When the four reached the forest, Grey led them to a spot where faint trails of small tree rodents crisscrossed the snow. He gestured for Stilra and Tear to take the lead, while he and Serene hung back, observing as the two worked to track the tiny footprints and scattered branches left in the wake of the scampering creatures.
Tear crouched near a small tangle of torn brush poking through the snow. "There has to be one around here," she said, her voice laced with determination.
Stilra nodded, narrowing her eyes at the scattered leaves and twigs, as if sheer focus could force them to reveal the creature's secrets. "Maybe in one of these trees? How do we get it to come out?" she asked, glancing at Tear with equal resolve.
Serene stifled a chuckle, pressing her hand lightly to her mouth. She didn't want to hurt their feelings—they were, after all, on the right track. There was indeed a small critter nearby, much closer than they thought, watching them from above. Thanks to their cautious whispers, it hadn't fled yet.
Grey noticed Serene's reaction and decided to step in. Crawling forward quietly, he whispered to the girls, "Maybe you should look up." He pointed toward a small, fluffy-tailed creature perched on a branch above, its beady eyes watching them warily.
Tear and Stilra jumped to their feet, their excitement bursting out in unison. "We found it!" "There it is!" they exclaimed at the same time, their voices too loud for the quiet forest. Startled, the creature darted away, leaping from tree to tree until it disappeared into the canopy.
This time, Serene couldn't hold back her laughter. "Next time," she teased, "make sure you're quiet when you find it, not just when you're looking for it."
The two girls, far too excited from successfully tracking their first real prey—albeit with a little help—paid her no mind. Instead, they began chattering animatedly about their future exploits.
"Next time, we'll catch it for sure," Tear said, her tone brimming with confidence. "Maybe we'll find a whole nest!"
"Yeah!" Stilra replied. "And then we can bring them back to the village. Maybe even teach one to sit on our shoulders."
Tear grinned, eyes wide. "Or what if we find something bigger next time?"
Stilra said, nodding eagerly. "We'll be the best hunters ever—way better than Dad or Brawl."
"They've got the confidence for it," Grey muttered, a small smile creeping onto his face as he watched the two girls stroll ahead, their hunt already forgotten. He and Serene followed closely, keeping a watchful eye as their young charges marched boldly into the woods.
"Yeah, their first tree rodent, and they're already talking about something bigger," Serene said with a chuckle. "But I was the same." Her smile softened as she remembered her own past hunts, fondly recalling Shot taking her out for the first time.
"Yeah, me too," Grey laughed, his thoughts drifting to his own brazen youth—sneaking out, even venturing beyond the barrier, driven by pure curiosity.
Then suddenly, his expression darkened. "Stop," he said sharply. The two young girls kept walking, oblivious. "Stilra, Tear. Stop!" His voice rose, commanding, and they froze in their tracks.
Serene's smile faded. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the sudden seriousness in his tone. Her eyes scanned the area but failed to see what he had.
Grey's gaze was locked on the forest ahead. The usual thin threads of pale light weaving through this part of the woods were gone, replaced by something unnatural. Not the faint orange glow of Hooded Horns.
No—these threads were vivid, deep in vibrancy, and moving unnervingly, methodically. They spiraled, wrapping through the trees with slow precision, as though something was already in control of this space.
"What's wrong?" Serene asked again, her voice tight with unease.
Grey barely whispered, his focus unshaken. "Pick them up. Run back to the village. Get Keen. Get the rest."
"What?" Serene tensed, her body stiffening as the air around them seemed heavier, wrong. "Th-there's something—"
"Serene, now's not the time," Grey said firmly. The threads of light were shifting, their patterns becoming more intricate and deliberate. Whatever this was, it had noticed them. Worse, it had noticed him. When they did, the beasts became more desperate in their attacks.
"It'll focus on me," he said quickly. "I can hold out. Just get Tear and Stilra out of here. I'll run in the opposite direction—it should follow me."
"Grey—" Serene began, but the sharpness in his voice silenced her.
"Now!" Grey barked, pulling out his bow and preparing for whatever was lurking ahead. His shout startled the girls, and they jumped, fear flashing across their faces. Serene didn't hesitate this time. She grabbed Stilra and Tear, lifting them as best she could, and ran as fast as her legs would carry her toward the village.
As Grey watched them retreat, he turned his focus back to the woods. The glowing threads began shifting faster now, weaving an elaborate trap around him. Whatever this thing was, it had no interest in the fleeing trio—it wanted him.
He slowed his breathing and took a steadying step forward, his bow ready, eyes scanning the shadows. What kind of beast is this? he wondered. An ambusher? Something quick and lethal? Or a creature of toxins and stealth? Whatever it was, it had him firmly in its sights.
The answer came quickly. A massive wolf burst from the trees, snarling as it charged straight toward him. Grey's instincts kicked in, and he loosed an arrow, the shot perfect—but the arrow passed through the creature as if it wasn't there.
His heart raced as the wolf continued its assault, unrelenting. He reached for his dagger, preparing to counter, and swiped as it leaped toward him. But again, his blade met nothing but air. The wolf vanished, dissolving into nothingness as if it had never existed.
Suddenly, a searing pain tore through his ankle. Grey cried out, his focus snapping downward to see a glowing thread wrapped tightly around him, its sharp fibers biting into his skin. Blood seeped from the wound as the thread pulled taut, dragging him toward a nearby tree.
"Damn it!" he grunted, slashing at the thread with his dagger. The pain intensified as the cutting edge bit through the fibers, but the thread finally snapped, recoiling like a whip as he scrambled backward.
Before he could recover, a new threat lunged from the shadows. This time, it was a lizard-like creature, its body sleek and serpentine, with claws that gleamed like polished stone. Grey rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast as its claws raked the spot where he'd just been.
"Gotta get to the tree," he muttered under his breath, his mind racing to assess his options. But before he could act, another shadow loomed behind him. He turned just in time to see the blade-like arm of an enormous mantis slicing toward him.
Grey dove again, hitting the ground hard, his dagger slipping from his grip. His breaths came in short, sharp gasps as the mantis screeched, its movements unnaturally fluid, almost too precise. His mind reeled. The beasts, the disappearing wolf, the seamless ambush—it all felt wrong.
Before he could think on it more, a scream tore through the woods. Serene's scream. It was sharp, raw, and filled with terror. Then came another, Tear's high-pitched cry. "Grey, help!" Tear shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
"TEAR!" Grey roared, turning sharply and abandoning the current threat. He sprinted toward his sister's cry, his body fueled by sheer instinct. Another thread whipped from the trees, this one thicker, wrapping tightly around his waist. The burning sensation was gone, replaced by an unyielding pull as the beast sacrificed corrosion for brute strength.
"Ahh! Let go!" Grey shouted, clawing at the cord binding him. His teeth gritted in frustration, but the restraint wouldn't budge. He tugged and twisted, but the thread held firm, dragging him back step by step. Another scream pierced the air, Serene's voice again—this time followed by an echoing, guttural shout that ended abruptly.
"Serene…" Grey gasped, his heart pounding in his chest. The sound wasn't one of pain alone. It carried finality. A terrible, cutting finality. His mind spun, his breath growing ragged as panic clawed at him. It couldn't be real.
The thread yanked harder, but Grey summoned every ounce of strength, gripping his blade and slashing wildly. With great effort, the cord snapped, recoiling like a whip. He stumbled forward, his legs moving on their own. He had to reach them. He had to.
Then he heard it—another scream. Tear's voice this time, young and filled with raw terror, but just as suddenly, it was cut short. The silence that followed was deafening. His sister's cry hung in the air like a knife to his chest.
"No…" Grey's steps faltered as the weight of the moment slammed into him. His hands trembled, his mind fraying under the pressure of what he believed he had just lost. "No… NO!"
A yell tore from his throat, guttural and mournful, reverberating through the forest. It echoed around him, untraceable, until he realized—it was coming from him. His scream carried the depth of his despair, the sheer magnitude of his failure. His sister. Serene. Gone.
The pain consumed him, his legs shaking as he fell to one knee. Then, cutting through the noise in his mind, came the voice. It was strained, yet loud and commanding.
"FOCUS!"