Aruna was in the tall grass, prone and hiding. Minutes flew by. Eventually, she caught sight of animals. 

Wildcats. Too small. 

They ran away and a pack of deers came to the clearing. 

The area had been Aruna’s hunting spot for a decade and it never disappointed. The valley was rich in flora and animals passed often. It was dug by a large body of water a long time ago. A river is all that’s left of it now. It was still rather large.

The huntress tried moving a little to get closer. One close by took notice too soon and began running. A few followed its lead. 

She leaped out off hiding and began chasing them. They began running away but they couldn’t outrun her when she was on 4 legs. 

Her lesser endurance began to show as the chase began to extend itself. Finally, one was in range. With one arm she lacerated the deer.

Another was close by, maybe she could do even better. It took a detour in panic and arrived on rocky ground next to the river. It tried going back to the pack. The predator jumped and clawed its neck before colliding on the ground. 

Both rolled from the contact. 

The young woman hit her body on pebbles and ended on shallow water. Her eyes closed as her chest heaved. The water washed away her sweaty and dirty body. Despite the situation at hand, she allowed herself a moment of rest. She brought up both her hands. Both were stained in blood.

She sighed in satisfaction. The wounds she inflicted on the two animals were deep. Her targets weren’t going to be able to escape her. Even if they did, the blood they lost would make tracking them down child’s play. 

Her legs cracked, shifted and turned. The knee inverted itself. The feet became longer. Hairs retreated into her skin exposing her flesh. 

She shivered a little and cursed out loud. It never felt pleasant. She got on two legs, and stumbled a bit. Her balance wasn’t entirely back yet.

Her head became clearer and thoughts of past and future began to appear.  Her range of emotions became wider. The preys. Another predator could smell blood and steal them. They weren’t hers yet.

Her arms remained hairy and large. They now looked out of place on her but she preferred having claws to nails. 

She returned to the collision site. Her nose smelled an abundance of blood. She saw some on the ground and followed it. It was harder than she thought because of the various plants around.

The large animal laid on the ground, completely still. Its eyes open. Its bodily fluids were still leaving the body through multiple cuts.

Immediately, a bit of drool made its way down her chin. There no feeling quite like finding a meal waiting for her.

She whipped her drool in a reflex, accidentally smearing fresh blood on her lower face. There was no time for that.

The animal was very heavy, yet Aruna lifted it on her shoulder. She guessed it above 130kg. 

"Crap. I killed too big again. I have to share with people."

She began backtracking, her pace not affected by her cargo. Blood dripped down onto her body and covering it in red and staining her clothes. Her footsteps quickened as she found herself salivating from the smell.

Finding blood was much harder now, but she played back the memories of her memories in her head. The mark she left was long. The surrounding area was remembered. She found it again. 

The pathway of blood was longer. The woman couldn’t resist and took a large bite off her cargo, exposing a bone. 

Eventually, she found her prey still alive, on its feet. It tried to run away but she threw her other prey at it. Sounds similar of branches cracking were heard. It was put out of its misery. 

Waling closer, she observed it. It was a runt. No wonder it was at the end of the pack. She grabbed the two and went home.

It was a difficult travel back. 

-"Hey. Kaivalya. Come here. We’re going to the villages."

A small boy with bluish skin descended from the trees.

-"Why are we going? I thought you hate humans."

-"Laws of nature dictate that no food must be wasted. We must obey and offer what we can’t eat ourselves. Even if it’s to creatures who don’t abide by those laws."

-"If it’s too much, I could aways help you."

-"You haven’t come into the world from me, nor are you a child. If you want to eat, you must obtain it. Now help me."

-"Excuse me, I was having a good rest until you showed up, asked me a favor and called me lazy. I’ll go and resume what I was doing."

-"Fine. You get first pick when we get there."

In the animal kingdom, packs ate in order of who dominates to those who are dominated. The dominant can take the most desired part of the animal. It’s usually a very special priviledge in a group. Most usually settle for tougher parts. 

-"Sure, where are we going?"

-"I was thinking wolfstill."

-"Huh. Why not Dana? It’s closer."

-"Too many people. I don’t like it."

-"Suit yourself."

They began making their way to the village. Kaivalya stopped suddenly.

-"Hm. That’s weird." He said looking into a rather ominous forest. It was rather dense and full of very tall trees.

-"What is?" Asked his follower.

-"Well, this entire forest wasn’t there a few days ago."

Aruna looked at the horizon.

-"What are you insinuating? This entire forest just grew overnight."

-"Well, yeah." 

Once the two approached the greens, they began stepping in a zone that made the two very concerned.

Around their feet and over them, it was as if time was gone. Everything appeared to be dead or dying. There was no noise either. No birds were to be seen when they were rather plentiful at this time of the year. It was just brown and yellow remains.

On the ground were white threads. Trees were sick and covered with mushrooms. The white threads were spreading. 

Something obscured the light. It was coming closer. Aruna and Kaivalya began running but were caught in the crash. 

Both had their feet off the ground and sent away. Before long, they were back up mostly unharmed.

A large sick tree had fallen. From its branches emerged a tall creature with green hair and eyes. It had thick branches as limbs. Fur on its back. From its head stood mighty antlers. Here and there, on its body were eyeballs. 

Both travelers recognized a forest guardian instantly. Yet it seemed much more hostile than the ones they saw every day.

It seemed very strong, yet sickly. It was affected by the surrounding. Some parts of its body were in perpetual motion, as if  worms were crawling inside. The white thread wasn’t simply on it. It was stitching it together and seemed to be holding the ugly form together. 

In an instant, the leshii was gone. Aruna‘s sharp senses told her it was under her. She jumped off a tree as it emerged from the ground. It revealed swarms of insects, feasting at whatever life remained.

Another creature emerged from the sickly tree. And another. Roots grew around their feet. 

Aruna gave her pray to Kaivalya and shifted. She asked him to hold.

Plants were coiling around her as her transformation progressed. They began pulling. 

It was finally completed. The ground was raised as she leaped out of danger. Roots broke and vine snapped under her the stress of her strength.

Kaivalya barely managed to keep hold of the two bodies. His legs locked around Aruna’s torso. He jerked backward in her jump but held on.

She began running out of the forest and into the open. Once she did the rider spoke.

-"They’re gone! You can let me down now".

Aruna didn’t listen and kept sprinting away. Eventually, Kai’s endurance hit its limit. He fell off the beastwoman’s back.

She began shifting back. A few cramps appeared on her body. Aruna flinched in pain and fell to the ground. A popping sound was heard and she screamed in pain.

-"If you can understand me, then take your time! We’re safe now."

The transformation slowed down. The breathing became regular. Cramps began to correct themselves. She sat on the ground.

-"What was that?" Asked Kaivalya.

-"No clue. Something huge is happening and its gonna keep getting worse."

-"What do we do now?"

Aruna’s mind was working overtime and her head was still spinning from what happened. Thoughts began flooding her.

-"If it progresses like it did the last few days, then we can’t stay here. We have to leave. Lets reach wolfstill and eat up. We’ll ask around afterwards, maybe someone knows something."

-"Yeah. Fortunately, we got these." He gestured to the dead animals "At least it’s gonna show we are trustworthy."

-"Somehow I don’t think it’s gonna be that easy."

They went on their way and reached Wolfstill before sunset. They stumbled on a guard going around. He screamed.

-"See? He’s afraid of you!" Mocked Aruna.

-"Actually it’s probably the blood on us." Remarked Kai.

The guard unsheathed his weapon. 

-"Whoa there. We come in peace" said Aruna.

A few guards began arriving and the duo was quickly surrounded as they learned other guards were scattered. 

-"What is your business here?" demanded a middle aged guard.

-"We came to learn about problems we have encountered and offer food."

-"Have you seen a little girl? She wears a pale shirt. Has some medium black hair. Grey ripped shorts? She was last seen riding away on a black stallion."

-"Haven’t seen her. What did she do?"

-"Tax evasion."

Both Aruna and Kaivalya scoffed at the notion.

-"Hey, we heard that! If you want to enter the village wash yourselves first! You’re gonna attract monsters."

-"Fine here’s the meat. Save some for us."

Without warning, Aruna dropped the deer on to the guard. He fell to the groun. 

-"Don’t touch mine before i’m back!" He said before giving his own.

The two just jumped on the river that went through Wolfstill. They swam around a little before seriously washing the blood off them. 

They returned to the guard blockade.

Aruna realized they were still on edge.

-"What’s wrong?" She asked.

-"Um, could you have normal hands in the village? I don’t think people are going to feel safe with you walking around."

-"Ugh. Fine."

VaThe claws retracted. Additional articulations were created. Finger lengthened. The palm flattened. The wrists were formed.

-"WHOAA SHE DID THE THING!" Said a few guards.

-"I NEED TO WRITE LETTERS ABOUT THIS." Said another.

-"Ugh! It’s even more disgusting seeing it happen in person!"

-"The noises are going to be in nightmares tonight. Thanks."

-"Can you do it again?"

-"WHAT AM I? A CIRCUS ANIMAL?" She snapped back, "just let us enter the damn village."

-"Careful miss. This is a privilege. We don’t know your kind very well. If you are under suspicion of anything, you won’t get a trial."

-"I love you too. Have you heard anything about an evil forest?"

-"An evil forest?"

-"Yeah. A forest that grows really fast and kills things." Explained Kaivalya.

-"That’s the first I’ve heard of it. We don’t really travel much. You see."

-"You don’t say." Said the boy.

-"Shut up. You will have better luck with adventurers. You could always give them a contract. I don’t think there is any in town."

-"Yeah. Thanks for nothing, jackass." offered the young woman, walking away.

Kaivalya turned to them.

-"What is it?" The entry guard asked.

The young boy blew a strawberry and joined the huntress.