Dawn of the Hunter

Uneasy Welcome

Authoress' Note: Please note that any kids reading this might not want to do what Dawn had done and run off into the wilderness thinking you might meet someone like Midnight. I do not support children running away from their parents, even if they tend to give them a hard time. It's called tough love, and unless there are real issues at home, I encourage all kids to bring this up with a trusted adult who can connect them with the proper help needed.

Though when I was little, there were times that I thought of running away, but ended up going back home since I had nowhere else to go...

Getting back on subject, we are now getting into the world of the werewolves since Dawn has crossed the point of no return. What will she discover among her own kind?

~Chibi Mirai Gogeta

Dawn of the Hunter

Chapter 6-Uneasy Welcome

Midnight glanced back at Dawn as she struggled to walk through the forest. While she had eaten, they were walking on uneven ground that had no worn pathways that were riddled with rocks, branches, and roots.

"It would be easier if you were able to shift into your natural form," Midnight noted.

"Natural form?" Dawn parroted. It was almost though the man was speaking a foreign language as she began to catch up to him.

"You cling to the humanoid form almost though you are afraid of losing your identity as one of them," Midnight snorted in disgust.

"Well, you didn't change to your natural form." Dawn managed to point out.

"If I did, you wouldn't be able to keep up with me," Midnight proudly boasted. "Besides, your body currently is incapable of even making that shift due to being malnourished by those land destroyer's dietary needs." The man noted that Dawn was limping slightly and stopped. He noticed the discomfort on her face. "Did you fall recently?"

"Yeah, earlier when I was running away and fell down a hill," Dawn answered truthfully. "I didn't want to complain and..."

"Child of Autumn, you should have told me," Midnight walked towards her and knelt at her side. He examined her carefully, poking and prodding the swollen ankle. "Nothing broken, but with it being sprained, it could get worse if you keep walking on it. Hold on a moment..."

Midnight took a few steps back from Dawn as he muttered something under his breath, far too low for Dawn to hear clearly. In seconds, he crouched down, and his body began to shift from man to beast. It was unlike anything in various forms of movie or animation: his eyes flickered from darkened orbs to a light gray as dark fur began to cover his body. His ears elongated along with his lower face and before Dawn knew it, the black-furred creature that she was accustomed to stood before her. Rising to all fours, he walked back towards the girl.

"Climb on top of me," Midnight told her.

"Would I hurt you?" Dawn asked.

"Werewolves in their true forms are stronger," Midnight reassured. "Your weight is nothing compared to a full-grown bear."

"B-bear?" Dawn was astonished. "You hunt for bears too?"

"When needed," Midnight explained while the girl climbed on top of him. "They are growing harder to find though due to the land destroyers driving them further away. We used to hunt them quite often."

Dawn was in awe. She had always wondered what they were like compared to the picture books she had read in the library. "I'd like to see one someday..."