Story: Eden's Rose- Nothing of this world is eternal. No matter how long it may take everything is gone eventually. The Garden is not of this world. In the garden lays two trees; one that gives the powers of the garden, and one that takes for the garden. Both equally powered, and equally needed. When a soul is submerged in the resin of the taking tree, they are taken as flora for The Garden, if submerged in the giving tree, they are given the powers of the flora, of the plants. They are indistinguishable. Eden is one of few that has found a way into The Garden. Regarded as a hero to the cats of her land, she searches for the answers to keep her kind from dying out. ---- Eden shuffled through the vast field of flowers. Each plant more beautiful than the last, this was The Garden. She had followed a trail of golden poppies through the dark forest, which was a infinite and otherworldly as the powers of the Garden itself. She padded through the cloud-like grass and sat between two colossal trees, they were just so big! She couldn't even see the tops of them, and there trunks seemed to be like bases of mountains. They were identical. She must choose one. With a gulp she walked to the base of one, then pressed her head gently into the resin. She felt petals burst from where her chest was, an immense power washing over her as they did. Her paws felt tingles and fizzy, green wisps of smoke-like light trailed behind her as the wind carried them off. The resin around her head solidified, and she could feel the change taking place, she would either become one with the garden, or she would receive its power. As she took another step into the tree a strong, cold force slammed against her body. She could barely make out the ominous figure standing above her. The ritual was unfinished. She darted through the grass as the figure behind her closely followed. The world around her was crystallized as her feet flew through the grass. The figure behind her wouldn't slow down, but her eyes were so focused on him that she didn't realize she had ran back into the dark forest. She looked back. The figure was gone, but a dark force fell upon her. Where were the poppies? She had to get back and finish the ritual? The ritual was unfinished. Right? She took a step towards The Garden but it's golden light was nowhere to be seen. She tried to take another step, but a darkness crept towards her, blackness like a fog that crept at her feet. It was heavy and tugged at her fur. But she was determined to make it back to The Garden. She had to. She needed to. Right? She tried to take a step but she felt like she was walking in quicksand. She pushed onward and started at a steady pace, but was exhausted after no more than a few feet. She thought it was a few feet. How far did she go..? There was a voice in her head that screamed at her to keep pushing through. Was that voice in her head? Was someone calling her? She could hear it now. It definitely wasn't in her head. But she couldn't exactly be definitive about anything now... The vibrations in her ears indicated someone was calling her, but the dark forest could be messing with her. But she also realized her friend might have followed her in, was she pushed out by her friend? Was her friend trying to save her from what pushed her in? The confusion settled in and tired out Eden even more. The light was fading now. It's almost gone. The tugging under her paws was calming now. The voice was getting louder and more frantic, but it was blotted out by the forest around her. It's so... peaceful here. Eden took a deep breath and relaxed, as the last glimmers of light faded away forever.
Look in costumes for a better look at the art, the original art is about 2000x2500 so you know what scratch did to the quality. I put in a few better screenshots
