I had no idea what it was, but it was sitting right there watching me. If it was an animal, it wasn't any animal I recognized. It was about the size of a dog, but it didn't look like a dog at all. It was covered in dark fur with lighter stripes, and it looked like it was scowling at me. I wasn't sure if it was upset with me, or if it always looked that way.
I said, "What are you?"
"Hungry," it said, still staring at me.
I hadn't expected it to answer, and I wasn't sure how to interpret that. Hopefully it didn't intend to eat me, but I wasn't sure and asking it outright seemed like it might be a bad idea. Instead, I fished a candy bar out of my pocket and held it up.
It stared at my hand as I unwrapped the dark chocolate and tossed the bar at it. It sniffed it, picked it up, and started chewing on it.
"Still hungry?" I asked.
"I am Hunger," it said, "And also Cunning. And you are in my world."
"I don't think I did that intentionally," I said, wondering if my plan to return would actually work.
"If people would only pay attention to my intentions, they would be much happier with me," it said. I think it was smiling. "No one does, and it is their loss. You are not a part of my intentions, but I can make you a part of my intentions."
I stared back. "What does that even mean?"
"The toll, the toll," it said. "I made this world, so you must pay me the toll. For you, that means food. Delicious food. Succulent food." It licked its lips and stared right through me.
I pulled out another chocolate bar, "What about this?"
It sniffed the air. "Yes, yes, that will do for a start." I tossed the bar to it. "Food first, and then labor," it said, licking its lips again.
"Hey," I said, "You didn't say anything about that before!"
"I bite! I bite well," it said, coming closer to me and showing me its teeth.
I pulled out my last candy bar. This one was chocolate with a peanut-butter center. "Well, eat this first then."
It grabbed it from my hand, not even giving me a chance to give it. "Eat, and then you will work. Or I will bite you. Or both!" It bit down on the candy bar.
I was already backing away when it realized that it's teeth were stuck together. The hissing noise it made sounded surprised and worryingly angry, and I turned and ran for the fallen tree and the passage that hopefully lead home.
I didn't look back as I plunged into the tunnel, but I could hear it running towards me. Something sharp racked across the back of my leg, but I didn't even slow down. I kicked back and hit something, though I don't know it was for sure, it didn't follow me and I wiggled out into the forest air all alone again.
