Fig wondered if she had chosen the right direction. Nothing but red moss fields stretched out before her, and it didn't appear as if that would change anytime soon. Her lips were beginning to crack with lack of moisture and her muscles were clinging to her bones as if begging for mercy. She needed water and rest. 

She continued to trudge her way through the pasture, her head drooping towards her chest as she gradually lost energy to hold it up. She was walking without actually seeing. She and her two friends had begun their journey early that afternoon with the sole intent of gathering berries. When Sowa announced her discovery, they'd abandoned their task for the hunger of adventure. That was hours ago, and other than Leb's sad excuse for a lunch, Fig had yet to eat a single meal. In just a few more hours the lights would fade away, leaving the world in a crisp blanket of ice.

None, that Fig knew of, had ever survived the night.

Trying not to think too deeply about her impending doom, Fig forced herself to keep moving. Her eyes stared blankly ahead. She barely noticed the dry air pulling moisture from her body as sweat rolled down her spine. It was sucking her dry, but she didn't care. Even the tease of a breeze drifting over her skin and tainting the air with a hint of sandalwood went unnoticed. 

It wasn't until the soft crunch of brittle debris alerted her to the change in terrain. She froze, blinking several times to clear her blurry eyes before glancing down. 

Grass. 

Crisp, dried grass lay beneath her feet. Such an odd sensation -- the brittle, pointed edges stabbing at her toes. Living within a place where greenery was in abundance, it was strange to step foot in a region that seemed to be dying from lack of nutrition. Apparently, the underground rivers were sparse in this area. 

Fig's eyes slowly drifted upward from the bed of grass to the horizon. The muscles in her shoulders instantly relaxed as she took in a clump of old, naked trees in the distance. She puffed out a long stream of air, allowing a tired smile to touch her lips. 

A surge of energy spiraled through her as her legs pumped her forward with a new vigor. In her delirious mind, trees meant life, but her brain wasn't functioning properly. Obviously, life had ceased to exist in these parts long ago. 

She was so focused on her destination that she nearly missed the few measly sasslings floating overhead. Glimpsing one from the corner of her hazel eyes, Fig stopped abruptly. She almost didn't believe what she was seeing. It was odd to find something so colorful and peaceful in a place so clouded in decay. Though, it did make sense considering they were basically like little seedlings, allowing the winds to guide them in any direction they desired - even over the mountains of death that Fig had witnessed earlier.

Fig watched the small, round-bellied critter as its thin flowing fins pushed it through the air. Her mouth watered anxiously as she tried to be patient. Her eyes snagged on one in particular as it seemed to glide closer and closer to the earth. When it was finally within reach, Fig reached out, snatching it up into her palm. Instantly, its long fins shriveled up into its body, leaving nothing but a delightful treat in Fig's palm. 

Thankfully, sasslings weren't living creatures. They simply floated through life like dust in the wind. They felt no pain or fear. They were merely there for entertainment. Watching their bodies constrict into themselves with the lightest of touches was always humorous. They'd just suck in their fins and drop to the ground like an apple from a tree. If gone uneaten, they'd eventually unravel and continue on. No harm done.

Fig greedily slid her teeth into the meat of the small fruit, letting the juices squeeze between her gums and travel down her parched throat. She slurped and chomped as if no one was watching, and most likely, nobody was. She grabbed two more out of the air and gulped them down before moving on. 

For some reason she had a nearly desperate need to get to the trees. She wasn't sure what was propelling her towards them, because it was entirely the wrong direction, but nonetheless, she marched on. With renewed energy, Fig reached the small wooded territory in record speed; the spicy fragrance of dried wood hitting her senses sent a wave of calm through her body.

It was as if something was guiding her along. She didn't stop to admire the gloomy surroundings, or even pause to figure out her location. The ground itself seemed to be tugging her further into the withering forest, and Fig had no desire to oppose it. 

She didn't know what she was looking for until she spotted it. There, in the distance, lay a desolate, lonely trail. Tall, barren trees lined each side of the path and a thick fog hovered over its leaf-covered walkway. She had a feeling her foolishness would get her killed one day, but she needed to understand the reason for the mysterious trail that extended away from the forest - away from Nurigor. She took careful steps, feeling an odd desire to be invisible. She didn't know what kinds of creatures resided in these parts, and she'd hate to become something else's dinner. 

She was so close to the trail when she suddenly stopped. Something about it had her perplexed. As strange as it sounded, it was like the trail had a personality all of its own. While it was void of any color or life, something about it was appealing to the eye. Maybe it was the quiet, serene whisper of branches tugging at each other as gentle winds brushed past them. Or maybe it was the silent, elegant swirl of fog as it danced along the surface of the damp soil. 

Light slipped easily into the thinly wooded space, creating shadows in every direction. They weren't dark, fearful shadows though; they were the kind that created contrast. In a world of black and white, they were the deepest of beauty. They were the sadness and the heartache of the forest.

Fig's chest ached for this lonely place. So neglected. Forgotten. Empty. It had been entirely abandoned.

Taking gentle steps forward, Fig made her way to the mouth of the path. Her heart was pounding with the desire to venture into its depths and see what kinds of gems were buried on the other end, but she knew that would be thoughtless. There was no point risking her life for a moment of passion. Time was running out.

Smiling at the empty trail, Fig pulled herself away from the temptation, and ran with hurried steps through the woodlands. Within minutes, her feet hit the prickly grass and she ran with desperate speed as she glanced up to find the orbs making their slow ascent. The grass eventually faded into soft red moss and Fig knew she was close. The jagged mountains grew in size as she neared them, dropping to the ground when she spotted the crevice just steps away. Though still a decent trek, she was surprised how quickly she reached the hole in the ground now that she wasn't dehydrated and starving. Apparently, the dead forest wasn't as far off as she had originally thought. 

Fig slipped into the hole with ease, and boldly made her way back through the crystal tunnels, making sure not to glance downward at the lifeless ventus. She finally arrived at the large pit, and she could have sang with joy when she noticed that it was open. Not wasting any time, she climbed carefully to the top and dusted her knees and hands off once she made it out. The ascent was so much easier without deadly winds trying to pluck her from the sides of the crevice.

She was just preparing to head towards home when something plowed into her from the left side, knocking her to the ground painfully. 

"You're alive!" a voice belted somewhere in front of Fig's face.

She squinted her eyes, only to come face-to-face with a grinning Lebzac as he buzzed directly in front of her. Fig swatted at him, sending his little body sailing off in the opposite direction. She cracked a smile as she watched him tumble around through the air, wings and scrawny arms flailing, until he caught his balance. 

"I guess that means you're okay," he said, clearly unaffected by Fig's behavior, though the smile was no longer present on his face. He hissed under his breath before pulling a shiny black wing over his shoulder. He began to polish it with the velvety side of his hoof. Once satisfied that his wings were again flawless, he turned to flutter off, but paused after glancing at his two friends on the ground. "Okay you two, stop canoodling and lets go."

Fig had been too exhausted from her hours of exploring and climbing to even bother pushing the large mass off of her body. Instead, choosing to lay there with her eyes closed as she regained her composure. Peeking open her eyes, she glanced down to find the reason for the weight on her chest: Sowa. 

Sowa had been the one to plow in Fig, knocking her the ground and nearly flattening her. The weight of the small animal did not go unnoticed.

"Sowa," Fig strained, "get your big self off of me."

"No," she moaned as she nuzzled her nose into Fig's stomach. 

"I think you mean 'big ass,'" Leb muttered, eyeing Sowa's fuzzy rear end as it stuck straight in the air.

Fig attempted to pull Sowa away and roll out from under the pressure, but the small cat just dug her claws deeper into Fig's flesh and lovingly prodded the girl with her snout. She could feel the intense vibrations of the cat's purrs, but when Sowa began massaging her paws into Fig's stomach like a kitten on a teat, it was almost too much.

Fig chuckled at Sowa's emotional state while trying desperately to push the feline away from her. Leb only huffed and moved closer to buzz directly next to Fig's ear. 

"Aw, now that's true love right there," he cheered sarcastically, before darting off to avoid Fig's dangerous hand.

"Okay. I'm done now," Sowa suddenly announced as she popped up and trotted away. "Coming, slow pokes?"

---

Fig lay awake that night, staring up at the dark sky through the small window in the ceiling above her root-entwined bed. Lights sparkled in the distance as they awaited the morning. Fig couldn't decipher the feeling slithering through her, but it was neither welcome nor disappointing. Instead, she found it to be somewhat exciting - like the feeling of doing something without permission for the very first time. 

She finally nodded off to sleep, but not until she promised herself one thing: Soon, that trail would get the attention it deserved.