2 Meeting a Fiend

My whole body was screaming in pain. It protested against each step my tiny legs took, against the exertions that had been forced onto it for many hours without a single rest, but most often because of the wounds it already had gathered in this little time.

Not only the beaks of those pests had sullied this fluffy fur of mine, thorns, mud and water had done their share, too. The piercing pain of the bird's attacks had long since changed into a never-ending burn, one that got even more intense with every moment I carried my weak body further through the underwood.

Fortunately for me, no other animal had attacked me in my weakened state. I had seen other birds, mice and other animals of the forest, but not a single one of them had tried to come close. They probably thought it was a better idea to just wait for me to die, as they wouldn't even need to fear the slightest risk of getting injured this way.

  «Isn't there any place where I can hide? Or at least sleep? I don't think this pathetic body of mine can hold up much longer.»

  I could hide in the shadows of trees and shrubs, in the high grass that grew on the few clearings this dense forest had, or in the holes of some bigger animal, but all of these choices were dangerous. If I were to rest, I would fall asleep and maybe never awake again, should a wolf, bear or boar appear.

There obviously was the danger of being hunted down by humans or demons, too, but there wasn't even nearly enough fur on me to be enough for something as small as a fur cap.

 

«Maybe they would feel pity for me and feel obliged to help me? No... that is way too optimistic. Stay realistic, Talia, realistic!»

 

I looked down, the cruel reality of my situation completely dawning upon me. The nights I had slept under the free sky could easily be counted using a single hand. There had obviously never been a need for me to learn fancy survival skills, as I could easily fly back to my home or at least the next demon settlement to sleep or rest.

There was water in this forest, in form of puddles, brooks and small ponds, so I didn't need to fear thirst, but food was a whole different story. Sure, there was mushrooms, fruits and berries, but I wasn't sure which were edible.

Only once had I stopped to eat one of the many colorful, wild berries, but as soon as I had bitten on it, I had felt my mouth grow numb. Naturally, I decided to not try it again.

While aimlessly wandering through the underwood, a pungent smell invaded my small nose and made it twitch. I sniffed repeatedly, taking in the heavenly smell of roasted meat.

Naturally, I didn't hesitate even for a heartbeat's worth of time. My legs were already walking towards the camp. Maybe it was dangerous, but even if it was, it was still far better than awaiting a bigger animal to maul me to death.

The sensitivity of this fox body's nose had betrayed my expectations. It was far more sensitive than I had thought. The fire I had believed to be only a few dozen meters away, hadn't revealed itself for what easily could have been an hour.

It was only when the twin moons had risen high above me and I was close to collapsing, that I could finally spot the light of a fire that was coloring trees in the distance.

With heaven this close, I refused to give up and just drop dead. One last time, I gathered my strength and forced my shaking legs to continue walking at least slightly faster. Somehow my battered body managed to carry itself through another series of hurdles. Only one last wall of greenery was still separating me from the warming fire and, more importantly, the roasted delicacy and its overwhelming aroma.

I heard the voices of several girls bickering with to each other, and a single man trying his best to calm things down again. I didn't even try to understand their words. They were noisy, far too noisy for this ears of mine.

After breathing deeply twice, I fought my way through the last bush, while desperately trying to be as silent as possible. I had managed to traverse barely half of this last hurdle, when the voices of the group died away, one by one.

 

«Did they hear me?! How is that possible?! They were so loud!»

 

They did hear me. Before I had time to even move as much as an inch, I heard a sharp 'whizz' cut through the silence. It was at the very same moment that something forced its way through the leaves blocking my view and embedding itself deep into my hip. A cold shiver spread throughout my body, followed by a flesh-tearing pain.

 

「Aaaahh! It hurts! It hurts, hurts, hurts, so much! Make it stop now! Please make it stop!」

 

While I was occupied with shrieking, yelping and squealing in pain, commotion once again arose within the group. In a breath's worth of time, they had already reached the bush and parted it with both their arms and weapons, before finding me squirming on the ground, desperately fighting for my life and against the arrow which had impaled my little body.

The man bent down to reach out for me, but I wouldn't let him kill me without a fight! As soon as his hand was in range, I chomped down on it with all my remaining strength, again and again, using all of my strength and desperation. The man didn't even show a reaction as he dislodged the arrow out of my hip and picked up my deafening self. I never had a chance to meet the hero ...