Chapter 3: The first contatct
It took me only a short moment to decide what I was in the mood for. A bird was out of the question – I was fed up with those feathered creatures today – and I was also looking for something a bit larger than usual.
I quickly climbed up the closest tree and started swiftly jumping from one branch to another, moving in the opposite direction that Toik did. Closer to the edge of the forest.
My big ears were always at attention, noting the sounds of small critters. None of them were the size or type I was looking for, however.
Despite my speed, I was actually not in any rush. I usually hunted in lower light or in darkness, so my time of the day was yet to come. The sunlight has never been a big enough reason to lie in wait with an empty stomach, though. What's more, I already had some plans for this night.
As the trees started to get smaller and their branches were no longer suitable for traveling in comfort, I leapt down and continued to quietly trot between their trunks. There were many scents in the air and I soon recognised one rather recent. It belonged to a beast with lightning affinity, sized and looking like a rabbit. Those creatures sometimes ventured to the very edge of the forest to feed, but fled with impressive speed the moment they felt threatened. Their fur was also able to stun some predators that weren't careful, or resistant enough.
Of course, there were few tricks one can use to bypass that little trick.
I followed my nose, now straining my ears in an attempt to find said beast. Their meat was quite delicious and I was ready to munch on some. It has been a while since I had caught this peculiar creature.
I was just passing by a patch of blackberries, when I heard a faint whistle.
I didn't have the time to duck, turn or even comprehend what was actually happening when I bolted like my life depended on it. Which, in all honesty, was pretty much true.
There was a loud crash into the tree behind my head right after the whistle came, and it scared the living daylight out of me. I didn't look behind what it was, I just knew that I might very well forget ever teaching Toik how to hunt smaller animals if I didn't get away faster enough.
I waved between the trees in hopes of losing whatever that was, quickly changing directions and trying to get a look at what was actually behind that loud sound. There was no creature behind me, though.
I was confused but continued to run anyway. I lightened my steps as to not leave any marks to be tracked down by, and made sure that my own element was still masking my scent. My heart was wildly beating inside my chest.
What in the forest did just happen?
There was a big thorny bush that I noticed not too far away and I adjusted my direction towards it. I was still trying to hear the thing behind me, but there was no sound apart from the scattering of several tiny animals and my quick breathing. Maybe the thing was no longer following me?
I darted under the thorny bush, trying to hastily avoid the worst parts of it. I crawled deeper into it and lied down, becoming completely still. Even my breathing turned much quieter and less noticeable.
There were some thorns that started to painfully dig into my side, but I dared not to move. My back and head were fine thanks to the feathers. Those feathers might look soft, but they were never meant for flying. In truth, they were much tougher than regular feathers and could even turn sharp thanks to my element.
All keasi have an affinity that they are born with. An element that shapes what and who they become. Toik's element is lightning – an element considered as 'advanced'. The more specific element, the rarer its affinity is. My own element is a 'special' type that mother named as 'Black mist' and is based in the darkness element.
My whole body was now covered in a layer of dense dark fog that helped me blend in with my surroundings. It also hid my scent and somewhat even sound. All in all, a great element for hiding and setting up ambushes.
My heart skipped a beat the moment I heard a fairly distant sound. Footsteps, but strangely spaced and light ones.
As if the monster that was hunting here was using only two legs to walk. Strange. This part of the forest was rather far from the wild tribes, for it to be children of monsters from there, and the only two legged monsters or beasts living in vicinity are all too heavy. They also use their magic differently.
I stayed where I was, concealed, while the thing kept going closer and closer to the place I was hiding at. Maybe it saw me hiding here? No. The terrain here is not flat and I would have quickly left its sight while running. My tracks were also concealed pretty quickly.
So how is it possible that I can hear it moving closer? It doesn't even sound like it is searching.
It will pass by me, then. I just happened to hide in a place that is on its path. There's no way it can find me here.
My heart didn't calm down though. It was still beating fast as if I was to run in the next moment, making me slightly dizzy. I wanted nothing to do with whatever that coming thing was and I didn't even know why. I just knew that I had a bad feeling about this whole situation.
A whole minute passed and those strange footsteps got closer and closer. My head was starting to spin from all that adrenalin and blood flowing through it, but no matter what, I just couldn't calm down. There was something foul smelling in the air. I didn't know what though, as every time I tried to take a deeper breath it just eluded my senses. It was like the foul smell was in my head and my nose couldn't notice it.
I was really starting to ger nauseous.
The thing was really close now. I followed its movement with my ears and marvelled at the fact that I didn't notice it earlier. It must have been very far when it shot at me. Yes, shot. I was sure this thing was a monster, but the wind wasn't in my favour to know what kind.
Only monsters were able to use magic so far outside their bodies. Beasts were changed by magic and the energies on a physical level, but we couldn't control it much outside of us. Monsters, on the other hand, were much squishier and more fragile in comparison to beasts. Whatever hit the tree behind me was most probably some magic – that's why this has to be a monster.
I saw it.
I think my heart stopped for a moment there, when a strange figure rounded a tree and finally showed itself. I was glad I hadn't eaten yet, as I would have most probably threw up right then. It wasn't the sight itself, rather than the sudden feeling I got from seeing it.
It was small, pale and walking on two legs. Its bare skin was hidden by the hides of others and there was a strangely shaped branch in its hands. It only had a patch of short dark brown fur on top of its head.
It was my first time meeting this creature, but I already knew what it was. They had many names among the children of the forest – pale screamers, skin walkers, screeching blights, endlings. None of those names were pretty and for a good reason too. The forest only knew trouble and pain from those creatures that called themselves humans.
I felt a strange sense of recognition as I watched the… thing. Something inside of me saw it as a human boy no older than eight years covered in hunter's gear and with a tiny crude bow in his hands. But even that part vehemently refused to call it anything but a 'thing'.
There was something strange in its green eyes. They were cold and calculative. They were far older than the body they belonged to. It was making me nauseous and it felt somewhat familiar at the same time. But no matter what, I knew that it was unnatural.
Like it was something that's not supposed to be here. And not only here in the sense of this place, but in the sense of 'not here at all'. It reeked of death.
I stayed still and silent no matter how much I wanted to run away from it. I was so confused. Why did it feel familiar? Why was I feeling anything at all from it? It wasn't just fear, but disgust and hate too.
It wasn't and undead, but I just knew that it had died before. Twice, in fact. So how in the stars was it still standing when its path has ended?!
That's what it felt like. Lost. Pathless.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone