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Description

CW: Panic Attack

Mono found himself enjoying his nightly routine. As the sun dipped below the horizon, he climbed the tree in the center of his little cul de sac, then settled down within its branches. He closed his eyes and turned toward the breeze, feeling the wind in his hair and fur and feathers. He’d find patterns in the stars, trace shapes in the moon, and attempt to spot any other planets, even though he knew they were too far away to really tell.
He did his best not to acknowledge the massive tree in the distance. He didn’t know why, but it made his skin crawl. It just… it wasn’t right. It didn’t fit. It towered over the rest of the woods, rivaling even the distant mountains in height. It claimed the sky with its sheer looming presence.
His discomfort was made worse by the fact he could tell others lived there. Though they were mostly hidden by the trees, at the right angle he could see buildings. He didn’t really understand why he pitied the people living there. Something just… didn’t feel right about it.
A flash of color caught his eye. His eyes went wide and he turned toward the source, staring at the massive tree. A moment later, he heard it. Like an explosion.
His feelers raised, trembling. Another flash of color. It was like an explosion of light. It faded, and the sound soon followed.
A cold sweat beaded his skin, and his tails twitched with anticipation. He was frozen in his spot, waiting. Staring.
Another… Another and another and another, all right after each other. This time, the sound was louder, lasted longer.
It was after him.
He— He couldn’t— He wasn’t safe. Too out in the open. It would see him, it would—
He launched himself from the tree, collapsing as he hit the ground. Pain bloomed in his ankle, but he didn’t let himself dwell on it. He stumbled to his feet and ran to his house, throwing the door open.
It bounced against the wall and nearly hit him, but he was already moving. There was a safe space in this house, the nook where the strange rat had raised her litter. He could hide there, hope it didn’t find him. It wasn’t smart. It didn’t look very hard.
He’d managed to shove his head and part of his arm into the nook when the realization struck him. He didn’t fit.
He didn’t fit.
He lurched back as though he’d been burned, his claws scrabbling against the concrete floor until he was pressed into a corner. His feelers quivered like bristling fur. Each breath was a shallow gasp. His eyes flitted about, searching for the danger.
“H… Hhh…”
His throat bobbed. His eyes grew damp. What was he thinking, running straight into the monster’s territory?
“Help… please, someone.”
His voice was quiet, weak. It would find him. Kill him. Make him into… into those stuffed adults. Make him a trophy.
“Help me. Please help me.”
Louder, though not by much. Shouting meant drawing attention to himself. It meant leading the monster right to him.
“Help. Please.”
Louder again, and more frantic. His tails twitched, coiling around him. He was cornered. He was doomed.
“Help! Help me!”
He was shouting now. It didn’t matter if the monster found him now. He was screwed anyway.
“HELP ME! PLEASE! PLEASE, ANYONE!”
He couldn’t breathe. Each gasp was ragged. Tears flowed down his cheeks. He tangled his fingers in his hair, his claws digging into his scalp.
“PLEASE! PLEASE, I—”
Something touched his face. He jolted, and his gaze focused on a spot of yellow. Pale grey eyes met his own dark gaze. The rat blinked, then touched his face with her claw once more.
He froze as she skittered closer, her elytra fluttering as she curled against him. She nibbled at his hair and hands, and though her teeth were sharp, they didn’t hurt.
His eyes fluttered closed and he loosed a low, keening cry. Six didn’t seem to mind. She continued grooming him, squeaking quietly. Somehow, her methods worked to soothe him. He relaxed, although didn’t move from his corner.
…
Something was happening at that tree. Something bad. And he knew that he wouldn’t be able to rest peacefully unless he investigated it.
But that wasn’t a problem for tonight.
No, tonight he needed to recover after his… episode. Whatever it was. Whatever just happened. He should know better than to panic like that. He couldn’t let it happen again.

--------
Mono has no clue what a panic attack is, which would probably be helpful for him to know. Good thing he has a nottie looking after him. He'd be worse off if he was all on his own.

Words: 756

Acorns: 10/764

Description

CW: Panic Attack

Mono found himself enjoying his nightly routine. As the sun dipped below the horizon, he climbed the tree in the center of his little cul de sac, then settled down within its branches. He closed his eyes and turned toward the breeze, feeling the wind in his hair and fur and feathers. He’d find patterns in the stars, trace shapes in the moon, and attempt to spot any other planets, even though he knew they were too far away to really tell.
He did his best not to acknowledge the massive tree in the distance. He didn’t know why, but it made his skin crawl. It just… it wasn’t right. It didn’t fit. It towered over the rest of the woods, rivaling even the distant mountains in height. It claimed the sky with its sheer looming presence.
His discomfort was made worse by the fact he could tell others lived there. Though they were mostly hidden by the trees, at the right angle he could see buildings. He didn’t really understand why he pitied the people living there. Something just… didn’t feel right about it.
A flash of color caught his eye. His eyes went wide and he turned toward the source, staring at the massive tree. A moment later, he heard it. Like an explosion.
His feelers raised, trembling. Another flash of color. It was like an explosion of light. It faded, and the sound soon followed.
A cold sweat beaded his skin, and his tails twitched with anticipation. He was frozen in his spot, waiting. Staring.
Another… Another and another and another, all right after each other. This time, the sound was louder, lasted longer.
It was after him.
He— He couldn’t— He wasn’t safe. Too out in the open. It would see him, it would—
He launched himself from the tree, collapsing as he hit the ground. Pain bloomed in his ankle, but he didn’t let himself dwell on it. He stumbled to his feet and ran to his house, throwing the door open.
It bounced against the wall and nearly hit him, but he was already moving. There was a safe space in this house, the nook where the strange rat had raised her litter. He could hide there, hope it didn’t find him. It wasn’t smart. It didn’t look very hard.
He’d managed to shove his head and part of his arm into the nook when the realization struck him. He didn’t fit.
He didn’t fit.
He lurched back as though he’d been burned, his claws scrabbling against the concrete floor until he was pressed into a corner. His feelers quivered like bristling fur. Each breath was a shallow gasp. His eyes flitted about, searching for the danger.
“H… Hhh…”
His throat bobbed. His eyes grew damp. What was he thinking, running straight into the monster’s territory?
“Help… please, someone.”
His voice was quiet, weak. It would find him. Kill him. Make him into… into those stuffed adults. Make him a trophy.
“Help me. Please help me.”
Louder, though not by much. Shouting meant drawing attention to himself. It meant leading the monster right to him.
“Help. Please.”
Louder again, and more frantic. His tails twitched, coiling around him. He was cornered. He was doomed.
“Help! Help me!”
He was shouting now. It didn’t matter if the monster found him now. He was screwed anyway.
“HELP ME! PLEASE! PLEASE, ANYONE!”
He couldn’t breathe. Each gasp was ragged. Tears flowed down his cheeks. He tangled his fingers in his hair, his claws digging into his scalp.
“PLEASE! PLEASE, I—”
Something touched his face. He jolted, and his gaze focused on a spot of yellow. Pale grey eyes met his own dark gaze. The rat blinked, then touched his face with her claw once more.
He froze as she skittered closer, her elytra fluttering as she curled against him. She nibbled at his hair and hands, and though her teeth were sharp, they didn’t hurt.
His eyes fluttered closed and he loosed a low, keening cry. Six didn’t seem to mind. She continued grooming him, squeaking quietly. Somehow, her methods worked to soothe him. He relaxed, although didn’t move from his corner.
…
Something was happening at that tree. Something bad. And he knew that he wouldn’t be able to rest peacefully unless he investigated it.
But that wasn’t a problem for tonight.
No, tonight he needed to recover after his… episode. Whatever it was. Whatever just happened. He should know better than to panic like that. He couldn’t let it happen again.

--------
Mono has no clue what a panic attack is, which would probably be helpful for him to know. Good thing he has a nottie looking after him. He'd be worse off if he was all on his own.

Words: 756

Acorns: 10/764