Chapter 1

A/N - i realize i write prose as if im going to translate it all into a comic later, which is a valid thing that might happen, so im ok with that. as always, comments are appreciated!

– —-

"Come to the tower in Cindersap forest. I may have a solution to your 'rat problem.'"

The letter, in strange blue letterhead, sat crinkled in her pocket as Quinn hiked through the woods. Things kept getting stranger and stranger in this town, and here she'd been thinking she was going to be the oddest thing about the place. Little apple-like creatures lived in the old run down community center, and somehow this person knew Lewis' exact words despite no one else being in the room.

Well, it was better than there actually being a rat problem. Quinn was antsy around rodents. Small orbs with teeny little arms were easier to handle.

The woods were gorgeous, only getting more picturesque the further she went, despite some of the overgrowth she had to chop through. It was almost 11, the sun not quite reaching its zenith, and lush green of all shades surrounded her. The shade from the trees kept her cool, and the birds chirping lulled her like a song.

Finally she came upon the tower (she had gotten only a little bit lost), staring up at its rough stone exterior, vines growing up the side like fingers. She gathered her resolve to knock on the door, but it opened before she even made it all the way up the front steps.

"I've been waiting for you," said the gruff older man holding the door. His purple hair and dour features were shaded by a dark hat. "Hurry up and come in."

She followed, entering the cool darkness of the tower. Immediately the scent of something strong invaded her nostrils, making her grimace. Was that burning hair? Or maybe decaying grass? Quinn resisted the urge to put a hand over her nose.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked.

"You've been tramping through the forest for the past hour. How could I not know?" he said, not answering her question. He had moved to a giant bubbling cauldron taking up a huge portion of the room, fiddling with the equally large stirring spoon.

"Well, I'm Quinn," she said, sticking out her hand automatically.

He just stared at her outstretched hand until she lowered it. "Rasmodius," he offered finally, as if he was irritated at being interrupted for something so trivial.

"You saw something in the old community center, didn't you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, something small and brightly colored. It looked a little like a candy apple with arms."

He made a sound like a harrumph. "Well they're certainly not apples. They're Junimos. Creatures of the forest, a type of spirit. They don't usually show themselves to humans."

"Can they write?"

He looked at her inscrutably. "You saw their writing?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure, it looked a lot like scribbles. But one of them was basically leading me to it."

Rasmodius looked deep in thought for a moment. "I think I have something that can help you," he said finally, beckoning her closer. He pulled a cup from somewhere as she drew nearer, taking a scoop of the liquid. The foul smell had grown stronger the closer she got to the cauldron.

Quinn's expression squinched in trepidation as it dawned on her what she was supposed to do. "I'm not gonna drink that,' she protested, raising her hands as if to ward him off.

"It won't hurt you," he said, sounding almost offended. "It's the essence of the forest. It will help you commune with the spirits of nature."

"I'm pretty sure a blunt could do the same thing," Quinn bit back, "But fine. But you have to answer something for me first."

There was a silent moment, until the wizard waved a hand for her to continue. Unsure exactly how to word what she needed to ask, she just went for it.

"Can you break my curse?"

Now there was a real silence, one that lasted far longer, as Rasmodius really took a look at her for the first time since she'd entered the tower.

"I knew something was odd about you. Explain."

Immediately regretting it, Quinn pursed her lips.

"I - I'm not…," she began, "Not sure how to explain. I ran into a wild animal a few months ago, and now.. " she couldn't look him in the face as she spoke. She hadn't told anyone about this yet. What about this stranger she had just met made her want to spill her guts?

But if there was any chance this wizard knew anything about her "condition," any chance of a cure -

"I don't have what you're looking for, farmer." It was his turn to look away now. Her shoulders slumped.

"I can look into it for you, though." He walked over to his bookshelf, filled with tome after tome, some bound in what looked like blackened skin,

"How often does it ail you?"

"About once a month." she glanced down at her watch. "It'll probably happen in a couple hours, actually."

Rasmodius looked up sharply, snapping shut the book he had picked up. "You need to find a place to turn - "

"I do," she said quickly. "I've decided to go into the mines at nightfall."

"Good. These woods aren't large enough for you to rampage around in, at least not without getting noticed."

"Yeah, I figured. I've already gotten fairly deep in the mines. I'll make sure I'm alone, too."

As if she hadn't been constantly thinking about this since she'd gotten bit. As if this had not permeated every waking moment, hovered in her mind during every conversation, sent a chill down her spine at every new person she met. She was a ticking time bomb, and tonight was the end of this month's countdown.

"There's really nothing you can do?" she asked wearily.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Not at the moment. I will have to commune with the spirits for this matter."

He gestured at the cup she was still holding, forgotten in her hands. "Speaking of which, that's what you should do now."

She frowned, but gulped the brew down in one go. It tasted a tiny bit better than it smelled, but that was an easy bar to pass. She gagged a little as it went down.

The mirage began slowly, sneaking up on her as she waited for something to happen. Twinges of green settled in her vision, until all she could see was a twirling haze of trees and dancing Junimos. She swayed, putting a hand down on the edge of the cauldron, barely registering the heat on her palm, or how Rasmodius exclaimed and pulled her away. He sat her down on a stool.

"This one might be more trouble than she's worth," he muttered to himself.

She sat with her head between her knees for a few moments longer as the effect wore off. Groggy, she sat up and stared the wizard down again.

"You won't tell anyone, right?"

He scoffed. "And who would I tell, hmm? I don't exactly have teatime with the citizens of Pelican town, you know."

Quinn kept staring. "That's not an answer."

"Fine. I won't tell anyone." He gruffly helped her up from the stool, propelling her towards the door. "Now go, get yourself prepared for tonight. I don't want to see you waltzing around these woods in your other form."

She laughed dryly. "Got it. Thanks for everything, I guess." How getting her high was supposed to help, she wasn't sure.

The heavy door shut behind her with a thud.

—-

It had been a few days since Elliott had made his way into the woods. The morning's attempt at writing had been just as lousy as his breakfast, so he took off into the west, hoping maybe to meet with Leah. She always knew where to find some nice berries, or at least something edible - though if she expected him to try dandelion salad again she would have to come to her senses. Half of their friendship was just him good naturedly trying whatever hippy dippy recipe she had come across.

Except it wasn't Leah that he met today - instead it was Quinn, exiting the trees just as he got to the bend in the river.

"Hello," he called out, and she jumped.

"I didn't see you there," she laughed, clutching at her chest. Her eyes crinkled in genuine humor as she smiled at him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

Something was different about Quinn today, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Was her grayish pink hair falling out of its braids more? Or was it the points of her canines, which were quite prominent in her smile? Whatever it was, she was disheveled from hanging about the woods.

"What have you been up to today?"

Her smile faltered a moment. "Oh, I was just visiting the wizard."

Elliott had heard there was a wizard in the woods, but he'd been half certain the townspeople were just playing a trick on him as the new guy. "Really? What's he like?"

"A little rude, actually," she replied. "But I think he means well."

"And why did you have to go see the wizard?"

She really froze this time, biting her lip. "I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you," she said finally.

"Try me," he said, doing his best to look trustworthy.

Quinn stared at him for a long moment, her blue eyes boring into him. Finally, she tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"There's some spirits in the old community center," she said, "so he gave me a potion to 'commune' with them."

"Really?"

"Yep. but it was more like I was just tripping balls, honestly," she admitted. He laughed.

"So you go to a strange man's house and drink a potion of unknown origin? You are surely more adventurous than I am," he said, shaking his head with a grin.

She got a little defensive now. "He wrote me a letter saying that he could help."

"Oh, he wrote you a letter?" His grin was still lingering. "So if I wrote you a letter, would you come to my house and drink some strange potion?"

She exhaled through her nose, putting up with his teasing. "Maybe if you asked nicely," she replied blithely.

Elliott's mind caught up with his mouth then - had it sounded like he was asking her out? He hadn't meant it that way. But it looked like she hadn't caught the double entendre either - in fact it looked like her mind was elsewhere at the moment.

He noticed the basket at her hip.

"What's this?"

"Oh," she said, pulling it up between them. It was full of plants she'd picked up on her hike to the wizard tower. She reached in and pulled out a vibrant daffodil.

"Here." she offered it to him. He was unsuccessful at hiding his distaste. A memory of the time he had eaten one without knowing it was toxic resurfaced. He had been sick for days. Blasted Leah and her salads.

She caught the look on his face, instantly lowering the flower. "Sorry, you don't have to -"

"No, I'll take it," he said, somewhat despite himself. "I won't say no to a gift."

"I'll have to give you something better later," Quinn said, looking embarrassed. The tinge of pink on her round face was quite fetching, he could admit.

"I'll look forward to it, then."

She smiled again, and something in his chest squeezed. Did he have indigestion? He would have to see if Pierre's had any antacids.

Quinn glanced at her watch, and suddenly her face shifted from that small shy smile to a pale grimace. "Sorry, I have to go. I'll see you later!"

They exchanged somewhat awkward goodbyes, and Elliott watched her nearly sprint off to the north, back towards the farm. What could have caused her to abscond in such a hurry? Had she left the oven on?

What an odd girl.

—-

The mines were cool and quiet, welcoming Quinn as she entered. And she had made it just in time, too. She was prepared this month - a chest sat near the elevator with a change of clothes, a meal for afterwards, and plenty of water. She set her pack down inside it as well.

She had a few minutes until the sun set. Quickly, entered the elevator and picked a location a few levels down, deep enough that no one should bother her, but not so deep she wouldn't be able to handle the monsters. Ten levels down should be good.

Unable to make herself fully strip naked inside the mines, she simply accepted that this pair of old shorts and a faded and somewhat stained college t shirt would have to be sacrificed for the sake of her modesty (oh Yoba, had Elliott seen the bleach spots on it earlier?). These clothes would be shredded by the transformation in a few moments.

She stepped out of the elevator and into the mine proper. Already she could feel her senses becoming sharper, but with it came the pain.

Teeth elongated, nails burst from her fingers into claws, bones broke and rearranged themselves. Fur burst from every pore, its hue matching her hair. She leaned against the wall as her limbs shifted. Her vision went gray, scents became distinct. And just like the past transformations, her body began to feel very far away. Like in a nightmare, she couldn't get her body to respond how she wanted. Pleas for her muscles to move went unheard, and instead the animal instinct took over.

She was no longer Quinn, she was the wolf. And the wolf wanted one thing - to hunt.