You walk along the rocky path for a moment or two, until you the path finally broadened into a clearing much like the others. The stream that the path seemed to be following flowed through in it's normal easy pace, and the birds tittered in the trees, laughing at some unknown joke. Large trees clumped around the meadowish place, and there seemed to be nothing missing. Oh, wait, there was. A creature was supposed to be living here... now, where would it be? You peer anxiously into the shadows, straining your eyes, but the murkiness, was, well, too murky for your eyes to peer through. You sigh sorrowfully, and turn around, fully prepared to go back the way you came.
          "BOO!"
        You jumped in surprised, and then get pounced on (for what seemed like the hundreth time today), and an extremely large animal landed on you, knocking you off balanced. You find yourself sprawled across the floor on your stomach, with a large blue creature settling in on your stomach. You wheeze and try to sit up. The creature, reliazing that you were trying to get up, hopped gracefully from your stomach and peers up--no wait, down at you.
          "Hi!" it grinned cheerfully. "My name's Zari!"
          "What?"
          "Actually my name is Zarishiae, possibly the only creature in this realm with a 'z' name!"
        Zarishiae beems at this, prancing around you with it's paws. It seemed to be an equiney-like creature, with large wings and was blue with black splotches, and a dragon-like tail.
          "I'm a Nixphe! From Alonnia. You should go visit!"
        And with a cheerful chrip, and a quick 'bye!', the Nixphe was off. It sprinted across the clearing, waded into the stream, and got out on the other side, shaking off the water like a dog. Zarishiae soon disappeared into the leafy green forest. You instantly feel sorry for whoever the nixphe encounters. You twitch as you imagine the pounce it gave you, and you turn and quickly observed the clearing, spotting the path out of here. You step towards it, but a shuffling behind you startled you. You whirl around, fully expecting another pounce, but a yellowish nixphe stood there.


        It tosses it's head, white mane flying everywhere. It's small spots speckled around it's body, it's sleek wings half open, cloven hooves stamping impatiently, as if wanting to run. The eyes watch you carefully, waiting. Seeing that you weren't about to speak, it sighs.
          "Traveller," it dips it's head in a greeting. "I am the second nixphe to live here. I must say, staying with
        Zarishiae is interesting."
        The nixphe bobs it's head again, smiling as much as a horse could smile. It's hooves stamping even more impatiently now.
          "Zari always says I should stop running everywhere nowadays. He has desire to run fast, and long, to
        absolutely nowhere, like I do. 'What's the point?' he always says. 'You're gonna get yourself lost
        someday, or you'll tire yourself out in the middle of the desert. Running nowhere gets you nowhere.'
        Zari doesn't make sense a lot," the nixphe laughs. "I'm Veredus, and it means swift horse I believe."
        Veredus finally gotten to the end of its patience, and shouts a quick good-bye as it sprints off. You turn quickly towards the path out, and start down it, muttering about weird creatures.