Night gently settles on the land of Asbranne, and the sky grows darker by the second. As the last orange ray of sunlight disappears below the horizon, the temperature plummets, the frigid air biting those who stroll outside. The cold wind howls, carrying the chill of the night across the land.

     Away from the bustling city lies a dense cluster of woods. The towering trees stretch upwards towards the sky, causing one to tilt their head back to take in their sheer height. The branches loom from the sky, casting shadows on the ground.

     The freezing wind howls eerily through the trees, with no moonlight or city lights in the distance. A group of teenagers strut through the woods with their chests puffed out. But, with every huff, their breaths puff out clouds of cold smoke.

     Three boys stride through the woods in white long-sleeved shirts and black waistcoats. The first boy stands out with his fiery coral-red hair, the second has light caramel-brown locks, and the third boasts shimmering leather-black hair. They walk with their hands under their pockets as they look around.

     Four teenage girls accompany the three reckless young men, moving in a tight-knit group through the woods. Among them is Sarrah. Her hair is like a tangerine, and it seems to glow in the dark. Her porcelain skin is as smooth as polished ivory. And her wide, slanted eyes mimic the colour of a golden oak.

     Sarrah wears a dress with puffy sleeves and a slim skirt that starts under her bust. Her beige outfit blends in with the colour of her light, pale skin. Her hair is gathered into a neat bun like a crown, and a few strands fall from her head, framing her face with a warm halo.

     Behind Sarrah is Bethany. Bethany has jet-black hair as dark as a shadow during dawn and bright hazel eyes sparkling amidst the dark. Her skin has a warm, tanned complexion like wood, and a beauty mark lies near her left eye.

     Bethany's golden gown has a high-waisted skirt that flows gracefully in the wind. Her clothes' silky fabric shimmers in the darkness, casting a glow around her. Her curly hair is coiled into a high bun, with a few loose curls framing her face and falling down her forehead.

     Two more girls stand beside Sarrah and Bethany, completing the group. One has dark-brown hair that cascades in soft waves around her shoulders. Meanwhile, the other has naturally black hair that shimmers in the moonlight, complementing her striking silver eyes.

The teenage boy with coral-red hair scoffed as they walked through the woods. "I told you. This place isn't that dang scary," he said, his voice trembling.

Sarrah replied, her voice monotonous and stiff. "But, tell me... why does it seem like you're shaking like a leaf?" she placed her hands on her back.

The boy looked at her with wide eyes and furrowed brows. "I- I am not afraid!" he said.

"You're shuddering—as if you're the soil during an earthquake," Sarrah said.

"...H-how did you know I'm afraid?" the coral-haired boy asked. "Wait! No! I'm not that afraid! Just slightly—"

"I am your eldest sister, dummy," Sarrah sighed, rolling her eyes. "But do not fret. Just admit you're afraid so we can leave."

The coral-haired boy rolled his eyes. "Fine, then. Let's leave this place! I hate the bugs!"

     The coral-haired boy took the lead and began wandering around as the others followed him on his back. They walked around, passing through shrubs as leaves crunched under their feet. Suddenly, the boy stopped and walked back to their previous spot.

"I think this isn't the path we were from," the coral-haired boy said.

"Duh, we went in that direction," the girl with dark-brown hair pointed out, taking the lead. As the girl marched with her friends, she found her pace slowing. "This place doesn't feel right," she said, her voice trembling with fear.

Sarrah took charge. "Brother, you lead us back to where we came from," she commanded, crossing her arms.

"But I forgot the path!" he groaned.

"You were the one who brought us here in the first place to show us how daring you are," Sarrah replied with a firm voice.

"But I'm only thirteen! I forget things easily!" the coral-haired boy said.

"Ugh, I do not care!" Sarrah scoffed.

"That's not a logical reason. Don't use your youth as an excuse," the silver-eyed girl added.

The others crowded around the coral-haired boy, surrounding him with their stern faces.

"It's your fault, so it's your responsibility to take us out of this mess."

"We're lost, and our parents might be worried-sick."

"We should never, and I mean never, do this again."

"You better have a plan for getting us out of here."

Suddenly, Bethany's voice shook with fear. "Guys...?" she called out.

But the others continued arguing, ignoring her. "No! We're lost!" they yelled at the coral-haired boy.

"Guys!" Bethany called out again, raising her voice louder.

"What!?" the others looked at her and responded.

"What is that!?" Bethany yelled, pointing up at a tree.

     The teenagers peered through the thick, dark leaves. Something was sitting on a branch, blending in with the darkness. As they looked closer, they saw two reddish-violet dots staring back at them. Slowly, they witnessed a spawning illumination between the tiny speckles, revealing its deadly, lengthy canine teeth. It had a slender body with a long, swinging tail and dog-like ears, unknown to men.

"Is that a wolf!?" one of the teenagers exclaimed.

     Suddenly, the creature leaps from the tree, targeting Bethany. But before anyone can react, the black-haired boy pushes Bethany out of the way. The animal falls onto the boy instead, leaving him helpless.

"Aaghh!!" the girls screamed in horror.

     The creature pinned the boy to the leafy ground with its sharp, lethal claws, causing him to bleed from his exposed arms. The helpless teenager tried to fight back, but it was no use. The monster then sank its teeth into the boy's neck, causing a fountain of blood to spurt into the air.

"Aaah!!" everyone cried.

     Unexpectedly, a long, snake-like tail fell from the leafy tree and wrapped around the silver-eyed girl. She screamed for help, but it was too late. The monster grabbed her and pulled her up through the thick branches, and her blood showered down on the others below.

     As the others scattered in every direction of the dense forest, Sarrah quickly ran towards Bethany. She grabbed Bethany's forearm, and they ran away with her brother. They sprinted through the bushes, dodging thick trees as they hurried.

     As they run, Sarrah looks back at the monster devouring her friends. Tears stream down her face as she witnesses the horrific event. She then steadies her head and focuses on her path.

     Another tail emerged from a tall tree and snatched the boy with caramel-brown hair. It wrapped around him tightly as he yelled for help from his friends. Sarrah, Bethany, and the girl with dark-brown hair tried to pull him back to the ground.

     The three girls used their entire weight and let out a loud grunt. It became a desperate tug-of-war between the humans and the monster. Meanwhile, Sarrah's brother watched in shock from the corner, frozen in fear as his pupils contracted.

     Sarrah, Bethany, and the dark-brown-haired girl desperately hung onto the boy's legs, trying to pull him down from the monster's grasp. However, the force was too strong. The creature pulled the teenager up with ease.

     The monster used all its strength to bring them up with the boy. With no other choice, Sarrah and Bethany let go. They fell onto the ground, groaning in pain as their eyes winced.

     However, the girl with dark-brown hair refused to let go of her grip on her friend, pulling him down with all her might while screaming frantically. Sarrah and Bethany, watching from the ground, froze in horror as the monster dragged two of their friends up into the bushy tree. Their screams filled the air as they disappeared into the trees' leaves.

     Unexpectedly, the dark-haired girl dropped through the leafy branches. She then fell from the three-story-tall tree. She tumbled to the ground headfirst, letting out a terrible, high-pitched scream that echoed through the woods.

     The girl's bones and joints cracked as her head met the rock-hard, solid dirt. Her screams became silent. Then, her body fell motionless in front of Sarrah and Bethany.

     Sarrah wrapped her arm around Bethany and pulled her up from the ground. They reunited with Sarrah's brother, sobbing on the ground. Sarrah then grabbed her sibling's hand and dragged him along as they immediately fled from the wood, crying and panting loudly. Their screams echoed around the woods, gradually fading away as they ran further and further.