"This forest never ceases to irritate me." A voice of agitation sang out, breaking the silence of the mists that cloaked the forest, the full moon casting strips of light through the haze, giving off what little light could seep through the thicket.
Clarissa usually strays from these woods, but for this journey, it was not possible. Her search for that man gave her a lead, here, in the Misty Forest. It would be a tiring search, as the area was not small by the least of terms, but the information she could receive seemed promising. She has already searched for a day, but her sense of direction was misconstrued due to the murkiness of the woods and it was leaving her a bit... distressed. Patience was not one of her virtues.
The mists fluctuated from heavy to light, shifting constantly, and at times it made her head spin as her eyes adjusted according to the visual range. There are even times when the mist was so thick she had to feel her way through the forest, using the trunks of trees to help guide her, almost like wandering through pitch blackness. Indeed, this was not a swell journey, but her hopes began to lift, just like the faint glow of flame she saw in the fog.
This must be it, the countess thought to herself. It might be a difficult region to travel through, but she knew if she kept her general direction, what she sought would be found. As she grew closer to the orange flicker of light, the haze started to become sparse and sank to layer the ground, and an outline of a small hut could be seen; a person and a half tall and several paces wide, Exactly how it was described...
However, there was a... taint in the air. Clarissa felt something was wrong, but the solution eluded her, except that it was silent. No footsteps except her own, no rustling bushes, no animals or creatures crying, not even the wind made a sound. She heard the flame cackle as it danced in a small fire pit, feeling its natural warmth through her damp garments, and she watched it flutter for a moment before turning towards the hut door, giving a simple knock on its rickety wooden frame, “Hello?” She hesitantly called out, but received no answer. The door then slowly and silently swung open, pushed by Mae's hand, and she examined the hut's interior. Nothing, except a smell. It was light, almost like a body odor, but it was common in huts like these, they didn't particularly promote hygiene.
When she took a step inside, her boot slipped and nearly made her fall. The floor can't be that wet from the mist... She brought her foot up to inspect it, and from the fire's light she could see it the substance was dark red. Blood? In only a few moments after, the ground slowly became visible as the mist started to lift again, and she saw the body. Mangled, twisted, torn, shredded. There was barely anything left of the poor bastard, save some organs, bones, some muscle, and plenty of blood. The Lady moved in close, lifting what was left of an arm, noticing that he was a scrawny frame, probably middle-aged... the same description that she was looking for. Damn it. She could guess that it was a fresh kill, as the corpse was still warm, so the killer was most likely nearby... and still hungry. No wonder there was silence... I'm being stalked...
The dark countess took no time in retreating from the hut, retracing her steps through the forest. She hoped to get out of the predator's territory before it can get in position to attack, but in her heart she knew in truth that this would be a fight for survival.