After the psychodeerik coaxed Meringue into chasing after it, Meringue found themselves going deeper and deeper into the woods. It was dangerous for a little paca like Meringue to be wandering out so far by themselves, but they really couldn't care. All they could focus on was chasing after the deer.
Some time had passed, and the psychodeerik was nowhere to be found. It had disappeared into the dark. Its influence on Meringue's mind had begun to fade as well. As their mind cleared, Meringue realized they had no idea where they had run off to. They didn't know how they wound up so far away either.
A faint glowing trail had caught Meringue's eye. Their eyes followed the glowing trail up, up, up and up all the way to the top of the Tree of Souls. The magic flowing out of the tree was the only light in the dark woods. It was a beautiful sight. They were alone, but the tree somehow filled in the empty space in Meringue's core where a paca should be.
It gave off an inviting feeling, like you could tell it anything and it wouldn't judge(not that it could in the first place). Especially if you were alone like Meringue was. No secret would escape it. It was nothing but an odd security. So much so, that pacas often come to talk to the Tree of Souls if they've got something weighing down on their mind.
Meringue slowly crept up towards the base of the tree and laid down to rest. They allowed the silence of the night and glowing of the tree to put them at ease. They listened to the soft breeze that rustled the trees leaves and watched as the magic ebbed and flowed over itself. Since they were here, they might as well tell the tree something too right?
“I've been a little too scared to sleep for a very long time…,” Meringue began.
“I close my eyes and I wake up in some scary place.”
“I remember…in my dream…I looked around the scary place and I found someone.”
“I tried to talk, but they ran away. Everyone ran away.”
“I felt very sad. Then I looked at myself and I was horrified. I was different. Everything about myself looked like It was made to hurt.”
Meringue paused for a moment to look down at their nubs. They were the same.
Meringue continued,” I also felt very hungry.”
“There was something shiny and round under my sharp claws.”
“I picked it up and it made me feel even hungrier.”
“It wasn't even in my mouth yet, but I knew it'd be..."
"Delicious.”