A chill swept down her spine. Breezing all the way to her toes. She woke, finding herself in the place where she started. She did a quick check to make sure she was still a skeleton. Questions formed, but no matter how hard she thought, answers eluded her. She stood stock still for a long while. Wishing the nightmare gone. Nothing changed.

Her emotions settled, she formed a plan. She didn’t know if it was exactly the same, but she didn’t want to take any chances. ‘Stay away from the dome structure.’ She decided. ‘I’ll see if anyone is at the tent now.’ So, she made her way, trying to find the elusive exit. After an hour, she decided a different course of action. She picked up a rock, and started making marks along the walls. Hoping it would help navigate the forsaken place. Thankfully, it helped. She found the exit in less time. She swept her eyes along the area. Trying to remember where she saw the tent. Failing, she traced her footsteps to the best she could remember. She found the tent, to which was just as empty as before. More questions came when she found the exact same backpack and pots. Shrugging it off, she collected them and decided to stay to see if the owner would show up.

A rustle of sound brought her attention to the clearing. A man walked out. ‘Large.’ She thought. The man was at least seven foot, and broad shouldered. Fur covered the entirety of his body. His face mostly seemed human, except for his nose coming out rather far and large. He seemed to sniff the air and zoned in to where she was. Her nerves caused her to flinch, but she raised her hands in a sign of peace. He narrowed his eyes, then surprise flickered on his face. He crouched on the ground and bowed. “Hungry One, it is good to see one still exist.” He spoke. Coming out in a deep rasp. Surprised that she could understand him, she ventured a question. “Hungry One? Is that what I am?” He brought his head back up and stared at her. A beat of silence. “A race that is no more, but was worshipped as to end their indiscriminate consumption of all. Later praised as saviors for ending the raid from the south. From the Instogs.” She nodded, not really understanding. Wishing to continue talking she asked another question. “What is an Instog?” “You do not know? Creatures of great mass, as tall as the trees in this cave. Strength unequal in the lands. Disgusting in appearance. A collection of limbs and muck. They are said to be made from graves. There is not a lot of information left over from the Yujist, only that they are to be feared.”

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“Yujist?” He looked confused by the questions, not understanding how she could not know. “The land of origin. Where all races were formed and spread.” She was about to ask another, before a crackling of leaf interrupted. The man spun, quick on his heels, to catch the sight of a beast jumping from the trees. He dodged to take a place in front of the girl. “Stay back. It is a Loptew.” It was a scary sight. Arms too big for its tiny legs. Hunched on all fours. A face of a human baby, covered in boils. Painting a picture of a doll burning in fire. The innocence of the face was betrayed once it opened its mouth to roar. Rows of teeth lined the inside. The beast jumped, and the girl was pushed back while the man unsheathed his sword. He barely had time to bring it in front of him to block a deadly blow. The beast got a hold of the sword and threw it away. Leaving the man to defend the best he could with his hands, while the beast hovered over him. The grappling intensified, and the girl rushed to grab the sword in panic. ‘Please, make it in time.’ She couldn’t let the man die. He was the first sign of answers. She rushed forward with the sword. Producing a reckless slash.

Rip

The beast split in half. The girl took a minute to understand what had just happened. She dropped the sword to stare at her hands. Wondering where the strength came from. The man laid on the ground while groaning, but an instinct stopped her from going over to help.

Eat! Eat! Eat!

She turned towards the beast. She couldn’t deny the instinct, no matter how she tried. She crouched down next to it, bringing a clawed hand down on one of the halfs. She easily carved a chunk out and brought it to her mouth. The meat splattered on the ground. Frustration hit, and she continued the process of taking a piece and putting it into her mouth. Only to run into the same problem. It would fall through the bottom of her jaw. Rage fueled a frenzy, and the beast was made into bloody carnage.

The man struggled to get up, only standing by will alone. Hot anger filled his chest before registering the scene. “Stop!” He yelled before making a grab at her wrist. He didn’t expect the strength in the limb, so instead of stopping, he was dragged along. He hit the ground with a thud, still attached to the girl’s wrist. Six eyes, glowing red, focused on him. He audibly gulped, sweat trickling down his brow.

Screams rang out through the cave, echoing.