[i]Falling.

Everything felt like falling. Stars seemed to pass her by barely an arm’s reach away. Darkness surrounded her, broken only by the tiny light of stars spotting the empty expanses around her. 

She saw nothing save the lights, felt nothing save the falling. There was no air to breathe, no grass to feel. There was no panic. 

She looked down at herself, watching as her body grew less taught with muscles and softened, watched as her nails grew long and adorned a blue-purple colour. A long braid of raven hair fell over her shoulder, and nine tails grew from behind her, curling around her body in a cocoon of silky fur. 

She felt herself Shift, felt her power building, and felt it unleash itself. Ribbons of colour exploded around her, tearing apart that blackness and catching the stars. The ribbons thrashed and fought, trying to tear themselves from her, but letting them go would be wrong, she knew. She extended a hand and took hold of one ribbon, feeling it shift beneath her fingers, sending tingling feelings throughout her entire body as if it was made of pure energy. 

She pulled, and the star held in the ribbon came surging forward, fast as the light. It hit her, embedding itself in her chest. She watched it, fascinated by the comforting glow emanating from her chest, only to be shocked as more stars came. 

Two, three, four, five stars hit her chest, embedding themselves and increasing the glow. It didn’t hurt, it only tingled. 

Six, seven, eight, nine, and ten more stars hit her, increasing the low until it blinded her. She closed her eyes to block the light, and then it happened. 

The glow spread, coursing through every vein of her body, and then she was light. A million tiny lights exploded from her, leaving behind only a vague humanoid shape with how they were placed.

And then she fell,

And fell,

And fell,

And fell[/i]

----------------

And woke up with a start. She sat there, gasping for air, her dark brown eyes darted around in search of any threat as a hand was held tightly against her chest. Several deep breaths later, her heartbeat had lessened and she was able to let calm down. Once calm, the immediate area around her came into clarity: The tree she had been leaning up against, the grass under her, the empty planes in front and, most importantly, all the other people.

[i]What?[/i]

She glanced around, taking in the large group of people around her. Most were still lying flat on the ground, but some were steadily waking up, it seemed. She would’ve been worried about all the still ones being dead had it not been for the unfathomable amount of snores rising from just about everyone. 

Putting a hand against the trunk of the tree with a hand, she pulled herself up on shaky legs, wincing as blood rushed back into the sleeping limbs. She had evidently been sitting there for a long time. 

[i]What happened? Where are we?[/i] She looked up and down the treeline that separated the forest from the plains, marvelling at the clear blue sky, the fresh summer breeze, and generally wondering - “Where the hell are we?” [i]Somewhere I’ve never been before, that’s for sure.[/i] 

Turning around, she peered through the trees, searching for anything that might give her a clue as to where they were. All she saw was a lot of trees, shadows, and a single bird hopping from one branch to another. [i]Last thing I remember I was going to bed, and now I wake up here in,[/i] she glanced down at herself, raising a delicate eyebrow at what she saw. [i]When did I get into my summer dress? And the light-blue one at that! It was my favourite.[/i] She briefly examined it to check for any damages. The only thing she found was a loose thread near where the dress made a thigh-cut, allowing her to move freely in it. 

With her mouth set in a thin, concerned line, she turned back towards the other ones waking up. She didn’t know who they were—or what, for that matter—but she knew that she probably wasn’t the only one freaked a bit out by them suddenly waking up in a strange place. The lack of additional weight behind her told her that she wasn’t Shifted, and she wanted to keep it that way—for some time at least; she knew not all people were enthusiastic about them, and who knew what these people thought? 

She went over to the nearest person she could see was about to wake up. “You okay?” She asked, reaching down a hand to help him up. 

“Y-Yeah.” He stood up, wincing a bit as the light cut into his eyes. “Where are we?”

Lily shook her head, tucking a lock of brown hair behind her ear. “I don’t know.” 

[quote]Welcome to Shifting Worlds! 
Enjoy your stay in a place that may be as hostile as a hungry tiger, and as peaceful as a ladybug. What will happen? I don't know.
Let's find out, shall we?[/quote]