Warning, violence and gore near the end of the story
For Scythe's
Halloween Trades
She had only stepped outside the Forest for a moment. She needed some time alone, somewhere nobody would find her. She knew the way in and out, there was one spot where one could leave the Endless Forest and step into the world outside.
The problem was that she had gotten lost on her trip outside the Forest.
Manako had walked through dense, unrecognizable trees, thinking she was going the right direction until she managed to step out of the wilderness. She stumbled upon a small farming town, where she saw for miles from the treeline. It was here she spotted something running toward her. It was an odd-looking creature, small with beady-red eyes, and long, sharp fangs. She didn't know what it was as it ran away from the town and past her, the two making visual contact as the strange creature darted into the treeline.
She looked back to the town in time to see a gathering of humans and their barking dogs, standing around what appeared to be a resting farm animal. Whatever that thing was that got past her had apparently caused some havoc in the town, as soon Manako would realize there were others who were laying awkwardly on the ground, a mangled, bloodied mess...dead...
"Look, up there! El Chupacabra!", one of the farmers called, pointing to the trees where the were-doe was watching them. Manako knew it was time to run, they had spotted her and mistook her for the creature that had killed their livestock. She turn and bolted into the trees, keeping her wits about her, keeping her ears open and listening. They had sent the dogs on her, she could hear them approaching. She wasn't running out of fear, she wasn't at all afraid. She just knew she was in the wrong place a the wrong time.
The dogs were clever, and knew these woods better than Manako did.
