Stained White

Dedicated to Shadowcrossing for being the first one to take an interest in my new project and encouraging comments!

Bright moonlight shined the way through the dark overgrown billabong. She pushed her way through a collection of small thin trees. The leaves battered her face and glanced off her fur as she laid back her large round black ears for protection.

I have to keep going.

Her black and brown paws sunk into the moist earth. The stench of the fallen damp foliage beneath her feet stung her nose. It was all she could smell, other than her own fear. The thing closing in on her position had no sent.

She glanced behind. Was it still following? The shrubs shook behind in response. She whined and sunk her claws in deeper for more traction, kicking mud up behind her. She didn’t know what would happen to her if it caught up. She wasn’t waiting around to find out!

The forest opened into a clearing. The moonlight reflected off the dew collecting on the blades of grass which flicked off onto her fur when she powered through.

I need distance.

A shrill cry ripped through the cold night air. Her heart raced, it was closer. She risked a look behind. The darkness, darker than the night sky, moved like a shadow through the large ghost white trees. Darker than as shadow as it consumed any light within its path. The trees disappeared as it reached out towards the panicking multi coloured dog with its long tentacle like appendages.

She yelped for help. But there was no one to hear her cries.

An old rotten log lay in her path. Using her powerful hind legs, she jumped, tucking her white tipped tail underneath then landing on her front paws, leaping off again into a full sprint.

Can it be out run in the opening?

She turned back. The log had disappeared, devoured by the darkness. Now there was nothing behind her. She was going to be taken. Swallowed whole.

 The tentacles reached out further until all the trees disappeared. The moonlight vanished with the stars in the sky. She stopped, her bristles along her spine on end and turned back, prepared to fight with bared teeth. But there was nothing to bite. Nothing at all except darkness.