Wilder held Callie, burying her face into his chest. Strangely, even though he squeezed her tightly, thrilled to have her return- unscathed, she felt no discomfort. Being in his arms was just as comfy being wrapped in her favorite blanket.

"Aren't you happy to be back here... with me?"

Was Wilder concerned about my disappearance, afraid I'd become one of the vanishing villagers?

Callie remembered hearing his voice, above all the other voices out searching for her, as she crept through the woods. He was the only one able to penetrate her heart. Every time he called, she'd felt a slight tugging to return to him, but the calling to enter the forest was stronger so she'd left him behind.

Wilder's affection had a calming effect on her. To deepen the effect, she wrapped her arms around his midsection, embracing their connection.

"Oui! I guess your hair isn't the only thing to have changed." Viewing her new appearance in the moonlight, he struggled to free himself from her embrace.

"What do you mean?" Callie asked, lacing her fingers together behind his back, watching him twist and bend, obviously trying to escape her hug. It tickled her to see him struggling. 

"Release me," Wilder whispered, embarrassment flushing his cheeks.

Callie was always a strong girl. The other girls walked around playing hop stick and other silly games, but Callie was different, she tied her skirt up and played in the mud with the boys. She gave them a run for their money when it came to races and wood cutting, but Wilder had always been stronger, until now.

"Fine," Callie reluctantly set him free. She was impressed with the gift of her new strength. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. Did you know one of your eyes is now purple? What happened in Hüter Forest? And did you come across the great beast?"

"Yes. I'll tell you in a minute. And no." She laughed uncomfortably, wondering how she was to explain without sounding insane.

Callie remembered how the village responded towards Jeremiah Wright when he lost his ability to speak. The whole village avoided him, hiding their children, murmuring and whispering behind his back. One day they woke up and he was gone. Everyone created tales of the wretched beast swallowing him, chosing him because of his weakness.

"Callie!" They both turned towards the approaching voice.

"Callie!"

"Father," Callie said, running her fingers through her hair.

Her mother, a plump round, never jolly woman, sprinted across the field, behind her father, a lean, muscular man.

"What do we do now?" Wilder asked, entwining his fingers with hers.

"Let the show begin," Callie stiffened, preparing for the onslaught of questions.

Filter less, Bessie sprewed forth whatever foolishness she thought. Callie's father was the only one able to seal her loose lips, but he only did so after he had enough of her endless chatter.

"Where have you been?" Her father demanded, pulling her into an embrace.

Callie withdrew from the instinct to return his hug; she didn't want to crush him with her new strength.

"We were so worried," her mother added, hopping in on their tender moment.

At the touch of her mother's fingers, Callie pulled away.

"What happened?" Her father asked touching her waist length lavender locks.

"Oh no!" Her mother cried, "What have you done, you wicked, wicked child!"

"I guess her worry has fled," Callie snarkily announced to the two wide-eyed men. Bessie had that effect on many villagers. 

Standing in front of her daughter with her lips tightly drawn together, Bessie reached up, grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged, as if she were ringing the dinner bell.

"What are you doing?" snatched her hair out of her mother's grasp, sending the woman stumbling forward.

"No, no, no!" Her mother cried trying to balance herself.

"It's real," Callie wanted to retaliate by reaching out and yanking on her hair, instead, she gave her attention to her father.

"Her eye is purple!" Bessie exclaimed. Grabbing her husband's arm, she used his body a blockade. She wanted space between her and her daughter.

"Stop," her husband ordered.

"But..." Bessie began.

"Callie, can you explain what has happened? Where were you?"

"She was with the devil. Look at her! Disgracing our family once again!" Bessie exclaimed, peeking around her husband's arms.

Wilder stood beside Callie, in her defense. He felt her stiffen right before her hair lifted and started blowing. Staring into her mother's hate-filled eyes, Callie slowly lifted her arms, increasing the intensity of the storm. 

"I warned you, Isaiah! She is going to turn the villagers against our household. We will have to sleep unprotected under the night sky!"

Callie's frustration rose and burned like lava rising and flaring in the center of a volcano. Her insides reverberated with anger.

Wilder stroked her back and his tender touch settled the fury brewing in her chest.

"Enough! We are not going to sleep under the night sky. We have a home."

"A home they will take once they realize our daughter has been touched by a witch!"

A heavy, low flat howl followed by a high, looping growl filled the burning sky. Callie turned towards the forest, ignoring her mother's rant.

"Did you hear that?"

"What is it Callie?" Wilder asked, following her gaze and searching the outskirts of the forest.

"Do you hear that?"

"I didn't," Wilder stepped protectively beside her.

"Is it the witch?" Bessie scurried farther behind Isaiah's back.

"Maybe, we should return to the village," suggested Wilder.

Another low, flat howl rumbled along with the wind whipping her hair across her face. The howl was followed, in response, by a similar howl. It was strange but she understood the message they were sharing.

"Tonight is the night! We've been hunted to the brink of extinction."

"Now, we hunt them!"

Spinning to look at her father, Callie cried, "Run!"

He did not hestate or challenge his daughter. "Run!" He ordered and the foursome fled.

Callie didn't understand who she was hearing, yet, she knew they were in danger. She followed closely behind their group, led by Wilder. Her father pulled her slow-moving mother along behind him. Bessie stumbled and bounced across the field like a tumbleweed.

"They run."

"Pursue them."

"Do not let them get away!"

"Faster!" Callie ordered before turning to stand her ground.

Several yards in front of her, an intimidating snarl traveled across the field of bluebonnets. Energy surged around her as she measured the threat against her family's survival.

"I have one. Surround her!"

Overlapping howls filled the air, as the beast hunched and crept towards her, teeth barred. The hairs on Callie's arms rose, anticipating the oncoming attack. Balling her left hand into a fist, she swung to her right. She didn't see her attacker but she sensed him. Putting her new strength into her punch, her first collided with a warm wet nose. A yip escaped the creature's mouth as it somersaulted in the air away from her. Ducking, as she sensed another attacked, she felt the paws of her second attacker slashing and shredding the back of her dress. Irritated he ruined something she'd worked hard on, Callie forcibly kicked the furry creature full of hate and malice into the air. It landed several yards away on it's back. Shaking his head, he stood and ran, with long bounding strides, in circles around her.

The first creature crept towards her and was about to pounce when Callie knelt and leaped into the air. She landed and her fist collided with the top of his head, smashing it to the ground and knocking him unconscious.

The second creature slowed his pace but was still circling her. As he sauntered around her, Callie noticed his large wolf-like appearance. It baffled her to see their human-like eyes and pronounced noses.

What are they?

A deep-throated growl, that she felt in her core, distracted her long enough for the second creature to attack. He knocked her to the side as he tried to take a chunk out of her arm. When he returned for his second attempt, Callie was ready. Steadying herself as he lunged for her, she caught him by his throat, tightened her grip, and tossed him beyond the larger creature who stood watching and calculating his move to take her out. The tossed creature bounced and bounded behind him, before rolling to a seated position facing her.

"Bring it!" She told the dazed creature as he sat staring at her. Sneezing twice, he stood and bolted in the opposite direction with his tail between his legs.

"Aren't you strong?" It taunted with a chuckle.

Mixed with grey and brown fur, the creature had markings on his face and undersides and a long bushy black-tipped tail. His menacing eyes and feral teeth reminded Callie how ferocious the animal was behind its beauty. It howled, warning the decampment creatures of the discipline they would receive for their cowardice.

"Goodbye little one," he growled at Callie with his snout stuck up in the air. She didn't have a chance to respond before he lunged in her direction.

Callie leapt out of his way, twisting around to grab his tail, making an effort to fling him in the air. Anticipating her plan of attack, the beast charged her, baring his teeth and snapping ferociously at her, backing her up as he approached. Her adrenaline tingled as it filled her legs with energy, casting a periwinkle shimmer around her.

He lunged.

Callie sprang, with great force, above the huge creature, who continud to snap at her, trying to bite her legs, as he slid under her.

Callie landed facing the village readying for the next attack as a roar rattled through the air. She quickly glanced behind her to see where the creature was; he faced the woods with his head tilted listening to the roar.

Hearing her change positions, the creature snarled, narrowing his eyes and slowly veered in her direction.

Knowing she needed to lead him away from the village, where her loved ones had fled, Callie took of towards the forest. He was faster, trimming away at the distance between them. When he was within range, his paw swiped her shin, sending her sprawling face down into the grass.

All the air escaped her lungs, sprewing the blades of grass she'd swallowed back onto the field. Groaning, she turned in time to see the creatures fangs advancing rapidly towards her face. Saliva trickled into her hair as she scooted herself underneath the beast barely escaping his powerful jaws. Missing, he increased his speed, snapping ferociously into the ground, as she continued to slide underneath him. Dirt and spit flew into the air as he dung into the soil. After the fourth missed bite, Callie grabbed onto his sides and flung herself from underneath the creature.

Angered by her escape, the creature whirled around and howled towards the moon. Several replying howls could be heard in the distance.

Callie faced the approaching creature, waiting for his next move.

"The village will be ours!"

"No!" Callie yelled, rushing towards the creature, who met her challenge full on.

The creature sprang into action. Moving with haste he lowered his head to ram her. Callie prepared to deliver a blow of her own, when out of the woods a large purple snarling blur sideswiped him, tossing him into the air. Turning towards Callie, he snorted smoke through his nostrils as it took in her disheveled appearance.

Stunned, Callie starred back at the plum-colored beast. The creature landed with a thud and wobbled to it's feet, just as the other two creatures stepped out of the forest and stood at the outskirts.

"Run!" The beast ordered and run she did.