You feel the cold night air biting at your skin as your father clutches you tightly against his chest, his heart pounding in rhythm with the frantic rush of your escape. Each step he takes through the dense underbrush sends tremors of fear coursing through you, although you are still too young to fully understand the danger that looms just beyond the shadows.
"Ezra," he whispers your name, a promise and a prayer all at once. "Stay close to me. No matter what happens, you must stay close."
The woods around you are alive with sounds — the rustle of leaves, the distant howls of wolves, and the incantations of witches echoing in the air. You're aware of the weight of the world pressing down on your father's shoulders, the tension radiating from him like a wildfire.
"Why are they chasing us?" you want to ask, but your voice is too small, lost in the cacophony of the night. Instead, you cling to him tighter, feeling his warmth seep into your skin, a shield against the encroaching darkness.
He stumbles, and for a brief moment, panic flashes across his face. "I won't let them take you," he vows, his voice steady despite the fear flickering in his eyes. "I promise."
Suddenly, you hear the crack of a branch, and your father's head snaps toward the sound. "Go!" he shouts, urgency lacing his tone. "Run!"
But where? You're just a baby, cradled in his arms, and the world is nothing but shadows and fear. You don't understand the peril you're in, the price your father is willing to pay to keep you safe.
Then, from the shadows, a figure emerges — a hunter, a friend. "Take him!" Your father's voice rises, desperate and commanding. "You have to protect him!"
You're thrust into the hunter's arms, the warmth of your father's cloak replaced by the rough fabric of a stranger. "I'll keep him safe," the hunter promises, his voice steady. "I swear it."
Your father's eyes meet yours one last time, and you see the love and fear mingling within them. "Ezra," he breathes, and in that moment, you feel the weight of the world shift.
Before you can comprehend what's happening, your father spins around, confronting the darkness coming for you both. "Leave my son alone!" he roars, his voice echoing through the trees.
"Run!" he shouts again, and you feel the urgency in his command. The hunter begins to move, carrying you away from the chaos, away from the man who gave you life.
"Daddy!" you want to cry, but your voice is swallowed by the night. You twist in the hunter's arms, desperate to catch one last glimpse of him.
The last sight you have is of your father leaping into the fray, a figure of defiance against the encroaching danger. As the sounds of battle erupt behind you, the hunter carries you deeper into the woods, the world around you becoming a blur of shadows and whispers.