She collapsed, exhausted from walking all day trying to escape the thick

forest and the thorny bramble that litters it. Her formerly clean, blue, overall shorts were now as good as oil rags. Her purple and white striped shirt wasn’t in any better condition. The setting sun casted an eerie red hue on everything, and made the blood from all the cuts and scrapes that crawled up her limbs glisten. She began to drag her scrawny, small frame across the leaf litter, forcing any bit of strength out of her to continue her journey. She abruptly stopped, too weary and starved to continue. A pitiful wailing filled the otherwise silent forest. Incoherent sobs that resembled cries for help bounced off the surrounding trees. 

The forest was introduced to another, quieter sound. Blank, eerily calm eyes

stared ahead at what was disturbing its senses. The strange, unknown creature slowly approached the pile of mud and tears ahead of it. The girl looked up suddenly, alarmed at the sensation of a strange presence. The creature in-front of her looked both familiar and unfamiliar. Human, but un-human. It towered over her, black eyes with white irises beaming down on her, yet its shape resembled that of a woman with a thin frame wearing a huge hooded coat. The soft blue, pink, and white gradient down its coat gave a soft and welcoming feeling, but the thin appendage with a claw on the end, attached to an  almost comically witch hat looking part at the top of its head conflicted against the serene energy that radiated from the being. A timid sound interrupted the uneasy stillness. 

“E-excuse me Miss..? Can you help me? I’m… I’m lost… I wanna go home…”

The creature stared for a moment, then twitched. The thin, clawed appendage extended out towards the girl.