It was the sun shining brightly in her eyes that awoke her. She grumbled, feeling every bit of rock and debris that dug into her flesh as she moved. Fluttering her eyes open, she let out a pathetic groan realizing that she wasn't going to awake in the comfort of her down comforter next to the warmth of her soon to be husband. She stood, her muscles complaining with even the slightest movement. From behind her she could hear a quiet rumble before an aggressive growl. Alisha turned her head as she glanced her eyes upon the humanoid who was strapping some sort of intricate metal armor on to his chest. With her eye contact, the great beast gave a slightly louder snarl and Alisha turned away from his view, raising her arms out in defense.
Stomping away from the area with purposefully loud footfalls, she grumble stepping away behind the rock structure making sure to flip the creature the bird when she was certain he wouldn't be able to see. Relieving the pressure on her bladder, she turned pulling up her pants and walking back to where her pack was. Finding that the humanoid had already started off without her she glared at his retreating figure. Snarling Alisha took off in a sprint swooping up her pack by the shoulder strap as she ran alongside the large rock structure.
"Hey!" She howled out attempting to slow down the creature. Her plan worked and the creature spun around hair arching as he moved. Her body halted all movement out of fear as the realization of her mistake dawned on her. Moving in aggression the creature snarled, tensing his hands displaying his talons fully. Alisha didn't even have enough time to mouth the words oh shit, before the girth of the beast came charging at her.
Her body hit the rough sandstone as she flinched her head away hearing a foreboding shink as she felt the air displaced to the right of her head. Opening her eyes slowly she found her small frame pinned between the enormous body of the humanoid and the rock. Turning her head to the right she saw two twin wrist blades embedded deep within the stone where her head had been only moments ago. The creature roared, flaring his mandibles exposing the fleshy membrane and his pointed fangs. She whimpered at the close proximity and the retched stench that seeped out from his open maw. If she wasn't so scared shitless, Alisha would have heaved.
Dropping down onto her hands and knees she desperately crawled out from the only opening which was between his spread legs. She just barely fit, feeling his rough skin brush against the sides of her shirt. The humanoid attempted to turn his body to follow the frightened female but was stopped as his arm refused to follow. The two blades were embedded deep within in the sandstone and refused to budge.
Alisha stood a good ten foot distance watching as the creature punched at the large rock mound out of pure frustration only succeeding in hurting his large scaled hand. The bellow that escaped his mouth was loud enough to force Alisha to slap her hands over her ears to protect her hearing despite the distance.
Seemingly coming to his senses the humanoid placed his large clawed foot on the rock and began to push with all of his might in attempts to free him from his sudden prison. With a slight puff of loosening sand, the rock released its hold on the blades and sent the beast flying backwards landing rather undignified onto his back with a disgruntled snort. He sat up, shock evident on his alien features and Alisha had to slap both of her hands firmly over her mouth to stiffen the laughter that was slowly escaping her lips. Despite her best efforts the humanistic beast still managed to hear her hysterics at his expense. He stood, his pride clearly damaged before turning in one swift, fluid motion before stomping off completely forgetting his earlier attempts at ending her life.
Xxxxx
"Hey Mark." Alisha pronounced as she hit the record button on the small camcorder while walking a good ten feet behind the rather annoyed creature. "I survived the night as unbelievable as that must sound. It's day two now and if I'm guessing correctly, it should be some time in the afternoon but who knows. I'm just going by the position of the sun. Isn't that how you start these stupid video journals, with date and time?" She shrugged. "Who knows?" The humanoid turned his head to give the female an irritated glare. She was speaking to that stupid recording device and it was rather bothersome just to have her following behind him let alone listening to her speak her infuriating language.
"I'm doing well, a bit tired though but I've been hiking for a few good hours. I'm doing something incredibly stupid though!" Alisha chirped with a rather joyous tone. "Well, as usual. Remember that really freighting, hostile creature that was determined to do me harm but was too physically exhausted at that moment? Yeah, I'm following him. He's still hell bent on having my head smashed into the nearest rock." Alisha turned the camera and pointed it at the beast's figure.
He could hear her continues footfalls as she was ever slowly getting closer to the humanoid without even realizing. Giving a low warning growl he spun on his heels. Alisha jumped back out of instinct and stepped back a few steps waiting for him to continue on. He huffed satisfied as he turned around and continued on his original path, listening as the fragile female voice quieted noticeably as she talked to the small device. It seemed she could be trained.
"I think I got too close." She whispered with the camera once again pointed at her face. "At least he gives me warning now. I think I'm going to have to put the camera down, less I agitate him anymore. Hopefully he won't kill me before I have a chance to continue. See ya Mark." She closed the small screen and turned the camera off, quietly following after the strange creature.
Xxxx
With the dimming light, the air was filled with an unexpected chill that made the woman shiver in her sweat soaked clothing. The heat of the day was such oppressive heat that she had practically stripped to her tank top but now she was desperately pulling on any clothing that she could. She was thankful that she still had her small sweater that she had hung around her waist instead of discarding like she had planned to.
Alisha wasn't the only one affected by the sudden drop in temperature. The humanoid began to slow his pace forcing Alisha to walk slower to avoid his potential rage. Seemingly frustrated the creature raked his talons against the odd wire netting that covered his body under the armor, tearing it off of his body before slamming it into the ground with a furious snarl. Inflating his chest with oxygen he released his breath in a low defeated sigh, bringing his head to gaze up to the darkening sky with a look of longing. He slumped to the harsh ground of the desert with an audible thunk as he sat cross-legged. Slumping his head forward, he let his head rest on his right hand, concealing his eyes.
"You look miserable." Alisha stated obviously. He lifted his head only regarding her with one eye before giving a loud huff and rolling his eyes, letting his head slump onto his hand again. Alisha watched as his large body was quickly overcome by shivers. Letting her pack fall to the ground disturbing the dirt, she rummaged, pulling out a small flash light and taking off into the dark.
When she returned the reptilian humanoid was still sitting looking just plain cold and dejected. His muscles rippled in convulsion because of the cold. It was a pretty sad sight given the circumstances.
As she approached the creature, he again lifted his head by the slightest to regard her with the same quiet animosity that he has always harbored towards her but seemingly to depressed to do anything about it. Walking close to him but not close enough for her to be within in his striking range, Alisha dropped a large collection of dry brush that she had collected. The one thing about the desert was that there certainly wasn't a shortage of dry shrubs, especially at this time of the year. She trotted off again but returned shortly with a good collection of multiple rugged stones.
Using one of the multiple stones, she hit at the dirt attempting to dig a slight pit but the water deprived soil was like trying to dig through stone. With much effort, Alisha was able to make a slight dent in the ground and soon began arranging the array of dead vegetation breaking them apart and placing them within the make shift pit. She lined the pit with the left over rocks. The humanoid made no attempts to help but sat observing her as if she was insane.
Dragging her pack next to her, she rummaged pulling out a large novel and a small circular tin container that had the words insta light on the very top. She put these items to the side and pushed her pack out of the way. Opening the tin lid, she took a minimal amount of the black powder and put it in the center of her dead vegetation. She knew the consequences of using too much of that powder with the loss of her eyebrow and Alisha certainly didn't want a recurrence of that said event. Closing and returning the tin to her pack, she grasped the novel and regrettably began to tear the pages from the book and ripping them to shreds before placing them in the center of the pile. She only used the first chapter so at least she might be able to finish the book if she ever got the opportunity.
"Sod rubbing two sticks together." She said to no one in particular while simultaneously pulling out a lighter from her pocket. Alisha smiled as she held the lit metal lighter with her initials carved into the metal. The fire licked the small twig, charring them black before catching on to the paper; the paper curling and dancing away from the flames as the small lighter traveled on the paper.
"With a great exclamation, the great god said 'Let there be light!" Alisha pronounced as the fire traveled down the paper igniting the black powder with a large spark sending flames to shoot up into the air, spooking the humanoid and causing him to leap back. He glared at her with obvious hatred but Alisha met his glare with a smirk plastered firmly on her lips. "and there was light." She finished.
xxxx
Alisha curled on her side beside the warmth of the fire reveling on how the flames seem to chase away the chills. The humanoid sat as close as possible to the fire without getting burned with his great taloned hands stretched out just above the flames. Every so often he would release a strange contented rumble that sounded more like a purr than a growl. It seemed he was happy for now but how long would that last?
With her head firmly supported by her back pack, her eyelids began to droop and she soon drifted off to an eased slumber that was strangely peaceful with the hunter soon following foot. They both slept well until the fire went out in the early morning hours when it was still dark out.
Alisha was woken up rather rudely as she was grabbed roughly by the scruff of her neck and dangled mercilessly in front of the menacing visage of the hunter's fanged mouth, roaring at her with mandibles fully flared. Noticing that she was fully awake, he gestured to the fire pit which had a new collection of dead plants and parts of her novel that she had accidently left out. So much for ever finishing it, she thought. The humanoid dropped her and she, defeated, went to the fire pit placing more of the insta light in the center before lighting it.
Alisha shot death glares at the hunter as he strutted back to his spot before flopping onto the ground, resting his large head on his arms and seemingly falling back to sleep.
"Yeah," Alisha grumbled. "Sweet dreams you nightmare." She snarled, finally finding a suitable name for the humanoid, Nightmare.
So here is chapter two. What do you guys think about it?