Skz oneshotes (Requests Open)

🐥 Shadows in the Forest Pt. 1

Main Characters: Felix
Side Characters: Skz
Topic: Angst, trauma, survival, fear
Warning⚠️: Physical injury, Animal attack, Implied near-death experience
Requested by @Yoojiae_iceprince

Shadows in the Forest

Felix had noticed it weeks ago, but he had been pretending not to. The subtle shifts in tone, the laughs that didn’t include him, the lingering silences whenever he entered the room — they had been small enough to ignore at first, but persistent enough to eat at him from the inside. He tried to tell himself it was just stress, or maybe everyone was busy, but every skipped glance felt like a deliberate exclusion.

Days turned into a week, and the ignoring became undeniable. Felix sat in his room more often than not, scrolling mindlessly through his phone, searching for a reason he couldn’t find. Was it something he said? Something he did? Each possibility wound tighter around his chest, squeezing until the thought of joining the group felt heavier than any chore or practice.

When the rare holiday came, the others were unusually excited. Bang Chan had rallied the members for a forest hiking trip, a rare day away from schedules, cameras, and responsibilities. Felix didn’t argue — he couldn’t. Being ignored had a way of quieting even the loudest part of him. So when Chan suggested, “Let’s all go trail hiking today, guys! It’ll be fun!” Felix smiled faintly, nodded, and went along.

No one asked if he was okay. No one checked if he wanted to come. They simply assumed he would. And he assumed he had no choice but to follow.

The drive to the forest was lively, full of music and chatter. Hyunjin laughed at a joke Minho made, Changbin debated loudly with Han about the fastest trail route, Seungmin lectured Jeongin about carrying enough water, and even Chan was animated, sketching a map in the dirt with a stick. Felix sat in the back, staring out the window at the passing scenery, his stomach twisting in quiet dread. Forests had always terrified him — the endless trees, the darkness that seemed to swallow sound, the rustling that could hide anything. He didn’t tell them. He didn’t want to ruin their excitement, or risk being the topic of their laughter, as he often felt he had been lately.

By the time they parked at the trailhead, the sun was already dipping behind the canopy, casting long shadows that danced over the path. Felix swallowed hard. His heart beat faster, each sound amplified in his ears. The members’ chatter seemed distant, like echoes from a world he wasn’t part of.

“Come on, Felix!” Jeongin’s voice was cheerful, tugging at him. “Don’t stay behind!”

Felix forced a smile and moved forward, keeping pace despite the panic building inside him. He tried to breathe slowly, but the air felt thick, heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth. Every step into the forest felt like stepping further away from safety.

They walked for hours. Felix’s fear twisted into a tight coil in his stomach, but he followed quietly, saying nothing, laughing faintly when prompted, hiding the tremor in his hands. Then it happened.

His foot caught on a hidden root, and he stumbled forward. Before he could regain balance, he slid down a steep, nearly vertical part of the trail, branches scratching at his arms and face. Pain shot through his leg as he hit the ground hard, a sharp, bone-crunching agony that stole the air from his lungs. He tried to call out, but the sound caught in his throat. Panic flared. He couldn’t move properly.

The others, absorbed in a heated debate a few meters ahead, didn’t notice. By the time Felix tried to shout again, his leg refused to cooperate, folding awkwardly beneath him. A sharp scream threatened to tear from his throat, but terror rooted him in place. He was alone in the shadows of the forest, every sound amplified, every rustle a potential threat.

Felix’s fear was no longer just emotional — it was tangible. He realized, with growing horror, that he couldn’t escape. His leg hurt too much, and the forest seemed alive, closing in around him. He tried to drag himself backward, every movement sending pain shooting up his spine. The shadows between the trees thickened as the sun dipped fully, leaving only the dim twilight of late evening.

Then he heard it: a low growl, barely more than a whisper, but unmistakable. Felix froze. He could see movement now — a dark shape slinking between the trees. Its eyes glowed faintly, reflecting the last light. A wolf, or maybe a bear — he couldn’t tell. His mind refused to categorize, refused to think logically.

The creature moved slowly, deliberately, testing the space between him and itself. Each step it took made the leaves crunch like thunder in Felix’s ears. He tried to back away, his broken leg making each motion agonizing. He trembled uncontrollably, tears welling in his eyes as silent sobs shook his body. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his mind screaming at him to move, to run, to do anything — but his body betrayed him.

The animal stopped a few meters away, watching. Its head tilted slightly, sniffing the air, each breath visible in the cold evening. Felix’s mind raced: If I stay still, maybe it will leave. If I scream, it will attack. He chose stillness, though every instinct screamed to fight or flee.

It stepped closer, slow and deliberate, every muscle moving in perfect, terrifying coordination. Felix’s vision blurred with tears and fear. He tried to speak, tried to call for help, but no sound came out. His body shook violently, each heartbeat echoing in his skull. The animal’s eyes gleamed in the dim light, focusing, measuring, deciding. Felix felt himself shrink into himself, curling slightly, praying silently for the forest to take him, for the night to swallow him so he wouldn’t feel what was coming.

The creature lunged suddenly — not a full attack, just a snap that tore through the tense silence. Felix’s scream finally burst forth, raw and high-pitched, but the wolf or bear only moved again slowly, circling him, testing him like prey. Pain radiated from his leg as he tried to move. He couldn’t. He was trapped, and the animal’s presence magnified every fear he’d ever had.

Meanwhile, far above, the group was still walking, oblivious. Chan’s voice carried in the fading light, teasing and playful, “Come on, you guys, the view’s up ahead—wait, where’s Felix?”

“Felix?” Minho’s voice, confused, rising in concern.

The members began to glance around. Hyunjin frowned. “He was just behind us a minute ago…”

Seungmin’s stomach twisted. “Did he fall behind again? He’s usually fast…”

They called his name, louder now. No response. Panic threaded into their voices, but they were still far, still separated by the forest’s twisting trails.

Felix, barely conscious, heard the distant echoes of his own name, and for a fleeting moment, he imagined relief. But the animal hadn’t moved. It was patient. It had learned that he could not escape, and that patience, not speed, would decide the outcome.

Felix’s tears mingled with sweat and dirt. Every nerve screamed at him to run, every thought begged him to shout, to make a sound. He couldn’t. He couldn’t move fast enough. He couldn’t make a sound. He couldn’t stop shaking.

The growl rumbled closer. Felix’s breath caught in his throat. The shadow between the trees stretched, inches closer, precise, deliberate. And in that dark, cold moment, with his leg screaming in pain, the forest holding its silence like a predator waiting for the final movement…

Felix realized — no one knew he was here.

And the night waited, hungry.

To be continued…