A scream echoed through the dense woodland, birds scattering at the shrill sound. Another cry, briskly cut off. Two men jumped, hunting rifles in hand, and glanced at one another.
"W-what was that?" One said, his youthful eyes widened in panic.
The other man, older and greying, remained silent as he looked into the distance. Motioning with his hand, he set off in the direction he believed the cry had come from. With incredible swiftness for a man of his age, he quickly made his way through the trees until a small clearing was visible up ahead. His younger companion stayed close, his breath ragged from the fast pace and the persistent feeling of dread.
The older man's hand shot out, signalling that it was time to stop. Towards the far side of the clearing was a child, motionless on the earth. The two approached with caution, but the older man launched into a jog as he noticed something. The girl was wounded.
"Call an ambulance, now!" He barked, dropping to his knees by her side. "Check to see if anyone else is around, but be careful, keep your gun to hand."
He turned to the girl, leaving the other man to do as instructed. She was young, no more than 10 he estimated. Pretty, blonde, with porcelain skin, and covered in blood. She wore a flowing pink dress, a dress up outfit probably, but an incredible quality one. The skirt was torn and splattered with mud, her hair matted and tangled, covering one of her closed eyes.
Three distinct gashes on the side of her forearm stood out, as if she had desperately made a vain attempt to defend herself against a formidable enemy. It became immediately apparent that this small child had found herself helpless at the claws of a wild beast, most likely a bear of some sort. Her basic instinct to raise an arm in defence had possibly saved her from a more fatal wound, but the damage would still be irreparable. Another set of injuries on her ribcage, almost identical, were visible through the torn fabric of her dress. The blood had pooled around the grass beneath her, still oozing in a seemingly endless stream.
Nevertheless, she was alive and breathing. Hope remained as the man placed his hands on her ribcage, pressing down with such force he feared he would snap the child in two. But it was working, even if only a little. The younger man returned quickly, lingering at the side of the pair on the ground.
"I'm going to try and keep pressure on this until the ambulance gets here." He muttered, sweat beading on his brow.
The younger man nodded, moving closer as he pulled a canteen of water from his belt. Pouring some over the girl's face, he wiped away the blood and dirt from her pale skin. "There isn't anyone else out here, she can't be alone, not a girl her age." He murmured, concern playing on his delicate features.
"This is a hunting ground," the older man grunted, "no place for kids."
He frowned in response, softly brushing the girl's golden curls to one side, he noticed something else. A large pendant on a golden chain lay beside her throat, speckled with blood. He ran a finger over the smooth blue stone, surrounded by gold. Curious, he picked it up and leaned in closer. As far as he could tell this was a fine piece of jewellery, and the thought of a child possessing such a thing puzzled him. Turning it over in his hand, he observed an engraving in decorative lettering.
Peach. 14.07.1993