He nodded and began to climb. He paused suddenly before dropping back to the ground and standing. "Aspen, listen to me," he said urgently. "Stay completely silent, okay?"
She seemed confused before terror crossed her face. She wanted to speak, watching him carefully. She looked afraid.
The bushes around him rustled and a long figure stepped into the open. It was tall and thin, but hunched over, almost walking on all fours. It wore a wooden mask that covered its face, and a loincloth was draped around his hips. He considered August. August was silent, looking back at the figure. The figure clicked once, twice, and then the foliage around them exploded. It happened quickly. Several other beings leaped out, with one bringing a club down on August's head while the others took his feet out from under him.
He didn't fight them as they bound his hands back sharply, one of them brushing through his hair harshly and the other chewing on his fingers for a moment. The leader clicked once more and the others stopped before pulling away, dragging August deeper into the forest.
She opened her mouth and her voice broke slightly. "They took August and it's my fault so we need to get him now and they took him into the woods! They had masks!"
