V Insatiable

[Eszter]

A pair of hollow eyes gazed into the depths of Kraw’s jungles, rasping breaths audible as thoughts ran through the strange creature’s mind. There were many mouths to feed. The Spriggans were multiplying rapidly, faster than expected, and a few raptors wasn't enough to sustain them anymore. A long, root-coated finger came up and stroked the spirit’s chin. What to do… The Leshen’s thoughts were interrupted by the eager beating of wings.

“Morning Leshy!” A spritely voice chimed as its owner landed next to the spirit.

“Good morning Naga.” The Leshen replied. The Spriggan cheerily hopped into its vision, obviously elated about something. “You are cheerful today.”

“Hmph, stunning observation.” Naga teased, her reptilian eyes bright beneath her rathian skull mask. Her wings fluttered with excitement, light glinting off of their emerald scales. “We have good news.”

“Oh?” The Leshen asked, peering down to come face to face with the much shorter spirit.

“Explorers, sticking their nose where it doesn't belong again.” Naga said, a hint of malice in her voice.

“That doesn't sound like good news.” The Leshen replied, unimpressed.

“Ah, it wouldn't be.” The Spriggan said, sounding as if she were a magician about to present her next trick. “But our scouts, lead by yours truly, chased a herd of kestodon into them. Four wounded, two uninjured. Should be easy pickings.” The Leshen let out a long, rasping laugh, sounding as if laughter wasn't something it naturally understood. Naga, for her part, found it infectious, and was soon giggling along with her companion.

“Excellent work, Naga.” The Leshen said with all the glee it could muster.

“Aw, thanks Leshy, but it was nothing.” The Spriggan replied, her tone dripping with insincere modesty. “Come on, I'll show you where they've camped out. Everyone's there, including all of our other knights.”

“But you are our only kni… Ah…”

“Mhmm.” Naga’s smugness was tangible, even with her face hidden beneath her mask.


Jesse was trembling in his boots, an unfamiliar rifle clutched tightly in his grip. ‘Go on a hunting expedition’ they said, ‘just kill a few monsters’, they said. We was promised money and glory, not embarrassment and trauma from a small monster stampede.

“Watch that trigger finger, Jesse!” Marcus barked as he glanced up from one of their injured party members. All four of them were unconscious, leaving just Jesse and Marcus to keep watch. “We don't need you putting someone down because of your twitchy grip.”

“Okay, okay.” Jesse sighed, turning back to the forest. Thankfully, he couldn't see anything coming from the deep jungle. Before he could relax, however, the sound of wingbeats filled the air.

“What the hell is that?” Marcus wondered aloud, rising uncertainly to his feet. The sound grew closer and closer, before a small, winged figure emerged from the forest, followed by another, and another. A dozen masked fae spiralled and danced above the explorer’s heads. They had wings of all shapes and colours, the light reflecting off them casting the humans into a chromatic glow. Jesse gazed up in awe at the display, while Marcus gazed up in horror.

“Jesse.” He hissed, drawing his party mate out of his stupor. “What are you doing? Take a shot!”

“Huh? Why?”

“Did you forget where we are?! Look at them you idiot, that one has a dragon skull on its face!” Marcus snapped. Indeed, one of the fae wore the skull of a rathian, the long-dead drake grinning down at them. Jesse, horrified into action, brought his rifle to bare. Before he could take a shot, however, a much more nightmarish foe burst from the woods.

“Intruders!” The beast rasped, the empty sockets of its deer skull boring into them. “You shall feed Kraw!”

Jesse let out a cry of terror as Marcus drew a machete and lunged towards the beast, slashing towards its unnaturally low limbs. The Leshen lazily dodged out of the swing, losing a bit of bark in the process. Before Marcus could swing again, the arm he tried to sever came up and ripped into his stomach, it's roots tearing into his flesh with nightmarish ease.

The more experienced hunter dropped to the ground, dead. Jesse shrieked again as the Leshen’s eyeless face turned towards him, glowing eerily in the light of the Spriggan’s wings. Not sure what else to do, Jesse began stripping naked before putting his clothes back on inside out. A chorus of laughter broke out above him as the Spriggans watched, and even the Leshen let out a small chuckle. The idea of inside-out clothing confusing the spirits was surprisingly common, and utterly ridiculous. However, the Leshen spotted something on Jesse that made its laughter stop. A crucifix of pure silver hanging from a chain around his neck.

Jesse must have noticed the dead silence around him as the Spriggans noticed the crucifix themselves and looked up, a triumphant look in his eyes.

“That's right! You can't touch me like this!” He proclaimed, boldly walking over to his allies to begin doing the same to them.

‘He doesn't realise.’ The Leshen thought anxiously, it's eyeless gaze turning up to Naga, signalling her to be cautious. The Spriggan nodded silently, knowing exactly what the taller spirit was thinking. Naga’s wings folded in as she drew her sword and began to swoop towards the oblivious Jesse. The rath blade struck the base of his neck with such speed and intensity that he didn't even have to time realise that his theory was mistaken. The air of tension diffused immediately, the Spriggans breathing a collective sigh of relief.

“The Spriggan dances claims some more. Still, it was a close one, eh, Leshy?” Naga said as the Leshen approached her, it's claws poised.

“Indeed it was.” The spirit responded, rearing back its arm and cleaving across the unconscious explorers, killing the whole group in one swing. “Thank your lucky stars the fool didn't know what he had. And thank them again that you didn't touch it by accident.”

Naga ‘mhmm’ed in agreement as she flipped Jesse’s body over and carefully removed the crucifix with the tip of her sword.

“You think this guy will be safe to eat?” She asked.

“Leave the body, just in case. The other five will be plenty.”

“You’re probably right.” Naga said, sounding slightly disappointed as she turned to the rest of the Spriggans. “Alright, scouts! Let's get to work! We’re gonna feast tonight”

The Leshen stared at the discarded crucifix for a moment before leaning down and piling some soil over it. Satisfied that it wouldn't be harming any forest creature any time soon, the spirit leaned down and hefted Marcus’ body over its shoulder. Just another day on Kraw.

 

[Eszter]

The Leshen gazed out into the forest, deep in thought. The chittering of excited Spriggans filled the air behind him as they devoured the remains of the slain explorers. The tree spirit’s mask tilted back as its cavernous maw opened, and it placed a morsel of meat and bone inside, swallowing it whole. There were a dozen Spriggans left in the group, less than half of the fae that there had been when the Leshen had met them, and of the group only Naga was a knight rather than a scout. The greater spirit doubted that they could last in Kraw’s wilds much longer. Luckily, they wouldn't have to. In the distance, a monstrous tree reached into the sky, clawing the orange-painted sky with its ragged branches. The grove, the home of the Spriggans, was tantalisingly close. Less than a day of travel would get them there.

The Leshen felt a strange relief at the prospect of a safe haven for the fae. The spirit was reluctant to admit it, but it felt an odd sense of companionship with the Spriggans and the idea of them dying out was distressing. The Leshen’s thoughts were interrupted by the beating of wings, drawing its gaze over its shoulder. Naga lazily flapped over before landing on a nearby rock, yawning noisily.

“Feels like we've been walking for ages, doesn't it?” She asked, a buzz of excitement in her voice. “It'll be good to go home.”

“Indeed.” The Leshen replied, trying, and failing, to share in her enthusiasm. “Perhaps you won't decide that you don't need a safe place to live this time.

“Yeah. You're right, for the hundredth time. Hey, Leshy, I'm gonna take my mask off. Don't look, okay?” Naga said, sounding slightly embarrassed.

“It will do you no harm for me to see your face.” The Leshen said matter-of-factly.

“I know but it makes me feel weird, so just don't.” The Spriggan huffed. The larger spirit obliged, focusing its gaze on the tree. Naga breathed a sigh of relief as she removed her mask, brushing her hair back. “You’re going to make some more knights when we get to the grove, aren't you?”

“That is my intention, yes.” The Leshen stated. “Is something the matter?”

“On point as always.” Naga pouted. “Just don't forget who the first knight was, okay? Don't forget who’s been at your side since day one.”

The Leshen felt a pang of sorrow at the notion that it would simply forget Naga’s companionship. “Cast away your concerns, friend.” Kraw’s spirit said, turning to face the Spriggan.

“Leshy!” She cried indignantly, her hands shooting to her exposed face.

“Ah, my apologies.” The Leshen rumbled, turning back to face the forest. The sun had nearly set, casting long shadows through the deep woods. “You are irreplaceable, Naga. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Aww… Thanks, Leshy. You're pretty great too.” Naga said, grinning proudly. Noticing the quickly approaching darkness, the Spriggan reached for her mask and placed the skull back on her head. “Looks like it's time to head in, eh? Come on, I want to get up early tomorrow.”

The Spriggan leapt from the rock and motioned for the Leshen to follow, racing to rejoin the others. The fae had retired to the branches of nearby trees, out of the reach of most predators who would attack in the night. Without the luxury of flight, the Leshen settled in the centre of the biggest space it could find. The spirit crossed its arms over its chest and dug its root-like feet into the soil, slowing drifting into a half-unconscious state.

The night passed uneventfully, which was a rare and precious thing in the heart of Kraw. The Leshen uprooted itself from the soil, feeling the morning sun on its bark. Dull excitement coursed throughout the spirit, a strange feeling for the emotion-numb monster. Every Spriggan was awake and accounted for, each one eagerly fluttering about, ready to get moving. Without a word, the Leshen began trudging towards the grove, a swarm of excited fae following in its wake.

The group traveled for the entire day, pausing only to kill a giant boar that happened upon them. The Spriggans were confused when they were told that they weren't allowed to eat it, but the Leshen assured them that the carcass had its part to play. When they finally arrived, the atmosphere was surprisingly dull. The grove was exceptionally empty, with no signs of life other than a thick carpet of grass and a single tree growing in the centre.

“This is it?” The Leshen asked, approaching the ancient tree.

“Yep.” Naga said, hovering near its head. “This is the faerie tree. It's seen better days, though.”

The larger spirit lay a gnarled hand on the wizened trunk. Despite the weathered look of the tree, the Leshen could have sworn that it felt it move in response. “That is hardly a surprise. It has not properly fed in months.” The spirit said before stooping down and gouging a great heap of soil from the earth. The Spriggans paused in surprise for a moment before they realised what it was doing and scrambled to help. Together, the spirit and the fae dug a deep pit beneath the tree and dumped the boar carcass into it. Sensing food, the tree’s roots slowly snaked towards the fresh meat, even as soil was dumped back on top of it.

“Rejoice, friends, children of Kraw. We are home.” The Leshen declared, laying its hand back on the trunk of the tree. This time, the spirit was almost certain that it could feel the tree rumble slightly as it began to consume its meal. The joyous cheering of the Spriggans that had survived their time away from the grove filled the air, but the Leshen took little notice.

“Eat well, friend.” It whispered to the tree. “Now that we are together, all of Kraw shall be our feast.”