Broken Antler Fen every little lie gives me butterflies

Clods of earth, kicked up by eager paws, scattered in her wake. The boggy ground was a little more difficult footing on which to gain traction, but she adjusted soon enough (though not without some slips that might well give the advantage to Arielle). Breathing fast, she launched herself toward the tree, leaped forward, and smacked the bark with her paws.

HA! Did it! she prematurely claimed victory, not even looking to see whether Arielle was already there or not. She was too focused on fun, and did laps around the trunk, giggling between gasping inhales.

God, things had been so not fun! She was ready to have fun again, here with her parents and sister and Wraen and her friends. If this place brought adventure, and wonder, and mystery, and excitement. . .well, lofty expectations, to be sure, but she craved it.

Anything had to be better than that stop-gap boring plateau, right?