Intro---------x---------

You're taking the usual midnight stroll across the active city. There are not as many crowds or vehicles racing about as there were a few hours ago, but the city is always an active place.

As you continue walking for what seemed like an hour or so, you find that the bright yellow lights that had engulfed you in civilization were beginning to lessen, as you stray closer and closer to the edge of it, and closer yet to the mysterious, dark forest which had always lay behind it.

You slowly look up absent-mindedly, and realize that the moon is gone. It had been gone for quite awhile now, but you had never noticed due to the intense lights from the city. Apparently, it must be covered by clouds, you decided flatly.

It was at that bleak moment when your eyes caught a bright green flash at the edge of the woods. It was there for not even a second, and vanished the next moment into the darkness. Surprised and mystified, you begin stepping forward into the damp forest.

--x--

By now it was 1pm, and you begin to wonder if you had been lured by some bad omen into the black forest. There is not a movement in sight, nor any sounds of the usual night-life. No cricket chirruping, not anything. Anxiety and fear finally begin their slow crawl over your chest as you realize what danger you have gotten yourself into. With a haste of stalked prey, you turn around abruptly and attempt to make a beeline towards where you thought the city should be. . .

Wait! Come back!"

A despairing, but warm voice hails you hopefully, and you stop and turn around. "I mean . . . You can go, if you want . . .

Before you is the most peculiar creature you have ever layed eyes upon. She was.. . strange. Not a wolf; nor was she a demon from the gentle look in her golden eyes. Well, one eye at least. The other was a freakish clash of black, green and red, staring straight ahead as if unable to blink. This unearthly skin texture also spread in various other parts of her body. . .

I've been watching you since you appeared from the city. . . I mean, usually people or, well, anyone, don't come close to this forest. But you came into it.
She flushed suddenly, lowering her delicate head in apology. "Actually, you probably came because you saw me. . . I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to! Honestly!
The wolf-creature dipped her head in overwhelming shame. "It's these. . . mutations on me. They glow monstrously at unpredictable moments. I wasn't like this before, either. . .
You reach out and try to pat her in reassurance, for her fur did look so soft and sleek.
She suddenly shrunk away from your hand, eyeing it coldly. But at that exact moment, the wolf bowed in apology once again, "I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to offend you! It's just. . . I have an unnatural fear of hands of things of the sort, I think. . ."

This wolf was truly peculiar of some sort, and her painful warm-heartedness touched you. You decide to sit down and speak to her.