The forest felt like home to Jareth now. He had a sneaking suspicion that it had a whole ton to do with the fact that he wasn’t truly fully human anymore, but putting that aside, he was astounded to find that there were a great many things about simply roaming the outdoors to be enjoyed. The feel of the warm sun upon the chitin of his chest, the wind picking up the heavy tentacle dreads of his hair, the soft brush of the prairie grasses on the spiny outer covering of his flesh, it was truly something to be embraced, enjoyed.

As a child, he was truthfully never a fan of the outdoors. Growing up in Canterbury, it seemed that outside normally meant roaming the cobblestone streets, a pastime he couldn’t take that much pleasure from. But this, this complete freedom to simply wander as far as he wanted, any direction, explore the whole of the vast island dotted by the campus at one of its coastlines, it was intoxicating.

He stumbled upon a beach, eventually. Far from the nestled, sandy paradise the students used, this was a cold rocky outcropping into the sea. Finding some elusive solitude, he simply sat, watching the white spray of the waves as they crashed upon the rocks, enjoying a rare peace of mind now far away from his chattering brood. There was something to be said for silence, the perfect time for contemplation, complete and utter peace could not be found without it. Silence by oneself is one of the most comforting sensations in the world there is to experience.

He sat like that for a long while, waiting for the sun to begin to dip on the horizon. With that, he stood. The fading light and the litany of biology courses he was forced to take at the academy told him that now was the prime range of time for sharks to begin their hunt. He smirked, turning his back on his brethren in the ocean as he leapt up into one of the overhanging trees, using those scythes on his back to climb more aptly, scaling the tree like a true insect. Just like those behind him, it was time to begin his own hunt.

A burning in his chest, the thrill of being out alone, of searching for suitable prey, he savored it, propelling himself from tree to tree like a blasphemous grasshopper, all senses alert for the softest indication of another’s presence.

The day once again drew to a close, each student now retreating to the relative safety of the dorms and their dorm rooms, a few of the more 'experienced' ones hurry on to avoid being caught outside when the sun finally sank behind the sea. One of them was the petite silver-haired girl, Nanaca, jogging steadily towards the student dorms at a frantic pace.

She had gotten into the habit of accepting extra tasks for extra credit, so that she can get away from this island as early as possible. Already, she had racked up some good graces from a few subjects, but it still wasnt enough for acceleration. Such was the reason for her staying behind later than usual, having taken part in re-organizing the library for a few extra points in her literature class.

the sun was now dangerously low on the horizon, and the lamps that barely lit the school walkways had started to come alive one by one. The particular street she was on ran right through the middle of a large forest, on either side of the path, large trees grew, creating a wall of wood that was even more frightening during the night. Her pace steadily increased, her silver hair flowing behind her as she down the eerie street.

Jareth froze in mid swing, nearly wrenching one of his scythed back limbs out of its socket. In the cool silence of the fading light he could hear that familiar pitter-patter of shapely feet on asphalt. Grinning and redoubling his efforts, he moved quickly and noisily through the brush, leaping from tree to tree in a maniac scramble, only slowing down to employ stealth when he heard, smelled himself getting closer to her.

Nostrils flaring, he closed his eyes briefly, drinking deep her scent. He looked down to his hands, mostly human save for the greenish tint and the blackened nails. With a bit of concentration, chitin plates slid out from the tops of his carpals, still sticky and shiny from their location hidden inside his exoskeleton. They covered his fingers, his palms, turning sharpened talons into large, hooked gripping claws. Using these it was far easier to navigate through the trees. Sticking below the position of the leaves, he minimized the amount of noise he produced as he approached, leaping from tree to tree alongside the path.

Finally, when he thought he had a decent shot, he clenched his fist, a number of sharp, translucent needles coated in a sticky clear liquid protruding from his knuckles with a slick pop. He snapped his wrist, loosing the dozen needles in a barrage toward her pumping calves.

Her heels clacked along the streets surface at a steady rhythm, and the sky was becoming darker and darker by the moment. Safety lay just a few hundred meters outside this forest, and Nanaca need only to exit it and she would almost be in the clear.

But such was not to be the case, as sharp barbs suddenly dug themselves into the soft muscle behind her shins, The girl crying out in pain as she stumbles and falls forward, scattering her things along the path as she impacts the ground. Nanaca lay there for a moment or two, dazed by the fall as she tries to collect herself. A quick shake of the head knocks the cobwebs out of her head, but as she tried to stand, a stabbing pain shot through her calves once more, causing her to fall face down onto the street for the second time.

Unable to stand, she plops onto her rear and sits up to examine what was causing her agony, and much to her horror, several semi-clear spines were lodged behind lower leg. Whatever shot them at her must be close by, and the thought of it was enough to force herself to stand up despite the agony, leaving her possessions behind and hobbling off and away from whatever it was that harmed her, using the trees alongside the path for support, deciding she would tend to the needles once she was safe.

A swell of excitement as the girl fell to the floor, he grinned, still leaping from tree to tree, but making much less of an effort to mask his movement. She could see flickers of him every now and again, but nothing telling of his shape, his form. The thrill of the hunt filled him, rushed blindly through his veins as he stalked her. He saw her limping, running as if the pierced leg was not hers, trying her best to make it away.

His eyes followed her, breaking for the trunks of trees that swung past his vision in loping arcs. How graceful, his prey, even while injured. She almost skipped as she evaded him, he felt that familiar eagerness burn anew, using those clawed hands, wrenching fistfuls of bark from the trees.

“Come on, little pet…” he whispered to himself, sweat beading on his brow from the exertion of pulling himself through the canopy, “I won’t bite, promise.”

Looking to close off her escape, he pushed himself further, moving quickly through the trees to outpace her. He turned quickly, firing off another volley of spines, at thigh-level this time. Waiting for the impact, he dropped to the ground, following her progress from behind the comfort of one of the thick trunks.

"Oh God, please, just go away..." she murmured as she heard the thing stalking her through the trees. She was trying the concept in she learned in nature class that healthy, lively prey often dissuades predators from chasing them, and although she was trying, she looked less the part, appearing so vulnerable as she hobbled along the path, tiny specks of blood seeping from the needle holes as she forced her legs to move.

"Just a little more, legs, dont fail me n~AAAGGHHH!!" She managed no more than a few meters when another cluster of spines pierced her thighs, a few impacting the tree she was next to with a loud 'THUNK'. Immediately she fell onto her side, a stream of tears flowing across her face as the pain shoots up both legs.

Despite the agony, she still tries to stand through sheer force of will, even as her legs tremble under her weight.