03 Bait
#3 of Inktober 2019
Continuing submissions for Inktober 2019. Day three's prompt was "Bait". Having played just enough tabletop, this is what came to mind.
"Well, this is embarrassing." You saw the obvious trap lying on the ground, with a few silvers lying as bait. Such a simple trap, by and for simple creatures. A pity you were too busy being smug to notice the other, almost as obvious trap a few steps further along your way. Stepping into the simple rope loop was enough to trip the trap; you were soon left hanging upside down, rope around your left ankle, swaying in the breeze.
You fumbled through your bag, looking for the emergency knife you kept for such an eventuality. It was an awkward maneuver, but you managed to get down soon enough, with the only bruise being to your ego. Once back on the ground, you left in a huff, not noticing you had left a trinket behind as bait for the next adventurers who happened along the way.
From off in the shadows, a few small creatures watched, quite thankful you left. They wanted to bait in someone curious and interesting, not someone arrogant. At least you were kind enough to leave and leave something behind, allowing them to bring in someone new!
That setting traps like these wasn't a great way to make friends never occurred to them. They continued to set out bait, fascinated by those who might take it.