#softnoms

Chapter 1

Reader gets lost in beast territory --- “Hey come on, quit lollygagging, we gotta unpack.”

You and your friends decided to go camping for some r&r and chose a more secluded camping ground so you wouldn’t be disturbed. When everyone reaches the camping grounds you hop out of the car. You look up, watching the clouds gracefully travel across the sky, nicely framed by trees. One of your friends nudges you. “C’mon, help me get the tent.”

“Man, I wish we had wifi out here,” another friend says as they hold out their phone. 

“Then it wouldn’t be a camping trip!” you quickly retort, throwing a sleeping bag at them, making everyone laugh. It takes a while and goes well into the afternoon by the time everything is set up. With nothing else to do your friends suggest to go down by the nearby lake and hang for a bit, but you kindly decline the offer for a stroll into the woods. Stating you’ll be back in time for dinner and s’mores. As you start your journey you look around at the tall alpine trees, the twitter of birds chirping filling your ears. You have such a great time walking through the woods that you decide to walk off the path deeper into the forest.

It’s only when a chill settles that you look up. Seeing the dusk filled sky peeking through the treetops you realize how late it’s gotten. Looking around you realize you don’t remember how to get back, or the direction you were heading. So you pick a direction and start walking in hopes of finding something familiar. The forest gets darker and you’re more lost than before. Suddenly you feel a shift and shudder. The air feels thick, like it’s filled with magic. You realize that you’re in beast territory. Glancing around you pause to listen for anything out of the ordinary. You knew a bit about beasts. Big magical creatures that are very powerful and very much self aware. They choose to live deep within the wilderness, away from human society. Infact, beasts typically don’t take too kindly to humans wandering in their territories. Meaning no one could blame you for your caution. Thankfully nothing happened immediately so you continue looking for your campsite. 

You trip over a broken branch you couldn’t see and fall onto a bush. You’re mentally and physically exhausted so you just slump in defeat. You lie there resting as you collect strength and thoughts. “Need to get back to camp. But first I need to get out of beast territory. How am I going to do that? I have no idea.” you sardonically grumble to yourself, getting up and lightly dusting off. You look around the dark forest not able to see much despite moonlight seeping through the tree branches.

Suddenly a deep baritone voice sounds out. “Human.” 

You jolt, whipping around to see a huge skeletal beast before you. Instinctively you try and step backwards but you end up tripping over the bush and fall on your back. The beast towers over you, fixing you there with his eye lights. Honing in on your form as you flail helplessly in the dirt. 

“What are you doing in my territory.”

 “I-i was trying to find my way b-back to camp but I ended up h-here.” Might as well be honest, right? 

The beast looks fixedly at you for a beat before he sighs and hunches down so he’s closer to your level. “I’ll help you find a trail tomorrow. In the meantime, you’ll stay with me.” 

“What do you mean by that..?” You slightly shy away despite him saying he’ll help you. 

“I have to pouch you.” 

You blink a few times before vacantly staring at him, even tilting your head at him in confusion. “What?” 

He looks around at the surrounding forest before shaking his head, seeming impatient. “Look, there’s another beast around here and he doesn’t like humans. End of story. If I could easily smell you out here at my territory’s border then he can smell you if you’re out in the open. I’m not fighting him over a human, so I need to swallow you.” 

“Wait what?!” You shriek before snapping your mouth shut at the pointed look the skeleton gives you.

He gives you a bit to think it over but gets more impatient the longer it takes. “Hey human, are you gonna say something?”

“...Is it safe?” You ask looking up at him. He nods, looking impatiently at you. “I’m not sure..” you start only to have the beast sigh exasperatedly.

Grabbing your shoulders he sits you up before opening his maw wide and shoving your head in. You freeze in shock as you feel the beast’s hot humid breath. He slides his tongue over his teeth, curling around you. Suddenly you feel the tongue shift beneath you and you’re quickly shoved into his throat. He swallows around you again, pulling you further into his gullet. By now you easily feel the throat pressing in on you as it pulls more of you in. It wasn’t painful by any means, but you were definitely squished down when he took another gulp. With only your calves left to get down the beast tilts his head up to make it easier and swallows more firmly. 

All too soon you’re tucked away when he makes the final swallow. You quickly come to your senses when you hear him sigh above you.

 You start freaking out, pressing into the walls around you trying to find a way out. You soon hear a deep rumbling coming from the beast, was he… purring? While you’re trapped inside what you can only assume to be his stomach, fearing the worst?! 

He wraps an arm around your struggling form, pressing in to quell your movement, even if it feels amazing when you’re kneading his pouch. He licks his teeth before saying, “Calm down.” 

“Calm Down?! You Just Ate Me!” 

“Pouched, not ate. You’d be dead if I ate you. Besides, I told you it was safe.” 

What? That doesn’t make sense, he ate you for crying out loud! …But if you weren’t in a stomach, “..then where am I?” 

“In my pouch. It’s for storing babybones, so stop worrying and keep quiet.” You take a moment and pull back into yourself sitting back as you muse over what he said. He had told you before that it was safe, but you don’t know if you believe him quite yet.

He hears someone call out for him and he trills in response. The skele-beast strolls towards where the call came from. You feel him walking and as the initial fear fades you become curious about your surroundings. Looking around, you notice that all around you the pseudo muscles are glowing a dark purple, almost deep royal. The air is buzzing with magic, not unlike the magic from when you crossed into beast territory. That makes sense; you probably crossed into his territory and that’s why he’s so grumpy. 

You reach out and feel the pouch walls, prodding around much like a child would. The surface is smooth, but soft, easily pliable when you rub it with your hands. It’s actually kinda fun to sink your hands into. The beast starts purring again, putting a paw on his pouch. He gives a small smile at the feeling of you rubbing his pouch again.  

Clearing his throat he questions what you’re doing.

“I’m just exploring..” You tuck your arms back into yourself, still unsure of everything. He quickly takes notice and sighs. 

“I’m just keeping you tucked away so I can keep an eye on you.” 

“.. is that why you ate me?” 

“Pouched, and what am I supposed to do? Carry you around like a doll and get in a fight with a bigger beast than me?” You can clearly hear the weight behind the sarcasm. 

“Well, no, I guess not.” You slump a bit into your surroundings. 

“But how does having me in your ‘pouch’ hide me from view? Won’t it be noticeable that you swallowed something?” 

“No, if you don’t move it doesn’t look different.” You feel his claws rubbing your shoulder through the barrier in a gentle manner. “You’ll be back at your campsite in the morning.” 

You take a moment to think about what he said. Finally settling down and leaning into the feeling of his phalanges when you register that he was right all along. You are completely safe. 

One thing is bugging you though. “Hey, ya know, I never got your name.”  

“Ace.” 

You *humm* and give him yours in return. 

Yawning, you feel the toll of walking all day and the fright of meeting Ace finally setting in. With how exhausted you are, you can’t stop your eyes from drooping, laden with sleep. Being warm and safely cradled by Ace’s pouch, it was impossible to stay awake for long.