"And that kids is how I met your mother,"Lucian said while he looked towards the little black pup.
"Aaarfff?" The pup tilted its head in confusion
"No, she's not my mate"I said, trying as much as possible not to laugh
"Woof wooof"
I shook my head, trying not to laugh. "I don't even know, buddy. Sometimes things just slip out. Not even sure where they're coming from."
Night huffed, his tail flicking once before settling back down.
I sighed. "No, I'm not crazy."
He let out a short whimper, then rested his head on his paws.
But I knew what he meant. It wasn't like I was actually hearing words—just barks and whines like any normal dog. But somehow, I understood him anyway. Like his meaning was just there, clear as day in my mind.
The fire popped, and a loud growl rumbled from my stomach.
Night's ears perked up. He lifted his head. "Arf?"
I groaned, rubbing my face. "What gave it away?
He barked again, wagging his tail
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'm starving."
Night stood, stretching, then gave another bark.
I glanced at the sky. "Fishing, huh?"
"Woof!"
I sighed, pushing myself up. "Alright, but we're making it quick. The lake's dangerous after dark."
Night barked again, trotting toward the edge of our little clearing. He was already leading the way, like he always did.
I grabbed my fishing rod and a small woven basket before following. My grip tightened on the rod as I stepped into the trees.
The path to the lake was a narrow, twisting trail, barely more than a gap between the trees. The earth was damp beneath my feet, the air thick with the scent of pine and old rain. As we walked, the last light of the sun faded behind the trees, casting long shadows that stretched across the ground. Night trotted ahead, ears perked, tail low. He wasn't tense—yet—but he was listening. Watching. He knew just as well as I did that this time of day wasn't safe.I had learned that lesson long before I met him.The first time I saw the bear, I thought I was dead.
It was just a few weeks after I'd ended up out here, alone and trying to survive. I had made the mistake of staying too close to the river after dark, thinking I could grab a late catch before heading back. I'd just pulled in my line when I heard it—heavy breathing, deep and steady. Then the crunch of something massive moving through the underbrush.I turned, and there he was.Easily the biggest animal I'd ever seen, his fur dark as the night itself. He was standing only a few feet away, his eyes locked onto me, unreadable.I didn't move. Didn't breathe.For a long moment, neither did he.Then, slowly, he lowered his head, sniffed the air, and just as easily as he appeared he turned and walked away.
That night, I learned two things:
One, I was lucky.
Two, that luck wouldn't last forever.
The bear knew I was here now. This was his territory. And if I ever crossed a line I wasn't supposed to, he wouldn't just walk away next time. So we needed to move fast. Get to the lake. Get our fish. Get out.Before he found us first.
The lake came into view just as the last light of the sun disappeared behind the trees. The water stretched out before us, dark and still, reflecting the rising moon in broken ripples.
We had made it.
Night padded ahead, his paws barely making a sound on the damp earth. He sniffed the air, ears twitching, then looked back at me. All clear—for now.
I let out a slow breath and knelt by the water, unspooling my line. "Alright, let's make this quick," I murmured, mostly to myself. The night wasn't waiting for us.
I pulled out a small scrap of dried meat, hooked it onto the line, and cast it out. The bait hit the water with a quiet plunk, disappearing into the darkness below.
Night sat beside me, tail curled around his paws. His eyes stayed locked on the lake, but I knew he was listening to the trees behind us, just like I was.
For a few minutes, nothing happened. Just the sound of the water lapping at the shore, the distant rustle of wind through the trees.
I exhaled slowly, letting the quiet settle over me. It had been a long time since I had moments like this—where nothing was chasing me, nothing was trying to hurt me. Just me, Night, and the night.
"Huh"
Then, a sharp tug.
I jolted, fingers tightening around the rod. "Got one."
Shadow sprang up, tail wagging as I pulled against the resistance, reeling the fish in as fast as I could. Water splashed against my hands, the fish twisting and fighting, but I wasn't letting go. Not after coming all this way. With one final yank, I pulled it onto the shore. A solid trout, still flopping wildly.
Night was on it in an instant, his paws pinning it down. He hesitated—just for a second—before giving it a quick, sharp bite to finish it off.
He looked up at me, tongue lolling, tail wagging like he was proud of himself.
I huffed a quiet laugh, reaching down to ruffle his ears. "Nice work, buddy."
He let out a happy little woof.
I picked up the fish, feeling the weight of it in my hands. It wasn't huge, but it was ours. Food for the night.One more, and we'd be set.
I cast the line again, glancing over my shoulder at the dark forest behind us.We were lucky this time.But the night wasn't a place for luck.We needed to be fast.
The night had fully settled in by the time I turned my back on the lake. The last streaks of daylight faded into the horizon, and the forest was bathed in the cool shadows of twilight. The chirping of crickets blended with the rustling of leaves as the air thickened with the scent of damp earth.
Night trotted ahead, his body low and poised, sensing something I couldn't. His ears flicked back and forth, scanning the woods. I could tell he was on edge, more so than usual. He was good at this, sensing danger before it happened.
The weight of the fish in my basket felt comforting, but even that didn't ease the tension in my chest. The woods were never entirely safe after dark, especially with the bear around. It had become a regular presence in these parts—silent, menacing, and always lurking in the shadows.
"Easy, boy," I murmured, keeping my voice steady as we made our way down the familiar path to the boma. "We're almost there."
But before I could finish my sentence, Night stopped abruptly. His body went still as a twig snapped somewhere ahead. I froze. Something wasn't right.
Hey," I whispered, keeping my voice low. "What is it, boy?"
He didn't respond. Instead, his eyes darted over his shoulder, back toward the trees, then flicked to me.
I was already reaching for the makeshift knife strapped to my side, fingers brushing the handle, ready in case anything decided to make itself known.
The night seemed to hold its breath.
A twig snapped.
I jerked my head toward the sound, my heart skipping a beat. Nothing. The shadows danced in the breeze, but there was no movement—just the creeping darkness that made everything feel a little too close.
"Come on," I muttered, shaking off the tension. I had to stop overthinking things. The bear wasn't stupid. He wouldn't come near unless provoked. But even then, the memory of the last time I saw him was enough to make my pulse race.
Night, still on alert, glanced at me again. His tail was low, but his eyes were calm. Whatever he sensed, it wasn't immediate danger.
Just as I thought the moment had passed, I heard another sound. A soft, barely noticeable shuffle of footsteps, followed by a barely audible whisper in the air.
"Lucian?"
I froze.
Luz.
She was the last person I expected to run into out here, especially not so close to nightfall. But I wasn't surprised. If anyone would get herself lost in these woods without thinking twice, it would be her.
I exhaled slowly, then quietly muttered, "What the hell are you doing out here?"
"Trying to find a tiny trash thief"
"A trash thief?" I raised an eyebrow. "Late at night?". "In the woods?"
She shot me a frustrated look. "You've gotta believe me, Lucian!" She almost shouted, her voice bouncing off the trees. "It's an owl! A weird little owl! And it stole my Good witch Azura book! I can't let it get away!"
I stared at her for a moment, trying to piece this together. A flying book thief? What was she even saying?
"You're telling me," I said, taking a step forward, "that an owl grabbed your book and you're chasing it down in the middle of the night?"
She nodded, her hands gesturing wildly as she explained, "Yeah! It's—well, I don't even know why, but it's important, okay? I have to get it back!"
I wasn't sure if she was crazy or just completely misinformed, but I wasn't about to let her keep running off into the woods.
"You're not hearing me, Luz," I said, my voice low now. "It's not safe out here at night. Especially not when you're chasing down some flying book thief." I glanced at the trees around us, watching for any signs of movement. "The woods can be… unpredictable."
She didn't seem to catch the warning in my tone. Instead, she shook her head. "You don't get it! That owl—he took my book! You can't just—"
Look," I said, "I don't know what kind of book you're talking about, but the woods aren't the place to be running around at night chasing anything. Especially not a flying owl with your—important—book." I glanced at the forest around us, the shadows deep and full of potential danger. "You don't know what's out here. It's not just owls that prowl these woods at night."
Luz frowned, but there was a nervous edge to her voice when she spoke next. "You mean… the bear, right?"
I paused. She wasn't completely naive. "Yeah," I said slowly, nodding. "The bear. It's bigger than you think, Luz. And it's not just some curious animal. If you cross its path, you might not make it out."
She swallowed hard, glancing nervously at the trees around us. "What happened to you?" she asked, her voice quieter now, a little more cautious.
I didn't answer right away, but I knew what she was asking. It wasn't the first time I'd had this conversation with someone new to these woods.
"Come on," I said, pulling up the back of my shirt just enough to reveal the jagged scars across my back. The marks were long and deep, some still faintly angry with time.
I watched as her eyes widened in horror. "You… you got those from the bear?"
I nodded. "Yeah. It's not something you forget. That bear doesn't just swipe at you; it means to kill." I let the shirt fall back into place and shrugged the jacket back on. "It was me or it. So, I made sure it didn't get the chance to do the same thing again."
I watched her reaction closely, hoping that I run my point across, I watched as her face shifted to one of reluctance and then finally acceptance.
'Good, I snapped her out of it' I thought to myself proudly
"Alright let's go"
We moved cautiously, our footsteps muted by the thick carpet of fallen leaves, the forest around us alive with the rustle of unseen creatures. Night stayed close, his senses on high alert, his ears flicking back and forth, constantly scanning the trees for any sign of danger. I could tell he wasn't a fan of this late-night trek, but he was sticking by my side, as always.
"Stay close, Luz," I said quietly, keeping my voice low, "We don't want to get too far out, especially with the bear so close."
She nodded but didn't say anything. Her eyes were focused ahead, scanning the shadows, waiting for any sign of that weird owl she was so desperate to find. I could feel her tension, the anticipation that hung in the air.
It wasn't long before I noticed it. There, just ahead, a flicker of movement in the trees. A shadow darted between the branches, the silhouette unmistakable—a small, birdlike figure. My heart skipped a beat.
"The owl," Luz whispered, her voice barely audible, but I could hear the excitement in her tone.
I barely had time to react before Luz was off, bolting into the trees with barely a glance over her shoulder. "Wait!" I hissed, but she was already too far ahead, her figure disappearing into the darkness.
I cursed under my breath, my instincts kicking in. Night barked, a low growl rumbling in his chest. He wasn't happy about Luz running off, but he knew better than to leave my side.
"Dammit," I muttered. "She's going to get herself in trouble." I turned to Shadow. "Let's go."
We broke into a run, the forest now a blur of shadows and rustling branches. The moonlight barely filtered through the canopy, and all I could hear was the pounding of my own heartbeat and the rustle of leaves underfoot. Luz's footsteps echoed ahead of us, growing fainter and fainter as she pushed forward in her reckless pursuit.
I had to admit, I didn't want her going after that owl alone—not after everything I'd said about the dangers in the woods. But this girl,was stubborn. And now I was stuck chasing her down.
We pushed through the thick underbrush, branches scratching at my skin, the world spinning as I followed the trail. Night was ahead of me now, his nose to the ground, and I could hear his growl as we neared the source of the commotion.
Then, there it was—a flash of white and brown, the owl perched high in a tree, its wings tucked in against its body, watching Luz intently. She had stopped now, just a few feet away from it, her hand stretched toward the creature.
"Luz, stop!" I shouted, breathless. "You don't know what you're dealing with!"
But she was too focused. Her eyes were locked on the owl, a mix of awe and desperation in her gaze. "It's just a bird," she muttered, "It's just the owl, I'm so close…"
Before I could reach her, before I could stop her, the owl hopped from its perch, flapping its wings and soaring higher into the trees. Luz's eyes widened, and she lunged forward, taking off after it without a second thought.
"Are you crazy?" I yelled, but Luz was already gone.
"Night!" I shouted, and the dog was right behind me, pushing forward as I sprinted after her.
We weaved through the trees, branches whipping past, the owl leading us deeper into the woods. I cursed under my breath, hearing Luz's footsteps ahead, her calls to the owl only growing more frantic.
The chase through the woods intensified, and the deeper we went, the thicker the shadows became. My breath came in ragged gasps, my pulse pounding in my ears. Every snap of a branch beneath our feet felt like it was echoing through the trees, but Luz was determined. The owl darted ahead, its brown wings flickering between the trunks of the trees, leading her further into the unknown. I pushed forward, my legs burning with each step, Night close behind me.
I could barely keep up, the thicket catching at my clothes as I pushed through, trying to keep her from doing something reckless.
Then, without warning, she veered off course, heading straight for an abandoned shack that I hadn't even noticed until she had already crossed the threshold.I shoved my way through the underbrush, rushing toward the shack. It was old, weathered, the kind of place you'd expect to find in stories—broken windows, rotting wood. But there was something about it, something strange in the air around it. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it didn't feel right. Throwing all caution in the wind I followed Luz into the darkness of the shack.
A flash of gold light exploded from the center of the room, blindingly bright and so sudden that I had to shield my eyes. It was like the entire shack was alive, the walls humming with energy.
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What do you think?
Is there anything I can improve on?