You walk through a strangely silent forest, the sun having long since been replaced by a nearly full moon. You note the almost disturbing way that the shadows of several tall trees crawl across the moss coated stones beneath your feet. A sleek black camera rests gently against your chest, the whole reason you were out here in the first place. The weather had been nice today; warm, sunny, and with minimal cloud coverage, a perfect opportunity to photograph some wildlife. Yet, you had gotten so caught up in your quest that you completely lost track of time and wound up lost in some random forest. Come to think of it.. This would be a perfect opening for some stupid horror story.
Suddenly a shadow darts across your view in an abnormal way, causing you to silently curse yourself for jinxing it. Goosebumps spread across your limbs, struggling to find the creature as the undergrowth begins to rustle. Then everything is silent once again, allowing you to let out a breath you had been unaware you were holding. Turning back you find a somewhat small fox, large ears perked as they face you. It blinks, and you blink.
"Heya stranger." The fox starts with a human like smirk. You open your mouth to reply before freezing entirely. Wait.. Did that random fox just talk? Your lack of a response causes the tiny critter to begin to snicker. "What's 'he matter, snake got 'our tongue?" Their accent is undeniable, yet you can't seem to place exactly where it sounds like it's from.
Quite hesitantly, you inform the fox of your situation telling them of all the details regarding how you got lost. Dark turquoise eyes seem to glint as they lock onto the black device against your chest, disappearing in a flash. "Lemmie see, lemmie see." A voice demands in your ear, pale paws reaching towards the device. Oddly enough, you couldn't feel any weight upon your shoulders. When you hesitate, they whine in annoyance, tugging on the strap that held the camera around your neck.
The next several minutes are spent showing the fox the fruits of your labor, occasionally earning a small comment or tip hidden in what sounded like an insult. Once the tiny beast seems to be satisfied, they leap off your shoulders and land silently in front of you, clearing their tiny throat. "Excuse me.. Anyways, my name is Runne. And you, my friend, are an absolute fool."
Your partly hurt expression coaxes the fo- or rather Runne to continue. "The pack that lives here doesn't take kindly to strangers storming about in their territory. Plus, there's some unsightly things that slip out to hunt in the dead of night. You should be on your way home." You give them a 'no-shit-sherlock' look, causing them to roll their eyes.
A heavy sigh leaves the critter, almost surprising that they could produce that much air. "Well, I suppose I could help you out since you don't seem to bad for a.. whatever you are.." They shake a pale paw at you, as if to dismiss something. "Listen here, sixty three paces. That's how far away you are. You'll find a steep gorge and a pack, don't push your luck with them. They'll let you stay for the night if you behave."
You simply stare at the critter; had they not already told that the pack in the area did not take kindly to strangers? A deep bellow tears your eyes from the fox as you stare off into the dark distance, as if you could see the source. When you return your attention to he animal, you discover that nothing is there, or even remotely near. You're left pondering the entire encounter, were you going crazy? It couldn't hurt to investigate upon what they said, hopefully. A faint snicker wiggle's its way into you ears as you take your first step. Perhaps you wern't seeing things..