alaskan encounter

You have lived in the Alaskan bush since you were a child. You are staying at small hunting outpost you built during the previous summer. The closest sign of civilization is a four hour plane ride away. You have a scheduled pickup later in the week, until then you are alone. You have a [[rifle]] to your right and a cup of [[coffee]] to your left. You notice the [[firewood]] is running low.

You admire the fine worksmanship of the weapon. You've fed your family with this rifle for the better part of a decade.

A hot cup of joe. One of the few storebought consumables in the house.

You leave the interior room of the hut and go out to retrive your axe. It is missing. You see faded tracks wrapping around your cabin. Someone was here. They circled the cabin repeatedly. You do not know of any other living people within 100 miles. These tracks are small and humanoid. Follow the [[tracks]] or return to the [[cabin]]?

You slowly follow the tracks. Whoever this was, they made a b-line for the [[woods]] after visiting your cabin. You notice a faint acrid smell in the air. You see [[movement]] in the trees.

You enter the cabin and notice that you are trembling. Perhaps there was another hunter in the area. Maybe they came back from a day out and found he had returned. You sit and look out the window in the direction the footsteps trailed off. You see a dark figure moving amongst the trees. Drink your coffee and continue [[watching.]] Go back out and follow the [[tracks]] [[Take a nap.]]

The wilderness of Alaska is as natural and wild as any place on earth. Humans have lived off the land here for thousands of years. You check if you have your [[knife]].

A small, hooded head pokes out from around a tree about a hundred yards away from where you are standing. You notice that their skin is a [[matte grey]]. Are they sick? You yell to them, [["Hello!"]]

The creature steps out from behind the tree, drops [[your axe]] to the ground and sprints deeper into the [[woods]]. You cautiously walk towards where the creature [[stood]].

You need that axe to prep firewood. You have had it for over a decade. You'd also like to know who is visiting your cabin at night.

As you approach, you feel a strong sense that you are being [[watched]]. You pause and look around, but don't see anything. You continue forward. The ground is rough and unusual, you feel intense heat eminating from the ground without reason. You feel a sense of [[euphoria]] wash over you for a brief moment. You continue [[forward]].

They say the human brain has an uncanny ability to know when it is present in the concious experience of another. Perhaps there is something occurring beyond modern measurement. You continue to where it [[stood]].

You feel an empty sheath. You left your knife in the cabin. It has a small blade, but is key for butchering animals. You considering returning, but fear this is your only chance to retrieve your axe. You return your focus on the [[movement]].

You feel hot and smell spice. After a moment it fades. You take a deep breath and feel blood rush to your head. You continue [[forward]]

As you are approaching the axe, you notice a glint slightly behind it. You continue walking, paying careful attention to your surroundings. You pickup the axe. As you stand, something enters the corner of your eye. You turn sharply and fix your gaze. It appears to be a small child standing, eyes wide, staring at you. Her skin is matte grey. Her hair is thick. Her cheeks are plump and her ears are pointed like a knife. She wears a thick fur robe. She is roughly five meters away. She takes an aggressive stance. [[Take the axe and run.]] [[Brandish the axe]] Drop the axe and [[Raise your hands]]

You pickup your axe and turn to flee. You hear a light moan from behind you. You feel your heavy fur coat bouncing accross your shoulders. As you pass a tree you see a figure. You freeze. In front if you is a cloaked figure, at least seven feet tall, holding a taught bow aimed at your chest. The figure begins to move towards you, bow steady. [[Run.]] [[Try to communicate.]]

The child calms down, then backs away slowly. She turns and begins to run. [[Follow]] [[Walk back to cabin]] with your axe.

You turn and flee. Before your second step lands, you feel a shot of pain in your lower back. You fall limp to the forest floor. You feel yourself being turned upright. You cannot feel anthing below your shoulders. Before fading to unconciousness, you notice the top of a fur hood protruding from your midsection. [[Scream]]

"Don't Shoot!" You yell repeatedly, flailing your arms above your head. The creature stands out of lunging distance and observes you for a long moment. They lower their bow. They gesture with two fingers to their eyes, then point aimlessly in the surrounding area. They lower their hand below their waste and wave it back and forth. [[Point to your tracks]] [[Shrug]]

After an hour of following the small, reptilian tracks, they suddenly disapear. You look around and see nothing. [[Walk back to cabin]]

You go back to your outpost. You cut some firewood and spend the rest of your trip stalking moose on the other side of the valley. You grab a 5-point moose. It takes two trips, but you get the whole thing home. On your first day back, you cook up some moose steak and onions with bell peppers. A few weeks after returning, you wake up and notice a grey patch on your left forearm. [[Start]]

You feel the creatures posture tighten. The bow lowers. It points a finger at you, then the tracks, then up to it's eyes. A question. [[Point in the direction you came from]] [[Gesture to your axe, then point]] [[Shrug]]

The creature walks forward, inspecting you more closely. You see this is an adult version of whatever you met before. You guess it to be her mother or father. You hear a gutteral sound. Like a hiss inside a growl. The creature is within striking range of your axe. [[Lunge forward]] [[Point in the direction you came from]] [[Run.]]

The creature nods and leaps onto a nearby trunk, perching calmly before leaping to a new trunk. Repeating this maneuver while scanning the forest floor. In complete silence, the being disapears into the foliage above. [[Walk back to cabin]]

The creature whips the bow back to full draw in an instant. [[Run.]]

The creature darts into the forest. [[Follow]]

You see nothing all morning. You decide you'll cut firewood with your knife. Hopefully they don't come back. [[Take a nap.]]

You die from thrombosis. Your pilot friend finds you and buries you. He takes your rifle to pawn. [[Goodbye]]

You swing your axe at the creatures hunched face. It pulls back, but you cut deep into the creature's midsection. It lets out a deafening scream, causing you to reel. In an instant, it breaks your axe handle and leaps up a nearby tree. You notice green liquid on the ground. [[Run.]]

Are there eyes bright red or silver? You can't tell.

Don't be such a snooze next time. [[Start]]

You let out a screech. A claw efficiently pinches your tongue out. The rest is very ugly. [[Start]]