Chapter 2
That's something I don't adore. New footsteps. But two, not four.
Zecora rarely heard anything new in this area of the woods. And that she did now was not good considering she just found some new goods. New creatures lately had the tendency to desire her supplies. Such as a cat-like creature, for example, though it failed with many tries.
Picking up the pace, she made it back to her hut without further incident. Deciding to check out the creature later, back to potion making she went.
———~§~———
Steven was still running, enjoying the relative feeling of ease in the dark, misty forest, when he came upon a rather deformed tree with decorations, a warm glow coming from a window, and a little dirt path. He snuck around to the front where, as he suspected, a door was present. The whole house made him think of an old witch brewing potions in cauldrons in the woods.
Being very curious, he approached the house and knocked seven times. A specific rhythm to it being the little tune stuck in everyone's head since hearing it. Immediately afterwards, the door opened to a small zebra with golden bracelets, necklaces, and an earring. The zebra's face was more animated than a regular equine's would've been, and was showing obvious confusion at the person in front of it.
Despite being surprised for the first time in a long time, Steven managed to maintain his neutral, friendly smile. "Hello, there," he started, using his slightly slurred, slightly goofy voice that could be mistaken as a regular speech pattern. "I appear to be lost, and would like some assistance in acquiring a direction which I can use to travel to a desired location." By the end, it sounded more like a narration.
The zebra adopted a look of deep thought. "I believe what you seek can be found by that path," she pointed to the dirt path Steven saw earlier, "but I foresee a rather troublesome aftermath. By the way you act and the way you stand, you seem the type to desire solitude. But if you go there, you will receive attention to a great magnitude."
Because of what had happened so far, Steven wasn't too surprised that the small zebra could talk. Although it did raise a lot of questions, such as The odds of another sentient life form existing other than humans, much less that speaks English, is basically statistically impossible. That means that this really is a fake world, they were created by humans, the multiverse theory is true (which I highly doubt), or something else I haven't thought of. Realizing in the brief moment that passed during his thinking that the zebra was done talking, Steven went ahead and commented. "'Ey, that rhymed." It even seems like she did it on purpose. She probably did. Maybe. I dunno.
"If you desire, you may go that way. Or I could tell you a lone place to stay."
Yep, definitely on purpose. "Sure, I'll take both." The zebra started to look questioning, so Steven elaborated. "I mean I'll go sleep at that lone place or whatever, and then I'll check out the civilization or something." If they consist of just zebras, this one's probably right about them being curious about me. Or maybe there are other animals as well. Probably are. Would be a bit weird if there were just mythical zebras but nothing else. Either way, they probably haven't seen humans ever or in a long time, judging by how they were predicted to react to my presence. Or maybe humans here are mean. Or-
As Steven was thinking, the zebra started walking ahead. "I will lead you there, then. Then your adventure can begin."
Steven made a mock-frown and raised one eyebrow. "And how do you know I haven't been on an adventure for a while now?" Now this zebra is suspicious. Perhaps it (probably a she) knows why or how I got here. Perhaps she is the one who brought me here. If this is a fake world, perhaps every creature is a spy for whoever put me here...
"I can tell many things just by the way you act. Although it seems expression is something you have lacked."
"I see, I see." Bored of the conversation, he decided now was a good time to get some information. "So what's your name?"
"Zecora is the name that was given to me. It was passed down throughout my ancestry."
"Zecora..." Steven made another mock-frown. "It's like Zebra. But less br and more cor."
"You certainly do have a strange manner of thought. But yes, it's similar, as much so as it's not."
———~§~———
A short time later, the two arrived at a large-ish tree next to a cliff that went a good ways above their heads. The tree had a small hole at the bottom, reaching about halfway in. It was obviously cut out, but very crudely. Covering the hole was a large tangle of bush and vines.
Having started running about halfway there, as per Steven's request, Zecora waited slightly panting while Steven examined the makeshift shelter.
"Well, this is quite a convenient shelter you have here."
"Yes, it was left here a long time ago by a forest-dweller. She eventually left to become a fortune teller." Steven stopped his attempt at thinking of a reason for the structure really being there to consider that fortune tellers may be a thing here, and how the structure should likely be different due to being rather old. After finding nothing apparently odd about it's aging, he walked back over to Zecora.
"Welp, thanks for this shelter then." He stood there for a moment, making an uncomfortable silence and internally grinning at it.
After a moment, Zecora nodded her head once and made her exit. Deciding to not use the structure provided, Steven pretended to examine the tree some more before striding over to the cliff. Letting his ever-false smile drop, he began walking along the side of the cliff. His thought were mostly on his situation and various possibilities his rather paranoid mind came up with. Perhaps they can read my mind. Perhaps they're trying to brainwash me somehow. Whatever the case, I must continue to act normal, just in case they will do something if they think I know, or this really is possible and real. Oh, I haven't been thinking of my mind-securities. I've been too distra-
Just then, he saw a small cave in the cliff ahead. Perhaps this is where they realy want me to go. Steven made a grin imagining the frustration a normal person would have due to his obsessive paranoia. Suddenly feeling a wave of uncaring, he shrugged and walked into the cave.
As soon as he set foot inside, he went completely unconscious.