THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED

pty clearing ahead. Her green eyes raced back and forth, searching for any movement.

ince she was a youngster. Her grandfather and father had passed down their

s larger, stronger, and more cunning tha

l of destruction in its wake. Sheila realized that innocent pe

hing in the same posture for hours, her muscles throbbing. She was about to

ement. Suddenly, a big gray wolf raced through the bushes toward her. Sheila's heart

eginning of her journey. She recalled her family's history as werewolf hunters, and how they dedicated their lives to safeguarding their society

unter, having been trained by her parents and her grandpa after them. She was an e

ehind a tree and lunged at her. She instantly rose and discharged her crossbow. The arrow struck the wolf in the chest, causing it to fall to the g

uggling for air while gripping the arrow still trapped in his chest. Sheila was taken aback. She'd hea

rage. "You've committed a costly mistake, hunte

many werewolves before, and this one, e

ded gently. "You were not suppose

re weak," he sneered. "They were food.

This man was nothing more than a beast.

er. A spark of compassion and a shred of

u," she stated emphatically. "But you

er felt so torn before. Should she have murdered him? Was it her responsibility as a hunter to remove an

drove back to town. She'd crossed a line that couldn't be

was pounding in her chest. Her entire life had been training for this, but nothing could have prepared her for the i

rushed into the woodland. Sheila had grown up hearing stories of her grandfather and father’s bravery and talent as werewolf hunters.

ed her speed in an attempt to control her breathing and settle her nerves. She was afraid of making any unexpected movemen

gue werewolf snarled and circled about her, sizing her up. She remained firm, her heart beating in her chest. She was in grave danger, but she also realized she couldn’t back down now.

startled to hear a low growl emanating from the darkness. She cautiously drew her crossbow, but a figure appeared from the shadows befor

e presence of a werewolf. Yet, the beast did not at

cipating you,"

in perplexity. "What exactl

" the werewolf responded. "You

ore gently nodding. "Sure," sh

tch me," he said. "But also, I don’t li

keptical. "What kind of

d. "Others, like myself, are at risk. We requir

everything she'd been taught as a hunter, but the prospect o

ut for me?" she inqu

on hers. "You'll be safe with me," he assured.

or a time before nodding. "All ri

"Thanks," he said. "But we must act immediat

g with the beast would put her at odds with the other hunters. But she couldn't resist helping him and was curious to understand

changed to the man’s sound.

bow still aimed at the wolf.

y and his limbs expanding. In a matter of moments, he had transformed i

ghtly but kept it pointed at th

fixated on her. "I won

ogue werewolf? You've been torme

asn’t born this way," he said. "This is due

her hunter obligations. She was somehow convinced and then rep

done nothing wrong. I've been attempting to figure out h

werewolf like him before, one that appeared apologetic and eage

. "I can free you if yo

knotted his hands with a rope and started leading him bac