1 Chapter One

When I was a young girl, my family and I went on our annual hunting trip in the Rocky Mountains. That year, my father and my sixteen year old brother, Matt both had a hunting permit. It was the first year my brother would be hunting alone and decided that he wanted me to tag along to gain some experience. At just eight years old I had a twenty pound pack on, hiking through the woods following my brother.

"Hurry up Blair, your legs aren't that short."

"I'm trying Matt. But your legs are so long I have to take three extra steps to match one of yours, you giant."

"Hey it's not my fault I'm sprouting like a tree and you're sprouting like a bush" Matt laughed at his own stupid joke and kept walking. Luckily the trail was no longer up the side of the mountain and had leveled off decently. Blair's heart was pounding in her ears from the exercise and elevation. It was hard trying to breath, watch your step, be quiet and look for deer all at the same time but Matt made it look easy. Her brother always made things seem easy.

Realizing Blair had fallen behind him again he stopped and waiting at the fork in the path. As soon as she reached him, he grabbed the strap of the pack and took it from her. Throwing it over his shoulder like it was nothing.

"Thanks Matt." All she got in response was mmhmm and a crooked smile. Matt was a really good brother, always there for her when she needed him. Protecting her and pushing her to be her best was his specialty. When Blair had been getting picked on two years ago for her flaming hair hair and freckles, Matt threatened all the boys till they stopped. It didn't take much to say the least.

"Matt how much longer till we can have lunch? I packed sandwiches and your favorite cookies." Blair's stomach was growling loudly as Matt came to a stop almost immediately.

Turning around slowly with a smile, "Cookies you say?"

"Thanks for lunch sis, this turkey sandwich is really good."

"You can thank mom for that, I just them in the pack." They sat in silence while they ate their lunches. Twenty minutes later they packed up their trash and set out for another trail. The forrest had become completely silent, and still. There were no birds chirping, not squirrels leaping from tree to tree. Not even the wind was blowing. Blair began to feel very aware of what was happening around her, and it made her uneasy. A growing pit was digging into her stomach. Her eyes searched the tree line watching for whatever was making the forrest so quiet. "Isn't it weird that it got so quiet Matt?"

Matt kept walking, picking his pace up a little. "It's alright Blair there's nothing to worry about, we're almost back to camp anyway." Blair hurried along after Matt, her heart pounding and her breathing shallow. They walked this way for about a mile before Blair couldn't go any further. "Matt I can't keep going, I feel like I'm going to pass out!"

Matt stopped and bent down, "climb on, we're loosing sunlight and mom will worry. I'm sure dads at camp making dinner anyway." Blair hopped on Matt's back and they took off. His hurried footsteps echoed through the trees like thunder. His head moving from one side of the trail to the other. Another mile later, Matt put Blair down.

"Okay Blair, I don't want you to be scared but I think something is following us. I want you to put the pack on the side of the trail where we can get it later. You're going to hold my hand and we're going to jog the rest of the way to camp."

"But Matt I am scared."

"I know and so am I, but we will be okay I promise. Just don't let go of my hand okay?" Blair nodded her head and took his hand. They both started jogging down the trail, it was much easier without the heavy pack weighing them down. They jogged for what seemed like forever. Matt slowed his pace and came to a stop. They sat there catching their breath, still scanning the trees quickly. A large branch suddenly snapped in the distance. Blair jumped and Matt grabbed his rifle from his shoulder. They waited, Blair was shaking with fear. Matt looked off into the distance and his eyes grew wide. He through his gun back on his shoulder and scooped up Blair into his arms. He started running as hard as he could the last quarter mile to camp.

Blair could hear crunching in the brush as something chased after them. Blair caught a glimpse of its black fur as it pounded through the trees.

"Matt it's a bear!" She screamed.

"That's not a bear Blair! Keep holding on to me, we're almost there!"

The sunlight was fading over the hill, soon they would be in complete darkness. "It's getting closer Matt! Hurry!" Matt made the turn to camp just as the creature crashed through the trees onto the trail. It's large human like paw swiped at them with force. It's claws sliced through Matt's jacket tearing the fabric. Matt ran harder into camp, just a few more steps and they might have a chance.

Just before the clearing, Matt tripped over a rock and fell. Blair went rolling into the dirt, and Matt smacked his head on the ground so hard he blacked out. Blair laid very still has the creature stocked over to her, her green eyes locked with its golden ones. For some reason her fear began to slip away. It stood over her small form and took a deep breath of her scent. A small whimper escaped her throat. It leaned down close to her face, teeth bared and growling. Blair closed her eyes not wanting to see what was going to happen next.

A searing hot pain erupted in her arm causing a scream to rip out of her throat. She opened her eyes to see the creature biting into her flesh with force. She screamed again, causing it to release her arm. It looked at her again with its glowing eyes, before darting off into the dark woods. Blair could feel the blood around her starting to pool, her head rolled to the side where she could see Matt. Her vision blurred from the pain and blood loss. Her head rolled to the other side where she saw the gold glowing eyes watching from the darkness before it all faded to black.