Yohan: Could you guys please give me a break?
Yohan was face to face with an animal, or rather, it wasn't an animal. He could see it right in front of him, but he didn't know what it was. Realistically, 'monster' was the only term that fit its description.
Six eyes
Disgustingly greenish-brown fur
A tail attached with spikes.
A mouth longer than it's own face.
But was that all there was?
Yohan was scared to death. He could've ran the moment he felt its presence or seen it, but his nerves kept him in place.
Yohan: What... why... won't I... move...?
Yohan couldn't understand it at all. He was an adventurer who wasn't afraid of any danger, as long as he didn't fall. In his mind, he thought running away would be a piece of cake.
However, his unexpected fears caught onto him. Maybe this monster was something he feared innately. Likely to be something he feared his whole life.
Yohan: Come... on... just move.
With each breath he drew, he drew his breath even faster. His heart couldn't handle the panic and seemed to be ready to explode at any moment. Not to mention, a certain pain spreaded throughout his body even faster.
It started in his arm, but then it began slowly crawling up that arm and closer to his body. That pain spreaded even faster, as if it was in a race with the breaths he drew.
The monster also drew breath at the sight of Yohan. It was clear that they were out of sync in the end. The beast was calm, it drew slower breaths, and it didn't show any signs of pain. Not even a whimper.
What was it waiting for? Yohan was clearly food for this monster, ready to be eaten at any moment.
--Uaeeaaeaagghiiiuer
There it was again. That weird sound. It came from that monsters' elongated mouth. That meant that soon it would move closer to Yohan. That's what he surmised.
After all, the only times he saw it move closer to him were when it roared, or was it a cry? He couldn't tell.
Or maybe it was a question. Maybe each time it called out to the distance, it was asking if it could come closer. Maybe Yohan standing still was a 'yes' in that monsters eyes.
So realistically, there was only option.
Swoosh!
And there he went, running full speed away from the monster. And to his luck, the monster didn't move at all. In fact, if did something completely different.
--Reiiiiiiiiiiiiiieieee.
Despite how unfamiliar that voice was, he know something was different.
To put it simply, if the previous sounds were grunts or exhalation, then the one he heard just now was a roar. Why did it happen? It was utterly puzzling.
Yohan: Right on the money!
Just as he thought he was in the clear, he heard rustling in the 'tree leaves' above him and in the bushes near him.
Yohan: Woah!
That was a close one. He managed to run away from the bush. Even if nothing came out of it yet, he was lucky considering he almost ran into it. Whatever was in their should've just come out its hiding place at this point. But as long as it didn't, Yohan didn't have anything to worry about.
Well, nothing except for that monster that was still staring him down.
-Reeeeiiiieieieh
All bark and no bite
Those were the words that came to mind when Yohan looked at it. Though, it's actions still confused him.
*Rustle.
Yohan: Woah----
He should've focused on escaping the vicinity instead. Since something was lurking in the other bush he was headed to, by his assumption.
To his luck, he managed to stop himself in his tracks, only stepping on a small blade of grass.
Yohan: Phew! That was close.
He just stood there for a moment. He must've been tired from all the running. Naturally, he should've continued running to avoid these things in the bushes,but surprisingly, nothing happened.
Yohan: Huh? Weird... Maybe this was all in my head...
He said those words, with conviction, as he was about to step further into the bush, however, something managed to cut down that conviction along with the surface of his leg.
Shing!
Yohan: Aaah!
Just then, two... three... no, four! Actually, six lines, dyed in red appeared on his right leg.
Yohan: Urk! Haaa... Dammit.
He couldn't really tell what caused it. Normally, one would assume he was scratched by an animal claw, but it wasn't anywhere to be seen, or rather, it was too fast to be seen.
Swish!
Then, that claw responsible for injuring Yohan emerged from that bush yet again. And in the nick of time, he avoided it by falling back, but he got scraped slightly in that same spot again.
Yohan: F*CK!!!
That hurt the injury. So much so that the air colliding with his leg birthed a newer pain.
Yohan: Tch! So I wasn't dreaming.
Yohans question was confirmed by an injury to his knee, which he totally didn't see coming. But it's not like these things in the bushes would straight tell him "I'm here". That would be outrageous if it did happen.
Yohan: That sh*t-face... it's his doing.
That's what he surmised as much. The reason for that monster roaring wasn't so much as an act of intimidation, or asking for consent. It was instead a call to his other friends, or his lackeys, or his children. It couldn't have called its parents, considering it's own size. So we're those it's lackeys?
If so, it wasn't farfetched to assume they were there on orders to capture or kill Yohan
That meant that Yohan had to get away before more reinforcements arrived. That was, if he could even run away anyways.
Tch!
He couldn't hold back his pain from the injury on his leg, to the point where standing was a struggle.
But f*ck it.
He had to just do it. Even if the injury was torturing him, he had to go get away from there. He just knew it.
Yohan: Ooohhh!
Yohan began his escape. He tried his best to push through the pain. Even though the blood pouring out of his leg could've made him slip, he continued to run.
*Rustle Rustle Rustle
That sounds from the bushes appeared again. Not just from one bush, but three.
Those things were still hidden in the bush, yet he could tell they were approaching him. So, realistically he couldn't look back.
He headed for the one bush where nothing was hiding in it and as he got to it, he felt the presence of those things.
---Rrrgggh!
Then, he finally took the leap of faith. Three attacks. One from the right, one from the left, and another one from above. All aimed at Yohan.
Realistically, he should've died but he had faith in himself. And so he got to live a little longer.
He should've been able to see those things before they returned to the bush, but it all happened to fast.
Thud!
Because of that risky jump, he fell onto his back.
Yohan: Sh*t!
Even though he managed to recover from his fall, he soon realized that the danger wasn't over. He could feel it.
Those six yellow eyes said it all.