Kail's breath came in ragged gasps as they sprinted through the forest, the massive wolf's growls echoing behind them. The chase felt never-ending, his legs heavy with exhaustion, but the fear of being caught pushed him onward. As they ran, his eyes darted around, searching desperately for anything they could use to defend themselves.
Then he spotted it—a fallen branch lying on the forest floor. It was long and thick, looking sturdy enough to act as a staff. Without breaking his stride, he snatched it up, the rough wood scraping against his palm. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.
Dial glanced back, noticing the branch in Kail's hands, and a flicker of understanding crossed his face. He gave a quick nod before focusing on leading the group deeper into the forest.
They pushed forward until they found a dense patch of trees, their thick trunks forming a small enclosure. Dial gestured for everyone to stop, pulling Elara close to him. "This is as good a spot as any for now," he panted, eyes scanning their surroundings.
The children huddled together, chests heaving from the sprint. The wolf's growls had faded into the distance, but they all knew it wouldn't stay gone for long. The silence was punctuated only by their heavy breathing, each of them too scared to speak.
Kail looked at the group, his heart still pounding. "Listen," he said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. "We can't just keep running blindly. If that thing comes back, we need to be able to fight back."
"What do you mean?" asked Lian, his voice trembling. He glanced nervously around, his eyes wide.
"I mean we need weapons," Kail said, lifting his makeshift staff. "We can't rely on just running. We need to find something—anything—to protect ourselves with."
Dial's eyes lit up with a spark of realization, and he nodded quickly. "He's right. If we're going to survive this, we need to be ready to defend ourselves."
The children exchanged glances, a flicker of hope amidst the fear. It was a small plan, but it was better than feeling completely helpless.
"I'll look over here," a girl named Mira said, wiping tears from her eyes as she moved toward a cluster of bushes. Her hands trembled, but there was a new resolve in her voice.
"I'll help," Lian added, swallowing hard as he followed her.
Dial carefully set Elara down, giving her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. "Stay close to me," he told her, then turned to Kail. "We'll search this area. Elara, look for rocks or anything you can throw."
Elara nodded, her tiny face set with a determined expression that surprised Kail. She quickly began scanning the ground for any sharp rocks.
Kail gripped his wooden stick tightly, the rough texture grounding him. He moved to a nearby tree and tested its strength, giving it a hard jab against the bark. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
A few moments later, the children began gathering back together, their hands full of whatever makeshift weapons they could find. Mira returned with a thick stick, the end of it splintered into jagged points. Lian held a large, sharp rock, his knuckles white from gripping it so tightly. Dial had found a pair of stones he could use as makeshift knuckle dusters, his face set in a grim expression. Even Elara had a handful of smaller rocks, clutching them like they were the most precious things in the world.
Kail looked at them all, his chest swelling with a strange mix of pride and sadness. They were just kids—terrified, lost kids—but they were ready to fight. They had no choice.
"This is good," Kail said with childish confidence, giving them a nod. "It's not much, but it's something. If that thing returns, we hit it with everything we've got."
Dial gave a firm nod. "Agreed. We have to make sure it knows we're not easy prey."
Mira's grip tightened on her stick, her face pale but determined. "I—I don't want to die here," she whispered.
Kail met her gaze, his own eyes burning with a fierce resolve. "We won't," he said, his voice low and steady. "We're going to make it through this night."
As if on cue, a low growl rumbled through the trees. The group stiffened, their makeshift weapons held tightly in their hands. The air grew colder, the shadows around them seeming to darken.
Kail's grip on his staff tightened until his knuckles turned light. He felt the familiar mix of fear and anger bubbling inside him, but he pushed it down, focusing on the present. They were ready—or as ready as they could be.
Then, from the corner of his eye, he spotted a figure watching them from the distance—a dark silhouette just barely visible between the trees. It was Onyx. His masked face was turned toward them, as if observing their every move.
Kail's blood boiled with anger. He's just watching us struggle, enjoying this. His hands trembled with fury, and he took a step forward, ready to yell at the figure, but Onyx was already gone, vanishing into the shadows as silently as he had appeared.
Dial caught the movement as well, his face contorting with frustration. "That bastard," he spat. "He's toying with us."
"We can't focus on him right now," Kail said, though his voice shook with barely suppressed rage. "We need to focus on surviving this."
Another growl tore through the silence, louder this time. The wolf was back, and it was close.
Kail raised his makeshift staff, positioning himself in front of the group. "Stay together," he ordered, his voice steady. "And whatever happens, don't panic. We fight together."
The children formed a tight circle, their eyes scanning the darkness, their makeshift weapons clutched tightly. They had found their resolve, shaky as it was. The fear was still there, gnawing at them, but so was a new spark of determination.
Kail could feel it too—that spark of resistance. They had been thrown into a nightmare, but they weren't going to lie down and die. Not tonight.
And as the wolf's glowing eyes emerged from the shadows, its growl vibrating through the air, Kail knew one thing for certain: They were ready to fight.