"I can't, ugh, do this," Celeste muttered through gritted teeth, hefting another damp, musty pile of hay onto a wooden cart. Stray pieces clung to her clothes, the dampness seeping through the fabric and making her shudder. 

Her arms ached, but she refused to stop. The sooner she finished, the sooner she could get back to her friends.

She glanced at the soapy bucket nearby, her shoulders slumping. Tossing the water onto the dirty floor, she began scrubbing with determined strokes, her broom-like brush scratching noisily against the wood.

“I hope Cleo’s having more fun than me,” Celeste thought grimly as she wrung out her brush and went back to work.

Meanwhile, on the island, Cleo crouched low in a bush, her fluffy tail twitching nervously as a group of unicorns searched for her.

“Little dog? Where did you go, little dog? We just want to play!” one unicorn called out in a sing-song voice. Another chimed in, “Though hide-and-seek wasn’t what we had in mind…”

Cleo’s ears flattened, her heart racing. ‘I don’t want to play with you,’ she thought furiously. ‘I ran away so you wouldn’t spill my secret to Celeste before I had a chance to explain it to her myself!’

The sound of hoofbeats grew louder, and Cleo froze as a shadow passed over her hiding spot. 

A unicorn sniffed the air nearby, its ears twitching. “Hmm…” it murmured, lingering for a moment before trotting off to join the others.

Cleo exhaled shakily, relief flooding her—but she failed to realize something was wrong until it was too late. 

There were eight unicorns in total. 

Now she could only see seven.

“Boo!” a voice shouted from behind, and Cleo yelped as something nipped at her tail.

“Found her, ladies! Her silly tail was sticking out of the bush!” the unicorn giggled.

Cleo groaned. ‘Dumb tail! Why does it have to be so long and fluffy?’ she thought bitterly as she bolted from the bush.

The unicorns, however, were far too fast. They darted around her, cutting off every escape route until she was surrounded.

“Little doggie, play with us!” one unicorn chirped, its tail swishing in delight.

Cleo’s patience snapped. Drawing in a deep breath, she barked her words, each one clipped and sharp. “I. Don’t. Want. To. You. Talk. Too. Much.”

The unicorns blinked in surprise. Then, as if a switch had flipped, they erupted into giggles.

“She can talk! Well… kind of!”

“Maybe we can help her get better at it!”

Cleo whined, dropping flat to the ground in defeat. Her ears drooped as she rested her head on her paws.

‘What do I have to do to get them to leave me alone?’ she thought, her body relaxing as she laid in the dirt.

Her sudden yawn drew the unicorns attention again. “Oh no! You can’t go to sleep before we’ve even played!”

Finally, Cleo stood, glaring at the lead unicorn. “Alright,” she barked. “If. You. Promise. Not. To. Tell. Celeste. Anything. About. Me. I’ll. Do. Whatever. You. Want.”

The unicorns squealed with joy, their hooves dancing in excitement. “We promise! Now come, little doggie!” they said, bounding off toward the portal on the opposite side of the island.

Cleo followed reluctantly. 

By the time she crossed through the portal, she was panting, her breath coming in short bursts. The unicorns, however, didn’t stop. They galloped ahead, calling out to her over their shoulders.

“Hurry up, slowpoke! You need to see this!”

Cleo followed them through unfamiliar terrain, her frustration mounting. She trudged up a steep hill, her legs burning with the effort. 

By the time she reached the top, she was ready to collapse—but the sight that greeted her made her pause in utter awe.

Below the hill, the world transformed into something out of a dream. The grass was no longer green but a soft, glowing purple. Towering flowers swayed in the breeze, their petals shifting colors with each gust of wind. At the center of the valley stood a massive golden tree, its branches shimmering in the sunlight. A pink lake encircled the tree, its waters glittering like liquid crystal.

Cleo’s eyes widened, but what truly caught her attention was the woman sitting by the lake. She was enormous, far larger than any human could possibly be. 

Her short, bright blue hair shimmered like the sky, and the fluffy ears perched atop her head twitched as if sensing Cleo’s presence. 

A matching tail curled around her waist, and her silver dress glowed softly, the fabric rippling as she kicked her bare feet in the water.

The woman tilted her head back, eyes closed in a serene smile. Then, as if feeling Cleo’s gaze, she opened her silver eyes and locked onto her. 

A warm smile spread across her lips as she gestured for Cleo to approach.

‘Who is she?’ Cleo thought, her paws moving automatically as she descended the hill.

The unicorns pranced around the woman, giggling and chatting. “Lumosa! She says we talk too much.” “Can you believe it?”

Lumosa laughed softly, the sound like a gentle breeze rustling leaves. As Cleo approached, Lumosa’s gaze softened. 

“Hello there, little soul,” she said warmly. “My name is Lumosa, one of the gods of this world. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Cleo’s jaw dropped. ‘A god?! Seriously?!’

To be continued…