Creatures In The Shadows

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          The forest was huge, murky, and lush. Its canopy was ruled by weeping willows, tamarack, and cottonwood, and ample openings let enough dancing beams of light through for all sorts of mushrooms to cultivate the nut and seed covered grounds below. Curving vines drooped from every tree, and a medley of flowers, which claimed remnants of light, enhanced the otherwise monotonous forest grounds. A tumult of animal noises, predominantly those of prowling creatures, filled the air, and almost completely muffled the occasional splashes of frogs jumping in the nearby puddles.

A dark silhouette sat, head turned upwards, in a pillar of moonlight. The bright shaft of light came from a large gaping hole in the ground above. The shadowy figure uttered the same words under its breath, repeatedly to the point that one could safely assume the creature's insanity.

"Small Bites, Small Delights

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"Small Bites, Small Delights. Small Bites, Small Delights. Small Bites, Small Delights." The creature repeated to itself while staring at the sky through the hole in the pit's roof. Its red eyes flashed with a potent mixture of disgust and delight, its lips pulled back in an ugly, twisted, disgusted grin. Its black, patchy tail flicked up when it muttered "Small bites" and came down and hit the floor with a soft thud whenever it uttered "Small delights." The creature muttered it's rhyme so intently that it didn't notice the jet black snake that slithered up behind it.

"Charm....?" the snake questioningly called out, a hint of pleasure in his voice.

Charm's rambling ceased abruptly, but the cold, stone walls carried the faint echo of his utterances for a few moments longer.

"My lord." Charm cooed, lowering his head in submission.

"Charm, I need you to do something." The snake hissed with a venomous glint in his black eyes.

"Anything for you, my lord." The onyx wolf replied.

"I need you to deliver a message to Calemir."

Charm suddenly shifted his front towards the snake. His entire body was rigid and his face revealed his consternation. "The new Seer?" He asked. "Why, Uvdis?"

"Why?" replied the scaly god of death, "I want to send him a crystal clear message, my treasured Charm. I want him to know that a darkness is coming and that there's nothing he can do to stop it."

Charm's red eyes flashed in dismay, "But my lord, the prophecy-"

"Mange-pelt!" Spat Uvdis with a furious flash of his viperous fangs, "Shut your muzzle before I kill you a second time."

Charm stared at Uvdis with unease, his entire body sat still as stone.

Uvdis slithered away from Charm and to his left before continuing as if the previous threats had never been stated, "I want to strike fear and doubt into the new Seer before he becomes too comfortable. Can you do that, Charm?"

The black he-wolf snapped out of his frozen state and briskly replied, "Of course, my lord. It would be a pleasure." With that, Uvdis flicked his tail, signaling Charm to leave and find the Seer. As Charm leapt from The Cave of Darkness the god of death sneered and called out to his messenger, "Obedience or death, my friend." before slithering back to the darkness, where the shadows devoured his physical form.

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