Dragon's Horde part 14
(inspired by bluegiragi and docdudo)
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The tall trees seemed to go on for miles and miles. The bitter cold of the wind left stinging prickles along your tender flesh. Vast expanses of trees loomed overhead miles in every direction. North, trees. South, trees, East, trees. West, trees. stabs of electricity run up and down your shins with each step you take. Looking back, there is no sign of the cave in sight, not even the mountains which the hybrid's cave is. Theres nothing. oddly enough, it feels right. It's hard to tell how much time has passed; the sun went down ages ago. The woods bathed in darkness under the cover of night and the light of the moon.
'Should've paid more attention to the travelers back in town.' Spitting at the very notion of them. They never helped you, not even once. But the stories they would tell in exchange for coin has proven helpful more than once. Which mushrooms to avoid for one, how to make a simple snare, too bad one of the traveling men shooed you away when he was telling how to pinpoint direction by light of the moon. with the past in the past, there was no use in ruminating over what could have been. especially now more so than ever with the way the wind picked up in baleful gusts. It was as if even the very forces of nature were against you and your plight. Moisture gathers, sticking to your eyelashes. Making the act of opening your wind swollen lids ache with a strange sort of burn. Wiping your running nose on your forearm, the feeling of mucus drying on your cold and clammy skin sends a curl of disgust to your face. A small grimace that only grows bigger over the span of seconds as the wind dies. The sudden change leaves you near breathless as shivers wrack your being.
"Well now, aint you a small'un."
Jolting at the sudden voice. your eyes widen as large as dinnerplates. Looking to your right, then to your left. Swirling around until you can find the source of the voice.
"H-hello?" it's almost pathetic how small you sound. How you barely sound intelligible.
"Cold? Well, can't have that now can we." Automatically it's as if the shadows of the forest curl in around at your ankles. Before you can jump away out of instinct, a heavy arm drapes itself around your shoulders at the same moment a solid body presses itself at your side.
"Dragon, Harpy, Werewolf and even a wraith. My, my, you are a strange creature indeed."
Turning, the arm around your shoulders doesn't move to stop you. Even in your state, you could feel how if he wanted to, he could do so much worse than hold you still. Looking up, it's strange how the moonlight makes this stranger's form pop into being. Scowling, you bring you gaze to a face so pale that it rivals the moon in all its glowing splendor. Pale blue eyes flash red for only a moment; you could swear that it was as red as blood.
"w-what? who-"
"ah ah, not important. however, what is important. Is why a small little thing like you, is out alone at night. It's quite late, and dark. Are you scared of the dark?"
"No!" the feeling of indignation wells in your chest. You're certainly not a small child anymore. Not a baby. Even being treated similarly to one for these past months couldn't dampen the rage at being asked something so demeaning. recoiling, you stamp your foot on the ground to solidify some sort of boundary.
"Who are you." The man doesn't flinch at your tone, nor at the fire in your eyes when you settle him with a steely stare. 'He's blonde' you notice. The more you look at him the more it seems like the shadows that were clinging to you earlier dissipate.
"Just a friend, a friend who is worried about a child wandering around my woods at night."
"Your woods?" You blurt out. Embarrassment follows swiftly as the man cocks his head at you. Amusement or something of the like graces his lips.
"That's right, my woods. And you're trespassing."
Crossing your arms over your chest for warmth, the wind makes it moment to pick up again. Being labeled as a trespasser stings, but the woods have no one owner.
"No I'm not, these woods-"
"-Are no place for a child, and a barefooted one at that. Cold?"
The scowl on your face only grows deeper as you start to shiver again. The evidence of your disposition is clear on your face and the cold clear remnants of snot on your arms as well as your body language. Nodding silently, the stranger's face doesn't even change when you admit to what he can see as clear as day. Without wasting a beat, the man smiles. Not condescendingly, but softly. A smile that looks unnatural on his fine features. He almost looks handsome you think, almost.
"I'm-m cold...yeah." Whispering, it's a miracle he can hear your voice through the call of the wind.
"How about this, I take you to my campsite and get you warmed up. Food's almost ready." You find yourself nodding along in agreement. 'But if there was a campsite nearby, wouldn't you have seen the glow of a fire nearby, or the smell of smoke?' Your brain fizzles out a last-ditch rational thought as you slip your hand into his larger, outstretched palm.
"How..why did you say..dragon? and all that stuff?" You find yourself asking as you allow the man to lead you in an entirely different direction than you were walking before. His shoulders sag as he heaves out a sigh. Almost sound over-exaggerated, his tired sigh gives way to a stifled laugh. The type that has you wondering if you said the wrong thing or if he finally cracked his gourd by travelling in the dark for so long.
"I've got a good sense of smell. It's rare, mighty rare to meet the child of all four creatures as those. But you're just a lil human. Same as me." The way he tightens his grip on your hand leaves you with a bitter taste, his accent slipping out catches your attention more than anything else. As if sensing your confusion, he shoots you another small smile. A glint of white from behind his pink lips draws your eyes to his mouth. Gently, he shakes your hand. Your focus momentarily shifted from teeth to hand to the darkness surrounding you both. Squinting, just up ahead you can see the small glimmer of a campfire.
"Is that your camp?"
"Sure is. And now it's yours to."
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WOOOO its a spooky vampire and reader doesn't know it yet~ oooh~ spooky.
