The "Brother" that Was Killed Was Actually the Beast
- When the protagonist hid he was unable to see what really happened. His brother ran as he did, but in another direction. When the protagonist came out, the one he saw was not his brother, but the beast (a shapeshifter). The protagonist, seeing this as an opportunity to take credit, kills his "brother", drags him into the hole, and brings the ripped cloth home. The man who claims to be his brother from the forest was in fact actually his brother. He had gotten lost running away from the beast. And when he came back, he praised the protagonist as a hero because the villagers told him that he had killed the beast.
- Seeing his brother dig that hole at night was nothing more a nightmare, because as he said, he now remembers his dreams. His brother not looking at him is also just in his head, and both are caused by his paranoia and guilt.
- Or perhaps the brother won't look at him because he realizes the protagonist, in some way, isn't innocent. After all, he did say he was dead instead of missing.
- The corpse turning to look at him in the last panel could be his mind playing tricks on him, or it could be that the beast is Not Quite Dead.
- Seeing his brother dig that hole at night was nothing more a nightmare, because as he said, he now remembers his dreams. His brother not looking at him is also just in his head, and both are caused by his paranoia and guilt.
The protagonist was Dead All Along and the whole events was just his dying dream.
He was actually the one who died in the woods not his brother. A beast attacked and killed the protagonist before he could shot his brother.