CYOA Wednesday 2025 #6 [Beyond the Woods 6]

This fantasy CYOA story continues today. Synopsis below:

When Derek, Jade, and Clara go camping, they stumble upon a portal to another dimension filled with strange creatures and sexy seductresses.

Clara encounters a shapeshifting creature while Derek (and Jade) find themselves running away from a dangerous predator. Now what?

Read the sixth segment below:

6 – The Shapeshifter

Clara was in shock. She spun around, her eyes scanning the area where the portal used to be moments before. The air now felt heavy, the silence oppressive, and the beauty of the crystal forest seemed to mock her. Panic clawed at her chest, her heart pounding in her ears like a relentless drum. She took a step back, her boots crunching on the crystalline ground, and then another, as if retreating could undo what had happened. But the portal, her connection to Earth, had vanished without a trace, leaving her alone, in a world unknown.

“Hello?” she called out, her voice trembling and echoing through the forest. “Is anyone there?” The words bounced off the crystal trees, returning to her hollow and distorted. She tried again, louder this time, “Jade? Derek? Somebody, please!” But the only response was the soft rustle of the hanging flowers and the distant hum of the dragonfly-like creatures. Clara’s hands shook as she balled them into fists. She had to find a way back, had to locate her friends, had to make sense of this impossible place.

She took off in a sprint, her feet pounding against the ground, sending bursts of light scattering with each step. The forest seemed to shift around her, the trees growing taller and closer, their facets glinting. The stream she had seen earlier appeared again, and she followed it, hoping it might lead her to some clue, some hint of where to go. The water sparkled as she ran alongside it, the fish darting in unison as if trying to keep up with her frantic pace.

As she ran, the forest began to change. The air grew colder, the light dimming as shadows stretched across the ground. Clara slowed, her senses heightened, and then stopped altogether. Something was moving in the distance, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated through the ground beneath her feet. It was faint at first, but growing louder, closer. She turned, her back against one of the crystal trees, her hands flattened against its surface as if seeking comfort from its solidity.

The forest around her seemed to hold its breath. The flowers ceased their gentle sway, the dragonflies froze mid-flight, and the stream’s gentle trickle muted to a whisper. Even the ethereal creatures paused, their luminous forms flickering with an otherworldly unease. Clara’s heart pounded in her chest, her throat dry as she strained to see through the growing twilight. Whatever was coming, it was ancient, a presence that stirred the very core of the forest. The ground trembled beneath her, and she felt it – a pulse, a heartbeat, resonating deep within the crystals themselves.

And then, between the trees, a shadow emerged. As it moved closer, Clara stopped breathing. It glided across the ground with a fluid grace, its form shifting like a living silhouette. One moment, it resembled a sleek wolf, its outline sharp against the dimming light; the next, it transformed into a bird, its wings spread wide as if about to take flight. The transformations were seamless, each shape more vivid than the last, as though the shadow itself were a canvas of endless possibilities.

Clara’s eyes darted back and forth, trying to pin down the elusive figure, but it was like chasing smoke. Every time she thought she had it in her sights, it transformed again, leaving her disoriented and bewildered.

Fear gave way to fascination. The shadow seemed to dance, its edges curling and uncurling, twisting into forms both familiar and strange. It became a serpent and then a giant stag whose antlers reached toward the darkening sky.

And yet, as mesmerizing as the spectacle was, there was something unsettling about it. The creature’s transformations seemed almost deliberate, as if it were toying with her perception, testing her ability to keep up. Clara pressed herself harder against the crystal tree, her fingers digging into the cool, unyielding surface.

Then, in a flash of clarity, the shape steadied. The shifting mass coalesced into a form that made Clara’s breath hitch for a different reason. Her eyes widened, her grip on the tree loosened, and a sound caught in her throat – a sound that was almost, but not quite, a laugh. There, standing before her in the forest, was an impossible woman. It was Sofia.

***

Meanwhile, Derek was running for his life, being chased by a creature unlike anything he had ever imagined. It was a four-eyed tiger, its body almost the size of a medium elephant. Its fur was a shimmering mosaic of gold and black that seemed to ripple like molten metal in the fading light. Derek was fast, but the beast was even faster, its massive strides eating up the distance between them.

The creature’s roar echoed all around him, a sound that was both terrifying and mesmerizing, as though it had sprung from pure chaos to devour the world.

The tiger’s claws tore through the earth as it bounded after him, each impact sending shockwaves through the ground that threatened to trip him. Derek’s legs burned and so did his chest. He could hear the creature’s labored breathing, a deep, wet sound that grew louder with every stride. He darted between the crystal trees, using their trunks as barriers, but the tiger was too large, too powerful. It plowed through the underbrush with ease, snapping saplings like twigs and sending colorful shards flying in all directions.

Derek was in trouble. He couldn’t outrun it, not for much longer. He needed a plan, something – anything! – to slow the beast down. And then he saw it: a narrow ledge jutting out from the side of a steep hill. Without hesitating, he veered to the left, his feet skidding. The tiger roared in frustration as Derek leaped onto the ledge, his toes curling over the edge to keep his balance. For a moment, he teetered dangerously, the ground far below him.

The tiger stopped short of the ledge, its four eyes narrowing as it assessed the gap. Derek held his breath as the creature circled, its massive body undulating as it searched for a way up. At last, it found a path, its claws digging into the earth as it began to climb. Derek didn’t wait to see how fast it could ascend. He took off again, his legs pumping as he followed the ledge to a plateau in the distance.

The plateau stretched out before him like an open grave, flat and exposed. There was no cover, no place to hide. He could see Jade standing at the far end, her silhouette against the darkening sky. She turned as he approached, her expression unreadable. Derek’s throat burned as he screamed her name, but the sound was lost in the howling wind. He waved his arms, gesturing for her to run. To his relief, she didn’t hesitate. She turned and bolted across the plateau.

Derek followed, his legs trembling with exhaustion. He could hear the tiger’s roar again, closer this time. The ground vibrated beneath his feet as the creature surged forward, its massive frame barreling onto the plateau. Derek’s heart sank. He wasn’t going to make it. He could feel its hot breath on the back of his neck, the dampness seeping into his shirt. He forced himself to run faster, his vision blurring as tears of effort streamed down his face.

Jade disappeared from view. Derek prayed there was a way down, a place to escape. The tiger’s claws swiped at his back, narrowly missing him. He staggered forward but kept his footing.

The edge of the plateau loomed ahead, and with one last burst of adrenaline, he flung himself over the side, rolling down the steep slope. He tumbled out of control, rocks and branches tearing at his clothes and skin. When he came to a stop, he lay there, gasping for air, and looked up. The tiger stood at the edge, its four eyes glowing like lanterns in the darkness. For a moment, they stared at each other, and then the creature let out a deafening roar and plunged after him.

To decide what happens next, head over to my Patreon (you can join for free), and vote on the poll there until next Sunday. 

If you’re new to these CYOA stories, here are the basic rules:

1) You can only choose one option;

2) If there’s a tie at the end of the poll, and the competing options can be combined somehow, I’ll do that. If not, I get the deciding vote to keep the tale going.

3) The process continues every Wednesday until the story runs its natural course.

Have fun.