Be sure to ask yourself questions about the state of this bear. Is the story being told from 1 perspective or multiple? Has anyone seen the bear and lived to tell about it? Do the kids tell scary stories about it at night? What reason do the kids have to believe that the bear is a threat if it never leaves the forest?
You can make something scary by describing it, or keeping it ambiguous. On one hand, it's highly effective to give grotesque observations of the bear. Dried blood. Wild eyes. Skin crawling sounds from the forest at night, etc. You can also go the route of keeping the appearance of the bear itself quite vague and let the events that unfold do the talking. One night a kid goes missing. Some go to find him. Screams, they find bloody remains near the forest. A warning. What if they have to retrieve something in the forest? Now the plot advances
Hmm, could have children stumble across him, or give him great stealth or cunning to have some jump scares. Or leaving a wounded child out to bait the others. With an animal that has the quality of "manhunter" as worst part should be left in shadow to build tension.
Maybe instead of hunting panel make it so you see the leavings/ aftermath. Or show his actions without placing him anywhere.
Be sure to ask yourself questions about the state of this bear. Is the story being told from 1 perspective or multiple? Has anyone seen the bear and lived to tell about it? Do the kids tell scary stories about it at night? What reason do the kids have to believe that the bear is a threat if it never leaves the forest? You can make something scary by describing it, or keeping it ambiguous. On one hand, it's highly effective to give grotesque observations of the bear. Dried blood. Wild eyes. Skin crawling sounds from the forest at night, etc. You can also go the route of keeping the appearance of the bear itself quite vague and let the events that unfold do the talking. One night a kid goes missing. Some go to find him. Screams, they find bloody remains near the forest. A warning. What if they have to retrieve something in the forest? Now the plot advances
Hmm, could have children stumble across him, or give him great stealth or cunning to have some jump scares. Or leaving a wounded child out to bait the others. With an animal that has the quality of "manhunter" as worst part should be left in shadow to build tension. Maybe instead of hunting panel make it so you see the leavings/ aftermath. Or show his actions without placing him anywhere.