Scott

Oh, where could she have gone off to?

Scott leaned against the nearby tree as he stopped to catch his breath. Nothing was making sense. Looking around, Scott could see no sign that anyone else had come down his way. Cursing his luck, he continued walking; hoping that he might come across something to lead him in the right direction. Ever since he found himself in this forest, things had kept getting weirder and weirder. And then he had found Raven. Scott couldn't help but frown remembering the look Raven and given him when he caught up to her. She had seemed completely terrified, like she'd seen a ghost. Scott had a creeping since of unease imagining what could have happened to trigger that.

And now she's out wondering on her own too... I really hope I find her soon. Scott sighed and looked around once more. Nothing but trees. But what would I even do if I found her? Would she run again? I really wish I knew what was going on.

Then something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. There was a foot path to his left, one that he hadn't noticed before. Scott's hopes raised as he noticed it looked recently used, too. Could Raven have come down this way after all?

As he walked down the path his thoughts went once again to where he had found Raven. He couldn't get the image out of his mind of how beat up she had looked almost as if she had fallen...

No no. that couldn't have been it. He remembered seeing the cliff nearby, but refused to imagine that as a possibility. But then what else could have happened...?

Scott quickly lost his thought as his foot caught on a tree root and he slammed to the ground. He had been so lost in thought he hadn't noticed he was wondering off the path. Wincing as he stood, he tried to rub the mud off the side of his face. His elbow stung slightly, and he noticed it was bleeding a bit from the scrape, but everything else seemed fine. He shook his head as if to try and physically clear his thoughts. He made his way back onto the path and make sure to pay attention this time. He looked around but couldn't see anyone yet. Then to his right a flicker of movement caught his attention.

Raven?

He turned and squinted at the person. Though she seemed far away he was sure it was her. Scott sighed with relief and called out. "Hey Raven! Why did you run before? Look, are you okay? Please believe me, I have no idea what's going on."

He saw her turn towards him, and he started waving his arms to make sure she could see him. He could see she was holding something in her hands, it looked like a rope. She made a gesture as if to beckon him over.

Maybe she found something; what's that rope?

He continued walking down the path, half jogging now to catch up with her.

"Hey Raven what's that you've got there? Did you find someth-AHH"

The last thing he saw was Raven pull on the rope before the ground crumbled beneath his feet. He couldn't help but yell in surprise as he plummeted into the dark. He hit the ground hard and he felt the wind knocked from his lungs. He coughed violently as he tried not to breath in all the loose gravel around him. Once the dust had settled he sat up slowly with a groan. He rubbed the side of his head as it pounded heavily. Looking up all he could see was the top of the trees and the sky. He had fallen pretty far down. It scared him to think that this had to have been pre made. There was no way something like this happened naturally. When he tried to stand, Scott fell back down as a sharp pain shot through is ankle. He must have landed wrong. Trying again, Scott pulled himself up; making sure to lean his weight on the other side. Slowly, he tried putting some pressure back on his left ankle. It still hurt, but he didn't think it was sprained. Looking now, the hole seemed to be about double his own height, so climbing out would prove more difficult then he had hoped.

Raven...no it couldn't have been her... surely it was just a coincidence, right? Or maybe she still didn't trust me? But she couldn't have made this. There's no way that's possible.

Scott looked around him for something he could grab into to climb out. He could see the end of a tree root sticking out one side. Still unable to walk properly, he slowly half limped towards it. It was just out of reach. He tried to jump and grab it, but missed and landed on his left; sending jolts of pain up his leg. Cursing, he tried again, and managed to grab hold of the end. It was just enough that he could reach the top. He tried to pull himself up and stay balanced on the root.

"Raven? Hey, are you still out there? Please help, I can't pull myself up! Raven? Hello?"

No response.

"ANYONE?"

Suddenly he felt the root snap under his weight and couldn't hold his grip. He fell again, but managed to land on his side and rolled to try and break his fall. His only chance of climbing out had broken, and now he was really stuck. Scott decided that it would be much easier to lay there instead of trying to get up again; or at least until everything stopped spinning.