Chapter 1

Your Human and You: Hunter and Prey

Chapter 1

"I´ll go out for a while." I say to my mother as I get out the door.

"Don't come back too late for dinner!", she shouted behind me.

I was taking a stroll through the forest near my home. I come here often to train with my throwing knives where I couldn't hurt someone if I missed my target. I wasn't the most athletic guy... not even half good in shape. But I think I could give an opponent a run for his money. When it comes to fighting, REAL fighting, I have stamina. But otherwise it´s not much with me to do.

I play video games, eat fast food and "train" with my different close combat weapons. I don't know if I was good at this (I think, I´m not), because I never had an opponent. And I don't know if I really want one. I didn't know if I was willing to hurt or even kill an opponent... It looks all so easy in the games. "There is a bad guy, go and kill him with a few mouse clicks."

I had just finished my thoughts and collected my knives as the wind changed and got stronger. The leaves around me started to circle me and I was blinded by a white light.

I felt my consciousness leave me and I fell to the ground.

As I regained my consciousness I found myself in a part of the forest that I didn´t know and it was getting dark.

I tried to see the way or some signs. But there was nothing. Then, in the distant, I heard some voices.

"Maybe some walkers", I thought

I ran towards the voices until I could make out what they were saying. But what I heard... scared me...

"It was a good hunt, brother. We have plenty of humans for our dinner!", said a masculine voice.

I stopped dead in my tracks and didn't move. I listened to them and hoped I had misheard them.

"You are right, brother. Let us take them home. We can clean them there, so that they stay fresh longer.", said another male voice.

I looked around and decided to hide before I slowly started to advance towards the voices. I hid behind a tree and made myself as small as possible. I looked around the tree and the picture I saw burned itself into my head. On a little clearing in the forest hanging from a branch with their feet in a sling, were three naked Humans! Two males and a female. But what REALLY let my blood freeze was... their throats... they were cut open. They were hung up so they could bleed out as if they were just animals.

My eyes went to a bush where a Creature came from behind with another Human in a sling. This Human was alive. He had an arrow stuck in his leg. But my eyes were fixed on the creature which pulled the struggling Human. The creature, was a GRIFFON!!!

What the fuck was going on? Was I hallucinating? Griffons don´t exist!

I had no other choice as to hide behind the tree in fear these Griffons could hear me and decide to hunt a bit more. I heard as they brought the Living Human to the other three, lifting him up in the air...and then slicing his throat, too.

I heard the sound of Flesh being cut by a knife.

As he was bleeding out, the Griffons talked to jump the time.

"We will bring them back home for the Barbecue with the Family. They will be happy to eat fresh Human meat." Said one of the Griffons.

"My little son can´t get enough of Human ribs. Especially with our secret-hot-sauce." I heard another one saying.

I tried hard to get my stomach under control... and managed it.

I heard as they talked a bit more about different recipes for different parts of the Human body.

I lost the feeling of time as I was forced to hear them discuss if the brain should be slow cooked in its own liquid or eaten raw. Or used for pastries as dessert.

I think it was after an hour or two that they decided to take their prey and fly home. I sat there for nearly two more hours before I decided to get out of my hiding place. The Griffons where gone and the only hint of the Humans was where the blood formed a pool under the tree.

"FUCK! What am I going to do now?" I said... or better, that was what i was trying to say. I opened my mouth like I was talking but no sound came out. Now I was REALLY freaking out. I tried to scream and that seemed to work. After I got down from my little panic attack, I tried different sounds. I could grumble, giggle and even laugh. But no proper word came out.

"What the... I think I have bigger problems than my voice!" I thought as I looked back to the still present puddle of blood.

I looked around and decided to go deeper into forest. These Griffins are flyers and when the trees stand closer together it would be more difficult for them to find me.

First off: I needed to calm down and then think what was necessary to survive. I was clearly no longer on earth.

Ok, I thought, first I need to make a checklist of the things I have.

I looked in my backpack and found a few things which could help.

I made a mental list of the things I found:

1) A 500 meter roll of fishing line.

2) A whetstone for my knives.

3) A flashlight.

4) My sketchbook and a few pens.

5) Eight throwing knives with rings on the end.

6) A lighter.

Alright, that's what I have. What will I need?

1) Food and water.

2) Shelter.

3) WORLD DOMINATION!

...

4) A VERY good psychologist...

Didn´t look so good. By the way how fast it got darker, I figured that I should first find shelter and in the morning I would search for something edible and fresh water.

I made my way through the forest and searched for a good place to stay spend the night. I had my camouflage weather jacket on which protectet me from the wind.

I was lucky that it didn´t... no. No, I will NOT say it! I know how this works!

I walked for maybe an hour before I found what looked like a good place to sleep in. A tree how surrounded by large thorn bushes. I looked around to find a way through the bushes. I found a small, open space between the bushes and the tree. I got out again and found a few sticks and leaves to hide the entrance. I got myself comfortable in the small space and held my knives nearby ... maybe this was all just a bad dream and I will wake up in my bed.

Chapter 2

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I wish to thank my editor, LordTwinklesprinkle. I hope you all will enjoy it and give me feedback from your thoughts.

Your Human and You: Hunter and Prey

Chapter 2

The sun rose slowly over the horizon and threw her warm light over the forest. I was still lying under the tree, surrounded by the thorn bushes and packed in my jacket. The light reached my little shelter and I started to wake up.

"Stupid sun. Go away." I tried to say.

But no voice came from my mouth and I was suddenly fully awake and in panic as I looked at my surroundings. I saw the bushes and the tree and started to remember the events of yesterday. The training in the forest, the wind and leaves, the griffins... the dead human bodies.

"I have to be careful when I want to survive here.

...

"Wherever this ‘here"' is."

I packed my few things, put the belt with my knives on and got ready to explore the forest a bit.

"Maybe I can find this light again and go back home."

I carefully got out of my hiding spot and looked around to make sure that it was save to go. After I was sure that I was safe I started to walk deeper into the forest. I marked my way with little arrows on the trees.

I walked for maybe 30 minutes without anything happening, when I heard a low growl in front of me. I slowly walked forward to see, where the sound came from. I came to the edge of a clearing where about 10 humans stood in a group. They looked more like a pack of nudists. One of them was clearly bigger as the rest and seemed to be the alpha.

I was about to walk to them and ask where I was when the big one took one of the girls and threw her on the ground. He jumped on her and... well... use your imagination.

I looked over the crowd of humans and they all seemed not to care about the show before them. Some of the men looked at it with a look of curiosity and lust. But there even was fear. Maybe fear of the bigger human.

All in all, they didn't act like normal humans.

The act ended and he turned to the others. He let out a growl and then moved away from the clearing. The whole herd moved after him.

I was contemplating if I should follow them or not, but decided against it. I didn´t know how they would react to a human who had clothes on. I didn't want to get killed because of a misunderstanding.

A loud scream interrupted my thoughts as I saw the humans running back to the clearing. Followed by something,that I first thought to be a wolf. But this was clearly no normal wolf. It was completely covered in twigs and leaves. It looked more like a wooden statue of a wolf, but the bloody snout and the dead human under it said, it was real and it was dangerous. I pulled one of my knives out and placed it in my hand as I saw two others coming from the edge. I was shivering from the look of the dead human body and the "Wood-Wolfs" who were tearing meat from the body.

I saw the other humans standing a few meters away. They where making loud noises and gesturing with their hands. The Wood-Wolfs seemed not to like it and growled at the human herd, two were biting the dead man in a leg and an arm before pulling him into the forest, while the third was still growling at the herd. After the other two were in the forest, the last one turned away from the humans and followed behind the others.

After I was sure that they were gone, I let out a breath that I didn´t know I held.
My legs were shivering from what I just saw.

"Where the hell was I?" I thought as my adrenalin got down and I fell on my ass. I leaned against a tree and tried collecting my sanity... at least, the little bit I still had. "First griffins and now some wolfs made of wood? What comes next? Pegasi and Unicorns who kept humans as pets? Manticores? Dragons? Creatures who could raise the sun and moon? Ok, now I´m starting to get ridiculous."

The human herd was now moving in the opposite direction as the wolfs and vanished in the forests. I still couldn't move with how my legs were shaking.

"What the fuck should I do now? I was just lucky these wolves hadn't found me when I was sleeping. I needed a better place to hide. Maybe a cave where I could barricade the entrance? But it would need an extra exit in case the barricade breaks. I needed a place to keep watch from. But I didn't know if I could risk getting seen by the griffins.

But otherwise I couldn't take the risk to get eaten by these wolfs either...

FUCK IT! I´ll climb on the next tree and take a look."

I could finally stand and walk again, and was now looking for a tree to climb on or a cave to hide in. What ever came first.

I walked for the next two hours with nothing really happening. But when suddenly a nearby bush began to rustle I nearly got a heart attack. I looked to the bush and was relieved as I only saw a grey bunny jump out of it. It looked at me a bit confused and then hopped away.

The bunny reminded me of how hungry I was. My stomach agreed with me with a grumble.

I looked around if I could maybe find some berries. But there was nothing I was sure was edible.

I searched for a bit but couldn't find any berries or fruits to eat. But I found a tree which I could climb on. I grabbed a nearby branch an pulled myself up while I supported myself with my feet on the tree trunk. I wasn't really good at climbing... or sport in general.

I don't know how, but I managed to get on top of the tree. I could see over the forest and a bit beyond. The forest was a giant mass of green leaves and seemed to go on a few dozen kilometres in each direction before it ended at the edge of a wide, green field stretching as far as I could see.

I turned around and saw I was nearly at the end of one part of the forest which ended in a similar wide grass field. But on this side I could see smoke coming from behind some hills and a road leading up to it.

"Must be some form of civilization."I thought to myself.

"A village maybe? I should better try not to get near this place. I bet the griffins from yesterday live there."

My body shuddered at the memory of the humans hanging from the branch with their throats sliced open while the griffins were discussing ways to prepare brains...

I shuddered again and decided not to go get close to that place in the near future.

I looked around a bit more and saw something, that looked like a mountain.

"Well, looks like the best place to search for a cave to hide." I thought as I got off the tree and on my way to the mountain.

It took me another hour to get there and according to my watch it was noon.

I looked up to the sky and saw that the sun was at its zenith.

"Lucky me, the sun seems to move with the same speed as back on earth. Which means that days pass at the same speed."

Suddenly the mountain was right in front of me seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

I looked at it and saw that there was definetly more than one cave. They all where a bit above ground though and I would need to climb.

With my still grumbling stomach, which reminded me of its emptiness, I looked around in hope for a few berries.

"And again, lucky me, I found a tree which looked like it had... bananas? Whatever. I shouldn´t complain about nature in a world with griffins."

I got to the tree, took one of the yellow fruits, opened it and took a bite. If it's poisonous, I hope it goes fast. But there was nothing but the refreshing taste of banana. I took another bite and after I was finished, I put several bananas in my backpack and got ready to climb the mountain.

I found an entrance that was not too high and I also found hold at the surface of the mountain. Right hand, left foot. Left hand, right foot. And again. It took me a few minutes to get to the entrance, but I found a passage that worked.

I got to the entrance and saw it was just a little bit shorter than me. I ducked and got into the cave. I looked around and saw the cave was maybe 4x5 meters. Good enough for me. I searched the cave but don't find another entrance or a hint that cave was used by other living (and possible dangerous) beings.

I put my backpack at one side of the cave and made myself comfortable. I got my knives out and started to sharpen them with the whetstone.

I would need them in the future...

Chapter 3

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A Big Thanks to my temporary new Editor: Kerberos And his fast work.

Chapter 3

Stupid wolfs.... stupid forest.... stupid world.

... stupid shoes.

Why I had this thoughts, I have to go back a bit:

A few days prior:

I walked through the forest to look after the traps I had set to catch some of the little critters. I couldn't live off of berries and fruits alone. I was in luck and found in 2 of the 5 caught a rabbit. I put them in my backpack and made my way back to the cave. I stopped by the little river to refill my water supplies and to wash my feet.

I took my shoes off and walked into the river after I placed my backpack under a tree. I walked a bit in the river as I heard a rustle in the bushes. I looked around to locate from where the sound came. I saw one of these damned wolves that were made out of wood standing in the tree line.

I looked him in the eyes... he looked me in the eyes. I know, if I ran, he would get me. I stood my ground and reached slowly with to my knives around my leg. He saw my movements and began to snarl at me. I didn't stop and pulled one of my knives out and held it in my hands.

The wolf began to sniff in the air and looked around. I wonder what he could have smelled. His eyes locked on... oh no.

He looked at my shoes and socks! I began to snarl myself in hope to intimidate and scare him away.

Well... let’s just say, I have a big respect for these wild humans for living in the woods for so long. I made my barefoot way back to my cave.

I never saw my shoes again...

R.I.P old friends.

What? After almost a month in this woods with only my shoes how protected me from the forest ground I got attached to them. And no... I DON'T call them "Wilson". Even if the movie was awesome.

Ok, back to the present:

I was on my way to the edge of the forest to see if it was possible to get into this town tonight. I was never a thief before, but I never had to be before. However, I need some supplies.

It’s now a few days since I captured something in the traps and the trees are running low on fruits. I just hoped that they will have something for me to eat there and not only some "bird seed".

I came to the edge of the forest and saw the edge of the town. The sun was just setting. I looked in the sky to make sure it was safe to go. I took a deep breath and made my way over the open field and in the direction of the small town. I was now maybe 5 meters away from the wall of the first house. It was a two story house and the walls looked as if they were made of yellow clay.

I laid behind a small hill and made sure no one could see me, as I thought, how I best could go in without getting noticed? I put the hood from my camouflage jacket over my head. I felt the sweat on my forehead and wiped it away. As I put my hand back on the ground, I felt the dirt stick on my hand. I inspected my hand and could see, it was covered in black mud. I thought for a few moments before I put both hands in the dirt and began to cover my face with it.

"Why didn’t I not think of this sooner?"

As I was sure, my face was complete covered, I made my way to the first house. I pressed myself against the wall and looked careful around the corner. I saw a griffin walking through the dirt street, lighting up the lanterns along the street with a long stick and a little flame at the end.

I looked around and could see a few houses on the other side. As the griffin walked around the corner, I make my way along the wall and ducked under a dark window. As I was by the next corner, I saw the griffin a few meters away. I waited for a good chance and made my way to the other side of the street and behind the next house.

"FUCK! What am I DOING here?" where my thoughts as I sneaked between the dark houses.

"I'm no Secret Agent! When they catch me, I AM DEAD! They will kill and fucking EAT ME!" But I really had no choice now. I was in the village and I need some stuff to survive. If I don't find something to eat, I will die.

I was just around the corner of the House as one of the windows above me get lighten up. I froze in my movements as the window was opened. I heard a voice from inside.

"I open the window for a few hours. It's really hot inside." spoke a masculine voice. I could hear the metal work as the hinges moved. I stopped breathing as I heard the griffin take a few breathes through the window. I still didn't look up.

"Darling? It smells like human here." says the male griffin in the house. I think my heart stopped at this point. I increased my grip around the handle of my knife and awaited the attack that would kill me. My hand started to hurt with each second the griffin awaited an answer.

"We had goulash this evening. Of course it will smell like human." said a female voice.

"Ah! Right. I think I’m getting too old." Says the male griffin and I heard his claws as he stepped back in the house.

As I heard a door close, I allowed myself to breathe again and I felt my heart restart. The first breath of air I took felt more beautiful than anything I ever tasted. I waited a few minutes as the house get dark again and made my way to another house. I had been lucky so far so I shouldn't overdo it.

I looked around and saw that I was in some garden. There was a line with, what I guessed, washed clothes strung up to dry. I walked over to them and took a white sheet for myself. I put it in my backpack and looked around for something else I could use.

I only moved along the edge of the town and found a bit later a little plantation with strange fruits. I took as much as I could get and made myself ready to move back to the cave. As I started to walk back, I accidently knocked over a trashcan. The lights in several houses lit up and I a ran out of the town. Behind me, I heard some voices calling out.

"What happened?"

"HOLD THE THIEF!"

"Someone stole my bed sheet!"

"What's going on?"

I could see the end of the town. Then, a griffin with a spear and a metal helmet and breastplate came around the corner. As he saw me running he pointed his spear at me and yelled.

"STOP! You are under arrest... human?” he asked the last part. I think he wasn't expecting that, but I didn't stop. I went even faster. The griffin was now even more dumbfounded and held his spear facing down.

I was just a few feet away from him as I jumped, stepping on his helmed head and used him like a springboard. I looked over my shoulder while running. I saw him looking stunned and with open mouth at my athletic display.

"Heh, what a month in the forest with training and a strict diet can do to your body." I thought.