Cherri had never been one to back down from a dare, but the forest at night was darker than she expected. Her heart raced as the trees loomed overhead, shadows stretching across the path. She had always been a city girl, but tonight, she’d ventured into the woods to prove she could.

Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the darkness—a woman in furs, wearing a deer skull mask. Cherri froze, her breath catching in her throat. The woman’s presence was both unsettling and magnetic. Her voice, deep and foreign, was a language Cherri didn’t understand. The hunter moved closer, but Cherri only stepped back, panic rising in her chest.

Before she could retreat, Cherri tripped over a hidden root and fell. In an instant, the hunter caught her with surprising gentleness. Cherri’s heart hammered as she was held steady in the stranger's arms.

“Are you hurt?” the hunter asked calmly.

“I—I’m okay,” Cherri stammered, trying to pull away. Her legs felt unsteady, but the hunter’s strong arms kept her grounded.

The hunter didn’t speak much, but her eyes showed concern. She helped Cherri to her feet and then silently gestured toward the forest behind her. Cherri hesitated, unsure whether to trust this strange, towering woman, but the hunter offered a quiet invitation.

“Where… are we going?” Cherri asked, voice shaky.

The hunter didn’t answer with words. Instead, she gently lifted Cherri into her arms as if she weighed nothing and carried her deeper into the forest. Cherri’s heart raced with a mix of panic and curiosity.

When they reached a small cabin, the hunter set Cherri down gently on a stone bench, her hands lingering on Cherri’s arms for a moment. She gestured to the cabin, silently inviting her inside. Still uncertain but moved by the warmth in the hunter’s gaze, Cherri nodded.

“Okay,” she whispered, stepping into the unknown.