How did this happen to Ezra of all people? There wasn't anything about him that stood out. He was perfectly average - and that's not an exaggeration! He was average height, had the most average major, average grades, average looks, and the most basic likes and dislikes. So how the hell did such an average guy like him end up in a very much not average situation like this?

It was supposed to be a basic evidence gathering session. Gael had dragged Ezra out to the forest, ranting on about this urban legend he wanted to check out, and of course Ezra relented. He thought it would be quick - just a little hiking, gathering random rocks or whatever - but then Sawyer showed up, the influencer all dressed up for the camera that he would shove into Ezra's hands.

By the time the three of them had arrived at the clearing, Ezra was already exhausted. It was enough of a workout having to jump over the many roots littering the forest's floor, but adding a pretty weighty camera on top of that and Ezra was ready for a break. For a while everything was fine. It was actually quite relaxing: looking up at the stars, staring at the fireflies as they danced over a nearby lake, listening to the melodic chirping of crickets. The scenery was pretty, and Gael actually did end up finding some "noteworthy find" - some weird obelisk, platform thing in the center.

So nobody could really fault them for letting their guard down, right? After all, Ezra didn't even believe in all of this crap. But obviously, things didn't end up going so well. One second, Ezra was joking around with Gael, and the next he was being dragged along by the leg, his face getting cut up by twigs jutting out of the ground.

Why me? It makes no sense that I was taken, Ezra wondered. Sawyer is the most attractive, with his pretty face and just being... him, he fits perfectly into the whole damsel in distress role! Pretty sure Gael has dreamed about this happening to him, so he'd probably be enjoying this right now. So why the fuck did fate choose me?!

Ezra eyes the edge of the darkness warily, his dark brown hair tied back to stay out of his way. Judging by the amount of times the area was lit up, it's been only a few days since he was taken to this cave, den, thing. And hopefully I won't be here for too much longer, Ezra thought with a shake of his head, before his focus inevitably drifted back to... his captor. Him? Her? They? It? Whatever his captor was, it wasn't human. That was about the only thing he could say for sure about it. The dim lighting of the cave hadn't allowed him to get a good look at the creature, but the proportions reflected by the outline of it in the shadows proved that the creature was no animal.

Not that an animal would have the intellect and awareness this being appeared to have. The fact that it hadn't swallowed him up as soon as it had Ezra in its clutches was proof it had some semblance of self control. But as time began to pass, Ezra started doubting his previous conception of his purpose as being food more and more. The creature never seemed interested in hurting Ezra. If anything, it seemed to be the exact opposite.

"I wonder how supernatural creatures court one another? Do they engage in mating rituals similar to animals? Maybe bring their mates gifts like penguins? Fight off competitors like gorillas? Make use of physical characteristics like the birds of paradise?" Gael had gone on for hours about the topic, hypothesizing until he fell asleep.

If the creature is doing what Ezra thinks it's doing then... he actually has an answer for Gael on that one. The answer being multiple things. Just to name a few off the top of his head: the being has brought Ezra "gifts" (scraps of meat, feathers, even a hiking boot), built him some sort of nest out of leaves and scraps of fabric, and curled itself around him while making odd sounds. The entire time Ezra hadn't been allowed to leave... wherever this is. And maybe it would be weird to say that Ezra may have found some of it cute - but that was probably just Gael rubbing off on him. After all, he really does need to get out of here. As soon as possible.

So now Ezra is left facing a dilemma he never thought he would. How exactly does one reject the courting advances of an inhuman... no, unnatural creature? It probably wouldn't understand me if I just said no, huh? Ezra sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. It's only when a sound echoes throughout the space does he snap out of his thoughts, head whipping in the direction of the noise.

He can feel himself shrink as the creature comes into view, a nervous smile coming over his face. "Uh, hi." Ezra's brown eyes flick to the lump of... something that it brought, swallowing. "Good hunt, huh?"