Burning Tiger

The sky was painted black and the only light came from the faintly glowing stars. The new moon was hidden under the' ghostly clouds. Her eyes widened further but she could not make out what was in front of her. The sound of the raving river was the only thing that kept her on track. Tears threatened to creep their way out of her eyes but she pushed them down, willing herself to be strong.

She wasn't making any progress. Her pace was slow and laborious; her face beaded with sweat. In every step a new wave of pain exploded throughout her legs swiftly flowing through the rest of her body. It felt like climbing the rungs of a tall ladder using nothing but your arms. The fear of falling into unknown depths was the only thing keeping you alive.

A low growl sounded throughout the forest. It rang out piercing the darkness like a silver arrow. An arrow headed to rip out her heart and soul. Akira's stride hastened, the animal which made that sound could not be far behind. With only the light of the stars and the moon guiding her, Akira tried to propel her branch forward. She did with such a force that it snapped in two, leaving Akira to tumble straight to the ground where a jagged rock was waiting to slice her.