Within the darkened forest- a place so feared by those who live around it- a small flicker of light could be seen. From the outside, no one could see the small flicker, it was only when you enter the forest and withheld what was inside, one could see the light. The light of a fire, not to keep warmth, but to keep those that lurk around and hides in the shadows of the night. A young girl- no older than sixteen or seventeen- sat by the fire. The fire crackled and popped and the girl simply watched the dancing of the flames. Her body was so frail and worn, her skin clinging to her ribs and her skin barely held any color. Her hair- that of scarlet and in the sun, looked like rubies that reflected the sun’s light- was now in a messy braid. Strands sprouted everywhere from within the braid. Her clothes were tattered and just as worn as her skin. The jade blue of her eyes held no warmth or life.
Strange sounds filled the darkened forest, countless whispers and hungry animal cries, all beckoning the girl to look away from the fire. To look at them. The girl never took those jade orbs of hers off of the wavering fire. Even as her stomach growled and grumbled for the millionth time that night, even as her throat burned and begged to be moistened. Even as her eyes grew heavy and sleep curled it’s finger under her chin, tempting her to fall into its’ arms. The temptations were all there, coaxing her to give up on the fire, but the girl ignored it all. She ignored every sensation that came her way, shutting them all down as best as she could.
She needed to survive. Just one more night, she told herself. One more night and this will all be over. She has told herself that night after night for the past two months. During the days she’d try to hunt the small creatures she could see, but they barely fed her thin body. No matter how long she traveled in the day, she rarely found something bigger than a squirrel- and even those are hard to come by. All the plants in this particular forest were poisonous to the girl, but not to those who live there. Those things seemed to laugh at her struggles, but she paid no mind to them as she went on, night after night and day after day.
Then, suddenly, the sounds of the night came to a stop. There was nothing but the sounds of the weakening fire and the girl’s breathing. Snap. A twig broke in half and a grey paw emerged from the dark. That paw belonged to a small grey fox. It sat in front of the girl and the fire, its’ tail curled around its’ body. “Hello,” the fox spoke. The girl did not respond. The ear of the fox twitched slightly and it blinked those silver-moon eyes. “Why are you alone?” The fox asked. The girl failed to respond again. The fox huffed slightly and scratched at its’ cheek with its’ paw, “You’re not very talkative are you? Don’t you know it’s rude to ignore someone when they’re talking to you?” The voice of the fox could remind someone of honey- if honey could talk- so silky and smooth, gliding down someone’s throat. The girl gulped at the thought.
The fox leaned its body foreword slightly, its mouth almost smiling, “I can hear your stomach. Night after night, those sounds echo through this forest. Tell me girl, are you hungry?” Again, the girl gave the fox no answer. The fox huffed, “To think I was willing to hunt for you! Humans are so rude!” At last, the girl tore her eyes from the fire, she gave in to the thought of food. The thought of rabbit roasting over this fire, a possible stew to warm her insides. The fox narrowed its eyes, letting out a strange high pitch sound, as it threw its head back.
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