The forest was at unrest.

Sun was setting, the night was approaching and healthy liveliness of the forest creatures was slowly dying out. Near the outskirts of the forest, a few kilometers from a rocky cliff backed by a large drop into the sea, shadows were rushing through the thicket. Yes, there was the sound of branches cracking and leaves rustling, but the major noise —the reason for the unrest­— was the screaming at their back. It was a cluster of horrible nasal shrieks which didn’t echo, didn’t disperse in the forest rather penetrated through the woods and beyond.

It was a chase.

A group of five barely clothed individuals were being followed by monsters of unusual shape; their star-shaped head, hairless body, wiry frame, and their chalky white skin tone really set them apart from their counterparts. It was clear from the urgency shown by the front runners that the monsters chasing them were more than the sum of their appearance and attitude; so much so that even their weapons didn’t seem to impart any equity toward their survival if caught.

There were no dialogues being passed between the runners, for the monsters were right at their heels. Everything was going great for them: there was still some sunlight present, their home, and its protection was just a few minute away, and they weren’t tired even; then tragedy occurred. As they passed through a thicker section of the forest outskirts, one of them —a female— tripped and fell. The person following right behind her turned at his heels at the sight of her falling to take note of the creatures at his back. There were seven of them in his sight and one too close for comfort. He whistled and let loose an arrow from his wooden bow with such speed and accuracy that the arrow struck the creature close to him in the head before his feet were back on the ground.

His companions had the girl picked and taken asylum atop the nearest tree; while he held ground and let lose five more arrows, two of which precisely struck another creature on his chest and shoulder, before a whistle made him relent. He took another creature that was trying to go around him in the leg, then turned around and ran. He was off toward his companions and scaling the tree before the nearest trashing creature could pull the arrow from his head and give chase. The event which took place and the response by the participants was so precise and accurate that the whole sequence seemed enacted rather than circumstantial. None of the man’s companions had shown hesitation to help their friend in need and neither had his hands shaken from fear; all their actions appeared practiced and perfected, contrasting with their attire which was mostly lacking.

There was, however, a reason to be concerned even though all five of them had made it atop the tree. The creatures injured by the arrows were already up and about, while more of them were making way toward them. The man went directly toward the girl and inquired about her condition in a language too foreign and convoluted. He cracked his knuckles upon being shown a badly swollen ankle as a look of grievance came upon his face. He looked into her eyes and touched foreheads while the others unleashed a hail of arrows toward the creatures slowly accumulating under their tree and trying to climb up.

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A strong hand on his shoulder made him look away from the girl and into the eyes of the smallest one among them. Those eyes were firm and asked of his decision; he brushed away the man’s hand to once again look back at the girl. She placed her hand on his wrist and gave him a smile, then pushed his chest with her other hand as if telling him to leave. The others watched as he scowled at her and stood up. Holding a look of concentration, he spared a glance at all of his companions, who nodded at him in return and made up his mind. Looking between his small companion and the girl who was definitely having a very hard time keeping her smile, he rushed off the branch and jumped.

His companions hissed and growled behind his back as he swung by a branch and fell away from the circle creatures thrashing around the tree. He rolled upon landing and stood right back up only to dodge a lunge by a lone creature to his front. He pulled at the arm of another star faced monster flailing near him and sprang up with his arm around its head; before it could cry out loud he had twisted its neck, pulled a savage stone dagger from a sleeve in his tanned leather skirt and separated the head off the creature’s neck. The death of one of their kind gathered the other creature’s attention quicker than the harried voices of the ones stranded atop the tree.

If killing one of their kind silenced them, then rubbing their slim blood on his face and body enraged them out of their minds. He locked eyes with his companions one last time, gestured they will forever remain in his heart by raising a hand toward them and lowering a closed fist at his chest, and he was off. The creatures, all of them, went after him, enraged and thrashing. None remained behind to prevent the ones atop the tree, giving them easy access back.

Picking his way through the forest like it was his home, the man moved with a grace and speed not shown by the others of his kind. He moved like an ape rushing through the forest, but with the gallops of a horse and sight of an owl. Fallen trees, pits, underbrush, nothing hampered him; but the creatures at his back weren’t stopped by the wild either. They jumped atop trees if they had to and kept pace with him.

He ran to bring the horde after him further away from his group. Not that they wouldn’t have problems, but with most of the corrupted after him, they would only have a few to before reaching the cave: the only living space unfettered of any kind of corruption. He on the other hadn’t didn’t have any hope of reaching the cave. But he wasn’t running blind. Soon he was near the source of his confidence. He had a plan though crazy it was. He had almost fallen prey to the corrupted rising out of their hidden space while running, but he wasn’t called the star of his tribe for no reason. Though burly of physique with ample strength in the arms, he was also quick of feet; not fast like many of his tribe but balanced and precise.

After gaining ten minutes worth of scratches and cuts from the monsters and nature, he felt a faint rumble from the ground below and picked up the pace. The tiredness weighing his shoulders reversed at the thought that he might survive. The shrieks from the creatures became vapid as the sound of rushing water flooded his surroundings and he neared the source of it: a narrow but a raging creek. The torrent dissuaded him at first, but the innumerable shrieks right at him persuaded him, and he jumped. He only saw the creature’s scream and jump after him before the strong current took him away.