When the sun was high and hot, Aryel liked to retreat to the forest. Sunlight filtered down through the pines as she walked into the Deep Forest, which, despite it's normally creepy appearance, was surprisingly quiet and calm today. It was amazing what a little sunlight could do. Nestled on her shoulders between her wings was a small bundle of dark brown fur and wing webbing that slept quietly. Java was nocturnal, after all. Noon was practically midnight as far as the infantile fruit bat was concerned. He needed his sleep. Aryel turned her attention from the bat to her surroundings, enjoying the peaceful coolness of the forest. Noticing that the woods thinned out ahead, she quickened her pace. Something loomed in the hazy atmosphere, inanimate and tall. Intrigued, her ears went forward. She stepped out of the woods into a large clearing, eyes widening at the tree that dominated the center.

It was an oak, instead of the tall, thin pines that surrounded it, and it was massive. It wasn't much taller that the surrounding trees, but the trunk was extremely thick, so much that she was sure ten horses standing nose to tail couldn't have circled it. Roots rose out of the ground, then dove back into the soil as it spread it's ancient tendrils over the forest floor. As she neared the tree, she was struck by a sense of tranquility that seemed to be emanating from the oak itself. The sunlight, beating fiercely upon the land outside the forest, was reduced to a gentle shadowy dappling under the oak. Birds flitted through the clearing, several stopping to roost in it's branches/ She stood for a moment, in awe of the leafy behemoth. Her attention was drawn by a particular cluster of roots nearby, that seemed to rise up over a burrow or hollow of sorts, where the ground sloped. Curious, she walked closer. It would be a nice place for a nap, and it looked like there was a spot she could squeeze in, under a large arcing root. Java, who had stirred and woken as she entered the clearing, stretched one demanding wing claw out in the direction of the hollow, and she complied, stretching out a wing and holding it against a root for him to clamber over. He dug his claws into the root and blinked contently, their still-weak bond not letting her sense more than his childish happiness. She turned her attention to the depression, and the business of getting inside.

Aryel hugged her wings tightly to her sides and began squeezing herself through an opening that seemed large enough, a low-to-the ground entrance that reduced her to shuffling nearly on her belly. About halfway through, she couldn't go any farther. Disappointed, she began to pull herself out.

She didn't budge.

Aryel frowned, then tried to squeeze herself out again, with no results. She struggled, but all that happened was for her to loose her footing and feel her belly hit the ground. She was stuck. Forcing herself not to panic, the mare analyzed the situation. She was laying on the ground, her hind legs stretched out behind her while her posterior stuck up awkwardly. Her wings, at least, were halfway in and halfway out, so she wouldn't break them if she managed to pull herself out. The root was snug around her belly, although not constrictingly tight, at least. With some difficulty, she was able to fold her front legs under her, but that was really all the mobility she had. Java, curious, scuttled through a smaller opening and looked at her quizzically.

"I'm stuck." she grumbled at him.

Java was quiet for a moment, then threw his head back in a bought of high, squeaky laughter. "Not funny, furhead!" she snapped. Java eventually got over himself and climbed down until he was crouching on the dirt before her nose. He pressed his head onto her muzzle and began pushing with all his might, which amounted to absolutely nothing. It was a nice try, at least. Aryel snorted, raising her head. There had to be some way out of this.

(The place Aryel discovered is a large clearing dominated by an oak tree of massive proportions. Roots frequently rise out of the ground nearby, and the whole area is very peaceful. Aryel tried to get into a sort of depression caged by roots, which has a few openings. Only one was really big enough to admit a horse, and she didn't find it. There are several someone can stick their head and neck in, though.)

Walk walk walk walk.
"Talk talk talk talk."