The rain which had been a drizzle before loomed like a heavy curtain as it now began to batter against my skin. This I knew was not what made me cold. 

“Grrraw. Graw. Graaash”
Footsteps near impossible to hear, but with every moment it grew louder. My hearing shifting in its strange ways with it. My ears feeling the pressure as I focused allowed me to hear its padded steps, extended claws, rustling fur, its shaking tail.

Even as it drew closer I dare not move, my instincts and mind now one with their resolve as I listened to its own ears shift and twitch, the gentle sound of its eyelids moving. Impossible I thought, but hearing it meant that wasn't so. 

It was as a stroke of lightning, its color shifting from white, purple, too red as it struck the treeline far away. That was when I turned, my muscles shifting as if preparing myself to move as a wolf the size of the trees moved beside me. Its orange eyes like gemstones made of fire, filled with a curious but knowing look. But not one of someone wise and kind, it was of malevolent disposition and cunning laughter at what lay before it.

 Me.

Its curiosity my only reason for life as it flexed its muscles beneath its pelt. Lowering its head with a laughterlike breath its two looming horns green like the tree wood, but shining like metal affixed my gaze as they seemed to glow with its eyes that's iris shifted in color to match. A horned wolf.

That's impossible.

What I wish I could ask, what is a wolf, its horns, why does it glow? But no my voice would not sound and it realized this as my mouth opened in a mellow desperation. Until it broke through my expectations for one final taunt.

“Why so lost, little Lamb.”

What…. 

It spoke. But the words it spoke, they were not a question. They were parting words.

With that

It lunged. I jumped. 

The bell resounded once more as the chase embarked on its forewarned encounter.

---

If I could speak, my first words would be what comes to mind after jumping off a thirty foot cliff, breaking my legs which healed like undisturbed water itself then immediately running for my seemingly near immortal life as a wolf twice the size of myself chases after. And is engulfed in green flames that are turning the forest into a festival. 

What comes to mind however aren’t words, but my mind has given me some that are close enough to what I'm feeling as I charge forth towards the distant gate.

WHAT THE HELL!

I dodged to the left, somehow finding a burrow thinking it can slow the wolf who would have to go around. However it just charged straight through, its green flames that erupted from its form dissolving the wood into grey ashes whose sparks shone blue in their final moments. 

I dove down a slope that arrose before me, seeing the road below. I ignored the scrapes and cuts as they all vanish after a moment, replaced with a sense of strength that spread from each spot warming my body. As the chase ensues I began to realize that my skin, while still smooth isn’t cutting as before. But any thoughts of this are quenched as a blast of fire roars past.

 The flames burning my left side and knocking me between a weather worn rock and a long dead tree trunk, my momentum keeping me spinning from the impact. As the burn healed however I had a sudden feeling of tiredness as if something of mine had been taken. Another change, while invisible to me occured and it frightened me that I didn’t know what.

The road grew closer, but in a single bound the wolf was ahead of me. It changed, the fire that had enveloped it becoming more defined as it contoured to its body. 

It smiled.

If there is a feeling I never wish to have had, it would be this.

I turned feeling the strength that had vanished before return, where it came from, I did not know. I could feel it lacking as if it had been spent suddenly and just barely been restored. But with each step, the force resounding through my body I felt rejuvenated, even if only slightly.

The darkness made the flames burn brighter, but the wolf’s eyes were so vibrant against the dull contrast that they seared into my thoughts. As I thoughts this, it blinked in confusion pausing for a moment and dashing to the side following the road a bit before it twisted its head and snarled jumping back in as I dodged further to my right. 

Now I could see the clearing edge, ahead of it a wide open plain that led towards the gateway. My thoughts stretched to how I’d get the attention of any inhabitants, but after a swipe with its claws I just hoped I’d get there.

I can make it.

Only a few steps away, the edge of the forest was dotted with plants, not as dense as farther in but more durable and deceptive. Looking back only the dark maw awaited my gaze. 

Moving to dodge.

I slipped.

The next moment I was swallowed whole the feeling of burning filling my mind as the sound of thunder sounded once more. Darkness tinged in green fire like the oven of a wicked witch, whatever that is.

---

I feel, tired.

As if something was draining my strength. The darkness filled my sight, warm yet so cold in its meanings. Around me a viscous liquid burned at my skin, the cramped but flexible space slowly filling with the substance, filling every space as I struggled to lift myself away. 

My arm while not in pain, I could feel deep gashes from when I'd been grabbed. The pieces missing aching in a strange way buried beneath the itch of the liquid coating it. 

Pulling myself onto something solid I lay resting. While I may be unable to breathe I could still smell the carcass beneath me, its body having been dissolving for quite a while the bones crumbling into a fine liquid powder with too much stress. Some time passed as I felt my body adjusting, though much to slow. My energy having completely left me in the darkness. 

---

Suddenly I was jostled from my spot as the wolf began moving erratically, the temperature increasing as the warm green glow began to light the stomach lining. Looking behind me I found the throat, it looked strangely far away even for the size of the creature. My own neck cracking with the strain as I moved.

While I assessed my surroundings my hair that had managed to grow back stood on its end as something struck the wolf, something powerful. 

The silklike liquid splashed about, the parts of my body having dissolved previously now managing to reconnect in that moment as I was separated from my raft. 

What was that.

Feeling about I still had my legs, and surprisingly while missing some body parts I was still mostly intact, even if I had a hole just above my left hip. I reached for my surroundings seeing the edge of the wolf’s stomach. The color a bright grey with veins of unnatural green that pulsed with the unfamiliar energy.

Stretching my fingers, the tendons and bones on my right were visible. The sharp knifelike tips giving me a sudden idea. Even if a stomach lining is tough there's always something I can do. 

I pulled my arm back clutching the uneven stomach wall with my left which sizzled from the acidic liquid, the next moment plunging upward with my right in a slashing motion. The reaction however more than I expected as a spurt of blood and a blast of green fire splashed across me, some landing in my mouth much to my tongues dismay as it had been mixed with stomach acid. 

The fire however like an illusion as it collided with my body it just dissolved like a mist. My energy returning for a moment's time before suddenly vanishing again. 

My actions however worked in some way as the wolf froze in place from the pain, the next moment the mysterious force rending a hole in its neck seemingly just beside. More of the unnaturally green fire colliding with my skin. The sight of a large forearm encased in an orange glow penetrating the layer of fire. The last sight before the wolf hit the ground and my head along with it, was the sight of a grizzled man's face as he yelled out his battle cry.

 

----

 

So I can’t fall asleep that easily it seems… As I came too in what seemed like moments later, I couldn’t move. But the sounds I could hear were many. 

The sound of flesh rending, the dragging of the wolfs corpse, through the slits in my eyes I could see outside through the wound a mysterious gemstone being taken from the wolves body, the man inspecting it with a smile before suddenly realizing my presence as my body healed itself. Now as the last fragments of the clouded skies light hit my body a sense of strength began to spread. 

Despite that, I still couldn’t move.

“What the, what's this lass doing here?”

The next few moments all I could hear was the man making his way through the mess towards me. His clothes sizzling in spots where the quality couldn’t keep up. The man's massive body crouched in the space making waves as he moved towards me. He stopped however as if suddenly witnessing a shock. Reaching out with his blurry hand I wished I could grab it, the orange glow from before like a beacon in my muddled stupor. 

“Hey, you okay.”

Once more I struggled to move, only managing to shift my arm. I felt his large hands on my wrist and neck, a warm sensation spreading from the spots. “Don’t worry, I'll get you out of here.”

Moments later he let out a confused sigh before lifting me up. The wolves stomach acid staying behind as if by some grand design as I was enveloped in a warm sensation. My body suddenly moved, but in this moment I only wanted to draw closer as the man suddenly enveloped me in something warm.  The sounds of a clamp coming undone and then re made releasing a tension of my coverings. 

Suddenly as he pulled his way out of the rapidly cooling body of the wolf, distant unnatural cries sounded. Each one echoing off each other as the darkness began to fall. With it my strength following as my body finally went limp. My mind however and, the slit of my left eye were all that my imprisoned mind could use as he nudded the wolf’s head with his foot. 

“Very odd, Damn, lass if you can hear me. Don’t get mad at me later.”

Mad?

As soon as the thought entered my mind we were moving, His body encased once more in the warm glow. Filling my vision as he seemed to fly across the open space. I knew if I had a stomach it would still be in the wolf’s, my thoughts now not able to distinguish up from down even as we passed the looming brazzers, their fires dim compared to my Savior's glow. 

“Oi open up.”

The man held me in his left arm, his cloak completely enveloping me. Thinking through my sluggishness I realized I was no taller than his arm. Even after my body healed itself, as if either I had just realized my height. Or my body had shrunk.

“Wender? You finish up already?”

Wender sniffed his nose as if clearing it.

“Yeah It’s down and, ah just forget it.”

Wender shifted his weight clutching my waist and pulling me closer as he jumped upward. A sudden shout of surprise and we were suddenly walking on planks of wood and stone.

“Get the harvesters out there, I need the pelt.”

A sudden rush of footsteps as the voice from before moved to catch up.

“Sure I can do that, but remember your paying, especially after that conflict with the Yullin house… Hold up, what's that?”

A sudden hand grabbed at the cloak pulling it away from below, the man probably shorter than Wender gasped. Even as Wender shifted his weight to give the man a better view, my own sight of him was of a bundled blur of blue cloth holding a torch. The light blinding despite its nature. 

“Denver i’s Beard, you found a kid?”

Wender paused. Pulling himself to the side of the battlement, looking around for other listeners.

“She was in its stomach, from what I’m guessing she was also the reason it was drawn so far out into the open.”

The sound of the gate opening and gears churning played out beneath us. I struggled to move my head, only managing to shiver.

“You sure you want to follow the clan rules with this one? We could send her off to one of the farms.”

This time Wender’s response to the man rumbled his chest as his resolution rang clear.

“No, while I don’t know who she was. Its certain she's not suited for a life like that.”

This time it was the other man that sighed.

“I’ll get the pelt. Don’t make me regret this. Those noble houses have a knack for finding things to meddle in.” His footsteps suddenly started, the sound almost painful to my ears ending at an edge a few feet away, his voice after a moment resounding below. “Come on boys, we need that pelt before the ghouls get to it. Clan ALAYNA.” His sudden description of the situation down below drowned out as a large group began speaking and laughing at once. A few voices reaching us. A few in surprise, but most a resolution as if it was the most important task of their lives to collect the pelt. 

It must be expensive. But what's this about the clan, and the farms. 

Wender didn’t stick around however as we were suddenly moving. From the sounds of it we were above a street moving higher with every step. Although now that we were inside the walls, Wender moved with much more care. Allowing my now rather sensitive ears to make out distant sounds. But as I focused on my ears, they continued to burn just as my body had when in the wolf if not more as we moved. This brought more worry than I wished as I began to make out a large pathway curving out left leading higher still. 

A gentle breeze from the storm outside carved through a well defined path in the stone that opened up into a large outside space. A cliff face from the sounds looming just to our right as we made our way up looming steps, each one seeming like a jump as it jostled my form. My mind losing its thoughts just as the man kicked open a massive doorway. Revealing a burst of light from within. The sound of many voices growing hushed just as another wave of powerlessness took over.