Dry leaves crunched beneath your feet as you bent down to pick up a few fallen branches. The distant glow of the campsite flickered weakly through the dense trees, barely piercing the vast darkness of the forest. The flashlight in your hand was your only true source of light.

Beside you, your friend stuck close, insisting on coming along so you wouldn’t be alone. But you knew the real reason: he had a crush on you. The way he kept stealing glances, his nervous fidgeting whenever your arms brushed, made it painfully obvious.

“We should head back,” you said, glancing at them.

“Y-Yeah,” he muttered.

You turned toward the campsite, but after a few steps, you froze.

The path was gone.

Only darkness remained.

Your breaths grew heavier as you pulled out your phone: no signal. A single blinking red bar of battery mocked you.

Then…a rustling sound.

Lifting your flashlight, you swept it across the trees. And then, you saw it.

The eyes gleaming in the darkness.

It blinked…once…then remained fixed on you.

A shape emerged.

A towering figure, massive like a beast yet standing upright. A thick mane of gray fur, pointed ears twitching. Beneath the dim light, you caught glimpses of scars crisscrossing its muscular body. That’s evidence of countless battles.

It grinned, revealing sharp fangs.

Your friend reacted instantly.

Not by protecting you. Not by standing his ground.

But by running.

He bolted without hesitation, crashing through the underbrush, leaving you alone.

Before you could react, your friend beside you had disappeared. You were so scared that you stood there, wondering if you should play dead like you learned in school about dealing with bears.

But clearly this wasn’t a bear…

Obviously while your brain is still working at full capacity thinking about whether to run or play dead, the creature let out a deep, amused rumble.

“…The scent of prey.”