Cults, ugh.
Hallow was always... a tad paranoid. But being here only made it worse. She knew what was wrong, but nobody seemed to notice, despite her constantly trying to show everyone, just getting odd, and even concerned, looks in response. Even worse was Kezrue. Hallow tried to avoid the corrupted-to-be-kin, but it felt like she was always there anyway, waiting right around the corner to share sweet words. But Hallow knew something was so... off, whenever she turned her back to Kezrue she could feel a spiteful glare burn into her.
And she hadn't slept recently.
Dear stars she hadn't been sleeping well at all. What little rest she had gotten was plagued by nightmares that almost felt like terrible visions. And whenever she prayed to the stars to end them, she got nasty looks from everyone else. Even so much as "thank the stars" got an eyeroll or scoff. She knew something was wrong here, but really so wrong that they'd condemn the stars so much?
-----
That morning she woke up with a horrible headache. Swift she was to grab some herbs she had hidden away from Kezrue, eating them to relieve the pain over time. Then, she got on her knees, put the thumbs of her wings together, and shut her eyes, mumbling a prayer. A prayer to any star that would listen, asking for help getting out from here, and for the nightmares to cease. Wanting for a guide, or even just... a sign that they were listening.
Then, she got up. Peaking out of her tent gently, eyes darting back and forth rapidly, then fully exiting. She recognized her "savior" eating in a far corner, seemingly discomforted by a conversation with a Krenchi. She also spotted a few other vaguely familiar faces, people who had welcomed her to their "compound" as some called it. Cult, she'd call it.
She quickly ran off to grab a basket, today was her turn to gather fruits and firewood. "Be sure to remember your way!" Someone had told her. Stars she didn't want to return here. But where else could she go?
She had gotten all turned around after the infected attacked, especially when she had seen the giglin of their party - a sweetheart named Rave - go berserk, startling her enough to make her run off blindly and hide in a tree. She really hoped they were all okay, though, she was pretty sure the krenchi, who was named Lucky, had gotten bitten, the poor thing... infection was such a horrid curse.
She wished she could find her way back to civilization, but any time she asked people they'd never tell her, simply asking "Who would want to leave here?" and not bothering to listen to her after. Honestly, she hoped to stumble across Rave, if he was still alive that was. If anyone was still hanging around the mountains, and able to leave their house, it'd probably be him, right? At the same time though... she didn't want to drag him, or anyone else for that matter, into her mess. What if the cultists or Kezrue tried to attack him for being an outsider that clearly wasn't trying to join? Not that she had been trying to either, she just wanted shelter. And then she got stuck here. Eugh.
These thoughts flew around her head as she darted into the forest, carrying the basket in her mouth, after all even though the basket tasted well... nasty, it was easier to carry that way than with her useless wings. Truly a curse, they were. All they did was make her fly better, but at what cost? She'd rather have arms. Arms were useful. you could hold things with them. But more wings were useless. Sometimes she wished she could just... reset. But she couldn't. Some people at the cult claimed it to be a fresh start, but she knew what it really was. Just a bunch of lies from a cruel mistress. One who claimed herself superior to the Stars, a foolish thing to claim.
Eventually she came upon some fruit bearing bushes and took as much as would fill the basket, not wanting to linger out here long. Even if it gave her an excuse to be away from the cult. Even if it was a brief peek of freedom.
-----
When she returned she quickly dumped what she had gotten off where it belonged, then ran off in hopes of-
She crashed face first into another Smog Imp, falling to the ground while the other just seemed befuddled.
"Are you okay?" They questioned, offering a hand, not realizing that there were no arms under Hallow's poncho.
"Y-Yeah, are you?" She answered, stuttering from dizziness, and rubbing her head with one wing, much to the confusion of the other imp.
"Yes I'm fine and uh- why are you using your wing to rub your head? And not your arms?" They asked, Tu'e was their name Hallow believed?
Hallow pushed herself up from the ground after a moment, wing webbing spreading across the ground like large hands, as she did, "I've got Harpy syndrome, my wings are my arms." She answered, hoping she wasn't being too blunt. It was hard not to be blunt when stressed.
"O-Oh! Uh- Sorry for asking!" Tu'e(? Hallow still wasn't sure) replied, flustered from having essentially done the same thing as asking a wheelchair user why they use a wheelchair instead of their legs. "Um- Well- Where are you headed off to?"
"I was headed to my tent-" Hallow responded, quickly getting cut off.
"You aren't going to the mid day sermon?" questioned Tu'e, looking almost... concerned. Then again, Hallow supposed it was a bit.. odd not to go sermons in this community.
"Well, is anything important happening?-" Hallow asked in turn, getting cut off swiftly once more.
"Of course there is! Every sermon is important! Haven't you been to one since joining? You'd know if you had gone!" Tu'e answered quickly, almost panicked.
Hallow in turn looked... concerned. Sighing, she said, "I guess I'll go then," turning, she then asked "where do they take place?"
The other Smog Imp quickly grabbed her, running off and dragging her along, "I'll show you!" they said cheerfully.
---
After the sermon, Hallow looked even more paranoid, her beliefs only being confirmed.
-----
The rest of her day was nothing of note. She returned to her tent, Moonu's great pearl rising over the mountains. She too some time to adjust her space some and make it feel nice. Then, she once again got on her knees, put the thumbs of her wings together, and shut her eyes. Mumbling a prayer once more. Begging the stars for help, and promising that, however it may seem, she hadn't abandoned them here at this cult. And she prayed, prayed that they hadn't abandoned her either.
Then, she sat in bed.
Passing out only hours later.
And suffering nightmares once more.
Wonder what is causing those... ;)