Everything around me was a complete blur.
The sound on my left side is muffled and distant.
I felt so unnaturally thirsty as I dragged myself across the hazy landscape.
Bumping face-first into a glass dish on the floor, I could feel refreshing water trickle over my face. I didn't ask any questions, if I couldn't drink anything soon I felt as if I would die. Lifting my chin was a battle, my body ached all over as I began to lap up the liquid with my parched tongue.
Where was I?
How did I get here?
Why did my body feel broken and compacted?
I felt myself choking on the water as I started coughing. My eyes burned to the light around me, yet vaguely could make out a mesh cage. How on earth could I fit in such a thing?
Had I shrunk?
Was that even possible?
Suddenly the front of the cage made a clicking noise. The left side of my head tightened even further, muffled noise now completely silent. I gazed up in absolute horror as a true Lovecraftian beast made itself known.
Towering over my fragile broken body was a pony. A massive yellow collection of fur that smiled down at me with that grotesque long muzzle. Her eyes were so large and deep that they could swallow my soul. Her mane was this odd shade of pink, that honestly I found pretty cute.
"Aww, you're awake Honeybunch!" She cooed in delight, kneeling lower.
With the sound of a whip crack, the pony suddenly was sent flying backward. Crashing into nearby baskets full of different veggies, as they scattered around the garden.
I could feel my left ear slowly fold downward again. My body froze in fear at what just happened. Lowering my gaze I saw delicate brown paws, with pale pink padding. My heart shattered knowing I was no longer human.
Tumbling over towards the water dish in a panic, I peeked inside to catch my reflection. A pink button nose, and a delicate brown body covered in white cotton-like patches. Dainty rabbit ears, one extended as the other folded down defensively.
"Bunear!? (I'm a bunny!?)" My voice escaped my lips in a sweet sing-song melody.
“Wow, you popped her good!” The masculine and sarcastic voice of a guy echoed around me.
My new ear twitched trying to pinpoint the source with no luck. Suddenly I watched a white bunny hop onto the mare's face with no sense of compassion. His eyes narrowed towards me in curiosity and interest.
“Don't you talk? Or are you the violent type?” The bunny laughed in that same sarcastic voice.
“You can talk too?” I struggled to swallow the growing lump in my throat, unsure if this fever dream would ever end.
“Uhh, yeah? Animals here can talk to each other. But these ponies can't seem to pick up on it, superior species eh?” He gave a swift kick to the mare's cheek, hopping towards me smirking.
Superior species!?- So I arrived on the planet of the ponies.
This was a fever dream that didn't seem to end. My memories of anything before this moment were a blur at best. I had to have arrived here for a reason, or was this some kind of cosmic joke at my expense?
“I'm Angel.” He bounced to the front of my open cage, his paw held out mischievously.
My mind raced for my name, the only thing coming to mind was the pony’s name she had heard.”Bunches?” I mumbled in a trance-like tune.
“Aye, given a humiliating name too?” Angel shook my paw giving it a reassuring squeeze, my heart fluttering.
“I suppose?” I spoke in a dainty whisper as the oversized equine moaned from across the yard dazed.
Angel chuckled as he tugged me by the paw, pulling me out of the cage as we dashed towards freedom. I gently hopped around the downed pony, my nose twitching as a wave of new scents almost knocked me down. Angel, on the other paw, took a moment to pounce hard on the poor pony's face, knocking her out cold again.
Everything around me seemed brighter, the garden around me couldn't be smaller. Yet in this body was massive, almost like a wild jungle of reds and oranges. Without missing a beat, Angel tugged me over to a towering white gate.
He showed off by swiftly kicking a nearby stone, it bounced off the metal lock as it popped free. The gate swung open and within seconds we were gone, both of us rushing into the wilds that were even more enormous. Stopping under a lush green bush, he pulled me out of the open and to safety.
“Why, help me?” I panted breathlessly as he shrugged, poking his head out the back of the bush.
“I just hate seeing other bunnies caged up, especially those who offer the world…” He turned his head to gaze towards me, quickly blushing before motioning me to follow.
We hopped over a few patches of tall grass and towards a large pile of rocks. My footing wasn't as good as his, I stumbled a few times trying to get used to my bouncy way of running. With a little help from Angel, we both made it beyond the mountain of stone.
Tumbling down the other side in a ball of fluff, we hit the ground with a thud. Or at least he did, I landed atop him gently a bit dazed by the fall. He laughed and flashed a smile, pointing his ear towards a beautiful clearing.
I was caught off guard in amazement. The area was small but covered in vibrant flowers, and in the center was an elegant flowing stream of water. My lips were parched, as I bounced my way towards salvation.
Lapping up the water thankfully, I couldn't help but notice Angel watching me from afar. “Happy to help you out, Bunches.” He winked as I lifted my head towards him in silence.
“Angel, I just wanted to say…what is that!?” I screamed in terror as dark red eyes began to glow from multiple bushes around us, my heart sinking in my chest full of terror.
Angel looked genuinely terrified as well, yet he hopped protectively over towards me. Shivering, he turned to lock his gaze with mine.”I'm going to need you to trust me.”
With the snapping of a branch, a loud series of howls filled the air.
The hunt had begun.
