Emmalynn Bennett Pov

*Flashback*

Year 1887

"What is taking her?" Keziah asked, a bit worrisome. The hint of annoyance not far too deep, Keziah was always impatient to kill any creature.

"Perhaps the young hunter was stronger than we thought." I suggested with a shrug, knowing Naysa she couldn't wait to over due her herb tea with a bit of magic.

Keziah laughed lightly. "As if. He's as harmless as a mouse. Did you see the way he looked at her? Like a deer in the abyss wilderness."

"I'm sure she would not allow his mesmerizing eyes to trick her into feeling pity. Yet, we should make our way to the cabin, the older brother could have tracked them." I say.

"No need. I'm fine." Naysa says, coming from the trees- west of the cabin.

"Jee, I was turning quite gray." Keziah mocked.

Naysa did not say another word, instead she removed the safety of her shotgun glaring over at Keziah. Her hijab pulled down from her jaw.

Suddenly a hollow cry echoes from the East of the forest. "Sounds to me like the Wendigo found your trap." I say to Keziah.

"Come on." Keziah took off running, having Naysa and I right behind.

Through the dirt and the trees the smell of burning sage caught my attention.

"Why is sage burning?" I ask as Naysa stopped running.

"No, come. We must stick to the plan. That.. That.. Joey's brother is just trying to find him." Keziah says.

I paused. "Wait. That cannot be it. Remember he's a hunter, he wouldn't use it for that."

"Then what?" Keziah says walking back to us.

"Emmalynn is not wrong, Keziah. Only a human would use sage in these woods. The sage will work against us. If we hunt for the creature, we won't kill it, only wound it."

"Ugh. Naysa! Do not get distracted." Keziah whispered in frustration.

"Honestly, Keziah. I intuitively believe we should turn away. Just until the town folks are asleep–"

"No! Naysa. There's no other time except now. When that monster feeds- there's no stopping it."

"She has a point." I agreed then looked at Naysa, who wore a nervous expression.

I wonder if her feeling has anything to do with my vision I had, I would tell them however the last I spoke on what I saw -they didn't believe me.

"Keziah, this town hasn't lost any- the monster will come again tomorrow at sundown. We should prepare then." Naysa says, and I glanced at Keziah.

Suddenly at the rustle of some near bushes.. Naysa shot her gun, as fire torches appeared.

I grabbed a silver arrow from my shoulder as Keziah stepped forward with her sword raised.

"Whose there? Come forward?" Keziah spoke.

"We come in peace." The male voice stumbled into view.

Two young males come from the trees, both in suits and armed with hunting rifles.

"Who are you?" Naysa ask.

"My name is Samson Winchester. This is my good fellow Enderson Singer, we are searching for my brother."

It was clear he was The hunter in the family that indeed dislike hunting.

"He went west." Keziah says to Samson, which wasn't a complete lie.

Poor Joseph is still unconscious at the cabin where Naysa left him.

"You, the intruder from the town meeting!" His friend Enderson says to Keziah.

Naysa and Keziah I both stayed silent, as Keziah glanced the way they came. "Where are the town folk?" She asks them.

"We ushered them back to their homes. Is there a particular strategy you have in mind for hunting?" Samson asked. "Those weapons only certainly agitate the creature."

Little does he know Naysa shotgun cases are laced with silver, as well as my arrow points and Keziah sword. It will all injure the monster quite so.

"Thank you, we are quite aware. The creature's weakness to fire is well known and deadly." Keziah stays to him sarcastically.

He nods, then looks to his friend Enderson.

"Looks as if you ladies have it all under control. If you see young Joseph, please direct him back to the town hall. That young lad hasn't grasped the danger of the lifestyles he seeks." Enderson says, looking at Samson.

"He's correct. If you cross paths with my native brother once again, please let it be known that we are looking for him."

"Sure, of course. Family is important." Keziah says, giving a fake grin to Samson.

Without another word we all watched as the gentlemen headed east.

Suddenly the sound of a whistle-howl filled the night air.

"Is that a wolf?" Naysa questioned.

"It came from the south. Come." Keziah said and took off like a bat from a cave.

I glanced back to where Joseph's elder brother disappeared with his friend.

I wonder once they find him, will they all then hunt for the Wendigo.

"Come, we shouldn't lose her." Naysa said and I quickly followed her after Keziah.

The later the night became the chillier I couldn't help to feel.

Months ago our mentor Dalton warned us about investigating the disappearance of several campers. It was always a chance that some of the town folk could be in on things in a place such as this.

"I found it!" Keziah calls to us.

"What is it?" Naysa asks as we stop heals first behind Keziah standing over a bare-naked olive-skinned man.

"It's a shapeshifter?" I ask looking around.

"A shape-shifting wolf, a wolf who clearly has a death-wish. Out here alone with a Wendigo on the loose." Keziah says.

It made no sense to me. "Why would a werewolf be out here alone, without its pack knowing that hunters are on the prowl?" I asked both of my sisters.

"There is plenty going on in this town." Keziah states.

"Let's head back to the cabin, perhaps a powerful ritual can be bound by the full moon tonight." Naysa says.

Leave it to Naysa to obsess over finding and creating a spell or ritual. That's her favorite part of the hunt.

"First and foremost, we kill the wolf. If there are others, it will be seen as a warning." Keziah stated.

Of course Keziah is always electrified with anything which life needs an ending, killing is her specialty.

"Maybe we should allow it to say here, something is… off." Naysa says to Keziah, and just as Keziah could say a word- a dark, tall long-shadow appears in front of me.

"Emmalynn!" Naysa screams my name as I fumble with my bow and arrow.

The creature's long arms slashes its black nail at my right calf.

The adrenaline made the gash fast and bearable. I kneel to the ground, refusing to fall over completely. Naysa took the handle of her gun with the Pentagram printed on it and swung it against the creature.

Keziah raised her sword to the monster and it quickly shoved her to the ground hard.

Naysa shot her gun too late and then it jammed, giving the monster a getaway to run north.

Keziah jumped to her feet grabbing her sword.

"Keziah!" Naysa yells as Keziah charged after the monster.

"Help care for Em. Meet you at the cabin." She called back.

"No, Keziah! Wait!" Naysa said to our sister, then rushed to help me.

"No, I'll be fine. Go! Go, insist with her. Kill it!" I say stumbling to my feet. "It's just a scratch." I say, still not feeling the pain.

Without disagreeing Naysa backed away from me, turning to rush after Keziah and The Wendigo.

I stumbled to stand straight, running a hand to remove my hijab as the night air became heated.

As I glanced down at the dead wolf-man still lay on the ground.

Turning to walk East for the cabin, I notice something chilling on the ground that my sisters haven't spotted before- two, massive paw prints.

A shocking wave of heat rushes through me, slicking my skin with sweat, attuning me that I was not alone.

I grabbed a silver arrow and lifted my bow -gearing up to shoot.

Gradually a dark whisper behind the trees appears. "I do not wish you harm."

"Beast, show yourself!" I say ready to kill it.

"Hrrr.." The sound of cracking bones caught my attention to the un-dead man on the ground.

Instead of shooting the silver arrow towards the trees I aim for the wolf's heart as it continues to shift.

With a loud growl the wolf clothes tears and the crushing footstep-sound of leaves on the ground caused me to turn.

"You shouldn't, sliver won't kill him." The stranger reveals himself from the shadows.

Dark brown eyes, jet black cut hair and tan skin.

My pulse leaps as I feel his chakra aura as if it was heated on my skin.

As he moves to stand face to face. Shivers race through my body. His presence was huge, and I knew what the animistic creature was feeling.

"Come with me. As long as you are on my turf, he won't cross to kill you."

Reaching for another arrow over my shoulder, he slowly grabs hold of my wrist. "Please. Don't."

I narrowed my eyes, Keziah would have killed him on sight.

"Sorry. I will not die tonight monster." His excitement to have a witch-hunter at his paws could mean my death.

Suddenly I yell in pain of my leg snapping as the wolf on the ground claws at me.

I took my hidden blade from my belt and as fast as I could sliced the beast man fast then sliced the arm off of the injured wolf on the ground. "Rrrrr…"

I run my fastest, my heart pounding in my chest but am not afraid to fight alone.

Just the thought of running with a hurt leg isn't clever. Wolves love the thrill of the chase. I'll give them one or I could set a trap. Sadly there wasn't much I could think to do.

A growl that was not coming from behind me made it obvious that I needed to get to the cabin fast.

I limped south in hopes I was closer to the lake water.

I turn and splash land in a river of water.

How did I get to it so quickly?

At night these woods can be tricky I remember Naysa saying when we first arrived.

I purposely went under the water to swim better yet, the pain in my leg stung as I couldn't move it much. Yet, the coldness of the river helped.

I stopped swimming to float up to the surface.

Glancing back again, no wolf in sight.

"Arwooo." A loud howl startled me.

Yellow-red eyes I spot first, then green of another wolf.

Here, now the pack appears once my sistas are occupied.

Drowsy, the water seemed to effect like once of Naysa's herbal teas. Hard to tell, since the whole air already feels like a hallucination.

Goosebumps erupt on my skin.

The magic in my veins heightens.

A perfect mirror reflection of the moonlit sky was a bit comforting.

"It's a healing river." I look to the shadows of branch trees to the beast -watching me.

All signs to the other wolves are gone. "Stay right there." I warned reaching for my blade.

"Please, I'm not here to harm you." The wolf-man took a step towards the water. "You are safe with me." He says.

I wasn't. Not completely. My sistas are searching… hunting a Wendigo, and a wolf creature.

They'll hunt until they find what they want, without rest.

"You should not worry…. This will be alright." He speaks clearly, sensing my anxiety. "You shouldn't stay in the river long… its effects can be… sorrowful."

I narrowed my eyes tiredly. "What does that mean?" I try to keep my voice light. To keep giving him the benefit of the doubt, however I know he can still hear the strain. "Who are you?" I ask.

He gives me a small reassuring smile it seems. "Nights when I'm in this form… I look to the stars for answers. Tonight, many were answered. I will protect you."

I clear my throat. It's his kind that I protect the townspeople from. "Do you know where the Wendigo rest?"

"Yes." He answers, my eyes widened in surprise.

"Will you take me there?"

"I won't. You are hurt, you should heal tonight. Hunt another day. First, remove yourself from the lake. I beg you."

He moved towards the edge, careful not to touch the water, and held out his hand for me.

I sighed wanting to trust in his pureness.

"One bad move, I kill you." I threatened.

"I understand." He whispers.

Dark brown eyes, jet black hair and tan skin that radiated as water.

I reach awkwardly to grab his hand, almost convincing myself it's just polite of him to find out how to kill me.

He hovers close, not quite concealing the urgency in his tone. I watch him as if he's a grenade that's about to explode.

I look out across the river, anticipating the rolling waves on distant, uncharted waters.

"What do they call you?"

"Bronzen- Binyamin Chaska. The Armory First Wolf."

"What is that?" I am confused. "That sounds familiar."

The word 'Armory' I overheard Keziah whisper it to Stephen Gilbert the night of the fire.

"The founder, once was here. He is the one who gets things done. Dalton St. John." He says.

My eyes widened in shock.

No. Not Dalton. He's the reason we're here. "I don't understand, Dalton?" I say.

Dalton has bright blue eyes and short brown hair. He is somewhat tall and slim build, Keziah once had a huge crush on him. Keziah did not mention seeing him at the meeting.

"Seven years ago in 1882 Dalton St. John was the leader of the Armory. I was one of the first to survive." He says.

"Armory? He never said this to us. How did he not kill you?" I ask.

"To use me. Armory… are like hunter's who love to torturer and experiment. During that year, he and his fellow colleagues ventured inside the mysterious Vault beneath the home. Nothing much is known about what occurred inside the Vault, he would not have let it on to you or your family. He emerged what they once called my kind...a ruthless killer; stripped of all compassion and humanity."

"Unlike you now." I mutter to him. "Are you a Kitsune."

"Kitsune?" His eyes glowed as if he himself was the fox.

What is he truly?

"The wolf on the ground was not a normal werewolf. You aren't either." I say to him.

This Armory's first werewolf- yet clearly in his eyes appeared he was something more.

"I under-went-plenty of experimental methods within the Armory." He says.

I nod. "Yes. Well... Kitsune species are genetic... many can shift between human and fox forms. I've noticed the intelligent beings that possess magical abilities that increase with age and wisdom. You are young."

He smiles. "I was born twenty-eight years ago."

"I feel your fox spirit as well as the wolf-gene you hold."

"Japanese spirituality... similar to Councilman Ken Freeman." He confesses.

Of course this town was filled with hidden creatures in disguise.

"Oh no. This town is doomed." I say instantly feeling dizzy.

"Come, I'll take you somewhere safe." He says and before I could object he scoops me up in his strong masculine arms and carries me from the water edge into the trees.

*End Of Flashback*