The lush, green scenery rushed passed Tara's open window. Her book lay forgotten on the seat where her sister and twin used to sit. Emotions rushed in her head. There was definitely excitement, but also a dull sadness and a trace of fear too. With fingers shaking from the coldness, she wound up her window. "How much longer?" she asked. Her grandma turned around. "About an hour." she confirmed. Tara sighed. She was tired and cramped from the long car ride.

When the car finally slowed and pulled into the camping grounds, Tara immediately noticed that thick trees surrounded them and foliage covered the ground. She pushed open the car door and straight away, the freezing air knocked the breath out of her. Her grandad handed her a fluffy jacket. She slipped it on and shoved her hands into the pockets. The area was deserted. It wasn't the best time for camping.

As soon as it was unlocked, Tara bolted inside the caravan. She claimed a whole bunk bed for herself, painfully remembering that Kyra always chose the top. Tara left the top bunk free. Before she had finished unpacking her luggage, her grandma called her outside. Bracing herself for the cold, she stepped out of the door.

Her grandma looked up from her knitting. "We need some fire wood," she said, "I would usually ask your grandad, but he's very tired and resting." Tara nodded, keen to explore. "Don't go far; stay where we can see you," her grandma warned. "I will," promised Tara, and she set off towards the trees.

Carefully avoiding the darker areas, Tara made her way through the woods, picking up sticks as she went. It was eerily silent except for the occasional snap of a stick or a bird call. Tara shivered. The woods had a creepy miasma lurking around the ancient trees and shadows. A small squeal escaped from her mouth as she walked into a spider web. Shaken, she started to peel off the thin strands of web clinging to her.

Instantly, her urge to explore vanished as fear settled in. She realized that she could no longer see the camp site, and that many unfriendly creatures could be residing in the darkness. She hugged her arms around herself, and took a deep breath. Putting one foot in front of the other, she retraced her steps.

Following the small footprints embedded in the snow, Tara slowly but surely became colder and colder. She glanced up, and realized with a jolt that the sun was sinking behind the trees. Clutching her bundle of sticks and twigs, she began to run.

After ten more minutes, she became desperate. The scenery looked unfamiliar and she had a horrible feeling that she was traveling deeper into the woods. She stopped running, panting for breath, and leant against a tree for support.

She frantically racked her brain for a plan, any plan, to escape the never-ending woods. She shoved a hand into her pocket, only to discover that her phone was back in the caravan. She felt her heart drop out of her stomach, and feeling dizzy with exhaustion and worry, she sank to the floor and buried her head in her hands.

Shortly, a wind picked up and Tara felt her hair being whipped around in the blast. The temperature plummeted and Tara shivered violently. Opening one eye, she discovered that the trees were bathed in darkness. She needed to find her way out.

Dragging herself to her feet, she studied the path of footprints stretched out in front of her. Her eyes grew wide. She took a tentative step forward, aligning the footprint with her own foot. She then realized that the footprint was much, much smaller than her own foot. And then it dawned on her. She hadn't been following her own footprints. These belonged to someone else.

Struck with horror and with no other plan of survival, Tara carried on following the footprints, hoping that they would lead her to help. The wind howled in her ears and stars shone above. She hung her head and forced herself to carry on walking.

Tara stopped abruptly. She stared, dumbfounded, at the ground. Unless her eyes were playing tricks on her from tiredness, the footprints were changing.

They were gradually growing in size and changing shape. Heart pounding, Tara ran forward a few paces. She could now distinguish three individual pads and imprints in the snow that looked frighteningly like claws...

They were paw prints.

She screamed.

--------

Kyra felt herself being tossed around violently through the air, colour whirling around her. All of a sudden it stopped, and Kyra felt herself hit the ground. The woman and the girl had disappeared, and she was alone in the cave with the flickering candle.

Kyra dashed through the winding tunnels, sprinting with all of her strength. She needed to get to Anika before it was too late.

Eventually, a dim light appeared in the distance. Putting on a burst of speed Kyra reached the end of the tunnel and tumbled into the clearing. Getting to her feet, she started to run again, ignoring the pain in her muscles and the cold air biting her lungs.

The forest rushed passed her in a blur of green and brown. Her stomach roared with hunger but she pressed on. She was dimly aware of another set of paw prints beside her, and she knew that they belonged to her.

Where was Anika?

Skidding to a halt, Kyra stood, panting, and scanned the area. A campfire lay before her and to her left, a makeshift tent lay in ruins. Kyra recognized it as the place she and Anika had camped. Shocked, Kyra realized that she must have been gone for days. That vision in the cave must have gone for longer that I had thought.

Anxiety building inside her, she sniffed the air for Anika's scent, but the charcoal from the fire and the heavy blanket of snow overruled Kyra's sense of smell. She padded around the area, searching for her sister. She looked in the remains of the battered tent but found no trace of Anika.

If she did not find her soon, it would be too late.