The sounds of robins and sparrows rang through the forest as sunlight peeks through the tree tops. Raven jerked awake, hair wild and eyes full of confusion.

“Where am I?

She looked around the small clearing of grass and dirt littered with the big roots of nearby cedar and pine trees.

Last night… the party..those men..

The smoke…the screams

Her stomach twisted.

Those men!

She groaned as she stood, her back stiff from leaning on the rugged tree for so long. The sound of breaking leaves made her look sharply to the left.. Prepared for the worst, she grabbed a broken branch and raised it to swing.

“Why don’t you just come on out?” she called, positioning herself to swing in any direction. A gust of wind blew, and Raven’s wild hair whipped across her face. A hand caught her wrist.

“And what, precisely, did you intend to do with that?” a calm, unimpressed voice asked.

Shaking her hair from her face, she blinked up at the stranger in shock. His grip was firm but not painful, controlled. She stared for a moment, taken aback by his striking appearance. His dark hair was neatly pulled into a tight knot at his nape, and she noticed the peculiar earrings, one shaped like the sun, the other the moon. His mouth curving into a slight frown before their eyes met. His eyes were a surprising shade of bright blue.

“Are you...” He paused, confused at her long stare. “...admiring me?” Curious, he loosened his grip on her wrist. Blushing, she yanked her hand away.

“No!” she snapped, tossing the branch aside, turning away from him. He smirked and ran a hand over his slick hair, clearly amused.

The forest around them stirs as the sun’s light signals the morning. Raven shuddered at the distant groan of an elk.

No one comes this far into the woods.

“Whatever. I just need to get back home,” she said after a long silence.

“You cannot return there,” he said dryly, his gaze scanning the treetops. “Not yet. Perhaps, never.”

She stared at him, annoyed by his tone.

Watch me.

She rolled her eyes, ignoring him as she adjusted her shoes, the ache in her feet a loud reminder they weren’t made for running through a rugged forest.

“I’m going home,” she said firmly, pushing past him and the pain in her feet as she picked a direction and walked forward. It didn’t take long to see why no one ventured deep into these woods... Everything looked the same. She groaned. “I have no idea which way to go,” she muttered. Her pace slowed, her confidence shrinking. She hoped to stumble across a road or a house as she carefully stepped over the thick roots snaking across the forest floor. The sounds of the forest grew louder with every step. Birds chirped, branches creaked, and the rustling leaves, usually calming, scraped at her nerves. She still hears him shuffling around behind her. He was not following her and was unbothered by her decision to go home. A tinge of annoyance grew as he ignored her.

Fine. The faster I get away from here, the better.

She took a deep breath and sprinted forward, the wind whipping around her.

I have to get home as quickly as possible.

A solemn heaviness settled over her as the screams from the night before echoed in her mind. She pushed herself harder, weaving through the trees. A light gloss of sweat hinted at her temple as she ran. Her breath quickened as she dodged branches and leapt over roots. Her heart pounded, her limbs full of fire. Immersed in the rhythm of her feet falling one after the other, she let her thoughts drift, her confidence returning. With each tap of her feet, worry faded into the forest floor.

I’ll get there in no time.

Her feet continued forward, but her next step didn’t land. The ground vanished beneath her. A gasp tore from her lungs as pain knocked the breath from her.

“Ugh,” she choked, coughing on dust, panic rising with the realization that she was tumbling down a slope. She was falling fast. Rocks slammed against her limbs, jagged and merciless. She couldn’t stop. Couldn’t catch herself. The ground kept slipping beneath her, each brutal impact sending shockwaves through her body, before finally, she splashed into a shallow stream. Cold water rushed over her back. Groaning, she rolled onto her side and clutched her ribs. Her left side throbbed with sharp, unrelenting pain.

Grrrwwwwwwwwr.

A low growl rumbled through the air. Her head snapped up. The sound echoed all around her. She forced herself upright, eyes scanning frantically. Pebbles clattered down from the slope where she had fallen. Above her, the crumbling wall of dirt, roots, and jagged stone looked impossible to climb as it slowly shifted and slid. Her gaze darted around in a panic. The clearing was tight, the stream too narrow as it twisted around, leading into a knot of trees. Her eyes adjusted, realizing that the jagged arch of stone and root framed a dark hollow just feet away.

GRRRWWWWWWWWR!!!!!

The growl came again, louder this time. Scrambling, she grabbed a nearby rock and slid backward until her spine hit the wall.

“I’ll knock your head in! Stay back!” she shouted, clinching one arm around her injured side and positioning the other to throw the rock. From the shadows of the cave, the beast emerged. A wolf. Massive. Its eyes gleamed faintly as it stepped closer, lips curled back in a low, threatening snarl. She lifted the rock with trembling hands.

I won’t die here.

She growled back, forcing courage to rise in her chest. “You’ll have to fight for it,” she snapped and hurled the rock before reaching for another. The wolf barely flinched, its eyes locked on hers as it crept closer. Struggling to stand, she grabbed at the sliding mud wall. Gripping onto a tree root, she gritted her teeth in pain as she pulled herself up. Looking back, her heart dropped as she noticed that the wolf was preparing to leap. “Ahhh!” she cried out as the root snapped, sending her back to the ground. The pain stabbed her side.

Oh, this is it.

She clenched her eyes shut.

“What manner of beast dares such insolence?”

Her eyes flew open.

He came?

He stood tall, calm, and unwavering, shoulders squared, hands loose at his sides, like he didn’t need a weapon to kill. The air around him stilled. The wolf crept forward. “Would you dare challenge me?” he asked, his voice low, with a quiet, dangerous authority. It was a warning. The wolf slowed, ears twitching. Its gaze flicked briefly to Raven... and then it backed away, vanishing into the darkness of the cave. Before she could think, he rushed to her as she sat clenching her side, still shocked that he had appeared.

“Ow!” she yelped as his hand brushed her side. His jaw tightened. Without a word, he swept her into his arms, movements controlled but swift. “Hey! What are you-” With impossible grace, he jumped, landing them in a clearing above the ravine, his footing sure, breath steady. Then he knelt, setting her down gently in the grass.

“Please,” he said, his voice softer now. “Just be still.”

Her heart pounded. “Can you at least tell me who you are?” she asked.

He hesitated, then met her gaze. “My name is Dante, please,” He motioned for her to lie back. “Allow me to look at your injuries. I shouldn’t have let it get this far. ” Something heavy was in his voice. The pain in her sides surged again, and she obeyed, closing her eyes, silently hoping he could make it all go away.