... assaulted by bears.
'The forest is a treacherous place', that was something that Berwald knew by heart, and with his mother's voice having repeated it to the point of exhaustion, he'd have expected to never be in a situation where he had to prove this claim. But finding himself now completely alone, hungry and exhausted in the middle of the forest was nothing but his own fault. If he hadn't started arguing with his older brother over a stupid thing, maybe now he wouldn't have to roam that huge forest all alone. He wanted to kick himself for having ignored his mother's knowing voice, and let himself be guided solely by his urge to avoid Mathias.
'Always obey your older brother, he knows how to face the forest'. His own selfishness had put him here, Berwald knew he shouldn't have listened to Mathias' stupid comments, let alone get away from him by getting into the forest. Now if there was one thing he was certain about, it was that he was far, very far from his brother. Otherwise, I'd hear his screams, because he was probably calling him somewhere. Mathias' voice was something certainly hard to ignore.
Berwald looked up from the ground when he heard something moving in the distance and stopped short to listen carefully. He appreciated the fact that this season wasn't cold, but that also meant the animals were out there, looking for something to eat after a long winter. The boy concentrated on hearing, and managed to determine that something was effectively out there. Tugging at the edges of his shirt, he inspected the place for whatever was causing that noise. He just hoped it was some peaceful being, like a moose or hopefully, a person.
Feeling his concern diminish a little when he perceived the sound slowly moving away, he focused on continuing with his recognition of the place, making a mental note to be more discreet from now on. He walked for what seemed like hours, without managing to get anywhere and exhausted, Berwald decided to sit against a tree to rest.
He closed his eyes and thought of his family, remembering the petulant smile on his older brother's face and he remembered how he had run into the forest to escape from Mathias' annoying voice. He remembered hearing him yell his name while trying to run without managing to reach him, and he remembered having ignored him to run faster. He was startled from his rest when he heard the sound of footsteps, and opening his eyes he realized he had fallen asleep, although it wasn't dark yet, so he deduced that he hadn't been sleeping for such a long time.
"I have to get out of here fast." He muttered to himself, standing up and shaking the dirt off his clothes, forgetting for a second the steps he had heard.
... Until he saw the bear.
The boy was paralyzed when he visualized (with great difficulty) a large brown bear, walking among the trees towards him. He straightened, breathed out and ignored the instinct to run. He knew that would make things worse.
He stiffened when he learned that the animal was coming directly at him, and closed his eyes tightly the moment it reached him. He could sense how the animal began to sniff him and gave a small sigh of relief when he felt the bear move away from him. But all his hopes disappeared when a strong blow to the chest made him fall to the ground and then a great pain invaded that area.
Berwald opened his eyes and completely terrified saw that the animal was above him, preparing to give him another blow. A cry of pain came from his mouth when the claw went back over his chest and through his clothes, reaching up to the skin.
"No!" He cried as he felt the animal's paws press against his chest and the claws tearing at his flesh as it struck one blow after another to kill him and choked on his own spit, while the smell of blood and damp earth filled his nose, but he could hardly notice that. ain made him brush unconsciousness as the sharp claws pierced his face and the taste of warm blood flooded his mouth as the color and light started fading out. "... Mathias."
Mathias went through that forest for what would be the hundredth time, going a little deeper in the hope of finally finding his brother. Berwald had been missing for two days already, and his mother had asked all the people who lived nearby to help her find her son, after she realized that two people wouldn't be enough to explore the forest. Mathias only hoped that he had been capable enough to use the teachings that several times he had tried to share with him. But little Berwald was so stubborn. Just like his big brother.
He swung the ax from one hand to the other and rested it on his shoulder as he raised his gaze to the trees, wondering if Berwald had remembered that he should climb a tree to avoid-
Thump!
... Bears.
He looked down at the ground beneath him and saw that he had stumbled on something on the ground. Something half buried under the damp earth... that looked a lot like Berwald's coat.
"Oh my God, no..." he exclaimed quietly, dropping the weapon to his side and kneeling over the ground to unearth the garment. He got the shocking surprise of seeing that the clothes were indeed still in Berwald's body. Or, what was left of him.
Feeling that he was about to throw up, Mathias brought his dirt covered hands to his mouth to stifle a gasp as he contemplated what surely was the attack of a hungry bear. He sobbed in horror at the scene of the pale face of his little brother, violently disfigured, covered with dirt and blood and he screwed his eyes shut, refusing to see the work the animal had done on his baby brother's body to reach the best parts to eat.
His mother always told him that the forest was a treacherous place.
