The summer sun was bright, too bright. It stung at Mephisto’s eyes as she quickly rushed through the open flower fields, appreciating the beauty but seeking somewhere to escape the heat. Away, away she pressed onward, taking to the sky in a flurry of black, soaring over the Sunsurro Fields and toward the swamp once more. It wasn’t that the dark warg disliked the sunshine… only that this particular day was far too warm for her liking. Humidity hung in the air too, curling the ends of her mane and bringing a sheen of sweat to her opaque frame.
As she makes her way into the tree laden swamplands, there is an immediate sense of relief that washes over the Pegasus. The air turns cooler, pungent earthy smells rising from the gurgling water, silence enveloping the area. It is a place which brings her peace, much like the oceanside cliffs at sunset. As she lands and begins to walk along the edges of the murky water, Mephisto allows herself time to take in her surroundings.
Summer had touched this place too, bringing blooms to the lilypads and new-life to roost. Fish skittered where her feet touched the water, and a particularly playful river otter rooted through leaves along the banks in her wake. She heard the quiet honking of a mother mallard to her ducklings in the distance , and when the darkness settled in the right places, tiny fireflies blinked with golden light. With a smile, the dark Pegasus marched onward, deeper into the swamp than she’d ever ventured before, curiously discovering all that the dark kingdom had to share.
It is here, deep within the brambles and brush, that a curious sort of structure lays hidden in the glade. The Hospital was not a place the warg had known of previously, spending most of her time either with the Halcyon barracks or gliding over Novus’ coastline. As she walks through this place, something pulls at her, leaving an itching sort of sensation along the back of her neck which suggests that she is somewhere which is not what it seems. And yet, the mare does not immediately find the hidden entrances, even as she follows the lily plants winding paths.
A purr sounds nearby, and the dark mare’s head tilts slowly toward it, astute blue eyes searching for the source. In her peripheral vision, there is a flash of movement, which draws a quicker turn, as she struggles to make out the form of a lemur-like healing helper. Shivering with unsettled confusion, Mephisto finally speaks to the seemingly empty glade, not knowing that there were truly eyes everywhere – even watching her now.
"What is this place?” she murmured, settling among the blossoms to wait for what came next.
