It had been a week since her encounter with what she could only assume was The Twisted Smile. Emily certainly didn't fall for his "Axel Vexen" name. Something was really off and she knew it was best not to go back. But she would. She had to get her deer this year. She wouldn't return there next year though. At least not for hunting. This would be her last year hunting there. She could go back, however, to explore and hike. After all, he'd said she was welcome to return so long as she didn't kill anything. And if he didn't know about her taking a deer this year, she fully intended to return for recreation.

Emily was on the usual trail to her stand, nearing the abandoned cabins. She paused just at the edge of the clearing, looking at the overgrown structures. She'd been in each of them, taking pictures and notes as well. She'd even rifled through the abandoned belongings on occasion. It was interesting what had been left behind and the stories the belongings told.

Emily saw no one so she hurried through the clearing, not knowing Zahra was in the cabins. She tried to keep her footsteps light, in case he was nearby. She was quickly through the clearing and back in the woods. Emily kept her footsteps quiet and her eyes alert for the strange man. She didn't want him to know she was here.

Emily reached her stand and climbed up, shifting the rifle over her shoulder to make the climb easier. Once she reached the platform, she turned and settled the weapon on her lap as she had last week. She unsnapped her thermos and took a swig of her water. Emily heard a snap from the bushes across from her.

She raised her gun, prepared if it was a deer. Buck or doe, she'd take it. Emily just hoped that being wasn't close. She knew her shot would echo and be heard. But she didn't have a license for a bow so she'd had to return with her rifle.

A decent sized doe stepped out. Emily waited with bated breath for her shot. She needed the doe to get closer and turn so she could get the shot she needed. Emily took the safety off her rifle and aimed a little higher. The doe stepped closer, stopping occasionally to look around for a threat. But she finally stopped to graze. Turning, she presented Emily with the opportunity she needed. Emily pulled the trigger, the shot echoing throughout the forest.

The doe took off, crashing through the underbrush. She didn't make it far, falling and struggling before going still. Emily put the safety back on and waited for the doe to stop twitching before she climbed down from the tree. She hit the ground softly and walked over, kneeling down beside the deer to make sure she was dead. She was. "Thank you for your sacrifice.", Emily whispered, gently stroking her hand along the deer. "Your life will not be taken in vain. You died so I could survive another year. I will not waste any part of you. As that would be a waste of your life.", she said. She knew she'd had to take a deer both to limit the population but also to eat. But that didn't mean she enjoyed the task. Emily didn't do it for a trophy. She did it because it was part of her responsibility as a conservationist and she needed it.

Emily heard something coming before she saw it. But she could guess what it was. She figured it was The Twisted Smile. He'd been closer than she had realized and he'd heard the shot. He was coming for her now. But what stepped out was not the creature she remembered. Nothing could have prepared her for this sight. This was a monster from lore and nightmares. The Twisted Smile's true form. He looked like a half man, half goat. His hooves, hairy misshapen legs and the horns jutting from his head. Those orange eyes she'd but glimpsed before. This was truly frightening.

Emily froze when he roared. Any hope of not being detected and returning here for recreation only vanished. His outraged roar seemed to shake the forest, birds flying up into the sky and small animals racing for cover. It frightened her a little bit but she knew she deserved it.

Emily was about to claim responsibility for her actions when he hit her with the "That deer trusted me and I trusted you not to harm her." That one sunk deep and hurt. She truly regretted returning here now and taking the doe's life. But she doubted that would matter to him. Regret didn't make it right. It didn't bring the doe back.

Emily's actions had shattered the fragile bond of trust Zahra had worked so hard to build with the creatures of the forest. The doe's lifeless form lay before him, a stark reminder of the consequences of Emily's decision. Zahra's gaze bore into her, searching for any sign of remorse or understanding, but all he saw was a defiant stance. His anger simmered beneath the surface, his heart heavy with sorrow and regret.

Emily couldn't let him know she regretted her actions. She had a feeling that would make her look weak and prey-like in his eyes. And she knew she couldn't outrun him on her weak human legs. Emily wondered just how fast those powerful animal-like legs could carry him. He'd likely catch her easily. So she stood tall instead. If he didn't see her as weak, perhaps he'd let her go. She could tell him she was sorry and offer to make restitution once he released her.

Emily's fear reached another level when his eyes seemed to burn brighter in his fury. She tried to keep her tall stance and not cower before him. She thought if she showed an ounce of weakness, he'd kill her without a second thought.

Emily stood her ground when he stepped closer, despite all her instincts screaming at her to run. She stared up into his eyes, not letting an ounce of remorse or fear peek through the windows to her soul. The chilling smile that curled his lips struck another chord inside her, terrifying her to her very soul. There was the Twisted Smile she'd heard legend of. It was cold, calculating and predatory. Perhaps standing her ground hadn't been the best idea. "I-I'm sorry.", Emily said weakly, frightened. "I thanked the doe for her sacrifice. I can't restore her life but I can make good use of her so she didn't die in vain. To leave her here would be a waste of her body and soul. She'd have died for nothing. Let me take her and I promise I will never again hunt here. I will return for exploration and hiking only. I promise never to hunt in your woods again.", Emily said, doing her best not to look into his flaming orange orbs but failing miserably.

Emily cringed under the weight of his tone and words of betrayal. She knew now she'd been very wrong to return here and take a creature's life. She'd infuriated the guardian of this forest. And he was not one to be crossed. She should have listened and heeded his advice the first time. But it was too late now.

Emily didn't say anything more. To say more would make it worse for her, of that she was certain. She listened to him and knew it was wrong of her to kill. Emily knew then she likely wouldn't do it again. She didn't think she could bear to take another animal's life, knowing it meant something to someone. But that didn't mean she wouldn't return to the woods to explore, document and hike.

Emily stood still, letting him spout off. She wasn't going to make it worse by talking. Hearing him tell her to take her kill and leave, she was grateful he was letting her leave again. Alive. And with her kill. But looking at it now, Emily wasn't sure she wanted it. She couldn't stand to look at the poor thing, let alone take it with her to have it processed and force herself to eat it for the next year. She looked up at him, shocked when he said she was no longer welcome here. But she shouldn't have been. Of course he wouldn't welcome her back. Not now. Possibly not ever. Then he was gone with a last enigmatic smile that chilled her to her very core.

Emily wasn't going to waste precious time standing around. He'd said she could go and take the deer with her. She wasn't going to wait for him to change his mind and come back to her. Emily wasn't going to leave her either, knowing he was still watching and thinking he'd be more enraged if she did waste it and leave her here. Reluctantly taking the doe, she drug it with her and beat her retreat from the forest. Emily looked back once after she'd loaded the kill in her truck. Then she got in the cab and left, driving slowly away.

~One year later~

Emily hadn't been back to the forest since that day a little over a year ago. She'd heeded the Twisted Smile's words and had steered clear of his land. It turned out she hadn't been able to process and consume the doe. So she'd donated it to a homeless shelter for food for them.

Emily hadn't applied for a single fishing or hunting license in the past year. She hadn't been able to bring herself to take another life. Not even something as simple as a fish. She'd even become quieter and more goal oriented. Her coworkers and friends had noticed the change. Where she'd been an avid outdoorswoman and hunter before, she wasn't the same person. No one had dared to ask her what had happened in those woods that day.

Emily had kept to herself more this year. She hadn't been hiking or going outside hardly at all. She'd even quit her job as an outdoor tour guide and had started working more inside. Over the course of the past two months, Emily had started getting back into nature. She'd been out hiking and exploring again. Never in his forest though. True to her word, she would never hunt again. That was one thing she vowed never to do again. But she was off today and she was determined to return to his forest. Over the past year, she'd convinced herself it hadn't been real. She hadn't really seen the Twisted Smile. He hadn't threatened her. He hadn't been a monster. He wasn't real. It had been a nightmare, an illusion or even just a figment of her imagination.

Pulling up to the forest in her truck, Emily stopped and parked. She took a few calming deep breaths before she got out and grabbed her backpack. She shouldered it and locked her truck before starting back into the woods it had taken her a year to return to.

Emily tried to keep herself calm as she entered the forest she'd never intended to step foot in again. It hadn't been real. It was a nightmare. Or a figment of her imagination. She was just being silly. It was unusually quiet but maybe that was just because of her presence.

She wandered the familiar paths, heading for the all too familiar abandoned cabins. They were more overgrown than she remembered. But the doors were still open. She went inside, looking to see if anyone else had visited recently. The heavy dust seemed to have been disturbed in places. The furniture was still in its usual places. The utensils, pots, pans and books didn't seem to have moved. With one exception.

Emily stopped at the pile of books. These looked like they'd been disturbed and something seemed to be missing. But she couldn't put her finger on what. Leaving that cabin, she moved on to the second. Then the third. And the fourth was last. Once she left that one, she continued on exploring the woods.

She didn't come with the intent to kill anything. She'd come to explore and get over her fear of these woods. The idea that she'd really seen and interacted with the Twisted Smile couldn't be true. Emily needed to know it hadn't been real. Then she could return to her love of the woods and the Emily she'd once been.

Leaving the clearing with the cabins, she made her way back up her usual path to her old deer stand. It was gone now. Emily told herself it was from a year of being abandoned. But she knew deep down a year wouldn't have taken that much of a toll on a deer stand. Leaving that clearing, she returned to the trail to keep hiking through this forest she'd so feared.