The chirping of hundreds of crickets aghast of the moon lit night. A brilliant fall orange globe flowing through the sky with such few clouds that the night sky could be seen in proper focus- a darkish maroon with a haze of the darkest of purples. A couple stars glittered over head though relatively few, and whatever there were were likely to be swallowed by the grasp of standing trees.134Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYM2To5cOVQ
Hooting owls and the chirps of an army of crickets. Brush scrapping to itself with a very minute breeze guiding its scraggly movements, all echoed around in the brisk of the hoots and calls. Coyotes heard in the background, howling out every so often, a symphony attributed to the burning night. The tops of trees stripped naked from the briskness of the season rattled like skeletons on the prowl.
Brief glimmers of light from hovering fireflies in a cascading darkness, only broken briefly by the still-white glow of the orange moon, rather odd at that. Eyes could be witnessed in the rounding black and brown depths of the seemingly dead forest, eyes of predators, eyes aglow in many colors with thick black pupils. Tall leafless trees all around, very much showing lack of vibrancy, a few dead leaves hanging on for what they had left now brown and gold. Most lay littered to the forest floor around the twisting trunks and shrubs left dark by the lack of the sun’s rays.
The forest floor, few dips and sputters between section, showered with leaves that never seemed to dissipate. Some grasses poked though their color was that of a darkening blue, only really visible due to the glimmer of the moon’s gaze. The light cascading down also made visible the appearance of the occasional rocks and bones laying about, rotting beneath the umbrella that was the forest’s roof. The only out of place disturbance in truth was the existence of well stretched, winding paths.134Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxjGRZAcPF
Paths of stone and dirt, carved in through the gaps of the trees, etched to the forest floor giving the only sense of broken diversity. While the brush and dead tree foliagedid cling to the paths, it was far less than within the general floor. Roads outlined with stone and packed with dirt, all in relatively good condition for being undisturbed for some time. In fact there were no disturbances beyond some minor fallen leaves- no grass penetrating the path, no young trees taking root, not even fallen trees themselves lay upon the path.
There was nothing… nothing but an air of eerie dread. Only the sounds of the breeze, of the scratching trees, of the creatures that dare to call this dark forest home. And as one traversed deeper into the woods, darkness would only encroach further and further as the dome above grew tighter and tighter. Many arms around one’s vessel in embrace, many cold hands clinging to the clothes, a tight choking sensation held by a force left unseen to the naked eye.
The dim ember glaze of the fiery moon above jet forth and washed over all, still becoming a dim pale glow as it reached the ceiling of the forest. It traveled one path best of all, one to which there was no canopy, only a great view of the above heavens; though with passing distance that canopy would grow tighter and tighter until at last the heavens themselves were extinguished from sight. The central path, a twilight path, cutting through the dense acreage of bark and dark. Winding and roaming along, disappearing beyond the warmth of the moon’s swift embrace.
Further and further along the path, movement of the wild life became more frisky. Groups of three coyotes prowling low to the ground as if to pounce; though with not a target in sight. An owl turning its heads slow and tactful, flapping off at a sudden disturbance to its right further down on the forest floor. There a couple large possum took off disappearing into the shrubs. From a distance, the glow of eyes, reptilian, blinking with a low sounding gurgled hiss.
A few more birds flew from their branches, some sort of clocking and clubbing coming nearer and nearer. Lights became visible, dim though certainly enough to light up a brief portion of forest. The clanking and clacking, accompanied by some rusty grinding sounds, snorting, and muffled marching. A squeaky sound echoed around the halls, along with two horses bellowing out.
Crackled leather reigns, connecting back to a large wood carriage decorated with lanterns on all corners plus a dark red roof. A slight visor window opened forward to the coachman, who sat in control of a round of six horses clomping at the dirt. A few over a dozen in leather coats, boots, and fur hats walked around the perimeter of the carriage.
All were armed differently, some with muskets, some with swords, some with nothing at all. Four walked close to the carriage and the horses in robes with hoods right up, not armed by any means aside from the lanterns held by two of them. A couple guards also sat atop the carriage, looking out in different directions. It rattled and buckled as the troupe moved on through the woods.
A fifth in robes, hooded, sat upon the same bench as the coachman holding out a map, a feminine finger pointed at one point on said map. The coachman stared down at the old wrapped fabric, nodding to whatever it was being said until the map was lowered. Far far up the winding road, much like drawn upon the map, the path diverged into two. To the left the forest continued to darken gradually, while to the right it was instantaneous; however that fork was several dozen meters ahead yet.
Coyotes flickered around this caravan, some snarling with their heads turned, observing it travel before booking it back off into the woods. The reptilian hiss echoed again before brush breaking off became heard, the eyes disappearing in the depths as the light of the cluster of humans passed over.
One of the hooded figures, taking the head now ahead of the rest of the group, suddenly threw their left arm out- hand open. The guards in leather all stopped, and with the quick whip of the reigns the horses stopped as well. All heads turned, attention solely upon the front figure. This one continued to walk out, followed shortly thereafter by a second hooded individual.
The first lowered there arm and stopped a good few paces ahead of the convoy, two amber spheres glowing from the darkness shrouding their face. They looked ahead, paused as the second approached beside them. This second one was a good foot or two shorter when side by side with the first; though they too were looking out across the forest. Silence, no one stirred, and the calls of the forest itself had come to a halt.
The second’s head shifted from ahead of them and then to their partner standing beside them, to then go back ahead. Behind a voice could be heard shouting out “What’s the hold up?!” though it was quickly silenced by a flip of the hand of the first individual. Silence…
Snip
The slightest crackle of a branch not too far ahead of them. The first figure moved their right hand up to their face and lifted the hood ever so slightly- their eyes now more than visible with a glowing red tinge to them. Their amber gaze scanned out across the entire section of woods before them. Slowly to the left… and slowly to the right. All attentions from behind, still presented forward.
The second individual then strolled forward a few paces passed the first, both hands raised up to their hood. While shrouded in the darkness of the forest, the cascading light of the above heavens that peaked through illuminated the second individual ever so. Eyes somewhat dull and cold from the lack of anything resembling life around them, not embraced by warmth for it was not present. Much like the amber eyes of the first, these green glimmering vessels shifted from side to side relatively slow.
Silence…
Those shallow green eyes then did slowly close, focus narrowed with a slight glare presented forward. The wind upon a sudden did swirl just behind both cloaked figures, disappearing then after. For just those few brief seconds they stared off into the darkness, and only the darkness was staring back at them.
Finally the second figure turned to the first. The first figure took a few, their jaw opening up only to shut a brief few seconds after. Their eyes narrowed and zoomed, cast out like a fishing line. The figure shook their head, stepping back a few paces before turning. The second figure looked ahead again as the first retreated back towards the convoy.
They said nothing, they did nothing, even as right behind the convoy switched back into motion. Their gaze sharpened and stared out into that dark, only thin outlines visible outside of the bubble of light. The ground crunched beneath as the second stepped on ahead a few paces more whilst the convoy was getting itself back together. The first hooded individual looked from the convoy and twisted back around, gazing back at their comrade who now had thrown their hood back.
(Art by Sonmie)
“Bakuuva!” a man behind the hooded man called out.
The first hooded figure then turned back around to see a man in a fine fur hat, slightly more colorful attire compared to the other apparent soldiers. ‘Bakuuva’ remained stationary for a short while longer as the convoy moved up behind, and from there the second figure simply joined back into line while the man in the finer duds slipped back behind the carriage.
“Pst- hey. Did you sense something?” a guard whispered up towards the two.
“…”
“I’ll take that as a no-” the guard then murmured, backing off after the fact.
As the two walked, the first turned his head over to look at the second. The lower part of their face remained visible while their hood was pulled back up into place, and what was visible right then was nothing but an emotionless mask. And so the first turned back ahead.
“So- you sensed it too then,” they murmured, somewhat of a Twang to a male’s slightly deep voice.
“… yeah,” the second spoke, their tone feminine and somewhat timid- a bit of a soothing nurture to it as she spoke, “Seems like they found us.”
“How many did you pick out?” he murmured.
“One,” she replied, “How long?”
“About the last three or four kilometers. Been keepin’ their distance from us.”
“Got sight of anyone else?”
“No… just the one. No one else has been near.”
“I see. Likely they have a crumb trail. Better not to let them know that we’re on to them. How much longer until we hit the town?”
“A couple hours yet at this pace. It’ll be twilight once we get through this length of the forest.”
“That’s when they’ll strike then if they’re going to.”
“That’s only if they figure things out. Be wary Elise, this could get ugly,” he concluded.
“… I know.”
As the crew then continued, far far away out of the light of the bubble, still within sights of the bubble though- something did in fact stir. A little moving brush beside a tree. It shook a little, a product of the wind mostly. Though trees and brush were not the only things in that quadrant.
Shooting higher up into the tree, hidden by branches all around, stood a lone humanoid figure. Dressed in a gray shirt, black coat, dark jeans, tennis shoes. They looked almost ordinary aside from their eyes, eyes almost a glowing orange in color, jetting out and locking sight upon the caravan. Upon the figure’s shoulder sat a black bird, one which would stare with red eyes.
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