Phantom Hollow There's no place like home

Thanks for the thread! :)

The first whiffs of an awful stench hit her with half a mile left to go. Nearly at the same moment, Dante announced that it was time for him to depart. Wildfire halted in her tracks, squinting at the lake up ahead. Did it look different or was it just because she had never approached it from this angle? She pondered that, then looked at Dante. He didn't seem to think anything of it. In fact, he clearly believed it to be Big Salmon Lake, which was why he was comfortable parting ways.

Part of her didn't want him to go, yet Wildfire could come up with no reason to make him stay with her any longer. Quietly, she said, "Bye, Dante. Thanks for walking me home." She dipped her muzzle to him, then slowly faced the lake once more. She began to trot again and soon forgot all about Dante as she locked horns with her gag reflex. She had half a mind to give the lake a wide berth but when she spotted the caldera in the distance beyond, Wildfire kept moving straight ahead.