Cw: implied death by fire, mentions of blood
Walking through the dark woods, Whumpee shivered as they rubbed their bare arms trying to warm themselves.
Terrified, they repeated to themselves quietly "I'm NOT scared. I'm NOT scared!"
Passing through a particularly dark briar, they continued their mantra until something responded back "you should be."
Feeling the hot breath on their skin of an unexpected host, Whumpee stopped. As hot as the breath was on the back of their arm, Whumpee felt cold.
Whumpee turned to where they heard the voice slowly. They were met with glowing green eyes.
"What?" they squeaked.
The sound of tearing roots sent Whumpee stumbling away as something tore itself up out of the forest floor. As it drew closer, Whumpee saw the glowing green eyes were set in an antlered skull with lichen and bioluminescent toadstools draping to the floor.
"I said: you should be scared!" Growled the creature as claws reached out for Whumpee. Turning to run, Whumpee made it three steps before tripping over a root that they weren't sure was there before.
Whumpee's ankle was clawed deeply as they were picked up by it. Meeting again eye to eye, Whumpee fainted at the overwhelming sight of the monster before them.
Whumpee cracked their eyes open to see they were resting in a cage on the straw floor of a woven root lair. Herbs and vegetables were scattered about along with parts of animal carcasses seemingly saved for some further purpose.
Hearing the creature return, Whumpee shrunk into the corner of their tiny crate.
A large clawed hand, tearing into their shoulder, dragged them out. They felt the warm wetness that could only be blood. Unable to walk due to their ankle, they were tripping alongside the monster. They were led to a roaring fire and thrown to the ground. Quickly, their hands and feet were bound and they were slung over a sturdy branch.
"No no PLEASE don't eat me! I don't want to die!"
"Then you shouldn't have been in the woods," chuckled the creature, lifting the tearful person onto the rack over the fire.
"You will be delicious."
And with that, a powder was thrown into the fire below causing it to explode upwards.
