Chapter Text
”You can’t run forever, little one.” Her voice calls again, and it’s a slightly amused tone, as if they’re still playing the game. There’s a rustle of leaves over her head, and Clee’s heart jumps into her throat as she makes another sharp turn. Clee don’t even know where she’s going- but she had to try and if she can just get back to the dirt path-
Then suddenly the ground comes up to meet her and she flies across the dirt, Clee squeezes her eyes shut as she falls down a steep cliff she didn’t even notice before, reaching the bottom, she cries out, her head hitting a rock as she comes to a abrupt stop. Clee sucks in air to try and catch her breath, as sharp pain radiated through her forehead.
Clee sobbed softly, pushing herself up onto her knees, trying to ignore the way the world seemed to sway under her.
”Tch, now look what you’ve done, what a clumsy child you are…” her voice echoed through the forest, causing Clee to freeze and whimper before trying to get up to run again, only to fall forward with a cry as her now cracked leg throbbed. Clee turned over and sat down on the forest floor, wincing at the pain with a whine.
“Are you done with this, now?” She said, sounding slightly irritated and Clee noticed how clear her voice sounded now with cold terror.
“N-no no no-“ Clee whimpered when her eyes landed on the woman-the fae that had taken her. Clee gasped in pain as she tried to crawl away.
“You won’t get far, my dear…why don’t you come back with me?….Let’s get you cleaned up and we can play again later” she drawled, taking her time as she stepped closer and closer to the frightened child, who was trying desperately to move.
Clee sobbed, then was able to raise herself onto her good leg by using a tree stump and held the cracked leg up as she limped desperately, then ran disjointedly through the trees, ignoring the laughter behind her.
Running as fast as her damaged leg would allow her, Clee trembled as she turned and spotted a large hollowed oak log to her left, gasping in pain she quickly squeezed herself to fit under it, hoping the fae wouldn’t find her.
“Come out, come out wherever you areee” Her voice echoed in a airy tone, ending with a dark chuckle.
“I-I Don’t w anna play anymore!” Clee wailed as she covered her slightly cracked face with shaking hands, sobbing from where she was hidden under the hollow log.
“Ohhh, what a pity…we were having soo much fun..hmm, I suppose I’ll leave you alone, then.” She said in a sad voice, before the forest fell completely silent aside from the rustling of leaves and birds up in the trees.
Clee blinked away her tears and trembled as confusion filled her mind, Is she free? Is the fae lying? Why would she just..leave? Clee had no time to finish that thought before clawed hands grabbed her firmly around the waist.
“I lied~” Cooed the fae grinning at Clee’s distraught face, her bright green eyes gleaming in the darkness as Clee wailed, thrashing weakly in Her arms, begging, crying, pleading for anyone to help her while the fae dragged her out of the log, laughing cruelly as she waved her suddenly glowing hand- then everything went black.