Fugitive of the Woods



A dark mist settled through the air. Behind her a frog croaked, warning her not to step in its territory. In front of Aven lay fallen branches scattered among the green of the forest. She walked forward, careful not to issue forth the deafening sound of a leaf crunching beneath her gingerly placed feet. He couldn't see her, that was good. Aven put her back up to the trunk of a tree, her arms outstretched on either side of her, and looked about. She knew he was there, but exactly where was hard to place. The forest was a dark beast, and the overhanging branches and the reaching arms of tree limbs made it hard to make out a person in such conditions. As long as he didn't see her either, Aven would be safe. Taking one more look about, she shifted to the next tree in front of her, a silhouette in the shadows.

There was a slight crunch behind her. Aven whirled her head around – just in time. There he was, slowly creeping forward. His eyes were just as alert as hers. Good, he hadn't seen her. But he was still on her trail. She saw him stop at the tree she was just hidden behind, investigating every bent twig, every torn leaf, the moss that was still settled in the form of her shoes where she had stood. Then he looked straight at her. Whether or not he saw her, Aven had no way of knowing, but soon he smiled, and advanced towards her like a cougar to its prey. Her heart jumped; Aven had to move now or he would catch her. She turned around, desperately darting her eyes from the left to the right. Then she saw it, there was a small bush; she thought it was a huckleberry bush. If Aven hid behind there than she could probably blend in to the bush. It was a good thing she was dressed in camouflage. Without another glance she gulped and dove behind it.

When she looked back to where he had stood, he was gone.

Aven's mind raced like a racehorse. Where had he gone? Did he see her? Did she make too much noise? Sweat began trickling down the front of her brow. Aven bit her tongue, desperately searching. Maybe he was looking at the back of her last hiding place, and she couldn't see him from here. At that thought Aven relaxed a little. Letting out a mellow breath of air, she turned back around, assessing where she would hide next.

Once she turned around, there he was, looking directly into her face.

Screaming, Aven jumped back exactly like a deer in the headlights. Aven's brother burst into maniacal laughter at her reaction. Getting up, she plucked a pine needle from her hair and brushed herself off. So Aven's little brother had found her again. He stared up at her knowingly, contentedly choosing not to say a word while he basked in his victory. Aven smiled and ruffled his hair. She knew he hated that. That’s what he gets for winning at his little game of hide and seek four times in a row. Giggling, he burst back through the mountains so he could go hide. Aven grinned, turned around, and began counting. This was going to take a while.