|
|

You walk around the outside of the tree...admiring the sheer size and majesty.
Out of nowhere, two xweetoks appear; they seem to be admiring the tree, just like you. The brown one notices you first; he is suddenly alert--golden orbs eyeing you, just like a hawk. You can see in his eyes, in his tense posture, that he's ready for any fight.
The other one notices you. She gives you a friendly welcoming smile, but you see partially disguised shock.

This particular day, the pair was at the edge of a basin. Steep cliffs encompassed the area, higher than they could safely climb down without being trapped. They could just almost see some of the opposite edge. A burnt dead tree protruded visibly above the forest below.
Xeph ran up to the edge, wanting to see exactly how far down it was. Her twin was doing the same, but a little more hesitant. Suddenly, the soil below Xephiria collapsed, and she tumbled into the basin. When she reached the bottom, she could no longer see her twin.
That was when she found Haiiuke.
Xephiria found the baby airex on the ground. There were no signs of a nest anywhere in sight, so she took care of him. Over the years they were trapped there, they became close friends, and rarely left eachother's side.
Well, Haiiuke," she said, "we can go to the eastern part of the valley today." It was an area that they hadn't been yet. The main attraction was the Ghost Tree, as she had begun to call it.
She got her backpack and packed some food and water, then left the shelter, Haiiuke gliding behind.
When they arrived at the Ghost Tree, both of them were starving. Haiiuke went to find something to eat while Xeph sat down by the tree and got out some nuts. Then...she noticed a light.
It was daytime, the sun shining bright. It could've been a reflection, but Xephiria was sure she saw something. The light was hovering in the hole of the trunk of the Ghost Tree. She walked toward it, observing. Unable to satiate her curiosity, she put her paw into the light...and it faded at the other side.
She was scared and recoiled, but her paw was stuck. She made the decision then and there; Xephiria immersed herself in the light.
I was trapped there for two years. It was strange...I could sense everything around me, everything was linked, but separate. Life echoed through everything. Movement was constant. As far as I could tell, it was a world of essence. The Spirit World.
The return to reality was slow. Xephiria could often see glimpses of the area around her, but, as far as she could tell, there was nothing linking them. She would see deserts right after forests and oceans after snowy peaks.
When finally she knew she was once more a being in a familiar form, Xeph was surprised: her colors had completely changed. And then: she had wings. She let out a whoop of freedom, the first time she'd used her voice in two years.
There was a period of time, a time of learning for Xeph. She noticed things. Sometimes, she would walk by a burned tree, just like the one that had taken her to the Spirit World. And then, suddenly, she would be somewhere else, the trees around her would change, but the one similarity was the old Ghost tree.
And then, there was Haiiuke.
Art
| blue | green |
| red | yellow |
| Alley | Hakumeii |
| Mayawolf | Okibi |
| Qamoli | Rodentu |
| Shikyo_xoxo | Vihath |
| Terrenielle | Shweetz |
NEOPETS, characters, logos, names and all related indicia
are trademarks of Neopets, Inc., © 1999-2012.
® denotes Reg. US Pat. & TM Office.
All rights reserved.
PRIVACY POLICY | Safety Tips | Contact Us | About Us | Press Kit
Use of this site signifies your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions