Survival (Day 139)

--

The strand of trees exploded into a shower of splinters as a fearsome creature plowed through the forest. Casnie caught a flash of dull green scales before she let out of a scream and whipped around to run in the opposite direction. The trees were tightly packed but she found a way to push through, running for what she believed might be her very life. What was that thing?

She couldn't take the time to look behind her because she might slam into a tree trunk and ruin her escape. She couldn't imagine what motivation this beast might have but it certainly didn't seem friendly. The terrifying sound of spindly trees being snapped in two as the thing ripped through the knee-high grass could be heard only feet behind her.

Casnie continued to yell behind her but it seemed as if it was to no avail. Even if Aisen and Terakiel heard her, what could they do? Aisen evidently was not a Strander and Terakiel was likely to do more harm than good. The beast behind her was rather lower to the ground than she was and grunting heavily. It was having difficulty pushing its way through the trees so it chose instead to destroy everything in its path. She chanced a glance behind her and she discovered she'd gained considerable distance on the thing--but it wasn't stopping.

It had four stubby, knotted legs supporting a bulky, muscular frame. It was vaguely reptilian in nature and covered in shiny green scales all the way down to a powerful, spiked tail. It's head was shaped like a wide triangle, perforated with ridges right below its snout, which was comprised of two slits. Above that was two deeply set black eyes. Its head was downcast as if trying to ram through anything that got in its way so she couldn't see the mouth.

She had no way of knowing what this creature was, but judging by how easily it toppled over the trees, it was stronger than your average woodland animal. It clearly did not belong in this ecosystem. It looked like something that might be more at home sunning itself on a rock in a desert--not a chilly forested area. Still, it was having enough issues following her that she wasn't in any immediate danger, but she wasn't sure how successful she'd be in trying to destroy it. She had to warn the others.

That's what she wanted to do, but as she cast a quick glance around her surroundings, she realized she wasn't sure how to get back to where she was. It had to be as simple as looping around and returning to the foot of the mountain--but in her panic, she'd lost track. Sighing in frustration, she turned around and started running again, looking for landmarks.