Ohmigawd, fail chapter is FAIL. I really wanted to get at least one chapter out before the end of the weekend, and to be honest, this is the weakest writing yet. It didn't help that my mind was on a few other things, and it sucks that even the music was fully helping my mind sort things out.

So...in short, I'm sorry for the sucky chapter, but this is gonna have to do for now Dx

EDIT: OHSH- I almost forgot.

You may be wondering why I called this "alternate" forest, "Chornaya." Well, I wanted to create a name that would go with the "mood" of that overall world. "Chornaya" is the Russian word for "Black." So in essence, it's implying that it's a "black" world, where barely anything can survive.

And before anyone calls me out, claiming me as a wannabe Russian, think again. I took Russian for several years in high school. That's how I know.

Anyways, onto the story.

>>>::Spooky Scape::<<<

We fear what we do not know. We do not fear what we know.

And yet, what happens if what we know is what we’re supposed to fear?

Wolves.

Creatures of beauty.

Creatures of destruction.

Stories of them are nothing but intricate tales of betrayal, of chaos, of death. Dreams of growls, of fangs, of saliva plague the minds of the feeble, often causing many to break out in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. For many years, the wolves and deer had their own opinions of each other, one whispering venom about the other. The wolves occupied a forbidden region of the Forest, a place where no sane deer dare tread.

Called, “Chornaya,” it was said to be a barren land, just short of a desert. It was said that the water was a deep crimson; a reflection of the sins of those who called it home. The plants were said to seep poison upon contact, infecting the unsuspecting, forcing them into convulsions, and killing them within mere seconds. The prey that resided there were said to be shells of a former existence; nothing but muscles and bone, leftover from a previous life filled with nothing but lies and strife.

It was said that the Sun never shone, that the Moon was the only one whose light blessed that cursed land. And the fog…the fog that blanketed Chornaya was meant to shield the eyes of the innocent, to prevent them from seeing the true horrors of its filthy bowels.

It was also said that the wolves were the supreme beings of Chornaya; sinful gods, resting upon a throne built from deceit and blood. And yet, there was a strange beauty to the way they worked; despite living in a world soaked with their own sins, they found ways to survive. They never betrayed each other, working like a family that had been evicted from their Paradise.

Their bodies began to adapt as well, tolerating the potent venom of the plants, allowing them to be consumed in times where meat was scarce. And the prey they feasted on, while meek, provided enough to allow them to grow in both strength and numbers.

Eventually, they became so powerful, that the very fog that was meant to shield the Forest began to seep from Chornaya’s gates, flooding the landscape, making the trees shudder and wither in response. While the wolves themselves couldn’t enter the Forest, their songs traveled throughout, driving some to near insanity.

Some even claimed that the Big Zombie Deer was a being that lived in Chornaya, released by the Gods every autumn for a month of freedom. It was said that he was a stag who, up until his death, was a selfish individual who cared for no one. He did as he pleased; injuring fawns, does, and stags alike, knocking down trees simply for the sake of feeing powerful. He bellowed loudly in the early morn, annoying all who listened.

To them, he was nothing more than an annoyance; a danger to those who stood within his path. But to him, he was the supreme ruler of the Forest, and those who stood before him were nothing more than inferiors waiting to be put in their place.

However, one day, he received a vision of supreme nightmares; falling in a blood-soaked abyss, hungry wolves snapping their jaws, eagerly awaiting this hearty meal. This vision terrified the stag, and he had attempted to make amends; unfortunately, the other deer paid him no heed, refusing to hear him out. They had been kicked and stabbed too many times; they were not willing to place their trust upon him.

One crisp autumn morning, within the midst of the rut, a pair of stags were fighting for a doe nestled under a large rock. However, neither doe nor stag noticed that the large rock was slowly sliding forward, awaiting the moment to crush the one who slept within its path.

A loud creaking noise shattered the silence of the morning, frightening the dueling stags. Glancing over to where the doe was sleeping, they came across a shocking sight.

The doe, shaken but alive, but standing away from the rubble; trapped underneath, was the arrogant stag; he, who would have never have done this before, threw himself before the rock, saving the doe at the cost of his own life.

The stags worked to raise the rock from the stag, but it was too late; his rib cage was shattered, his heart and lungs crushed upon contact. The stag had been born a villain, but died as a hero.

However, he could not escape the past. Upon judgment, his sins just barely outweighed the deed which brought him to the gates. As such, the God struck a deal with him.

He would live inside of Chornaya for the majority of his next life; but, for one month, and one month only, he would be allowed to roam free in the Endless Forest, offering other deer the gift of his pelt; a Zombie pelt, representing his new life in Chornaya; large, red antlers, signifying the blood of those he injured; a skull for a face, signifying his heroic death.

While many of the younger deer enjoyed seeing him, and were amazed as his massive size, the elders remained careful; his death may have been for the sake of another, but his sins weighed heavily upon their minds and hearts. They treated him with a distant respect, a cold warmth that hung thick in the air.

Myu couldn’t understand it. To her, the whole tale seemed odd and out of place. Another world outside of the so-called Endless Forest? A filthy world that was a negative of this pure world?

And yet, here it was; fog, wolf songs, the Big Zombie Deer. They were all here together; and yet, the deer themselves didn’t seem to fear it. In fact, many deer jumped with happiness, sleeping peacefully next to the Big Zombie Deer.

Nothing was right. Nothing fit together. It was an endless puzzle, a puzzle where the pieces fit, but there was a certain gap in each part that made it seem awkward once the final piece was placed. Myu tried to think of a plausible explanation, but there simply was none. Her mind raced like a rabbit being pursued, desperately trying to find that one place of hiding, that one place that could spare her an eternity of pain and fear.

Myu stomped her foot angrily on the ground, trying to shatter her thoughts completely. Yet thoughts are harder than glass, and Myu was left contemplating losing her flowers to the Pond.

No, I can’t. I have to know.

I NEED to know.

Myu first thought of asking the Big Zombie Deer, but decided against it; there were too many deer surrounding him, and any attempt at asking him would be futile. Instead, she decided to use a different tactic.

Myu may be a fawn, but her hearing is as good as any adult’s. The songs of the wolves are sporadic, sometimes lasting only a few moments. But she takes care to note each one, and from what direction it came from. Further and further, she is pulled into the fog, her curiosity roused with each step.

She feels like she’s stepping into another world entirely, her mind lost within itself. Eventually, she focuses on just the wolves and their song.

A cracking noise startles her. Quickly spinning around to check behind her, she sees nothing.

But she can feel a presence.

Someone or something is nearby. And it’s following her.

She bellows loudly, and taunts, hoping that it will scare away whoever is tailing her. But the presence seems unwavered, hanging over her like a thick storm cloud overlooking the tree tops.

Myu…?

Myu turns again, the voice catching her off guard. The voice sounds familiar, but she can’t place it.

Who’s there?

Another cracking noise causes Myu to spin around again, her agitation increasing. It is then that she hears a quite laughter creep through the air, making her ears tingle in suspense.

Keep spinning around like that, and you’ll just tire yourself out.

Who are you?

Who are YOU?

Standing defiantly, she taunts again, making sure each step into the ground leaves a strong imprint within it.

I am Myu.

A shocked silence destroys the tense atmosphere. Myu awaits a response from the being she is speaking to, but it seems as if the being doesn’t wish to speak anymore.

Hello?

…It’s as we thought. She did survive, Lena.

Lena…that name alone strikes a chord of familiarity with her. But she cannot understand why.

Lena…?

Myu cannot see the attacker. She is pushed to the ground, claws digging deeply into her back. Powerful jaws wrap around her throat, threatening to slash. A deep growl accompanies the presence. Myu is too shocked to fully register what is happening, but the next words uttered numb her body completely.

We should have done this long ago.