When I was seven, I was fully used to the routine.

Never speak of them, check.

Put away every red thing you find, check.

Dye your red hair, check.

Never go to the forest… uhm…

Well…

Ah, okay, NOT check!

Sometimes, the boys had this game. There was an old stock near the forest, and they tried, who will last longer on it.

At night. And near, very near the edge of our land. The land just a step away belonged to them.

Usually, there were growls there, deep sounds that sounded somewhat like that.

And being turned so you're facing village and your back is to the forest, nobody lasted long there.

Only me.

I won today again, but I still stand there, waiting, with shut eyes.

,,Gwen, there's a storm coming soon! Just jump down already!" one of the boys said.

,,Nooo, I'm comfortable here."

,,Alright, but WE are leaving!" another one said and stand to go away.

Just then a thunder could be heard.

After several more minutes of sitting on the stock, a drop fell on my nose.

,,Rain…" I constated to myself phlegmatically and looked on my hair.

Rain. WATER!

I stand up and started to run like crazy beside the forest to get home before the rain starts pouring too much.

But I didn't manage it.

Luckily, nobody was home, only granny and she was sleeping- I heard her from up the stairs… Heh. She forgot to watch me.

Mom and dad were gone, there was a town meeting. Dad was one of the council members, and mom… she went to see the other women, to talk and stuff.

I hoped they took brother too, and it seemed so, either that or he was sleeping deeply to not hear the door creaking, as I closed after me, and then locking.

I then exhaled in relief. I was dripping wet, and I've seen color drip on the ground too- it seemed my hair gained their natural one again. But it was fine, I always washed my hair before I went to sleep. It was more comfortable that way.

I heard another door creaking.

,,Granny?" I called up. ,,Are you up…? Did I wake you?"

But that wasn't her…

Gosh, maybe little brother woke up?

Immediately, I ran upstairs to check him. But it wasn't him. He slept peacefully in his bed.

I frowned.

What on Earth…? Oh, maybe the back door opened.

I ran downstairs again to check it, and yes, it was opened.

Laughing quietly, I reached for them (they were opened to the outside). Of course. What else could it be?

The rain hit my face so hard it was like a good slapping. I groaned and tried to wipe it out of my eyes, but it was everywhere.

And then I caught a glimpse of something red on the edge of the forest.

I frozed in the door. Then caught them, forcibly closed it and ran straight into my bed.

I jumped on, undressed and hid under the sheets, shaking from the cold, but a bit fear too.

There were no growls heard outside today, just the determined rain and a bit thunder. But I'd bet my life on the fact I saw one of them just six meters from me.

I shaked, and the whole bed with me.

Wait, what…? The bed was like ten times bigger and high half of me.

,,Hello?" I said with a incredibly high and child-like voice. I hated myself for it.

I should have been quiet instead!

But there was no answer. Of course. If there WAS a monster under the bed, would it actually answer me? I bet it's waiting for me to fall asleep, and then it will climb out and-

,,Hello…?"

God.

There was actually a answer.

From under my bed.

And for my shock also a high and scared voice, like mine. But it sounded somewhat… different. More like a baby animal, but nonetheless, it was voice. It was real words.

,,Who is down?" I asked.

,,Who is UP?" it answered with a question.

This was a VERY strange conversation, I had to admit.

,,What are you doing under my bed?" I asked something again.

This time it whined for itself for a while, then it answered;

,,They left me here."

I winked in surprise, then slooowly slithered to the edge of the bed and looked down. Nothing was seen.

,,Who left you here?"

,,Parents," it whined again.

,,But why?"

,,Because… because they say I'm a too weak thing and I'll die either way."

It sobbed.

I listened for a while.

,,And why they left you here?" I asked a bit more softly.

It made a high-pitched, weird sound.

,,I don't know," it said shakily.

I stared down for a while, then moved my head to see under the bed.

It wasn't very much visible, but what was, was a very pitiful sight.

I saw only a big red cloak, a bit too big for the thing, then small claws, some stings, and mostly I saw eyes, staring back on me a bit scared. They were huge and pitch dark, almost black. And full of tears.

,,Are you staying here then?" I asked now curiously, but still with pity.

,,I guess," it said shakily.

We gazed on each other.

,,I guess," I started. ,,that now we share this bed, we should tell our names to each other."

It inclined its head to the side.

,,You should start, since you're new here," I puzzled.

,,Yes, but we have a tradition," it said shyly. ,,we have to prove ourselves good hunters before we have names. I've been miserable."

,,Oh. I'm Gwen, then."

,,Okay."

,,But since they now… left you here…"

,,Dumped me."

,,Uhm, yes, doesn't that mean you can have a name?"

It wondered for a while.

,,I guess," it said.

Now that it sounded normal, without whining or scared, I recognized it's a HE.

,,Do you have any special names or do you use ours?"

,,As for who," he wondered.

,,And you?"

,,I've been bad," he sighed. It sounded like a sad growl. ,,so I'll have a human name."

It offended me a bit, but I decided to let it go.

,,Do you like any name?" I murmured.

,,I don't really know…"

Just then, the door opened. He frozed, I immediately jumped back under the sheets.

It was just granny.

,,Darling, sorry for falling asleep. Is the baby alright?"

,,Yes, I checked," I said and tried to sound tired.

,,Good," she smiled and went to give me a good-night kiss.

When she closed the door and I heard she's already upstairs, I heard a hiss from under the bed;

,,I think I have one."

,,Great."

I leaned in closer.

,,Nicholas," he said. ,,It reminds me of Christmas," he added more cheerfully.

,,You have Christmas?" my eyes almost fell out.

,,Different from yours, but we do," it seemed he smiled.

,,Well," I sighed. ,,this is officialy your new residence, Nicholas."

….