Author's Note
Alright after the holidays and family time, I present another story that I hope will satisfy.
As always if there is any way to improve, keep in touch and let me know, as I want these stories to be the best they can be.
Enjoy!
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The forest held a much more quiet demeanor today. Ben relished it, but knew the dangers of 'too quiet'. He and his trusty walking stick had been on many adventures like this before when he was a teenager. It all started out the same way.
That creeping feeling of anticipation and tinge of excitement, mixed with unease. Ben would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. Times like these make for the best of stories, and he lived for the rush and thrills. Him vs the wild unknown!
A snap of a twig shook him from his internal monologue. Gripping his staff, he pointed to the direction he heard it from. He could've sworn he saw something dart behind one of the trees in the distance, but it was too far and too dense to be sure.
His heart was picking up the pace as he debated with himself. It probably was nothing, or at least nothing important. Maybe a lone deer or raccoon rummaging for scraps. It would be stupid to believe he was ever
truly
alone out in the wild.
But it could be something worth investigating too. If it was a deer, he could get up close and snap a photo to show to his family. Nothing like up close for good animal photos, although his phone wasn't much of a camera. And if it was just a tree crunching in the breeze, he could easily just get some nature photos to relish himself.
Ben lowered to the ground, almost kneeling as he tip toed into the brush. Nearing closer to where he saw that figure, he trembled with anticipation. Slowly he peered around the trunk, barely breathing as he listened for any movement. And there, just beyond the clearing was....
Nothing. Ben lowered his shoulders, chuckling to himself. Of course there wasn't. He raised himself up, brushing off the leaves and dirt from his pants.
"Tch, imagination running wild again. One day I'll learn." He leaned up against the trunk of the tree, relishing it's sun warmed heat as he took in the view.
The trees parted in this particular grove, leading inwards down a pathway that seemed to be where animals tread often. Almost as though nature itself welcomed anyone to come investigate.
And that was enough of a welcome for him!
Breathing in, he stepped forward, but found that the tree he had balanced on, gave way a bit causing him to fumble and trip. By a stroke of luck, he managed to grab hold of a branch.
"Mhmm, forward aren't we?"
Ben froze as he gripped the branch in his hand. He hadn't zoned out that long had he? No, he was certain that he was paying attention. Nobody had followed him.
"Uh, sorry, who was that? I'm Ben, and I was just passing through."
"Ben, hmm? So, do you always greet girls this way?"
That voice danced around him, and he definitely heard the branches rustling above him. And what exactly did she mean by that? He just about let go of the branch to get a better view, but for some reason, he couldn't. Looking back, he realized just exactly why.
He wasn't holding a branch. He was holding a tail. And he wasn't holding much at all. It was holding him.
He had some very real regrets about his previous thoughts of him vs nature.
"Ahha, well you see, I didn't realize I was greeting anyone! I thought I saw something earlier and was curious to see what it was!"
The tail loosened as he pulled a bit harder, releasing him as he stumbled into the clearing. Ben felt a hand on his shoulder gently guide his gaze behind him. He gasped involuntarily as he saw just who it was teasing him.
A woman of inhuman design gracefully lay upon her own coils just inches behind him, guiding Ben's eyes directly to her own. A sparkling blue set of slit irises stared deeply into his own, with a ferocity he wasn't entirely sure of. Her skin lighting upon his was so lush and soft that he found himself leaning into her grip just a tad too much.
She wore simple clothes that seemed to be woven by cloth. They covered her obvious assets, albeit barely. Yet Ben couldn't shake the feeling that it seemed more like she picked them up rather than made them. From who exactly, he was scared to ask.
But it was where her hips met a long serpentine tail that raised the alarms in his feral mind that this was not someone to trifle with. Her scales were a brilliant yellow, and he could see the muscles underneath ripple as she effortlessly moved them. They expanded back into the canopy beyond his sight.
Swallowing, Ben mustered a slight smile as he tried desperately to form words in his drying mouth. He tried to speak, but a small squeek came out instead, as he covered his mouth and coughed.
The woman smirked and chuckled. "Well then Ben, I suppose I should indulge you then. Here I am. Now, just what did you want to do again once you found me?"
"Ah *ahem* I wasn't really looking for anyone in particular, so I had no real plans you see. I was just was looking for a bit of fun! Life can get pretty monotonous and I just figured I could maybe, just, get lost?" Ben tried to stop his heart from beating faster, taking in a deep breath as he spoke again. "But well, I just figured I could take some pictures and be on my way. I didn't mean to trouble you. I didn't even know anyone lived out here."
The lamia smirked as she watched Ben try to act aloof. "Oh I do know a thing or two about monotony. And I've gotten
lossst
a few times myself." She lingered on lost as though she relished the word.
Ben lowered his guard a bit, but still clung to his walking stick like a lifeline. "Oh is that so? I didn't really figure anyone could really get lost if they lived out in the wilds. Isn't all of nature basically your home?"
"Yesss, that's one way of seeing that. There are some places that even I can't go to, because of the
dangers
that lurk out there... Oh but sometimes I can't help myself. I do enjoy a bit of excitement every now and again. Sometimes I go beyond my home in search for something I can't quite name. Surely you know a thing or two about having a need for something you can't quite place." She leaned in a bit closer to Ben as she spoke, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Yet she still held him in some sort of feral regard. One that Ben felt growing as time went on. He couldn't bring himself to look away, like he was eyeing a predator that had found him. Had cornered him.
He had never felt like that before.
What was worse, he found he had grown a bit down beneath his belt.
Ben slowly backed up as she followed him. "Well, hahah, yes I have had that kind of feeling before I suppose. Best thing to do is to just go out and take care of it. And speaking of which, I should probably keep going on my trip come to think of it. I've got a couple of needs I should be attending to."
"Like what, if you don't mind me asking?" The woman asked innocently, closing the gap between him and her yet again. Ben stopped his retreat, to not rouse suspicion with this creature.
This is a trick, she's just waiting for you to let your guard down. Then CHOMP! Off goes your head.
