Well, it was bound to happen at some point.You see, Khoi had never really needed to take care of himself. He didn't even really need to think, at times. What with having seven older siblings, an attentive trio of parents, and even uncles, aunts, three sets of grandparents and at least three-great grandparents always around, life had been good.
It was when he'd decided that he wanted to see the world for himself that things got a little....rough. It wasn't his fault that he was misidentified as a shifter due to some recent...happenings in these lands. Thankfully, most he met hadn't had that issue, and he easily found others to follow around and learn from. All in all, he was starting to stand on his own paws. Even if he was somewhat wobbly.
Unfortunately it came with a side effect of him feeling like he needed to trust anyone and everyone nearly unconditionally. Granted, his trust could only go so far when it came to those in these lands who. Well. For lack of a better phrase, they were scary. Large, with bat-like wings, black and red colors everywhere...Maybe he judged books by their cover a little bit, but he tried! He did!
And that was the downfall. His newest 'friend' had given him what was supposed to be a sweet snack, boating that they traded the snacks off daily and sold out of them by high sun.
Thing is, the snacks had tasted....off. He couldn't describe it! While the little round balls of...cake? Is that what they were called? Were indeed sweet, there was an undertaste that was both slightly herbal, somewhat bitter, and when he swallowed, he could 'smell' the 'off' taste. But if the cakes were a big, fast seller, surely this was how they were supposed to be? The denizens of this part of the lands probably just had different tastes than he was used to, and he wasn't about to question them! That would be rude, after all. It's not like he had completely conventional tastes, either. Despite looking like a giant rabbit, he loved seafood! In fact, he'd even indulged in a sausage once, the meat inside a mystery. One he would never ask about or think about because the chance of it being--
Nope, not thinking about it.
Instead, he was going to think about--
Wait, when did he get into this field? Wasn't he in a forest? A sparse forest, but he swore there had been more trees. The waving fields of tall grass- wheat?- was extremely....interesting? Mesmerizing? Whatever word he wanted to use, he liked it. He wanted to plop down and roll around in the field, nibble on the fluffy tips of the stalks, and basically waste away the day in this golden field of-
Wait. Hold on.
Where did the field go?
It felt like it was just an instant, but now he was back in the forest, his dappled grey coat flecked in bits and pieces of golden stalks and seeds. His mouth felt quite dry at this point, but he wasn't sure as to why. Well, he'd have to find a river or something, after he took a good, deep look at every tree as he walked. Peeking at the crevices in the bark, making note of the ones that dripped sap (great for medicine!), and stopping to listen to the birds around him. The weasels chittering. The breath of a deer that was passing by. The slither of a sna-
How in the WORLD can one hear a slither? Yet, somehow, he was hearing it. It wasn't a bad thing, not by any means, he just felt a little confused by it. It wasn't like there were references to what snake slithery noises were, they just...were. Yet here he was, listening to such a noise and clocking it as such. Granted, one could do the same with wings flapping, but that could be a bird or some other creature. Nothing else slithered like a snake. Except eels. And they had a different slither, one in the water.
...why was he thinking so hard about this anyways? He was thirsty, he needed to get some water and fast. His throat felt like if he swallowed any saliva it would burn! which was weird, since saliva was pooling in his mouth. what was he supposed to do with it if he couldn't-
Oh, well, his body did what it wanted to, he supposed. Even if he wasn't alone. he felt like he didn't care about how much he drooled, how much dripped onto the ground. It was better than burning his throat when swallowing it! But, really, he had to find water. And since he was in the forest, surely there was going to be a river nearby? It was rough, not knowing where everything was, and not having anyone with him to ask for help in finding a water source. As always nowadays, he had to rely on himself and himself only!
...He missed his moms.
Keeping on, drooling all the while and leaving a trail behind him, Khoi eventually found himself at the bank of a river. The thing was, all he could do for a bit was stare at the water. Follow the current with his eyes, listen to the swishing, splashing. Thankfully the river wasn't anywhere close to being rushing rapids, so it was all quite serene.
The more he thought, the more his thoughts actually pushed through the thick clouds that had been pressing against his head for...how long now? He had been in another forest, then a field, now he was in a completely different forest next to a river he didn't recognize. Somehow, he'd completely blanked out twice in the middle of what was apparently a life-changing journey. Granted, it was a very lonely journey and he wished he had taken a sibling with him but it was a journey nevertheless.
Slowly, he was coming out of it. Slowly, he lowered his head to finally drink.
In some way, he should probably be worried about what had just happened. Considering he started out in the morning and it was now late afternoon. But the trip had been so quick, it had given him so much beauty to tune into around him that he didn't mind at all. But what was the common denominator? What had happened? Did he breathe something in?
It would not occur to him to think about the little cakes he'd devoured.
It was also surprising, when, next time he ran into the friend that made them, they were apologetic and almost distraught. He'd been givent he wrong treats?!
"Oh...I'd try them again." Was his only response with a little grin. He just wouldn't eat a whole one at one time again!
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