Before entering the cave, he needs to cut a short branch. The tree to the left of the opening in the cliff face looks suitable.
Laying the torch gingerly on the ground and elevating its head on a fortuitously placed stone, he searches his pack for his tinder rocks.
Fire has always fascinated him as it was a source of heat in the cold days and nights and because it provided light. As a young lad, he would beg to be the one to light the torches, and because of his expertise learned over the years, allowed him to have his beacon lit within seconds of stone striking stone.
Picking up his pack in his left hand, he holds the light outstretched in his right hand, leading into the cave. The flame leaps higher than he expects, illuminating a space as ample as his family home. There is a pulling on the flickering fire towards the room's left. He follows the pulling and is amazed to see another area of equal size, again with the pulling of the flame, this time to the right.
He walks to that opening, finding again a chamber, not quite as large but still a good size with a space in the back, center.
Deciding to set up his sleeping area in the second room away from his initial entryway, he walks to the left, searching for a place bare of debris for a sleeping plot. He drops his pack, removes his bow, standing it upright near the pack that will serve as a pillow, and lays his dagger atop the pack, ready for his hand as he sleeps. Next, he removes the spear and leans it by the bow, but nearer to his right hand, to grab it if needed.
Piles caught his attention in the adjacent corner, and he figured he'd only sleep with investigating.
Losh! It was an assortment of small bones and a giant lump of shat, which appeared to be the residue of a bear.
No sooner does he think that, on the wall, a silhouette is wavering in flames, growing taller... and broader. Alaisdair slowly turns to see the most enormous bear he has ever seen. The giant brown bear was shaking in rage at the intruder in its den. The bear drops to all four paws and slowly advances, keeping eyes locked on Alaisdair as Alaisdair stares back in deadly fascination until the bear cocks its head and lets out a bellow, the prelude to its charge.
Alaisdair, startled out of his stupor by the roar, dashes through the opening to his right, darts towards the next opening, and not looking back, he goes for the next, and the next... and the next.
He listens and does not hear any sound except his heavy breathing as he starts to slow down to a trot but continues advancing, quickly searching for another opening - or a toe hold to climb upward and out. He feels drafts, but needs help to figure out where they come from.
Then his torch goes out.
Pitch darkness. Alaisdair immediately stumbles but quickly rights himself, holding tightly to his unlit torch. He's facing the next opening - he thinks, so he continues to walk forward briskly. Fortunately, his sense of direction is accurate, and he walks through the opening, but he only realizes this once he walks into the next wall.
Understanding he had walked further than the area where he had seen the light, he felt along the wall until he found an opening. Praying that he genuinely did go forward and found a new doorway, he starts walking, but this time cautiously, and when coming to the wall, feels along until he hits an opening. Stepping through, he again repeats his steps, and each time he steps through an opening, he prays he is going away from the bear, not back to its den.
He is growing weary but does not stop to rest until his steps falter, and he drops to his knees, the unlit torch skittering away in the darkness. Then, letting out a half sob, he knows he cannot go any further. He lowers his upper body to the floor and cradles his head as he rolls his body onto his side. His last thought as he is drawn into sleep is praying his rest will be uneventful.
The small body that had been flying, unnoticed behind him, now alighted on his shoulder, ready to buzz an alarm if danger appeared.