My body tense when my eyes meet the cold stare of a bloodhound with its mane sticking on end like spikes. It crouch low, glaring and baring its fangs at me. My breath hitches as my heart shots to my throat. This one's bloody hell of a beast. It growls the same way the toco toucan did, and I had a faint idea it catches the toco toucan's call and came this way. That stupid bird.
Now, thinking of the instructions of the book, when faced with an aggressive animal, don't look them in the face. Then, slowly without provoking it, crouch low into the ground. The bloodhound growls but doesn't advance otherwise.
I move slower towards the river and reach a hand into the water. Preparing to splash it a handful, I muster up the courage to look into its eyes but without even a single second to repent doing it, the bloodhound roars so loud almost splitting my eardrums and leap, aiming for a kill. My mind goes haywire and with tears starting to cloud my vision, I plash the water towards the bloodhound. Surprisingly, it look taken aback, nonplussed, reflecting the dumbfounded look on my face.
Grandmother said luck is either at the back or front. I start to believe luck is indeed in front of me when the bloodhound, completely regaining his senses, lost into an uproar. "That stupid book is lying!" I cry out.
"What?" Mr. Stewart gain his consciousness. His eyes is rather drowsy but when he sees what is in front of us, he cry out an ear splitting scream, scaring the hell out of me.
The bloodhound whines and scamper off back into the forest, leaving me in complete shock of what has happened.
Mr. Stewart faint yet again and a deafening silence reigns over the area. Even the cicadas fall silent for a moment.
I stand there, still, bewildered of the situation. "What is going on?"
Without a second to collect my thoughts, one after the other, barks, growls, caws, screeches, and rustling reverberates around the Angry Forest. No time to hang around, the muscles around my short legs tenses, sprinting as fast as it can manage. With many pursuits running wild, I start to doubt we can leave the forest alive.
〰☸〰
Narrator:
Let us turn back time a little. Inside the dark passageway.
"Prince Edward," mumbled Princess Sherry. They walked a long hallway inside the castle. Up ahead, there was a light coming from inside the grand hall, but there were guards patrolling the area it almost impossible for them to pass through unnoticed.
Prince Edward hushed the Princess, gave a reassuring smile, then tugged her outside into the hall.
The hall was an enormous dome ornamented with classic furniture. The huge chandelier dangled up on a high ceiling, glittering with candlelight. There were also paintings covered the ceiling, and some hung visually for passing onlookers. Also, a grand marble floor echoing with steps as patrol guards stationed themselves on the huge double doors into the castle grounds.
Another guard showed up from the hallway, scurrying towards the three guards, and holding what looked like a bag in his arms. "Eric!" whispered a scrawny man.
"What is that Norman?" asked a round man with a large red face. He gripped his gun while his eyes bulged right out of its sockets. "Don't tell me," Eric trailed off.
Norman nodded vigorously, looking like a madman had his favorite treasure in his arms. "It is!" he exclaimed.
"Where did you get that?" whispered a short man. His hand wielding a double-edged sword as he approached Norman.
"Of course, the kitchen had it in store! The good booze that makes your eyes wink!" said Norman.
"That is dangerous, Norman," said a brawny man, standing upright, looking at the three with cold-blooded eyes. His stature surpassed those of the three, making him an infamous rookie who joined the king's soldiers two months ago. His identity was yet to reveal to his colleagues.
"What is it with you, Icarus?" Eric whimpered. "This is like the heaven heard our prayers and given us this precious gift."
"It is nothing special," said Icarus.
"Now, now, stop right there, Icarus! I've crossed mountains and the great seas to get this one!" Norman cried out.
"Hush, Norman, besides, if we get caught drinking that, it'll be the end of us."
"Not you, too, Gamon!" Norman snapped.
"I still don't get what's special about a good booze, but I will be patrolling outside on the grounds," said Icarus, striding outside the huge doors.
"That blooded rookie!" Norman gritted his teeth. "It will be all for us three, then." Norman opened the bag and grab a bottle of liquor. His eyes shining to the bottle like a prized winning.
"I still don't think this is a good idea but since the banquet started, I always thought of how good it was to have at least a little drink of this booze," said Gamon.
"Now then, shall we?" said Eric enthusiastically.
Prince Edward and Princess Sherry both stared as the three guards drink to their heart's content.
"This is our chance," whispered Prince Edward. He held Princess Sherry's hand and they head straight towards the hallway.
In the dim light, the two royals managed to creep down to the west part of the castle. No trouble seemed to be in part with them and almost halted abruptly beside a wall covered in paintings.
"What are we doing here Prince Edward?" said Princess Sherry. She looked across the vast expanse of the wall painted with a beautiful field of flowers. But that was only a deception of some unknown mystery hidden inside there.
Prince Edward pushed a wall in the center of an enormous tree painted on the wall and a small crack opened into a door leading a dark and murky chamber.
"This way my Princess," said Prince Edward. With that, the two of them walked inside a long stairway down to the dungeon.
"Surprisingly with Hero's ability, there's one catch about it. It seems like he cannot see beyond to this dark area."
"What is it you wish to see me?" the Princess asked.
They walked down a steep stairway leading even below to the castle. The dungeon was filled with silence, it was almost possible for a man to be lost out of his wits, but the two approached the end of it.
At long last, the Princess gasped with a look of complete terror on her face. What a terrifying place she could be.