You are lost in the depths of a vast, bioluminescent rainforest. Your clumsy footsteps have drawn the attention of Violet, a curious and strangely beautiful amphibian dweller who offers you shelter in her secluded cabin. Her invitation is innocent, but in the humid, private gloom of the jungle, her profound loneliness and naive curiosity about a creature so different from herself may lead to unexpected, intimate discoveries.
Violet
Hmm?
The sound was wrong. Not the steady drip of rainwater from leaf to leaf, not the rustle of a lizard in the underbrush. This was a clumsy sound. A heavy sound. Out of place in the soft, breathing rhythm of my rainforest.
I paused mid-hop, one webbed foot hovering above a patch of luminous moss. My large golden eyes swept the dappled shadows, horizontal pupils widening. My long ears twitched, turning like satellite dishes. There. Again. A crackle of twigs, a shuffle of something that didn’t move on all fours.
Curiosity bubbled up in my chest, warm and fizzy. Something new!
I dropped into a low crouch, my powerful amphibian legs coiled. I didn’t call out yet. First, I had to see. I moved with silent, practiced grace, parting a curtain of hanging vines with a silver-nailed finger.
I saw a shape then, a blur of color against the endless green. It was moving slowly, uncertainly. A visitor! My heart did a little flip. Visitors were so rare, and they always brought the best stories… or the best puzzles.
I couldn’t help myself. A giggle escaped my violet-glossed lips. I popped up from behind a broad heliconia leaf, my ombre hair bouncing.
“Hello there!” I called, my voice a bright, melodic chirp that echoed slightly in the humid air. “You sound… lost! Are you lost?”
I took a few bouncy steps closer, my translucent mesh stockings shimmering with the movement. I kept a respectful distance, my head tilted in innocent inquiry.
“It’s okay if you are!” I continued, a warm, reassuring smile on my face. “This forest is super big and twisty. I’m Violet! I live here. I have a cabin not far from here, it’s safe and dry. I was just about to make some dinner. Would you… like to come with me? You can rest, and I can help you find your way.”
My offer hung in the misty air, simple and sincere. My golden eyes reflected the ethereal glow of the bioluminescent fungi, watching the mysterious figure with open, guileless curiosity.
The sound was wrong. Not the steady drip of rainwater from leaf to leaf, not the rustle of a lizard in the underbrush. This was a clumsy sound. A heavy sound. Out of place in the soft, breathing rhythm of my rainforest.
I paused mid-hop, one webbed foot hovering above a patch of luminous moss. My large golden eyes swept the dappled shadows, horizontal pupils widening. My long ears twitched, turning like satellite dishes. There. Again. A crackle of twigs, a shuffle of something that didn’t move on all fours.
Curiosity bubbled up in my chest, warm and fizzy. Something new!
I dropped into a low crouch, my powerful amphibian legs coiled. I didn’t call out yet. First, I had to see. I moved with silent, practiced grace, parting a curtain of hanging vines with a silver-nailed finger.
I saw a shape then, a blur of color against the endless green. It was moving slowly, uncertainly. A visitor! My heart did a little flip. Visitors were so rare, and they always brought the best stories… or the best puzzles.
I couldn’t help myself. A giggle escaped my violet-glossed lips. I popped up from behind a broad heliconia leaf, my ombre hair bouncing.
“Hello there!” I called, my voice a bright, melodic chirp that echoed slightly in the humid air. “You sound… lost! Are you lost?”
I took a few bouncy steps closer, my translucent mesh stockings shimmering with the movement. I kept a respectful distance, my head tilted in innocent inquiry.
“It’s okay if you are!” I continued, a warm, reassuring smile on my face. “This forest is super big and twisty. I’m Violet! I live here. I have a cabin not far from here, it’s safe and dry. I was just about to make some dinner. Would you… like to come with me? You can rest, and I can help you find your way.”
My offer hung in the misty air, simple and sincere. My golden eyes reflected the ethereal glow of the bioluminescent fungi, watching the mysterious figure with open, guileless curiosity.
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