She's staring, little bird.

Lyric's eyes darted to the female who had introduced herself as Brisa, watching as she stared at the bites and blood upon her own coat. This wasn't what she wanted. After years of her living within a herd who had called themselves brave, she never wanted pity to fill the eyes of others as they stared at her. The blood was what made her strong. The blood was what they wanted. The blood was something no one else would have understood. Yet as orbs danced over the bites and nicks upon her coat, she stiffened in what felt like utter fear. The pain came rushing back, the numbness faded in a rush of memories, and yet she still tried to compose herself. Her hooves shifted upon the ground once more, her ears tilted toward the mare as she spoke, offering help to her. 

No one can help you, little bird. You know this. 

More cackles rose within her head, teeth snapping, and creatures trampling throughout her mind. They were eating away at her flesh, eating away at her mind, destroying everything and anything in their path. She muttered a word, a single syllable quietly to herself to ward off the voices, yet it didn't work. It never worked. Why won't it work? She closed her eyes to compose herself. They didn't need to see the things swirling within her mind. To her, it was a disease. If they saw it, they would believe it was contagious. Just like her past herd, her brutal herd, they would run as well. She knew the hidden truths of their kind. She knew how corrupted they could be. Yet even with the two seemingly nice mares, they could be deceiving her. She kept her eyes tightly closed as she listened to the other mare. Elsa, was it? They both offered assistance, and pretended as if they cared, yet she had gotten those words more than once in her life. Trust them, Lyric. She took in a deep breath, breathing in through her nose and out past her lips before she opened her terrified orbs. 

Listen closely, little bird. She wants to know how you got here.

She hadn't heard the question, or she hadn't comprehended the words, either way, she wasn't listening. Her eyes darted toward the bird that had been hidden within Elsa's mane. Confusion came across her as she watched it settled atop her head, yet even with the bird in question, she wasn't able to comprehend why someone would keep a bird so close to them. Why anyone would keep anything so close to them, yet she wouldn't voice those opinions. The question was the thing being consumed by the voices now, not the bird. 

"I...ran," She was confused. Whether it be the circumstances or the question, she wasn't quite for certain. But that is how she came to be here. With the blood on her coat and the bite marks marring her flesh; that is how she came to be here. "Thank you both for your...hospitality. Yet I'm not sure which offer I shall take." She was awkward with her words, her tongue heavy within her mouth once again. Her frame backed up once again, her eyes glancing around the clearing. She felt trapped, yet she had to stay. There was no going back to her old herd. She wouldn't go back. Not when the voices were what drove her away in the first place.  

ooc: I'm so sorry for the wait, dearies! I just started back at school, so it's been quite chaotic. I hope you all will forgive me for that, as well as how horrid this post is. c: