Winnie. That name echoed inside his troubled mind. Dennis was now sure that the she-wolf creature was connected somehow to the part of his life that remained a mystery to him, but he still didn't have a clue of who exactly she was. After staring at each other for a few seconds, she couldn't resist anymore, jumped on him, and happily started licking his face. Dennis, annoyed, tried to push her off, and once he did, he wiped his wet face with his arm.

- Why did you do that? It's disgusting!- Dennis complained to an embarrassed Winnie.

- Oh, I am so sorry about that. Old habits die hard -.

- What do you mean by that? We've barely met and you are already... -.

He paused there, thinking it had been a rude way to complain, just like that. After all, despite the struggle when they met, she had stopped him from stepping into a trap. It made him wonder, though, where was all this familiarity sparking from. He'd have fled away from her, but the vacant years in his memory craved for some answers and she might as well have some.

- It's just that I...I feel so overwhelmed. After all these ten sorrowful years, I can finally see you in front of me... - tears of happiness began to slide down her furry cheeks as she stepped back and whispered in a low tone - Sometimes I used to have horrible nightmares of you being...-.

She stopped midsentence, her ears perking up and moving around as if perceiving something in the distance. However, Dennis couldn't hear anything, so he supposed that whatever she was perceiving was in a frequency too low for him to hear. Her fur bristled in alert, and her eyes grew wide:

- We have to escape. Whoever tried to kill you back there in the cottage is coming to finish their task, and I don't feel like staying around to watch. We must go somewhere safe...-.

- Whoa, who? What…?-.

Before he could finish the question, Winnie gave him a push and motioned him to run. "Here we go…".

Time blurred as they ran, Winnie urging, "Faster, please, faster". Dennis's legs ached, each step heavier than the last, but he didn't complain. They pushed on, two hours feeling like twenty, their breath and footsteps merging into the stillness of the forest.

They stopped on the top of a hill as a scary screech pierced through the heavy air of the woods. Despite having been around forest critters for a decade, Dennis couldn't figure out what had made that unnatural sound. He stood there, frozen, until Winnie yelled as quietly as she could:

- Hurry! Come on, we'll hide in here! - she pushed some bushes aside, revealing a small secret hole under the hill - Inside, now!-.

Though hesitant, Dennis crawled through the entrance with effort, and once he made it to the other side, he dropped to the dirt and rested his back against the wall of that mysterious cave. Winnie entered quickly after him and covered the entrance with the bushes.

- That's it! Now, you'd better stay still and quiet for a while – commanded the lycan with authority yet notoriously scared – We'll have to wait -.

Unable to see through the thick branches shielding their hideout, Dennis and Winnie held their breath, listening intently. A low, rhythmic flapping grew louder—the beating of wings, heavy and sinister. Shadows flitted over the bushes, stretching and shrinking in the dim moonlight. The creatures above swooped low, and Dennis could feel the air shift, as if they were close enough to brush the ground. His heart pounded in sync with each beat, until, at last, the forest fell silent and they exhaled in relief.

- Well, whatever they were, it seems like they've gone far away at last. What exactly are they?- Dennis asked.

- Grrr, they're those filthy humanoid bats that attacked us on your fifth birthday. They and their stupid revenge. Damn it! Why can't they leave us alone?!- Winnie hit the wall so hard that Dennis staggered a bit - Whatever. We have to move on. The only way to be safe, I think, is to be at Hotel Transylvania. That's the place I mentioned before. Where you used to live, with your family.

- Do I have a family? If that's true, why did they leave me? Dennis asked with evident anger. Why can't I remember anything before the people that cared for me, which by the way are now gone,found me?-.

- I still can't believe that you don't remember anything. Don't you realize? You were kidnapped -.

He stared at her, surprised, and asked:

- Wha... what do you mean? By whom?-.

Reluctant to answer him, knowing that every word she spoke about his past would sound like nonsense to him, she agreed to explain.

- The day after the party, you, me, and my brothers were playing hide-and-seek in the hotel - Winnie commented wistfully - You were the only one left to find, and we were searching for you in every corner. Suddenly, they broke in, wreaking havoc and destroying everything in their path. In the midst of all that terrible mess, I heard you screaming from your bedroom and ran upstairs to help you. While running, I warned your parents, and they came along with me. But when we got there, something hit us from behind, and we blacked out. Once I woke up, all I saw was you being held limp by two of them as they flew toward the mountains. Your papa Drac chased them, but it was useless. They were too far already and disappeared. With you -.

She paused and glanced at him, wanting to see what effect these words had on him. When a hint of empathy shone in his eyes, she continued.

- That's as far as I can tell from then up until now, I can't tell you anything else. Only that I've nearly despaired many times but never gave up. Your face in my mind always helped me to keep going -.

Dennis felt a strange knot forming in his chest as he listened to Winnie's story. Was this really his life? Could he have lived in a world of monsters and magic? A part of him wanted to dismiss it all, but the sadness in her eyes made him pause. Why did he feel so drawn to her, even though she was practically a stranger? Embarrassed by his thoughts, he turned away, mumbling:

- Um, and you don't know anything about what happened next or why I...lost my memories?-.

Already exhausted by his repetitive questions, she shook her head. "Nope, that's all I can say". Somewhat shy, he nodded in response.

- Okay, I guess so... - after that, he yawned, feeling exhausted - Well, I think it's too late. Come on, let's get some rest -.

- Yeah, we have a long way to go from here. Good night -.

Both tried their best to lie down comfortably in the cold cave, but it seemed impossible; specially for the boy. Hard to let your consciousness go when your whole life has been turned upside down on a blink and you're suddenly a rescued stray in the hands of a creature that jumped straight out of a novel. As for her, it was hard to keep up the positive attitude when all that she held dear in her mind and heart meant nothing to the boy that saw her as a stranger.

The last thing Dennis remembered before crashing was a pink flash that swirled in her beautiful eyes. He fell asleep not too long afterwards, wondering what had just happened.

To be continued...

*insert Adele's voice* Hello. It's me.

Continuation is finally here and I hope it is of your liking. Thanks to those that granted me their views and reviews, to all those that gave this story a chance. Finding time to rewrite and work and living in general isn't as easy as I'd like, but getting to share this makes it all worth it. I will continue uploading as long as life and plot allow so, we'll be seeing each other around soon enough.
See ya, pals!