Papillion's Riddle

Caught off Guard

I think I must have collapsed some time after midday. I don't remember it, but when I finally woke up I was tucked away under a fuzzy lump of grass. It had shaded me from the unforgiving sun, probably saving me from sunstroke. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, dyeing the perfectly flat terrain a shocking red. Red sky in the morning, shepard's warning. It would rain today. But for the moment the sleepy sunshine warmed my skin beneath Mala's thick cloak. It would be warm today.

I looked around, scanning for any form of life. But the world seemed to be still sleeping. There was certainly no sign of any elves. Only a few bleary eyed rabbits. I yawned, stretching. I had slept long and well. I felt rested. But my stomach complained for hunger - I hadn't eaten in an at least a day. Rumaging in my pack I found a small bag of crackers. I also pulled out a fruit, tinged bright purple in colour. I sliced it with the small, blunt table knife I'd found (or stolen, more like) and put it on the crackers. It made a satisfying breakfast. The crackers were crunchy and bland, but the fruit was soft and sweet. I packed away the remainders carefully.

Preparing myself for the treck today, I sat and watched the sunset and inspected my map and compass. The downside to my desperate flee the night before was the fact that I had no idea where I was. But judging from my direction and my aproximate time walking, I found myself south east of The Valle, and hopefully a good deal south east.

I wish I'd brought a broader map, for this one ended just beyond the borders of The Vallien Plains. I chucked it away, half burying it in the bump on the plain.

I left as the sun just left the hills behind, beginning my journey as it did. Continuing in my original direction, the sun was dazzling in my eyes. I sheilded my eyes, but it still left strange patterns on my eyes, making it impossible to see anything. I was releived when, ahead, a few trees started to pop up from emptiness, offering shade from the sun. I pushed on, trying to stick to the shadows as much as was possible.

But still it was hard to see a few yards ahead of me, despite the perfectly flat surface. I didn't see them coming till the last moments.

Maybe I heard them first. Their footfall shook the ground, brought leaves tumbling from the trees. I glanced up, seeing three silouettes approaching. I watched for a few seconds, assessing the danger. But when they passes under the tree, I realied the true threat.

I'd heard tell of metamorphlings in the safety of The Valle, where all danger seemed so far away. But with no walls left up to protect me, the adventures' tall tales seemed a lot less distant. They were at least three times my size, in disformed muscle and mutated skin. The first was the most hideous. It's left arm was covered with dark, wiry, matted fur that was in desperate need of a wash. An odd shaped tongue potruded from it's torn lips, too big to fit in it's mouth. Horrible fangs poked at dreadful angles, each covered in dried brown blood. It's face was smudged with grime and dirt. It was repulsive.

The second was hog-like, it's nose rounded and snout-like. It's skin was thick and pink and scaly. The last seemed to be in it's first stages, as his face was till untouched, but his arms were scattered with patches of fine striped fur. His ears were slightly pointed, and he was hunched over. As a person he seemed almost elven in looks, but his mutations were feline. He had once been quite handsome, from what you could see of it.

Naturally, I was terrorfied. I'd barely been out of home for a day, and already I'd met with some frightful monsters. There was no way I could fight. I was small and unarmed, and they were huge, with claws and fangs and strength. I fled, scrambling up the tree. My foot just dissapeared into the foliage as the first beast ducked beneath the trees great branches.

I could feel the hog's stale breath on the side of my leg. I was sure he could have smelt me with his superior sense of smell if he wanted to. But these three were clearly at ease - they weren't expecting any trouble. I preyed that they'd move on, find another tree to rest beneath, but instead they began to set up a camp in the small patch of dirt where grass didn't grow. They weren't showing any signs of leaving any time soon. My precarious grip on the thin branches wouldn't hold for much longer. Already the sticks were heaving with my weight.

My muscles were screaming at me to release my straining position, and the tree was breaking. I desperately tried to cling on, but my foot slipped and I plunged through the branches. Just as I was about to break the barrier of leaves, Mala's cloak caught on a branch, pulling me back into the tree. But the collar tore, and the thick material slumped to the ground, my beautiful butterfly pin still on it's neck.

I gave up on retreiving it, though it made me sad to loose such treasure. Instead I preyed for it to fall gently to the ground, and not draw the attention of the metamorphlings. Unfortunately it didn't, falling straght over the hog's eyes.

All hell broke loose in the dirt. The hog backed up, attempting to tug at the fabric, but his disfigured fingers slipped. The wolf tried to help, but he seemed to lack control over his fingers too. The two rolled in the mud, failing to remove the cloak. The only beast that kept his wits about him was the feline. He'd begun to wonder where the cloak had come from, and if it's source was still in the tree. He sniffed suspicously at the base of the tree, before begining to climb.

I paniced. I was trapped, with a monster practically snapping at my heals. The only thing I had was a pack of a small food supply and I rounded knife. I continued to drag myself up the tree until my finger tips bled, but the feline's claws gave it an extra boost.

I paused for a moment, the pain in every part of my body slowing me down. The feline took a swipe, and one of it's evil hooked claws grasped my ankle. I howled, but the creature pulled from my perch as I kicked and screamed with pain. The leather of my top my was badly torn, and blood seeped steadily from the gaping hole. It was beginning to smudge up the side of my leggings. I winced every time my leg scraped against the rough bark. I'm sure it made it particularly slow.

Below the animal noised had haulted. The feline had taken me into his jaws, leaving lines of raw flesh on my torso. When his misatched feet hit the ground he dropped me in the dirt, and poked at me in curiosity. My eyes were blurred with tears, but I could still see Mala's thick cloak half buried in the mud. The buttefly's magnificence had been ruined in the metamorphling's struggle.

They'd deserted it now to inspect me. I suppose they saw me as nothing more than a peice of raw meat, their next meal. I'd heard elf flesh was a favourite of their's. At the time I'd thought Mae was being colourful to scare us from leaving the walls. Now I saw the possible truth in that. I closed my eyes.

A sudden howl woke me from my daze. The wolf had been dragged away from the circle of beasts, and was wrestling on the ground. The other two were watching with fear as their companion rolled in the dirt. They could not see the attacker. I barely could. But there was a slight blurred area in the air, that seemed to crawl all over the wolf's patchy fur, even taking the form of a fang occasionally. Blood welled where the blur touched it's skin, and soon it's back was coloured crimson. The feline and the hog had begun to defend, but every attack they made was another wound on the wolf, and soon it collapsed. It's broken body slumped strangely, it's spine still retaining it's curve. It's stubby tail was wedged between it's legs.

The other two attacked randomly, more often than not hittting the other. Slowly they tore each other apart, until they could barely stand. When they finally fell I didn't hang around for very long. I picked myself up carefully and began to run. My ankle killed, but I wasn't sticking around to see if my saviour was hostile or other wise. In this wilderness it seemed as if my survival had been down to nothing more than the food chain. I wasn't too kean of becoming part of that chain.

As I ran from the slaughter scene the trees thickened, and soon was emersed in a thick woodland. In the hottest part of the day I appriciated the shade, but as night came on the shadows grew colder. I had to stop often, as my various wounds reduced my stamina. I could not see the stars above the thick layer of branches and leaves at the canopy. It was pitch dark among those trees, and I soon lost my way. I decided it was futile, and sank down in the roots of what I'd identified as a tree through my finger tips. I rumaged in my pack, and found my blanket. I closed my eyes, hoping it would be a little lighter in the dense foliage when morning came.

Sleep came rarely, and I napped where and when I could. I lost my sense of time in the woods. By the end of the second day I was all but unconcious. As the light disapated from the trees, I nibbled on the last few crumbs I had left before pulling my blanket up over my head. My adventure was to be a short one.

That is until I stumbled upon three men.