The Lurker in the Woods

My home was once a place I could relax. A place I could empty myself of everyday worries and past melancholy. Little did I know that with time, anything can change.
Resting on my back porch during the spring has always been my favorite part of the day. With all the green leaves sprouting and the birds singing, embracing the quiet ambience of nature always brings a smile to my face. At least, until I stumbled upon a beast of the woods. A beast that I was probably not meant to see with my own eyes.
It was nighttime after work, and I was enjoying my usual cup of coffee. Not the greatest choice during the night, but I was doing a closing shift at my work tomorrow, so it evened out. The woods after dark gives a unique feel to this time of day, a dark, but divine and calming song that dwells in my mind. My dog Mister Bert was resting by my side, until his attention was drawn to the empty void between two trees. The darkness between them leads to a path going up to the clearing my grandparents made long ago. They used to live at my current house until one day, they suddenly disappeared. No one could get a hold of them.
During the search at the property, they noticed their car was still parked next to the house. The investigators used their tracking dogs to go through the trail that led up to the clearing. However, when they reached the clearing, the dogs could no longer find where the trail led, which unfortunately led to a cold case. I still miss them dearly to this day.
I became so lost in thought over these events, I failed to notice sooner that Bert started charging down the path, going ballistic with his howls and growls. Snapping out of my daze, I ran down the path after him. Unfortunately, I forgot my flashlight while I was out there, so navigating the path while catching up to Mister Bert was tricky. Thankfully, the moon was full tonight, so I managed to find my way until I reached the clearing. 
I saw no trace of the dog, nor what was causing him to go nuts. I called for Bert, but to no avail. I continued on until I eventually gave in to my doubt. My mind raced and my heart grew weary about Mister Bert. I, however, had no time to process what was going on until I heard in the distance behind me a soft, but crunchy bone-popping sound. I slowly turned around to find among the woods two odd looking trees in the distance. 
"Mister Bert?" I called once more. I slowly approached the trees until their appearance became clear. The leaves covered every inch of their trunks. I looked down to inspect them further until I noticed a toe. 
"A toe? Why would..." 
The sudden realization hit my guts, knocking my spirits cold. I looked back at the two trees. 
The only problem was they weren't trees. 
They were legs.
I regretfully turned my gaze up to the sky to find two eyes gazing down on me. Eyes of dark, molten, and infernal hunger. 
Category:Beings
Category:Animals
Category:Disappearances
Category:Nature