As the group is freaking out over this massive footprint. The rustling of grass can be heard nearby. They all crouch in the tall grass. Something can be heard from the left and then the right. It's behind them now. Guntar whispers to himself in the opening nearby a glowing figure appears
It forms into that of a deer.
It starts prancing in a circle. Guntar waves the group to head to the west of the clearing. When everyone looks back several large wolves are chasing after the deer. Once they catch it the illusion fades.
The wolves start sniffing around. One lets out a fierce howl. The pack looks in the direction the party was heading. The group is making their way thru another path as they look ahead and the forest is coming to an end.
Zack: "Where are we going we don't know the area at all and those wolves looked hungry their ribs were showing".
Kyra looks back in the direction of the wolves. "Yes, that is concerning they are the only wildlife we have seen and their condition shows they haven't eaten in a while. I wonder where all the animals went, this place seems like paradise.
They continue in that direction eventually reaching an incline on the side of the mountain. But something seems strange it almost looks like canyons on the side of the mountain like an extreme force of water carved into the side of the mountain, creating this maze-like canyon going up the face. They find an entrance and proceed inwards.
As there walking they notice a hole in the side of the wall. It leads into a cavern of sorts. They go into investigate.
"Hey are these burn marks on the wall?? Sais belle.
Kyra touched's the wall and rubs her fingers together and then sniffed it. "Yes, this is sut who would've lit these.
"Come over here guys".
What did you find Zack" A curious belle and Kyra come over to him.
There are about 20 tents set up and there looks like there was a struggle. It's abandoned some of the tents are ripped open.
Kyra looks over by some of the tents and there are bloody footprints. Some of the sets look humanoid, and the others look to be wolves.
"I think we found why those wolves were so brazen. Guntar looks concerned saying this.
"They have no fear of people because there aren't that many here it seems.
"Where's Gargoyle??" Asks Zack
They find him in one of the tents rummaging thru the things left behind.
"What are you doing you can't take that it doesn't belong to you!"
"Give a break they're all probably dead there not gonna miss them, also your noble sense of morality doesn't apply out here knight. It's kill or be killed. Take or be taken from. That outlook just gonna get you killed.
He starts to walk past Zack but is stopped when Zack grabs his arm.
" you don't know they're dead, and there's nothing wrong with doing the right thing. It's what separates us from animals."
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The two stare at each other with malice. They are interrupted by a shriek in the distance. Kyra is being dragged out of the cavern by her robe by one of the wolves they all jump into action running after her.
It was a trap as when they get outside Kyra is outside sitting down trying to untangle her robe that's covering her head. As they walk fully out of the hole in the wall two wolves jump
Behind them from above and three surrounding their sides and in front of them.
One jumps for Kyra jaws agape. A dagger is seen flying at it sticking in its shoulder. Causing it to flinch and turning away last second before biting at Kyra.
Gargoyle sprints over and lunges his other dagger into the chest of the wolf pinning it down. It's snapping its jaws at him tearing into his arm. Zack ushers Belle and guntar behind him drawing his blade.
One wolf leaps towards Zack biting his wrist while pulling him to the ground.
"Ahhhg" he shouts in pain.
He tries to shake it off but it's gritting its teeth sinking deeper into his arm, blood gushing from the wound. The other tries to flank Zack going for his leg. Belle runs to him and smacks the wolf on the head with her staff.
"Get away from him you mangy mutt!!"
Kyra manages to get the robe off her face and looks horrified at what she sees. She shakily draws her bow and is aim for one of the wolfs. She hits one in the leg.
A high pitch yelp is heard the other wolves disengage and go to the injured one.
"This is our chance to run" exclaims Gargoyle. They take off but not unnoticed the wolves take after them. Two in the back of the party and two on the sides keeping pace and nipping at them.
Zack swings his sword, attempting to create some distance.
They arrive at a dead end with their backs literally to the wall. The wolves are head down position growling, puddles of drool falling to the ground.
Zack stands in front, "Get behind me I won't let them pass".
One jumps straight for him he plunges the sword thru the wolf and twists it. He then swings around throwing the body to the wolves.
They look at him ears behind their heads. A moment of tension passes, their ears perk up and they start to whine. They immediately start to back up. The ground starts trembling something fierce. Suddenly from the wall to the left, something breaks thru it sending rock debris flying!
A dire moose the size of a small cottage. comes charging thru trampling two of the wolves. The other two high tail it in seeing this, they are spooked. Behind the moose from above a giant hand stretching down picks up the moose. As the group looks up in horror there is a giant figure holding this moose in his hand.
"Der you went, I was looking for your little critter.
It then looks down at the group.
"Oh more critters he scoops down to pick them up there all frozen in fear. Zack at the last second pushed Belle and Kyra behind a boulder.
The rest of the party is scooped up with a bunch of gravel sand from the ground. And carried away.
" I found lots of new pets tummy is so happy.
Said the giant figure.
He stands about 200 feet tall bronze skin and red hair tied into a crude bun.
Google looks out thru the cracks between the giant's fingers.
" it looks like he is taking us to his home or something there's a massive hole in the side of the mountain here.
"What are we supposed to do in this situation? We can't win here clearly," said Gorgyle.
" I do not know but we need to work together to get out of this." Said Zack
The giant walks over to a very well-made glass box. On the bottom, there is dirt and gravel mixed creating a floor. There are trees crudely placed in the dirt often crooked while standing and bushes thrown about creating this ominous unnatural Forrest.
The giant places the three in there and puts the lid back on. He walks over to another bin with the moose still in his hand. He grabs what looks like a tiger.
"Alrighty mister tiger I found you some food!"
He then starts mashing the tiger and moose together until they are a bloody chunk of smashed flesh.
"Oh I guess you're full now I'll let you go back home to sleep good night little tiger!"
The giant then walks over to a spot on the floor covered in thousands of trees that he is seemingly using as a bed. The giant lays down and falls asleep. Not before moving this giant rock the size of a city or two in front of the cave entrance.
Zack witnessing all this starts to vomit out of pure fear and disgust.
"There there lad we will get out of this Hope is not dead."
"After what we just witnessed I don't think we have long guntar"
They hear twigs snapping from the top corner.
It looks like a group of sticks and long grass and bush were put together as a nest of sorts.
From within the "nest," a head pops up and starts to examine below. It sees the group and jumps up.
It leaps from Branch to branch, then to a tree nearby them. It looks at them with beady black eyes tilting and twitching its head. It's crawling on all fours. Reptile decent, it has wings that come out from the arms it's a long sleek body about 25 feet long. It shrieks so Loud their ears start to bleed.
Meanwhile, Belle and Kyra come out to see the giant is gone and so are their friends.
"What do we do now those three are gone, do we go after them!! Shouts Kyra
" of course, we do what else is there to do look one of the wolfs that got trampled is still moving let's put it out of its misery. Belle walks over with Kyra pulling out her dagger. The wolf's ribs and legs are broken it looks Kyra in the eyes.
"Shoosh it's gonna be okay, it's all over now rest. Belle puts it down quickly.
There start to hear yelping from a nearby hole in the ground at the wall. They look thru it and there's a wolf pup whining. Once it sees them it starts growling and yipping trying to be intimidating. Kyra reaches for it and pulls it out. She starts to calmly pet the creature.
It slowly calms down and then snuggles into her falling asleep.
"I think I'll take you with me nothing out here for you, unfortunately. I think I'll call you..... firk'e (primordial for fire spark) as the pup has dark red fur with an orange curl atop its head. She takes her robe and ties it across her chest carrying the pup.
"Alright, Kyra let's go save our friends, but probably die trying.