Pain.

All she felt was pain.

The female howled in agony, and with a rebellious snarl she lunged at the source of her torment. She flashed her fangs, and a man's voice yelled in anger, pain. Now he knew half of what she felt. A second pain ran across her eyes, and she howled again. She barked a retreat, stumbling away and dashing through the forest she knew so well. As she grew further from the confrontation, her howl became a pained, human cry. Four steadfast, powerful legs became two weak, clumsy ones with hands that helped her crawl away. Whimpering at the searing agony in her eyes, the girl pulled herself into a grassy clearing. The scent of damp earth and night flowers offered minute comfort, but the scent of blood was stronger. Finally surrendering to the weakness, the young woman collapsed on the grass. She rolled onto her back, staring up at the sky, searching for the moon.

But she could not see it.

Her world had been thrust into darkness. She tried to wipe the blood, hot and plenty, from her eyes. Still, nothing. A growing sense of panic overcame her; she heard a noise and gasped, unable to see the threat; she snatched up her hunting knife, waiting for the man to finish her. Instead, the scent of something familiar came to her, the grass gave way to the steps of something not human. A whining came to her right, followed by the cool, wet touch of a leathery nose.

The girl almost died of relief. "Father," she whispered.

"Rise, Natsumi," commanded the voice she knew so well. "You must get up, dear one."

"I'm as good as dead, Father. I will be of no use to the pack with these injuries."

"Do not speak like that, pup," he snarled. The cold nose nudged the girl's cheek. "I promised your parents that I would watch out for you; I am wolf; I do not break promises. Now, rise, Natsumi, my two-legged pup."

"But, Father," she whimpered. "I cannot follow, I cannot shift, I cannot see!" The last made her sob anew, reminded of the burning in her eyes. A low growl came from her right, a thump of a large mass alerted her of the canine's presence.

"Grab my fur. Pull yourself onto my back. Hold, stay low. We will care for you."

There was no room for her to argue. Gathering what strength she had, Natsumi sat up, took a fistful of the wolf's fur and hauled herself upon the beast's back. Once astride, she leaned against his great neck, clinging on the best she could. The world jolted upward, and she yelped as the creature beneath her began to run. A long, sorrowful howl rose into the night, and Natsumi could no longer hold onto consciousness. The pain was too much, so she decided to take refuge in sleep, in darkness.

She was going to miss seeing the sunlight and the life it gave to the world.