AN: This is the last chapter of the Mirror Lake story. What did you guys think about the weekly uploads? If people like it I may incorporate it into my future stories. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of the story in the comments!
*****
I picked up my pace, now desperate to find my way home. I heard a branch snap behind me and I turned to look. There it was again, and this time it was definitely coming towards me. I realized now that I was mistaken. It was not a bear at all, but an enormous wolf. But it wasn't like any wolf I've ever seen. It made sense that I had mistaken it for a bear, the immense size, the large muscles...I couldn't believe my eyes.
I turned around and started walking again, and I could hear it following me, almost lazily. I started to veer left, into an area with large bushes, hoping that I had just been in the way. A few minutes passed and I breathed a sigh of relief until I heard the distinct sound of movement as the wolf brushed up against branches and leaves. I looked back and saw the bear again, this time even closer. I was being stalked. My breath caught in my throat as the horror of the situation caught up to me. Oh god. Oh god. My body felt numb as my feet continued to stumble across leaves and branches. My eyes scanned the area, looking for a place to hide, or a tree to climb, anything. The trees around me were short and had very few branches, they would be of no use to me. Then I spotted a familiar boulder. I was going the right way!
Instinctively I broke into a run, flying over terrain in my desperate attempt to reach the cabin. I could hear crashing noises behind me in the bush. I could see the cabin in the distance, I was almost there. Then it hit me. I let out a shriek as I hit the ground. Pain exploded in my chest and I saw stars. For a moment all I could think of was the excruciating pain. When it faded my mind registered a cold nose pressing against the back of my neck, sniffing me. I could feel the heavy fur on my body. I couldn't move, I was frozen in shock. I shut my eyes. I could hear the bear breathing loudly, the sounds reverberating in my own chest. I could smell its hot breath, humid and surprisingly, with a scent of raspberries. I felt a hot, wet tongue against the back of my neck and I let out a whimper. The licking stopped. The heavy fur moved away, and then the bear started to move away. I could hear it rustling branches and snapping twigs further and further away.
I lay there, listening to the absolute silence of the forest. The first chirp of a bird was like a signal. Soon the forest was flooded with bird songs again. And still I laid there, afraid of moving a single muscle. After a while I felt my body start to cramp from being stiff for so long. I pushed myself up and grimaced in pain. Small rocks had embedded themselves into my palms, and I was bleeding. Seeing them made the pain more pronounced and I let out a small sob. My chest still hurt from when I fell, I knew I would have bruises. But still...I was alive! I stumbled to my feet, and staggered back to the cabin. I gingerly opened the patio door and walked inside. "Nat? Alex?" I called out.
"Where have you been?" Alex walked over, surprised. "How did-" I clasped her in a heavy hug, breaking down and crying.
"What..." Alex hugged me back, soothing me. "Hey...it's ok." She led me to the couch so I could sit down. "Your hands..." She frowned and got up, immediately going to the kitchen. She returned with a first aid kit. As she cleaned off my hands I told her about the bear. "Well I'm glad you're ok." She said with a sigh of relief, hugging me again.
