On the other side of the forest, nearer to the outskirts of Subcon where the sunlight was easier to see, a small, hooded figure darted and scampered through the wooded greenery. Skipping to and fro, beaming and carefree, any passing bystander might think a small child seemingly without a care in the world was right where she was supposed to be.
And for the most part, she was.
For as long as she could remember, Subcon Forest had been her home. Cashmere had no memory of existing anywhere else. However, the edge of the woods had been a subject of fascination for the child ever since she'd reached the age where she was able to wander around by herself. But her privilege of free-roaming without hovering supervision was not without it's drawbacks. Since Snatcher had assumed custody of her, she had been given limitations, as with any of his minions.
One of them being what she was currently doing— investigating the edge, right by the wooded entrance.
She hadn't MEANT to meander this far away from where her treehouse room was. Hell, she hadn't even meant to get out of bed that early. But Cashmere had woken up in a cold sweat before dawn had broken— not like it made much of a difference light-wise, but she hadn't been able to fall back asleep, either. The girl had supposed that a light walk might be able to tire her out, and she could go back to bed before the rare sunbeams breached the perpetual twilight they were all veiled under.
Unfortunately, the walk hadn't made her sleepy right away like she'd hoped, so she kept going. Not paying attention, just following paths that peaked her interest. Before she knew it, time had gotten away from her in her quest for tiring herself out. And it was this minor insomnia that had her at a crossroads that she was too enraptured to pull herself away from.
Once she'd gotten old enough to be given commands, Snatcher had sat his charge down and laid down a set of ground rules that she was to follow moving forward. They all had varying levels of importance, but most prominent of those rules was the one regarding Cashmere staying within the forest grounds. Leaving the woods for any sort of reason was prohibited, on threat of being given harder, longer work than she was used to.
The way Snatcher saw it? For all his infinite mercy of taking Cashmere in and raising her himself, all he asked for in return was her unquestioning, neverending loyalty. And should she withhold that loyalty by running off and disobeying his direct orders, he was more than happy to cut her down to size. He'd never kill her, of course, not like the other nosy humans who were idiotic enough to set foot in his domain. But Cashmere was no more exempt from punishment than any of the other minions were. She should just be thankful that her penalties didn't entail extended food deprivation, or being dangled precariously from one of the numerous nooses that littered the forest's tree branches.
Cashmere's boot-clad feet remained firmly planted in place, but her longing gaze never left the bright stretch of green that started just over the side. Where the crooked trees ended, green, healthy plant life began. And she would be lying to herself if she said what laid beyond her home didn't make her at least the tiniest bit curious. What wonders were just out of her grasp… But despite the urge, she didn't DARE set one toe out of line. Being by herself in the woods was one thing, but being truly alone in them was something else. Cashmere knew from prior attempts years ago that even if it felt like she was doing this secretly, there was always SOME pair of eyes keeping watch from a distance. She'd never been able to glean whether they were looking after the forest's edge or her specifically, as she always passed out and woke up back in Subcon Village without getting a look at whoever grabbed her. But she'd gotten caught all the same. Turning back and returning for morning assignments would be her best bet at this time.
But…. She just couldn't. Something held her there, like a hypnotic force only she was under. For this odd trance she was under, Cashmere had stood like a statue for a good several minutes after having crept out for her stroll. What was the matter with her this morning? The girl hadn't woken up with the urge to rebel. Why today? Why NOW?
"Mm… It's not fair," the child whispered to herself, shivering as a light breeze drifted through the forbidden area and blew through her hair. "I know HE can't risk leaving, but why am I supposed to stay in one place all the time? I just don't get it; I could TOTALLY outdo all those other dumb contractors he hires if he'd just let me try! I'm brave, I can handle anything people throw at me! Everyone here knows that! They all come from outside, don't they? What's so scary about the outer region, anyways?"
Cashmere paused in her desirous ramblings, but by then her feet had begun to move once more. The more she thought about and grew frustrated with the rules, the more petulant her footsteps became. Until she was pretty much stomping over to sit on a nearby tree trunk. But her annoyance soon gave way to longing while she brooded over the multitude of reasons she should be allowed to explore further.
"Besides.. My parents have to be out there, right? Somewhere? He hates it when I bring them up, though… It's so— so dumb! I'm Snatcher's best minion.. He KNOWS I'd never abandon him. Why is he so set on keeping me here?" Cashmere groaned, rambling in her thoughts.
"Because nobody else around here has more to lose other than you? Did you EVER think of that?" A patronizing second voice chimed in, speaking to the girl as though there was an inside joke she wasn't in on and making her jump at being startled.
"WHA–?!" Cashmere stood, whirling around in her confusion to pinpoint the source of the voice. Unfortunately she couldn't, and the child was left spinning like a trapped creature while her unseen "guest" began to chuckle sardonically at her plight.
"Pretty little Cashmere… It's been some time since I last saw you around here, hasn't it? Last I encountered you, you could only toddle around and tripped over your own feet! But now look at you~"
A sudden rush of cold air blew over the back of her neck, like a kiss from an unseen spirit. Cashmere trembled, and hugged herself under the calf-length black cloak she wore. The laughter, having began anew, seemed closer this time around. The girl hid behind the tree stump she'd sat on, burying her face in her knees as though she'd be safely hidden away. 'If I can't see you, you can't see me', as the old saying went.
If only that were true.
"Come now, my dear! I've no ill-will towards you! You should know that by now, we've met often enough!"
In her mind's eye, Cashmere briefly recalled herself running through the woods when she was little. Much smaller than she was now… following miscellaneous Leaves rustled. From behind her, perhaps fifty feet away. About four seconds passed before she heard the noise again, closer now. Cashmere bit her lip.
"But that also means that you should know well by now how this ends…."
A shadow loomed over her hunched form, now. Shaking like a leaf, Cashmere very slowly raised her frightened gaze to meet her 'visitor'. Her eyes widened in recognition at the menacing figure almost IMMEDIATELY. But the shock had barely registered before she was swiftly scooped up into their grabby hands before she could so much as gasp.
Cashmere opened her mouth to scream, but her captor had thought this far ahead. One arm held her in the tightest cradle she'd ever felt in her life with an iron grip, and the other covered her mouth to muffle the noise she'd make. In the end, all she could do was squirm fruitlessly against the strength of the arms that held her.
Well. At least she knew now just who was watching and stalking her whenever she thought she was alone.
It was just a shame she had find out the hard way; by getting into the worst kind of trouble she could, where nobody could hear her scream.
