Amongst the chill of a late autumn weekend, a weary group of corporate employees sought comfort in the wilderness campground. The campground, a distant refuge from their daily desk-bound lives, had been transformed into a temporary haven for the office-bound souls and their families. This vacation, orchestrated by their compassionate boss and accommodating managers, was meant to be a work getaway like no other.
Laughter echoed through the campsite, blending with the aromatic scent of burning wood with a hint of marshmallows and the chorus of nighttime creatures that lurks between the trees and bushes. As the bonfire crackled, it painted the faces of the campers with flickering shades of orange, green and gold. Yet, beneath this veneer of tranquility, unseen forces lurked, ready to upend their tranquil retreat.
Then, like a shard of glass shattering their reverie, a young child ventured into the forest, drawn by the allure scent and sound of the unknown. He wandered away from the public path, leaving behind the comforting glow of the campfire.
The child's disappearance went unnoticed by the caretakers. It took precious hours for the childcare workers, who had reluctantly agreed to forsake their own vacation for the sake of the group, to realize that one of their charges went missing. The daycare director, a mid-aged centaur woman burdened with responsibility, paced the campgrounds with growing anxiety, trying to keep the dread that had seized her from infecting the carefree atmosphere.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, and the first tendrils of night unfurled, the child's parents returned from their hike. Accompanied by their friends and coworkers, discovering the heart-wrenching absence of their little one. Panic gripped the once-relaxed grounds, and transformed into a hive of frantic parents as the group united in a desperate mission to find the lost child as the night grew colder.
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Overwhelmed by an enticing scent and the mysterious symphony of unknown sounds, the young child couldn't resist the call coming from with the forest. Intrigued, he ventured away from the campground, curiosity propelling him deeper into the wilderness. As he followed the alluring fragrance, he couldn't shake the feeling that the captivating sound echoed from somewhere down below.
As the mysterious scent beckoned, the young child, equipped with a flashlight from his backpack, decided to investigate further. Illuminating his path, he peered over the edge of a steep cliff and caught a glimpse of a building nestled in the shadows. The source of the enchanting scent and entrancing sounds seemed to originate from that mysterious place.
Driven by a mix of curiosity and a mysterious pull, the child carefully descended. His senses muddled by the thick canopy of trees and the twisted undergrowth. He moved his Boy Scout book aside to make room for the flashlight to be able to climb down with ease.
Stepping off from the manmade trail, with each step, the once-familiar path became obscured by the density of nature. Suddenly, a misstep caused him to lose his footing. Tumbling through the steep downhill terrain, the child dropped the flashlight, leaving him in darkness. The wilderness became an unforgiving labyrinth, and he was now battered, bruised, and completely at its mercy.
He wasn’t sure how far long he kept falling down the steep hill. His arms, knees, and legs were the ones getting the rough beating as he shielded his face. Pain seeped throughout his body, a tangible reminder of the harsh encounter with the untamed surroundings.
His body slowed to a stop, as he lies on his side; the physical discomfort was outshone by the overwhelming terror that clung to him like a shadow. As his heart raced, seeking any type of refuge from the fear and dread enveloped him.
The once-alluring sound into the woods now lay silent, replaced by an unsettling stillness as he sprawled on the harsh cold ground. His body stretched out; limbs spread in search of comfort from the unyielding chill beneath him. The frigid touch of the terrain seeped through his clothing, a blunt difference to the warmth he searched for in this harsh environment, while the ground cradled him in its unforgiving embrace. The shivers that wracked his body unveiled the silent between his flesh and the biting cold air.
Kicking his legs around was a futile attempt to defy the situations that had brought him to this point. His tantrum, fueled by some unseen force of warm air, abruptly met its end.
A moment of eerie calm descended upon the area. The carefree light of the moon, piercing through the dense tangle of wooded twigs, unveiled the contours of an abandoned structure—a relic of a bygone era, now standing as a witness to his trouble. His sobs, once unrestrained, were hushed by the weight of exhaustion, the echoes of his energy gradually waning.
As he lay there, battered, and bruised, his gaze fixated on the crumbling green walls that surrounded him. The structure, a testament to the passage of time, stood, proof to the trials of its own existence against the wilderness.
His blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, a tangible reminder of the physical toll taken by his own upbringings. In a panic the child slapped both his hands onto his forehead. He froze, not comprehending for a second that he had just smacked himself while “attempting” to stop the blood.
Even as he slowed the flow of his blood, his attention was drawn in towards the captivating dance of crimson droplets besides him, luring him in further in.
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Not caring if it was real or not the child looked around him for anymore crimson droplets within the crumbling embrace in the abandoned structure. Unbeknownst to him, the remainder of his outer blood took on a life of its own, slithering and snaking its way toward hidden cracks in the century aged floor.
In the suffocating darkness, another gush of air pulsated under him within the center of the decomposition of the forest leaf litter. He cleared away twigs and leaves with his unsteady bruised hands, unwittingly ushering in a sudden gust of wind that scattered the remaining debris of the dead thorn twigs and leaves. His blood, still flowing, was mercilessly being drawn into the foundational crack, vanishing beneath.
“I don’t want to be alone.” The child's voice quivered, a vulnerable melody in the quiet darkness. Tears traced a glistening path down rosy cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of loneliness. The words hung in the air, a plea that echoed through the silent void.
In that abandoned structure, an eerie crimson light began to emanate, casting an otherworldly warmth that washed over the child. It was a comfort he had longed for, though he didn't comprehend its origin.
As more blood poured out, it propelled itself towards the pavement, giving itself enough momentum to squeeze itself along the microscopic breach of the foundation crevice. A light grew brighter as warmth illuminated the area. Although the sun is long gone this light was something else.
Being drawn towards the light, he inched closer. An irresistible urge of greed of possession overcame him. It made him feel secure as he presses his way towards it, reaching out. This thing he wanted was warm like his blood gushing out that he has long forgotten about.
Reaching for this golden flame he found himself locked in a futile struggle of tugging and pushing, unable to step closer to the warmth. The golden flames born from the light gave way to a figure—a humanoid beast with ears that resembled that of a cat, raven-feathered wings, and an air of otherworldly majesty.
Whatever he had grabbed onto wasn’t willing to budge.
“My warmth.” In a tattered state, the child could only marvel at the creature before him.
The child blood-stained hands and dirt-covered form seemed insignificant compared to the radiant being who had emerged from within the glowing light. He attempted to brush away the dust and twigs that had fallen onto his head from his fall earlier before.
Innocence radiated from the child as tiny hands extended shyly, seeking a connection with the enigmatic beast. Mistaking this mysterious being for a guardian, a wellspring of warmth and protection, the child's touch held a yearning for a presence since venturing alone.
His eyes, wide with fascination, fixated on the strange beast before him. Golden tattoos decorated the creature, a tapestry of complex patterns that trailed over its wings and shoulders, resembling ethereal jewelry. The child's curiosity wove a silent tale, an unspoken bond forming between innocence and the otherworldly.
***
Dust and debris were removed from the beast's clothing as he brushed them off, his attention drawn to the dirty, beaten child clinging tightly to him. Wide-eyed and grinning, the child's gaze held a mix of wonder and desperation.
"This thing is seizing onto my pants rather tightly," the beast remarked with a scoff, dismissing the child's presence. He shoved the child aside, showing no interest in the unexpected attendant as he embraced fresh freedom from his prison.
Walking away, the child, fueled by a deep yearning for companionship, shifted his grip to the beast scaled black tail.
"What in the two moons do you think you're doing?" the beast's voice hissed, a mixture of irritation and bewilderment cutting through the air. The child, undeterred by the beast indifference, clung tighter to the scaled tail, his beaten gaze meeting the beasts with an innocence.
Untouched by the harsh reality around them. The question hung in the air, this problem that clashes between the beast's desire for solitude and the child's yearning for companionship. Undeterred by the child's presence, the beast remained resolute in his indifference. He quickened his pace, distancing himself from the clinging child. Seeking refuge as droplets began to fall, the beast moved through the encroaching darkness.
Within the howling wind, the demon caught the sound of the child struggling to catch up, this persistent presence trailing behind. Turning to face the small figure, he scolded the child, urging him to walk another path.
The child only shook his head, the demon had no choice and cast his wings away, the dark feather limbs folding against his form. To prevent the wind's resistance, ensuring it wouldn't push against him and slow down his progress.
As the twin moons ascended to their highest point, a distant memory stirred within the strange beast. From the very essence of his being, an unspoken connection with the celestial bodies. His gaze, filled with an almost reverent admiration, followed the luminous orbs as they painted silver trails across the night sky. Each flicker of moonlight whispered a silent promise to the creature—a promise that one day, he too would dance among the stars and draw closer to the celestial guardian that had birthed him.
The wind, gaining strength, whipped through the air, carrying with it only scattered droplets from the darkened sky. As the elements intensified, a subtle warning echoed through the wilderness—a low, haunting melody of growls and snarls.
In the obscure bushes and more abandoned structures, the wolves gathered, an ominous presence to the wind. Their growls, violent and guttural, sliced through the air, marking their discontent with the perceived demonic threat in their once tranquil territory. The very atmosphere thickened with the collective hostility of the wild pack; their eyes gleaming in the darkness with primal instinct.
Surrounding the structure, the wolves stood as silent guards, their shadows merging with the encroaching night. The child and the beast, now aware of the other predators closing in, faced an unreliable path ahead, the wolves' unspoken warning reverberating through the wind-whipped wilderness.
Their outlines blended perfectly throughout the darkness as the moonlight cast a ghoulie display over their wet fur. Within the dimly lit land, only the reflection of their eyes and the glistening drool surface of their bared fangs revealed the wolves' existence. The darkness turned them into eerie, elusive creatures stalking the outer limits of these structure, their eyes radiant like faraway blue and green soul orbs.
Even though the child and beast are intruders in the wolves' territory, they found themselves spared from immediate danger at the time being. The wild creatures, cautious of the new presence, maintained a cautious distance.
The structure, now both the refuge and confinement, offered a precarious asylum as the wolves circled, growling a haunting symphony that echoed through the night. They knew if they attacked the unfamiliar creature death is the only thing awaiting them.