Little Bits

A few small pieces of different things I've written recently.

The cool night air against her vulnerable arms created goosebumps and caused a hair-raising shiver to race down her spine as she ran between the dark looming trees around her, only the shimmering light from the moon peeking between the tree leaves allowing her to see. With heavy, struggling breaths, she cast a daring glance over her shoulder. A blurred figure was still following. She urged herself to continue on, but exhaustion was taunting. Behind her it was easy to hear the ragged breaths of what was following her, running at a much faster pace on four legs. 

Her breath caught in her throat when her foot was caught in the dip of a tree’s uprooted limb. With wide eyes she hit the ground, barely managing to lessen the impact with her hands held out in front of her. Sucking in a sharp breath of air, she was left with no time to push herself back to her feet. There was no need to see when the hot breaths could be felt against the back of her neck causing her body to tense. This was it. Like a rabbit running from a fox, she had been tracked down, and had no chance of escape. With tightly closed eyes she clenched her hands into fists, holding her breath. 

At first the only occurrence was what she guessed to be sniffing at the back of her head. Her dark, black strands of hair shifted from the closeness of the puffs of air that were being released against her skull. Half a minute passed, and she dared glance back over her shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of what was standing over her back. Her blue-eyed gaze was greeted with the sight of a large disfigured form hunched over where she laid. Dark fur hid the figure’s skin from view, though lightened around the stomach and chest area from what she could see. Before she could take in much more than a strangely canine shaped head and muzzle, a hand was placed on the ground beside her head. Quickly her eyes shifted to the limb, only to find that this, too, was shielded by the dark fur. The hand much resembled that of her own, aside from the fur. There was only one additional difference, and this was the nails of the creature. They appeared far more claw-like than anything else.

Her evaluation was interrupted as the cool touch of a semi-wet nose brushed against the back of her ear. Instantly she shivered, and on reflex jerked the corresponding shoulder back a small amount. A snort that she couldn’t completely define could be heard behind her, though she didn’t quite want to look back. The only thing she could still think clear enough to ask, was whether or not these passing minutes were going to be her last. At last the looming heat of another over her back retreated, and the breaths against the back of her head faded until they could no longer be felt. 

Hesitantly she began easing herself up into a sitting position, all too aware of the throbbing pain of her ankle that suddenly became obvious. With a glimpse over her shoulder, the strange creature could be seen in a crouched position, licking its chomps. If the situation weren’t so dire, maybe the perked ears of the wolfish creature would’ve been amusing. 

For what felt to be a set of long minutes, neither she nor the individual made a sound or movement, both timid to startle the other. A tickle began in her nose as she breathed in the cold air, and though she struggled to hold it back, a sneeze soon was inevitable. The sound among the silence caused the creature to cringe noticeably. Fearful that she had finally provoked the strange being she was swift to flinch away, holding her elbows while turning away where she sat.

---

The sound of bare feet against the cold stone floors of the castle halls could be heard as a young woman rushed down them. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, ringing in her ears and bringing forth the question of whether or not it would beat its way out. The numbing chill in the air didn’t phase her as she ran, shoeless, and with only a thin nightgown.

“Mother!” She cried for help, glancing briefly over her shoulder to find that she was still in pursuit, an unidentifiable figure only feet behind. Her breaths were hard and heavy, stinging her throat with each inhale that she took, gasping for more breath that she couldn’t seem to catch.

“Father!” Her voice rang throughout the halls once more, in the dead of night the castle silent aside from the near mute scuttling of mice and rats wherever they chose to hide within nooks and crannies.

As she rounded a corner she slipped, yelping in surprise as she felt herself falling. Before she could crash into the hard ground, a cold hand grasped her upper arm, bringing her back to her feet. She felt as though her heart skipped a beat in that moment while her breath caught in her throat. Slowly she shifted her gaze to the figure whose grip remained firm around her arm.

---

Beneath the thick canopy of tree tops covering the forest floor, the light of many fires eluded the shadows. As the group of ten trecked their way after the beast many shouts rang out through the area.

“Follow it!”

“This way!”

Finally, they spotted the horrendous creature they’d been pursuing for hours.

Standing on two hind legs with a furred back illuminated by the carried torches, the men weren’t given much time before the creature turned to them. The flames were reflected back at them through exotic yellow eyes and slitted pupils, causing chills of fear to go through the group until one of their shouts rang clear.

“Kill the beast!”

A pitchfork was thrown from near the back of the group as they rushed towards the animal. The beast knocked it away after moving as little as possible to miss the sharp tongs, before narrowed pearl fangs were revealed as lips peeled away in a snarl. From its elongated snout much like that of a canine, another guttural sound resembling a growl could be heard reverberating from within the beast for all to hear. This didn’t phase the approaching men however, who waved their torches threateningly to rear the animal back.