The tunnel seems to stretch on forever, but suddenly, it fills with a dazzling light, revealing the end ahead.

I emerge with a sudden rush and find myself in a wonderfully strange place. Taking in my surroundings while suspended in mid-air, I gracefully descend and transform, still wearing my torn black dress. Though worn and torn, I notice the dress still holds an elegant allure with its central slit, revealing a glimpse of both legs.

Looking down at my bare feet, I wiggle my toes in the soft, lush greenness that is surely grass. I am surrounded by majestic brown roots adorned with vibrant green foliage, witnessing their growth right from the earth. As I lift my gaze upwards, fluffy white clouds and a radiant yellow sun greet me against the backdrop of a beautiful blue sky. The sun's brilliance is almost blinding, filling the entire space with its luminosity. I take a deep breath, savoring the delightful scent of the area.

Bursting with childlike joy, I can't help but giggle as I twirl in circles before gracefully laying on the ground, extending my arms outward. An incredibly warm sensation kisses my face, and a smile naturally spreads across my lips.

Amidst this idyllic moment, however, a desperate cry for assistance shatters the tranquility.

Curiously, I let out a sigh and furrow my brows, expressing my discontent with the disturbance of my peaceful interlude. It seems that there is a kid's voice coming from close by. Intrigued, I transform into my raven form and swiftly fly towards the sound. Perching on a branch, I observe a little boy who appears to be around eight years old. He has brown shaggy hair, hazel eyes, and is dressed in a white cotton shirt and brown cotton pants. His terrified expression is evident as tears stain his cheeks. A group of five men have a tight grip on him, emanating an unpleasant smell. The boy attempts to resist, pounding his fists on the back of one of the men, but they only laugh at his futile efforts. Suddenly, they speed off, and without hesitation, I quickly follow suit, maintaining pace with them. After a few minutes, we arrive at an old abandoned warehouse, which is quite cliche considering the circumstances.

Opening a door connected to the warehouse, they enter, and I cautiously fly in behind them. As they navigate through hallways and descend a flight of stairs, we eventually reach what appears to be a dungeon. Callously, they toss the boy into a cell where five other kids are already confined. "There," one of the men says. "Now, tomorrow the castle will become aware of another missing child, and by tomorrow night, you all shall meet your demise. This will surely make a statement to the king."

It seems that there are also repulsive men in this place. As the group of children gathers together, six in total now, a sense of worry fills the air. The oldest girl, around nine years old, poses a question to the new arrival inquisitively, her actions marked by her twisting a strand of long black hair and her keen observation with her striking jade green eyes. Disturbed by the situation, she asks the boy, "Whose child are you?" with a clear aura of concern.

In a timid tone, he hesitantly responds, "I am the son of the second head guards. My name is William, but you can call me Will," he adds apprehensively, seeking some form of acceptance and assurance from the girl, who simply nods in response.

"I'm Clairsen, the daughter of the third head guard," she says nervously, introducing herself.

Another girl slowly rises from the floor and says in a soft voice, "I'm Marcra, the Beta's daughter," her smile carrying a hint of sadness. Her short, cocoa brown hair frames her face, and she wears a lime green dress that drapes over her figure.

A young boy with jet black hair confidently stands up straight and declares, "I'm Skylar, the head warrior's son."

"Come on, Skylar, don't act like we don't know who you are," says another kid with dark blonde hair that stops at his eyebrows. He wears a scowl on his face, but his blue eyes still have a spark to them.

"Ah, quit it, Farcen! You're just the gardener's boy, huh? And you lost your dear old dad!" Skylar chuckles, causing Farcen to growl.

"Well, at least I don't have a girl's name." He smirks.

Skylar growls, preparing to lunge. 'Boys, please stop! You're frightening Timmy!' Clairsen shouts firmly while holding a little boy who appears to be around three years old.

"So," Skylar begins to say, but Clairsen interrupts.

"And remember, he is the captain's son," Skylar gulps audibly.

"Now, let's concentrate on devising a plan to escape," Marcra asserts, prompting the kids to turn their attention to her.

I make myself known by flying down and landing on the ground in front of them. They look at me and Timmy extends his hand for me to climb on. I oblige, and Timmy giggles, causing the surrounding kids, including Skylar, to smile. Afterward, I take flight again, still in their presence, and transform back into my human self.

Curious about the scene, they gasp in surprise as I greet them with a warm smile. Trying to ease my nervousness, I introduce myself with a sheepish wave. "Uh, Hi, I'm Zerro," I say.

They still have that shocked expression on their faces. "Are you planning to harm us?" Will curiously asks, with a terrified look like the rest of them.

I confidently shake my head. "No, my intention is to help you,' I assure them, my accent strongly evident in my manner of speaking.

Curiously, Marca inquired, "What language are you fluent in?" With anticipation shining in her eyes.

"I am fluent in Latin," I respond.

"Look, she's just as much of a weirdo as you," Skylar teases, pointing in her direction and laughing. Marcra shoots him a glare, her eyes narrowing in disapproval.

"Quit it," she mutters, her voice barely audible as tears start to well up in her eyes.

I'm not a freak," I explain, "I'm actually a bird shifter."

I eagerly turn and gaze out the window of the cell. The sight that greets me fills my heart with hope - darkness has fallen, but the majestic moon has risen in all its glory. Its immense size and radiant white light bring a sense of wonder to the world, while the countless twinkling stars scattered across the sky add a touch of enchantment.

"I can definitely get you home," I affirm, a glimmer of optimism in my voice. As I gaze at them, their eyes shine brightly, filled with newfound hope in the face of adversity. The moonlight in the cell seems to amplify the belief they now have in the strange girl standing before them. Looking around, I notice a door and, although it may be cliché, I spot a set of keys conveniently hanging from a hook on the wall next to it. Judging by their lack of faith in these kids, it seems that their captors underestimate them greatly. Undeterred, I teleport out of the cage and swiftly make my way to the keys on the wall. Gripping them tightly, I confidently approach the cell and unlock it. The door protests with a meager squeak, but nothing too alarming. Together, we take a collective step towards the door, slowly opening it and revealing the path that leads us closer to their long-awaited freedom.

There are no men guarding the doors, which clearly indicates that they have no concerns about these kids escaping. It's worth noting that we are completely surrounded by beautiful brown roots adorned with vibrant green colors.

"I don't know the way home. They blind folded me on the way here," Will's shoulders slouch in defeat.

"I followed you," I said with determination, and pointed straight ahead.

"I will shift into my raven, ensuring that if an attack occurs, they will be taken by surprise," I confidently declare as I notice the determination on their faces, and they nod in agreement with my statement.

I excitedly transform into my majestic raven form, soaring gracefully behind them as they swiftly make their way towards the safety of the woods, leaving the prison behind.

**

It's been a couple of hours since we left, and the kids haven't quite mastered the ability to shift into their wolf form yet. As a result, our pace isn't very fast. I recently discovered that they are werewolves.

"I'm tired," Skylar laments.

"Everyone's tired. Stop complaining," Farcen grumbles, crossing his arms with a permanent scowl on his face. I transition into my human form and gracefully land on the ground. I gently scooped up a snoozing Timmy from Clairsen and delightedly lifted her into my arms. A sweet yawn escaped her as she nestled her head against my shoulder.

"We are just three hours away," Marcra cheerfully exclaims, as she takes a refreshing breath of the surrounding air.

"Three hours away!" Skylar exclaims, his jaw dropping along with his arms and shoulders.

"Shut up, you're going to get us-" Will is interrupted by a menacing growl from three dangerous rogues, who suddenly emerge from the bushes in their shifted wolf form.

"Caught," Will finishes, sounding defeated as his head falls. The kids, with worried expressions, instinctively take a step back.

The middle rogue shifts and reveals a man who clearly stands at least 6'2. His bloodshot eyes and long, inky black hair that touches his shoulders add to his intimidating appearance. Notably, his body is covered in scars. It is evident that he does not appear well.

He growls, 'You stupid brats thought you could escape,' as I protectively position the kids behind me. He takes a step towards me and demands, 'Who the fuck are you!'

"I will be taking the kids back home," I replied, meeting his gaze with a harsh look of my own.

I dodge a punch as he runs towards me, growling, 'Not while I'm alive!' The other two also join in, attempting to hit me.

I deliver a knee strike to the groin region, causing him to descend. Taking advantage of the situation, I swiftly seize his head and execute a forceful twist, resulting in the immediate snapping of his neck. Subsequently, his motionless body falls to the ground with a thud.

Upon turning, I firmly stop another strike while swiftly executing a kick that sends him flying into a tree. Uttering the words 'Alcrate tenebrae mortis,' his head snaps and his body becomes motionless against the tree. The last opponent lunges at me, bringing me to the ground momentarily. Despite this, I manage to deliver a punch and effectively push him off using my knees. As we both quickly regain our footing, he readies himself for another attack. With a smirk on my face, I raise both of my hands and confidently utter the words 'Alcrate tenebrae mortis.' As a result, his neck also snaps, causing his body to collapse to the ground.

"Daaaaaang bird girl got skills," Skylar exclaims with excitement, and the other kids enthusiastically join in with their agreement. I can't help but feel a warm, rosy blush wash over my cheeks as I modestly shrug in response. It brings such a delightful joy to my heart, as it has been quite some time since I've basked in the sweet sound of praise from anyone.

"Let's keep going, shall we?" I whisper, suddenly feeling a bit shy as I gently scratch my arm. Everyone nods eagerly, filled with newfound energy, as we happily begin our walk back home.

**
"We're finally arriving at the here!" I exclaim with joy.

"Look, the border is just up ahead!" Will shouts enthusiastically as the kids eagerly race towards the border, with me closely following them. As we reach the border, they come to a halt while I stay right behind them. "Come on, let's go," Timmy says playfully as he points straight ahead. I gently readjust him in my arms and confidently step over the border along with the rest of the kids.

"Come on, let's go they are bound to sense we have crossed any second now. " I walk with the kids for a few minutes, and suddenly, a menacing wolf unexpectedly lunges out and begins to growl.Three more wolves quickly approach, growling threateningly at me. Not wanting any harm to come to Timmy, I hurriedly pass him to Clairsen and cautiously take a step back.

Papa!" Will exclaims with joy in his voice as he excitedly rushes towards the magnificent brown wolf. In a magical transformation, the wolf turns into a man, who bears a striking resemblance to an older version of Will with his brown hair. The man lovingly scoops up his son, holding him tightly in a warm embrace.

"Pa," Timmy joyfully exclaims, breaking free from Clairsen's grasp and dashing towards the captain. With his arms outstretched, he reaches the transformed wolf, who now appears as a strong man with sleek black hair and vibrant green eyes. With tender care, he scoops up the little boy in his arms.

The other wolf transforms into a charming gentleman with luscious blond locks and mesmerizing jade-green eyes. Clairsen ecstatically rushes towards him, eagerly embracing the joyful reunion. The scene is soon filled with an abundance of lively wolves and friendly individuals, all happily joining in to help gather the children, spreading an aura of excitement and cheer.

I quickly notice a shift in the atmosphere as the children disappear from my sight. A lone wolf, radiating an intimidating aura, growls menacingly, inciting a chorus of growls from others nearby. My eyes widen with fear as I realize I am vastly outnumbered and desperately do not want to cause harm. Backing away cautiously, I desperately plead with them, 'Wait, please don't hurt me! I don't mean any harm, I haven't done anything wrong!'

"We expect you to come with us peacefully as the children are sharing their perspective. It is important that you follow us so that you can have the opportunity to present your side of the story." The blond man's calm demeanor is maintained while the others remain vigilant, prepared to take action if necessary.
I cautiously follow them through the woods, my head nodding in agreement, but worry starts to bubble inside me.

****