Luc's mind struggled to accept what was happening.

He had followed the river, hadn’t he? So how could he be back where he started?

No, this can't be right. Rivers don't loop back on themselves like this.

He reached out, his fingers brushing the rough surface of the tree, tracing the crude, smiling face he’d carved earlier. The bark felt strange, almost like it was pulsing under his touch. He shook his head.

It must be a coincidence.

Luc wanted to prove himself wrong, so he grabbed a nearby branch and snapped it off with a sharp, hurried motion.

He leaned in close to the tree, carving a new mark, a jagged star, into the bark. Luc stepped back, satisfied. There was no mistaking this mark.

With renewed determination, Luc continued following the river. With each step, he focused on the rhythm of his breathing, trying to keep the gnawing fear at bay.

The forest around him seemed to close in tighter, the mist growing thicker, heavier, until it was all he could do to see a few feet ahead.

Time stretched as he walked. His feet throbbed, his legs ached, but he pressed on, determined to find a way out. The idea of being stuck in a loop nagged at him, but he refused to accept it.

But then, just as despair began to creep into his mind, Luc saw something through the mist, something he recognized. His heart plummeted as he drew closer, and there it was—the star he had carved into the bark earlier.

No..No, this isn't possible.

Luc stumbled back, overwhelmed by the reality of his situation.

He was trapped. The forest had him in a loop, something that defied all logic, all reason.

This can't be real. It has to be a dream.

But no matter how hard he wished for it, the forest remained the same. The twisted trees, the pulsing plants, they all proving his nightmare was real.

Luc’s thoughts spun into denial. This couldn’t be happening. Luc looked around, hoping to find something familiar or any sign that would make sense of his situation.

I should try seeing this place from up above

Luc approached the tree, his hands running over the bark, trying to find the best way up.

It had been years since he had climbed a tree, not since he was a child. But he needed to try.

He found a low branch and gripped it tightly, pulling himself up. The bark scraped against his palms, and his feet slipped more than once as he climbed.

Every muscle in his body protested, but he kept going, higher and higher. The branches grew thinner, more unstable, but he didn’t stop.

Halfway up, Luc's foot slipped

Ah-

He found himself hanging by one hand, the ground far below. The world tilted beneath him, but he gritted his teeth and swung his other hand up, grabbing hold of the branch.

With a surge of effort, he pulled himself back up with a sigh of relief.

Shaking off his near fall, Luc continued climbing. He moved up branch by branch through the mist.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he broke through the canopy. But what he saw nearly shattered him.

No way…

Even from high up in the tree, the mist still covered everything. He could just make out the sun, struggling to shine through. The forest extended endlessly, with no signs of a way out.

Calm down, calm down…Luc took deep breaths, trying to stop himself from panicking. There has to be a way out. There has to be.

His feet touched the ground, and he stumbled, legs weak from the climb. He leaned against a tree, catching his breath.

I need to try something else.

With renewed determination, Luc started walking again. But this time, instead of following the river, he turned and walked away.

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Luc kept moving, ignoring the stinging scratches and sore muscles. He focused on walking straight and counting his steps. Keeping his mind busy as the mist obscured his vision.

One hundred and seven, one hundred and eight, one hundred and nine...

Time seemed to stretch as Luc walked through the forest. The trees grew thicker, their branches blocking out most of the light.

Luc’s breath was heavy, his throat dry. Sweat soaked his shirt. He tripped on a root and fell to his knees.

Get up. Keep going.

With a groan, Luc pushed himself up, ignoring the new scrapes on his hands and knees. He took another step, then froze when he heard a familiar sound.

The gentle gurgle of flowing water.

I'm... on the other side.

Luc stumbled to the water's edge, his reflection wavering in the current. He looked across the river, his breath catching in his throat as he spotted a familiar tree.

There, across the river stood the tree where he had carved his first crude smiley face.

"Hahah" Luc let out a dry laugh. I'm done, aren't it?

His laugh hung in the air, heavy with his realization. He was trapped in a never-ending loop with no way out.

What should I do now?

Luc’s legs shook, almost giving out. The weight of his situation felt overwhelming. He felt drained, his mind empty of ideas.

I can't...I can't think of anything.

He stumbled away from the river, his feet moving on their own. The strange forest seemed to blur around him, full of odd colors and strange plants. As the sun set, the mist turned shades of orange and purple.

A cold wind rustled through the trees, making Luc shiver. He wrapped his arms around himself, but his thin t-shirt did little to keep him warm.

How long have I been here? Luc wondered, trying to remember when he first woke up. It felt like days, but time seemed to stretch here. Without a clock, he had no way of telling how much time had passed.

Maybe I'm just imagining things…His mind feels exhausted. This place... it's messing with my head.

As the temperature dropped, his survival instincts took over. He needed shelter. Then he remembered he’d seen a cave earlier.

Luc started walking again, his tired legs sore with each step. He retraced his path, relying on his memory and instincts. The forest seemed to change around him, but he kept going.

He found the dark opening in a moss-covered hill.

Luc stumbled into the cave and collapsed onto the cold, damp stone.

He breathed heavily, his muscles aching from the long trek through the forest.

His mind foggy. The gnawing emptiness in his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten since... well, he couldn't quite remember when.

He looked around the cave, noting the rough walls and glowing moss. He thought about starting a fire, remembering survival tips from movies and anime he had watched. But the idea of gathering wood and trying to light it seemed too overwhelming right now.

I'll just... rest for a bit, he decided, his eyelids growing heavy.

Just a quick nap, then I'll figure out what to do next

Despite the chill and the hard stone beneath him, Luc found himself drifting off almost immediately. His exhausted body craving rest.

He had barely closed his eyes when a growl jolted him awake.

"grrr…"

Luc's heart raced, his body tensing. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the night that had fallen while he slept.

At the cave's entrance, two eyes glowed, belonging to a wolf cub about the size of a cat. Its fur was black, and its eyes shone red.

Before Luc could process and think of anything, the cub lunged at him. Its sharp teeth dug into his hand, and he cried out in pain.

“Arrrgh!”

Instinctively, he swung his arm, knocking the cub against the cave wall. Blood dripped from his hand as he pulled free, and the cub backed away, growling.

Luc scrambled away, trying to think of what to do next.

What should I do…What should I do…

Luc and the cub stared warily at each other.

Suddenly, The cub charged again.

Surprised, Luc stumbled backward, tripping over, and fell to the ground. His hand instinctively groped around and found a stone.

Luc's fingers clenched around the jagged rock. Then He struck the cub with the stone furiously. Again and again—each strike punctuated by a sickening crunch.

“Die! Die! Die!”

Smash! Smash! Smash!

The stone’s firmness surpassed the skull of the cub, crushing it with force and blunt trauma. Blood was drawn, and with a faint growly, the cub finally died.

Even after the cub lay unmoving, Luc continued. Blood spattered across his face, but he barely noticed. All that mattered was obliterating this thing that attacked him.

“D-die….you bastard……”

Chest heaving, he finally stopped, the rock slipping from his hand. blood coated his hands, some his own from the bite wound.

Luc holds his injured hand and checks the damage. The injury burned fiercely, and fresh blood seeped between his fingers.

Then he glanced at the lifeless cub, its blood still warm and slick on his hands.

Where does this wolf come from? He hadn’t encountered anything during his exploration.

"Grrrr…"

Suddenly, A new growl from the cave entrance brought his attention back. His head glanced around, eyes widening as he turned and saw a larger figure in the dim light.

It was bigger than the cub. Luc’s breath caught as he realized—this was likely the cub’s mother.