Reborn

2: Already Seen (Rewritten!)

As though that were it's permission, the spotted creature sprang forth. Yellowed teeth that were slick with the animals spit, gleamed at me menacingly as the Bow Wow came forwards in a single leap.

Heart pounding so hard I feared it might break out of my chest, I stumbled backwards as best as I could as a startled yell left my lips. My vision began to blur with my tears, but I could see enough to witness those sharp teeth snap down inches from my nose as I tripped backwards on something. I tumbled onto my back and large paws dug into the dirt on either side of my head as the animal missed and landed behind me.

The panic that had been in my chest seemed to snap then, as I realized that I had just almost died, and a single thought ran through my mind.

'I don't want to die.' The thought sent an icy hot chill all throughout me. My tears stopped and I felt my body stop it's trembling.

Everything seemed to go on slow motion as I watched the Bow Wow slowly turn towards me. 

'I don't want to die.'

Muscles in it's haunches bunched, and the animal's hungry gaze met my own frightened one as it leapt once more.

A hot thing deep inside of me suddenly leapt forwards and surged to my hands. My arms came up to cover my face as I felt the thing that I had come to recognize as my magic come to my defense. 'I'm not going to die!'

There was a yelp and a horrible angry buzz heated up the air as something hot and wet landed all over me. Slowly I opened my eyes- which had closed on reflex- and stared up numbly at the round, fractured portal that was above me. It buzzed with angry energy, black fracture lines spiderwebbed all over the incomplete manifestation, and I felt myself begin to tremble as I realized what I had just done. With a zap that singed the air with the scent of ozone, the portal then closed and I realized just how quiet everything had become.

There were no bugs that sung with the sun. There was no breeze that rustled tree leaves. Birds had no song. Even the kid I had come to aid no longer cried. The forest was utterly silent, which left only the faint sound the of waves that crashed against rocks in the distance.

Ever so slowly I sat up, and was grateful I hadn't eaten anything. Stomach instantly queasy, I fought the urge to hurl as I took in the deconstructed remains all around me. Blood, entrails, bits of fur and bone- everything that had once consisted of a living animal was now scattered around me in full display. It made me feel sick, especially when I noticed how I had been completely covered in it too.

Disgust filled me as I slowly stood, and the sticky red substance clung to my skin stubbornly. Secretly hoping I was no longer needed here so that I could run off to the nearest body of water, I gingerly made my way towards the three meter drop. I set myself down on my hands and knees, cringed at how I felt the dirt and dried leaves stick to the palms of my hands, and peeked my head over the edge.

Down below was a small kid that looked to be two seasons younger than me, no older than ten seasons at the most. From the bright colors that could only be new paint on their mask, I knew that the item had to have been carved out for them recently. Then my eyes traveled down to the kid's torso- where I spotted a long claw mark on their arm- and to their legs. A long jagged gash had been made on their calf and from the blood on the sharp stone just beside them, I knew it had been made during the fall.

"Y- you okay?" I called down worriedly, and watched at the kid's tense body seemed to freeze at the sound of my voice. Their head tilted upwards, and I stared at the vibrant face of the mask that I was shown.

The kid gasped when they spotted me, and then their body began to tremble all the more. The action caused their cuts to bleed even more and I couldn't help but frown in worry.