dancing in the dark; any

[Etojo]

He held the carcass close to his chest, carrying his meal into the deeper, denser part of the forest where he usually belonged. For a time, all seemed as it should in this part, where the only mark of a presence was that of his own amongst the dead leaf litter and barren soil. Until suddenly, he became aware that it wasn’t. For cutting through his well-trodden path of decay grew a trail of daisies, their freshly green stems a shocking reminder of all that was unnatural in this world. He had come this way earlier and they hadn’t existed then. The oddness of it made his leafy body bristle as his typical scowl once again moulded its presence to his face. His conclusion was both quick and simple. Someone else was in his area… when they shouldn’t be. His mind frothed with a strange mix of annoyance and excitement as he veered off his own path and onto the flower trail which had been left for him. The carcass still clasped between his jaws swung this way and that to the purposeful rhythm of his stride. Its little creature limbs dangling and slapping his chest. He wondered if the filaments of rotting flesh smeared against his chest would make him look fierce. He certainly hoped so. It did not take him long to find the daisy trails creator. Certainly, there have been times when his silliness would overrule common sense, but a trail is a trail, and whilst some did question it, Etojo wasn’t that stupid. She stood amongst her flowers, young and if he judged by appearance only, at least outwardly normal enough. The stir of excitement which had quickened his heart gradually began to slip away. It was a strange feeling to feel more disappointed than pleased. Had he really wanted to bully her off? Yes… yes he had. He had the roguish urge to get his hooves muddier than they already were. But watching her stand there amongst her daisies… Etojo cocked his head. She just seemed overly harmless. A long time had passed, so long that he’d lost track of how long it had been since he’d had visitors, even unwitting ones. Perhaps a different plan was in need here. And still clutching the carcass because at some point he’d need to eat it, Etojo moved to meet her. Her trail of daisies a trail no more as they withered away to an early death as he passed over them. One of the many sad effects to what he was now.