Submission (#67) Approved

Originally, Thanatos had merely wanted to take a stroll. As much as one may enjoy work, rest and a well earned break was always welcomed. That is why he was there, now, within the forest of the Abyss. Sure, there was always a better place to take a stroll, but Thanatos had never been known to be normal. With his wings tightly pressed against his body, he stepped in the forest and begun his "relaxing" walk.

It wasn't long before he begun to feel the eeriness of this place. His ears were tuned to the noises around him. Branches cracking around him, leaves rustling had the mere movement... it would be normal to hear such things, if it was not for the strange feeling of being watched. By what? Even Thanatos wasn't sure anymore. He would have guessed it was an animal, which would have been normal within a forest, but the strange glowing eyes he had noticed just outside of his peripheral vision told another story. Still, as stubborn as he was, he preferred to continue with his little hike. His hooves crushed the leaves under his weight, and a few branches cracked as well.

Suddenly, the young stallion stopped. His ears turned around him, as the noises seemed closer than before. He turned his head towards the noises, but came across nothing. The red glowing eyes vanished before he could notice them this time. He let out a little huff, trying to calm his racing mind. It was clear he wasn't alone, he knew that the moment he heard the leaves rustle, still, he couldn't help but be anxious. With a deep breath taken, he begun to walk again, eyes and ears tuned to anything strange he may see of hear.

It wasn't long before he stopped again, his eyes looking straight down. On the ground, there was a hat. A wide brim hat, torn at the edges. Thanatos stared at it for a while, a million question going through his head. Just why was there a hat here? In the middle of the Forest, with maybe a creature lurking around the edges? He gently grabbed it, placing it on his hoof to look closer as it. it looked... Old and a bit dirty. He hummed to himself, as he put it under his wing to keep it closer, and also to make sure it wasn't going to slip as he walked. As much as he liked doing hikes, the branches cracking around him started to sound like bones, as if someone, or something, was either munching on them or toke pleasure in walking on them. Either way, Thanatos started to get creeped out, and he finally decided it was time to get back to civilisation. With another glance behind him, he walked back the path he toke, walking faster than necessary.

Between the trees, between the branches, Thanatos may have not seen something, but something did see him, and it was watching him walked away.