A creek gurgled ahead. The frigid water often held fish that he relished the most. Finally a good meal after so long. With a burst of speed, he ran toward the sound. Nothing, just nothing. He searched around but no fish seemed to frolic in the slow stream. It used to be filled with fish around this time, but this time, he was out of luck. He laid down to rest on a moss-covered boulder next to the creek. The trip here had worn him down. Not today, maybe tomorrow. The night was spreading across the sky, the warm scarlet clashing with chilly violet. The forest floor cooled as the sun slowly crept away. He watched the vast, brilliant sky with a helpless look.

All of a sudden there was a snap of a branch, friend, or foe. He didn’t hesitate, instincts drove him forward, one strong and fierce, now weak and frantic.