Coma

Song-name title. CS writing commission.

Some of the noises could be heard in any forest stepped into at nighttime, and to some, would be considered calming. Several oukin called out to each other in a loud racket, almost drowning out the chirps of a host of crickets beneath them. Even fainter rustles could be heard as the large feral lupes of the area nestled down to sleep, others waking and stretching and preparing themselves for the hunt ahead of them. Tree branches creaked and bent in the merciless force of the wind, what few leaves that still clung to them rustling loudly.

 

But some things could only be heard in this place, and they were the things that no one would wish to hear. The plants seemed to have minds of their owns, the trunks of trees creaking even without pressure upon them. Moans and shouts from creatures both undead and deceased lurking the woods could be heard, faintly at times, at others loud enough that any living thing that heard would instinctively jump and cast a furtive glance over their shoulder.

 

Dark eyes would look down from their perches in the trees whenever a stranger passed through this area, for they were so few and far between, just as they were doing now. A gray pelt had caught their attention, and one by one they began to fall silent as it moved between the trees. Shadows painted it deeply, to the point that there was no clear form to it �"only a swath amongst the dying grass where no color resided.

 

But a moment later, there was a glint against metal beneath them, where a lone sliver of sunlight had managed to break through the tree branches and into the light-forsaken area.

 

Before the two had completely passed, an irritated sigh could be heard, followed closely by a reprimand to the figure swaggering in front of the gray creature and barely avoiding getting itself trodden upon.

 

“Do you mind?”

 

Her smaller companion looked up at the dark-rimmed eyes, mock contemplating the question for a while before he scurried forward at a slightly quicker pace.

 

“You shouldn’t complain, you know. How do you expect me to keep you safe from anything ahead if I’m walking beside you?”

 

“I don’t,” she answered flatly. Often she’d corrected the little nuisance, insisting that he was indeed not her guard, and he was far more harm than good. At least she would be finally getting rid of him…if, that is, either of them managed to find Fohllie.

 

A few minutes ago she had lost track of CD, having to backtrack a few feet after her petpet. For a while they’d stayed in the area, going the direction they had been set for earlier, calling out as loudly as they dared for the woman, but with no luck. Adeux had muttered something under his breath that she only half-caught about them being lost, and while she shushed him sharply, now she couldn’t deny that she was, for once, starting to agree with him.

 

If only she knew how to get to the Central. From there it would be a simple matter to find her bearings, but within this labyrinth of trees, it was impossible to tell which way she would need to go.

 

The gelert cast a quick glance up to the treetops, but she couldn’t tell the position of the sun through the dead leaves’ thickness.

 

“You know, this wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t insisted on getting rid of me,” he brooded, catching her look. Since they had set out he had been in a huff, obviously indignant at being replaced.

 

Instead of replying, she just rolled her eyes and changed the subject.

 

“Do you remember which way Neopia Central is?’

 

Grey wings fluttered as he pondered the question. Finally, giving her a dark look, he answered.

 

“…I might.”

 

“Spill,” she growled, eager to be done and out of this mess.

 

“I don’t think I will.”

 

A frustrated sigh came. There was no use trying to pry information out of him, it seemed.

 

It would be getting dark soon, and they �"or, at least, she- would need to be out of this forest by then. Several times before had she been here, and even more had she heard of it, and there was only one reliable source of information.

 

Abruptly, she changed course, not bothering to see if Adeux was following her. She knew he was; he always was, constantly trying to protect. It was enough to drive anyone mad.

 

At first, it had seemed impossible for the forest to be any darker, but it was quickly obvious that it could be. Shadows lengthened, until every step was careful across the ground that neither of them could see well. 

 

It was starting to look like giving up was the best option, when the ground started to shudder beneath her paws. Barely perceptible at first, it grew, until it was revealed not to be movement but a noise, powerful and large enough to disturb all in its vicinity.

 

“IIII…..AMMMM….HUNGRRYYYY……”

 

She knew that voice, having heard it before. It had been in her pup years, and terrified her, though now she was hopeful as she charged forward, her ‘guardian’ scrambling to keep up.

 

Her run was quickly stopped as the creature came into view, and despite her few steps backwards, she still had to tilt her head up to see its face.

 

There was, however, no demand for a quest, to find something to cure its ravenous appetite, but a lunge towards her that was far quicker than she had imagined something of such size could possibly manage.

 

A small, quick force bowled her out of the way of a large, gaping mouth, causing her to tumble through dirt and dry grass. She was barely able to catch the blur of actual food moving towards the thing, before a small paw was tugging at one of her dangling ears. Despite her glare, she followed his urging, running after him as quickly as she could manage.

 

The beast could not chase them, but they ran anyway, until they finally stopped, out of breath and hearing range of the thing. Adeux slumped down against one of the gnarled trees, not caring what he might be disturbing by doing so,

 

Once Fohllie had caught her breath, she spoke.

“Well, now,” she started, looking the dirty, exhausted, and insanely pleased petpet head to toe. “It seems you’re not too terrible of a petpet. I guess…you can stick around.”

 

He practically beamed. His furry chest was puffed out to its limit, making him look more foolish than usual- a large feat for him.

 

Then came what she had been waiting on; he gestured, and she knew he was finally telling her which way they needed to go.

”Thank you,” she started, walking past his resting form, calling back over her shoulder.

 

“Now I can get rid of you.”

 

An indignant protest started just as the gelert bolted, off in the direction pointed out to her.