Lost Protocol

The Guardian Falls

Nightfall descended upon the forest, shadows stretching like dark sentinels over the camp. Exhaustion weighed heavy on the group, yet they welcomed the peaceful night. The forest, now quiet and still, felt eerily safe compared to the chaos they had experienced earlier. One by one, they drifted into uneasy sleep, cocooned in the faint warmth of their shelter.

By morning, the forest came alive again. The crisp air buzzed with distant rustling, birds singing from unseen branches. Carrie, fully recovered from her ordeal, stretched, her energy restored. She stood, a quiet resolve in her posture, the pain from her wounds no longer visible.

They feasted on the fruits they had gathered the day before, eating until their hunger was satisfied. As they packed the remaining food into Laura's expertly woven sacks, a sense of readiness filled the group.

"I think it's time to move," Laura announced while standing, her gaze scanning the dense wall of trees ahead.

Logan nodded. "Everyone set?"

Joe and Carrie echoed their agreement in unison, and the group began their journey once again. The massive gorilla, Coco, their unlikely protector, followed at a distance, its presence comforting despite their initial wariness.

As they pressed forward, Coco
suddenly veered off the path, disappearing into the thick forest. The group paused, watching it vanish, assuming it had returned to its home. But the sense of relief was short-lived.

Barely a few minutes had passed when the earth rumbled beneath their feet, and a deep growl shattered the fragile peace.

"My god," Laura whispered, her voice trembling as her eyes locked onto a terrifying sight ahead.

A massive bear loomed in their path, its fur bristling, teeth bared in a snarl. The sheer size of the beast sent a shiver through the group.

Joe backed up, fear flashing across his face. "It's going to eat us!"

Before the bear could lunge, the trees erupted with movement. The gorilla burst through, charging with the force of a hurricane. It collided with the bear in a flurry of primal strength. The gorilla's massive fist crashed against the bear, sending it sprawling back, dazed and disoriented.

With a pained roar, the bear scrambled into the bushes, retreating in agony. Coco stood victorious, its breath heavy, its eyes scanning the forest as if ensuring the threat was gone. But, without a sound, Coco turned and vanished once more into the trees, disappearing as mysteriously as it had arrived.

They continued onward, shaken yet
relieved. After hours of walking, they stumbled upon a cascading waterfall, its cool waters tumbling from a large rock formation. The group paused there, refreshing themselves, replenishing their energy with food from the sacks.

As dusk settled in, they huddled together and built another makeshift tent. Darkness crept into the forest, and the sounds of nocturnal creatures began to echo around them. Logan found it difficult to sleep, the thrill of the unknown and the danger stirring something deep inside him-a thrill he couldn't quite explain, yet couldn't ignore.

At around 3 a.m., a sound tore through the night. A deep, earth-shaking thud reverberated through the ground, startling them awake.

"What was that?" Carrie whispered, fear lining her voice.

Logan's eyes moved toward the forest. "I don't know... but it's close."

Another crash followed, this time accompanied by the groaning sound of trees being uprooted. Joe's face paled as he pointed toward the source of the noise. "It's... it's coming from the forest."

Peeking through the tent flaps, what they saw chilled them to their bones. A towering figure stood in the clearing, humanoid in shape but monstrous in strength. It yanked a tree from the earth with terrifying ease. Though it appeared man-like, something unnatural and sinister clung to its presence-this was no human