Facing Challenges in the Wilderness (21)

The nymph turned away from me. The water flowed over her silky skin, creating a symphony of soothing sounds that drew me closer.

I took my time approaching her, but I had no intention of leaving either.

Her black hair shone in the moonlight, curling around her flawless back like a statue made by a talented sculptor. The surroundings and the nymph herself were like a fantasy with beautiful additions, ready to be admired forever. I inhaled the cool steam rising from the lake.

Through the transparent surface of the lake, I couldn't see where her body ended, and I couldn't trust my eyes anymore, having seen all sorts of creatures in this forest. A girl who appeared harmless at first glance could turn out to be a strong opponent.

But if the enemy was not dangerous from afar, I could at least appreciate the perfect figure and enjoy impunity.

"How long are you going to be here?" There was a hint of anger in the gentle voice, but it only added to the thrill of my heart. I wanted to stay here forever, watching the beauty bathe and become a guardian statue myself.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I leaned on a bush and mentally answered, "Maybe, maybe not. How about getting out of the water, beauty?" Grinning at my own thoughts, I assessed the rest of the nymph's charms.

"Ha, that's not enough yet," she said, pushing back her hair and turning towards me.

"I'm so hungry I'm ready to eat you alive. Tell me where I can find food," I said, licking my sharp fangs.

The breasts of the young beauty shook with laughter, and I could see the tip of her red tongue and snow-white, sharp teeth through her slightly open mouth. Throwing back her head, she exposed a graceful neck with blue wreaths.

Lowering her sharp chin, she disappeared up to her pale shoulders into the water, leaving me feeling sad.

"You're not supposed to be in this place, except for Justaf, the keeper of the Sealed Land," she said, covering her mouth with delicate fingers and smiling like a mother to a naughty child. "So be it, I will forgive your ill-mannered behavior, but from now on, if you meet the same subspecies as me, then run without turning around."

For the last time, the nymph splashed cold drops on me and disappeared under the water. I couldn't shake the feeling of loss. I stood there, watching the iridescent multicolored bells on her tail disappear into the depths of the lake.

"Wait," I called, hoping she'd come back.

But there was no response. Soon, the lake turned into a swamp slush, emitting a poisonous miasma. Such big changes in such a short time have extremely puzzled me. All I had to do was continue on my way.

I sighed and turned away, heading back to my resting place.

As I walked, I couldn't help but think about the encounter with the nymph. It was brief, but it left an impact on me. I didn't know what it was about her, but I enjoyed her company. Maybe it was her carefree spirit, her laughter, or her beauty. Or maybe it was a combination of all three.

"Of course, it was a pity to miss the nymph, but I would just freeze if I tried to go to the ram," I thought to myself.

"What did she say?" asked out loud. "Run if you see my subspecies? Ah-ha-ha-ha, yes, I would love to spend time in the company of such beauties."

My spirits lifted, and I walked towards the waterfall. As I approached, I noticed strange creatures gathering around the area, including a beetle about a meter high, feasting on shiny berries.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I picked a few of the berries and sat down in a quiet spot to examine them.

With a closer inspection, I realized that the berry I had found was quite peculiar. It was a small, round fruit with a light pink shade, but the peel was too transparent with visible veins running through it. Upon further examination, I noticed tiny air bubbles trapped inside the fruit, making it look like a small, pink bubble wrap

I cleaned a small part of one of the berries with my claws and took a sniff. It had a grassy smell with a hint of sweetness. Tentatively, I stuck out my forked tongue and licked the surface. The taste was difficult to describe, tart with a slight pungency of an immature fruit. I didn't particularly like it.

As I was about to spit out the juice, I suddenly found myself unable to do so. The viscous liquid had stuck to my tongue hairs, preventing me from swallowing or spitting it out. The juice spread onto my skin, forming bubbles that burst on contact with the air, making my stomach cramp.

Throwing the piece back, I noticed a lone beetle climbing thin branches, plucking berries, and throwing them into its black mouth.

Without thinking twice, I killed him and started butchering him on the spot.

The white meat inside its body looked edible, but the smell was terrible, almost nauseating.

After thinking about it for a moment, I decided to take a chance and mix the two. I tore off a twig from a nearby shrub, strung the beetle meat onto it, and smeared the berry juice over it. The smell of the meat masked the smell of the fruit, and I was hopeful that the combination would yield a more palatable taste.

Once I was far enough away from the beetle's corpse, I stopped and carefully inhaled the aroma from the stick. To my surprise, I didn't smell anything at all. Had I lost my sense of smell? I took another deep breath, and this time, I smelled the grass around me. So, I knew it was just the stick that had no smell.

I closed my eyes and put the stick in my mouth, chewing slowly and cautiously, prepared to spit it out at any moment. To my surprise, it was tasteless and had a rubbery texture. It wasn't the most satisfying meal, but it was something that could keep me going for a while.

Licking my claws, I decided to head back the way I came when I suddenly saw hundreds of green glowing eyes staring at me from the thicket.

A very awkward state of mind, when it's not just small bugs that irritate, but also sudden rumbling in the stomach.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach and sank to the ground, feeling weak and dizzy.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that I had eaten the poisoned meat of the dead beetle. No wonder he was walking alone with such a weak body.

Biting my lip to stifle a moan, I crawled towards the beetle's carcass, dragging my weakened body across the ground. It seemed like the distance was longer than when I was running away from the smell earlier.

Halfway there, my legs gave way and I collapsed, gasping for breath.

Sweating profusely and with my head spinning, I lay on my back and looked up at the brightening sky, wondering if this was the end.

But I couldn't give up just yet. With a deep breath, I turned around and looked at the rest of the way. I had to keep going.

Clinging to the green grass for support, I crawled on the ground using my sharp claw's. I also let out needles from behind my back to protect myself from flying insects that were eager to taste my blood.

It didn't help much, as mosquitoes the size of my palm, whose bellies were already filled with purple blood, were soon replaced by others.

At some point, I grew tired of their buzzing under my ear and lashed out, tearing the nearest ones with my claws in disgust.

It was a desperate attempt to survive. If I didn't get out of this situation now, I knew I would be devoured by the insects and beasts that surrounded me.

I could already hear dry branches breaking, the rustle of grass and the sounds of other creatures slowly approaching me.

But I had to keep going.

Finally, I crawled up to the beetle's carcass and crawled under the shell with disgust, using it as a shelter.

As I caught my breath and tried to calm down, the bushes parted and revealed hundreds of mutants with improperly fused limbs, animal faces, colorful furs and a few extra limbs on their bodies.

Some walked on three legs, some on their hands, and others had colorless wings with ugly curls at the end. It made my eyes hurt just looking at them.

The giant mutant with two heads looked at me with one eye almost on his chin and wheezed, as if trying to decide whether to attack or not.

A small creature with a long tail ran a short distance, its sharp claws scraping against the ground. But before it could grab me, it backed away with a high-pitched scream, its ears flattening against its head. Looking down, I saw a crack in his fur and skin, from which a pink liquid was oozing. It wasn't the beetle that was poisoned, but the berry.

I cursed under my breath. What did it matter? It was clear they were dangerous, and now I was paying the price. But why wasn't I experiencing any other symptoms besides cramps?

As I watched the enraged creatures trying in vain to reach me, I couldn't help but choke with laughter. The sight of them thrashing about and spraying pink liquid in all directions was both comical and terrifying. I wiped away the cold sweat that had formed on my forehead and felt my stomach twist in an un-childish way.

A pinkberry hung over me, and smiling, I got out from under the black shell of the beetle I had killed. It was time to get rid of some unnecessary cargo. I picked a few berries from the bush and smeared the juice on my body, hoping it would help mask my scent from the creatures. Then, I made my way towards the nearest bush, moving slowly and silently.

As I walked, I kept my eyes peeled for any signs of danger. The creatures were still thrashing about in the distance, but I knew they could come charging at any moment. I drew my claws and prepared to fight if necessary.

Finally, I reached the bush and crouched down, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I knew the journey ahead would be fraught with danger, but at least I had a little bit of protection now. I waited for the dawn to come, ready to face whatever lay ahead.