Notes: Thanks to tumblr user Redbreloom for the idea! :)

Also, as always, the name "Clover" is a fan-nickname and therefore in no way canon.

One day, father and daughter had an argument. She ran away into the woods in anger, he ran after her to find her before she got lost. She went deeper into the woods, not wanting to be found just yet. Not now, not before she calmed down a bit.

Eventually, she slowed down to catch her breath while walking. While she still could see the sky through the leafless branches above her, the setting sun was no longer visible. Soon, the very first stars of the night would appear.

Though, right after they did, Clover reached a part of the forest which was so dense she could no longer take a step without feeling a low branch or two try to grab her as though they wanted to prevent her from ever leaving. She stopped and pushed away one that was ripping through her clothes and took a good look around her.

The girl could no longer see the path she came from. It was this way, right? All she had to do was going back the way she came and she would be home safe again, away from the forest and right next to a warm fire in the fireplace. She'd apologise to her father and everything would be back to normal.

…Right?

The forest was dead silent and the twisted branches of the trees were still trying to reach her… wait, no, they were just shaking in the cold wind, weren't they? Then why did this simple motion felt so threatening?

And what was that light that just appeared nearby? Was there someone here? Maybe they could light the way for her?

"Hello?" the girl called, advancing towards the light.

She spotted a vague silhouette in the shadows with two bright lights where eyes would be, and a third one, an unusually bright lantern, hanging slightly to the left on what she assumed were branches.

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. She could feel thousands of souls and yet she couldn't see any other person or creature around beside this one.

Thousands of souls, some screaming, some crying, all of them unable to make a single sound.

The shadows moved, and so did the light, both advancing towards Clover.

The latter screamed in terror and ran as far away from this… this thing as she could, not caring anymore about the branches ripping up her clothes and cutting her face as she fled.

She ran for what felt like an eternity… until, finally, the path got clearer, the trees sparser, the night sky got clearly visible once more and her home appeared at last.

She rushed through the still open door and closed it behind her before allowing herself to catch her breath and then sat on the floor, her back to the wall. Whatever she saw, she had no doubt it was the reason why she'd always been told not to go into the woods alone.

Now her breath was almost back to normal but her heart was still beating insanely fast.

"Father?" she called.

He wasn't home. He must be still looking for her. In the dark woods. With that thing haunting it.

Oh no.

She had to go back and find him before it was too late!

The girl stood up, walked to the fireplace and grabbed the fire iron before remembering there was a better weapon she could use : the spare axe in the woodshed.

Once she had it in her hands, she went back to the woods right outside her home, holding her weapon firmly in her hands.

"Father!" she called, taking a few steps into the forest.

As she was about to call again, she froze. It was here. But the lantern wasn't for some reason. Just a pair of glowing eyes in the middle of the shadows to her right… and all those souls trapped within the creature those eyes belonged to.

"Entering my forest again, child?" it said in a deep, poised voice while slightly tilting its head to the side. "If you wish to become part of it, just say so."

"What are you? Where's my father?" Clover asked, brandishing her weapon in front of her.

The thing didn't move.

"They call me the Beast" it replied. "I am the master of this forest. As for you… I'm afraid you'll never see your father again."

"What have you done to him?" the girl shouted, swinging the heavy axe at the Beast but missing.

"I haven't done anything to him. But this isn't the right question. The right question is 'what has he done?'"

Clover had heard enough nonsense : she started walking away and into the woods ; however the monster's next words made her stop :

"Are you really ready to risk your own life and soul for a father who has just abandoned you?"

She turned to the Beast again to state :

"He didn't abandon me. Father would never do that. He's looking for me right now!"

"I know everything that happens in my forest, child. And I know he won't return."

"He will! You'll see!"

"Telling yourself that will not make it come true."

Clover already couldn't see much of the Beast before, but now tears were blurring her vision, making it so easy for the monster to evade her attacks as she swung the axe once more.

When her blade got struck into the bark of a tree, the Beast spoke again, still in the same calm tone :

"No need for violence, child. If you don't believe me, why don't you wait for him?"

Clover waited all night and day. Neither her father nor the Beast showed up.

For the first time, she was truly alone.

Maybe her father lost his way at some point? No, he knew this part of the woods better than her : if she could find her way back, so could he. Then where was he? He couldn't have just left her! He could never do such a thing!

…Could he?

He probably just went a bit too far into the forest and therefore was taking longer to come back. That or the Beast did something… and in that case, she would make it… or him? She would make him pay for whatever he did.

The sun was setting once more and the air got too cold for the girl to be sitting outside any longer, so she decided to continue waiting inside. She lit a fire in the fireplace and carefully listened for any sound that might come from outside, however all she could hear was the crackling sounds the flames made as they licked the firewood. She held her hands in front of the fire until she could feel her fingers again.

Was her father out there in the cold? Did he find refuge? Did that monster took him away? He claimed he didn't do anything, but could she trust the words of a creature who stole so many souls? 'Cause he must have stolen them, having that many within one body simply couldn't occur naturally. She couldn't even tell which soul was his own!

Wait a minute. Could he have stolen her father's too? Lost among so many others, it might have been almost impossible to find it right away.

If the Beast showed up again, she would pay closer attention. Then make him give back what he stole.