Author's Note: So this was written when I should have been working but who has time for the future or success!

Card: (Gold) Carlotta Pinkstone - Write about a muggle who knows about witches/wizards

Assignment: Fairytales Assignment 4 - Write about intense curiosity

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognise.


The Woods

Katarina stopped for a second to take in her surroundings. The golden light which had previously filtered through the leafy canopy had slowly but surely faded to grey as dusk descended. The fresh, damp smell of the earth all around her had shifted from comforting and inviting to somewhat ominous. Every sound she heard made her jump and spin only making her confusion even deeper.

Well, that was it. She was irrevocably lost.

Katarina stopped walking, knowing that she was getting nowhere, and put her hands on her hips. She took a few deep breaths to steady her erratic nerves and tried to make some sort of plan. There were only really a few options open to her. She could climb one of the many ancient trees and try to gauge her position in the leafy labyrinth, but then she had never been much of a climber and the height was dizzying even from the ground. She looked around considering what it would be like to spend the night here and try again in the morning but a distant howl chased those thoughts from her mind. It looked then like her only option was to keep going and hope for the best.

"Are you lost?"

Katarina screamed at the unexpected voice, almost falling over herself as she turned to face the voice. It was a young man, he looked haggard and tired and leant heavily against the tree. She stumbled backwards not taking her eyes from him. He had shaggy brown hair, though she could not see his eyes and he wearily held up a hand.

"I mean you no harm, though tonight is not a good night to be out in these woods."

"Oh, and why is that?" Katarina asked, attempting to sound strong but instead stuttering in her fear. The young man across from her smirked, it looked an ironic almost painful thing.

"Werewolves."

Clearly this man was a nutter, stumbling around the forest scaring young women and chatting about werewolves like they were an everyday occurrence. She should be running, hard and fast in any direction he wasn't heading but against all reason Katarina felt as if she could trust this stranger, drawn to him even. Curiosity stirred in her as she looked at him, he was a walking talking puzzle.

"Do you know the way out?" she asked eventually. The man looked at her, eyes roaming from top to bottom before he shifted one tired arm pointing in the direction he had come from.

"The trees that way are marked with gashes. As long as you can see them you are headed the right way out."

"Thank you."

When he didn't move Katarina did. It was growing darker by the second and she needed to get home. His was the only advice to go on though he looked at the ground as she passed him.

"What is your name?" he asked as she passed by him. Katarina paused to look at him though he did not look at her.

"Katarina, what is yours?"

"You should leave quickly Katarina, the moon will be rising soon," he ignored her question.

"Are you not leaving also? For fear of werewolves?" she scoffed, annoyed by his disregard of her. His resulting chuckle only served to incense her further.

"My name Katarina, is Remus, and Remus means wolf." The young man lifted his head and Katarina stumbled back with a gasp. His eyes she could see were bright, piercing yellow lengthened into slits like that of a cat. He grinned at her and she could see his teeth were clean, white and sharply pointed.

She began to run, her feet carrying her faster than she could have ever thought possible. She left the mysterious man in the forest and tried to forget him. Her body had reacted correctly, flooded with fear and adrenaline that had possibly saved her life, but her mind. Her mind had only filled with questions.


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Much Love, MaryandMerlin x