Wings and Webs 2: Discovery

Yukinaru ~The Unseen~ 5

The morning mist cling to the forest like a ghostly veil, obscuring the towering trees and casting an air of mystery over the familiar terrain. I awoke with a start, my mind racing once more.
*I have a clue at least, a Shadow Walker and they come from the Shadowscape.*
I glance at Haiji laying up against me, his fur is cooling to the touch. I didn't pick up any pings at least and the area still seems unnervingly quiet. I honestly don't ever remember a part of the homeland to be this... frozen.
Even the carnivorous foliage seems to be trying to suppress their presence.
*Could they fear the lurking shadow walker or is it the tree that it seems fond of?*
"Haiji, did you sense anything unusual during the night?"
I ask, barely a whisper to his ears. Haiji rose to his feet and his tail twitches back and forth as he surveys our surroundings.
"Master. The shadows are unsettled." His tone low and serious, "The creature's presence lingers, like a scar."
"Well then that is either good for me or will end up being really shitty." I groan remembering the stranger's warning not to hunt it out.
Pushing myself up from the mossy ground I glance around, expecting to see the creature's oozing black form. I shiver flicks down my back.
The unnerving sensation of its' grip tightening around my neck still lingers. Whatever this entity truly is, it possesses a power that unsettles me to the core.
"We need to find out more about that stranger and the shadow walkers," I speak quickly to him. "There might be clues at that tree."
Haiji inclined his head in agreement, his gaze scanning the misty landscape. "Master, the clues you seek may be hidden though."
"Don't be such a downer Haiji." I roll my eyes as we shadow jump.
The massive, dark leafless tree looms in front of us as we step through, its' presence commanding attention today. As we move closer, I could feel the subtle hum of energy emanating from the branches. If it wasn't for the stillness here, I never would have realized how much like a heartbeat it is.
Reaching out my hand, I gently trail my fingers along the rough blacken bark. I can sense some type of push back of energy. It neither welcomes nor rejects my touch, beneath the surface though I can feel an immense source lurking.
I continue to walk around the trunk of the tree, making sure to carefully avoid the exposed roots. Hoping for any clue as to where I should go next.
"Master over here." Haiji calls out to me.
I circle back around and his paw is resting on faint etchings in the bark.
"These symbols are ancient Master. Probably older than the forest itself."
I lean in closer and can't even make heads or tails at what I am seeing. The symbols look to be mere shapes and gibberish. Some swirl with hard lines slashed through them. Even a few dashes and slashes litter in between, some far more intricate.
I trace the foreign markings with my fingertips, hoping to get a sense of something from them. "What do they mean... Can you decipher any of this Haiji?"
Haiji's eyes narrow in concentration. "They appear to be a form of runic script Master. Though it is unfamiliar to me, I think the markings are a map of sorts." He pauses, his gaze shifting to me. "Perhaps the creature is linked to this?"
A shiver ran down my spine and to the tips of my feathers at the thought, "I'd rather try my luck in the Shadowscape Haiji then hunt put the thing from yesterday."
"Then maybe see if another can understand these markings?" Haiji suggests lightly.
"I suppose so, especially if it could give me a clear direction to travel." I straighten up and my wings rustle softly.
"The Dark Continent holds many secrets Master. Even the shadows do not know everything here." Haiji replied, his eyes scanning the mist shrouded trees.
"I should seek out Chrollo, I think he may be able to read this." I sigh heavily.
Looking back at the tree one more time, cementing it to memory. Glancing around the base of the trunk I notice strange three toed tracks leading southward. I point to the trail and motion to Haiji.
With a flick of his tail, he turned and began to navigate the winding tracks, his steps sure and unhurried. I follow closely, my senses heightened as we delve deeper into this cursed forest.
An intoxicating shift in energy envelops us, as if the very essence of the woods had grown sentient. The air thickens around us, clinging to our skin like a damp cloth. While the shadows morph into odd shape specters, twisting and writhing amongst the gnarled trees.
With every step, I feel an unsettling awareness, as though haunting eyes are tracking our movements from within the swirling mists. Fleeting glimpses of obscure forms dance just beyond the veil of fog. Haiji halts abruptly, his ears flicking with keen alertness.
"Master, we are being observed," he murmurs, an unusual edge lacing his voice.
With his hackles bristled, it shows his unease. I instinctively take in my surroundings, scanning the ethereal landscape. Heavy confusion swirling in my mind.
"By whom? Or what?" I press him, despite sensing no immediate threat.
"The air itself, Master." Haiji replied, the tremor of worry evident in his tone. "It is ancient, alive, and it senses our presence, our curiosity. We tread upon dangerous ground, Master."
As if in response to Haiji's foreboding words, a cold whisper drifts through the twisting branches, an ethereal lament that crawled beneath our skin and sent an icy shiver down our spines.
"Master." Haiji warns again.
His dark eyes glistening with alertness. I strain my ears, desperately trying to unravel the meaning of the haunting whispers that curl around us like tendrils of fog. The words eluded me, an unfamiliar language, yet the tone resonates with an unsettling harmony, both soothing and menacing.
"Could be guardians of this area or something far more sinister? Is the forest itself reaching out to us, sharing an unknown message?" I question openly but not expecting Haiji to answer.
With hesitant determination, I step forward, my wings unfurling slightly as if to embrace the unfolding mystery before me.
"What are you trying to tell me?" I whisper into the light breeze.
My eyes darting through the shifting mist, searching for answers in the obscurity. The whispering intensifies, becoming more insistent, and flickering movements tease the corners of my vision. Haiji remains steadfast at my side, protective and poised, his watchful eyes betraying his unease.
"The forest offers guidance," his voice low and grave. "But it also carries a warning. Something is stirring, something that shouldn't be."
My hearts hold steady as I listen intently to the haunting voices, struggling to comprehend the message woven within the whispers. An oppressive weight hangs in the air, a palpable tension that warns of the danger lurking ahead.
I could feel a dark presence growing, coiling within the depths of the forest ahead. Keeping ourselves hidden as we advance closer, a creature comes into view.
A tall demonic entity with a hound skull for a head looms before me, shrouded in a tattered black cloak. I creep slowly trying to see exactly what it is. Currently it is standing completely still amidst a swirling vortex of dark energy.
The creature has skeletal hands that are outstretched, reaching towards us. It's eyes glow with an eerie red flame, emphasizing the creature's terrifying presence. I freeze in place, no longer wanting to get any closer.
"Let's turn back, Haiji." I finally decide with a sense of urgency igniting my resolve. "We can use the tree as a jump point and return here when I am ready to face whatever /that/ is."
With a deliberate step backward, I turn toward the direction of blackened tree. The ancient bark gnarled and twisted is a welcoming sight after the beast I just seen.