Young Writers Society

Ralys was no stranger to waking up in unfamiliar places with no recollection on how he had got there, but this? This was strange. Ralys staggered to his feet, briefly taking in his surroundings. He was in some kind of forest. He blinked several times at the odd characteristics of this forest, though; the lava-esque substance flowing through the cracks in the ground, the illuminated foliage. For a moment, he wondered if he was hallucinating. It wouldn't be the first time.

"No use standing around," He muttered, and took a surprisingly steady step forward.

Rain fell from the sky in slow but heavy droplets. It was cool against his warm skin, but if it got any heavier he wasn't sure how much he would enjoy it. Just as that thought crossed his mind, it came down in sheets. He sighed, but kept walking.

A low growl from his hind stopped him dead in his tracks. His body tensed and the hairs on the back of his neck raised. If it was an animal- of course it was an animal -he had no chance of outrunning it, but he'd be damned if he just stood there and let it eat him. If he ran now, maybe it wouldn't pursue. Maybe it was just a warning growl, and once he was off its property it would leave him be? Without a second thought, he bolted forward, as fast as his legs would take him away from whatever it was behind him. Low branches whipped against his face as his feet pounded against the wet ground. He could feel his blood pumping in his ears, and his heart beating against his chest the further he ran, but he dare not stop.

He saw movement ahead of him through the trees. He only caught a glimpse, but it was obvious to tell there were people there. He didn't hesitate to steer their way; if this thing was chasing him, he would have a much better chance surviving its attack if he were in a group.

Despite the heavy rainfall he could hear the faint sound of plants being trampled underfoot. It was by no means the sound of the great beast - for those steps he was overly familiar - no, this was a person. Another person, who had somehow, by unfortunate circumstances, found themselves here, in the lion's den. His head jerked to the source of the noise, and faintly, through squinting eyes he saw movement behind the trees. Branches shaking, this way and that. What alarmed him was why anyone would run out here, for he knew the only logical reason. The pursuit and nearness of the grangor, of which, sent a chill down his spine.

"You need to hurry!" He looked at Tasha with urgency. "The opening is very close!"

He wanted to run - and everything inside him said to go without hesitation, but he did hesitate. If there was someone else out there fleeing... they would need help. What kind of person would he be if he took in one but not the other?

"Go ahead of me." He drew his sword, his eyes watching the man emerge from the thick of the forest. "I'll get him, quickly." And with that he began to walk briskly over to the man, who was approaching quickly. He called out to him.

"Hurry! Come take shelter!"

"Can't we kill the grangor?" I inquired. It was just flesh and blood, after all.

((I want glowing pants))

James looked back at Tasha with silent desperation. Did she think... he hadn't tried? The scars on his back told a different story. "I don't know." Became his best reply for now. If they tried together, it was possible they had a fighting chance. But he had no way of knowing for sure. "We can... try."

I hesitated, looking at the opening, then shook my head. "No. I'm staying." My eye turns a deep golden-brown, the same color as my dog's. "Nightmare, grrr-akh!" The horse disappears through the opening.

I drew my blade with a shnk, heart beginning to race as the color disappeared from the world. I stood something similar to en garde, sword raised and ready to fight. "I took an oath to protect," I told Mike before he could try to convince me to leave. "And protect I will, even if it means the death of me."

Ralys burst through the tree line as someone began calling for him. He skid to a stop, his chest heaving, and took a quick look at who stood before him. A rugged looking man, and a woman with one eye; a horse and dog accompanied them- an interesting party.

Panting, he pointed a thumb over his shoulder. In between deep breaths that made his throat cold, he said to them, "There's something back that way. I'm not sure if it followed me, but if it did..." He trailed off. He hadn't gotten a good look at it, but its presence behind him felt large, ominous, and definitely like something he didnt want meet up with again.

James was a bit taken aback by the rush to loyalty from Tasha, but he was grateful she was a woman of her word. As a former soldier himself, he understood her mindset, and tendency to face things instead of flee. But a part of him wished... that people would let him take the hits. He deserved them.

James nodded with understanding as the man breathlessly told them about the Grangor, and eyed the forest behind and around them suspiciously. "It's best you come with us. If it's not here it will return. We have a hiding place."

Inwardly he wanted to say their hiding place was safe, and in some aspects, that was true. But he was worried that... perhaps this was a deeper issue. He had seen it once, where in restraint, the Grangor patiently cornered it's prey and waited until they were all together to attack. Then it struck when they least expected. Deep in his heart he had a strong conviction that that was exactly what was happening, as, for the first time in several months, two people arrived at his proverbial door (because it's not like he had an actual literal one).

"The faster, the better." He urged anxiously, although to anyone else it probably just sounded harsh.

We needed to be fast, because I was pretty sure that this thing wasn't about to give up. I raised my blade and howled, doglike. Perhaps keeping the thing distracted with the fact that there was another animal that was willing to face it would be enough; I'd found in my many years as a Hunter that speaking the language of the wolves or challenging larger animals with their voice or that of the dogs could work wonders.

That did provoke a response from the oversized kitty; now it was under the impression there was something as big as it there that challenged its territory.

"Here kitty," I murmured, watching the forest for any movement. My senses were heightened beyond the affects of adrenaline. "I'll keep yelling at this thing and bring up the rear," I told Mike and the newcomer, gaze not leaving the forest. "It'll stay distracted and it might not attack me."

Ralys gave the woman a weird look as she howled, its accuracy to that of a dog astounding, but coming from a woman? He chose not to ask. He simply nodded at the man. He'd spent a lot of time dealing with people offering him shelter, he learned to trust his gut when it came to choosing whether they were trustworthy or not. In this particular situation, they didnt seem to pose any danger to him. They seemed strange- he sideglanced the woman who had howled (how did she do it so authentically?) -but not like the type to slit his throat the moment his back was turned. And he reasoned that, if things were to get... hostile, he would have an easier time taking on other people, rather than standing out in the rain waiting to get pounced by some animal.

So he hurried up next to the man. "Lead the way."

James's head swung around with surprise as Tasha let out the howl of a dog. He stared wide-eyed, his eyes filled with terror. Not because of the howl - that was certainly not the strangest thing he'd seen in his life. It was surprising, but the source of his fear was the very fact that she was doing it to draw the Grangor near, and no less, to antagonize it. He was no expert at hunting monsters of this sort, but this just seemed like madness.

But with his heart racing and the creature likely drawing near his legs began to take him. He gave a wave for the other man to follow and chose to trust that Tasha knew what she was doing. But her saying that it might not attack her, gave him no comfort. So he continued to grip his sword, ready for whatever he might have to face. However, with the opening of the cave in sight, there was hope of escaping in time. So he ran, glancing back only once to see the man following, and behind him, Tasha.

The grangor stepped out of the woods, uttering a yowl not unlike that of a cougar. I howled in retort, falling back towards the cave as the beast advanced. My heart was pounding as I pished back the instinct to shift, backing towards safety. The kitty seemed more interested in displaying and yowling to proclaim its territory than actually attack me, but I had a feeling it wouldn't last long.

Don't turn your back, don't break eye contact, don't run.

Only a few meters to the opening...

And the feline pounced.

The sword was back in his sheath. He suddenly found himself backtracking, his heart racing along with his feet back to Tasha. He had promised to bring no harm to her too - that meant they would protect each other.

Coming full-speed, he pushed Tasha out of the way, ever-so-narrowly missing the mighty claws of the grangor, which skimmed his shoulder. Overcome by adrenaline and fear, he grabbed Tasha's hand and pulled her into the opening of the cave, following right behind the other guy. From behind, he could hear the grangor slam into the rock, trying to squeeze through the opening. It was able to stick it's mouth in, and let out another roar, which echoed throughout the walls of the cave, ringing in their ears. Once out of reach of the grangor's mouth or claws he let go of Tasha's hand but the momentum of his run kept him going for a few feet - that is, til his foot caught on a rock jutting out and he face-planted into the dirt and stone floor, skidding a few more feet. With his heart still racing and his head pounding, he scrambled to and upright position, on his hands and knees.

He looked back to the opening of the cave, staring into the glowing yellow eye of the grangor, which carefully and fiercely watched them. It seemed to make eye contact with each one of them... James wanted to return the gaze with a glare of determination, but he knew it told a different story. He was afraid.