by Phoebe Nix
“Help me!” she called out a second time. The birds that hovered above the tree boughs seemed to respond to her cries of help with their cawing. They were not attacking her, but they did not seem to be happy with her presence or the noise she was making.
Although she had only woken up minutes ago, it felt like she had been aimlessly wandering for hours. She recalled the peculiar shuttle that she and the girls had so naively stepped inside. There was a creature, one with fur on its back and arms, and it was dead. Whatever that thing was, she was likely in its territory right now.
“I mean no harm!” Liz shouted, her breaking voice echoing in the atmosphere. There was no guessing where she was, but she was hoping that whoever resided here was familiar with a little English, enough to spare her life when she made it clear that she was only here by accident.
Then it struck her that this place might not have any humans at all. That furry creature – it could have spoken in groans and moans.
But that thing. It flew a damn space shuttle.
Nothing made any sense.
Liz felt like she was stuck in a bad dream, but no matter how many times she tried to force herself to wake up, she would only be struck by a branch from behind or be ogled down by a rainbow-hued bird from above.
From her standpoint, there was nothing to see but the trees, the surrounding distance icebergs and the vibrant skies that shifted from green and red to yellow and red over the day. Everything looked too foreign to her eyes for her to process.
Liz’s stomach rumbled. She looked down at her bare torso, hand pressing against her belly button. She was getting weaker and could not recall when she had last had eaten. If anything, she had no clue how long it had been since she was in the shuttle with her friends. It felt like she was living a simulation of sorts – like she was a lab rat to an experiment.
But whoever was in control wouldn’t let her go this far in the snow with nothing but a bikini on. Her extremities were getting swollen. She lifted her trembling foot up to take a better look at her toes, but could not muster the strength to keep her knee bent in the air for longer than a second. Liz broke out in tears as she scrutinized her body. It looked like it was slowly decaying before her eyes.
Suddenly, it wasn’t death that she feared. It was how long it was going to be until her demise saved her from this place. She would have thought that her body would have given up much earlier in such a bitterly cold wasteland. Liz realized that she perceived time differently in this strange place. Time seemed to pass more slowly, and her body accordingly reacted at a slower pace to the surrounding conditions.
“What the hell is this place?” she whispered to herself, rubbing her arms frantically. It was not for warmth anymore. Sensing her own touch against her skin comforted her in a way.
She rocked back and forth, even when she tried her best to keep her back straight. Suppressing her nearing panic attack, Liz decided to change directions. She had been trying to walk north, but the tree branches had blocked her way. However, she noticed that when she walked a little to the right, the branches seemed to expand at a slower pace that allowed her to see more into the distance.
Her lips stopped shivering momentarily as she focused her eyes on where to head. There was nothing but distant mountains, but that was likely the populated area of this place. She took a deep breath, which stung inside her lungs, and let out a puff of steam from her lips. It formed a floating cloud that slowly disintegrated as it flew upwards.
The different perception of time made everything appear more vivid, as if those extra milliseconds gave her the space to observe the smallest details of every second.
“This can’t be real,” she reminded herself. “This is all a dream. Or I’m dead. I’m already dead.” Her voice broke into sobs as she tried to calm herself.
She took slow steps forward, turning her head back to see if the boughs were still following her. This time, they weren’t, although glowing yellow light continued to emanate from them. They slowly turned from pitch-black to a dark brown as she left them behind. Objects changed color depending on Liz’s distance from them.
It also appeared that objects would always seem closer than they were, as if her eyesight was suddenly able to zoom in on anything that she saw in the distance. Although the bizarreness of this foreign land made her think she was stuck in a bad dream, her senses had never felt more alive.
For one, her pain was far more severe, but so was her endurance. Everything – all her senses and emotions – were in a far more exaggerated state. It made her uncomfortable. Like she was suddenly given all these abilities, but they were nothing but overwhelming. She wanted to go back to where she had her normal sight and a less vivid perception of her surroundings.
Nonetheless, as she continued to snivel and occasionally sob, struggling to take steps forward in the thick layers of snow, Liz continued to follow the path that was widening and narrowing in her wake.
She had to get to that mountain.
Soon enough, she realized that whatever path she took was not going to lead her to the vast snowy mountains. She found herself in a clearing, surrounded by a barbaric network of branches that would not retract when she moved toward them.
Suddenly, in the distance, she heard something growl.
She quickly turned around, her body still shivering from cold and sudden fear.
The growling was getting louder and closer, but it seemed to come from different angles. She frantically spun around, trying to spot where the attack was coming from.
Liz heard a final roar right behind her. It sounded more like a call for battle than an attack, as though the creature was announcing its arrival, declaring animosity with her.
She slowly turned around as she held her breath, calming herself down by repeatedly telling herself this was not real. In front of her, two huge animals-things appeared on all fours with arched backs and stiff fur that stood on end like a startled cat. They were pitch black, pulsating a bright red aura. They looked like wolves, but were almost as big as adult rhinos with bright orange irises. Their jaws were open, displaying their sharp set of teeth and canines that she was sure could tear her flesh to pieces in seconds.
One of them growled again before both animals began sprinting her way.
Liz let out a scream that pierced through the air, alarming the trees to retract their boughs. She sprinted as fast she physically could, without looking back. She closed her eyes and let out a louder, longer scream. The animals were not growling, but she could hear them breathe and pant.
They were closer than they should be.
Chapter 3
The screams Jerof heard were unfamiliar.
They seemed to emanate from a creature in distress, but whatever it was that was out there, it was not native to Url. Normally, Jerof would hear all kinds of peculiar howls and growls in this forest, and he would shrug them off as he carried on with his spiritual trek.
But the glowing trail along the sky, along with the female voices that he had heard during his prayer – it was all leading him to this foreign creature that was now in distress. Jerof knew he needed to get there before something else did.
He wondered whether it was something to be collected and sacrificed, or a sentient being that was going to grant him enlightenment after a long conversation. This had never happened to him before. Jerof was never sent a message that was embodied in the outside world. Not until today.
He took a lungful of the frosty air around him, sucking the mist into his flared nostrils.
“Wanderhounds,” he noted. “They’re on the move.”
Just as he suspected, this screaming creature was quickly going to be prey. As much as this forest was the ideal place for a spiritual getaway, it was infested with wild animals that would make any smaller being their next meal. This creature was clearly feeble, and if Jerof failed to get to it first, it was not going to make it alive.
His opposable claws were drawn, keeping himself steady on the slippery snow. He t
ook a step back before he made his sprint toward the dense forest, his claws severing any growing boughs that blocked his way.
The scent of this creature grew more intense. He had never perceived such a scent before. It was not foul, nor was it appetizing. This was no enemy or prey. But its intentions were yet to be identified. Judging by the pheromones that Jerof could sniff, this creature was petrified and likely harmless. He smelled no hostility – only fear. He could not identify the sex though. He was not close enough.
Jerof stopped, letting out a growl that was loud enough to vibrate the ground. Although it didn’t always succeed, this would sometimes keep the Wanderhounds on their toes, giving their prey the space to make for an escape. It was going to be harder to find this creature when it was running for its life.
Before Jerof found this being, he had to find the hounds that were chasing it. Else, the chase was going to be endless and was quickly going to end in the feeble beings demise.
As the sun completely disappeared behind the horizon, the skies morphed from greens and reds to yellows and blues. This was going to make it easier for him to find the Wanderhounds. Their hostile auras were going to be seen more clearly in the dark of the night.
Jerof felt he was getting closer. The prey, too, had stopped running. Judging by the scent, it had likely been hiding for a good few minutes.
“Please, stay alive,” he muttered. “I’m coming to get you.”
Oddly enough, he already felt a deep connection with this unknown creature. Surely, he was curious as to what it was. He imagined it would end up being a trusted companion that he kept as a pet, which was not something Hagrans usually did, but it was not entirely uncommon amongst the Royals. One of his great grandfathers was able to tame a Wanderbear, but those were much less hostile than hounds.
Jerof sent clouds of snow streaming behind him as he sped through the wooden curlicues that failed to grow fast enough for his sharp claws.
He heard another scream, but he heard it in the back of his head. It was not a scream from the present.
His determination to save this being grew stronger. He was getting frustrated with how long it was taking him to get to it. It was close enough to be smelled, but far enough to have him speed through icebergs and snowy mountains as he chased after the scent of the hounds.
Their odor was becoming fouler the closer Jerof got. The Wanderhounds were not usually territorial; they were certainly hungry, and their prey was nothing but a quick snack.
When Jerof let out his second growl, he heard one calling back for him. The hounds heard him loud and clear, but they did not seem to be threatened. Not only were they hungry for this creature, they were curious as to what this foreign being would taste like.
Jerof failed to hear the crack of the branches being cut down in the distance. He concluded that the creature’s claws were not sharp enough for it to stroll through this dense forest. If the being got stuck in the branches, the way smaller animals usually did, it was going to be devoured in seconds.
That was what the trees in the Icelands did. Because prey was so hard to find in such vast icy fields, the branches acted as webs that trapped weaker animals.
But the scent of this being made Jerof certain that it was no animal.
It certainly was no Hagran, but it was something similar.
As Jerof neared his target, he could hear the frustrated groans of the hounds. Their prey did not make it easy for them to chase. And it was not good at hiding either. It was only running in unpredictable directions, but skillful enough to avoid being stuck in the growing network of wooden boughs.
Jerof sent the creature a loud howl, in an attempt to let it know that he was on his way to its rescue. But he could still smell its growing fear. If anything, his howls were making it worse. There was nothing he could do but chase the sounds and scent.
In the distance, Jefof spotted the Wanderbears. The bears did not usually attack unless one trespassed their territories. They were not as curious as the hounds, but were much more hostile than wild cats when confronted. They watched him race through the snow, more curious than threatened, and Jefof hoped they would stay that way.
He didn’t worry about the bears. The hounds, on the other hand, were something else entirely.
Whoever this being was, it was quite unlucky to encounter the few hounds that resided in the Icelands. Jefof knew that they rarely attacked in groups for they were not very social creatures. But they would not attack one of their own, especially when they could unite to catch an interesting meal. Food for them was scarce, but their real craving was the hunt itself. The meal was only the cherry on the cake.
He recalled what Finoa taught him when they fought off hounds together in these icy outskirts. Although Hagrans did not believe any species was evil by nature, some wild animals were simply built viler than others.
These hounds loved deception.
They would pretend to give up on the battle, only to show up seconds later when the attacker would least expect it. The best way to defeat them when they gathered in a pack was to kill one or two and watch the rest flee. Killing them all would disrupt the environmental balance, and only hurting them would not teach them a lesson. He had learned that the hard way and wore a scar across his eye that he once got when a hound clawed his face as it wrestled him.
Jerof’s long braided hair flew behind him, wavering in the wind as he sprinted for the rescue.
Finoa had also taught him not to wrestle any wild animals. They had to be struck with a weapon or with their own claws. Once they landed on a Hagran’s body, the chances to make it out in one piece were slim.
In the distance, Jerof finally spotted the two frustrated hounds. They were no longer running. Their tails wagged as they watched their prey between the branches.
Jerof could finally see the creature. She was shaven bare and was not dressed for the weather. Her skin was pale and her body was shivering, likely from both the cold and fear. He could see from the way it was built that it was female. It looked like a humanoid. She could not see him in the distance. Her eyes were fixed on her wrists, which were held up by the wooden curlicues.
Jerof let out a roar to alarm the hounds, which turned to him and growled back.
The female suddenly stopped shivering, and she stared at him with eyes wide in horror.
Chapter 4
Frantically pulling on her wrists, knowing she was not strong enough to set herself free from her restraints, Liz gazed ahead as she witnessed what looked as close to a man attack the hounds that had been chasing her.
She was still out of breath. Her chest heaved as she gasped for the air that stung her lungs.
This man must have been seven feet or so tall, with soft fur covering his back and arms, much like that thing that she had seen in the shuttle before she was sent to this strange land. She would have thought that it was the same person, but his size was different. He had a much larger body.
It looked like he was fighting for her, but all the creatures in this place were foreign to her eyes and she could not just trust anyone – or anything – that she ran into. What she needed was to find a way back home. Possibly, look for the shuttle that had sent her here. It had to be around somewhere.
Robotically pulling on her wrists, Liz watched the man tear through the flesh of one of the hounds with seven-inch claws. He swung at their angry faces, blood sprinkling across the snow in thick drops. Severely injured, the hounds did not give up easily.
With a limp, one of the animals jumped on the man’s back, its claws about to dig through the man’s shoulders, but he caught the animal by the scruff and threw it forward, landing too close to Liz.
Liz screamed until she was breathless, but the hound had established someone else as its target. It rolled back to its feet and pranced toward the man but the other was quicker; the man-thing swung his claws under its chin. The hound froze in its place, and in a second, blood showered on the snow beneath it shortly before it collapsed.
&nb
sp; The other hound suddenly stopped growling. It glanced at its dead mate and slowly backed away, turning its back to the man and limping through the dense woods.
Liz wanted to scream – she tried to, but her mouth was wide open as she wheezed.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” she pleaded, shaking her head.
The man sprinted toward her. She closed her eyes and turned her head the other way. Suddenly, she felt herself falling on the ground, feeling the frigid snow on her bare thighs. She looked up, watching the man’s dark braid wavering in the air. He retracted his claws and continued to stare down at her, almost as bewildered as she was.
Although he looked like he had no ill intentions toward her, the way he was built terrified her. He was not necessarily an unattractive creature. His face looked like the face of an extraordinarily handsome man with a chiseled facial structure and a trimmed soft beard. The parts of his body that were bare glowed under the moonlight in a vivid bronze.
She glanced at her own quivering body, which had grown pale enough for her to look like the walking dead. Her toes and fingers were swollen and a vivid red. She could feel her blood pulsating in her limbs, and the pain was unbearable. Liz heard herself whimpering, realizing she had been moaning in pain since the chase began. Only now did she finally have the mindset to focus on how severe her condition was.
When she pointed her chin back up to look at the man, she saw that he had taken a few steps back, likely to make her feel comfortable. She pushed herself off the ground, her hands running up and down her arms for warmth. Liz wanted to speak – she wanted to say something, but she had no clue whether this creature would be able to understand her.
That was when she realized she was staring at an alien. Liz was not sent to a distant land; she was sent to a different planet entirely. Her size in comparison with her surroundings was exceptionally minuscule, while his was more well-built to interact with the dangerous nature of this forest.
