Prologue

The grass felt cool beneath giant paws as they ran in pursuit of the silvery blur streaking through the woods. Heart pounding, she came to a sudden halt on the outskirts of the large clearing. Although it was a dark night, the full moon shone brightly, filling the land with its ethereal glow.

The blur too had stopped, in the shadows of the trees lining the clearing. Even with hed keen eyesight, the blur remained a blur, hiding in the dark. She stepped into the clearing, knowing that out in the open at least, her large size and sheer strength lent her the advantage. But she was startled by the fireflies she had unknowingly disturbed, and without thinking, stepped right into the perfect circle of rope beside her. Before she knew it, she was upside down, strung up by her feet. She started struggling, trying to reach up and cut herself free, but her now human hands no longer held razor sharp edges. She gave up, exhausted, and resigned herself to her fate. She heard a strange woofing that to pass for laughing, and looked up to see these blur move closer and solidify into the shape of a beautiful silver she-wolf. The wolf licked her face playfully and she growled in frustration at having lost again.

Suddenly, she smelt smoke in the distance and she fell to the ground as the rope was cut. She could hear screams as the wolf turned into a woman who started running towards the sounds. Without looking back, she yelled, "Take her and go!" , before disappearing into the trees.

She started running after her, but an unknown someone grabbed her arm and pulled her in the opposite direction. She struggled against their grip, but it was clear that they were stronger as the of smoke grew stronger and the screams grew louder. She stopped struggling when a high pitched howl pierced the night air and her companion let go of her hand before throwing her over their shoulder and sprinting. The last thing she saw were glowing yellow eyes behind them as they fled.