Ed explores more

It wasn't yet past midday and Ed felt confident enough to explore some more, he continued on and came across a wide area with a cave almost hidden behind some rocks. He made his way forward and spotted a small brown corrupted and degenerated version of a human shuffling around seemingly aimlessly. He recognised it as an imp, its neckless head was deformed and asymmetrical atop a bulky torso with thin arms and legs.

The grotesque creature spotted Ed and started to run towards Ed, he froze in fear as it scuttled towards him surprisingly fast like something from a nightmare.

Even though it was smaller than Ed its grotesque features and unnatural movements made him freeze as his mind tried to process the reality of seeing such a creature. He was broken out of his paralysing fear when its claws scratched against him causing him to cry out in shock, he turned to flee and it struck him again. Instinctively he lashed out with his axe in a panic and felt his arm shudder as the **** of the impact was transmitted throughout his body, the creature staggered back and Ed hoped he'd managed to scare it off but it struck him again leaving large scratch marks across his chest. With no possibility of being able to flee his primal instinct for survival made him strike again with the stone axe hitting the imp on its shoulder, it growled and renewed its attack with a snarl.

Ed feared for his life and struck again and again until the creature was still, Ed vomited from trauma as he stared at the bloodied remains of his diminutive attacker. Creatures like the imp were supposed to be a learning step for newbies but the reality of taking a humanoid was so different, killing the rabbit had been one thing but this, this was something different. Shaking from shock Ed retreated from the creatures body and tried to make his way back to his shelter.

On his way back he found a quiet spot and feeling weak from the scratches he ate some of the uncooked rabbit hoping to gain some of his strength back, it was a huge mistake. Eds stomach immediately cramped with pain as soon as he finished eating the raw flesh, he doubled over in agony but was unable to be sick. With no medicine, no way to cure the food poisoning Ed lay in torment until he was released from the suffering by deaths sweet embrace, and thus Flopsy had his ****.

The Exiled Lands are a harsh place to try to attempt to survive.