The sun was shining high up in the sky... not that it really penetrated down to the forest floor through the thick canopy of leaves and branches above his head. Small rays of sunshine pierced through holes in the treetop cover, and small meadows seemed like havens of light in the darkness of the forest.

Not that he cared much. He was just continuing to move forward, his steps heavy, his posture sloppy and droopy. His dull clothes matched his grey eyes, and almost caused him to blend in with the shadows.

Several pairs of eyes were glowing as they stared at him from the darkness, but either he didn't notice, or didn't care.

Instead, he found a large rock, and climbed up on it.

"Guess this is as good a place as any." he mumbled, sprawling out on it.

"........." the young man was silent as the boy asked his question.

"Laying here." he then responded, not looking over.

"Considering sleep." he went on.

"Or whatever comes closest." he mumbled further. He then paused for a moment, before his eyes shifted in the direction of the newcomer.

"You shouldn't talk to strangers." he told him.

"For all you know, I could plan to hurt you." he said further, before looking back up towards the canopy.

The man looked at the extended hand, seeming to just stare at it.

"..." he was silent for a moment, before sighing and draping his other arm over him, grabbing the hand.

"Ryker." he said, introducing himself.

"The hell are you doing in these woods, anyway?" he asked. "These woods are no place for people." he commented.

"Normally people come here to die to the wildlife." he then muttered.

Ryker raised an eyebrow as Eke said what he did, and offered him said treat.

"...eh, sure." he muttered, sitting up.

"And escaping someone?" he asked him.

"Why? And who?' he asked further, looking around.

"You musta been desperate to get away, to come in THESE cursed woods." he muttered, looking at the glowing eyes that seemed to surround them.

'His behaviour is... extremely odd...' Ryker thought, raising an eyebrow again.

"Well... that is a fair question about what you're running from." he admitted.

"And yes, cursed." he told him. "The beasts of this forest are stronger than anywhere else." he said. "Some say it's because of how they have to compete for what little prey wanders in here." he went on. "Some say a strange energy empowers the animals, but causes them to become rabid, essentially." he then said further.

"Regardless, nobody that ever comes in here makes it out alive." he then told him.

"And why am I here?" he asked.

"Because I want to see if my own curse is stronger than the death curse in these woods." he said simply, getting off the rock. "I want to see if these woods have the skills to finally end my miserable suffering." he added, an unnerving plainness to his tone.

Ryker was about to answer, before he looked closer at Eke, seeing just how bad a shake he was in.

"Person to travel with?" he asked.

"We'll address that later, but what is up with your-" he started to ask, before they both heard a low growl emanating from within the floral that surrounded them.

"....mm." the man muttered.

"Maaaaaybe we'll save that discussion for later." he said further.

"Seems like one of the Sabre Wolves has decided that at least one of is is an entree."

"Do I plan to fight?" Ryker asked.

"No." he responded.

"Quite frankly, I'd be quite content to let the beast tear me apart." he said further, as a shaggy-haired grey and white wolf-like beast with long sabre teeth emerged from the woods.

Just as it did so, Ryker grasped lightly at his chest, right about where his heart was.

"Unfortunately... I'm going to fight, regardless of what I want." he admitted, a slight undertone of darkness to his voice now.

"..............." Ryker was silent as he looked into Eke's pleading eyes.

Normally when people tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to do, he pushed them away and brushed them off. But this time was different. Something about Eke was suppressing that reflex.

He then sighed, and shook his head.

"Oh..... fine." he said.

"Just.... fine." he muttered.

The wolf kept its distance, but it was clear that it was merely assessing the situation. It was only a matter of time...

Ryker looked at Eke as he sputtered, gasped, and wheezed, before narrowing his eyes.

The rustling around them grew louder, and suddenly, the wolf from earlier leaped out from the surroundings trees, its large fangs bared, its mouth wide open, drool frothing around its gums.

And it was leaping straight for Eke.

However, it never reached him, as Ryker was suddenly in between them, and his arm was extended out. His hand had grabbed the wolf's throat, and Eke could see that the arm looked to suddenly be more toned and muscular than before.

"...all right little doggie, let's teach you to play dead." Ryker said, almost sounding like a different person.

The wolf gasped for air as it pawed impotently at the air. Its claws raked at Ryker's arm, but the man didn't even seem to notice. Or if he did, he didn't care.

He was silent, before he took the beast, and slammed its head down on a nearby rock.

Hard.

A disgusting crunch was heard, and the wolf's body fell limp and lifeless.

"........." Ryker was silent for a moment, before he clutched at his chest, and collapsed to his knees, groaning in a fluctuating tone, between how he sounded recently, and how he sounded when they first met.