Predator (DWT x OC)

3

I had to get out. The walls were suffocating me. Wilbur had forbade me from leaving, and the boys had sided with him in agreement. That enraged me, them thinking I was weak and needing protection and to be looked after. I was my own woman, and I was going to go where I wanted. 

I wait until nightfall. I can hear the light snores and occasional grunts from the van. I hop out of my cot in the med bay, where I sleep for privacy. I ease the door open, muscles straining in anticipation of it squeaking, which thankfully it didn't. I see the flicker of Eret's lamp near the entrance, and saw his silhouette illuminated as he sat, watching in his chair. I have to move fast.

I walk quickly and as quietly as I could to the opposite wall, hidden by the trees and their thick, shadowy branches. Then I start scaling the wall. From the inside, climbing the wall is easy. It's the outside that's difficult. I move silently, biting my lip to prevent any grunts of exertion escaping as I heaved myself up the wall. Eventually, I reach the top, leaping down onto a tree, before sliding onto the ground. I grin to myself, mission success. 

I had a bow on my, quiver loaded with arrows dipped in poison. My enemies were powerful, so I had to be lethal. I also have a basket, to collect fish. Our lake had run dry, and we were in need of food. The treks to other lakes were hard under the sun and light of day, but at night I could access closer ones. I stretch my shoulders and take a deep breath in of the new smells of the woods. It was refreshing, and feeling better than ever I let a smile creep onto my face.

I sit by a pond, scrubbing my dirty feet in the crystal water, dipping my hands in the coolness and splashing it on my face. I collect healing herbs that sprung in green tufts around the pool, fingers tracing the patterns on their leaves. My basket fills with herbs and fish, and slowly I rejuvenate in the new environment. 

I can see the faintest glow of the sun over the horizon. I have to get back. There was a small window where the guards would change over, in which I could sneak back in, but I had to get going now. I hastily gather my things when the muffled sounds of voices freeze me to my spot.

Shit.

Fuck shit fuck.

I fling the contents of the basket onto the ground, scattering them. I creep away from the voices, which were only getting closer. Three men were talking. Oh no.

I shuffle backwards, trying to flee as fast as I could without making any noise. My hand grips my bow tightly as I notch it with an arrow. Then I step on a stick. The noise echoed in the silent wood. The men stopped talking. Then, I hear them crashing through the forest.

Abandoning any hope of being quiet, I turn and run, feet flying over twisted roots of trees and winding paths. My legs burn but I refuse to turn back, heart racing faster and faster as the footsteps and shouts got closer. I turn backwards for a second, catching the faint glow of torches. They were far too close. I whip back around only to stumble to a cliff edge. I was trapped.

So I hid. I scrambled to thick underbrush and dived in, burying myself in a bush. I kept my hand over my mouth and try to slow my heavy breathing. I swear they would hear my heart thumping in my temple. They enter the clearing, hungry faces lit up by blazing torches. One had wavy dark hair, held off his face by a white headband, and a maniacal look on his face, illuminated by the fire. The other was shorter, thinner in stature and with  white rimmed glasses perched on his nose, but his mouth was curled into a smirk and the gleaming sword in his free hand suggested anything but innocent. The third was Dream. He wore a green jacket, axe swinging from one hand, shield in the other. He also had a smirk on his face, and I know that his his eyes would be filled with hunger from the hunt. 

Then the man with the headband, Sapnap, turns his head and locks eyes with me.

Oh fuck.

His grin widens, eyes darkening. My mind screams at me to run, to fight but I freeze. I can't move, I can feel myself shaking, pinned by his gaze. He strolls forward and rips me out of the bush. The others turn and see me. 

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." Sapnap leers, his hand painfully tight on my bicep. George steps forwards and pulls my bow and arrows off me before tapping me on the nose.

"Caught you" he giggles, then looks back at Dream. Dream's smirk has widened even more on his face and I can feel the ice cold terror wash over my body, the sinister way he just stares at me, like I'm his prey, is the scariest thing I've ever seen. And it kicks me into action.

I rip my arm out of Sapnap's grip and bolt, sprinting in the opposite direction. I hear them swear then immediately take up chase. My chest is pounding and I'm struggling to breathe, but I refuse to let them kill me. They're catching up, I can hear them and I know that I can't outrun any of them. So I go to plan B, hide.

I abruptly change direction and creep into the thicker part of the forest. I press myself behind I tree, refusing to even breathe. 

Rosemary, you idiot, this did not work last time. 

But I have no other choice. I hear the crashing stop, and heated voices rise through the otherwise silent forest. They seem to come to an agreement, because it all goes quiet again. I don't dare make a sound, deciding to stay still until I know I'm safe and they've given up. I crane my neck a little and twist around the tree to try and see if anyone's coming my way, I can't see any glowing torches, or any figures coming near. I let out a little exhale of relief. 

Still looking backwards, I step forward, then slam into something very solid. Panic shoots through me as I scramble to my feet and without thinking, run to my left. I make it three steps before someone wraps their arms around my waist and yanks me backwards, a squeal eliciting from my throat. The person pushes me back and I look up at the eerie mask that covers his face.

"Where do you think you're going princess?" He taunts, mouth pulled back in a smirk.

I don't move, every part of my body is frozen again, every muscle coiled to snap. He closes in, forcing my back against the rough of the tree, masked face leaning in inches above my own. 

"Scared are we?"

 I don't answer, my throat is closed over tight and I'm having trouble breathing. Then there's the uncomfortableness of him being way too close to me. I'm sure I look pathetic, eyes wide, trembling, like a deer caught in the headlights. He seems to revere in it.

I vaguely register Sapnap and George stroll through the trees, faces cracked into identical evil grins. Dream hovers for a second before pushing himself away from me. He grabs my arms and roughly pulls me into the centre of the three. They circle me, like animals, predators circling their prey and I feel too closed in and too trapped and I'm going to die, oh god I'm going to die. Then they stand back.

Dream gets in close again, too far into my space but I'm rooted to the spot and can't move. He leans down, hot breath tickling the base of my neck and whispers "This is your lucky day sweetheart, we need you to be our messenger. Go back to your stupid little friends and tell them that this is their final warning. You've seen what we've done to your houses and what we can do. There better be white flags on those fucking gates or you're all going to die" And with that he steps back, lips curling back into his sinister smile. He turns and walks into the forest. Sapnap blows me a kiss, then strolls after him. George stays and looks at me, before shaking his head and turning back as well. I'm left alone, in the dark forest with my skin crawling, heart pounding and body shaking. 

Wilbur is going to kill me. 

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A/N A little taste for you all (wink wink). Anyway, the war is about to go into full swing, when L'manburg refuses to surrender. We see Eret's betrayal, and then the whole thing goes kaboom. We'll also kick off our Dream and Rosemary story arc properly.

Hope you enjoyed!

Oopsies x