Ayan did not expect it would end up this way. The threat was so near she could almost touch it. 

She just went out to gather firewood when a pack of horned wolves came rushing to where she was. 

They were as large as horses and they came from the woods where trees as tall as skyscrapers reside and with leaves covering the entire sky blocking the sun. A place shrouded in darkness.

Dear God, wolves! 

The beasts stopped several feet away baring their teeth at her.

"Raven, Carmine… do not leave the cave no matter what." She said loud enough for the twins to hear. 

Coco was in the middle of meditation and the fairy ring was currently digesting the added spiritual essence it got from the cane. In short, she cannot enter the dimension to save her little life. 

Raven who was about to rush out was pulled back by the angry Carmine. 

"You can't! Mommy said we must stay inside didn't you hear?"

Raven was displeased, "Mother is in danger."

"I know," Carmine said, his usual child-like temper disappeared as his hand refused to let go of his brother. "But you can't help. Neither could I. Mommy will surely find a way."

These days, their seemingly quiet and incompetent mother became cheerful and reliable. She did a lot of unimaginable things no one could, raising Carmine's hopes that their mother was finally ready to love them.  

"The best that we can do is not add more to her burden, you hear?" he added with a stern glare at the end.

The other boy bit his lip to prevent his tears from spilling. Then his eyes went to his father sitting on the side, appearing to be in a position frozen in time.  

Father… mother is in trouble. Wake up soon. 

Ayan took a tentative step back as the alpha raised its head, then two wolves slowly moved forward. Before panic consumed her Ayan made a drastic decision. 

Without a second thought, she ran in the opposite direction leading them away from the cave. The last she had seen were the two boys looking at her with crying expressions.

Good babies, stay inside and be safe. 

She was grateful she wasn't wearing the old dress she woke up with; that cumbersome getup would have been the death of her. The loose overall she’s wearing right now gave her enough room to squeeze in between thickets and brambles. Unfortunately, her arms were exposed and the brambles scratched her.  

A wolf caught up from behind, crazy from the smell of her blood. 

The warm fishy odour of its breath brushed over the plump prey. The distance was so close but she kept on and at no slow speed. This two-legged creature is very troublesome. 

The moment the wolf opened its mouth for the first bite, she hit the beast with something. Too bad the blade she held missed its eye before she fell. 

Ayan swung too hard she tripped on a root. The fall was painful as her left knee knocked on a tiny stone, but this little pain is nothing compared to the threat in front. Quickly, she scrambled back to her feet while the wolf was delayed by the wound above its eye.      

Frantic. Panting. Afraid.  

She desperately continues to dive through the thick wall of giant leaves and vines in an attempt to escape the pack. She went through endless low hanging branches and hundreds of roots covering the ground like a carpet.   

The run took her deeper into the jungle where more and more pairs of gleaming eyes were watching her scurry like a helpless mouse. It was like a labyrinth. Designed especially to toy at any prey.

From the hidden corners to over the trees, the predators are all poised and coiled ready to pounce at this one tasty treat.

Ayan never knew she could run like this without tripping over her feet. 

Her skin broke from the sharp thorns and jagged edges of the leaves, blood seeped out of her white skin. She could hear different animal calls. As if laughing, as if gloating. But still, she kept going. 

Up front, Ayan saw a huge tree. 

It stood alone in a clearing like an aloof lonely monarch with its snow-white buds. She could have appreciated its majestic and ethereal beauty if only no wolves were trailing behind her. 

The tree resembled a banyan with several hanging blue vines connected to the ground. With a force, she flung herself to it and pushed herself up and did not stop until she neared a sturdy branch.

This body weighed more than her old self and tired easily, but even so, she persisted. The vines chaffed the skin on her palms. However, this little difficulty was nothing compared to the thought of being eaten alive so she held on until she reached her goal.  

Ayan wheezed as she hurriedly pumped air into her lungs. Both arms clinging to the moss-covered branch, her feet dangled about six feet from the ground. She knew she needed to pull her body up there for safety. Holding on to the vines Ayan pulled herself up inch by inch and finally succeeded.  

Her heart just settled when she realized that the tree was only a step away from a sharp plunge to a waterfall more than three hundred meters down. If she happens to slip or lose balance her end wouldn’t be beautiful. 

Is she going to die just like this? Below are a pack of hungry monsters waiting to bite her to pieces while on the other side is the violent rush of water. Either she drowns or is crushed to death by the impact.

Calm down. It’s alright as long as she stays on this tree and hangs on to dear life, she consoled herself. 

Ayan only hopes that the children remained safe inside the cave. Clayton should wake up soon. 

Sweat flowed down from the roots of her hair to her neck. The salty fluid created a searing pain to her fresh wounds. It wasn’t only that, she is now fully conscious of how much her body feels as the tide of adrenaline ebb away. A knee hurts, the soles of her feet burn, everywhere in her body hurts.

Ayan sucked in a breath and counted from ten to one slowly to calm herself. She did not want to cry now or else she would be more miserable. 

The heartbeat that was deafening to hear subsided, exchanged by eerie stillness. Ayan became alert.

The pack stopped at the periphery of the tree and did not come closer to the trunk as she expected. They paced around agitated, snarling at her above then they would whimper and jump back as though anxious by something.  

Strange?

It is definitely strange. Why stop when they can practically nip her by only jumping several meters high? There has to be a reason.

Ayan counted more than fifteen wolves below. The coat of their bodies is of blue, certainly unlike the ones she's familiar with. The dappled rays of the sun scattered around the woodland provided only enough light for her to see. 

Now, how to get out of here? 

She cannot stay in this tree pretending to be Tarzan when three people are waiting for her in that cave. It was fortunate she decided to make a large of spaghetti and spicy chicken wings earlier to treat the boys. If she couldn't make it tonight, that would be their food for dinner. She also took out some rice crackers and two bars of chocolate for their nibbles.

The twins wouldn't go hungry, would they?

Ayan leaned on the trunk tiredly. Her head churned on every possible way out of this predicament. Too bad she's not half monkey, she would have loved to swing from one vine to another back to the cave. But then again, at her weight swinging would be unbearable. She would be lucky if the vines did not snap and smack her flat to the ground.

The minutes quickly ticked by while she rested up there. Ayan dozed off then it was suddenly evening when she opened her eyes, much to her horror.

What happened to think of a way out?

AWOO~

Ayan flinched after hearing the blood-curdling howl. She fumbled around the thick branch while balancing herself. Her left hand grasped a sturdy vine while the right held on to a sawback blade she often brought during her camping. If those wolves dare to come near her, she will probably lose it and begin a murder spree despite her love for furry creatures.

One… two… several howls echoed. 

She could hear noises from the leaves and ground. In this darkness, her hearing became sensitive, a thing she did not ask for. Hearing but not seeing was most disturbing to Ayan. 

As every fear she had forgotten began to resurface, she was disturbed by the noise of fighting. The howling turned into aggressive growls and it was getting fiercer. Suddenly, the stagnant forest came alive. 

The moon broke out from the clouds shedding its silvery ray into the woodland. And there, not far from her a battle started.

The wolf pack that chased her before is now facing a white elk. The beast stood larger than the wolves, its majesty uncontestable as it raised its crystal antlers. As if showing off its crown.

However, this crown was lethal. It had already stabbed and cut several foes leaving them severely bleeding their life out.

Bodies after bodies of mangled wolf carcasses lay beneath its feet. Their blood watered the badly trampled battleground.  

It was a scene she only saw in fantasy movies, a story far from happening in real life, so detached to her safe environment and yet now it came alive before her eyes. Ayan did not notice she had been holding her breath when looking at the elk. 

It appeared out of nowhere with its almost transparent body moving fluidly like a wisp. The wolves in contrast exude black smoke and as they fall, the smoke dispersed. 

She blinked. Could there be something wrong with these beasts?

"Watch out!" She shouted unknowingly when a wolf sneaked from behind intending to bite the elk's neck.

Hearing her call, the elk jumped and hit the wolf with its forehooves, stomping the treacherous beast to paste. The remaining six began taunting it. Advancing then withdrawing. 

"You should go," Ayan shouted again. "There are too many of them!"

She knew that as long as the alpha was standing it could still call out for more allies and complete panic sets in. 

She can see that the elk was wounded on its left calf. Reminding her of the little one she once bandaged in the middle of the road when she was on her way to camp. Only a tiny wound, but it made it so weak.

The alpha stopped its movement and looked towards her direction. Ayan's grip on the blade tightened. The beast can understand her. 

The elk understood her as well, but it did not make any signs of retreating. Instead, it raised its hooves once again and began another round of fight breaking the stalemate. 

As the alpha leaves the fight to its minions, it on the other hand approaches the tree. Ayan tied a vine to her waist to stabilize herself. 

Seeing the human's fear, rage and loathing in those eyes made the alpha mad with glee. The taste of the prey's flesh is sweeter when it is soaked in myriads of emotions. How long has it been since they had a feast?

It seems to be ages ago when humans still walked this side of the Ourea continent.

Oh, but here it is now. The sumptuous smell it only heard from the legends. The tasty flesh, their soft viscera and sweet marrows. 

If only she had not chosen that tree, but even so the temptation was too strong…  

Ayan looked at the huge carnivore salivating after her and her tiny heart squeezed. It looks like there is no escaping being its dinner.

The mad growl pierced her eardrums. Dizzy with the impact, Ayan staggered and nearly toppled over. Thankfully she sobered quickly when the vine tightened on her waist and regained her balance, but before she could rejoice the alpha leapt towards her. Ayan lost her footing. 

Her body is now dangling midair perfect as its treat. The alpha's pupils shrunk in excitement, food is falling straight into its wide-open jaw. 

Not resigned to her fate, Ayan held the blade securely ready to stab the vicious beast when a shadow flashed past. The alpha wolf let out only a shrill whimper then vanished. 

"H-How…" she choked on the rest of the words as a giant snake flashed its eyes at her.

It was there, coiled leisurely on the tree's thickest branch with its tail dangling on the side of the cliff towards the waterfall. It made a distinct swallowing sound before letting out its forked tongue.

Holy mother of deers…

Even if there were ten fat Ayans they wouldn't be able to make this huge one full. That was the thought that popped in her head.

The vine grew tighter on her body squeezing the breath out of her. At this rate, before the python took notice and strangled her, she would be already strangled to death by this thing.

Aiy, what rotten luck!

As her sights blurred, her head filled with thoughts of being eaten, she unknowingly passed out before she could even witness how the white elk came to cut her off of the vine and saluted the snake. 

"Apologies for my negligence, Old One. The dark things got out of the boundary and attacked her," the white elk said, carefully putting Ayan on its back. "The girl strayed off to seek refuge. She has no intention to intrude."   

The ancient serpent looked at the image of the girl, every inch, every contour of her face then to the fairy ring and spoke, "Perhaps less playing next time child and see to your duty as a familiar."    

The elk lowered its head abashed. 

"Very well, only this time. The lass is exhausted, you may return her to their dwelling." The python blinked its old wizened eyes and returned to its slumber. 

When Ayan came to, it was already the morning of the next day. 

bananapink

Happy New Year peeps... didn't know that hangover headache can spur me to write this chapter hahaha~