Tanika shivered. The forest ahead of her was nothing like the one she had found refuge in the last couple of days. It was dark, just like its name-sake, but in a very different way one might imagine darkness. There was a chill in the air and the ground was damp, making a sickening 'squish' with each step. Ahead of her the forest lay, sucking the darkness towards it, setting itself apart from the sun shining behind her. Like it had no effect on the looming forest. The smell of mildew hung in her nostrils as she passed the first group of trees into the forest, spider webs hung above her.
[b]"Very Tolkein."[/b] she murmured to herself before snapping her mouth shut. Something might hear her and she couldn't run away before she had some gold to show for it. She crept through the forest on the balls of her feet, eyes darting left and right. [i]How am I going to do this? I don't know how to fight.[/i] The deeper she went into the forest without contact made her more and more anxious. If she did run into something she was well beyond her GINGERBREAD ability. [i]Ok, ok. Be smart.[/i] She tried to think of a battle tactic but it was hard for her to focus. She felt like she was in some trippy serial killer movie and she would turn around any second only to have a knife at her throat, or in this case, pincers. [i]Ok. I can't stand my ground in battle. I'm not built for that and I can't take too much damage. What can I do? I'm fast. That's helpful for a getaway so long as I don't get surrounded. What else? I have knives, throwing knives. That could work. They're long distance. I won't have to get too close.[/i]But when she actually imagined herself doing that she almost had to laugh. How ridiculous was she? If she were to actually come face to face with anything how likely was she to remember her tactic.

Something rustled ahead of her in the leaves and she darted backwards a few steps, reflex already taking hold where most would have froze. A spider the size of a dog crawled forward, fizz gurgling out of its mouth and a strange guttural sound emitting from somewhere deep inside the creature. They both stood there for a second. Tanika bouncing on her toes and the spider clenching it's pincers, apparently surprised by her presence. Tanika was about to run before she remember why she was here. She needed the gold. She reached for a knife in her pouch, pulling it out with a 'clink'. The creature screeched and lunged at her, a thick fluid spewing out of it's mouth. [b]Shit![/b] she cried before dodging out of the way. The creature instantly reeled and lunged again. Tanika activated her HERMES ability and began jumping and hopping to avoid the creature's advances. When she saw an opening she threw her knife at the spider. It stuck with a thunk in its head and the creature stumbled forward. 
[b]Yes! Kill shot![/b] Exhausted, yet proud, Tanika pumped her fist in the air. Above the dead spider a health bar appeared. A small 'beep' sound appeared and the health bar decreased.
[b]-17pts[/b] hovered in the air above her and the spider squealed before standing up, as if with new vigor. Tanika's smile deflated. [b]Oh, you've got to be kidding me.[/b]

The spider charged at her, oozing from the wound in it's head. She threw two more knives before darting out of the way, her foot sliding into the spewed fluids. Her shoe sizzled and a pain shot up her leg before she had time to jump away from it. [b]Acid?! Are you serious? Acid spitting-spiders?![/b] Why were people not spreading this information? Hadn't someone bothered battling the spiders before? 
[b]-34pts[/b]
Pissed, she threw another knife, not bothering with aim. It found its mark in the spider's eye with a popping sound. Blood and puss gushed out and the thing screamed, clawing at its face and stumbling around blindly.
[b]-17pts[/b]
Tanika stepped back and a twig snapped. The spider's head whirled and charged in her direction. It was too close for her to dodge. It was going to ram her. [b]Shit.[/b] she whispered before throwing one last knife. One last edition to it's helmet. She pulled the last knife to the ready but didn't get a chance to throw it.
[b]Critical: -17pts[/b] The spider crashed into her, its entire body weight on top of her, scratching at her face. She put her hands up in an attempt to push the spider away from her. It dribbled acid on her hands and she screamed. The pincers were opening and closing, opening and closing, bare centimeters from her face. With a last ditch of strength she sunk the last knife deep under its chin. The thing wheezed like steam escaping a kettle before relaxing on top of her.
[b]-17pts[/b]
[b]Congratulations! Gold rewarded.[/b]
Tanika cursed. [b]Yah, thanks.[/b] She pushed the monster off of her, breathing heavily, and yanked her knives out of its hide. The thing had taken a chunk of health from her. Nearly 50pts. She reached for a health potion, wincing at the movement before realizing she hadn't brought one. She looked at her hands. They looked like she'd stuck them in a furnace. Without a health potion she was done for the day, that is, supposing she could get back to the town before another monster found her.