Larksong Grotto for the time is near

there was movement in the dark. she saw a span of white-turned-gray, heard the snapping of teeth, and was recoiling, but not fast enough. hosannah stutter-stepped in reverse, twisting one of her ankles on a ridge of stone as she withdrew; rather, tried to withdraw, because the defensive mother did connect a few times with her snapping, and hosannah felt the sting. she backed in to the light as if the glow of raas would protect her there, protect her from the dark and its strangeness, and as hosannah did this she bowed her head low in fear. her short tail was wedged tightly upon her rear end.

shh - shh! stop! she implored the unseen entity, tongue flicking across her lower teeth in a signal of uncertainty. around her a halo fell, the illumination of the spring sun catching across her crimson pelt. i mean no harm! indeed, she had come to this place without any intentions. drawn here. now, she felt a sweltering doubt rising in her mind - had raas tricked her? brought her here for another lesson?