Kari ran through the forest as fast as she could. "I have to keep moving that's all I have to do is just keep moving." Looking up through the branches Kari saw that the sun was going down, she wasn't going to be able to make it home, better to just find shelter for the night and hope nothing bad happened to her. In the fading light she was just able to make out a group of trees whose branches formed a perfect camping spot. Leaning her head against a mossy tree stump Kari bunkered down for the night.
Listening to the sounds of the forest Kari started remembering all the old stories she had heard about this place, girls getting lost in the forest and taken by the hunter god Odane. The god of the hunt took pleasure in hunting lost young girls through the forest abducting them for his own uses. "They're just stories though." Kari said aloud "I mean if the hunter god really was on the hunt we would hear his horn." Moments later a deep rumble note washed over the forest, echoing off of every rock and shaking her to her very core.
Frightened, Kari hugged her knees to her chest, muttering under her breath "it's just a story." to herself over and over. The note came again this time closer; and again, and again, each time moving closer to Kari and her little clearing. Suddenly, all sound stopped. The woods were silent. Kari listened to the woods hearing nothing. Shaking her head "it was all just my imagination." *snap* Sitting bolt upright Kari watched as an enormous figure pushed its way through the branches towards her!
Screaming Kari ran from the clearing not even caring which direction. Running this way and that. Kari tripped on a root and sprawled on the ground. Picking herself up she looked around, seeing nothing in the darkness. "You're very fast." came rumbling from behind her. "It's been a while since I actually had a challenging hunt." Frozen by fear all Kari could do was listen. The voice moved steadily closer. The presence of him heavy in the silent woods. "Tell you what. I'll give you one more chance. If you can get away from me this time I will spare your life and grant you your freedom."
To scared to respond Kari lay frozen on the ground. She could not believe what was happening to her. "RUN!" yelled the voice. Kari sprinted past trees, over rocks, under low branches, she ran through faster than she had ever run before. She ran for what seemed like hours but her surroundings only grew darker and the woods more dense. Finally she could not run anymore. Lying on the ground Kari hoped that she had gotten away. "Not bad. to bad it wasn't good enough." The deep voice seemed to shake her bones.
Hearing his voice again Kari sprang to her feet. Running again she heard his laugh all around her. He seemed to be everywhere in the wood at once. She saw a large tree blocking the path in front of her. No time to go around she vaulted over it. She landed on the other side and felt the the ground beneath her erupt. She screamed as the net pulled her into the tree. Her arms pinned across her chest Kari struggled to free herself. "Please let me go! I don't want to die!"
"Oh I'm not going to kill you. I'm only going to claim my prize." came his amused response from below her. His tone made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as the net was lowered from the tree.
