The Starry Sky

2- A Frightful Night

Gray's heart pounded in his chest as he woke up to the sound of approaching footsteps. He nudged his mother, who was sleeping soundly beside him, and watched as she stirred awake, her ears pricked up in alarm.

Gray's voice trembled as he whispered, "Mom, what's that sound?"

Without a word, his mother put a paw over his mouth, signaling him to be quiet. She listened intently for a moment, and then spoke in a hushed tone. "Gray, those are human footsteps. You need to listen to me very carefully."

Gray's heart raced as he wondered what could be happening. Gray's mind raced as he tried to think of what could be happening. Were they in danger? Were the humans after them?

"What do we do?" he whispered back, his voice shaking.

His mother's eyes bore into his own. "You need to run as fast as you can and find a safe place to hide. I will come find you later."

As his mother spoke those words, Gray saw a fierce determination in her eyes, and he knew that she was willing to risk everything to keep him safe. He could feel the urgency in her voice and the gravity of the situation. Gray shook his head frantically. "But what about you?"

"I will be fine," his mother reassured him. "Just run and don't look back."

"But..." Before Gray could finish speaking, there was a rustling noise in the bushes. Suddenly, a hunter rushed out with a gun in their hand. Gray's mother pushed him away just in time as the hunter fired a shot. "Run!" she screamed, pushing him towards safety. Gray stumbled and fell, his heart aching with fear and sadness. He looked back and saw the hunter reloading his gun, a cruel glint in his eye.

But then Gray saw something that made his blood run cold: his mother lay motionless on the ground, a small trickle of blood oozing from a wound in her side. Gray felt a deep sense of sorrow wash over him, realizing that his mother had given her life to save him.

With tears in his eyes, Gray forced himself to his feet and ran as fast as he could. The hunter chased after him, firing shots that just missed their target. He continued to run, feeling terrified and alone. Gray could feel the panic rising in his chest, but he kept running. His leg suddenly seared with pain, and he realized that he had been hit by a bullet. He stumbled and fell to the ground, feeling weak and helpless. As he limped along, Gray saw a tree hole and quickly ran into it. The hunter didn't see it, he circled the tree a few times and then left.

Gray felt a deep sense of sadness and pain. He could hear his mother's voice in his head, telling him to stay strong and survive. Despite the pain, Gray knew that he had to be brave and face the challenges ahead. He fell asleep, hoping that tomorrow would bring a better day.