Humidity clung to Lydia's skin like a sticky film, made worse by the cooling evening air. The sun hadn't quite disappeared beyond the horizon, yet, but it was close. The moon was already high in the sky, but the thin crescent wouldn't provide much light once the last few rays of the sun were gone.

She was in so much danger.

She hurried along a familiar deer trail that cut up mountain ridge toward her camp. The deer used it frequently, keeping it free of the leafy debris that would make too much noise, and they always knew the path of least resistance from one ridge to the next. She was carrying her little hunting cur, a mottled black and brown pup seemingly bred for nothing but trouble, because she couldn't risk the dog rustling through the forest or, worse, catching trail of some poor squirrel and making a fuss.

"We're almost home, Lottie. We're going to make it.

Lottie only panted hotly in response. Truthfully, it was a little bit Lottie's fault that they were in this predicament to begin with. She'd gotten on the trail of a raccoon and followed it too far south. Lydia, momentarily ruled by her hunger, had followed. The worst part? They'd lost the raccoon.

Now every snapping twig behind them caused a chill of anxiety up Lydia's spine. She couldn't chance a glance behind her - if it was something stalking them, stopping would only make them easier to catch. She had to be singularly focused on the trail and not dropping Lottie.

Just as her legs felt like they would give out from the effort of carrying the extra weight, a dark blob of a building appeared on the other side of the ridge. Their camp, empty of life until their return, was finally within reach. Lydia veered of the deer trail and onto one that she and Lottie had carved over weeks of taking the same path every day. Five minutes and they could bolt the door behind them and rest.

Brush to her left rattled. Her breath stuck in throat. No, no, she was so close. Lottie whined and dug her claws into Lydia. She couldn't tell if it was excitement or fear winding the dog up. Not willing to wait and find out, she broke into a run.

Something made an awful screech and a shadow peeled away from the bush, moving faster than she could ever hope to. On four grotesque legs it outpaced her and cut them off before they could reach the door. The creature was small for a beast, bigger than Lottie but not as tall as a man, like some of the stories Lydia had heard. It was pitch black with bristly fur and a long, thin body. Its head was narrow with an elongated snout that split into two horrible mouths filled with yellowed, razor-sharp teeth. Two bat-like ears took up the sides of its head, making up for its beady red eyes that were likely useless.

It was terrible.

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Lydia skid to a stop and lost her grip on Lottie, who was thrashing wildly in her arms. The cur dropped to the ground and took off to the left, leaving Lydia with no choice but to follow. If they couldn't get into their camp, they needed to find somewhere else to hide.

The beast yowled and took off after them. It was too fast. It would catch them in seconds if Lydia didn't do something. She pulled her hunting knife from her belt and turned, throwing it before she could overthink it. She'd already turned back around as she heard the sickening thud of the knife hitting its mark. Yes! The beast snarled in pain behind her and the sound of its footsteps slowed. She'd at least hurt it enough to buy some time.

Lottie barked frantically up ahead and Lydia followed the sound to a group of old maple trees that had grown so close together they'd fused around the base. The sound of Lottie's barking came from within the trees, and Lydia circled to find an opening between the roots, just large enough to squeeze through, if she crawled on her stomach. She hesitated for a second, not sure she wanted to trap herself somewhere with no way out, but the beast yowled from somewhere nearby and her choice was taken from her. She dropped to the ground and pulled herself through the opening, wincing as the bark scraped along her exposed arms.

The inside of the trees was too dark to see, but seemed almost entirely hollow. She was able to sit up as she pulled her body the rest of the way through and Lottie shook anxiously beside her.

"Shh," Lydia hushed, pulling the dog into her lap to comfort her and keep her silent. Together, they listened for what was happening outside the tree.

At first, silence. Then, the horrifying snuffling of the beast trying to track them by scent. Lydia hadn't even considered that, but it was too late. The snorting sounds drew nearer until a shadow passed in front of the narrow tree opening. It disappeared momentarily, then passed a second time. Lydia yelped as it rounded back a third time and the head of the beast shoved through the opening. It was stupid and hadn't figured out it needed to belly crawl through, yet, but it was only a matter of time. She kicked it's disgusting face and scrambled backwards, trying to get as far from the entrance as she could.

Only, her back never hit the other side of the tree.

She scrambled precious inches away and kept going, until, instead of bark, her back met a cold wall of air. She gasped, fighting the sudden chills than made her shiver. She wanted to look behind her, but the beast was clawing its way back through the hole, gnashing both sets of teeth toward her feet while Lottie barked shrilly in its face. Lydia's knife had found its mark in the beast's shoulder and was making it difficult for the thing to drag its body forward, but it was still trying with its good arm.

Lydia tried kicking it again, but the beast was ready this time. It snapped down on her ankle with its lower set of teeth while the upper set still snarled above. She cried out, trying to yank her leg back but only succeeded in sending more pain shooting up her body. Lottie's barking grew frantic, and she broke free enough of Lydia's grip to reach forward and sink her own teeth into the beast's face. It howled and let go of Lydia, nearly pulling Lottie from her arms as it retreated back with the dog still clamped to its cheek. Lydia yanked her dog back, and thankfully Lottie let go.

She didn't have time to think about the cold or the pain. She shoved herself backward through the frigid air, and then she was falling.

It was like falling in a dream. She was weightless for a split second, and then her body gave a violent jerk as she was suddenly laying on her back on cold stone with Lottie on her chest. She blinked blearily up at a sky swirling with stars framed by dark buildings and thought it funny that she was suddenly seeing a double as two moons peered back at her.

Then the blood loss won, and she lost consciousness. Somewhere in the dark void of her mind, a voice echoed.

"I'm sorry. I have to, to save you."