Something Watches.

Scratching, scurrying, squeaking. Hushed whispers and shrill screeches surround the darkness. You're weightless, but there is a weight. Oppressive and encompassing, it doesn't push down on you, it surrounds you, squeezes you, but it's grip isn't on your flesh it's around your mind. Your head snaps left, into the vast darkness, a growl and cackle pierces the squeaking.

You feel your entire everything turn in the direction of the sound. As it approaches you feel fear, a cold sweat running down the back of your soul. It shouldn't be here. This thing shouldn't be here. Your mind screams for a voice that you have had taken from you as form comes from the darkness against the last light of your mind's eye.

Bone white. The first thing that etches itself unto your **** mind as the skull of animal comes into view. Large eyeholes, a narrow jaw, smooth throughout. As the skull gets closer you see even more. Red eyes, white sclera and a feminine face. You feel colder as her stare burrows through your being. The face is youthful, attractive, but your senses stand on end looking at her. Her skin, unnatural for the form of a human and closer in hue to a Sierra redwood, she floats closer from the darkness. Her lips a deeper red as she purses them, you don't know what this blood skinned entity is, but it is not happy to see you. She is draped in a dark fur, that goes over her head and falls along the sides of her shoulders, coming together again around her stomach. Inches from you se speaks. Her voice deep and sultry with the echo of squeaks and screams.

"So, it was you."

Her voice makes you shiver. You don't know if your voice is stuck in your throat or you are unable to speak. All you do know is that you are her captive audience as she seems to appraise you.

"Bold. You cannot even speak, but just enough spark to comprehend the form I've chosen in this world. I expected to come here deal with the unlikely idiot that useless sycophant sent in his place to avoid the inevitable. Yet if you can even somewhat perceive me you may have some use."

Her gaze stares further through you, your skin burns- no not your skin, your soul burns and peels under her gaze as your life wilts.

Then all at once, with a blink, the pain is gone. As if it was never there as she speaks again.

"Interesting, another outworlder. This world's peculiar habit of drawing people in. You've been gifted abilities. The common strength, but something more interesting underneath. It's stunted. No. Just in need of nurturing. This might be interesting."

The entity begins to drift away from you. Further and further back into the darkness, but the voice is just as clear as if it was inches from you.

"I will inspect you again, you have the capacity to be interesting. Maybe even useful. If you are more than an idiot who has bumbled into forces beyond themselves, you will wake up without even remembering this dream. If not, take solace in the fact that the madness will come quick and you will not feel the despair of losing yourself. The Rat Queen will be watching."

Scratching, scurrying, squeaking. Scratching, scurrying, squeaking. Scratching, scurrying, squeaking. A voice.

"The hell?! Wake the fuck up!"

Your eyes jolt open as you lurch into an upright position... and come forehead to forehead with the succubus sitting on top of you.

OW.

As you and Ixy both rub your head in confusion you speak first, "Who wakes somebody up by shouting?"

Ixy looks at you with a pout and some concern, "I've been trying to wake you up for ten minutes. I thought I'd have to drag you back home and get a doctor!"

You look at her confused, "Suppose I'm a heavy sleeper?"

Ixy gives you a deadpan stare as she stands up, arms crossed, "You slept light, every day at the house. You had morning wood. EVERY. MORNING. But now, not even a semi. I thought you were in a coma."

You tilt your head and then look down at your own crotch. She's right, you spent the entire night curled up with this cute demonette and you're fully on soft.

You scratch your neck, "Maybe I was preoccupied with some crazy forest dream?"

"About?" Ixy asks, still sounding sceptic and shifting her weight between her legs.

You look up, towards the ceiling of the tent as you think, "I... can't remember."

Ixy looks you over. After a few passes she sighs and walks out of the tent, "Fine, but if this is going to be an ongoing thing I'll have to hang you from a tree at night so bears don't eat you while you sleep."

You get up and follow her out, "If you're so concerned then breakfast and a blowjob would help me feel like myself."

Ixy gives you a sly grin, "Sounds like you're alright after all Papi, now wash up while I make something."

Breakfast and some conversation later and the two of you are ready to continue exploring the forest.

Just as before you set out.

Five minutes in.

Ten minutes in.

After twenty-five minutes you look at each.

"Guess we're not getting split up this time," Ixy is the first to speak.

"Looks like the forest wants us together for whatever it has planned," You respond, half to Ixy and half to yourself. You're still concerned about what this forest is truly capable of.

Ixy shrugs her shoulders, but then smiles, "The forest means well. I know it does. Nothing bad ever happened when I played here as a kid and I always felt it watching over me. The forest is a fair steward... which further makes me think it thought best that you have someone to keep an eye on you today."

You grumble a bit at that last part, "All because I slept in a little."

"You were cold."

Ixy's words come sharp.

She continues, "You were cold. you felt distant. Do you know how difficult it should be for you to feel cold and distant with a succubus laying on top of you?"

Ixy turns to face you, "That is not normal. Perhaps it's better that we stick close today, okay?"

The small irritation you felt earlier at feeling you were being babied is replaced by remorse. You expected it would be **** defying battle and sacrifice that would make your party member worry about you. Instead it was a dream you can't remember and you not taking her concerns seriously.

You take a deep breath, you feel like an asshole, "Thanks Ixy. I'm still new to this and whatever you say is serious is serious. Please continue to keep an eye on me."

Ixy's eyes widen as her pout quivers and turns into a smile, "A-as long as you understand. My concerns should never be taken lightly."

You smile, "I guess this means I'll get to see you in action if we come across anything?"

Ixy puffs out her chest as she walks, "That's right. You'll see first hand that succubi aren't just sex and semen. We're fighters just as much as lovers!"