Chapter Text
The scent of the surrounding cold, wet, rotting leaves accompanied him, as he dug his knees in deep, the man trying to hold onto that, which did not truly have a pure, solid form. Above, the rain continued to pour down in thick, unrelenting currents.
‘’Almost there.’’ Glanni growled low to himself, as his hand closed around a protruding branch a little further up the slope of the steep hole he had fallen into. ‘’Little further.’’ He grit out between strained breaths, as he hauled himself upwards, his cold knee once more digging in, as he tried to keep as close to the slopes wall as he could. ‘’Just a little fucking further and-‘’ With a startled yelp, Glannis eyes widened in fright, the muscles of his back tightening, just as the branch snapped and this time, he was sent tumbling back down in a heap of his own flailing limbs.
Cursing, the man swiftly raised a hand to his face and then to the back of his head, realizing he had cut himself on something on the way down.
‘’Fucking Christ.’’ He mumbled at the bottom of the hole, as he let go of the hurting spot and gazed around himself, hoping, but not really believing, that he would find something that could give him leverage enough to get up. Eventually, when he did indeed find none, he took a deep, shaking breath; the man closing his eyes against the onslaught of rain, as his closed fist stroke the ground beside himself in anger.
‘’Robbie!’’ He called out, as loudly as he could. Unfortunately, he got no response, the only evidence left, being that of his own hurting throat.
Both of his palms were cool, as they slid down his face, the man completely soaked through, as he slowly sat back up and eyed the seemingly impossible to reach edge above.
‘’Aight.’’ Glanni grumbled to himself, as he got up on his tense, cold legs. ‘’You’re just a stupid, fuckin hill, you can’t keep me here.’’ He hissed at it.
Surprisingly, the inanimate wall of leaves did not offer any answer. Still, he could do this. He had to.
The man took a step back, then another, before setting into a dead sprint towards the steeping slope of his temporary prison.
This time, the sharp shock that wrecked through him, as his foot slid on the traitorous, muddy leaves fueled him enough, that he managed a large jumping step upwards, before starting to once more slide back down again. Not willing to give up, Glannis hand snapped out and got hold of a surfaced root, his other hand digging into the dirt beside him, fingers curling, as he fought to get a grip. ‘’Come on, come on, you can do this.’’
The dirt made a crackling sound, as it crumbled beneath his clutch, his head making a dull thud, as it smacked straight into the side of the slope. This time, as he glided down, coming to a halt just about halfway down, he did not try to stop it from happening.
With his head resting against the deceivingly soft blanket of leaves, the man breathing out harshly in defeat, the underlying smell of the creeping decay rather intense, this close up. ‘’Ouch.’’ Glanni mumbled to himself, one hand snaking around, to clutch at the new addition of hurting spots on his head. It was not as bad as the other was, but it still hurt like a bitch.
Progressively, it was starting to get cold around him, the rain adding in as a chill factor and soon, if his brother did not find him, his hands would get too numb, to get a proper grip, on any of the damned roots and branches, gently swaying in the wind above him.
‘’Go for a walk they said.’’ Glanni grumbled to himself. ‘’It’ll-‘’ He cut himself short, the man settling a pale hand against the already crushed leaves below him, about to hoist himself up, before abruptly stopping all movement as well.
Intensely, he listened.
The birds had stopped chirping a long time ago, both due to the heavy rain and his own angry yelling, but somehow, he knew the forest had grown too quiet. Additionally, he realized, the ground in front of him had grown a few shades darker, a shadow cast over him, but not from his own form or any of the dead organic materials around him.
Something living, a warm and solid being next to him was watching him, he knew that, and in response Glanni willed himself not to give into the low, primal fear that ripped and clawed at his insides.
To his immediate left, confirming his suspicion, a twig broke. Slowly, he turned his head.
The sight that greeted him was not one his weary brain could immediately process, a creature with pitch black eyes and too pointed ears staring back in curious fascination, the dark orbs staying fixed on his, as it regarded him closely. Its blond, curly hair was as soaked through as Glanni himself was, the strands of it heavy with liquid, and clinging to its tanned head. Its broad shoulders were flexed, muscles taut, as it held itself suspended close to the dirt of the steep slope, right beside him.
‘A wild thing’, Glanni thought, a shiver running down his spine, as a flash of fangs caught his eye beneath its pleased, wide grin. ‘Feral.’ He thought, as it shoved him sideways, the man failing to suppress a pang of fear, as clawed hands settled deep on either side of his head, the creatures’ weight keeping him dormant and practically glued to the wall of the slope itself.
His back dug into the soggy ground behind him, further soaking up its coldness and rendering him tingling all over, with chilled adrenaline.
Still, the wayward creature made no further move to either eat or terrify him.
As the seconds ticked by like that, the urgency of the moment fled alongside a part of his sense and sanity and in their place, the annoyed anger slipped back in.
‘’You gonna keep staring or you actually gonna do something?’’ Glanni asked, the man pleased, when his voice shook only a little. Above him, the creatures grin morphed into something genuinely surprised.
‘’Depends on what you want me to do.’’ It replied, its voice a low, raspy thing. Glannis eyes widened for a split second, as the realization that the other actually spoke, nevertheless understood, hit him. ‘But of course.’ The man thought, as he watched the creature tilt its head at him. ‘Why wouldn’t it?’
‘’I wanna get the fuck up and out of here is what I want.’’
The creature hummed, as it drew back and slightly out of his personal, excessively invaded space.
‘’You are in my woods.’’ It said, a clawed hand coming up to stroke its rather bizarre mustache. ‘’Why?’’ It asked, to which Glanni shrugged and grinned right back.
‘’Wouldn't you like to know.’’
The creatures’ response was a blur of too fast movement, its smirking lips cold, as they settled against his throat. ‘’Such fire.’’ It growled, a hand smacking against Glannis forehead, pressing down and holding him in place. ‘’Such rich fear. They mix well.’’
‘’Yeah don't get attached.’’ Glanni squeaked, his attempt at a lash out more a nervous response and defense than anything, as he squirmed to get free. Above, the creature let out what he thought to have been a thoroughly entertained chuckle, which eased into a warning growl at his antics. Glanni felt it rumble through him, the vibration overshadowing and stilling any further protests he wanted to spew, as the other pressed its own front down over his.
A light shiver ran through him, as he felt a set of razor sharp fangs rake down the side of his neck, the creature gentle, as it bit down. A tongue lapped over the area, and Glanni did not need to look to know he was bleeding.
Obscene, was the only description he could come up with, as he listened to the creatures’ low contemplating purrs.
‘’You… are not one of them?’’ The creature stated on a low, thoughtful hum, somehow sounding both unsure, pleased and confused at the same time.
‘’One of who?’’ Glanni asked on a frightened, slightly hysterical whine, as he willed his shaking hands still, less he try to swat at the creatures face. At once, he felt cold, a fresh wave of cool, clammy air wrapping around him, as the creature relented, its weight not too heavy, as it stayed firmly straddled over his thighs. The man blinked, his poor mind sent for yet another spin, as a pair of the bluest eyes he had ever seen, fixed on his.
‘’The ones with the axe.’’ It said on a near whisper, the tone riddled with both malice and melancholy, though he understood, that it was in no way directed at him. ‘’Tell me.’’ It started, a slim, sharp, black claw ghosting over his bottom lip, as it tilted its head again. ‘’Have you seen them?’’
Glanni felt exposed under that gaze, the question far heavier than he could comprehend. Somehow, he knew this was important, his life and general likelihood likely at stake, depending solely of whatever his answer would be.
Patiently, as he felt his brow furrow in worry, the creature waited for him to speak.
‘’Not many people come through these woods.’’ Glanni said, to which the others eyes slowly started to lose a bit of their beautiful blue.
‘’But they did.’’
Softly, Glanni shook his head. ‘’I wouldn’t know about that. Whatever they did, I had nothing to do with it.’’ The man insisted, willing himself calm, as the creature leaned down slightly again. When it spoke, its voice was a soft and careful thing, as it repeated its question from earlier.
‘’Why are you here?’’
‘’I fell.’’ Glanni said truthfully. ‘’Took a stroll, fell, and now I just wanna get out of this fuckin hole.’’ It regarded him closely, a slow nod following, as it seemed to have gotten its answers. Then, a flash of something, a hint of a sharp thought crossing on the forefront of its mind, as it opened its mouth to ask yet another question. Before it had the chance though, it shut it abruptly to instead spin on the spot, one hand gesturing for Glanni to stay down. Clearly, it had heard something.
As Glanni watched its previous calm melt like dew in the first morning rays, an agitated state taking over in its place, he felt a fresh, cold flash of terror flood his stomach anew, at the low, threatening growl it uttered.
Then, faintly, he heard it too.
Robbie.
‘’Glanni!’’ His brothers’ voice called out, the sound of it echoing through the trees from somewhere above, though the other was clearly still quite far away. Swiftly, the creature spun back around and fixed black, narrowed eyes down at him.
‘’Is it yours?’’
‘’What?’’ Glanni asked on a voice, which broke at the end.
‘'Is it yours?’’ It hissed, practically spitting out the last word. Once more, its fangs were visible and Glanni sobered at once, the previous, albeit thin veil of safety lifted. As the creature spun and seemed ready to pounce up and hunt the calling owners’ voice down, Glanni grabbed and held onto its thick wrist.
‘’Yes.’’
A pregnant pause followed, as the creature seemed to mule something over. Then, with no warning, it jerked its hand free, its claws snapping into the dirt right above his head, body moving with far more grace and speed, than Glannis blurry eyes could keep up with.
Then, it was gone. Vanished, as though it had never been there.
‘’Glanni goddammit!’’ Robbie called again.
For several seconds the trapped individual in question stayed where he was, breath stuck in throat, as he leaned up on his elbows. ‘’Fuck.’’ He mumbled to himself, his palms shaking, as he carded them through his own short hair. With a wince, he drew them back, as he accidentally stirred up the bump from his second fall.
‘’Glanni!’’
‘’Here!’’ The man finally managed to call back.
Minutes later, relief washed over him, as Robbies soggy head poked over the side of the hole.
‘’Oh thank god, there you are.’’
His brother, due to the countless of detail-riddled stories Glanni would bestow upon him with a mean, teasing smirk, already knew that the other had a passion for a little edge of danger, especially in bed. Still, that did little to explain why he was stuck in a steep, gaping hole in the middle of the woods, sporting a boner all alone by himself, while the unrelenting rain beat down on his bowed head.
Truly, he really had no fuckin clue on how he was going to explain this one either.