Fox - Dusk

The sun finally came to be after a challenging night for the boy, but a quite average arrangement for the Party of young women.

The boy, still attempting to rest from the unprepared night. As he lays unaware on the forest floor. Without any reasoning.

“Hmpf???!!!”

“MmmmmRrr!!!”

The boy forcefully made suffocated screams. Naturally grunting and moaning in a panic as his nose and mouth was completely covered by the hand of Purnama. Quickly latching onto her arm.

Once his eyes focused, Purnama used her other hand with one finger pressed against her lips. Indicating that the boy should not make any more noise.

“—Don’t—”

“—Breathe—”

Selene soon came by to announce with extreme caution. Hardly allowing air to exit her lungs.

The boy then lost the very idea of inhaling. As he gazed upward in horror, instantly freezing himself by witnessing a strange dark green mass slowly gliding above, just barely visible through the trees. Yet massive enough to temporarily remove the early morning sunlight.

“—Breathe—”

“—Very—”

“—Slowly—”

“—Or—”

“—You’ll—”

“—Die—”

Once the mass got to a certain point. Selene made the simple, yet frighteningly serious statement, lengthening every breath she had with the continued extreme caution.

The boy then slowly stood up as the others gathered their camping equipment, also quenching any evidence of a campfire. Almost as if nothing is happening. Although, he was able to notice the light, strict inhales and exhales the Party was making. He was soon able to mimic this behavior.

He then saw Luna making a gesture to follow her and the others. It was time to move.

Soon within their trek. It was difficult to avoid the falsehood of monsters in daylight. How is that possible? The Party implied that these monsters will only appear at night, and yet… There one exists in the morning light, even floating. The boy was able to get a glimpse of the monster. Instantly regretting the decision. As his body and soul turned pale.

The monster effortlessly hung aimlessly in the sky perfectly aligned above the evergreen, without disturbing the neutrality of the leafy boscage. It lacked a face: No eyes, no nose, no ears. Nothing that can even determine if it is capable of any type of perception. Flaky brick-like flesh ravaged the monster, strictly pulsating in uncanny geometric patterns. The chaotic mass continuously emanated an insufferable sound of millions of unrelenting Flies, all in synchronized harmony. As it slowly releases a black fog from its flaky pours. Attempting to conceptualize that the monster can breathe, and the fog is the exhaled air, could damage the mind. At its center was a tree-like protrusion, appearing if it was sharpened to kill the monster but clearly failed. Now, it has simply grown around it—Becoming one—Creating a truly unforgiving sight to behold.

This Bastardization of Biology is more of a disturbed sculpture, crafted from the mind of the insane rather than an organic occurrence of nature. Like a cancerous tumor grown from the fabric of reality; willfully lingering in the sky, almost as if it enjoyed mocking the very notion of law and order within this world. In spite of that, it still has the most ordinary of needs. To consume life for survival—Possibly with the necessity for air.

Huuhhh

                Huuhhh

                                 Huuhhh

They moved with considerable intent, the five winced their gasps ever so delicately as they proceeded in the forest with the utmost of caution. The heavy air left their lungs with anxiety. The air itself felt absent, the only breeze was from their methodical breaths. They began to slowly turn pale from the lack of air in their lungs. Causing their heart rate to increase in fear and their skin to lose heat from little blood flow.

Luna then readied her bow and arrow. She doesn't believe she or the Guild as a whole can kill that monster? It was comparable in size to a large house. While Luna’s eyes were focused on the area around her, the others made several glances at the monster’s horrifying stability it had in the sky, to see the direction it was moving. The Party must have a plan, they possibly have even encountered this monster before.

Luna paused to then quickly pull back her arrow. She’s aiming at a creature with attributes of kangaroo-like, but much more scaly. When the opportunity was right, she swiftly released her arrow. With the blink of an eye she hit the target of the helpless creature, in its arm. It instinctually panicked and ran off.

They then looked at the monster: without fail, it began to move in the direction that the creature ran to. Selene then snapped her finger to get everyone to follow her. Now running away. Some of the others couldn't help but look back to see if the monster was still following the injured creature.

Just out of view, the monster shot a harpoon-like appendage from its body to catch its latest prey. Still running, some watched as the stringy flesh of the monster reeled in its next meal.

“Okay, I think we're good…! It's still moving the opposite direction. Let's take a quick brake, and start running again, just in case.” Luna announced.

With that single statement, the five soon stopped. Each breathing heavily, over and over, as they severely needed to recover themselves. Selene and Bulan slowly fell to their knees in exhaustion. Each of their chests expanded in and out with great relief, aching to the point of pleasure that they can breathe normally.

“What…! Was that?” The boy paused in between breaths to ask the question.

“A… Monster… Of course.” Luna remarked, taking her time to gain her breathing back.

“Huhhh… I thought you said that they only come at night?” The boy relieved a dense exhale to quickly ask more questions.

“Hehe… Well… That one is, uh, special. I guess.” Selene mentioned, slowly recovering her lungs.

“Why?!” Still confused, the boy questioned.

“Whew… This monster only attacks living things that breathe rapidly. It’s also one of the rare monsters that evolved to also hunt during the day, whereas most will hunt at night.” Luna explained with her hand over her chest, almost fully recovered.

Selene then made a waving motion to motivate everyone to start following her.

“Huh. It specifically will hunt most frequently after a half or full moon, but that is up for debate actually.” Luna pondered. “Because there are many theories and accounts of it appearing at any time of day throughout the moon’s cycle.” Luna continued.

“Don’t dwell on the specifics of the monster.” Selene remarked. “You did great for your first monster encounter! Just like a natural monster hunter.” Selene praised the boy for not dying.

“But still…” The boy remarked.

“Listen Beyonder, you just have to do as we say and you’ll be fine. Luna is our monster expert, Purnama is amazing at fighting, and Bulan is our Master of Sorcery. You got nothing to worry about.” Selene smiled as she happily promoted the Party’s abilities, side hugging Luna.

Thankfully they survived. It would have been rather dull if the boy died without a chance to explore this beautifully merciless world. There would have been less intrigue if such a fine Guild of these unique specimens fell victim to the unpredictable powers that be.