"Caw-caw!!!"

The raven, as black as tar, playfully pecked at Frey. Frey chuckled, and nudged him off his arm. "No Shadow," he began. "I have work to do, and I want to go home already." Thinking the bird had gone, he gathered some wood and began to light up a fire. It was an excruciatingly cold evening, and Frey just couldn't wait to get all snuggled up and cozy right next to the blazing fire, after a long day's worth of hard work...

"Caw!!!!!!!!!"

"Ah!"

"Jesus! You scared me, silly! Now I'm busy right now, and really want to stay home, where it's nice and warm. We can't play now, maybe tomorrow. Shadow pecked at his Master affectionately, drawing blood this time. "Look, there's a whole flock of other ravens over there, just like you. Go play with them."

"CAW!!!" Frey shouted at the flock, which immediately flew away from them in fear.

Shadow cooed at his master, a very sorrowful coo that made tears brim from his Master's eyes.

"No, Shadow. We can't look for her now. For all we know, she could be dead, or worse, with someone else already. Sometimes, you just gotta let things go. When there's no hope left, give up and move on. Don't try anything new, and you'll never have anything to fear. Ever."

At this the raven seemed infuriated at his Master, now fiercely clawing at him in the stomach.

"Damn it, Shadow! Get off!" Shadow took off into the endless night sky.

After what seemed like ages, Frey waited patiently for his beloved bird companion. He mused to call and see if the ravens would fly out of the snow-covered trees at his horrid cries.

"CAW!!!"

Nothing but a pile of snow fell from the trees into his face.

Not wanting to break the silence with his gloomy thoughts, he slouched grumpily to the tent, this time, with no raven trailing playfully after him. Why did no one want to be his friend? Was it something he did or said, or did everyone just plain hate him? 

He shivered in the cold wind, which nearly blew out the fire he worked so hard to start. Maybe I should go back home and start things over again. The fire crackled loudly, interrupting his thoughts as if laughing at him. The wind blew out the fire. And tomorrow would be another day to ponder and grumble and complain about.

                                                       ~ ~ ~

They next day, Frey woke up to a horrible sound, and a horrible smell. Not wanting to open his eyes, he kept them shut, but an invisible force seemed to force them open. A great, ugly, bear-like monster, Ursa, stood a few millimeters away from his face, and was about to claw his eyes out...

Not thinking before doing any of this, Frey jabbed an arrow into the beast's eye and ran as fast as he could, not thinking anything except to get away from it. But faster and faster, the beast charged at a lighting fast speed. The monster caught up to him in no time. Knowing it was hopeless, he dropped to the snow-covered ground helplessly, waiting for the beast to kill him...

A thrash of light. Terrible screeches and screams pierced his ears. The blood oozed out from the wounds in the beast's hide like a waterfall. The monster roared, an earthshattering sound that echoed across the empty, lifeless field.

All is not lost, a voice seemed to whisper.

Wait, what? A sliver of hope seemed to linger from deep within. No, it's just me, he thought.

It's not just you.

What???

I'm coming to save you...

The monster refrained from its vicious attack. What looked like a phantom wearing a black cloak and bloody mask was wrestling with the monster, covered in gore, looked as if ready to die right there. But the Savior continued to fight to the death, literally, until the creature was killed.

Frey stood before the scene, agape. She, the Savior, had saved him.

"W-What just happened?" he stammered, shivering just looking at what mess the ghost just caused. The words seemed to crumble before they even left his mouth.

"Come with me." the Savior beckoned.

"But, I don't even know who---"

"Just come with me already! I'm here to help you."

~ ~ ~

After what seemed like hours of wandering through the endless forest, blanketed in snow, Frey and the Savior finally made it to some shelter.

As the Savior lit up a fire, Frey sat down with her, wanting to get engaged in conversation.

"What's your name?" he began awkwardly.

"That is not important." she responded coolly.

" I'm Frey. Pleasure to meet you---" holding out his hand to shake hers, she swatted it away like his hand were a fly.

"I know who you are."

"No, surely you must be mistaken."

"Yes, I do. And don't call me Shirley."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Let me get to the point, okay?" she hissed, getting more serious again.

"What I'm trying to say is, I know who you are, what you've done, and what you're looking for. So you can apologize now for all your little shenanigans you've been doing in school, tagging every wall 'round every corner, and setting out to find this Ethel girl when she ran away---" a snapping noise utterly startled Frey. 

He found himself face-to-face with two gigantic yellow eyes. 

"Savior, what is that?" he said in horror.

"That's just a raccoon, silly! Now hush and don't interrupt!"

"Sorry! Now how do you know all of this?"

"After living in the woods for decades, of course I know how to recognize a raccoon when I see one---"

"No, I mean, how do you know about me?"

"Not important. It is a spirit's duty to recollect all that you've forgotten, and remind you what you need to do when you've got a problem."

Frey looked down, getting sad again.

"I really do miss her," he began, near crying again. "All I want is to feel accepted, and I was, until she ran away from me. I don't know why. Sometimes I think it's not worth it, looking for her, but I know deep down inside that I should look for her."

"Now you're talking!" said the Savior happily. "You know you can't give up in getting what you want, which is why you aren't truly happy. Now, I got it set up real easy for ya, but ya gotta listen to me, okay?"

"Okay."

"So, in order to find your girlfriend, what's her name again?---"

"Ethel." said Frey, blushing. "And we're just friends."

"Riiiight, sorry. I tend to jump to conclusions. So, find Ethel by making one kind deed to one of the animals in this forest."

"That's it?" he said, in disbelief.

"Yes. Remember, she left you because she got mad at you for almost murdering her other friend, and wanted to tell you to be a good person again but was too terrified to do so."

"Um... okay, sure. I'll be gooder than good! Gooderest!"

"Aye, I still speak weller than you, ha ha."

"Thank you, Savior. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Oh you'd be in Ursa's stomach. And your welcome. "

~ ~ ~ 

He awoke to a familiar cawing...

"Caw-caw!!!"

It was Shadow. Frey could never forgive what Shadow was saying, by flying away from him. In all his anger, he thrust a stone at the bird, which began to cry, a horrific caw, that was getting louder and louder, until it sounded like a roar. Shadow turned into Ursa. Frey panicked, his heart beating faster and faster, his mind going blank. I'm dreaming... wait no I'm not... do something already!!!!

As much as he tried to move his legs, they seemed frozen in place, and monster was already here, again, going for the kill. A gust of wind blew forth, and the familiar black cloak of none other than Savior.

"Savior! Help! Please!" he pleaded.

"Oh you had your help already, you spoiled little swine! Ethel cared so much about you, and thought you should have one more chance but you threw it away like garbage! And you killed your only friend left, Shadow, and you have transformed into this loathsome monster, I didn't know you could go that low. This is all your fault!!!" she screeched.

"I don't understand. I've done nothing!" "You idiot! Ursa is all that you fear and hate, and now you are one with all that you fear and hate! I ask you one favor, and you don't listen to me!!!"

"I'm sorry---," "That won't do anything now! But before you're done for, there's one more thing you ought to know...

Savior took off her blood streaked mask.

I am Ethel.