Hey guys, been lurking for a while, loving your work, and thought I'd share an idea I had based on an RP I did once. Hope you enjoy, let me know.

The Ancient Hunger

Robyn's Hike

There's something special about a sunrise when all you can smell is the Pine around you and the the sound of birdsong, and Robyn did not intend to let the opportunity to see it pass her by. The other girls had decided to sleep in, probably hungover from the cheap rum Lucy had convinced her mother to buy, but they were in the park for only ten days, and each of them was to precious to waste with sleep.

to be fair, they probably would have slowed her down. While they all took care of themselves, Robyn had been a scout in her childhood and early teens, and the hike was almost second nature. The five other girls probably would have been happy further down the ridge, but Robyn wanted a view. The last two years of school lay before them, so the trip was a kind of final dose of madness before real life and hard study hit, so getting out, being free, and just being themselves far away from civilization without worrying about study, boys, makeup or parents was exciting.

The climb was difficult, but not dangerous, and Robyn made her way up with little difficulty. She was tougher than most people thought, and while she had her mother's feminine facial features, they were tempered but her father's strength, not bulky, but sharp and precise. Her long dark hair tied back, no makeup around her large green eyes, she looked a bit like the tomboy she claimed to be, if her shorts and tight singlet hadn't displayed her slim yet well curved body. She was 16, almost a grown woman, but had often been mistaken for 20.

She hefted herself up the final climb, and turned to watch the sun, golden and beautiful raise over the forest. In the dawn light there was nothing but trees and mountains to the horizon, and Robyn smiled and took it all in, raising her arms and feeling the new warmth of a reborn sun. One could really feel at peace with nature here. It was almost spiritual, though some small part of her mind couldn't help but think the girls should all make their way up and get a photo of their backs topless, flashing the open forest. it was an hour and a half to climb up here from their camp, so it's not like anyone wo-...

"it's a beautiful sight, isn't it?"

Snatched suddenly from her cheeky daydream, Robyn snapped to the sound of the voice, and and saw a Strangely well dressed and handsome man sitting at a rock behind her. She swore he hadn't been there when she'd climbed up, and even though she was surprised and wary her naturally friendly instincts took over.

"Oh hi! yeah, don't get sunrises like this back in the suburbs" she replied. She'd give him the benefit of the doubt, but recalled the self-defense course she'd take with her father the year before.

"Ah the cities... disgusting blights on the planet, taking away at nature to feed their hungry, soulless shells... been a while since I've been anywhere near one..." he muttered, almost to himself. Alarms started going off in Robyn's head and she decided not to take her eyes off him. for someone who claimed to not go near cities, he looked well dressed. It looked to be a suit of... Some kind of scaly leather? Crocodile maybe?

"But there's more" he said, apparently not done, "much more beautiful sights in this world. I've seen many sunrises, though not for a long time, but I have also not seen something as beautiful as you for even longer... tell me, will you give me what i want?"

That was more than enough warning than she needed, and with catlike grace, Robyn picked up a nearby stone and flung it towards the man, running away along the small cliff. It almost seemed to hit his face, but she dared not stick around to find out, running as first as her toned legs would carry her, only looking back to see if he was stunned or unconscious when she was sure she had some distance and wasn't going to fall.

But he wasn't stunned. What's more, he was running, and his clothing... the leather now seemed like part of his skin, his face seeming long, blood running down from this right eye. His hair has slicked back, clinging to his scalp, and she could swear he's gotten taller. Sure the adrenaline was making her hallucinate, Robyn still pushed herself to run faster.

But it was a mistake. Her available path disappeared off into a deeper cliff, so she could either jump and shatter her legs if she wasn't impaled on a tree, or she could risk going back the way she came and hope to evade the creep. It would have to do...

She ran again, heading to some trees to the side to hide herself from view a little, when there was a crash and a roar. In a flash of madness, she swore she could see a muscled, scaled shape leaping, something between a man and a beast from 'Jurassic Park' before she was slammed into breathlessness.

Slammed back, flew through the air and landed on her back, dazed. Agony in her chest made her feel like she'd shattered her ribs, but she had no time to cry out before a new pain hit her, something landed, pinning her legs and right arm, and she got her first proper look at her attacker.

A bear sized reptile leered over her, a mouth full of long, razor teeth snarling, as black blood wept from one of it's firey yellow eyes. It's arms, twice as long as it's rear legs, ended in almost human hands, except for the razor sharp claws, one of which pierced her right forearm, literally pinning her, while it's spiny tail twitched and waved.

growing up with two older brother's and a military father, her first instinct was to strike, and she swung, clawing at it's injured eye. the beast momentarily flinched, and retaliated but clamping its jaws over her right shoulder, and Robyn screamed as she felt the bones crack, the strong jaw tearing her arm ragged from the joint.

She could hear the sickening crunch of chewing and swallowing, but couldn't take her eyes from the rapidly bleeding stump at her shoulder. Screaming didn't seem to be enough for the horror she was experiencing, nothing but the insane hope she may somehow get away keeping her from losing her mind.

The Beast reared back and slashed at her with it's free hand, tearing at her chest, ripping her singlet away. he fantasy of being topless on the mountain now a nightmare, with deep cuts all the way along her chest and belly. her left breast had taken most of the blow, cleaved in half through the nipple, and a sharp pain on a lower cut let her know her rib was indeed broken, as it began to emerge from another deep slash.

Robyn had no idea how she was holding on to consciousness, but wished she has passed out when the creature nuzzled at a lower cut, and pressed it's muzzle deep. A completely alien pain took the lead as it reemerged, and it's spare claw digging at her as the maw pulled out a mouthful of intestine. it opened her more and more, laying her guts bare, and she swore she could see her stomach heave inside her before she threw up into herself, blood and breakfast and the sting of her own stomach acid. half her guts were gone, and in her shock, all she could do was lay back and weep.

"I don't want to die... i don't want to die... i don't want to die alone... i don't want to die... I don't want my friends to find me this way... i don't want to die"

Hot breath was suddenly at her face, eyes looking deep into her as she whimpered, mouth red and the smell of gore. for a moment, she felt like she wasn't alone in her mind, and strangely, a moment of comfort, before with a quick snap, the Beast clamped it's jaws around her throat and....

Blackness
a swirling
Blackness again

She felt herself wake up, warm and comfortable... a nightmare, it had to be. She'd open her eyes and see Alyce asleep next to her and...

Alyce wasn't there. It was still black, but she could feel she was naked, and whole, organs inside, arm attached, both breasts whole. As her eyes adjusted she could make out natural stone walls, a soft patch of lichen that she was rested on. A tunnel wound it's way towards some light. Wondering what the hell was going on, she began to climb towards the light, only to snag on a strange log jutting out, landing on the rocks with a thud.

cursing herself for missing the log, She made sure nothing was broken, and turned to free her foot from the log, and paused... it didn't feel like she was wearing a shoe, yet there it was on... he foot? Peering close, terror began to take hold... she had tripped over her own dismembered leg, yet she still had both attached. but it was unmistakably hers. same shoes, same socks, same scars from a childhood filled with outdoor games. And one new cut that made he scream. A message carved into her thigh.

"My beautiful
My prey
My Slave"