Mothers Bait

Dusk had already settled, and the world grew dim. Mother had already began the destination for home, swift and true for her children. She had worked all day to make sure she could provide and provide she did. Sure things hadn't been the same since father had left, but things were fine. They were always fine enough, provided she could see her children.

Upon arrival at home though, she counted 3. Three children, there were supposed to be four... She had four kids after all, she called out for her child. Her voice rasping in the cold frost bitten wind. Nothing. She called out again, desperate to try and find her child. Nothing again, well at least nothing for several moments... Then she heard it, the distinct sound of her child. She called back but from a sizable distance, it mustn't be too far away. She still sounded somewhat near albeit some distance... She began rushing towards it, heart beating and in sensory overload mode. Her eyes darting as she made her way through the pines and coniferous trees of the forest. 

She swore she must have lost the direction of where it came from, but then when she was sure it was for naught there it was again. The yelp from her child. She rushed once again, this time much closer. Maybe 50 feet away or closer. She called out one last time to finalize a location with her heart sinking deeper in her chest, like a sand pit swallowing a full grown bison. Stuck and sinking quickly with every struggle and muscle spasm was another assurance of doom that this would be their eternal tomb. She thought deeply about what had happened to her child to bring them this far from home. What would make them wander this deep into the woods?

BANG

"Damn, Chuck. I didn't think that there Crow call would actually work on these birds they seemed too smart..."

"Hah, yeah. Me neither, funny thing isn't it?"