I dug my hooves into the dirt to stop my movement towards the daunting cliff in front of me. I bent my head down and my breath came out ragged. I had lost them for now, but they’d pick my scent up again soon enough.

I guess I should explain what’s going on. What your witnessing is history in the making- the first person to escape The Woods. We’re not supposed to leave, but that’s just because we’re “monsters”.

I’m a centaur- a pretty darn handsome one if I do say so myself. Long, chestnut hair with a tail to match, a decently toned chest, and deep forest green eyes. While we’re at it, I’ll tell you my name as well- Bane Leran.

563 years ago, the humans and the elves made an alliance and worked together to imprison everyone and everything they considered “monsters”. Over time, we began to attack their sentries, bomb their camps, and like I’m doing right now- escape.

Rumors of a safe haven beyond The Woods spread like wildfire throughout the forest. We began to prepare for a mass breakout. But just a mere 30 minutes ago, they found out and we made a run for it. Halfway to the border, we got separated by the dire wolves that ended up working for the elves.

I look over the edge. The calm river of The Woods morphed into a cascading rush of water that rushed down to the earth, where there waited open land and a greater and brighter forest than the one I stood on the edge of at that very moment.

A small grin crept onto my face. All of our blood, sweat, and tears came down to this chance at freedom. I heard howling behind me-𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑡. I need to do something, and do it fast. But what could I do? Dire wolves behind me, thick forest that’s ridiculously hard to maneuver through, and one heck of a drop in front of me. 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡.

That’s it. That’s what I needed. One small, sliver of hope that could possibly be my only way out. The rustling in the vegetation behind me grew alarmingly loud. I let out a breath. It’s now or never. I ran forwards and took the mightiest leap outwards that I could muster just as a multitude of snarling beasts with dark patchy pelts came into view.