[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/Bet3ozk.png[/img][/center]

Everyone was mad here - or in on it - or maybe part of his imagination, Tarly decided. This was some cheshire-cat style wonderland, or something, and when Tarly looked away he could swear the world warped around him to something... different. The longer he spent here, the more "here" he felt, and he found that more unsettling than comforting.

Was he passed out on the pavement somewhere having a seizure or something? 

Or perhaps he was still at the party, surrounded by his friends who were having a laugh at mad ol' Tarly thinking he's in Fairyland? 

That brought a small smile to his lips. If he had to choose, that one was better. He looked down to the little stray, thinking he was way out of place in this mystical land full of strangers and magic. But then so was Tarly - everyone seemed so calm, or at least adapting to the situation, taking it in their stride. Him and Poncho were out of place, here. Two raggedy strays in a land of beauty and wonder.

[center]Same as always, then.[/center]

Tarly lodged his hands in his pockets, kicked a stone and traipsed as they all followed the fairies - followed the fairies! Hah! - to their houses, but Tarly stood outside his door as the others split off to explore their "homes". He stared at the cheerful, ominous place.

Home, huh? He shifted his weight in discomfort. Out of everything here, this was perhaps the most alien to him.
His stomach rumbled.

[color=darkorange]"How about we go find some grub, mutley?"[/color] Tarly asked, picking up a stick for Poncho as the pair wandered off into the treeline for a bit. It would be a chance to clear his head, at least, and he wasn't ready to go searching for a refrigerator in his house yet.

Mmm... burgers...

Tarly watched Poncho bound off into the ancient forest after the stick. The canopy was filled with bright hues of green, dotted with beams of sunlight that illuminated the forest floor and danced around the wildflowers that grew there, swaying in the light breeze. The megalithic trees themselves arced upwards for what seemed like for ever, their trunks sentinels for the centuries. It was far removed from his adventures through streets of concrete and clubs late at night back home.

[color=darkorange]"What'd you think, Poncho? Shall I crown you king of the forest? Haven't seen another pup like you round."[/color] asked Tarly as he vaulted up some of the lower limbs of a particularly ancient tree. His feet found good footing as he climbed up and up into the branches. One sturdy looking limb in particular took his fancy, and he balanced across it, sitting down to overlook the forest. The breeze whistled by his ears and he looked down to Poncho, then out towards the cottages that sat neatly in the sun. He could see some figures moving there, going about their lives, settling in - and he wondered if it came naturally to people to feel like they belonged. Particularly in a strange place such as this.

The branch Tarly settled on twitched, the ancient tree not used to bearing the weight of a human. A loud creaking sound issued out from somewhere inside the wide, age-old trunk when the dog Tarly brought with him decided to pee on one of its thick exposed roots. Finally, with a sigh, the tree opened its eyes and looked at those that were disturbing its sleep.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/jwiW2re.jpg[/img][/center]

[color=lightgreen]"You humans are an impolite lot, having an old man like me bear your weight and tolerate being bathed with this pungent watery discharge from your companion,"[/color] came the ancient tree's deep, raspy voice. It flicked its root at the dog just enough to send the stray scampering away with its tail tucked between its legs. A kind fairy would later find the dog and decide to care for it in Cladarat.

As soon as the dog was out of the way, the tree flicked its root again to shake the dog's urine off.

[color=darkorange]"Oh, bollocks!"[/color] Tarly exclaimed, almost falling off the branch in surprise. When he grabbed onto the branch, the tree sighed again, this time in exasperation.

[color=lightgreen]"Do you not plan on getting off, little man?"[/color] the elder tree raised an eyebrow and slowly brought it's branch down. Like the way it shook off the dog's pee, it shook Tarly off, sending the young man tumbling down onto the grass. 

Tarly immediately got back on his feet but he was too surprised to find himself in front of a giant talking tree that he could only gawk at it.

[color=lightgreen]"I see you have nothing to say for yourself. Such a rude human."[/color] The tree closed its eyes and gave another long and weary sigh. [color=lightgreen]"I know not the reason why you were brought here, human but I do not believe you will do well in our realm. Away with you then."[/color] It opened its eyes and pursed its lips, blowing a soft warm breeze towards Tarly.

A myriad of colors swirled around Tarly as he was transported back to the human realm, exactly where he imagined himself to be. 

[b]"Tarly, you've gone off your trolley. Fairies?"[/b]

Tarly looked up and grinned, his head spinning from drinking too much. [color=darkorange]"What fairies?"[/color] he asked, memories of his short stay in Cladarat completely wiped off from his mind.