It's been more than two days since your mom left the lair. She told you she was going hunting and that she was going to come right back with a fresh kill and then the two of you would eat it together. You were hoping it would be deer this time, or the ones that had that soft, white stuff all over their body, sheep, you think your mom called them. But it's now the morning of the third day and still no sign of her. She told you not to leave the lair under any circumstances, that it's not safe out there in the forest, that you're not big enough to go out on your own. Every night she would tell you stories about the all the things lurking out there. Slimy geckos that cling to trees, waiting to drop on unsuspecting victims. Crab spiders that can change the color of their bodies to make themselves invisible, to ambush their prey from above. Giants that dwell in the foothills and roast disobedient cublets over their roaring fires. And, of course, the most dangerous creature of all: the 'venturers, with their sharp, shiny tools and their hard shells, who won't even kill you sometimes, but will bring you to a fate worse than death (what that fate was, your mom never bothered tell you, but you think it might have something do with why your dad's gone).

The lair is safe, and as long as you're in the lair, you're safe too. But you're hungry. You've eaten up all the food that was in here, picked every bone clean, and then even chewed up the bones. You're scared too. Maybe one of those creatures got your mom. Something that attacked her from above. Or maybe a 'venturer took her away. Sometimes they'll leave nasty traps in the forest, sharp little mouths without eyes or tongue that bite down hard and never let go. Or a mess of chains that hold you fast, tangle you up—until they come for you. What if she's hurt and she needs your help? And you're so, so hungry...

What do you do?
>Wait till dark, your mom always went out to hunt in the dark
>Take the familiar trail to the river; you've caught fish there before with your mom
>Try to follow your mom's scent, even though it leads deeper into the forest
>Write-in