The feeling of warmth and light fluttering across the face, that was what she felt first. Then, as the rest of her senses yawned open, she perceived the mild breeze, the crisp of mountain air, the scent of woodland, and the warbles of something not quite like a bird.

Her eyes flickered open at the unfamiliarity of her surroundings. And her eyes, amazed, took in the sight of the grand forest towering before her. The trees were none that she had ever seen, but it was something of a deciduous forest on steroids. Her head slowly tilted upwards, becoming almost a right angle as her gaze followed the length of the lofty trees. Her eyes narrowed as she attempted to discern the depths of the forest. Trees and undergrowth stretched out as far as her vision could allow.

Looking downwards, she saw she was partially sprawled out in the tall grass as well as resting on the buttress root of some large tree. The one root she was propped up against seemed to measure three times her width. Curious, she peered upwards and was astounded at the enormous height and girth of the prodigious tree before her. Resembling that of an oak, it was more immense than any other tree in sight. It measured hundreds of feet tall and a circumference that would’ve taken dozens of human wingspans to cover. Its branches blocked out most of the sunlight in a diameter longer than its own height. How the grass below could even grow to the length of her calves was beyond her.

With a faint smile, she closed her eyes, relishing the clear scent of the forest, the clement wafts that caressed her face, and the coziness of the thick, velvety grass. Is this a dream? She wondered as her senses lulled into repose. Then it’s a beautiful dream I don’t ever want to wake up from.

Nearby movement aroused her from relaxation, and she opened her eyes and turned her attention back to the front. From the edge of the tree’s radius where the undergrowth began, glinting eyes and barely perceptible forms emerged out of the shadows. As they drew closer, the creatures’ shapes were reminiscent of antelope. Their large, sleek ears; elegant, branched horns; and supple, spindly legs; were very deer-like; however, they were unearthly with their silver eyes, light taupe hides, and white streaks across the length of their sides.

Beautiful, she thought, like the spirit deers in fantasy stories.

Soon after the appearance of the deer, more strange and beguiling creatures emerged from behind the foliage. They were not like the animals she knew on Earth. These fantastical creatures before her flaunted vivid and unnatural colors. All of their auras seemed almost spectral, luminescent even in the day. One animal appeared to be a squirrel. It had a fluffy tail and plump body, but its ears were larger and tapered into white tufts; not to mention, its fur was a deep lime green with light tawny spots. It nibbled on something resembling a chestnut before clamping the nut in its mouth and scampering away on white-tipped paws.

Just where am I, she wondered, awestruck.

Then it dawned on her, she was not on Earth, no longer breathing the same air as the people she knew, the animals or even plants she was familiar with. Glancing down at the grass, her hands snatched a clump of blades, her brain shockingly registered the familiar feel of grass, the crunch and juice that dribbled out and left a stain on her palms. It was so shockingly real.