“Out of the way, those doughnuts are mine!” Prue called as they dashed on.

But the fog was getting thicker, making it nearly impossible to see. They came to a standstill and looked around.

“I can barely see you,” Edwin called.

Prue scanned the clearing. She couldn’t hear the hoppity wrench any more. She caught sight of Edwin, low to the ground a short distance from her feet, then the shapes of Agapantha and … she froze. There was another shape in the white.

Around ten paces away, the branches moved, twisting as though suddenly alive. The hair on her arms rose. She watched the trees intensely, trying to see through the fog. There wasn’t a breath of wind, yet she was certain they were moving

“I think we should go back,” Prue whispered.

There was a rustling sound.

The branches moved again, separating from the trees. A creature emerged from the thick fog and stood facing them just ten paces away. It looked almost human in body, but taller and sinewy, with hard lines and skin tough and cold as bone. Great stag-like antlers extended from its head, its face a featureless skull with hollow eyes a glow of blood red within. Its extended arms hung at its side. Great clawed hands twitched.

There was a terrifying moment when none of them could move, then Agapantha cried out and it bounded towards them and they were running back, frantic breath steaming into the chill air. Branches snagged and snatched at them as the crunch of pounding feet and the whip of branches chased them through the undergrowth. Agapantha fell and Prue turned swiftly to help her, catching another glimpse of the fearsome stag-man in the fog hurtling towards them. But there was no time to take anything else in. Agapantha was up, and again they ran, but where was Edwin? Branches were coming at her suddenly through the mist and she took a swift turn away from Agapantha to dodge a fallen tree. Onwards she ran, but she was tiring rapidly and stumbled on a rock. Her knees buckled. She fell, hitting her head. Pain seared. She put her hand to it; thankfully, there was no blood. Hurriedly, she looked to her side for one of the others, but there was no one there.

No one except the stag-man, which was now standing barely ten paces away and looking right at her.

Her belly tightened as she took in the terrifying creature.

It let out a rasping, angry sound and stepped towards her.

She edged backwards, her muscles weak with fear, her heart hammering against her ribs.

It took another step. Its antlers were like sharpened chisels. It drew back, about to jump.