I end what you start [Dhina/Rhys/..?]

[X] [X][X]

It had started like any other day. Dhina was vaguely aware that Rhys had been in the forest earlier by the large patches of flattened grass but paid very little mind to it. Some days he were active, apparently today enough to run across the whole forest. Probably had a friend appear. She walked steadily for the pond and leaned down to drink from the putrid waters. It still had not completely purified itself of the recent suicides and she still found it to be quite distasteful despite the crystal clear appearance.

"Jump in."

She froze and raised her head towards the center of the pond where the figure stood. She recognized the voice but never before had a face to put with it. How troublesome.
The voice had always been a guiding factor in her life. It lead her to play with others, jump from rocks, obtain a skull mask, and meet the wonderful Rakkaus.

And yet it seemed wrong this time. There was never that hinted little smirk that accompanied the words nor that maddening constant dripping. Crimson into murky depths. How fitting, a corpse upon a bed of corpses. She lowered her small horns and let out a small growl.

"No thank you.
I think I'll stay right here.
I don't fancy being another cliche."

It just started laughing and stood up. Surprising in it's condition. She'd had some contact with the hairless apes in her other life. This one was completely around the bend. Absolutely bonkers and that was scary. This was not the gentle guiding voice. No, it had the same pitch but the tone was completely wrong.

"You can do it. One step...two step...blue fish...red cats.."

What a lunatic.

And yet with each word her legs moved of her own accord. She couldn't disobey that voice. It was impossible. She fought it, she struggled, and she howled in rage but kept moving towards the depths.

"Stop it!
What has come over you?!
I would never do this!
I am stronger than this!"

"No you're not. Maybe you lost a dear friend. I can justify it. It'll be funny. Spring cleaning wheee! That'll get you the attention you deserve!"

Four steps.
Three steps.
Two steps.
The great plunge into the abyss.

She wondered whether it was like this for the ones before her. One day their voice turned around and decided that they no longer were to be happy. They no longer could have friends. They no longer were worth having around and they too struggled, screamed, and kicked desperately to fight back.

She stared up towards that grinning smile and watched it take off into the forest.
A stream of red hue wound it's way through the water near her face and dissipated.
Bleeding from the mind.
How very queer.

As the dark closed in so did he. He broke the surface in a flurry of scattering fish and grasp hold of the small trembling female before swimming desperately for shore. More exercise. Probably the most he has had in nearly a year.
Rhys deposited Dhina in the reeds on shore and laid down to conceal himself as he watched.
She was under for less than a minute, she would recover.
Yet if he were not watching...
He shuddered and pushed up his mask to nuzzle her back.
"Shhh...You're okay now. It's okay...hes gone."

"He was bleeding from the head."

"I know. I thought he might only torment me but you must have seemed an easy target. Stay low and hidden."

"W-Why can't you just stop it?"
"He doesn't seem to be responding to the voice of reason lately. I am trying..."

"M-maybe that hole is where
the voice of reason
tried to escape."
Rhys sighed and laid his head across her back.
"Nonsense. I would make a much larger hole than that should I attempt to abandon him."

The two laid silently watching towards the empty forest for any signs of the tormentor.
It seemed fairly peaceful until a small white deer streaked past and two identical grins stared back towards the pond. Only one was painted on.

Dhina's throat felt dry and she stared in horror.

"T-That son of a bitch!
He can't do that!
The story..."

Rhys steadily got to his feet and took off after the smaller ghostly buck.
"You think he cares about the story? Hes not the same as before. I'll fix this I promise. "

The Endless Forest

I end what you start [Dhina/Rhys/..?]

How fun. I sense there's