Preview of Wereskunks in the Woods (Jan24 Vote)
This is an excerpt from a story that you can read the full version of on either my Subscribestar page by following this link! Or with my Patreon page over here! It will still make its way to FA before too long, though. But every bit of support you can offer would help me so much!
January poll reward!
Summary: An adventurer riding high on their prior successes takes a scouting job to search for a cause of mass disappearances. With only the rumour of 'were skunks' to prepare her she hunts for the missing townsfolk by the sounds of squeaking rubber...
Word Count (Full Version): 1932
As she approached the source of the sound, sticking to the treetops, she heard more of them, not just more frequent but from multiple sources. Her hands brushed a branch out of the way to get a clear look, falling instead on something sleek and smooth, which let out an affronted and surprised squeak hopping a few inches away.
A black and white tail flicked her hand off it before the attached creature turned and let loose a sudden spray. “Ghh, go away! Ack gross!” Freya hissed, taking her free hand to cover her nose from what she suspected was the deterrent attack of a simple skunk. The half-step made her lose her balance and she tumbled from the tree, landing on the ground. In the chaos the affronted critter had vanished into the branches and she swiftly dropped prone to the floor, long ears flattening and thick tail stilling. Her commotion was unheard it seemed. She was still hidden from the source of the noises.
Her fur stood on end and her stomach twisted, grossed out by a chill, believing it to be the night air brushing over the wetness the skunk had left behind. More concerningly it tickled from where it had landed, she felt it brushing her knee and from her elbow up to the tips of her fingers on her right.
No hint of a vile scent had hit her nostrils, so she gingerly took her fingers away. A strange smell did seem to have wafted down from above, yet it hadn’t clung to her. Still keeping her eyes peeled for anything to have noticed, she took a cloth from her satchel to wipe off what she could of the liquid. Her hand reached a thickness which seemed to bunch up before leaking over the top of the cloth and hitting her left hand. “Ugh, what-.” She whispered, turning to look.
Thick blackness with an odd weight and shine had covered her arm and was spreading visibly. Growing from even the tiniest drop as evidenced by the spread on her left hand and the pools that had been mere droplets as she hastily tried to pull it away.
“What is this?!” She hissed into her thoughts, right hand reaching for her dagger, the thick blackness had bulked up her hand, resisting her attempts to bend the fingers, much less grip the handle. With an aggravated tut Freya took it in her left, pushing the knife point against the blackness. It bunched up around it, strong and resisting, refusing to let itself be pierced for a moment before the blade proved strong enough to cut in.
Yet even then the fresh spread moved to catch up and cover the damage, all while travelling quicker than she could. She heard a rustling from above, as the scent of the first skunk’s attack had, unbeknownst to Freya, attracted more of them. They twisted their heads as if looking around before sensing her below them and with no further ceremony turned and sprayed.