He awoke to an insect sucking his blood. It had a faintly foggy red abdomen filled with blood the size of his fist. Like a swelling red balloon slowly draining his life away. He reached forward to squash it but didn’t, or rather he couldn’t. In fact when he tried to move his body he found that he couldn’t. To his surprise thin vines of the tree he had slept under were wrapped around him holding him in place. Even the leaves of the tree were wrapped around his body creating a sort of cacoon. He realized his body was feeling a burning sensation, but at the same time a heaviness began to seep into his bones. The forest seemed to close in around him obscuring his entire vision. It's warm embrace welcoming him, like the motherly touch he had once known. Maybe it would just be better if he slept it off… maybe that would be … bet-.
NO!, He snapped back awake, and ripped off the vines, he hurriedly slapped the bug bursting open its blood filled abdomen. After ripping of all the vines he looked to see if he had dropped anything. The bones of an unfortunate animal was nestled in clumps of leaves. The tree had been eating Iota alive. If he had slept for much longer who knows if he would have ever woken up. This forest is dangerous, if he let his guard down he would be dead in less than a day. Even what appeared safe,like this innocent tree could kill him in an instant. The constant cacophony of birdsong, animal cries, and various insect buzzings and chirping threatened to overwhelm him. He had somehow not heard it before but now it was earsplitting. He looked around at the greenery, a chill went down his spine. In that moment he felt that the forest would devour him at any chance it got. Even considering the countless anima he had encountered, this sent fear into his heart like nothing previously had.
He continued on, what choice did he have? He had to get out of there as soon as possible. Find the flower and get out, That was all that was on his mind.
A bug buzzed around his head, he squashed it without a second thought. Buzzing filled the air, angry buzzing. A horde of insects were flying towards him, there combined forms shimmering in the air. He ran as fast as he could tripping over roots, dodging branches, scaring several birds. Sharp thorns from bushes slashed into his skin as he ran past them. He was somehow able to lose them, He regained his breath slowly, his hands on his knees. It became nightfall before long, the glow from his bug torch barely seemed adequate to reveal the various dangers in the forest around him.
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The torch he had was snatched from his hand, in a flurry of flaps, He had felt something brush his hand. He caught a glimpse of a bat-like creature making away with the torch. It perched itself on a high branch a little bit away. It cracked open the fiber woven cage and inhaled the insects inside, not letting a single one of them escape. One almost made it away but was snatched up and with its demise Iota was plunged into darkness.
He still had his light, and had to make do, he figured it would be as dangerous moving as it would be staying still so used the light to guide his way. It’s battery was low but it had to do.
Compared to the day the night was unearthly silent, as if he was on the moon. Although the silence didn’t make him feel any more alone. Branches swayed as his body pushed them aside, twigs, and leaves, crunched softly under his feet.He could practically feel eyes on the back of his neck.
A sharp stabbing pain came from his hand. He looked at it and discovered several needles the size of his pinkie sticking out of his arm. The sight of it only intensified his pain and he hurriedly plucked them out. His arm was shaking from the pain. He looked around him. He had bumped into a tree. It was covered in spiky pods. He found the culprit, one of the pods had exploded. He heard a popping sound and the sound of projectiles. Another one had popped.
He quickly got out covering his face as he ran.
A particularly loud crunch snapped something up, wrapping itself around his leg, Razor White pain shot through it, A quick flash from his light revealed a vine wrapped in spines the size of his finger tightly coiled around his right leg. The spikes went deeply into his leg. It was only when he saw the wound that most of the pain hit him. He yelled out in agony
He frantically tried to pry off its ever tightening grip, as it constricted his leg tighter, but it was as feasible as moving a mountain with your pinky. Spines protruding from his fingers he desperately grabbed onto nearby branches trying to heave himself away. The vine clinched ever harder, and snapped his leg in two. His world erupted in red. He heard a rumbling emanating in his chest. Was that his voice, was he screaming? He couldn’t tell
His now free body stumbled forward flopping him onto the ground. He crawled to his feet.
He couldn’t rest, he couldn't stop. If he stopped would be dead.
If he stopped he would be devoured.