Moonlit Shadows

n five years since she left for the bright lights and big city, hoping to make a name for herself as a journalist.

es scanning the crowd for her parents' familiar faces. They had offered to pick her up from the s

stalgia wash over her. The trees were beginning to turn golden and

rmation. A new coffee shop had sprung up on the corner where the old bookstore used to be, and a modern art gallery had taken over the space where the antique store used to be. Emma co

race. It had been so long since she had seen them. She wondered how

getting out. She stared up at the familiar blue house and felt a sense of comfort. She wa

e, standing before her, were her parents. They looked older,

, pulling her into a tight e

her mother back. It felt good to be back in

er father asked, takin

lied, trying to sound c

y knew she was running away from something. She didn't want to t

how even the smallest details could bring back so many memories. The creaky staircase, the frame

or?" her mother asked as sh

the sofa. "I don't have any assignments lined up, so

t in comfortable silence for a few

we need to tell you," she

What could it be? Had somethi

r mother continued, wringing her hands nervously. "People have b

. "What kind

wolf. But the strange thing is, it's been leaving behind unusual tracks. The

sounded like there was a story there. She wondered if

aid, trying to hide her exciteme

orried. "But we thought you should know, in

e story she had been looking for, something to get her journalism c

wanted to explore the town, to see what else had changed in her absence. And she couldn't shake the

researching the animal sightings, trying to find any information she could. She came across

hands. She grabbed her camera and headed out into th

eel a sense of unease. The woods were dark and quiet, and

e bushes ahead of her. She froze, he

camera at the ready. As she got closer, s

es staring back at her. For a moment, she froze, unsure of what t

shed aside the branches. And there, standing be

fumbled with her camera, trying to get a

, tripping over a tree root and falling to the ground. T

ll her might. But the wolf was too strong.

ver, a gunshot rang out, and the

erging from the trees – a man wit

asked, extending a

led herself to her feet. She stumbled ba

she asked, he

hunter," he said, his voice gruff. "I was t

y. "You were tracking the wol

. "It's my job,"

bout this man that made her uneasy. But she c

ftening. "I don't know what would h

uncomfortable. "Just doin

know anything about the animal sightings around here?"

s eyes. "Why would

rious," she said finally. "And I think there

tell you what I know," he said, his voice low. "But you need to be car

he man's words. This was exactly the

anger," she said with a grin.

of wolf shifters living in these woods," he said. "No one has ever been able to prove it, but t

ers? It sounded like something out of a fairy tale. But she could

rs are dangerous?" she asked, t

them," he said. "But I wouldn't recommend going o

en drawn to stories of the supernatural, but she had neve

she said, turning to leave.

ling of excitement that was building inside her