Ethan had only meant to follow the narrow trail for a short distance, but the dark forest seemed to swallow the path whole. Moonlight struggled to pierce the thick canopy, leaving him surrounded by shifting shadows and twisted branches. Every direction looked the same. He turned left, then right, trying to retrace his steps, but the trail had vanished. The deeper silence became unbearable, broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath his boots and the frantic pounding of his heart. Soon, panic crept in as he realized he had completely lost his sense of direction. As Ethan spun around searching for a landmark, something cold and rough suddenly wrapped around his torso from behind. Gnarled, bark-covered arms tightened like a vice, dragging him backward into the darkness. He caught a glimpse of glowing eyes peering from a face woven from moss and twisted wood. The tree creature let out a low, creaking groan as its branches curled around him. Terror exploded through Ethan's body, and he screamed his lungs out, the desperate cry echoing through the forest. The sound bounced between the trees, but no answer came, only the creature's relentless grip pulling him deeper into the night.