Footsteps echo through the forest. Soldiers march, two by two, through the quiet woods. Several pony caravans walk alongside them, carrying supplies to survive the night. At the end of the line, a lone boy stands behind his older counterparts. His armor is heavy and his skin is boiling. His heart races in his chest, knowing that they are not the first to move against the creature that threatens his country. A hundred of the most able-bodied men in the realm went to fight the monster weeks before, only to vanish without a trace. Now the realm is forced to rely on the young from the surrounding villages. The boy, no older than fourteen, is among those forced from his home to attempt to hunt down the monster. His childhood friend walks beside him, a brash blonde with blue eyes and a sly smirk. The blonde teen turns to his friend.

"So, Timothy the brave, ready to kill this beast?"

Timothy doesn't respond to his friend's attempt at humor. The teen was never very brave when it came to the matters of hunting and killing. Now, with the main army away at war, he has been drafted to fight against a demon that terrifies him more than any man or woman. The small battalion of youths, commanded by several hardened soldiers who were left behind as their compatriots went off to war, continues marching deep through the wild forests to the side of a great mountain overlooking the villages. And Timothy begins to shake. Dozens of bodies, impaled on wooden spikes and spears, litter the area. They are displayed as a warning against any who would come against the creature that hunts the villagers and their livestock. The band of soldiers forces through the macabre art of the monster. Timothy forces his legs to continue moving, knowing that being branded a traitor and a coward would bring shame upon his family and friends. But he wants nothing more than to leave the creature to its own devices, not wishing to throw his life into a battle against something that is far more vicious and brutal than he could ever be. The soldiers press forward as the sun begins to set. The group finds a clearing before a cave in the side of the mountain. Tim begins to realize just how silent the world is. Not a sign of life or noise from a bird can be heard near the mountain. A heavy silence comes over the group before the captain orders the men and boys to spread out, encircling the cave and preventing the creature from flanking them. The commanders retrieve torches from the caravans and light them.

"Close in!" the captain shouts. The soldiers press forward. Timothy is at the back, alongside his friend, as they enter the cave. The setting sun fades as Tim and the young men walk deeper into the dark. The dim light of the torches is not enough to reveal anything except for what is directly in front of him. Dew drips from the ceiling, splattering on the cold ground. Tim begins to feel chilled to the bone as they enter further into the mountain. Through the cramped and cold tunnels, the men find a massive opening. Darkness stretches out in all directions, seemingly going on forever. Tim and his friend watch as the soldiers and their captain spread out into the darkness, further illuminating the massive cave. Tim looks up and sees a strange, pink glow.

"What is that?" he says aloud. His friend looks up and readies his sword. Another pink glow appears next to the first. And Tim begins to realize he is looking into the eyes of the monster. And then the eyes close, hiding the presence of the demon.

"It's on the ceiling!"

Tim turns to his shouting friend as the men all look upwards. Then a shadowy figure pounces on the captain. The torches flicker and swords swing wildly. A claw slashes through the untrained group of soldiers. Blood splatters on the ground as a low voice laughs sadistically. The demon's skin appears as leathery, cooked hide draped over exposed muscles. The beast has a skull-like head and massive horns, which it uses to impale and butcher everyone who comes close. And Tim turns and runs. He flees back out of the cave, alongside his friend and the other young men. They run faster than they've ever run before, even with the heavy weight of their armor. They flee out into the woods as the sounds of slaughter and screaming fade into the distance. Tim trips on a branch and falls. His friend doesn't even notice, too terrified of the monster to focus on anything but getting away. Tim crawls along the forest floor, sobbing and shaking as fire and smoke bellow out of the caves. He hides behind a tree, cowering and shivering.

"I'm… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

The terrified boy mumbles to himself, apologizing to his fallen comrades for failing to aid them. For running like a coward, rather than face death with dignity. He sniffles and whimpers, not hearing the sound of footsteps approaching until they're directly in front of him. He closes his eyes, preparing for death at the hands of a monster. Instead, he hears a light-hearted laugh.

"Silly boy, what are you doing all the way out here?"

Hearing the sweet voice, Tim opens his eyes. Instead of the monster, he finds a woman. Pale skin, red flowing hair, and an amused smirk. She's covered in dark, green rags, barely capable of concealing her slender form. He leaps into her grasp, terrified beyond all measure.

"We have to leave! There's a monster chasing me!"

She laughs again before pushing him away. She looks into his soul with her piercing pink irises.

"Come on, little boy. Let's go home."

The woman in green grabs him by the hand and begins dragging him away from the cave. He looks back, but sees nothing appear from the cave. He hurries away with the kind stranger, hoping that the monster does not come out of the mountain. They travel as the light blue sky grows ever darker.

"So, little boy, what should I call you?"

"I… I'm Timothy."

"Timmy sounds better."

"I… it's a kid's name."

"And you aren't a kid?" she asks sarcastically. Timmy goes silent, now mortified at his failure. It hits him like a bolt of lightning. He ran when his men needed him most. He ran when he could have helped, or at least died alongside his brethren. Instead, he fled, too cowardly to face his own demise. He sniffles slightly, earning more amused giggling from the tall stranger as she drags him through the forest.

"I… I left them all…"

"Shh… don't worry about all that. We've got to get you nice and clean. There's a stream near my home."

"Where is your home?"

"Just follow me."

Timmy continues following the strange girl as the moon rises in the sky. He can barely see in the pitch blackness around him, yet his companion seems to know exactly where she's going, dragging him along through the passage.

"When will we reach your home?"

"We're almost there… so tell me, where do you come from?"

"I come from a village… away from here… but they'll never take me back now."

"Not after you ran."

"I'm worthless."

"Don't worry, you'll find worth with me."

Timmy looks up and smiles at the stranger. But as he looks closer, he realizes her eyes have a low glow in the darkness. He looks forward and begins to recognize the location. The grip on his shoulder tightens as the beast walks faster and faster, dragging Timmy back into the clearing near the cave. He begins to whimper and cry, realizing that the woman is the demon that killed all his comrades. He attempts to pull away, only for her to slap him. She punches and claws at him as he squeals.

"Shut up, you worthless coward! You deserve to die!"

With those words, Timmy's strength to fight back vanishes. Her words pierce into his mind, reminding him of his failure. She drags him back to the cave, where the stench of death and burnt bodies becomes unbearable. Timmy vomits onto the floor, causing his capturer to grab him by the throat. She cackles in a deep, booming voice, revealing her unworldly power.

"You… you are a funny little thing."

The demon drags Timmy further into the cave. He stumbles over the bones and bodies of the dead, whimpering and crying.

"Stop whining. Soon enough you won't even care."

"I… I don't want to die."

"Shut up." she says, far too casually for what she intends to do to him. Timmy is dragged farther into the caves, farther than any man has ever traveled. Timmy feels the demon's hot breath on his skin. Her sultry, vicious voice is all he can hear for the long moments as he draws closer to his doom. And he begins to hear another sound. Water flows through the caverns at the roots of the mountain.

"Now then, my little scared toy, you need a bath. I've had enough of your disgusting unwashed bodies for today. I want something a little more clean."

"Please… please don't hurt me…"

The demon slaps him again, and then she punches him. He goes silent, not wishing to further anger the monster. Then she begins to undress him. She slides her hands up the straps of his armor, cutting them with razor sharp fingernails. She slowly pulls his armor off, revealing the cold, bare skin underneath. Her stomach grumbles at the texture of his skin. Smooth, skinny, and pale. He shivers in the water as she rips off her green rags. He feels her enter the pool next to him, pulling him into her embrace. Her skin burns with unnatural heat. She desires him now more than anything. And in the dark, he is powerless. He feels a sharp sting on his shoulder and he squeaks. A deep, twisted laugh echoes through the empty halls as she pokes at his skin with her claws, drawing out drops of blood. A wet, slithery tongue moves across his bare skin, tasting the drops of blood. The demon's hands move lower, washing him thoroughly. She rips his leggings off and tosses them aside before continuing to wash the now fully naked boy. And as she smothers and rubs him harshly, her hands moving past his inner thighs and up his buttocks, his member twitches on its own.

"Ha! You're so pathetic!"

Timmy doesn't respond, save for trying to cover himself with his hands. The demon grabs his hands and sinks her claws into his wrists, causing him to yelp in pain. She yanks his hands away, exposing him to the cold air. She snakes her right hand down to his growing penis, wrapping around and tickling his privates.

"I bet you like that. I don't normally play with my food… but you're just too much fun!"

She laughs again as she begins to move her hands. His penis bobbles in the water as the demon begins her slow rhythm. Timmy remains silent, enduring her slow torture as she breaths on his neck, occasionally licking him. Her hand begins to glow and become hotter, almost burning to the touch as she jerks him faster and faster. Her other hand caresses his testicles, squeezing and playing as he whimpers slightly.

"You… are kind of cute. Like a dumb puppy that runs into things headfirst."

Against his better judgment, Timmy begins to moan. He pushes forward in her hands, enjoying the sensation of her warmth. He spurts quickly in the darkness, jerking slightly as the demon's hands continue moving. She milks him dry, causing him to shake and jerk wildly at her touch. He moans and whimpers despite his fears, knowing she is simply teasing him before she devours him whole. After his body becomes still, the sensitivity dying down, she stops touching him. She begins to drag him out of the water, and he reluctantly allows her to take him. A long, serpentine tongue licks down his backside, over his small, firm butt, and up again. He spins around, looking up at her glowing harsh eyes. He whimpers and cries as he leaps into her embrace.

"Please don't eat me! I don't want to die!"

"Such a little coward."

"I am… I'm a coward! I don't want to die!"

The demon gently tilts Timmy's head up, looking at his tearful expression as he sniffles.

"You're so scared… like a child… you know, little Timmy, I think I'll keep you."

Timmy swallows nervously. He realizes what her words mean. She intends to keep him as her slave, alone in the darkness. The demon wraps her arms around her new toy, bringing him deeper into her embrace. In the dark, all he can see is her eyes, piercing deep into his mind. She inches closer and whispers at her pet.

"You belong to me now."