Fetter Folk Week 3 Event Entry

Midnight opened their eyes to find themselves alone where they had fallen. It was quiet, wind being the only whisper of a sound. The night had plunged the world into darkness, but there was a faint light far away. Midnight went to stand, finding it difficult in the first few attempts due to being left in the snow for some time. Stretching, Midnight checked the collar once more, it was silent but alive with light. The thing was still near. It hadn’t hurt them, so Midnight figured he couldn’t be all bad. The light in the distance flickered as if alive, fire perhaps? Midnight forced their feet to work as they numbly stumbled towards the flickering. They could feel heat as they neared and nearly collapsed into the fire once they reached its edge. Exhaustion filled them to the brim, sleep threatening to take over once again. But, there was a voice that broke the stillness. Will you help us? It seemed to flow through the cavern itself by the way it danced with the light on the icy walls. Midnight had no energy to feel fear. Head lowered to their front paws, they huffed out, “sleep first, talk later.” The strange fetter spoke no more, allowing Midnight to finally get some rest by the glow of the embers. Midnight’s dreams were filled with nightmares. Recalling their fall, Midnight ran through the ever deeper snow, unable to escape the fear and darkness in pursuit. Leaping out as a last ditch escape, Midnight fell. They fell through pitch black darkness, the plummet seemingly endless until they finally found something beneath their feet. They were standing in the hand of the strange fetter, except they were so small now. Having come to rest in the fetter’s palm, Midnight could only see the creature’s face before them. Its mouth opened to speak, but only an echoing scream came from the depths of its throat. Fangs glinted before Midnight was swallowed whole and once more was plummeting in darkness. Dreams such as these continued until the morning, where, with heat of the sun and fire, warmth crept into the subconscious. Sunny fields with sweet, cool streams were the last place Midnight was before awaking in a frigid cave alone with the strange fetter of their dreams. Morning came and went. The strange fetter kept the fire going and hunted small game while awaiting Midnight’s awaking. It wasn’t until late afternoon that Midnight finally roused from their slumber, smelling the meat being cooked by them. The strange fetter offered the meat to Midnight, who only took one hesitant sniff before wolfing the food down. When had they last eaten? Finishing off the second animal, Midnight finally spoke. “So what is it you want from me?” “We need your help. We want to be free in the world but we are trapped here.” Midnight thought for a while, finally making a decision. “Okay, I’ll help you, but you must promise me that no one will be hurt.” The fetter smiled, not answering Midnight’s conditions and stood. He walked directly to Midnight to grasp the collar around their neck. A moment later and it was thrown to the opposite wall, smashing into pieces upon impact. Midnight flinched at the harsh sound. The last light of the collar faded as the creature returned to their seat around the dwindling fire. We will leave upon the morning. Midnight nodded, not really knowing what to say in a situation like this one. This fetter had kept them alive for a reason, one that Midnight was determined to see through. Both lay down once more as the sun set, letting the embers glow light the cave. Midnight watched as the tendrils of the creature’s tail wrapped around them protectively almost as if they themselves were sentient. The cool night air combed through Midnight’s fur as they watched the last rays of the sun set through the opening of the cave. They could probably run if they wanted to. They could clearly see the research post from this high up, but... Midnight turned to look back at the fetter, snoring lightly as they were held by the tendrils. No. They wouldn’t run. They’d see this through as they said they would. Turning away from the opening, they closed their eyes and fell asleep. The strange fetter smiled a toothy grin, having not been asleep at all, and released the image of the research center from the opening of the cave. Midnight was theirs.