Chapter 2: A Year of Misery

In the year since Eco was trapped within the endless Blackened Forest, he faced many trials. Most ending in misery...

Sinister clouds accumulated within the Stygian skies of the Blackened Forest, distant crackling of thunder ringing overhead. Ominous husks of lifeless trees stretched for miles in all directions, dark gray paths of rock hard Earth paved the way throughout the multitude of lanes and charcoal stained grass clung to barren boulders, barely surviving in the cold woods. Mounds of skeletons and singled out bones scattered the ground, fresh bodies of Alice's rotting victims plagued the corners and stashed away within the hallow centers of fractured ribcages.

The scraping of claws being dragged against the dry floor faintly came in quickened clacks, small pebbles and rocks flung to the air, forming a short fog of debris. Rapid pants sounded lowly with every step, sharp bursts of energy surged throughout every last muscle within the tiny frame of the Prince. A look of apprehension expressed without hesitation upon the feline-like features of his face; he knew that if he stayed in one place for long, he would become prey for the beasts the Witch had taunted him about.

Chilling cries sang above the denuded branches, a mass of wings beating heavily at the wind, steadily approaching. Terror scurried like a mouse up the young male's spine, causing him to bolt into a Lilliputian crack in a middling sized rock face.  He squeezed past the jagged edges on the inside, curling himself up as tightly as he could to wait out the oncoming danger. 

W-What were those things?! I-I've never smelt them before... He brought up momentarily, his mind racing with unanswered thoughts to distract himself from his fear and sorrow. His eyes wandered briefly around the crevice, spotting a fairly large hole at the bottom of the rock. What is this? Both of his fluffy ears perked in curiosity, his previous thoughts lost to the winds. A sudden bit of hope arose deep within the core of his shivering body, snaking down from where he laid and pushed right Into the hollow ground.

Eco realized he was just above the entrance way to an underground tunneling system, one that could possibly harbor a way out of the woodland. He began to fill with a childish sense of glee, weaseling at a rapid pace through the tunnels; he was determined to escape. As he speed along, he found himself running in no real direction or straight into a dead end. 

A shudder ran down his spine as a faint call of his name seeped into his ears, springing loose all the emotions he held in. "What had I done to that Witch to deserve this?" Eco whispered allowed to himself while he hid in one of the dead ends, thinking over all that lead up to this moment. "My family hadn't done anything to her and she had to come and destroy us all!" Hot tears coated his cheeks fur, his paws covering his snout as he cried out in sorrow and loss. He had no idea what he was going to do now that he was trapped in this hellhole.

To be continued...

Author's Note

How is this so far? Does it flow well or does it need more to it? (Please be mindful that I am struggling with a bit of writer's block at the moment...)