Dawn had not yet broken when Flame woke up with a start. There was the scrunching of leaves just outside their den. Suddenly, a ball of spikes and leaves fell in and Prickly came slowly out of it. He had a message for the cubs from their mother: the scythemen were coming, and the trees where they had lived had been chopped down, their dens filled in. And worse, they had dogs on their trails, as well as an all-new evil. As a result of this, they had to move on, and quickly. Flame immediately woke his siblings, who packed their bags and followed Prickly out of the burrow, before bounding out over the muddy ground to Farmer’s fields. Rain soaked them to the bone as a sudden shower struck, causing them to shiver and shake. With their camouflage now gone, they had to rely on their speed and wits. As Obar glanced behind himself he noticed four sets of paws, and knew they had to be careful; now it would be easy for the scythemen to track them down. They knew they’d be safer when they reached their destination – the evil from the opposite side of the forest weren’t welcome there. Then, at last, they saw the fences of Farmer’s fields. 

As night fell, the cubs noticed a rickety old barn near the farmhouse. They leapt through a hole in the large barn doors and dodged sleeping cows, until they reached an ancient ladder leading to the hayloft. They climbed to the top and wobbled along the loose floorboards, before huddling together in some hay that looked as if it had been there for eternity. They listened to the boom of thunder nearby, and the rats squeaking fearfully, frantically searching for a way out. The barn creaked as the wind shoved it and the rain pelted down upon it, as sharp as shark’s teeth. Flame crept out, hoping to get food. Outside, there was a large bin piled high with rotten fruit, veg and meat. Inside, the cub’s stomachs rumbled. With enough to eat enough to eat for him and his siblings, the young cub was about to head back when he heard mutterings close by, and approaching footsteps coming ever closer. Lightning flashed, revealing a silhouette walking slowly towards him…