Why did your face hit the brick I threw?

As Abyss walked through the fog-draped forest, the world around them transformed. The once vibrant hues of the fall-time forest were muted, shadows shifting in the slightest movement of the breeze, creating an unsettling play of light and dark. Shapes seemed to flicker at the edges of perception- some just out of sight, lingering in Abyss’ peripheral vision, suggesting movement where there was none. They couldn’t deny the clawing sensation of apprehension that coursed through their body- the eerie embrace of the shadows and silence, that had transformed the forest they knew into the unknown.

Abyss? Sericea? Oh. They’d gotten separated in the fog- Abyss and their sisters had been out on a hunt, when the fog enveloped the forest. They’d lost the scent of their prey, and had gotten lost in the process- but Abyss could smell their scents on the breeze- the tinge of wormwood and ash that Ravana wore, and Seri’s distinctive perfume that reminded them of their Mother.

Sericea called out next, her voice seeming to wrap around Abyss, echoing throughout the fog with an ethereal quality that sent a shiver crawling down their spine. Abyss knew their sibling’s voices well- but in this otherworldly haze, their voices felt tinged with something unsettling.

Pausing, Abyss tried to pinpoint the direction of their voices. The mist continued to swirl around them, thick and opaque, obscuring the path ahead. They let out a small woof, beckoning to their sisters- but their call was swallowed by the fog, and the amplifying silence that followed.

But suddenly, Abyss heard Ravana cry out- her voice a hiss laced in anger, followed by a growl and the commotion of paws uprooting the earth. As if something was attacking her. A surge of adrenaline coursed through Abyss, and they surged forward into the fog, driven by the instinct to protect their sisters. With each stride, the damp earth squelched beneath their paws, the chilly air stinging their lungs. Branches scratched their skin, pricks of twigs snagged their fur- but Abyss did not care. All that mattered, was getting to their sister.

Smack! Without warning, the dense fog seemed to part for a moment- the sudden shift in the atmosphere was disorienting, and before Abyss could register their surroundings, they’d collided with something solid. No, someone. The impact sent them stumbling back, their jaws snapping into the air instinctively, to ready themselves for an oncoming assault.

word count: 402

"Speech"