Lin the alp-luachra.

At first, the challenge seemed simple, go one month in the Gidma Forest without backing out, and win 5,000 Notes for your business!

It had been three months since Lollipop moved to Uflana, and to her, it seemed like a great way to get some extra Notes. Lollipop had not yet opened her sweet shop, mostly due to needing to get a vendor's license, but now she was glad she waited. With the additional revenue, she could afford a larger shot than she normally could have and still buy all the necessary equipment. Now, however, she realized why it was such a challenge. Lollipop already knew, before moving to Uflana, that nature was not controlled by magic on the continent; clouds moved on their own, trees lived and died, and the seasons came and went without help. Still, Lollipop never imagined the elements would be this harsh. This was made even more difficult by her limited amount of items, a filtering canteen, some matches, a tint, watch, book on the wilderness, and a pocket knife.

Lollipop pulled the canteen out of the water and letting the magical filter do its job after waiting about a minute she took a swig of the water letting the cold liquid flow past her parched lips. She considered herself lucky to of had the fortune to find this clearing that, at the time, seemed like the perfect camping spot, the stream gave her easy access to water, and the area around it, that happened to be void of trees, was an ideal stop for the tint, as well as a small fire.

Today had been a long day, most of it was spent collecting berries and firewood, and at the end of it, all Lollipop found no greater pleasure than her tint. The tint wasn't magnificent, in fact, it was rather ordinary, but to lollipop’s aching hooves there was no greater pleasure than laying down in the fabric encasement.

“Only two more weeks. Then I’ll be home.” Lollipop said as her vision blurred, and her tiredness got the better of her.
Lollipop never expected to be woken up in the middle of the night, let alone by something that felt like it was trying to enter her mouth. It was then she realized something was trying to enter her mouth. Lollipop jumped up with a small shout echoed by the thing that was on her as it flew across the tent with a small *squeak*! Lollipop scrambled to the back of the tenet and tried to catch her breath. After hyperventilating for a good amount of time, she looked down at the small thing that was once at her lips.
Lollipop expected to see some kind of monster with fangs to devour her from the inside. What Lollipop saw, however, was nothing of the sort. Cowering in the corner was what looked like an incredibly small black pony with a green stripe going down the underside of its belly and down its long furless tail, the mane fit the theme with a pattern of dark and light green hair. At this point, a rational pony may run, or even ask the small pony what it was, but Lollipop at the moment was not a rational pony. All lollipop could do was mutter a phrase she had heard other ponies say in Uflana but had never said herself.
“What the fuck…”
the creature then looked up at her. At this point, Lollipop remembered what the thing was doing and promptly finished her statement.
“WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING!?! WHY WERE YOU TRYING TO GET INTO MY MOUTH!?! I COULD HAVE KILLED YOU… YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME!”
The thing fletched back and started to shake more, Lollipop could even see a tear begin to run down the things face. Lollipop sighed, yes she was upset but if she wanted to get any answers she had to control herself. Heck, she didn't even know if it could talk. Lollipop adopted a softer tone and slowly walked towards the thing. She slowly reached down and touched her hoof to the thing's fur-less skin, in response it flinched back.

“P- Please don’t hurt me, I wasn't trying to hurt you I swear.”
The voice was definitely female and confirmed the things ability to speak.

“Its OK I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to ask you a few questions.”

The thing seemed to calm down a little but was still noticeably shaken.

“OK”, it started, “just, please don't hurt me.”

“Like I said I'm not going to, first off do you have a name?”

It may have been a strange question to start with but Lollipop wasn't jested going to keep calling it “the thing”.

“Lin”

the th- Lin said still in a slightly timid voice. It was a strange name but now was not the time to question it.
“
OK, Lin what are you?”

“They call me an… alp-luachra? Ya, an alp-luachra.”

“OK…” Lollipop trailed off as she got her book from her saddlebag and began to flip through, without luck, until she found it, and the gears finally clicked when she saw it in the section on parasites.

She laid the book down and asked.

“Is this it?”

Lin looked at the page and after some time spoke up.

“yes”

she replied now less fearful. Lollipop began to read. Every so often she would ask Lin about something.

It had been about an hour since Lollipop and Lin had first met, and most of the tension was lost I the bombardment of questions and conversation. Even so, Lollipop couldn't help but feel bad for Lin, and guilty for scaring her as bad as she did. But what could she do to make it up to Lin… except- NO!

“Lollipop, are you… OK?” Lin asked upon seeing the mix of emotions on the said mare.

“Ya, ya. It's just…” Lollipop could help but think about the predators and dangers Lin had talked about in their inquiry. As much as Lollipop disliked the idea, it would help her. Many of the poisonous plants and now, looked almost identical and even though she hadn't had the misfortune of eating something deadly yet, it was still a possibility. Even then it wasn't like Lin would harm her, right? Lollipop sighed, she had made her decision, and even though it broke one of the top rules of outdoor survival, don’t come back with a parasite, she was going to back down.

Lollipop sighed and began.

“Hay, Lin?” She began at the alp-luachra’s slightly concerned attention.

“I still have two weeks in this forest, your ability to detect poison could really help me, and I- If you still want, I can be your host. I just feel horrible for-”

Lollipop didn't get a chance to finish as the lizard-esk pony jumped on her, attempting the closest thing to a hug she could give.

“OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!”

Lollipop chuckled at Lin’s enthusiasm.

“OK, OK. I need to go back to sleep, and I'm guessing you’re tired too, so we should probably get this over with now.”

Lollipop laid down in front of Lin and hesitantly opened her mouth. With surprising speed, Lin entered her mouth as Lollipop began to have second thoughts, what if she gets stuck, what if I choke to death.

Before Lollipop could go back on her offer Lin hit the back of her throat and Lollipop was forced to swallow. It felt strange and Lin crawled her way down and fell into her stomach. But after Lin shifted to a comfortable position, much to Lollipop’s surprise, she couldn't even feel her.

“You OK in there?”

Lollipop asked, in response, Lin wiggled a little causing her to give off a slight chuckle.