dawn retorted, an airy laugh escaping him, before he started again, "This is nothing, when I was a younger buck, I spent all my time alone in this very spot. The world was scary and wide, and all I wanted was my little space. Though, it wasn't very healthy of me, I've come to know, now that I am older, and surrounded by those who share my blood." He admitted, before his eyes seemed to unfocus.

"It's honestly a little scary, how easy you can just, fall into yourself, and lose track of time, place and sometimes, your sense of self when you let it take over." He finished, sighing softly.

"Daydreaming?" Heavy Heart queried, giving him a soft tilt of her head.

"It's more than that," He murmured, before turning to her. "When all you want is to be by yourself, you start to slip in to your thoughts, creating grand stories, imagining scenarios that only you know, and you start to believe the fanatical thoughts that you create for yourself, like a warm blanket of moss to keep you warm." A soft sigh punctured his stream of thought, and a shake of the head later, he continued. "You literally get lost in your head, and as comforting as it is, it's also terrifying, because one day, you wake up, and time has escaped from you. Everything changes, but you're still you."

Heavy Heart nodded, listening well to the old buck's lamenting, a look of comfort and worry for him. She knew that Dawn had always been a bit of a lone wolf when he was younger, but it sounded more sad, more lonely now.

"Sooner or later you have to seek out some kind of comfort from the outside world, no one goat is an island, we are all just a piece of something bigger, and all," he started up again, giving a little half-hearted shrug, "but, when all you know is the world you've slowly built that only lives in your head, it becomes daunting, fear-inducing.

Everything crumbles, because your world-belief is, ultimately, fictitious. You spend time trying to connect to others, but all you know is what worked, in your head, and you learn that you've become so alone, in your own mind."

A soft lull of silence fell on the backs of the two kin as Heavy Heart swallowed this information down, her face falling a little at the image of a cage, alone and cold. After a moment, she tilted her head a little, looking at her hooves.

"It sounds a little sad, like, almost self-imposed solidarity. How do you break out of such a jail?" She queried softly.

"Some would prefer such solidarity," he replied quickly, giving a softly chuckle, "but ultimately, you return to the need to connect. It's easy - well, in theory, of course. You find connections, you put yourself out there, anchoring yourself with others like you. It takes time, and can be daunting. Slipping back into your perfect world, losing yourself becomes easier - all you need is silence and your own head, but it's false happiness."

He took a moment to clear his throat, even though he was more open now, he still wasn't used to talking so much.

"But, being lost in your head is nothing like having true bonds, you just learn to take time for yourself, and enjoying the connections."

A soft murmur came from the acha doe, a nod of her head.

"I'll have to keep this in mind," she replied, which made both grandfather and grandchild break out in little giggles at the well placed pun, before they calmed down. "Balance is what is needed, I guess you would say."

"Yes, little one. To stay lost in your head is a tiring affair, everyone needs a little dose of reality."

With a little purse of her mouth, Heavy Heart took this all in, before smiling. "Would you like to hear about my day, then? One of those 'breaks of the mind, as you said?"

A soft chuckle escaped from Dawn, before he nodded softly.

"I would love to."

(857 words)

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost to the fae, lost in the hedges, lost in the woods, lost in mind, lost in space, lost at sea, lost in anxiety.
Story:
Hole Dweller cleared her throat and took a drink of nearby water as she eyed her current audience. A spattering of elderly, but mostly young doe's and bucks. How fitting on a night like this with a sprinkling of lights scattered in the air and a cool breeze whistling. A fine fall scarytale. "On a night much like this," She paused for dramatic effect. "A tale is told to those so young." Dwell narrowed her eyes, wondering how far to take this story. A lesson or a fright? "So gather 'round and hold those near for I hope no others disappear."

Nestling into her warm cloth and fur, she began. " Once upon a time, a long time ago there lived a young foal named Ruse. He often lived up to his name with the many things he did to others. Toy taking, fur pinching (aka stealing), telling false tales, and food tampering. It had gotten so bad that the elders did not know what to do or how to stop him. Unfortunately for this young buck, it had gone too far and this is truly where our story begins.

On a day, like any other Ruse had begun his usual routine of causing mischief. His thirst for anything fun, right or wrong, was unstoppable. Hence, why he was currently wandering in a part of the land he was unfamiliar with. A prank already in the process of being born. He ignored all the usual signs of danger for the thrill of something better. He had heard of stories about small creatures coming out of the woods to cause chaos to traveling kin. The idea of having such things as his followers was very appealing. Imagine, there would be so much tricks happening. So lost in his own head with all the possibilities of disarray, he hardly noticed that the path had become darker and narrower.

"What will it be... a trick or a treat?" The little dotted light spun around Ruse causing him to jolt in place.

Unnerved by the sudden noise, Ruse eyed the bug wondering how it could talk let alone how it could find him. There went his hiding spot he thought. Wait, was this the creature? The one others spoke of? How… small and underwhelming. No, it couldn’t be, it must be bigger he thought in arrogance.

Thinking about the question being asked, Ruse was very interested in this and in ignorance he thought a trick to learn AND a treat to gain. How delightful, both sounded like a plus in his book. "Why not both!"

The bug seemed to stop mid-motion for several seconds before its light flickered darker. A whispered sentence on the wind lost by the sound of leaves falling. “Hmm.” The pale light beamed brighter once more. “Alright then. I give this piece of advice for you, young traveller of these woods. ” How easy, that with this simple sentence the trickster has become the tricked. “Head further down the path and you will find the answers you seek.” The light was internally delighted at the deception.

A voice in the back of Ruse’s mind was warning him of this advice, but the prospects were too enticing and so off he went. The trees all the same, stone mounds everywhere, and oddly enough a bushy path that had a specific way of moving. Moving this way and that, he had easily had become confused. Both mind and fear distorting his brain. Where was he? How long had it been?

Suddenly a voice spoke from above. “Be careful where you wander or you might end up lost for good.”

"A trick, you nasty thing! How unfair! I do not like this at all being lost." Ruse’s voice wavered and he frowned in fright.

"A taste of you're own medicine one so young. How does it feel?" The light giggled. “Did you enjoy my trick?”

“No! It was horrid and I’m ready for my treat.”

“Are you now? Have you learned your lesson?” The light came closer almost booping him on the nose.

“Yes! I will change my ways going forward.” There was a lengthy pause and Ruse almost wailed in despair.

"Very well," The light vanished and in its place was a creature. A creature he had never seen before. A fine mist took over causing the land to become impossible to see. "Until we meet again."

Ruse woke with a gasp. He looked around frantically while panting. Had it all been a mushroom induced dream?
Regardless, from that day forward he never pranked another again.

Dwell cleared her dry throat as she ended her story and hoped it was well received. Though she couldn’t make out the vibe as there were many wide eyes present as well as whispering. Dwell enjoyed this time regardless. “Now remember this tale going forward about poking fun and causing mischief for you may land yourself lost in a situation brought on by obsession. Be careful on your way home and a blessed night to you all! ” Gathering her things she nodded to those present and made her way home.

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost to the Fae, Lost in the Mind, Lost in the Woods, Lost in the Hedges, Lost in Space, lost at Sea, Lost to Anxiety
Story:

Other Worlds was trying to be more brave. She had visited the Winter gathering, and made a new friend. But the blistering heat of the summer was too much to pile on with new adventures.

But now, the air grew cooler and rumors were swirling of a new gathering - and one she did enjoy, season after season - one with tricks and treats, dressing up - and one she usually felt too overwhelmed to attend.

This time! She would overcome! She struck out into the swamp to seek something to decorate her mane with, so she could fit in with the celebratation. A cold mist rolled in as she tried to find some late berries, or flowers or even a really interesting stick. Walking and getting a bit of a chill, she huffed out and decided to return to her little hollow for the evening.

Turning around she peered behind her, and then to the side. Which... way... was it? A figure moved in the mists --- oh! Just a bat! Her heart thudded as she held her breath, for a moment paralyzed.

Shaking it off, she started a direction - any way was better than no way, right? But... this was heading UPHILL, and her hollow was defintely not... She veered to the side, ears perked through the quiet night to listen for water, or another kin to ask for directions.

Tripping over a low branch, she pressed herself under the tree and sighed - this wasnt her idea of an adventure! Cold! Lost! Hungry! And nothing to show for it!

A rustling near her knees sounded loudly, and a cold wet nose poked her leg. She blinked down, startled.

"Hello?"

A little head lifted out - a Tanuki! One pale with dark stripes, and it was holding a lovely feather in its mouth.

"Oh, is that... that for me?" It nodded and wrapped along her legs and she let out a soft laugh, "Well, it is cold, perhaps we can find my hollow together?"

It isnt that bad being lost, if one finds a friend in the end.

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: [lost to the fae, lost in the mind, lost in the hedges, lost in the woods, lost at sea] lost to anxiety and story cred
Story:
"It's like dreaming," Unlife began, her eyes flitting about, indecisive on where her attention should land, "You're there but not there. Everything is real but it's not." Her usual vacant expression became even more clouded, but her movements slowed until she became eerily still and her voice near-monotone.

"It's really easy to get lost in your own mind. You can go on adventures or remain trapped. Sit with me a moment, and close your eyes. Listen to what I say. Picture it like a dream. You're watching your body now, and there's a kin in front of you. Do you choose to approach or hide? You approach in a friendly manner?

Oh good. You're still in control, so your choice stands.

The kin sees your approach and is showing you their teeth. Is this a friendly gesture or hostile? Decide now. You don't have a choice what the other kin means, but you do need to decide how you react to their movements. You hope friendly? Hope has nothing to do it. CHOOSE! The kin in front of you is looking confused the longer you take. You smile back to check?

That choice took a bit longer, are you okay?

The kin looks nervous now, why do you think that is? Was it you? Your smile? Is there something or someone behind you? There's no reason to be afraid of you, you're friendly, right? Obviously it cant be you and they were hostile all along and you threw them off. You made a mistake in how you reacted. You move into a defensive stance now, becoming hostile yourself. You didn't want to? That's too bad.

You're no longer in control. Your choices are being made for you. Your feelings aren't even your own.

You circle the other kin, head low, a growl you never knew you could make escaping your throat. The kin looks scared and you find feel satisfied about it. You don't want to but you bite at the other kin, and you become angry when you miss because they dodge your strike. Now you're yelling at yourself to stop as you fully attack what you believe is an innocent kin. You want to gag as you taste them in your mouth, but you don't. You inwardly flinch every time your hooves make impact with their body. You want to fight the overwhelming feeling of satisfaction at the sight of your opponent's blood, but you can't. Your vision turns red for a moment then when it clears you find yourself alone in this clearing.

You're now not sure what happened and begin to wonder if it was real or imagined.

It becomes clear that you still have no say in what you're doing as your body starts moving in a random direction you never told it to. You can scream and fight all you want, but you're no longer in control. YOU no longer exist. You are LOST and now you have to accept this or try to find your way out."

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost In The Hedges, Lost In The Mind, Lost to the Fae, Lost In the Woods, Lost in Space, Lost at Sea, Lost to Anxiety
Story: CW for memory loss and depersonalisation/unreality

A muscular, broad shouldered frame loomed before her. ████ rolled her shoulders and the doe menacingly lifted one in turn, then the other, a merciless glint of gold in her eyes. ████ stood her ground, despite the halo of light spilling from behind the stranger’s head, marking her as something other.

***

Teeth loomed from the sky- jutting, craggy rocks only visible in shades of brown. ████ ████ had warned her this place would be strange, and Steals Fire had given her specific instructions, but the mists were treacherous, and she was so curious…

***

A young, deep brown doe sat happily surrounded by a cluster of ████, carefully watching over them. Sunlight poured down into the glade—

***

My leg, my leg is-

***

The mists were full of half remembered voices. ████ turned, eyes wide as she followed the sound of something from long ago, but as she turned, the path turned to sand under her hooves.

“████ ████!”

The call fell muffled into the nothingness, and she realised she no longer knew where the path was.

***

The doe’s back leg was tightly bound and as she shifted back, the sturdy branches shuffled the leaves with a distinctive noise, wood on dirt. ████ stamped her own back hoof on impulse and the doe copied, a ringing thock startling, seemingly both of them.

***

What happened to my name? What happened to my memories?

***

“I’m so lucky to have a ████ like you, ████,” says a smudge of a doe happily, a tiny little thing.

████ noses her soft head, softer and fuzzier than down.

***

Misty shapes of trees seem to loom around her, and she stands, drawing her legs under herself warily as she gazes, sharp golden eyes flicking around for any landmark.

It’s of no use - but she cannot go back to Steals Fire a failure. She knows she can’t.

Closing her eyes brings clarity. ████ ████ said it’s a place of the mind more than the physical. If shes lost, it’s because her mind has wandered. Unsurprising. But she can do this.

“████!”

She takes a single, ████ breath and turns away from the voice, setting her jaw coldly.

***

████ can’t accept what she’s seeing, but it must be her. Not because she doesn’t recognise herself, but because she’s seeing herself for the first time. Her space for herself in her own mind is a cavernous void - she could look like this, she could look like anything. How would she know?

***

████ starts. Oh no, did she drift off? These mists were so perilous, she mustn’t get distracted! But when she tried to reach for what she had been doing, nothing was there. She thought maybe someone had called her but- it was nothing but the wind.

Whatever it was, it mustn’t have been important.

***

The stranger looks so unfamiliar, but it is her. She doesn’t know her name, doesn’t recognise her reflection. Her mind is full of mist and shadows, and very very deeply, the barest memory of the sensation of fluff on her nose.

***

Endeavours woke with a start, her entire body tensed. She scrambled to her feet, body humming with readiness as she glanced round furiously, searching for the danger.

Slowly, her heart slowed and her trembling muscles stilled, and she thought she felt her back leg for just a moment, but she looked down and saw her support as usual.

She was still getting used to the phantom feeling of the limb - and of other lost things which her body refused to forget.

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost in the mind, Lost in Space, Lost to the Fae, Lost at Sea
Story:


Dominant almost never told stories; he was too lazy for that.

But tonight was different. He was full of food and in as generous a mood as it was possible for Dominant to be in. The band of kin he had come across this time were nomads travelling across the swamp and had brought ample supplies on their backs to settle down to a generous meal each night. He was invited to join them on the condition he'd share a story with them.

Food was a hefty bargaining tool in Dominant's life, and it had been enough for him to spin up his brain and try to think of something to tell them about. It would be nice to eat something that wasn't carrion. When he spoke, they'd been fascinated by the tar pits and the fact that anyone could live there at all, so he figured he'd tell them a story about that.

"Once in the swamp, there was a little Kimeti," he said. "He was very little and very alone. He was an odd thing; he'd always been shiny, oily, gross, and unremarkable. The little foal remembered his mother, who had been huge and terrifying, all teeth and shining armour in the darkness, but he'd hurt himself somewhere and didn't remember how he got separated from her. He was so hungry and thirsty that he couldn't go on."

Dominant's voice was a lazy drawl that countered the tragedy and peril of the story he was telling. He told the story of the lost foal as though he were recounting what he had eaten as a snack moments before.

"He was lost. The most lost he could ever be." Dominant said, shrugging.

"The foal was going to die, though he didn't know what that meant; he was just tired, but the swamp was full of terrors, and no mother could draw him close to her thick fleece. He lay down and waited for a long sleep to come to him."

"And he dreamed. He had a strange, strange dream. But he didn't die."

Dominant was surprised that his companions were listening intently and pleased with this, continued on.

"When he woke up, the world had changed. All around him, the world had torn apart, and thick black nastiness had broken free of the swamp, smothering the plants and filling the air with strange smells. He stumbled through that world, confused and wondering if he was still dreaming. The pit had found him."

He looked thoughtful.

"He wondered if he'd died in the eruption. But for some reason, he hadn't. Others had. And that was where his good luck came in. Trapped in the pit were all kinds of things, edible things. He ate them, and he survived. Water pooled in places away from the tar when it rained, and he drank that, and he survived. On and on, he survived, and his slimy, oily pelt meant that the tar stuck less to him than it stuck to others."

He smiled.

"Later, something rose from the pit with whispers of dark secrets. It came for him when he was all alone. Something guided him in his decisions from then on. A new mother who wasn't a mother at all."

Somewhere off in the distance, in the night, the tar pit glugged and bubbled. The visiting kin huddled a little closer together. Dominant wasn't concerned. He wasn't sure they'd make it through the pits without a guide. He didn't know if he'd guide them to safety or to ...something else.

That was someone else's call.

"The little foal grew up and learned that he'd never truly been lost." he said with a smile that was all teeth, teeth like the mother he'd lost in the swamp so long ago as a little, helpless foal.

"He'd been found instead."

637 words

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost to the Fae, Lost in the Woods, Lost in the Hedges, Lost at Sea, Lost in Space, Lost in the Mind, Lost to Anxiety
Story:



"I was always told," Air started her story quietly, feeling a little awkward with all eyes now upon her. She cleared her throat and continued on, a little louder. "That you should always offer assistance to those who appear lost. But they're wrong. If you're not careful, spirits will trick you and you'll be lost forever."

There was a tremor to her voice, a shiver down her spine. "I'm not trying to frighten you for fun," she went on, making brief eye contact with a few others. "I'm trying to warn you."

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When I was finally old enough to be on my own, see the world and find my own adventure, I wasted no time. I wanted to explore everywhere I possibly could. I met many others in those early days - every stranger was a potential friend or temporary ally; or even a clue or direction to some place I had yet to see.

It was one such a stranger that almost tricked me.

I never accepted anything for free if I could help it. I always tried to make an exchange. A treasure I found; help gathering food for a meal; watching young ones for an afternoon so parents could have a moment's peace. But I never helped expecting anything in return, either. Helping was just something you did to be kind, not to expect a reward.

And so, when I heard someone calling for help in the thick fog, I didn't hesitate. I was simply trying to do the right thing.

When I think about it now, I cannot recall what the other looked like. I know they looked like a kin but in this memory they're an acha - in another they're a kiokote. Sometimes, they're a foal and other times they're much older than even my parents. It is never the same shape no matter how hard I focus. This time, it is a zikwa, thin and frail.

"I'm lost," Their voice is hoarse and comes out in a rasp. I can see they're sightless but they sniff the air and turn in my direction. "I'm lost."

They never said anything else - or if they did, I can't remember. I tried to ask where they were going, who they were, did they know how long they had been traveling for. I thought they must be in some sort of delusion, or ill, because they did not answer only kept repeating that they were lost over and over and shambling further into the fog.

At one point, I stopped, frustrated. How could I help someone who couldn't give me the answers I needed to help them? They faced me, eyeless faze burning into me and just whined "I'm lost" over and over until I started following again. The fog was so dense it felt like trying to push through snow. I would list sight of the zikwa but just when I thought they'd disappeared, their call would echo out again.

I couldn't see anything but fog. I couldn't hear anything but the zikwa's faint cries. Their image was completely lost to me now. I was lost now. Panic spurred me and I spun in circles.

"I'm lost!" I screamed to the fog but the thickness of the air muffled the sound. My heart beat frantically in my chest - I had been tricked. I dropped to the ground, laying flat so as to feel something solid to ground me. I could find my way out, I just had to stay calm.

I couldn't tell you how long I wandered for. It felt like hours. It felt like days. A cry snapped my from my stupor and it took me much too long to realise I had been hearing it for a long time. The fog eddied in front of me, swirling as if something moved through it and it thinned, enough for me to see trees again. A shrill cry. I pushed forward, willing my legs to move quickly though they were tired. There was a woosh ahead and the fog continued to swirl and dance, revealing the path ahead. Finally, cool fresh air met my damp skin and I gasped with relief. When I turned, the fog was gone without a trace. A soft trill came from the trees ahead and a crane, transparent, tilted its head at me.

"You saved me," I replied, bowing my head. "Thank you."

The crane only stared in response, beak clacking rhythmically.

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"When I recounted the tale to others, they told me that I had eaten some bad mushrooms or water gone sour. And maybe I did. But I'm wary of strangers now and it's saved my hide more than once. I've never encountered.. whatever that was.. again. I hope I never do. If you find someone lost, be wary if they try to lure you into the fog. You may not be as lucky as I and you may end up the one doing the luring after."

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: lost in the hedges, lost in the woods, lost to the fae, lost in the mind, lost in space, lost at sea
Story:

It was Wintershadow's turn to tell a story to those gathered around the Vale fire. And now that the nights were growing longer and colder, the grass beginning to crackle under their feet once the sun went down, it was time for scarier stories.

The feathers in his hair rattled as he nodded to the crowd, beginning the story:

"She had come this way hundreds of times, perhaps more, on her quest for mushrooms. But this time everything looked a little different -- a little greener, a little thicker, denser. It was like all of the trees had sprouted branches overnight, twisting and turning in on one another as if they were holding each other up. Stepping off of the trail had been folly. As soon as she'd lifted a hoof away from it, it had disappeared into the undergrowth.

"Panting and heaving, with sweat beginning to prickle at her skin, she climbed a nearby ridge, pebbles rattling under her hooves. From higher up, she could see quite far -- past the ridge and over the patch of woods she'd just struggled through, to a small river that glinted in the sun. But even from this vantage point everything looked both the same and very different, and now the sun was beginning to make its descent.

"Fear began to set in, tightening her throat and stealing her breath." He drew a deep breath, making his own voice thin and breathless. "What if there were wolves? What if she stumbled into a hole in the dark and broke her legs? She certainly hadn't seen another kin that might have helped her."

"Panic grew in her chest, pulling on her heart and lungs until she was gasping for breath, pacing around and talking to herself. The sky seemed to settle in closer overhead, the branches knitting together; she was wearing a circle in the grass under her hooves from all of her pacing." Shadow was, as well: dancing in place, tramping down the grass, movements disjointed and panicky.

"By the time the sun was fully down, she could hear the howls of wolves," and here he was glad he'd trained his own wolf well; Silence howled from the treeline, and Shadow grinned as several of the younger tribemembers clambered to their feet in alarm, "and what sounded like the voices of her friends, calling for her in the distance.

But she couldn't tell the direction. So which way to go? Towards the wolves? Or to her friends?

"What if there were no friends? What if they were only the wolves?"

He paused. All eyes were on him, and he grinned. But the grin shortly became a frown of warning, and he lowered his voice, stalking closer to the crowd.

"The next morning, her friends finally reached the ridge where she'd spent the night. They found the trampled grass where she'd paced all night. But that was all they found. And try as they might, they never found anything else of her. Not a bone, not a tuft of wool. Lost, forever." He paused. "Let this be a warning to you. The trees are sometimes not what they seem. Things can speak to you with false voices. Be careful when you are alone, lest the swamp steal you away."

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...
Preference List: Lost to the fae, lost at sea, lost in space, lost to anxiety, lost in the hedge, lost in the woods
Story:

Have you ever had one of those nights when you can't seem to sleep? It was one of those nights. I'd woken up, and just couldn't settle my mind, so I hopped the boundary. I was just going to walk around the clearing, but the moonlight makes the swamp look so different. Before I knew it, I had walked far beyond the clearing, beyond the shells full of seeds he keeps. I couldn't hear him, or you anymore. I'm not sure which way I came from, either. The light that filtered through the trees made everything look... strange. I turned, trying to find my way back, but came upon this thing... It was so large! The stalk was thicker around than me, and the cap? It was like a tree! I think I've heard him call them mushrooms. But I've never seen one that big. You don't believe me, do you? Well, it was large enough we could have both huddled under it in the rain and been dry, except it was sitting in a very marshy part of the swamp. I don't think we've ever been there before.

Really, I didn't know where I was. You know I've never left the clearing, unless we're all together, and he's taking us somewhere. It always felt safe doing that. But this? This didn't feel safe at all. I was scared, I was lone. I thought to hide beneath the mushroom thing and wait for the sun, or maybe for him, but... did you know the swamp is very noisy at night? Not like what we hear now, or when we're with the others. It's... strange. The trees sound louder, the wind carries screams from others much farther. It's hard to explain.

As I thought to hide there and wait, I could hear something coming. Four feet, but clumsy. Not like when he walks, no, this felt like something that would eat us if we were ever caught alone. You know I did the only sensible thing: I ran. No, I didn't know where I was going. I just thought I was going to die. The thing was following me, even as I tried to escape. I ran through thick brambles, trying to lose it, but it followed me. It stepped over thorns and fallen branches like it was nothing! I wasn't able to keep going though. I finally found myself in a tangle of thorny berry vines and just... couldn't. I laid down. If I was going to die, I was should face it head on, right?

But the thing that chased me? It was one of the others. Bigger than him, heavier. The other stuck its face in the thorny bushes and... picked me up. Don't laugh, It hurt! They weren't as gentle as he is. But they did set me down on it's back and brought me home.

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"You really should keep a better watch over those little ones." Tangled Web laughed, watching the pair of chickens that his acha friend, Not For Eats, kept. "I'm just glad I found that one. She was quite far from home, for one with such tiny legs. You know, she seems to be clucking up a storm. I wonder what she's talking about? Maybe she's telling her friend about her adventure." The brown chicken was clucking almost non-stop, while a little red and blue speckled one sat patiently beside her. Tangled Web found the idea of a chicken telling a story to be... charming.

"I doubt it." Not For Eats responded, shaking his head. "I'm not sure they tell stories like we do, and I'm sure she wouldn't embellish one nearly as much as you. But, I'm grateful you found Boneless for me. I didn't think she'd hop the barrier." Not For Eats would have to maybe add a few more sticks to make the enclosure smaller, so his girls wouldn't get out at night anymore.