Chapter 19 Mighty Beast

With a surge of adrenaline, I rushed forward to inspect the cave, my heart pounding in my chest with the promise of safety and shelter. But before I could take a step into the cave, Kaka's panicked squeal pierced the air, freezing me in my tracks with a jolt of fear.

"Stop! That cave... it's not for us. It's a nest, a lair for monsters that lurk in the forest! That cave is not safe. It could be a perch for creatures beyond our imagination. The entrance is too large... it means that whatever lurks inside is far bigger than us."

I froze in my tracks, my heart pounding in my chest as Kaka's words sank in. The realization sent a chill down my spine, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as I glanced nervously towards the cavernous opening in the cliff face.

Kaka, his eyes darting around in fear, wrung his hands together nervously.

"We gotta find a different hidey-hole, quick! Ain’t no good out here, no good at all!" Kaka urged, his eyes wide with terror.

"Somewhere small, somewhere hidden. We cannot risk venturing into that cave, not when our lives are in danger. We gotta keep our backs tucked and our noses to the ground. No wandering near that cave! Too many bad things lurkin’ there, just waitin’ to make a meal outta us! Gotta find a place that’s tight and tucked away, where the bad guys can’t get to us. We can’t just sit here and wait. If we do, we’ll be just sittin’ ducks for those awful beasts!"

With a shuddering breath, I turned on my heels and scurried back towards Kaka, my heart pounding in my chest with a frantic rhythm of fear. With a frightened squeal, I leaped into his outstretched arms, seeking refuge from the looming threat that lurked in the darkness.

"I'm scared," I whimpered, my voice trembling with terror as I buried my face in Kaka's chest, seeking solace in his comforting embrace.

"I-I could have been... I could have been dinner for those monsters if not for you. Thank you! Thank you, Kaka! For stopping me."

Kaka's arms wrapped around me like a protective shield, his touch warm and gentle against the raw edges of my fear. I could feel his hot breath against my head as he leaned in, planting a series of tender, although slightly damp, kisses on my wrinkled scalp. Each kiss was a warm press of his lips, his way of making me feel less afraid, even if it did little to erase the cold terror clinging to my bones.

"Shhh, shhh, calm down, little one. Kaka not let anything hurt ya. No need to be all jittery and scared now. There, there, little one. Everything is alright, don't be scared - Kaka here, " he murmured, his voice a whisper of reassurance.

He took a deep breath and continued, his tone trying hard to be both soothing and confident.

 "We find a new place, yeah? A nice, cozy spot where no nasty beasties can come and make trouble. Maybe we find a small cave, yes? The caves are good but only small ones. They hide us from big bad monsters. Gotta watch out for the sharp rocks, though. Can be real nasty on soft goblin toes."

In a cruel twist of fate, our hopes of walking away unscathed were dashed as the world we live in reminded us once more how cruel it was. A guttural growl rumbled from the depths of the cave, sending shockwaves of terror rippling through the very fabric of our beings. The ground quaked beneath us as unseen monstrosities stirred from their slumber, their heavy footfalls reverberating like thunder in the air as they lumbered forth from the darkness.

With a terrified squeal, Kaka scooped me up into his arms, his frantic movements propelled by a desperate urgency to escape the impending danger. Without hesitation, he darted towards the nearest tree, his footsteps pounding against the forest floor in a frantic rhythm of fear.

"Quickly, little one, climb the tree! Quickly! Climb up, up, up! Gotta go up high, real high! A big tree’s good hidey-hole, it is! No time to dawdle, not a second, not a blink!" Kaka urged, his voice urgent as he boosted me upwards towards the gnarled branches above.

 "Don’t look down! No peeking! Look up, up there, see? See the branches? They’ll keep you safe, safe from the big bads. We goblins, we clever, always find the best places to hide. Now go-go! Up, up, don’t stop!"

"I will! I will! Kaka! You too! Climb high! Hurry!" I squealed in panic.

With my heart hammering in my chest, I scrambled upwards with trembling limbs, my fingers clawing at the rough bark of the tree as I sought refuge within the tangled branches above. With each upward leap, the distant growls grew louder, echoing through the forest like a sinister symphony of doom. With a final push, I hoisted myself onto a sturdy branch, my heart pounding in my chest as I clung to the safety of the tree, praying for salvation from the unseen horror that lurked below.

As I reached a safe height, I glanced down to see Kaka below, his eyes wide with fear as he stood in front of a towering monster. Before Kaka stood the Red Eye Grizzly, a monstrous bear of unparalleled size and ferocity. Its fur glowed with an eerie crimson hue, each strand sharp as the finest needle, its eyes ablaze with a fiery red glow that pierced like beacons of doom. The sheer enormity of the creature was staggering, its towering form was even larger than a pig wolf.

Kaka's entire being seemed to collapse in on itself, his hunched stature reduced to a quivering mass of fear and despair. His emaciated form cowered before the looming threat, his feeble attempts at defense no match for the ferocity of the beast bearing down upon him. With each pitiful whimper that escaped his trembling lips, he seemed to shrink further into the shadows, as if hoping to disappear entirely from sight. His arms, thin and frail, rose in a feeble attempt to shield himself from the beast's wrath, but they trembled uncontrollably, betraying his helplessness.

"Please, oh mighty beast," Kaka whimpered, "Please, spare us... We mean you no harm. We are but humble goblins lost and alone in this vast wilderness. Have mercy upon us, noble creature. Please, spare us... We're just... just trying to survive. Please, mercy. Please, let us pass unharmed."

 But as the beast loomed closer, its monstrous form casting a dark shadow over him, Kaka's pleas for mercy dissolved into the chilly air, lost within the savage snarls of the predator.

My heart plummeted into the depths of despair at the sight of the monstrous beast, my mind reeling with the enormity of the danger that loomed before us.

"We... we don't want any trouble," Kaka continued, his voice growing more desperate with each passing moment. 

"We'll leave... we'll go back the way we came. Just... just please, don't hurt us."

At that moment, time seemed to stand still, the world around us fading into oblivion as Kaka stood face-to-face with his inevitable demise. My breath caught in my throat, a suffocating grip of terror squeezing the air from my lungs as I stared at the creature's glowing eyes.

 With a deafening roar that reverberated through the forest, the grizzly bear lunged forward, its massive form barreling towards Kaka with terrifying speed. In an instant, Kaka found himself caught in the iron grip of the beast's colossal paw, his frail body no match for the brute strength of the creature.

"Wait! Please! I beg, I beg! Mercy! Forgiveness! Please, no... n-noooo! Wreeeeeeee!"

With a sickening crunch, the bear's claws dug into Kaka's flesh, tearing through his skin and muscle with savage brutality. I could only watch in horror as Kaka was tossed like a ragdoll by the relentless onslaught of the grizzly, his body flung through the air with bone-crushing force.

Each swipe of the bear's massive paw was like a sledgehammer blow, each impact sending shockwaves of pain coursing through Kaka's battered form.

"Wreeeeeeeeeee! It hurts! Stop! Please! Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! No more, please, no more! Eeeeeeeeek!" His cries of agony echoed through the forest, drowned out by the thunderous roar of the beast as it unleashed its fury upon him.

The bear showed no mercy, its relentless assault continuing unabated as it pummeled Kaka with unbridled savagery. With each blow, Kaka's body contorted in agony, his limbs twisted and mangled by the sheer force of the bear's assault. It seemed as though the bear had no intention of killing Kaka outright, instead opting to prolong his suffering with a savage display of violence.

As the relentless onslaught continued, Kaka's consciousness slipped away, his world fading into darkness as the bear's relentless assault rained down upon him. With each crushing blow, his body twisted and contorted in agony, his limbs bending at unnatural angles beneath the bear's merciless onslaught.

With a final, bone-crushing slam, the bear ceased its attack, its massive form looming over Kaka's motionless body. With a curious snort, the bear leaned in to investigate its fallen prey, its nostrils assaulted by the pungent stench of feces that clung to Kaka's broken form.

In a grotesque display of savagery, the bear clamped its massive jaws around Kaka's wrist, tearing his palm clean off with a sickening crunch of bone and sinew. With a grimace of disgust, the bear spat out the foul taste of goblin feces that tainted Kaka's flesh, its appetite soured by the repulsive flavor. The taste of goblin feces filled the bear's mouth, a bitter and repulsive flavor that caused it to retch and gag in disgust. 

Bored with its prey and repulsed by its taste, the bear dug a shallow grave in the forest floor, tossing the limp form into the makeshift tomb before covering it with mud and leaves. Left alone in the wake of the beast's departure, I watched in horror as the bear's massive form disappeared into the shadows, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and desperation. As the bear lumbered back to its cave, satisfied by the beating he delivered, I watched in horror from my hiding place high above in the safety of the tree.

With trembling hands, I clawed my way out of the tree and scrambled towards Kaka's makeshift grave, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I frantically dug through the mud. With every shovelful of dirt, my heart sank lower in my chest as I unearthed Kaka's broken form, his body battered and mangled beyond recognition.

With tears streaming down my face and a strangled cry, I gathered Kaka's limp form in my arms and cradled him close, my sobs echoing through the silent forest. With every ounce of strength I possessed, I dragged his lifeless body away from the sight of the bear's lair, hoping to find safety in tall grass.

But the forest, in its cruel and unforgiving manner, refused to release us from its clutches so easily. Just as we thought we could escape the horrors that had befallen us, a sudden rustle in the underbrush shattered the fragile illusion of safety that we clung to.

With a trembling breath, I slowly turned my head to peer over my shoulder, my heart pounding in my chest like a frantic drumbeat as I braced myself for the looming threat that lurked in the bushes. Every muscle in my body tensed with fear as I strained to catch a glimpse of the monstrous creature that stalked us, ready to deliver the final blow.

As the bushes rustled and parted, a chill ran down my spine, sending shivers cascading through my trembling frame. With bated breath, I waited, my eyes wide with terror as the darkness seemed to swallow me whole.