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There had been a lot of animal attacks lately in the small town of Evergreen, one fatality which was a Ranger. Though one that Will had never met personally, but it was always sad to lose a fellow Ranger. So Crowley, the CO of the Ranger's had sent the closest Ranger down to Evergreen to catch and dispose of the animal responsible; and that just happened to be Halt and apprentice Ranger Will stationed at Redmont.

It was a three days journey from Redmont to Evergreen, but they got there in two by having Abelard and Tug traveled at a fast trot. Each night there was a full Red moon and Will could hold his curious tongue no longer.

"Halt," Will started, pausing when Halt gave a sigh though continued when the grizzled Ranger looked his way. "Why is the moon red?"

Halt was silent as he thought the question over. "No one actually knows why it turns red, only that it does every two-hundred years for about a month."

Will nodded his head as he absorbed this information and a few seconds later another question came to mind. "Do you think that the moon some how has something to do with the animal attacks?"

Halt gave his apprentice a short approving look before he turned his face towards the night sky. "We'll make camp here," he told Will abruptly, pulling on Abelard's reins until the horse came to a stop.

Will stopped a few paces ahead of him, surprise by the sudden stop. The had been traveling but the bright red light that the moon seemed to emit as that sky was clear of clouds. At least it used to be as Will now glanced up at the sky just as a big cloud glided it's way over the full moon, casting shadows across the ground. Halt was already leading Abe into the forest by the time Will turned to him, and the young apprentice rushed to catch up.

It seemed real eerie to be camping out in the wood when the moon seemed to tint everything red and there were animal attack a days ride away. But Will didn't say a word as he and halt set up camp. Loosening the Horse saddles to make them more comfortable for the night, gathering wood for the fire and laying out blankets. They ate a small serving of hot meat and bread will a cup of coffee before settling down fro the night. Halt had fist watch, and he stationed himself in a tree to get a better view of the clearing they were in. Will was by far a better climber them him, but he still had a few moves for an old dog like himself.

Will settled under his blanket by the fire his bow within reach, the days may have been hot but the nights were cool. He looked up at the Red moon through a break in the canopy above, it drew his eyes in and he felt it hard to look away. He couldn't help but fell he was being watched, though he just shifted under his blanket and cut it down to the nerves of being in the wood while animal attack were happening.

;

It lurked in the shadows, watching, waiting for the right moment to attack. It was just enough distance away that the horses would sense It's presence there. It knew that there were only one potential threat in that small clearing and he was the one that It would infect. It was a Blending Pink, though he looked small and insignificant, It knew that if he survived he would be big and strong.

It would wait until his heart rate slowed, along with his breath. It would wait until he was a sleep and his guard was down, to strike. It looked up at the sky and to the red moon, it had to infect the boy now or it would be to late and It's race would die out. Because It knew that It had to infect while the moon was still red, or the transformation wouldn't take and the host would die.

;

The warning came too late, by the time Tug, Abe and Halt realized what was happening it was to late. The animal, what ever it was, was the size of a grizzly though no features were clear in the fire light. By the time Halt's quick reflexes could even notch a black shafted arrow in his longbow, that thing had all ready reached Will, lying asleep by the fire.

Will's scream pierced the night air as It's jaws clamped down on his exposed side. He didn't understand what was happening; he was asleep and now all he could feel was a very sharp burning in his sighed. He tried to push whatever it was that was causing him such pain but froze when his hands made contact with fur. Through his painful haze, Will looked down and couldn't help the scream that escaped. He panicked and flailed, trying to get this huge animal off on him, but It only tightened It's grip as it started to drag him away. He screamed for Halt as he doubled his efforts. As a result, It lifted him from the ground and brought him back down again, hard.

Now that Will was dazed from both the hit and blood lose, It took It's claws and on Will's inner thigh, just blow the groin It left four distinct gashes. It pinned Will with It's paws as it unclamped It's jaw from his side and licked the gashes with It's sparse tongue; introducing the infection into the blood stream. Before It could cause more sights for the infection to be introduced into his blood stream, Halt final got a shot off. That just pissed It off and It lifted It's head from Will and directed It's attention at Halt, who already had another arrow notched and was aiming.

Halt saw It's body tense as It got ready to spring and he fired three shots as It leapt toward him. He got a good look at It now, from the sheer size of It, he would have thought it was a bear but the shape was all wrong for it to be a bear. It was the same size as Abelard and it wasn't a bear but it looked to be a wolf with fur matted with Will's blood. It had three arrows sticking out from It's chest and one from it's shoulder but it was still moving, albeit sluggishly. At this distance Halt had time to draw just one more arrow, he aim with perfect precision. The black shafted arrow sliced through the furry flesh as if it were butter and pierced it heart.

The big animal fell at Halt's feet, the blood from it's wounds pool on the ground below. It was going to be in a minute or two and It knew it, but it also knew It had infected that boy and he knew that it's race would carry on. And that was all It needed to know as it's eyes closed forever. Halt looked at the beast before him, he was sure the thing was dead but just to be sure he put another arrow in it's ear.

Will grown as he pulled himself up and leaned against the nearest tree as he pressed his hand against the giant bite mark on his ribs. Going by the sudden quite, the animal was either killed by Halt or it ran away after it attacked him. His leg was slightly numb and he was sure that he had some cracked ribs. Will jerked with a start as he felt something press against his leg, but when he looked down it was only Halt an strip of blanket around the gashes. Will relaxed some what back against the tree as Halt lifted his shirt to inspect the bite wound.

He pursed his lips as he inspected each puncture wound from the sharp teeth of the giant wolf before he wrapped those too. Will finally asked the question that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"What is it?" he asked quietly, eyes darting to the still figure across the clearing.

Halt glanced over his shoulder at the now deceased beast and shrugged his shoulders as he turned back to Will's mid-section. "A Giant Wolf," e said simply, because that's exactly what it looked like.

"A Giant Wolf?" Will repeated incredulous. He was quiet for a moment before he continued, "Ever seen one before?" he asked, his curiosity over powering his freak out; he knew that he shouldn't have just waved that uneasy feeling off to nerves.

Halt shrugged his shoulders again but kept silent as he stood back up and started to gather some fire wood. "We'll burn it and then continue on to Evergreen and get a room so I can get a better look at those woods."

Will just nodded as he watched Halt from his spot against the tree, though his eyes kept straying to the still fury figure in a pool of it's own blood. He shivered as he remembered when it cut his thigh with what felt like purpose and instead of taking a chunk out of him, it licked the wounds. He was filled with confusion as flames burst to life around the giant canine.

note: I know that I sort of dove into that with barely any cushioning. Please review!