The mountain loomed above the elderly couple and their dog. It was breathtakingly beautiful, taller than all the other mountains. The sun shone above, lighting everything so perfectly in the forest surrounding the spectacle. Birds flittered in the trees, and small insects crawled and flew about. But Courage wasn't paying any mind to the scenery surrounding him and his owners.
Muriel had longed for another vacation from the hot, dry place their home of Nowhere was. She had somehow managed to get Eustace to come as well. This place was very far away from home, and Courage didn't like it. His mind was racing with every little thing that could go wrong while they were here. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, that he didn't notice the tree until he crashed into it. He fell onto his behind with a loud thump that scared a few critters deeper into the trees.
"Are you alright, Courage?" Muriel looked down at him while he rubbed his aching head, moaning. He nodded wearily. Eustace didn't seem to care. He just continued without them, mumbling how he knew he should've been sitting in his chair reading the newspaper. Courage stood up and wondered how things could possibly get worse. He trotted back to Muriel, who was a few feet ahead, and they continued down the trail.
The elevation of their path quickly steepened in less than a few meters. It was becoming increasingly difficult for Courage to keep up with Muriel. His gaze suddenly spotted a rickety sign up ahead. It stated in big, red, slightly faded words, "Danger: All who climb Mt Ebott will never return." A chill ran up his spine. He grabbed at Muriel's apron and pointed at the sign, speaking incomprehensible dog gibberish as he tried to warn her of certain danger.
"Don't be silly, Courage. I'm sure that whoever wrote that didn't mean it." She sounded unconcerned. "How would we have gotten those tickets to fly here if it wasn't safe? The man who gave them to us seemed real kind." Courage wanted to stop the vacation right now and fly right back home, where it was safe. He had been on enough trips to know that something ALWAYS happens while they are on one. But he just sighed and walked on.
"I just know something bad is going to happen." He bemoaned under his breath, not loud enough for his kind owner to hear. He was also realizing how exhausted he was already by the steep incline. He took a swig of water and looked up at the bright blue sky, wishing that the trail would end. The sun blazed down on his back. There were no more trees, as they had reached the treeline. Now there were only small bushes, practically hanging on for dear life on the side of the trail.
He stepped a ways ahead of Muriel, checking for any kind of danger, when suddenly, he tripped over a vine and tumbled down a hole he didn't notice when he was scanning for trouble. "Courage!" Muriel called out, sounding distressed and clearly worried. But he kept falling.