A sound echoed, reverberated through inky darkness towards a pair of twitching ears. Was that all that they were? They was fairly certain there should be more. Of what?

Ah, there it was again. Those sounds. An eternity in a single breath, a breathless eternity. They sigh, and suddenly they are lungs - and ears. But that can't be everything, of course. There is more to being than ears and lungs.

Something is terribly wrong, the voice lounges in the darkness with all the languid sensuality and grace of a woman artfully draped upon a settee. It vocalizes without hurry, without concern - dire words dripping like sweet syrup from pale pink lips. Their senses part, swimming through the sea of nothing towards... something.

In the shivering second before the end, the memories came back like a tsunami, crashing over them. Betrayal... Pain... Profound loss - a grieving like nothing they had ever experienced before. Violated, robbed. Lost.

They let it come, let it go. Why fight the current when you could just... drift, awash in the floodwaters that hold the universe together?


Awareness comes slowly, bright light tapping gently against the stony darkness. Their eyelids feel so heavy, but something strange and warm blooms in their chest. Eyes open, dark lashes parting to expose pale irises. The world is hazy and soft as if draped in gossamer strands.

But oh, oh, the rest of it? The rest of it is horrible. They sit up slowly, displeased with sensation. No one single feeling in particular, but rather all of it, every miserable inch of it. They should have had more compassion; they had no idea mortals felt so... gross all the time. Their hand lifts, pokes disappointedly into the flesh of the opposing arm. So... fleshy and wiggly and... mortal-y. Eugh. They shiver in distaste.

Indignant croaking near their hip draws their gaze to the ground where a frog - or was it a toad? They never were good at remembering all the mortal names for the things that crawled or squirmed or hopped. The best leapt into their lap, landing with a firm plop. The Tapir squirmed and cleared their throat uncomfortably.

Small being, you will tell us where the mortal... things are, they told the frog sternly. The frog croaked again, but it was only empty noise to The Tapir. They tried again. Speak clearly! The two-leg's pond, green one!

The frog croaked angrily in return, a loud whop following as it leapt off the other side of their lap disappeared into the shadows to their left. The Tapir crossed their arms over their bony chest, feeling most uncharitable. They would have to speak to The Green One about their disciples - they were getting awfully uppity. Though, now that they thought of it, how long had it been since they'd seen The Green One? Since they'd seen anyone?

They bit their lip and wiggled their fingers. "This is most uncomfortable." They said aloud, feeling the strange rumble in their throat. Was that their mortal voice? It was terribly... Small, wasn't it? Hmph!