I had already been running for way too long. Over rocks and streams, around trees, it didn't seem to matter. The maze of the landscape seemed perfectly clear to me as I forced myself through the forest.

The only things I knew for sure were that I had to get away from this thing and that the only advantage I had was my familiarity of the land.

The beast was definitely faster than me. And hungry. Those two things together weren't making things look good at all.

Why did I have to go into its territory and steal food? Why couldn't I be happy with the nuts and berries on my own land? Meat was scarce and delicious. But it wasn't worth all this.

I'd been foolish. Instead of grabbing a little and getting out I went the selfish route and tried to take an armload. I dropped something on the way out. I didn't think anything of it until I heard the beast get up and loud out a monstrous growl as it saw me start to run away.

In my panic I'd lost everything. Now I was just a hungry boy running for my life with none of the things that had caused my problem anyway.

I hit a rock wrong with my last step. Falling, landing on my back,it was done.