Fog still rolled from the mountain’s edge. Painting everything in ghostly hues. It pulled the life out of everything it seemed. The sounds echoing from further in the town bounced around the empty dirt road, whispering to the edge of the trees. Frisk dared to open their eyes against the pale morning light, glinting red as they stared into the dancing fog rolling around their feet.
They’d left extra early this morning, their picnic basket clinked with dull sounds as contents shifted around unsteadily. A small, chubby hand tucked the towel carefully back over their steal for the day. Several pale white bones cleaned naturally by the forest, and a crinkly bag with something smelly inside that Frisk barely identified as a wild rabbit. The beetles would be well fed tonight.
Next they set off on another adventure, the pet store would be open soon and Frisk wanted to look around. Then they needed to swing by the garden store as Flowey needed new soil And Frisk had been keeping their eye on a really cute pot there. Padding across the dirt, kicking up the fog that swam between their legs like stream water. A quick beep informed them that Toriel had received their text, and all was still well.
Panic still thudded in their chest at the thought of being separated from their mother for so long, despite their morning routine having been the same for some time now. At first Frisk had been rather secretive, and embarrassed of their hobby. Hiding it from their mother by having special hiding places out in the woods at the foot of the mountain. It wasn’t until Toriel had sneaked a peek over their shoulder at the painted buck skill they’d been fawning over that Frisk was discovered. Their mother had found it cute, thinking that it had stemmed from their close friendship with the skeleton brothers.
Frisk should of been paying attention to where they were going instead of staring down at their phone clutched in their hands. Tapping away a response.
Frisk collided with a warm body, a familiar scent puffing up around them as their tiny hands jutted out grasping for the other. Their picnic basket and phone both finding their way into the dirt, one turn lopsided and the other face down. A panicked squeak broke from their chewed up lips, eyes flashing wide before squeezing shut tightly again.