Forbidden Forest

CRICKET’S CHIRPING IN THE DARK NIGHT. LIGHT RUMBLE OF TAVERN PATRONS LAUGHING AND TALKING. THE SOUND A REGULAR AND NIGHTLY SONG. KATE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW, THE STILLNESS OF THE NIGHT MAKING HER UNEASY.

THE LOUD BANG OF THE FRONT DOOR SLAMMING OPEN SNAPPED KATE OUT OF HER TRANCE. SHE TURNED TO SEE THREE MEN WALKING IN, DRESSED IN HUNTER CLOTHS AND HOLDING THEIR WEAPONS PROUDLY. THE TALLEST AND LARGEST OF THE THREE MEN WAS WELL KNOWN IN THE VILLAGE FOR HIS SELF PROCLAIMED HEROISMS. BOGDAN WAS THE BIG MAN'S NAME.

HE MADE HIS WAY WITH HIS FRIENDS TO THE CENTER TABLE OF THE TAVERN AS OTHER PATRONS TURNED TOWARDS HIM. BOGDAN LOOKED WORN AND SAD, WHICH WAS QUITE A DIFFERENT DISPLAY AS HE WAS A VERY ROWDY AND BRAVADO TYPE OF MAN. HE SAT DOWN AS THE OTHERS SAT WITH HIM, RUBBING HIS THICK BEARD AS HE SEEMED TO BE IN DEEP THOUGHT.

Wanting more. You might want to drop the caps though. I have seen others get reprimanded for using all caps on this site.

Ya... its because of the style its writen in on my MC Word....

"BOGDAN, WHAT HAPPEN?" A PATRON THAT HAD BEEN SEATED AT THE BAR TELLING JOKES FOR HOURS ASKED IN A SUDDEN SERIOUS MANOR. OTHER PATRONS TURNED TOWARDS BOGDAN AS WELL. HE ALWAYS HAD A SMILE AND A TALL TALE TO TELL FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD LISTEN. BUT THIS NIGHT HE WAS SOLEMN AND QUIET.

KATE WATCHED CONFUSED AS SHE HELPED HER MOTHER CLEAN THE GLASSES.

"WE CAME ACROSS ONE OF THE FOREST'S BEASTS TONIGHT. ARDEN WAS TAKEN..." BOGDAN ANNOUNCED, AS HIS BROWS FURROW, OBVIOUSLY MOURNING HIS FRIEND.

THE TWO OTHER MEN THAT SAT WITH HIM STAYED QUIET, THEIR FEATURES OF SHOCK AND DISBELIEF CLEARLY PAINTED ON THEIR FACES.

"DID YOU SEE THE BEAST?" A PATRON ASKED. THE TAVERN WAS NOW SILENT AT THE NEWS OF THE MAN'S DEATH. YET ANOTHER MAN KILLED THIS MONTH.

BOGDAN PLACED HIS HUNTING SWORD AND KNIFE ON THE TABLE. THE SWORD SPATTERED WITH BLOOD. "I COULD ONLY HEAR IT, AND CAUGHT GLIMPSES OF A SHADOW MOVING. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STRIKE IT AS IT HELD ONTO ARDEN.... ALL I COULD SEE WAS A LARGE BLACK FIGURE."

Ooooh wonder what kind of beast it is.

ONE OF THE TWO MEN THAT SAT WITH HIM SUDDENLY ROSE AND STORMED OUT OF THE TAVERN ANGRILY.

"...I COULDN'T SAVE HIM...." BOGDAN WENT ON. HIS OTHER FRIEND PLACING A HAND ON HIS SHOULDER FOR COMFORT.

AS HE WENT ON WITH THE DETAILS OF THE NIGHT, KATE TURNED HER ATTENTION BACK TO THE DARK FOREST. DURING THE DAY, VILLAGE HUNTERS WERE SAFE TO HUNT THE WOODS FOR THEIR FOOD, FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THE VILLAGERS MARKET TO SELL. BUT AT NIGHT, NO ONE WAS ALLOWED IN THE WOODS, FOR AS LONG AS KATE COULD REMEMBER, SHE AND HER BROTHER KEEGAN WERE TOLD OF HORROR STORIES BY THEIR GRANDFATHER AND FATHER. THE WOODS WERE FORBIDDEN TO BE ENTERED AFTER SUN DOWN.

"I WANT TO SEE THESE BEASTS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY NO ONE HAS CAUGHT ONE." A PATRON BARKED. THE TAVERN TURNED LAUD AND ANGRY. MEN YELLING OUT TO FORM A TASK FORCE TO HAVE HUNTER’S SOT OUT AND KILL A OR THE BEAST. NO ONE KNEW IF THERE WAS ONLY ONE OR MANY SINCE NO ONE EVER TRULY SAW IT.

"IT’S TOO DANGEROUS!" ANOTHER YELLED. "A FEW YEARS BACK WE HAD SENT FIVE OF OUR FINESS HUNTERS AND NONE OF THEM EVER RETURNED! IT’S A DEATH TRAP I SAY!"

"WHAT ABOUT SHEPPARD XAVIER? WE FOUND HIS HEAD AND ONE OF HIS HANDS BY THE WOODS THE MORNING AFTER TWO OF HIS SHEEP’S WENT MISSING."

"WHAT ABOUT OUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. WHAT IF THE BEASTS START COMING FOR THEM?"

"SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!"

"THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS BEASTS! ITS ANIMALS DEFENDING THEIR TERRITORY, THAT’S ALL!"

"WHY DOESN'T OUR KING HELP US?"

"GENTLEMEN. THE BEASTS DO EXIST, AND NOT ONLY AROUND OUR VILLAGE. I'VE TRAVELED FAR AND THE FOREST IS LARGER THAN ANY LAND OR FARM THERE IS. MANY VILLAGES AND KINGDOMS LIVE AROUND THE FOREST AND THEY TOO, LOSE THEIR MEN." BOGDAN TOLD EVERYONE.

KATE BIT HER BOTTOM LIP AS SHE CONTINUED EYEING THE DARK AND THICK TREES.

"I'M SICK OF THIS PLACE" KEEGAN TOLD HER IN A HUSHED TONE, SURPRISING HER. SHE TURNED TO LOOK AT HIM. A YEAR YOUNGER THAN HER AT 18, HE TOWERED OVER HER BY A GOOD FOUR INCHES.

"WHAT HAPPENED...?” SHE SAID AS SHE LOOKED AT KEEGAN'S BLACK EYE AND SPILT LIP. SHE EXAMINED HIS WOUNDS GENTLY. KEEGAN GRABBED HER HAND.

"FATHER. WHAT ELSE" HE TOLD HER ANGRILY. KATE TOOK A CLEAN WASH CLOTHES AND DRIPPED WARM WATER INTO IT, THEN GENTLY STARTED TO CLEAN HIS LIP AND EYE.

THEIR FATHER WAS QUITE SET IN HIS WAYS. HE CONTROLLED KEEGAN WITH HIS BELT AND FIST, WHILE SETTING FEAR WITH WORDS INTO KATE. KEEGAN WOULD REGULARLY TAKE ANY OF KATE'S BEATINGS IN HER PLACE, REFUSING TO LET THEIR FATHER TOUCH HER. SHE WAS THE OLDER ONE OF THE TWO BUT KEEGAN WAS ALWAYS THE ONE PROTECTING HER. THEIR MOTHER WAS SWEET, BUT TOO AFRAID OF THEIR FATHER TO DO ANYTHING BUT TURN A BLIND EYE.

AFTER SHE FINISHED CLEANING HIS EYE AND LIP, SHE SAT NEXT TO HIM AND HUGGED HIM. "DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME WHAT BROUGHT ON THIS BEATING?" SHE ASKED QUIETLY.

"YOU." HE STATED. SHE LOOKED UP AT HIM QUICKLY AND WORRIEDLY. "WHAT?"

KEEGAN SMIRKED AT HER, TOOK HER HAND AND KISSED IT. "I WAS TRYING TO MAKE FATHER UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T WANT TO MARRY JET CASSIUS." HE FINISHED.

THEIR FATHER WAS CONSTANTLY DOWN TALKING HER IDEALS AND DREAMS. SHE DIDN'T WANT TO MARRY A MAN HER FATHER LIKED BECAUSE OF HIS WEALTH. SHE WANTED TO MARRY FOR LOVE. THE MAN HER FATHER WANTED HER TO MARRY, JET CASSIUS, WAS QUITE VAIN. HE WASN'T APPEALING TO HER IN ANY WAY. SHE HAD MET HIM TWICE BEFORE. THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR HER.

"KEEGAN..." SHE STARTED.

"KATE, I'M LEAVING THIS PLACE. COME WITH ME." HE TOLD HER QUIETLY. THE TAVERN WAS STILL ROWDY AS DISCUSSIONS OF THE EVENTS WITH THE BEASTS CONTINUED.

"WHAT?"

"I'M LEAVING AT SUN UP. GOING THROUGH THE FOREST WILL BE FASTER TO REACH THE OTHER VILLAGE" HE TOLD HER AS HE STOOD, LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM TO SEE IF ANYONE WAS TRYING TO HEAR THEM, BUT ALL EYES AND EARS WERE ON BOGDAN.

"IT’S DANGEROUS KEEGAN. IT’S NOT SAFE"

THE TAVERN PATRONS WERE NOW IN FULL DISPUTE OVER WHAT WAS TO BE DONE.

"I'VE HEAR TALK ABOUT THE KINGDOM IN THE EAST, WE'D HAVE A BETTER CHANCE THERE. THERE ARE MORE VILLAGES AND THE KING IS GENEROUS TO ITS PEOPLE. NOT LIKE HERE WHERE THEY LEAVE US TO FEND FOR OURSELVES." KEEGAN ADDED.

SHE LOOKED AT HIM CONFUSED AND IN THOUGHT.

"IF YOU STAY, I WON'T BE HERE TO PROTECT YOU AND FATHER WILL MAKE YOU MARRY CASSIUS AND YOU'LL BE IN THIS VILLAGE FOREVER." KEEGAN TOLD HER AND WALKED OUT THE BACK DOOR THAT LEAD TO THEIR HOME.

KATE WATCHED HIM GO, BITING HER LOWER LIP.

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KEEGAN MADE HIS WAY OUT OF THE HOUSE. HIS BAG PACKED AND OVER HIS SHOULDER. HE HAD TO DO THIS AND THRU THE FOREST WAS THE QUICKEST WAY. HE WALKED OVER TO HIS HORSE AND SECURED ITS RANGS AND HIS BAGS OF WATER, FOODS AND A CHANGE CLOTHES.

AS HE PULLED THE HORSE OUT OF THE TINY CLOSED IN YARD, THE SUN WAS NOW SHINING BRIGHTLY, THE BIRDS SANG AND THE COOL MORNING AIR SMELLED FRESH. "TIME TO GO" HE TOLD THE LARGE BEAUTIFUL BROWN HORSE.

"WAIT! I'M COMING WITH YOU" KATE YELLED AS SHE RAN TOWARDS HIM, DRESSED WARMLY AND HAD HER OWN BAG OVER HER SHOULDER. KEEGAN SMILED AND HUGGED HER AS SHE REACHED HIM.

"GIVE ME YOUR BAG" HE TOLD HER AND TIDED IT TO THE HORSE. HE HELPED HER UP INTO THE HORSE AND THEN SAW HER FACE. "WHAT’S WRONG?" HE ASKED HER THEN LOOKED AT WHERE SHE WAS LOOKING.

"FATHER" KEEGAN ALL BUT GROWLED, AND STOOD IN FRONT OF THE HORSE AND KATE, TRYING TO KEEP BOTH FROM HIS FATHER.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU TWO ARE GOING?" THE OLDER MAN BARKED HIS BELT IN ONE HAND. HIS BROW FURROW AND LIPS TIGHT, HE WAS ANGRY.

"AWAY FROM YOU" KEEGAN TOLD HIM AS HE QUICKLY MOUNTED THE HORSE BEHIND KATE, REACHED AROUND HER, GRABBED THE RANGS AND TURNED THE HORSE FOR THE FOREST, THEIR FATHER GAVE CHASE.

"YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARD KEEGAN, I’LL HAVE YOUR HEAD! KATE GET BACK HERE! WHAT ABOUT YOUR MOTHER!" THE OLD MAN YELLED AFTER THEM.

KATE CLOSED HER EYES TIGHTLY AND HELD ON TO KEEGAN.

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Awesome, this is my fav of your stories. I was worried she wasn't going with him at first.

IN THE BRIGHT MORNING SUN, THE TRESS OF THE FOREST LOOKED MAGICAL. THE LIGHT AND DARK GREENS, THE DANCING OF THE LEAFS IN THE LIGHT MORNING BREEZE. THE SMELL OF COOL AIR, FLOWERS AND MISTS OF SMALL STREAMS, KATE COULDN'T STOP SMILING AT THE BEAUTY OF THE NATURE AS THE HORSE TROTTED ALONG THREW THE FOREST. SHE WATCHED AS SQUIRRELS PLAYED GAMES OF TAG, RUNNING FROM TREE TO TREE, BRANCH TO BRANCH, CHASING EACH OTHER, WHILE BIRDS SANG MERRILY, AND CHIRPING MORNING HELLOS.

"KATE LOOK" KEEGAN TOLD HER AS HE BROUGHT THE HORSE TO A STOP. A FEW FEET AWAY FROM THEM ACROSS A TINY POND STOOD A SMALL ORANGE FOX, DRINKING THE CLEAN WATER.

"HE'S BEAUTIFUL..." SHE WHISPERED. KEEGAN SMILED AND LIGHTLY KICKED THE HORSE TO CONTINUE THEIR WAY.

THEY HAD BEEN RIDING FOR HOURS, AND KATE HAD FALLEN ASLEEP. KEEGAN LOOKED AROUND, THE LIGHT WAS STARTING TO DIM. HE QUICKENED THE HORSE'S PACE, KEEPING A FIRM HOLD ON KATE AS SHE SLEPT HOLDING ON TO HIM.

HE WASN'T SURE WHERE EXACTLY THEY WERE BUT HE WAS SURE HE COULD SEE A CLEARING AHEAD.

"KATE" HE SAID WAKING HER UP AS THEY STARTED TO REACH THE CLEARING.

SHE OPENED HER EYES AND QUICKLY HELD ON TO KEEGAN. SHE FORGOT SHE WAS ON THE HORSE. "WHERE ARE WE?"

"I DON'T KNOW BUT IT’S STARTING TO GET DARK, WE HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO HIDE FOR THE NIGHT" HE TOLD HER. I WAVE OF FEAR AND PANIC RAN THREW HER AT THE REALIZATION THAT THEY WOULD BE SPENDING THE NIGHT IN THE FOREST.

THEY REACHED THE CLEARING, KEEGAN STOPPED THE HORSE. "SNOW?"

THE CLEARING WAS COVERED IN A WHITE BLANKET AND IN THE MIDDLE STOOD AND LARGE ROCK. KEEGAN LOOKED AROUND AND IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CLEARING, A HUGE REDWOOD TREE HAD FALLEN OVER, CREATING A LARGE HOLE IN THE GROUND AND PLENTY OF COVER INSIDE OF THE BROKEN TREE ITSELF.

"THERE" HE SAID, LEADING THE HORSE TOWARDS THE SMALL CAVE. HE DISMOUNTED THE HORSE AND LOOKED UP AT KATE. "STAY ON THIS HORSE TILL I COME FOR YOU" HE TOLD HER. KATE SMILE. HE WAS THE YOUNGER ONE YET HE WAS THE ONE THAT TOOK CARE OF BOTH OF THEM.

SHE WATCHED KEEGAN DISAPPEARED INTO THE HALF HIDDEN ENCLOSED ENTRANCE OF THE DOWN TREE. SHE LOOKED AROUND THE CLEARING, THE SUN DISAPPEARING BEHIND THE HIGH TREES, GIVING THEM A MORE DARKEN SPELL OF A LOOK. KATE BIT HER LOWER LIP. A MOMENT LATER HE EMERGED. "IT’S SAFE."

HE HELPED KATE DOWN AND UNTIED SOME OF THE BAGS FROM THE HORSE, THEN TIED THE ANIMAL TO A NEARBY TREE. INSIDE THE TREE, KATE PLACED ONE OF THE BLANKETS ON THE FLOOR AND SEPARATED THEIR BREAD AND CHEESE. KEEGAN SAT ACROSS FROM HER AS THEY EAT EAGERLY.

"IT’S COLD" KEEGAN GROANED. THEY COULDN'T MAKE A FIRE FOR FEAR OF THE BEATS WOULD FIND THEM. KATE MOTIONED FOR HIM TO SIT NEXT TO HER, IN THE VERY FARTHEST PART OF THE TREE AND THEY WRAPPED EACH OTHER WITH THE FEW BLANKETS THEY HAD BROUGHT AND TURNED IN TO SLEEP.

IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE KEEGAN FELL ASLEEP, BUT KATE STAYED AWAKE. EVERYTHING WAS SILENT; SHE COULD ONLY HEAR KEEGAN'S BREATHING.

Ooooh. No animal sounds or crickets. Something is going to happen, I know it.

AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, SHE STARTED TO SETTLE INTO THE WARMF OF THE BLANKETS AND STARTED TO FALL TO ASLEEP, WHEN SUDDENLY SHE HEARD THEIR HORSE GO WILD. PANIC SET IN AS SHE COULD HEAR GROWLING AND THE HORSE’S HOOVES DANCING UP AND OFF THE FLOOR. A SUDDEN LOUD THUD NOISE CAME AND SHE NO LONGER HEARD THE HORSE.

KATE COVERED HER MOUTH NOT TO SCREAM OR MAKE A NOISE AS HER TEARS RAN DOWN HER FACE. SHE WAS SO SCARED AND FOCUSED OF THE SOUNDS OUTSIDE THAT SHE HADN'T REALIZED KEEGAN WAS AWAKE. HE WAS SQUATTING DOWN, WITH HIS SWORD, READY TO ATTACK IF ANYTHING CAME TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE OF THE TREE.

SOUNDS OF SOMETHING CIRCULATING THE TREE AND GROWLING NOISES COULD BE HEARD. KATE COULDN'T MOVE, SHE SAT STILL, HER EYES SWITCHING BETWEEN HER BROTHER AND THE TREE'S ENTRANCE.

A LOUD HOWLING RANG, WHICH MADE KATE YELP. KEEGAN JUMPED BACK TOWARDS HER AND HELD HER COVERING HER MOUTH. AFTER A MINUTE THEY HEARD SOMETHING RUNNING BACK INTO THE WOODS. THEY STAYED STILL FOR A WHILE LONGER TILL KEEGAN REMOVED HIS HAND FROM HER MOUTH, AND MOTIONED HER TO STAY QUIET, THEN HE STARTED TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE ONLY FOR KATE TO TRY AND GRAB HIM. SHE DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GO OUT OF THE TREE ONLY TO GET GRABBED AND KILLED. KEEGAN LOOKED BACK AT HER, HER TEARS RUNNING DOWN HER FACE. HE TURNED BACK TOWARDS HER AND RESUMED HIS PLACE NEXT TO HER IN THE BLANKETS.

"TRY TO GET SOME SLEEP, I'LL STAY AWAKE" HE WHISPERED TO HER. KATE NODDED AND RESTED HER HEAD ON HIS SHOULDER TO SLEEP.

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AT FIRST LIGHT, KEEGAN LEFT KATE SLEEPING IN THE BLANKETS AND STEPPED OUT OF THE TREE. CAREFULLY HE LOOKED AROUND AND THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLEARING ON THE LARGE ROCK LAID A GREY WOLF. IT WATCHED HIM NONCHALANTLY, AS IF PAYING HIM NO MIND. KEEGAN FROWNED, AND THEN TURNED THE CORNER WHERE HE HAD TIED THE HORSE. RED COVERED THE SNOW, BLOOD EVERYWHERE. ONLY THE RANGS HE HAD TIED TO THE TREE REMAINED.

KEEGAN LOOKED AROUND AND SAW THAT THERE WERE MANY FOOT PRINTS IN THE SNOW, NONE OF THEM DISTINCTIVE ENOUGH TO MAKE OUT IF IT WAS HUMAN, ANIMAL OR BEAST.

"KEEGAN?" HE QUICKLY TURNED THE CORNER TO REACH KATE. HE DIDN'T WANT HER TO SEE THE BLOOD.

"IS THE HORSE...?" SHE ASKED. HE ONLY SHOOK HIS HEAD. KATE COVERED HER MOUTH AS FRESH TEARS RAN TO HER EYES.

"WE HAVE TO GET MOVING" HE TOLD HER AS HE GRABBED THE BAGS AND SHOVED THE BLANKETS IN THE LARGEST ONE. KATE GRABBED HER OWN BAG AS WELL AS ONE OF THE FOOD BAGS. "READY?" SHE NODDED.

KEEGAN LOOKED BACK AT WHERE THE WOLF HAD BEEN, IT WAS GONE.

THEY SET OUT TO THE NORTH, KEEPING A QUICK PACE AS THEY STUMBLED AND RUSHED THROUGH BRUSHES AND BROKEN TREE TRUNKS.

AS THEY KEPT GOING, ALL KATE COULD SEE WERE TREES UPON TREES. SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE GOING, OR IF THEY WOULD EVEN MAKE IT. THE MEMORIES OF THE NIGHT BEFORE PUSHED HER BODY TO KEEP PUSHING, HOPING TO FIND A VILLAGE AND BE SAFE. KEEGAN COULD FIND A JOB; HE WAS STRONG AND HONEST AND WAS A GOOD WORKER. SHE COULD FIND THEM A HOME, CLEAN AND COOK FOR THEM, TILL KEEGAN COULD FIND A GOOD WIFE AND MARRY.

KATE HAD ALWAYS DREAMED OF FALLING IN LOVE, ONE DAY HAVING A FAMILY, BUT SHE WONDERED MANY TIMES IF THERE WAS MORE TO LIFE THAN HAVING CHILDREN AND GETTING MARRIED. SHE OFTEN WONDERED IF THERE WAS MORE TO KNOW AND ENJOY. SHE WONDERED MOST OF ALL IF THERE WAS A PLACE WITH NO BEASTS.

SHE WATCHED HER BROTHER AS HE HELPED HER OVER A FALLEN TREE. HE WOULD MAKE A GOOD HUSBAND AND FATHER ONE DAY.

"I KNOW YOU’RE TIRED BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING" HE TOLD HER, PULLING HER ALONG HIM. KATE TOOK A BREATH AND PUSHED HER LEGS TO MOVE. THEY HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR HOURS.

KEEGAN SUDDENLY STOPPED AND HANDED HER ONE OF THE SKINS FILLED WITH WATER. "HERE DRINK SOME" KATE DRANK TILL SHE COULDN'T ANYMORE. KEEGAN THEN DRANK SOME OF THE WATER HIMSELF.

"COME ON" HE TOLD HER, TAKING ONE OF HER BAGS FROM HER.

Awesome, can't wait to find out what happens next. Please continue.

AFTER A FEW MORE HOURS, THE SUNLIGHT WAS STARTING TO FADE. KATE WANTED TO CRY, STILL ALL SHE SAW WERE TREES. SHE DROPPED TO HER KNEES, EXUSTED, HUNGRY, COLD AND SCARED.

KEEGAN TURNED BACK TOWARDS HER AND KNEELED BY HER. "I'M SORRY" HE TOLD HER. SHE KNEW IT WASN'T HIS FAULT. HE WANTED A BETTER LIFE FOR BOTH OF THEM, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. BUT THEY WERE LOST AND NEITHER HAD ANY IDEA WHERE THERE WERE AND NIGHT TIME WAS DESCENDING ON THEM. "STAY HERE, I'LL LOOK FOR SOMEWHERE FOR US TO SPEND THE NIGHT" HE SAID AND RAN OFF.

KATE WATCHED HIM GO, TOO TIRED TO ARGUE WITH HIM. AS THE SUN LIGHT FADED AWAY, THE TREES STARTED TO TAKE ON A MORE SINISTER LOOK AND THE LEAFS NO LONGER DANCED. THIS FOREST KNEW WHAT WAS TO COME, YET ITS BEAUTY IN THE DAYLIGHT WOULD FULL YOU INTO THINKING IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, MAGICAL... SAFE. AND WHEN NIGHT GAVE WAY, THE HORRORS OF THE FOREST WOULD COME TO CLAIM THEIR PREY.

KATE ALL BUT SCREAMED AS KEEGAN TOUCHED HER ARM, SCARING HER. "IT’S ME! IT’S ME, CALM DOWN" HE SAID HUGGING HER. "COME ON I FOUND AN OPENING IN ANOTHER REDWOOD, ITS HIGH OFF THE GROUND. WE SHOULD BE OK."

HE HELPED HER UP AND GRABBED THE BAGS; HE RUSHED HER TO THE TREES AS THE SUN WAS SETTING. "HURRY" HE WHISPERED AS HE PUSHED HER UP INTO THE TREE. HE THREW THE BAGS INTO THE OPENING AND PULLED HIMSELF INSIDE.

QUICKLY THEY WRAPPED THEMSELVES INTO THE DARK BLANKETS. THEIR HIDING SPOT HAD ONLY THE SMALL WHOLE TO GET IN OR OUT, WHICH WAS GOOD AND BAD.

KEEGAN OPENED ONE OF THE FOOD BAGS AND BIT INTO A LOAF OF BREAD WHILE KATE EAT A PIECE OF CHEESE. THE DARK NIGHT SETTLED AROUND THEM AS THEY FINISHED EATING AND WRAPPED THEMSELVES IN THE BLANKETS AGAINST EACH OTHER. KATE QUICKLY FELL ASLEEP FROM HER EXUSTION.

KEEGAN WASN'T GOING TO LET HIMSELF SLEEP. AFTER WHAT HE HAD SEEN, THE HORSE'S BLOOD COVERING THE SNOW AND ONLY THE RANGS LEFT, NOTHING ELSE, HE REFUSE TO LET HIMSELF OR KATE FALL UNDER THE SAME FAITH.

AS THE IMAGES FLASHED THREW HIS MIND, HE COULD HEAR HOWLING IN THE DISTANCE. HE LOOKED AT KATE, SHE HADN'T MOVED AND WAS STILL SLEEPING. KEEGAN TOOK HIS SWORD AND QUIETLY MADE HIS WAY TO THE OPENING AND CAREFULLY LOOKED OUT.

HE COULD BARELY SEE ANYTHING. AS HIS EYES ADJUSTED, HE COULD HEAR GROWLING NOISES. SUDDENLY HE SAW THREE LARGE SHADOWS MOVE AT SPEEDS HE COULDN’T IMAGINE, RUN PAST THE BOTTOM OF THE TREE. HE QUICKLY JUMPED BACK AND STAYED STILL BY KATE. IF THOSE BEASTS WERE GOING TO ATTACK THEM, HE WOULDN'T LET THEM TOUCH KATE. KEEGAN COULD HEAR THEM RUNNING AROUND, SEVERAL FEET BELOW HIM AND KATE. SNARLING AND GROWLING SOUNDS.

Oooh, are they going to both make it thru the night, I wonder?

AND OTHER HOWLING SOUNDED, THEN FLAPS OF A LARGE BIRD SOUNDED AS IT CAWED. KEEGAN COULD SEE THE BIRD FLEW BACK AND FORTH IN FRONT OF HIS HIDING ENTRANCE.

"DAMN BIRD" HE MUSTERED UNDER HIS BREATH, WAITING FOR THE BEASTS TO JUMP UP AND TRY GETTING INTO THE WHOLE.

THE HAWK THEN SETTLED DOWN ON A BRANCH SEVERAL FEET FROM THE REDWOOD. KEEGAN STAYED HIDDEN AND STILL. KATE WAS ASLEEP SO HE HADN'T TO WORRY ABOUT HER. HE MADE SURE SHE WAS COVERED BY THE BLANKETS.

HOURS PASSED AS KEEGAN COULD STILL HEAR THE BEASTS BELOW THEM AND THE HAWK WAS STILL PERCHED IN ITS CHOSEN BRANCH. HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE DOING, WHY THEY HADN'T ATTACKED HIM YET. LIKE THEY WERE TOYING WITH HIM, WANTING TO DRIVE HIM MAD WITH ANTICIPATION AND FEAR.

KEEGAN WASN'T SURE HOW MANY HOURS HAD PASSED, SLEEP WAS PULLING AT HIM. JUST AS HE STARTED TO CLOSE HIS EYES ANOTHER HOWLING SOUNDED AND THE HAWK CAWED LOUDLY AND HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE OPENING IN THE REDWOOD. KEEGAN WATCHED HIM COMING AT SUPERB SPEED BUT WAS READY FOR HIM AND SLICED THE HUGE BIRD ACROSS ITS CHEST, COVERING ITS WHITE AND BROWN FEATHERS WITH BLOOD.

THE HAWK CRIED OUT IN PAIN AND FLEW OFF. ANOTHER HOWLING SOUNDED AND KEEGAN COULD HEAR THE BEASTS RUN OFF INTO THE DARKNESS. HE LOOKED UP TO THE SKY AND SAW THE LIGHT OF DAWN STARTING TO COVER THE SKY.

THEY MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER NIGHT.

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Wow, that was a close one but I bet Keegan is really tired.

KEEGAN HAD DECIDED NOT TO TELL KATE OF THE EVENTS OF THE NIGHT BEFORE. AS QUICKLY AS HE COULD, HE MADE HIS WAY THROUGH THE FOREST WITH HER IN TOW. HE DIDN'T WANT TO STAY ANOTHER NIGHT IN THE FOREST, THE BEASTS WERE OBVIOUSLY GETTING TIRED OF THEIR GAMES AND HE WOULD BE DAMNED IF HE WOULD LET THEM HAVE HIS SISTER. HE TURNED TO SEE KATE RUSHING AS FAST AS HE WAS, SHE DIDN'T WANT TO STAY IN THE FOREST ANY LONGER EITHER.

AS SOON AS DAY HAD BROKEN, THEY HAD BEEN ON THE RUN.

"KATE, A RIVER!" KEEGAN YELLED, AND RAN FOR THE RIVER.

THE WATER WAS CALM, COOL AND CRYSTAL CLEAR. FISH COULD BE SEEN SWIMMING ALONG WITH TURTLES. KEEGAN SAT IN A BANK OF SNOW, NEXT TO THE RIVER AND FILLED HIS WATER SKIN AND EAGERLY TOOK A DRINK.

"KEEGAN, DON'T MOVE" KATE SUDDENLY WARNED HIM. HE TURNED AND SAW THAT RIGHT ACROSS THE TINY RIVER, A LARGE BLACK BEAR, LIGHTLY COVERED IN SNOW WAS MAKING HIS WAY TO THE RIVER TO FISH.

KATE AND KEEGAN STAYED STILL AS THE BEAR SEEMED TO PAY THEM NO MIND AS IT CONTINUED FARTHER DOWN THE RIVER SIDE.

"LET'S GO" KEEGAN SAID AS HE QUICKLY STOOD. THEY RAN THROUGH THE SHALLOW RIVER AND MADE IT TO THE OTHER SIDE. THEY WERE FREEZING BUT THEY HAD TO KEEP MOVING.

"WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR CLOTHES, WE'LL DIE LIKE THIS." KEEGAN KNEW SHE WAS RIGHT. THE AIR KEPT GETTING COLDER AND COLDER. IF THE BEASTS WEREN'T GOING TO GET THEM THE COLD WOULD. KATE TOOK OUT HIS CHANGE OF CLOTHES AND HER OWN. SHE HID BEHIND A SMALL BUSH AND CHANGED, WHEN SHE STEPPED OUT, KEEGAN WAS ALREADY DRESSED.

"READY?"

"YES"

THEY LEFT THEIR SOAKED CLOTHES IN THE SNOW AND CONTINUED THEIR ROUTE. HOURS AND HOURS PASSED. KATE FELT NUMB FROM THE COLD AND COULDN'T REALLY FEEL HER FACE. HER UNEASINESS FROM THE FOREST STARTED A NEW AS SHE WATCHED A FALCON CIRCLE THE SKY ABOVE THEM. THE SKY CLOUDY AND GREY. NEW WAVES OF FEAR RAN THREW HER AS SHE WATCHED THE BIRD PLUNGE DOWN AND GRAB A RABBIT FROM THE GROUND AND FLEW AWAY WITH ITS PRIZE.

AS THEY MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE GROUNDS, THE SLOPES STARTED TO FORM A SLIGHT DOWNHILL PATH. AS THEY STEPPED LOWER AND LOWER, THE SUNLIGHT SEEMED TO BE LESS AND LESS WITH EACH STEP.

"CAREFUL, IT’S GETTING STEEP" KEEGAN TOLD HER, BUT JUST AS HE SAID THE WORDS KATE SLIPPED. KEEGAN REACHED FOR HER BUT LOST HIS OWN FOOTING, THEY TUMBLED PAINFULLY THREW THE SNOW, BRUSHES, TREES, TREE BRANCHES AND ROOTS. KEEGAN REPEATEDLY TRIED TO REACH KATE AND TO STOP THEIR FALL BUT HAD NO SUCH LUCK.

KATE COULDN'T BREATHE. THE PAIN OF EACH HIT, SCRATCH AND BRUISE, PIERCED THREW HER FROZEN SKIN, ELECTRIFYING EACH WOUND.

KEEGAN COULDN'T KEEP FROM TUMBLING, HE TRIED DESPERATELY TO KEEP WATCH OF KATE. HE COULD ONLY CATCH GLIMPSES OF HER AND HEARD HER YELPS AND GRUNTS.

KATE REACHED THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN FIRST, HER FACE IN THE COLD SNOW. SHE WANTED TO MOVE, TO GET UP AND FIND KEEGAN, BUT SHE COULDN'T MOVE. SHE LOOKED DOWN AT THE WHITE BLANKET SHE LAID ON, DROPS OF RED WERE SOAKING WERE SHE LOOKED. SHE MANAGED TO BRING HER LEFT HAND UP TO HER FACE AND TOUCHED HER FOREHEAD. BLOOD. SHE SUDDENLY FELT DIZZY AND SLEEP CALLED AT HER AS SHE CLOSED HER EYES.

KEEGAN WOKE AND SAT UP QUICKLY, IMMEDIATELY REGRETTING THE GESTURE. PAIN RAN THREW HIS BODY AS IF COUNTLESS NEEDLES PIERCED THREW HIS SKIN TO HIS BONES. HE GRITTED HIS TEETH AND STOOD. HE LOOKED AROUND AND PANIC HIT HIM LIKE A HORSE KICK. THE SUNLIGHT WAS ALL BUT GONE, WITHIN SECONDS THEY WOULD BE IN THE SHADOW OF THE NIGHT.

KATE. WHERE WAS KATE, HE COULDN'T SEE HER, SHE WASN'T NEAR HIM. "KATE!" HE CALLED, ONLY FOR HIS VOICE TO BE ECHOED BACK TO HIM. "KATE!"

KEEGAN TOOK A STEP FORWARD TO SEARCH FOR HER WHEN HE SCREAMED OUT IN PAIN AND FELL TO THE GROUND. HE LOOKED DOWN AT HIS RIGHT LEG, IT WAS BROKEN, AND THE BONE HAD RIPPED THROUGH THE SKIN AND HIS CLOTHES.

"KATE!" HE YELLED AND LOOKED AROUND, TRYING DESPERATELY TO IGNORED THE PAIN AND FIND HIS SISTER.