Enormous Nests

As soon as I arrived in the Hollow, the hot air caressed my skin like flames on cooking meat. I wrapped my arms around myself, working to get my bearings. The sky was dark, and I had a moment of fear - perhaps Pops was wrong and Sharra's powers reached here as well - until I noticed the pinks and oranges in the distance. The sun was rising. A shiver of joy touched my heart. Light was coming and that filled me with hope.

I took a step forward and something crunched under my boot as my shin cracked against something sharp. "Ow." I glanced down and discovered the ground was made of sticks, several of which were jabbing into me. "Where am I?" I knew I was in the Hollow, but where specifically? The thick twined sticks were woven together but that gave me no indication. Lifting myself up onto the wall of twigs, I peered over the side. A wave of dizziness sent my head spinning. Below and across the expanse as far as I could see stretched an unending valley filled with craggy hills, some much