Darkness.
A deathly silence.
An obsidian emptiness swirled.
And swirled...
And then... ...
~o~Awaken.~o~
All quiet.
~o~Awaken. Now.~o~
A wheezing breath, and then—
-=Who's saying that?=-
~o~The husk has been filled. It is time for the next step.~o~
-=Husk? Huh? Where am I?=-
~o~Wake up and let us gather the hives under our wings.~o~
-=Can't... can't remember...=-
~o~We said... awaken.~o~
-=I'm in... Appleloosa. The cabin? Must have slept in. Dreaming.=-
~o~We do not understand. We gave you the command to awaken. Why are you not obeying us?~o~
-=Sleeping. Sleeping late. Late. The therapy session. Lemon Hearts is going to kill me.=-
~o~We thought you were the perfect host. We felt the void. It equaled our hunger. Now, why aren't you obeying us?~o~
-=Who's... talking?=-
~o~Obey.~o~
-=Huh?=-
Shifting motion.
Colors bleeding through the darkness.
Hooves... shuffling.
Linen sheets rustling.
~o~You must wake up. Now. Obey.~o~
-=I don't understand. Where am I?=-
A flicker of light.
Warmth.
A calm breath... soothing.
-=Hello?=-
A cold cloth.
Moisture.
~o~Obey.~o~
"Hello?" a deep, raspy voice repeated.
"Shhhhh... shhh-shhh..." A cold, damp cloth dabbed Lyra Heartstring's forehead. A warm voice drifted through the darkness as someone beyond the shadows lovingly caressed her. "Just relax. You've been through a terribly awful ordeal. But everything is fine now, you hear? You're nice and safe."
"Mrmmfff..." Lyra grimaced, stirring. She felt stiff linens wrapped around her large figure. She opened her eyes—only to be stabbed by bright orange firelight. "Gnnngh... were... were you t-talking to me j-just now?"
"I've... uh... been talking to you all night," the voice said with a hint of shyness. It was feminine, gentle, friendly. "I couldn't help it. Ever since you returned to camp, the whole tribe's been overjoyed! I'm... uh... blessed to have been able to watch over you. We were all so worried."
"Uhhhh..." Lyra gulped. "Tribe?" Her eyes remained open and squinting. The painful sensation of the brightness faded, and she was able to focus on the conical interior of a tent-like structure looming above her. "Where am I?"
"Home," the voice said. Lyra caught the foggy semblance of a smiling face. "Just as you left it three weeks ago."
"H-home?" Lyra wheezed. She tried to sit up—but the resulting dizziness made her plop back down onto a wooden cot beneath her. "Unnnnnghhhh..." Her growling voice was ridiculously deep, as if she was belching through every vowell. "This... is Ponyville???"
The face in front of her leaned back, blinking quizzically. In the firelight, Lyra made out light-brown fur and teeny-tiny horns. "Ponyville?" A light giggle came out of the female buffalo. "Shadow Charge, I think you could use some fuel for that big, bumpy head of yours."
"Huh?"
"Just sit right here!" The buffalo rested the cloth on Lyra's forehead before scampering towards the far end of the tent. "Soft Shout and Rain Sun fixed something up especially for you!"
~o~Leave her.~o~
Lyra jolted. She glanced around at the canvas walls of the tent.
~o~This is a waste of time. We need you to seek out the hives.~o~
"Did..." Lyra gulped, rubbing her throat. "...d-did you hear that voice?"
The buffalo came back, balancing two plates on her flank. "It's your favorite! Acorn mush and cornbread!" She blushed slightly, toeing the soft earth beneath the cot. "You know how bad I am at cooking..."
"I'm... actually not th-that hungry," Lyra droned, blinking at her own words. She continued to rub her throat. "And why's my voice so... screwed up?"
"Well, maybe if you ate something, Shadow Charge, you'd feel better!"
"I'm sorry... I'm really not that hungry, Miss... Miss..."
The buffalo squinted at her. "Little Strong Heart." She blinked. "Don't tell me the mountains took your health from you as well."
~o~Leave her.~o~
Lyra glanced around wildly. "Th-there it is again!"
"What are you talking about, Shadow Charge?"
~o~We do not understand. Why are you not obeying us?~o~
Lyra repeated, "Why are you not obeying us."
Little Strong Heart placed the plates of food down, shivering slightly. "Shadow Charge... you're... y-you're starting to scare me."
"Why..." Lyra cleared her throat, but still couldn't raise the pitch in her voice any. "Why d-do you keep calling me Shadow Charge?"