The child ran into the woods, past the battered fence, that hadn’t kept anything out for years. But then again, the fence was there to keep things in, no one within their right minds would enter that place.

But this child had no knowledge of what lurked in the wood. She ran, laughing into its depths. She entered the forest in a gap in the fence near a beaten up sign.

DO NOT GO IN HE WOODS

This child could not read, so she paid the sign no mind. Less than three minutes later there came a young man. He wore dark colors, padding, and boots that made no noise in the underbrush. The only sounds he made was his light breathing and the tinkling of arrows in his quiver. He ran lightly in the child’s trail. He reached the sign and didn’t hesitate. He dashed past it, his eyes lit up with terror.

“Mindy!” He screamed. He heard a child’s laugh.

“I don’t want you to come find me yet.” Came a small Voice. The boy gulped.

“This isn’t a game, Mindy.” He called, softer. She couldn’t be far away. “I need you to come home.” His voice cracked.

“Go away, Collin.” She called back, Collin moved to the sound.

“Mindy,” Collin said, licking his dry lips. “I need to you to come home. This place isn’t safe.” He heard a huffing noise to his right. “Mindy, Mom would want you to come with me.”

“She doesn’t even want to come home.” Collin sighed, what did Mindy know. How could she know? How could she know their mother worked insane hours for their survival?

“Mindy.” He said calmly. A rustling a little ahead of him. “How about we play this game at home?” The rustling became louder, and the voice in front of him let him know, he had found her.

“But there’s nowhere to hide at home.” Collin sprang upon her and grabbed her by the arm. She writhed and kicked him.

“Put me down, you big bully!” She screamed. Again, what did she know? He brushed off her abuses and put her over his shoulder. She became eerily still and quiet, but he could feel her heartbeat racing. “Collin.” Said her tiny voice. Collin thumped her onto the ground and pulled an arrow out of the quiver.

He pivoted on his left foot, knocked the arrow, aimed and fired. Panther hadn’t made a noise as it crouched among the leaves. It sprang into the air and was met by Collin’s arrow. He shot it into the open mouth of the cat, and the cat launched into him and they rolled several feet.

All of this had missed Mindy, she ran to Collin who was unable to breathe considering the cat was crushing him. Mindy kneeled beside him and tried to push the cat off of him. He rolled out from underneath it and stood. He scooped up the mind and hugged her.

He put her on his shoulders and walked home. But Mindy took one look into the forest and she knew she would conquer it when the time was right. But for now, she would not go in the woods.

This is for the CWWC -2017, Challenge 6. For Team Half-Blood. I used all three prompts for this challenge. Let’s be lost.