The Guide

         The sun had yet to rise. A man and his son wound through the forest.

         The man shifted his gaze through the trees, but the boy had more interest in the rocks on the ground than his surroundings. He kicked a few pebbles while his father crouched down to check a set of animal tracks.

         The man turned around after an investigation of the prints, only to find his son gone. The boy had decided to follow the rocks instead of his father. His attention left the stones when a bird cried above him, and he realized his father was no longer ahead. He was all alone, save for the eerie feeling of something watching him

         He called for his father, but the only the wind whistling through the trees responded. The boy rose, and the bird's cries fell silent. He believed he had silenced the bird, but he realized the quiet had spread throughout the forest.

         The boy called for his father again. No response.

         He wanted to leave, but noise now surrounded him. It wasn’t the bird, nor his father, nor the wind. Growling sounds reverberated around the trees, and within the shadows reflected countless eyes.

         Scared, the boy ran. The creatures came upon him. He tripped, and at that instant, he knew it was over.

         Face to the ground, the boy expected to be ripped apart, but after no pain ensued, he dared to look around. Towering above him, a beast, larger than the creatures which pursued him, challenged them to attack. They hesitated, for none wished to fight the massive beast. The creatures melted back into the shadows, and when all had gone, the beast stepped away from the terrified boy.

         The beast sat, waiting for the boy. It made no noise, but the boy could now hear the bird in the distance. The sounds of the forest returned, and as they did, the sun’s light peeked through the trees.

         The beast lied down, and the boy stood. He took careful steps away from it, but stopped when it rose. It did not seem interested in attacking, and instead took strides in the opposite direction, then paused and stared at the boy. The boy stood motionless, perplexed by the beast, but with time, he moved towards it. It, in turn, paced further away, and once more regarded him.

         More of this careful movement carried on before the boy followed the beast. With time, the beast stopped, and the boy stood behind it, confused. It moved aside and moved its head towards a clearing. There, standing in the middle of the glade, the boy’s father waited, facing away.

         The boy ran past the beast and cried for his father, who turned around to see his lost son. The man embraced him, and the two cried.

         The boy wanted to thank the beast, but when he turned around, the beast had left.