Horizon-Bound

--Cave--

"Wh...What are you?" You stuttered, glancing up at Shapeshifter nervously, "How did you find us?"

The creature's paw reached out, patting the top of your head for a moment. It wasn't very soothing nor relaxing, considering the limb was easily twice the size of your skull. The same, multi-layered chuckle sounded out as the two black arms disappeared in an instant.

"What I am is who I am!" it, his? eyes squinted upwards, "And when I was around, it looked like you were in a jam~!"

"That doesn't explain much, bub," Chester hissed out, aiming to stick a little closer to the fire, as if the flames could protect the doll, "Why are you out here in the frozen forests of Subcon? You...don't live here."

"Hahah, I am older than you think, you know," At once, Shapeshifter seemed to drop the playful rhyming scheme, "One of the oldest beings known to this earth! Perhaps it is you in my lands, and not the other way around."

You both fell silent, watching the creature bounce about the fire pit, shadows cascading across the cave walls from its movements. 

"But I merely jest, times have changed, no?" it snickered once more, "You see now adays I find myself drawn to the desert. I live for the stage, you know! The circus stage."

"Shapeshifter," You started, watching what you assumed were the creature's ears perk up at your voice, "This doesn't explain why you're here."

"Oh, if you would just be patient little dear! I was getting there," A large black pawpad pressed against your nose, disappearing after a second, "You see, this old being is very fond of travel! Ah, the world changes and grows, and changes once more! So I am prone to finding vacation abodes to rest myself. This time, I have chosen Subcon! So frigid, so cold, very different from the desert."

Chester stood up, pointing towards Shapeshifter as he spoke, "How come you haven't frozen way out here? No one can survive those storms usually! We're all considered lucky if we make it out!"

"Call it an old immortal's trick!" the creature coo'd, spinning in a playful circle, "I have no flesh, no organs to speak of! What you see is what I am! Now isn't that grand?"

Shaking your head, you attempted to get the strange being's attention back to your proper question, "...How did you manage to find us?"

"Hmm, I chalk that one up to luck!" 

Well. That was the only thing here that made any sense to you. You managed to relax just a little, noting that clearly, if it had wanted to hurt you...It would've done so already.

"Now now, that I have answered you, you will answer me!" Shapeshifter spoke up, leaning down a little too close to your face for your liking, "What are you doing out here? Humans are so fragile, so frail! Did you have a little death wish out here?"

"I...I just got lost is all," You stammered, "I'm looking for a friend, and--I ended up out here."

"Yeah and they had to go and drag me along!" Chester pouted, pointing at the rope around his waist.

"Hmmm! I see I see, unfortunate to get lost way out here!" The creature finally backed away, skipping about its makeshift home once more, "Well a joy for me! Joy ! Joy! For I have found two friends for me!"

Friends? This just got stranger to you as the minutes passed.

"No need to worry travelers!" it chirped, lifting Chester by the rope, a slightly amusing sight to behold, "Once this storm has settled, I will lead you out and back somewhere safer!"

"How can you tell your way around here?" You questioned, watching your companion spin helplessly in the Shapeshifter's grasp.

"Call it an old intuition!" It chuckled back, "I remember how things used to be, there-in-for I use it to guess upon how things must be now!"

It had mentioned it was an immortal being. You guessed the being had plenty of time to figure things out after all these years.

"Yeah that's great and all  but-" Chester squirmed before shouting, "Put me down!"

"Oh! Yes of course, my apologies."

Thunk.

"That is not what I meant," The subconite groaned on the rocky flooring, pushing himself up slightly.

It was then that Shapeshifter sauntered up to you, causing you to frown a little. What did it want now?

"Hark! What do my eyes peer upon?" It chuckled, arms immediately pulling your backpack from you unceremoniously, holding it high up to itself, "A pack? A pack full of goodies no doubt?"

"H-hey!" You exclaimed, jumping up to your feet in an attempt to try and reach for the (c) bag, "That's not for you!"

"Perhaps! Perhaps not," The bag clattered down, a paw unzipping it as the large creature sat down, slowly sinking part of itself into the pack as it dug, "But I am still utterly curious!"

"You shouldn't just dig through other people's stuff!" You huffed, trying to pull the enormous being off of your backpack to no avail, "Stop it!"

But, Shapeshifter didn't listen, soon emerging from the bag with a small ziplock of (favorite) candy in tow. Your eyes narrowed, grabbing at the creature's lanky limbs to try and get the snack away from it. Though the more you grasped, the more you noticed the  disgusting gooey texture they had begun to take on, causing your fingers to sink into the inky-substance.

"Ugh!" You jolted back, hissing in disgust as they reformed to a more solid state after, "That's not funny! Give that back!"

"Look what my eyes truly have discovered!" The tone was excited, a little mocking, "A treat! A treat for he!"

"Don't you dare-"

Your threat was cut off as the ziplock was tossed up, Shapeshifter's eyes disappearing to form a large, incredibly sharp mouth.

And with a snap, candy and plastic both disappeared into the creature's maw. 

"Hm!" It chuckled, eyes returning back after the display, "That's my favorite candy as well!"

Your mouth hung agape in slight shock and annoyance, eyebrows furrowed. Did...Did it really just do that? 

"You- You jerk!" You exclaimed in annoyance.

"Ah ah! This 'jerk' saved your life!" It teased, "Those were earned goods!"

"They were not! And you know that!"

You were beginning to much prefer the times when you thought you were going to be eaten by this thing, as it slowly became much more energetic and annoying to you. 

Ugh. You were going to be stuck with it for a while too, weren't you?

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(Chill chapter time hehe. Also...I drew the...the lad... I just had to. anyways...bye. >:)