Subjects

A Wounded Canid

Rustling of leaves could be heard as a large creature ran through thorns and brush, leaving the red liquid of an injury as they rushed through. They found a large tree where some of it's roots formed a sort of shelter, seeking sanctuary, it immediately scrambled to the tree and started digging. It eventually stopped when it heard the sound of twigs breaking and leaves rustling under metallic claws. It dove into the hole it dug and curled up and tried making itself as small as possible to make sure it wouldn't find them.

The sounds of gears and grinding metal grew near. The creature's fur on their back stood on end as the machine stepped closer to their hiding place.

It felt as if time stood still while the creature had stopped breathing while it gazed into the crimson eyes of their attacker.

After what felt like an eternity, the threat looming over them began to leave, not seeing any trace of them as they left.

The creature continued to hold their breath till they couldn't catch sight of them any longer, staying completely still till they let out a breath of relief before breathing slowly as to not potentially alert them.

Until it knew it was safe for sure, it didn't leave until hours later once darkness hit the forest, everything quiet except for the crickets and chirping of frogs and other nocturnal animals. It hesistantly stepped out of it's hole of sanctuary, looking around for any signs of the thing still being here. Once it knew it was certainly gone, it began walking the forest floor, feeling weak from injury and the amount of blood loss it sustained during it's escape from the thing that did this to them, they were being hunted down like prey items, made for their amusement and if they dared step out of line, they damn sure wouldn't again.

It sighed softly as it began walk in light circles, pushing down shrubs and thin grass as well as leaves and twigs to make a nest of sorts, eventually lying down before flinching from it's wound, still bleeding slightly and the creature was now terribly dazed from it, making it difficult to think clearly and stay vigilant of their surroundings, which made their situation a whole lot worse.

It let out a breath after breathing deeply, ignoring the aching pain of a bleeding arm with a deep laceration from jagged metal.

It began to lick it's wound to clean up the dried caked blood off it's rugged matted fur, as well as the still fresh blood that was still seeping out of the gash that laid deep into the side of their arm beneath their shoulder. They were beginning to feel faint and couldn't risk passing out in their dire situation, finally lying their head down to get some much needed rest, before it knew it, it had fallen asleep, being inevitable in it's condition as the machine that injured them made sure of this possibility occuring for when it could capture it off guard and safely return it back to where it came from, unbeknownst to the people who lived in the rural town nearby just outside of the forest, never knowing of the evil that lie just underneath their feet deep within the soil they grow their wealth and happiness from, all eating the same tainted fruit from the trees that grew there within their farmland, never knowing what could be lying in wait to take them without mercy or care for their well being, as they certainly didn't care for the creature's, let alone their safety.

So who knew they wouldn't strike the peaceful town one day? The creature didn't even know of this town and yet it never wanted those monsters getting hold of the ground she laid upon, not wanting to lose the life she never got to live yet, especially not for her family, or what's left of them, hating the idea of ever losing another one of them, having to bare facing the guilt, hatred, and sadness that led afterwards. She couldn't do it again, not dare feel the pain that's felt afterwards and long after it's done when she'd feel numb, not ever, not now, never. And she wouldn't dare let it happen either.