Obscure

Panic

I was being chased through a forest.

Panic bubbling through my body. My breath was shuddering in violent waves, burning my veins mercilessly as the oxygen wasn't reaching my muscles quick enough. Silently I cursed myself for not working out more as my limbs screamed at me in anger, willing me to stop. But alas I continued sprinting at full pelt, dodging exposed roots and plant thickets out to pull me down to the group and let my chaser catch me.

I stumbled into a clearing, looking about me for a direction that would be best. Pausing I noticed the lack of thundering feet behind me, somehow this made me more worried than if there was. Where could he have gone? Anxiously I glanced in every direction I could, analysing the darkening woods. Maybe I had lost him? I hoped so, panting desperately trying to recover a normal breathing rate. My heart slowed up a little, allowing me to calm my nerves slightly. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths.

All of a sudden I was carefully tackled into the vivid grass, a high scream pulled itself from my lips as giggles filled my ears. 

"Gotcha." 

"Shut up Newt! That was unfair." I protested as I pushed the man off of me, sticking my tongue out at him as I sat up and brushed myself off in fake anger. 

"How was that unfair Tori?" Newt laughed, still laying in the grass - the foliage encasing his body, framing his figure.

"You know this place better than me!" I exclaimed, before noticing my hair, "Look! You turned it white - meanie." I pouted, pulling my paper white ringlets in disdain, slowly it turned to a light candy floss pink as I calmed my nerves. 

"It looks cute though!" Newt chimed, beaming up at me from his new found bed in the plants to which I grumbled at. Abruptly Newt's face contorted unnaturally, said male emitting a rather high pitched squeak in fear. I couldn't help but chortle as I watched Dougal materialise above Newt's face, wearing a smug expression. "Very funny Dougal." 

The demiguise bounded over to me and harshly tugged at my blouse sleeve, indicating for me to follow him. 

"Hey Newt, I think Dougal has something to show us." I muttered, curiosity controlling my mind. Newt jumped up and laced my free non-Dougal occupied hand with his own.

"Come on then Dougal where are we going?" the man queried. 

We wandered for quite some time through terrain after terrain. The forest gave way to a dessert which was ruby coloured and then finally we were brought to a halt by the demiguise in front of a large waterfall - seemingly a rain forest terrain. Dougal released my hand and ran off through the water plunging heavily from the rocks above. 

"How many animals does this case house?" I queried.

"I lost track a few years ago." Newt smiled before following suit after Dougal, myself trailing behind the two cautiously.

The waterfall surprisingly opened out into a much larger cave like structure which was dimly lit by torches glowing vaguely. My eyes were pulled to Newt's hunched figure, he was muttering something furiously to himself, I cocked my head in confusion and moved closer to the man. As I placed my hand on his back he turned to me, revealing what he was stressing over. 

A small weak looking hippogriff laid out on the floor at Newt's feet, it was making pitiful little whines as it kicked helplessly at the air in pain. A gash tore it's silvered feathers, staining them a bloody red - the wound was on it's hind leg and with every futile kick more blood would ooze dangerously from the cut. 

"Tori - I'm going to have to get supplies from the shed, I left my wand there." Newt whispered in attempt to not worry the animal, worry panicked my mind, "He's only little - a few months, I think he must've been on the receiving end of one of the others temper tantrums. Stay here and keep him calm would you?" 

"How would-" I began.

"Just treat him like a human baby - that's all he is really. Just a bit more feathery and less... screamy." Newt smiled cheekily as he slipped out of the cave, disappearing behind the curtain of water cloaking the cave. I turned back to the hippogriff who was currently thrashing about wildly and smacking his head on the cold rock beneath him.

"Hey hey hey." I whispered running up to the creature, kneeling down next to him and placing his head carefully in my lap, running my fingers through his feathered head. Quickly I wracked my brains for my limited knowledge on these animals. For one I know they were very proud and liked you to be incredibly polite to them. You were supposed to bow to them before approaching them but it appeared that I had skipped a few steps with this one. "Don't want you knocking yourself out now do we?" I cooed, more comforting myself than the stressed animal on my legs. 

Dougal had seemingly disappeared from sight - typical, silly little coward. I loved him but honestly a helping paw would be greatly appreciated right about now. The hippogriff let out a pained wail as a new wave of blood pulsed out of it's leg. 

Deciding a distraction technique is the only one I could really go with right about now I began to chat casually to the beast writhing on my lap, "You know, I'm pretty sure if I were you I would be passed out on the floor - so you're doing really great!" I tried the encouragement approach, the animal seemed to pause to listen to me before gently snorting as if laughing at me. "I'd be such a drama queen! I'd act as if my whole leg had been torn off. See? You're so much better than I am." I giggled, ruffling his feathers as he fluttered his wings softly while making chirps that mimicked my giggles. 

"Hey! You two didn't kill each other." Newt broke in, with a Dougal wrapped tightly around his neck, wand clutched tightly in his hand. 

Both the hippogriff and I looked at him as if to say 'how dare you' and I pouted to demonstrate my annoyance. 

"Not everyone wants to kill me Newt." I retorted, returning my gaze to the hippogriff as Newt got to his knees and set about healing the animal. 

"A fair few seem to want to." the man chuckled lightly before placing his wand on the floor and pulling the winged creature to its feet. The animal jumped at me and nipped my ears affectionately, hooves planted on my thighs like a puppy would do.

"Don't go annoying anyone else alright?" I laughed as the hippogriff bounded out of the cave.