Arggh. Where am I?
Mint groaned, her eyelids fluttering open. She was sprawled on her back in leaves. Staring up at a leafy canopy of evergreen trees. The sunlight was warm. It was about midday. The forest alive with the trills of what she could only assume to be unseen birds. The whole place felt oddly tranquil. She sat up, rubbing her head. Catching sight of her reflection in a puddle of water beside her. The puddle was enormous! She had shrunk?
Ah! I'm tiny! What the-
She lent closer to the puddle. Her hands fumbling over the contours of her new face.
Weird. Where am I? What am I?
A beautiful creature looked back at her. Different to what she was before. It looked like a flower come to life. Her hair, hands and clothes an arrangement of petals. Her legs stems with roots for feet.
She climbed up onto a nearby toadstool to collect her bearings. The puddle was a footprint in the soft, damp earth. One of many leading deeper into the forest. The water glowed faintly.
"Phew! That was way harder than it should have been."
She rolled her eyes, wiping sweat from her forehead. She gasped.
Is that my voice? I sound like a mouse on helium.
She decided to follow the footprints, distracted by…
Giggling?
"Who's there?" She demanded, whirling around. The whispering and giggling stopped.
She didn't see anyone, but she had the feeling she was being watched.
She decided to fake them out, continuing to tip-toe over the leaves, crouching down behind a mossy log so she was out of sight. When she heard a rustle, she jumped up, crashing into another strange flower fairy.
They tumbled down into the leaves with shouts of surprise. Mint landed on top of the fiery red and orange collage of petals and leaves.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you." The stranger apologized. You looked lost. Um...Hi!"
Mint noticed the trees were alive with hundreds of other fairies like her. All peering out curiously.
"I'll show you around?" She offered her hand to Mint with a smile. "I'll explain everything, if you want?"