Home Is Where The Herd Is

I've been walking in this forest for the better part of half a day and I still don't have any clue where I'm going.

'Well, that makes sense doesn't it?' My brain says to me. Overtime I've developed a small habit of talking to myself.

Emphasis on small habit. If I were to stay stuck out here any longer, it might not be so small anymore. So it's in my best interest to find civilization, and quickly.

I've just been walking in a straight line this whole time, never deviating from the path for even a second. I've learned a long time ago that staying on the straight and narrow-this time literally- can never steer you wrong. And so I opted to stay the course. I was bound to find something sooner or later.

A growling sound and a rumbling feeling in my stomach told me that that time better be sooner, or else I wouldn't have enough energy to keep going. I picked up the pace and used a bit more of my energy to speed-walk my way through the forest, my head on a swivel as I kept a lookout for any sign of civilization. A city, a town, a village, anything that even remotely resembled a coherent level of organization would do. I just needed a chance to socialize with something that wasn't my own mind for a couple of hours. Being alone for too long with nothing to do can cause one to go insane, and i'd say i'm about this close to losing my cool.

It suddenly occurred to me while I was looking around in search of a settlement, but I soon realized that I hadn't given any thought to what exactly might be in this forest. It's a pretty large area, so there's bound to be some kind of animal around somewhere, right?

I started to widen my search. Not only was I looking for settlements, but now I was looking over my shoulder, peering at bushes and squinting at shadows, making sure that nothing furry, scaly, or otherwise was out there somewhere, hunting me.

I kept my eyes peeled for any signs of movement, my ears perked and ready to catch any sound I heard, and my body tensed to prepare to either run, or fight if I had to.

I wasn't too confident in my skills at combat, and I never had any camping experience, or hunting experience, for that matter, but I was willing to bet I could hold my own against something like a wolf or something, at least.

Even in my state of constant vigilance I some how managed to miss two things. A shadowy figure rushing by just on the edge of my vision, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes glaring menacingly at me from a bush I just passed by.

When I finally stopped breaking my neck to see if I was being stalked by a wild animal, I let out a sigh of relief and returned my sight to its former position in front of me, though I opted to keep speed walking just in case.

By now it was almost nighttime, and the sun was going down over the horizon, I stopped and took a moment to take in the great view above me. The clouds were brightening up with the usual orange colors that sunset was associated with.

It all looked so beautiful that I just had to watch and wait for the sky to change its color to the familiar black of night.

When it finally happened however, I was stunned into stillness once again by the sheer brightness of the stars in the sky. It was like someone sculpted the very moon and stars to look like that.

I was pulled out of my revelry however, as I heard the sound of growling behind me.

'Oh, hell no.'

I immediately shot off down the path i'd been following this whole time, adrenaline pumping through my viens at lightning speeds and giving me just the boost I might need to escape this beast, whatever it may be.

I could still hear the growling, but now it was accompanied by heavy footfalls and the occasional sound of...wood...clinking...together?

Whatever. Anyway, I kept on course down the path, adrenaline still driving my movements, and that's when I noticed that the tree line was beginning to thin. Soon, there would be no more forest for me to run through, which was a good sign. Maybe I could find someone who knew what was chasing me, as I'd be damned if I looked back right about now anyway.

But then again, there was also the chance of me leaving the forest, only to find something even worse waiting for me on the other side.

What if the thing chasing me was just leading me to its pack or something? What if I come to a town, only to find it destroyed and in shambles like the apocalypse?

What if whoever the locals are can't help me against this thing!

The last of the trees finally exited my line of sight, leaving me to guess what was on the other side...

only to see a cliff. Which I was about to fall off of, if not for my quick stopping skills. Of course, this still left me on the edge of a cliff with something I didn't even want to look back and see at my back.

But it seemed I would finally have to resign myself to my fate, and so I turned around and saw it. A great big, wolf, made of wood.

'Hm. now i've seen everything.' It growled at me and advanced. I instinctively stepped back, and tripped while trying to remain on the cliff.

I managed to avoid falling to my death by laying flat on my back and scooting just far enough away to where I could see over the edge.

Of course this gave the wolf more time to stalk me, and it was over me before I knew what hit me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and was about to say my prayers, when I heard a sound I wouldn't expect to hear in a forest.

The sound of glass breaking.

I opened my eyes to find that the beast was swiping away at a purple mist around its nose, and that there was someone there in front of me, blocking the big brown beast.

This glass shards were surrounding them, so I assumed that they must have thrown it.

I laid there in shock for a moment before I heard the person speak.

"Quick! Jump, bury the fear you feel! You must go before you become its next meal!"

I didn't have time to wonder about this person's accent, much less whey they were rhyming their sentences. I needed to go. NOW.

I didn't even hesitate. I jumped with all I had. I could only watch as I fell to the ground. I could only hope that I hadn't jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.