What Lurks in the Shadows (WILOH & ennui)

[WILOH]

“Farewell mother, I will be back by dusk!”

The cottage door swung open, and a young woman hurried down the steps. She was a pretty little thing, with wavy auburn hair and calm hazel eyes. Freckles dusted her nose and cheeks, a few doting her shoulders. She wore a spring green cloak over her cream dress, her gown just short enough to reveal worn brown boots. In her right hand, she carried a small wicker basket, and had slung a small bag over her left shoulder. From inside the small house, an older woman called.

“Be careful, Jana!” The concern was evident in her tone, but Jana’s smile did not reveal the same level of worry. She quickened down the path toward the forest at the edge of the village, and after a word of caution from the posted guard, the cloaked girl disappeared beyond the dense line of trees.

The village of Smol was a peaceful one, with a bustling market and a strong sense of community. Children were often raised together, and everyone pulled their weight. They were too far from the larger towns to see many passing travelers, but it wasn’t strangers they had to fear; it was the forest.

While it was teeming with vital herbs and an abundance of wildlife, many villagers refused to enter, especially once the sun set and the moon dominated the sky. Typically, only Smol’s experienced hunting party entered, but that was once a week and only during the day. The fear was justified; great beasts were said to stalk the forest,and it was not uncommon for those who entered after dark to return bloodied or spooked...or not at all.

But Jana had been entering for years, and knew so long as she stuck to the path while the sun shined, there was nothing to fear. Her mother was ill, and could only be sustained by an uncommon herb. Too frail to make the trek herself, and with no one but her daughter to rely on, Jana’s mother begrudgingly allowed Jana to fetch the medicine.

Jana was happy to do it, if it meant preserving her mother’s life. So she entered at her usual spot, and followed the trail deeper in, humming softly to herself as she went along.

Hours later, her basket was still empty. She’d followed the path longer than usual, dismayed that she still hadn’t found what she needed. She paused, biting her bottom lip, and scanned the area. Night was falling quickly, and she knew now was the time to turn back... But she couldn’t stand failing. Her mother was running out of medicine, and she so desperately needed for this trip to yield better results.

“Maybe if I veer off the path…” She knew that was dangerous, because it was easy to lose one’s way, but what choice did she have? She figured she must have depleted the sources along the paths edge, but surely she would find what she sought just a ways in. Telling herself she’d be quick, she drew her cloak closer, stepped off the path, and entered unknown territory.

 

[ennui]

RE: What Lucks in the Shadows (WILOH & ennui)

The pack didn't know how long they had occupied the dense forest, they simply did. Sometimes there were stories whispered about how the first of their kind came from the small village of Smol that lay on the outskirts. That one of the townsfolk there had fallen under the curse and was therefore exiled to survive in the wilderness. How one such person would come under such a curse was always riddled with mystery, several reasons being passed around. A bite from an outsider who had just been travelling by, a ritual to some demonic God gone wrong, a grudge held out by some being with magical capacity being just a few examples. Of course it didn't much matter now. The pack had stayed in the forest for generations upon generations, their ancestry lost and hardly thought about. If anyone was caught up in some emotional turbulence it was a sign of weakness. Nature could be cruel and it would not forgive anyone who slipped up at the wrong moment.

Instinct was how one survived in the dark woods. To claim your territory and maintain it. If you were a predator you hunted, if you were prey you hid. Then of course there was the need to breed. To pass down one's own bloodline was necessary to keep the delicate cycle going round and round. These things had come easy for the pack. When you possessed the intelligence of a human and the ferocity of a wolf there was very little that would stand in your way. The pack flourished, their presence solidified amoung the creatures of the forest and even to the tiny village of Smol. They never did dare venture out there, it just didn't seem right, they belonged in the woods. That didn't seem to stop the townsfolk from occasionally wandering in. Sometimes they overstayed their welcome, went too deep, and the pack would not show mercy to intruders.

But then there was the sickness, a violent wave of plague that showed the same kind of cruelty. Maybe it was karma's cruel way of punishing the pack but their numbers began to dwindle. The sick couldn't hunt or keep down food produce healthy offspring. It kept spreading, jumping from one host to another before the decision was finally made to quarantine those who were affected. They were thrown out of the territory, banished to perish outside their borders, but the sickness had already done it's devastating work. The pack was left only with several males. They could still hunt for food but there was no biological way they could grow their numbers again. It created tension and anger which was followed by a quiet acceptance. They would not bow their heads but there was no kind outlook on the horizon.

So, as the moon rose up into the sky one night and scattered it's dim light over the land the remaining pack members got ready to chase down their prey. Human bodies twisted and contorted into more bestial shapes. Skin gave way to shaggy fur. Round eyes shifted into sharp yellow ones. Faces became elongated and adorned with teeth for tearing and shredding. Claws sprouted from fingers and toes to provide grip and deadly weapons. The group split up, being top of the food chain with nothing to fear from the other animals of the forest. They would gather what meat they could by night and bring it back to camp by day.

The alpha of the pack, whose winning dominance showed in several scars that cut across his mottled black and grey fur, took the southeast direction. He was called Farkas amoung his kind. His eyes cut through the night's darkness and his ears were alert for the sounds of anything moving besides his own paws tiding through the underbrush. His nose sought the scent of fresh meat, soft prey with live blood thundering through it's veins, and that's when a particularly strange odour drifted towards him. The breeze brought the smell to the werewolf's senses. It wasn't rabbit or deer, mouse or bird. It was human and it did not belong there.

His muzzle curled up into a gleaming snarl, sharp yellowed teeth pressed together and eager to sink into flesh. Farkas continued moving silently, well adjusted to the forest's terrain as he was dead set upon his target. As he drew closer and more vision was presented he spotted her. A young cloaked woman, alone, so far away from Smol and the path. The pack had no qualms about consuming the townsfolk who had occasionally strayed so far but it was different this time. It had been oh so long since any of them had seen, or even scented, a female. It would be stupid to kill her, there was enough prey in the forest to feed the pack. However, if they had their way, she would never be seeing her hometown again.

Farkas' muscles tightened beneath his dark fur as he got ready. The thrill of the hunt pumped through his veins, driving a desperate instinct, and then without wasting another second, he leaped. The werewolf threw himself at the woman, gnashing teeth snapping dangerously close to her body as he aimed to tackle her to the ground and hold her there.

 

[WILOH]

The further she ventured, the harder her heart pounded. It was now so dark, she was having trouble seeing further than a few feet ahead. The once familiar trees now seemed gnarled and ominous, towering and confining. A few times, she paused to swivel on the spot, searching for the trail, but all around, she saw nothing but the uniformity of the dark trees. She found no comfort here, and she feared she might never find her way back.

This crippling realization brought her to her knees, her head between her hands, as she attempted to regain her composure. But her fright was severe, and a sob threatened to rip free. Her chest constricted painfully, a cry caught in her throat, and her eyes stinging with unshed tears. Breathe, Jana. She willed herself to inhale, and then exhale, fighting to keep her breathing as steady as possible. The effort distracted her momentarily; long enough to slow her rapid pulse, and stand slowly. It was difficult, but she needed to get to safety, and she wasn't going to accomplish that if she gave up now.

Holding her cloak close for warmth and comfort, the young woman willed herself forward, placing one foot determinedly in front of the other. She didn't know if her chosen direction was correct or not, but moving was a good start, and a better alternative to the fetal position.

But every whisper of wind, or rustle of leaves, set her on edge. She couldn't quite be sure, but she was almost certain she was being watched...Unseen eyes followed her through the forest, keeping just out of reach, but close enough to frighten and alert. Every time she turned to meet her follower, only the trees met her questioning gaze. Was she imagining things? Was it all paranoia? As nothing challenged her, she had to assume so...But still, she couldn't shake the feeling.

But the answer finally came in the form of a rumbling growl, and the snapping of teeth. From the concealment of trees, a dark beast leaped forward, reaching for her with teeth and claw. Jana's shriek pierced the night, and whirled, only barely avoiding the crunch of the beast's jaws. But her boot caught on an exposed root, and broke her balance, sending her tumbling. Her back hit the packed earth and all of the breath in her body left in one hard whoosh, leaving her gasping and breathless.

No, no, no! Her mind screamed, and a rush of adrenaline forced her into action. She scrambled back, her fingers clawing at the dirt in attempt to regain distance and her footing. But the beast was above her, threatening her with his imposing presence. She was hyperventilating, both from fear and an attempt to catch her breath. Eyes wildly glanced around, her hands reaching for anything to use in defense, but all she gripped was dirt and leaves. In a desperate act, she flung her pitiful weapon at the beast, her cries and pleas likely falling upon deaf ears.

ooc Sorry for the delay!