As Clay and Tony approached the school gates, they caught sight of two other students: a boy with blonde hair and light blue eyes, whose skin was surprisingly soft for a guy, and a girl with deep crimson eyes and light yellow hair pulled back in a ponytail. The two of them were obviously close, even exchanging a small hand-holding moment.
At first, Tony grinned at the sight of the girl, but as soon as he spotted the boy, his smile faded to a scowl. Meanwhile, Clay strolled up to the duo, maintaining a neutral expression.
"Hey, Lora!" Clay greeted with a wave, catching the girl's attention.
"Clay!" Lora beamed back, glancing over his shoulder at Tony.
"And Tony!"
"So, what's the deal? What brings you two outside the school gates?" Tony asked
"Oh, nothing special," the boy, Jacob, finally spoke up. "Lora thought she'd just wait for you guys."
"Wait for us? Or snuggle up with mr.boyfriend?" Tony quipped, staring Jacob down. Tension immediately permeated the air.
"Tony, I was just waiting for you guys," Lora interjected, standing between the boys.
Sensing the rising tension, Clay decided to change the subject. "Guys, guys, remember my birthday? Let's talk about that, huh?"
"I trust Lora; she was waiting here for the birthday boy, after all," Clay joked, nodding at Lora. She played along, and Tony relented, pulling away from Jacob.
"Yeah, yeah. Lora already told me about it," Jacob chimed in.
"So, are we the only ones invited again? Or can we bring a plus-one?" Lora asked Clay, gesturing to Jacob.
Tony shot Clay a pointed look, but he just shrugged and nodded. Lora thanked him, and Tony sighed. With that settled, the school bell rang, signaling the start of classes. The four friends parted ways, agreeing to meet at Clay's for the party later.
The rest of the school day sped by, with many students absent due to the recent incidents in town. As the final bell rang, Clay raced to the front gates and met up with Tony, who had been waiting for him.
"Where's Lora? And Jacob?" Clay asked.
"They finished their classes early and decided to go for a walk together. Jacob insisted," Tony explained. "They told us to go ahead without them."
"All right then. Can't disrupt their lovebirds' stroll," Clay quipped, nudging Tony's arm.
"Hmph. Lovebirds" Tony muttered.
"There's nothing 'Lovely' around that Jacob."
"Jealousy level, over 9000," Clay teased.
"It's not even- *sigh*," Tony's voice became a little sad. "You don't know Jacob as I do, Clay. Trust me, I don't mind Lora having a boyfriend. It's her thing. What I mind is her boyfriend being that Jacob. He's a person who only cares about himself.
The two stayed silent for the rest of the walk. As they continued to walk, shadows began to emerge not far from them. From the shadows rose cloaked figures- Zepig and Lezpig -following the boys.
"Why don't we attack them already, i will make it fast and quick." Zepig said, his hunger clear.
"Though it's true you can, it will still make a mess. And a mess will surely bring the attention of reapers after us" Lezpig replied stretching his short arms
"So say, brother, how about a fresh walk to the forest"
*************************
"What the...."
"Clay why are we in the forest?"
The two boys stood in the middle of Gravesville Forest, confused as to why they where in here. In fact, not long ago they were on their way to Clay's place, but for some reason they ended up in this greenhouse of trees.
"I swear we were just seconds away from my house.... We didn't even take any track close to the forest!"
Clay began to ponder to himself, trying to grasp the situation. Tony on the other hand looked around the thick trees surounding them. He got closer to one the trees, noticing dry blood on it. That's when his widened and turned to Clay in horror.
"Clay! We must get out of here-"
But before he can finish his warning, he felt immense pressure weigh upon him. Clay likewise, snapped out of his thoughts and felt it too. The pressure came within the trees, red eyes beaming amongst leaves of green. Then from their plunged a beast unto the ground, revealing itself.
A pig head with the lower body of a zebra, Zepig stood six four feet over the boys. Though he had the features of herbivores on the outside, within him resided the attributes of carnivores. He stretched his body across the floor, taking a four legged stance and opening his mouth wide enough to notice the sharp teeth he wields.
"Brother said not to make a mess, so one bite is all it will take" He said as he drooled
The two boys however did not want to be the ones to be bitten, trying the best to muster enough courage to move out the way. Tony showed some signs of movement though slight, slowing carrying himself out the way
"Clay! Move!" Tony cried as he began to shift his position.
Clay on the other hand was frozen. He couldn't move although he wanted to. He couldn't answer Tony although he wanted to. It was no longer the fear or the pressure, it was something else. He didn't know what it was, but all he was able to perceive from that point was black.
But that was none of Zepig concerns, for as he finished widening his jaw to swallow the duo in one swoop, launched himself towards them. Tony who was trying to reach
Tony, who was trying to reach Clay, lunged forward just as Zepig descended upon them. However, before the beast could strike, it paused mid-air, its ears twitching as if sensing something ominous. Zepig's red eyes narrowed, and it sniffed the air, a low growl rumbling in its throat.
Clay felt a strange sensation surge within him, a familiar presence stirring in his bones. Without fully understanding it, he instinctively raised his hand, palm outward, towards Zepig. A faint black aura emanated from his fingertips, flickering like dark flames in the moonlight.
Zepig recoiled, its pig-like snout wrinkling in confusion and fear. The beast hesitated, its predatory instincts conflicting with an unknown force it could not comprehend. With a snarl of frustration, Zepig took a step back, its eyes darting between Clay and Tony.
"Clay... what did you do?" Tony gasped, eyes wide with astonishment.
Clay shook his head, equally bewildered. "I... I don't know. But it's giving us a chance to get out of here."
Tony nodded, not questioning further. "Let's go, before it changes its mind."
They wasted no time. Taking advantage of Zepig's momentary hesitation, they sprinted through the dense forest, branches whipping past them as they zigzagged between trees. Behind them, Zepig let out a frustrated roar, but it did not pursue.
"We need to find a way out of here!" Tony shouted between breaths, his voice echoing in the night air.
Clay nodded, his heart still racing from the encounter. They veered off the path, ducking behind gnarled roots and leaping over fallen logs in a desperate bid to lose any potential pursuit.
As they raced deeper into the forest, they stumbled upon an ancient, overgrown path that seemed to lead somewhere. Without hesitation, they followed it, hoping it would lead them out of this nightmare.
But just as they thought they might have a chance to escape, the path abruptly ended at the edge of a steep ravine. Below, a river churned with dark, swirling waters, its surface reflecting the sapphire moon above.
Tony cursed under his breath, glancing around frantically. "We're trapped, Clay. What do we do now?"
Clay scanned their surroundings, his mind racing for a solution. Then, his eyes fell upon a narrow ledge jutting out from the cliff face, just within reach.
"There!" Clay pointed. "We can climb down to the river. It's our only chance."
Tony nodded grimly, his jaw set with determination. "Let's go."
They descended carefully, their hands gripping the rough rock as they lowered themselves inch by inch. Zepig's enraged roars echoed from above, growing fainter as they moved further down.
With every muscle straining, they reached the riverbank and wasted no time diving into the icy waters. The current pulled at them relentlessly, but they fought against it, swimming hard to reach the opposite shore.
Behind them, Zepig reached the ravine's edge, its pig-like snout sniffing the air. It let out a frustrated snarl, unable to follow its prey further.
But Tony and Clay emerged on the far shore, gasping for breath but alive. They collapsed on the muddy bank, shivering from the cold and adrenaline still coursing through their veins.
"We... we made it," Clay panted, disbelief coloring his voice.
Tony nodded, a mixture of relief and lingering fear etched on his face. "Yeah... but what was that thing? And why did it come after us?"
Clay shook his head, equally baffled. "I don't know. But we need to get back to town, find help... figure out what's happening."
As they caught their breath and gathered their strength, the distant howls of Zepig faded into the night.