Chaos and panic filled the household. It was the head maid servant who was first notified of Engi's absence. Sensing the gravity of the situation she took the matter straight to Engi's mother, who was in the kitchen preparing food for Engi's father who was returning from one of his voyages that day. The timing could not have been any worse.
It was late in the afternoon and expecting the most horrific of situations Engi's mother summoned the head of security to form a search party and go out looking for her, first within the estate and then the city streets afterwards. But somehow Engi's mother knew and expected this to happen. The eaglet must learn to fly to fulfill its destiny. As the search party passed through the palace gates, Engi's father walked in through the front door, the fabled Zothinrim strapped to his waist.
Engi was lost in her serenity and was missing her violin when she heard a strange noise, like the crack of bones. Silently she wandered deeper into the forest, consumed by curiosity and awe. Not noticing the dark clouds above that were brewing up a torrential thunderstorm. As the lights began to fade, something caught her wandering eyes. Moving through the darkness cast upon the ground by the dense canopy were two red orbs, as if monitoring her every move. The forest had grown silent as a ghastly still set in. Suddenly a sense of panic filled the air as it dawned upon her; she was far away from the safety of her palace and the comfort of her mother's bosoms.
In no time the forest grew dark and eerie. Not knowing where she was or how much time she had spent in the forest, she grew restless and anxious, her eyes still transfixed on the encircling red orbs. Suddenly the orbs started to move towards her, slowly but surely. As if by pure reflex Engi turned and ran back the way she came, knowing not where she was headed. Another emotion she had felt for the first time today, Fear. Bewildered heart and gasping lungs.
Peering back above her shoulder, she saw the red orbs move swiftly through the dense undergrowth. It's pace matching hers in each stride, yet it still maintained its distance. She was unable to keep her gaze off the creature in pursuit, and so she did not notice the hole in the ground that rapidly approached her. A work of hunters trying to ensnare animals, perhaps for food or trade. It had started to rain heavily.
And like the crack of a whip it thundered, filling the forest with stunning bright light, mere meters behind her. Engi slipped her feet and fell right into the hole dug in the ground covered with bamboo and leaves. With a crash she hit the bottom of the abysmal pit, drenched in muddy water all over. Her beautiful silk dress now stained beyond repair. She tried to crawl her way out but the ditch was too deep and its walls were too high. In terror she cornered herself and awaited her impending doom. Crying her eyes out for the first time!!
Before late, the red orbs appeared. Like two blood diamonds shimmering in the darkness, staring from above like a ghastly figure from her nightmares. She could see very little, only a faint figure of a beast in the light of the thunderbolts. Momentarily, their gaze met. And in another flash of blinding light sent by the thunderclouds above, it disappeared. But she kept crying. Her eyes still fixed at the void.