"Run!" shouted Edward as he half-crawled, half-ran out of the small cavern entrance dug into the ground. Ten-year old Jack's face wide grin disappeared as his brow narrowed in confusion. His elder brother shouted the command again, as he stumbled across the clearing to his little brother's position. As soon as Jack saw Edward's horrified expression, he knew something was wrong. Not obeying his brother, he started to rush over to him with the intention of helping him. Edward tripped over a root and fell flat on his stomach. He instantly got back to his feet and repeatedly cried out: "Run, Jack! Run!". Jack turned around and ran back to the edge of the forest clearing. He easily found the small path they had made through the dense foliage and tall grass. Jack turned around again to see Edward back on his feet and sprinting towards the path, the frightened expression on his face hadn't disappeared. At that moment, an inhuman roar shook the forest.

The bellow of rage sent a chill down Jack's spine. His fear intensified when he realized that the sound had came from the crudely dug hole from which Edward had emerged frightened. Minutes earlier, they had both decided to go explore the small cavern-like place, having noticed that a full-grown man could easily squirm through. Edward had no trouble climbing down the hole. Jack dashed through the tall grass and foliage of the forest, taking no care at all in tossing the branches which snapped at his face. To his relief, he could hear his brother's frightened whimper and footsteps gaining behind him. The angry roar could be heard again, this time from farther off. They had covered quite a distance, and Jack hoped that his brother was still behind him. He could see another clearing up ahead.

As he emerged from the dense forest, he stopped to take a breath. Heavily panting, he wiped the sweat and blood from his forehead. "What's going on?!" Jack inquired, turning around to face his brother. To his other most surprise, Edward wasn't there. He had disappeared. Jack spun around, worry building up inside him. His brother was nowhere to be seen. He cautiously glanced back towards the small trail he had just ran from, hesitating on whether he should go back or keep running. Knowing his brother, this was probably all a prank. But then again, what had caused the spine-chilling roar? And the panic on Edward's face seemed quite genuine. What was going on? Had Jack's eldest brother stumbled unto a sleeping bear? If so, he probably managed to outrun it, taking a different path. "Yes, he's probably as worried as I," thought Jack, his pep-talk doing nothing to ease his fright. Still, he resolved on going back to the Family Household, north of Varrock's agricultural territories.

Jack ran through the threshold of the small house, exhausted. He had ran the few leagues separating the small forest from one of the small houses standing not far from the fields. The look on his mother's face, who was preparing dinner, seemed to show no worry. Maybe Edward made it home? Yes, if he had indeed taken another path, he would have arrived considerably earlier than his young brother. Jack was about to ask his mother if Edward had returned home, but she answered the unasked question with another. The words stopped Jack in his tracks.

"Have you seen Edward?" At that moment, Jack knew that whatever was chasing them had gotten Edward.

[Close]