Discomfort, at first, not from any physical sensation but a twisting sensation deep in the gut. Discomfort, an ache from a singing burn that was hastily covered in a cold gel, a tearing pain across the chest.

[i]Fire.[/i]

Then there was nothing, at least for a little while. Only darkness, and a floating void. It wrapped around like a comforting blanket, cool and gentle with a reassuring feeling that [i]everything was finally over-[/i]

Then it was nothing again, but different.

Since now, Claire could move again. Could sit up, blinking slowly at the familiar ceiling. She could feel the leaves brushing past her arms as she did so, but at the same time it was an almost phantom feeling, as though she couldn't [i]really[/i] feel it.

Blink, blink. Finally the Dullahan twisted around at the waist to pick up her head that had been left behind, balancing it precariously on her neck before the swirling smoke curled around itself to attach firmly.

[color=SpringGreen]"... Huh,"[/color] was the first word out of Claire's mouth, lips curled upwards in an ever present grin. All around her there were vines, leaves, trees. Even beneath her was a soft bed of moss and leaves, familiar and comforting. Yet strange.

There was not the usual scent of her "room" in the feywilds, brimming with magic and the leafy vegetation that bloomed all around. Instead it was only a faint presence, a phantom of the usual, like ... like the flavoring in a La Croix sparkling water. There were no birds happily chirping away, no sound of Morena's hound happily panting away as he dug holes nearby, not even the huffing breaths of her ever present protector-

[color=SpringGreen]"Thanatos!"[/color] Claire surged up, eyes flicking this way and that. There were plenty of shadows, in the forest-made room. It was one of her biggest requests, after all! Since if anyone would never leave her side, it would be her steed. [color=SpringGreen]"[i]Thanatos![/i]"[/color] The call was more urgent this time, but still no familiar presence. The shadows remained still and quiet, not even a wisp of shadows or a single clop of hooves.

[i]The feel of a muscular body beneath her, the dark mane comforting against her fingers before she lifted her head high into the sky. Her own name, falling from her lips, then the sharp whistle of descending death and the fire, fire, fire...[/i]

Knock.

Claire paused, having been in the act of yanking her very head off to almost [i]throw[/i] into the shadows looking for her mount. Slowly she tilted her neck to look in the direction of the sound, eyes nearly rolling in her head unnaturally.

[color=SpringGreen]"... Come in?"[/color] She finally tried, but when no response was forthcoming the brunette glanced side to side.

She shrugged.

Pushing away a wall of vine of leaves revealed the door, pristine white and clamly waiting.

[color=SpringGreen]"What a time to disappear, Thanatos."[/color] The girl muttered lowly before grasping onto the doorknob. The thought vaguely entered her head that if she [i]had[/i] died, Thanatos might not have - being that he was already dead. [color=SpringGreen]"This better be you showing me you learned how to knock..."[/color]

It wasn't.