A single massive paw became Elwin's entire world. Instinct-driven reflexes drove him back. Pain sliced into his ear.

Survive!

Elwin shied away further after the bear landed her blow. Fearful, the spirit wolf took over and lashed out at the cub hidden in the bush behind him. The cub whined in protest when his paw raked across its face.

Roar!

Fear drove the spirit away from certain death. Powerless to resist, Elwin ran.

Countless trees flashed left and right. Thorns dug into his fur. The plants protested his unwanted incursion.

Elwin stroked the spirit's fur with his mind and calmed it. Be at peace. We are safe. Locked in its cage again, he stopped to catch his breath.

Silence stilled the woods leaving only echoes of his beating chest. Darkness crept at the edges of the forest in front of him. Nothing ever penetrated its evil grip. I've seen this before.

Something moved within the shadows. No! Not within, but the shadow itself.

Bloodshot eyes pierced the veil. A predator on the hunt. Those eyes burned into his soul. Does it come to finish what it started years ago?

Nothing can survive long enough to penetrate the darkness wrapped around the creature that lurks inside. Has death found its way back to the disgraced elf who left his brothers in arms to die?

I refuse to die!

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Elwin prayed to Silvertree that the bear hadn't strayed far away from where he left it. This would be his best shot. Please forgive me for what I'm about to do.

Elwin ran.

Paws pounding to the beat of his heart. Committed to his course of action, he only hoped the monster didn't catch him first.

A cold chill crept up Elwin's hind leg and squeezed. It felt like a noose around his neck.

Move!

Muscles responded sending him skidding to the left just a nose length away from smashing into a tree.

Bark peppered his right flank in a shower of debris.

Not fast enough.

Icy tendrils sliced into his shoulder.

Howl!

I don't want to die.

Roar!

Elwin ignored the pain and forced himself to move forward. Wounded, his only hope rested on the bear attacking the monster before killing him.

Roar!

The mother stood her ground as the cub fumbled its way up a tree.

Once again, her massive paw came crashing down on Elwin’s head, but this time it connected. The strike knocked him to the ground.

Dazed, he lay there helpless and at the mercy of two predators. The mother dove in for the killing blow.

Elwin closed his eyes, but the attack never came.

Roar!

The shadow monster leaped over Elwin and plowed into the bear driving her back. She fought back, but her attacks drifted through its ethereal body.

She only wanted to protect her young. It wasn't right. Why did Silvertree let a creature so evil exist?

Get up! Don't let her death be in vain.

Elwin forced his battered body off the ground and limped away from death and toward his only sanctuary. His once tan brown fur could not be distinguished from the blood that seeped from his wounds.

The cub cowered in the tree hopelessly watching its mother fight an unbeatable foe. Claws dug into the dark brown fur with abandon.

Teeth burst from the hidden depths and latched on to the bear's throat and ended its life.

I'm sorry.

This would be the most dangerous part of his desperate plan.

Escaping before it decided to finish him for good.

The shadow swarmed the carcass. Bone-crushing and meat-tearing sounds disturbed the silence.

Elwin left a trail of blood, but there wasn't anything he could do about that. His only hope rested on him making it back to his cave alive.

Will I ever see that elf again?