《The Wolf in the Mist(OLD VERSION)》 Day 1; Steel and Stormy Mornings Shit'' thought Sofia as she ran down the dirt road. With each stride, the heavy backpack bounced against her back, and hanging over her head was a leaden sky that threatened rain. It had happened again, she had overslept and classes were about to start. The worst thing was that the first class was physics, and the teacher was not exactly called the Stuck-up for his kindness and understanding. The last thing she wanted was to endure one of his scoldings in front of her classmates, especially when she felt the energy in her chest so unsettled. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 2; Acid Rain and Sky Eyes ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 3; It鈥檚 Not Rejection, it鈥檚 Something That鈥檚 More Than Friendship ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Shit''. ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 4; Moon Blood and Silver Shards ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°and looked at her daughter with an amused expression. ¡°All right. You keep him from causing any more trouble and I''ll leave him alone. But if he keeps attacking cattle I''ll hunt him down myself, understood?¡± Day 5; An Ocean of Blue and Gray Arches ¡° ¡° Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°said to herself as she walked carefully towards the stream, watching for any tracks she might find. ¡° Day 6; Smiles of Apology and Winter Star ¡° cocky pretty boy''. He wore an off-white sweater under his black motorcycle riding jacket and jeans that fit his legs and butt. His straight hair was tousled due to the helmet that hanged from his arm, and there were dark circles under his blue eyes. He was panting after having ran up the stairs, and looked at the teacher with an apologetic gaze. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° As he walked past Sofia she noticed his scent again, that pine and greenery perfume that was so appealing to her because it reminded her of her forest. She dared to steal a furtive glance at him as he sat down, appreciating the details of his face. Yes, he was cute, she wasn''t going to deny the obvious, and she couldn''t blame her classmates for noticing him. Besides having nice facial features, his body seemed well toned, neither fat nor thin, at the right weight. Dave had said that he didn''t find it easy to make friends, that he didn''t tend to be liked. Seeing the sensation he had caused she found it hard to understand how that could be possible. Surely at his previous high school he had also attracted the attention of the girls. ¡° Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°you know him?¡± said Lola, ¡®the snob¡¯, who, as always, was dressed to the nines. ¡° ¡° ¡°Thanks, they were stressing me out a lot.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 7; The Witches and the Magic Cauldron On the blackboard there was a diagram of genetic inheritance up to the third generation according to Mendel''s laws. In reality this had already been taught the previous year, but Rosa, the biology teacher, wanted to review the concepts in order to talk about complex inheritance and epigenetics. Sofia found all that talk about genes boring, and was unable to suppress a yawn as she struggled to maintain her concentration and take notes. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dave devouring each and every word the teacher said. He was taking notes as if he wanted to write down all the concepts, lest he miss one, and was looking up at the board with absolute fascination. Sofia couldn''t help but smile a little. At least someone found the class interesting. ¡°Epigenetics is the study of the mechanisms that regulate gene expression without modification of the DNA sequence. External factors that can affect gene expression range from environmental factors, to habits such as diet, to even our body''s own chemical reactions,¡± the woman explained. ¡°Environmental factors... I wonder if...¡± whispered Dave, scratching his chin as he looked down at his notebook. The bell rang at that moment, piercing Sofia''s ears with such force that she flinched. From the way Dave pursed his lips and closed his eyes, he didn''t seem to like the sound either. Not surprisingly, it was a shrill, head-drilling screech. The genius who came up with the idea of installing it was a psychopath who simply wanted to make students suffer, because it didn''t bother just the two of them. Sara and other classmates also found it unbearable. ¡°Well, kids, since I know this weekend is the Witches Night Festival and you''re not going to do anything, I''m not going to send you homework. But at least take a look at the lesson in the textbook,¡± said Rosa, showing more faith in her students than confidence. As always, she said goodbye to Sofia with a quiet nod and left. She had not even made it out of the classroom when it erupted in a clatter of moving chairs. A handful of students got up and made a beeline for their friends'' desks to use the five minutes between classes to chat. Others went out into the hallway to talk with people from other classrooms, and some took the opportunity to go to the bathroom. Sofia put her biology notes in her backpack and was looking for her math ones when she felt a presence near her, a presence that smelled of forest. When she looked up she found her classmate, who was offering her another notebook. ¡°Thank you for lending me the history notes again. I managed to finish copying everything,¡± he said with one of those controlled smiles. ¡°You''re welcome. The teacher talks a lot. I think I''ll have filled out three like this one by the end of the year,¡± said Sofia, taking the notebook to put it in her backpack. ¡°Yes, I''m sure you will,¡± replied the young man, laughing a little. ¡°Hey, guys!¡± Sara approached them and put an arm around her friend''s shoulders, who looked a little uncomfortable at having his personal sphere invaded. ¡°My sisters are going to dress up as witches and put on a show where we''re going to make a queimada like in my homeland. You have to come, you''re going to love it!¡± ¡°Tonight? I can''t. I have too much to do. Better some other day when I¡¯m not so busy,¡± said Dave with a small smile of apology, pulling out of his friend''s embrace. ¡°Don''t be dull, man. Come, we''re going to have a great time!¡± insisted Sara. ¡°I appreciate it, Sara, but I can''t.¡± Dave returned to his seat and began to prepare the material he would need for the following class, which was physics with the Stuck-up. ¡°I''m coming, Sara. What time do you want to meet?¡± said Sofia. ¡°Are you talking about Sara''s queimada? I mean, jeez, it''s great! It''s the best thing about the festival! Sara''s sisters dress up as witches and prepare the queimada in a big steaming cauldron, all in the middle of a mega-cute set-up with candles, wands, aromatic plants and little bottles full of colored liquids. You really have to come and see it!¡± said Lola the snob, who had left her friends behind to go to their desks. ¡°See? They''re coming. Come on, man, it''s your first festival in town and Witches Night is really cool. We''re going to have a great time, you¡¯ll see,¡± insisted Sara. A little overwhelmed by being suddenly surrounded by so many people trying to convince him, Dave ran his tongue over his lips and crossed his gaze with Sofia¡¯s. In his eyes there was a silent plea for help, a question asking her what he should do, but the girl just raised her hands. ¡°Don''t look at me. Do whatever you want, I''m not going to try to convince you,¡± she said. ¡°Believe me when I say I prefer it that way,¡± Dave said with a small smile. ¡°I''ll think about it, but no promises,¡± he added, turning to Sara and Lola. ¡°Okay, man. We''ll talk after class.¡± ¡°Ladies, take your places.¡± The Stuck-up had just entered the classroom, and like soldiers trained to obey the orders of their superior, all the students, including Sara, ran towards their desks. No one dared to defy him, unless they wanted to end up visiting the principal''s office, where they would be severely reprimanded. When everyone was in their place and silent, thirty pairs of eyes on their teacher and the blackboard, the class began. One thing had to be granted, and that was that he was so strict in his classes and his exams so difficult that perhaps some classmates had succumbed to despair and were no longer trying to learn, but at least they were not left wanting for jokes. As the man drew formulas on the board to explain the lesson, Sofia glanced at Dave. He was paying attention to the class, but the way he frowned was not his usual expression of concentration. Rather, he looked preoccupied. Taking great care not to make any noise that would alert the teacher, Sofia tore off a small piece of paper from one of her notebook¡¯s pages and quickly scribbled something. Then, after making sure that the Stuck-up was standing with his back to them, she threw it at her partner with such good aim that it landed right in front of him, on his own notebook. Startled, Dave jumped a little and then picked up the note. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ''You don''t have to come if you don''t want to. I''ll talk to Sara.'' Dave let out a quiet sigh and smiled in her direction, drawing the word ''thank you'' across his lips. That smile was the most sincere she had seen on him to that day, and Sofia thought it was so beautiful that she couldn''t help but smile back. After returning her attention to the teacher''s explanations, who was still engrossed in his formulas, Sofia brushed an unruly strand of hair behind her ear and tried to follow the rest of the lesson attentively. Time went by surprisingly quickly, and before she knew it the shrill bell was ringing, causing the daily clatter of chairs, tables, and students fleeing the classroom. Sara normally waited for Sofia to gather her things, but that day she rushed over to her desk, going against the flow of the crowd. ¡°Mate, I can''t eat with you today. My sister Monica, the eldest, sent me a message. She wants me to help her prepare for tonight because the others are working and can''t get away. She can''t handle the cauldron by herself because it weighs a ton.¡± ¡°No worries. I''ll eat something at home and then I''ll see you at the festival.¡± ¡°Sure, buddy,¡± said Sara, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder. ¡°And you come too, man, we''re going to have a blast.¡± ¡°I''ll... think about it,¡± he replied, again running his tongue over his lips. When Sara walked out, the rest of her classmates had already left the classroom, leaving the two of them alone. From outside came the sound of voices and footsteps from all the students who were leaving the building. Sofia didn¡¯t quiet feel like joining the daily crowd, so she took her time to finish packing up. To her surprise Dave was taking almost longer than she was. His movements were slow, as if his head was somewhere else instead of there. ¡°Sara can be very insistent, but don''t let her persuade you if you don''t want to go. She won''t be mad,¡± said Sofia as she slung her backpack over her shoulders. ¡°Actually, I''d really like to go but... I have a lot to do.¡± ¡°I don''t think we''ll be meeting until seven or so. Maybe you can be finished by then,¡± she said as they walked out the classroom door into a hallway that was already almost deserted. ¡°I could use lunch at home. If I''m going out this afternoon I might as well take Kas out now and give him a nice walk.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°True,¡± blushing, he smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Maybe it''s going to seem a little strange, but would you mind if I came with you? I... I like dogs but I can''t have one at the moment, and right now I don''t know anyone with a dog.¡± Sofia could have said no. To be fair, she had only known that boy for a couple of weeks, and she knew nothing about him. However, she couldn''t deny that she liked him, he was gentle and kind, and he had a pleading expression on his face that was hard to resist. He also had a very positive quality, and that was that he knew how to accept a no with a dignity that many adults would like to have. If she said no, he would accept it without any fuss or a bad attitude and their relationship would continue exactly the same. In that way he reminded her of Kas. The dog never held a grudge when she forbade him to do something. Perhaps because of that, because of Dave¡¯s noble nature, Sofia was more inclined to accept even though a part of her was screaming that she was entering a very dangerous territory. ¡°Sure, come if you want to.¡± Sofia''s house was close by, but they still took the young man''s motorcycle to get there. Since there was only one helmet Dave forced her to wear it, but the huge, heavy hulk did not prevent her from clearly appreciating the smell he gave off, which was more than just the scent of nature, pine and gasoline. She could also appreciate a light masculine musk that was warm and pleasant, a musk that made her suddenly aware that she was riding on a motorcycle with him, with her body pressed against his back and her arms around his waist. When he stopped in front of Sofia''s house, one of those old, low houses, the young woman let go of him as if he were a red-hot iron bar and quickly jumped off the motorcyle. Puzzled by her attitude, Dave tilted his head slightly to one side, but she promptly returned his helmet and averted her gaze in an attempt to hide the sudden blush that had risen to her cheeks. ¡°It''s this way,¡± she said, hastily pulling her keys from her backpack. The door opened with a click. Kas, the huge Dobermann, ran to greet his owner. Dave''s eyes widened like saucers at the sight of the dog who, upon noticing the presence of a stranger, approached a little more cautiously and sniffed the hand the young man was offering him. ¡°Wow... he¡¯s so cool...¡± said Dave with a restrained voice, his lips opening for the first time in a truly sincere and spontaneous smile. The dog decided he liked the stranger his friend had brought home and started wagging his tail stump. Dave dropped to his knees to be at the dog''s level and began to play with him without fear or embarrassment, like a child meeting an old friend. Sofia felt something warm welling up in her belly, a certainty that made her feel fear and longing in equal parts, one that screamed at her to run away, and at the same time told her to jump at once, to dare, to take advantage of the opportunity life was giving her. That certainty was that this boy would not be just her classmate, nor just an acquaintance with whom she had a cordial relationship. This boy could become her best friend. Day 8; Night of Candelabra, Magic and Potions The Witches'' Night festival was one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year. It was said that a saint, whose name Sofia could not remember, had driven out a coven of witches, and in his honor that day was celebrated. In reality it was another pagan festival of Celtic origin that marked the end of the harvest, and in which the ancestors and ancient inhabitants of those lands were honored. The legends claimed that, during that night, the barrier that separated the world of the living from the world of the spirits weakened, allowing contact with them through various incantations that nobody remembered anymore. In any case, the village celebrated it in style, with a medieval market, sword dueling shows, minstrels, and a lot of people dressed up to play the part. It was like traveling back in time, and Sofia loved it. queimada show, so Sofia was using the time to browse the craft stalls. She did stay away from those displaying jewelry, just in case. It was probably costume jewelry, but she thought the same thing when she was thirteen, and that silver bracelet had left her with a scar as a souvenir. However, she amused herself by browsing through a stall of handmade soaps and candles that displayed an interesting and colorful collection. There were all kinds, from those with simple shapes to others that imitated butterflies, flowers or pumpkins. The mix of fragrances and scents was intense, enough to make her sensitive cinanthrope nose feel overwhelmed. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia made an attempt to grab his hand, but stopped herself before her fingertips could touch his skin. For a moment she considered her options, but in the end she decided to grab him by the dark jacket he was wearing so they wouldn''t get lost as they moved through the crowd. There were so many people that walking was almost impossible, and Sofia noticed that the boy didn''t seem comfortable at all. He was frequently running his tongue over his lips, a gesture she had noticed he did whenever he was nervous, and he was constantly averting his gaze as if looking for something to distract him from this situation. ¡° ¡°Not really. Crowds stress me out a lot, so I''ve always preferred open spaces. I''m afraid I''m not the best company to come to a market, or to go to a concert,¡± he confessed with a little apologetic grimace. ¡° Sofia pulled the boy to the side to get out of that suffocating tide of people. The two of them walked through the space between two stalls and out into the square on the other side. As soon as they left the crowd behind them, Sofia broke into a run towards the town hall building at the far end and headed into an alley. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Satisfied with the answer, Sofia dropped onto the trimmed grass on the other side, and crouched down to take advantage of the shade of a nearby tree to hide. Mere seconds later Dave joined her, and again she caught the scent of pine that camouflaged his own. Using the darkness and vegetation as cover, Sofia crawled to a nearby bush and peeked through its branches. Again she saw nothing but that empty garden bathed in cold moonlight. With any luck they wouldn''t have any unpleasant encounter. It had never happened to her before, since her hearing allowed her to anticipate the presence of security guards, but she had never done this while taking someone with her. She hoped the boy was up to the task. ¡° Suddenly, Dave grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a bush, where he practically forced her to duck. Sofia''s heart skipped a beat and she nearly let out the growl of insecurity and fear she felt bubbling in her throat. ¡° ¡° If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° That voice sounded so loud that both teens jumped and looked around. Monica, Sara''s older sister, was pointing at them. They hadn''t really made any grand entrance, they were just two teenagers who had come running because they didn''t want to miss the show, but thanks to the witch everyone was now paying attention to them. Sofia especially noticed how Sara was looking at them. The expression on her face, which clearly said that as soon as they were alone she was going to pepper her with questions, made her very aware of the hand that was still intertwined with hers. The two teenagers exchanged a quick glance and both let go practically at the same time. The blush that ascended to both their cheeks evidenced their embarrassment. ¡°What an interesting couple,¡± Monica said in a mysterious tone as she walked around them with fluid movements. ¡°Will you be the first brave ones to take the potion? Will you dare to see what the spirits want to show you?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°queimada is made with alcohol. My sister pours an alcohol suppressant in it so that kids and teetotalers like him can drink the potion without any risk, and without it being fucking illegal,¡± the girl explained as she picked up a wooden bowl and handed it to her sister. ¡° ¡° There was trust between them. Sofia had spent many days in the company of Sara and her sisters, who in the year that she had known them had made her feel that they were more like family than her own mother. That''s why she could afford to take those liberties with them. Of course, this meant that Monica could also allow herself to take liberties with her, and a sibylline smile suddenly appeared on her lips. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 9; A Flavor of Liquor and Cinnamon ¡° Just ahead of them, two children were playing at pointing at the pictures on the tree trunks. A few meters away their parents were following them with watchful eyes, smiles on their faces as they appreciated the innocence and excitement of childhood. They did not see what their children could see. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Lola came running from an area in the park that was under the cover of a huge tree, where she and her group of friends were doing a botell¨®n. The girl, who was always dressed to the nines, was wearing a tight, long-sleeved dress with a notablecleavage, high boots, and so much makeup that she could paint a picture rubbing her face against a canvas. Her body was also covered with those light tattoos, but in her case they were so faint that in contrast to those on the nearby trees, they were barely visible. In fact, none of the group showed such intense light marks as the three of them. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°queimada, Sara. Too bad the effects last so little,¡± she said, standing so close to Dave that she brushed his arm with her hand, causing the boy to take a deep breath and run his tongue over his lips several times. ¡° ¡°her. Too bad, I would have liked to be the one to share it with you, but there''s still time,¡± said Lola, standing in front of him to touch his chest with a finger while she offered him the glass. ¡° To Sofia''s surprise his body language had suddenly changed. Every muscle in it tensed. His chest began to rise and fall in long, deep breaths. His gaze remained elusive and his tongue ran across his lips, also tense, as if he was holding back a grimace that was struggling to peek out. All that display of language along with the raised shoulders made it clear that he didn''t want any trouble, but that he would have no qualms about responding in kind if they kept pushing him. ¡° ¡°she has a name.¡± ¡° Suddenly aware of what Dave had just said, Sofia forgot all about Lola and turned to face him. The glow in his marks had become a little more intense and seemed to be pulsing across his skin to the rhythm of his heartbeat. Because of that brightness the blush on his cheeks went almost unnoticed, but even so, when their gazes met briefly Sofia could see it. She could also feel her own skin responding in kind, perhaps because it had been a long time since anyone had seen her as anything other than ''that jerk''. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡°Sara, it¡¯s ok. You don''t need to fightbecause me. I''d better go home,¡± said Dave with a little apologetic grimace. ¡° ¡° ¡°You know, Lola? Maybe you should learn how to flirt without rubbing against guys like a doe in heat. You''d do much better and you wouldn''t attract so many assholes who only care about wetting the sausage,¡± Sofia said with a cynical grimace. ¡°What did you say?¡± Lola turned red with anger and the other girls, upon hearing the exchange, stood up to stand by their friend. ¡°That you can be heard ranting even from the back of the class. The whole class knows about your affairs with the boys. I''m saying this because of that thing of calling the only guy with enough judgment to not want to date such a stupid and obtuse girl an idiot.¡± Without waiting for her to respond, on the one hand because she had said all she had to say, and on the other because she was finding it increasingly difficult to suppress her urge to growl, Sofia turned around and rushed away. She walked aimlessly for several minutes, becoming increasingly enraged as her head boiled with thoughts about what had just happened. It bothered her because, ever since she made it clear she didn''t want to make friends, Lola had looked down on her and treated her with contempt. It bothered her because, even if she activelyignored people, having to put up with certain comments and looks was annoying. It bothered her because she was treated as a freak and a jerk, and they didn''t know anything about her life. ¡° That voice took her so much by surprise that she jumped, startled. When she turned around, she saw Dave walking along the dirt road as if he were taking a simple stroll. The tattoos on his skin were still glowing, but they seemed to have dimmed considerably and no longer throbbed as if driven by his racing heartbeat. Embarrassed, Sofia looked away abruptly and ran her tongue over her lips. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I know what that kind of girls are like. In my previous high school they made my life miserable. Not just me, but also my friends¡¯ lives by association. I couldn''t stand by and say nothing while she looked down her nose at you,¡± he said, and Sofia saw his tattoos pulsing more intensely again. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 10; Putting the Bolt on the Field ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° That was the bad thing about being in a classroom with thirty other teenagers her age, there was always someone chatting with a friend. It didn''t help that the conversation was about something that had the potential to catch her attention. That was a bolt-action rifle widely used for hunting. She knew thatbecause part of her training as a huntress involved using firearms, and she had used one just like that one while practicing her aim against deer and mouflon. The problem with using such weapons against cinanthropes was that it was bulky, and there was a tendency to go close range. Yes, it had a brutal push, but you had to hit first, and that was a hunting rifle, not a sword. For a point-blank shot, a pistol was much more effective. ¡°The Savage is fine, but I think the Remington 700 is more accurate,¡± said his desk partner, a boy named Rodrigo. ¡°By the way, my father went out hunting on Sunday and shot a deer with a wound in its hock. He told me he had never seen anything like it, that it was as if a huge wolf had bitten it, but there have been no wolves in Madrid for decades.¡± Sofia couldn''t help it. All her attention was focused on her classmates¡¯ conversation. Forgotten were her notes for the public examination. All she could think about at that moment was that the deer had survived. The cinanthrope never returned to try to claim his prey, perhaps because he didn''t have time, or perhaps because he felt it wasn''t worth risking his life against such a beast. With any luck he had left the area, though she doubted it. Normally they used to settle in a territory for years, and except for necessity they did not usually leave. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡° White? Sofia immediately thought of the cinanthrope she had crashed into weeks ago, the same one she later saw by the stream. Yes, it had to be the same one, and that must have been the attack her mother warned her about. That he hadn''t attacked cattle again was a good sign. Perhaps he did it on impulse, or perhaps hunger drove him to it, but he wasn¡¯t able to claim his prey before he had to flee after being caught red-handed. The reasons why he had killed a lamb could be many. ¡°A white wolf?¡± said Rodrigo, the second of the three, lowering his voice slightly before continuing. ¡°My father told me that a friend of his who hunts further south, near La Pedriza, told him about a white wolf. It roamed the area for years, but it never wandered into the fields.The ranchers were wary, and told the hunters to shoot it down if they came across it,but the damned creature was intelligent and got away every time. No sign of it has been seen for weeks, but they think it may still be in the area, only more hidden. Do you think it could be the same one?¡± ¡° ¡° Sofia''s blood froze. A cinanthrope was not a simple dog, he would not fall into a crude trap, but that did not mean that he was invulnerable to trickery. Their intelligence was human, and like any human a well-laid trap could catch them, or worse. Biting her lip, she returned her attention to the papers in front of her. The truth was that she had not made much effort to find him in the last few days, so perhaps she was going to have to get down to work. That didn''t solve the main problem, how could she approach him without scaring him off again? So immersed was she in her thoughts that she didn''t even notice the moment Dave returned to the classroom and went back to his desk. There was a brief commotion as Lola returned to her friends. The girls quickly stood up, wanting to ask her what had happened, and in doing so they moved the chairs, causing a ruckus. A ruckus that in other circumstances would not have affected Sofia at all, but being distracted by her ruminations as she was, it sounded like a powerful thunder to her sensitive ears. A thunderclap that snapped her out of it and caused her to jump so hard that some of her papers fell from her desk and flew to the young man''s feet. Dave bent down, picked them up and as he went to hand them to Sofia he raised both eyebrows. ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 11; Whispers of Twilight and Spring Twilight had long since given way to night, and with it had come the winter chill of an overcast sky that threatened snow. Sofia preferred it that way. She liked the solitude of the night, where she didn''t have to be so careful to suppress her instinctive urges. She liked to feel the biting cold hitting her face when she went for a run with Kas. She liked to lose herself in that endless maze of gigantic trees and breathe in the smells as her faithful companion trotted by her side. That day was another one of many that Sofia put on her tracksuit and went for a run to exercise in preparation for the physical tests she would have to undergo in the coming months. That day, however, she had a new partner. After discovering that they were both preparing for the same public exam, Dave had suggested that they work out together to encourage each other and keep track of their times. Sofia thought it was a good idea, so she agreed. The bad thing was that his presence was bringing out her competitive nature, something he was able to do because he could keep up with her without breaking a sweat. She had no choice but to admit that the boy was fit, so she was pushing herself to the max so as not to falter. With rhythmic snorting and a constant pounding of sneakers against the ground, they moved along a dirt road that meandered between tree trunks, ferns and holly bushes. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Kas, who always paid attentionto his friend, broke into a gallop. Dave ran, and he was quite fast, but Sofia had the advantage of the blood she had inherited from her father, which gave her some extra strength and speed. It didn''t take her long to close the gap on him. That was the moment she realized that her lips were fully open in a wide grin, and in her throat bubbled a joyous laugh. That was the moment, when she tried to overtake him and he resisted, that she realized it had been a long, long time since she had had such a good time. In fact she couldn''t remember if she had ever felt this free, this happy, this normal. ¡° ¡° ¡° Suddenly Dave stepped off the path and dived into the dark forest. A forest that was a maze of pine trees dotted with large boulders and low lush bushes. A forest whose tall canopies barely let a few moonbeams penetrate through its branches like a rain of silver drops. A forest that Sofia knew so well thatshe was aware of the dangers hiding in its shadows. ¡° ¡° Sofia closed her eyes and allowed herself to take several deep breaths, inhaling the scents she could smell all around her. There were so many that they mingled in her untrained nose, almost overwhelming her, but at least those were smells of nature, vegetation, earth and life, not the bitter stenches of the city. Even her friend¡¯s scent seemed to camouflage itself among that of pine and the intense musk emanating from Kas'' body, who had lain down next to her. In her head she drew a mental map of her surroundings simply by attending to the information she was receiving through her nose. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°That¡¯s what it seems, yes¡­¡± he laughed. ¡°It''s an incredible place...¡± he added in a slightly quieter voice, as he observed the clearing with an expression of absolute fascination on his face. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia looked away abruptly and fixed her gaze on the pond, disturbed by the ripples created by the spring that poured its waterinit. Doubts, fears, longings, an amalgam of feelings suddenly welled up inside her, reminding her that no matter how much she had hidden them, they were still present. ¡° ¡° The water that gushed from the very bowels of the earthwas so cold that it was painful. However, that did not prevent Sofia from feeling that insecure, inexperienced graze, that caress of trembling fingers that sought and at the same time avoided the touch of her skin. When she felt his fingertips brushing the back of her hand, when she heard those words, when she perceived the tone of his voice, Sofia felt an explosion of butterflies in her belly and looked up suddenly. Their eyes met and her cheeks started burning with an intense blush. It was at that moment that she thought she saw it, though perhaps she imagined it. For a fleeting instant she believed she caught a brief greenish glow in his pupils. It was only for a thousandth of a second, for the young man, embarrassed and with his cheeks so flushed that they seemed to radiate a light of their own, abruptly pulled his hand away and lowered his gaze. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia, who normally would have had some kind of cynical response ready, was completely at a loss for words. It wasn''t only because of the sudden rush of anger, nor because of the discomfort she still felt at having him around. It was also because if there was one thing she never thought she would ever hear, it was that she had given Lola food for thought to the point of getting her to apologize to someone else. Not to her, naturally, that was asking too much, but that she had apologizedto Dave was already quite an accomplishment. Of course she hadn''t done it out of the goodness of her heart, Sofia thought holding back the urge to growl. She liked Dave and was trying to get back to square one to see if she still had any chance after screwing up the way she did. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° friend''. Day 12; A Carpet of Quartz Dust ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° That small gesture not only made Sofia smile, but also brought a pleasant warmth to her belly. It was a simple, brief caress, but the touch of his skin against her own hand made her feel less alone. The worst thing was that she felt the armor she had built around herself cracking more and more each day, and little by little, drop by drop, a certain happiness was returning to her life. With it also came some of that normality she had longed for, even if what they were doing that night had little that was normal. ¡° ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 13; Secrets of Gearless Cruelty ¡° ¡°chorizo sandwich. ¡°They deserve it, and you know it. They are asfalseas a wooden coin and saw through them from the start,¡± Sofia spat, crossing her arms. ¡° What Lola did notice was the moment in which the young man looked in his friends¡¯ direction, when his eyes met Sofia''s and that smile of enthusiasm softened. It was a brief instant, one that made Sofia''s cheeks turn pink and Lola''s pale, but it was enough for the other girl to realize that her attempts to seduce the boy were not working. If Dave was noticing his companion''s bout of jealousy, he showed no sign of it, nor that he even cared about it at all. ¡°Priceless!¡± Sara laughed heartily. ¡°Seeing Lola''s face when she realized that the dude¡¯s only got eyes for you. I would buy a time machine just to be able to see that moment in a loop.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡° ¡°Look, she''s just as much of a cretin'',¡± Sofia answered. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The rest of the day went by normally, with some classes more interesting than others. When it was over, the three friends went for a bite at the burger restaurant where they first met, and then Sofia and Dave took the motorcycle to go to her house. As soon as she opened the door Kas ran to her to greet her with leaps and prances. Then he did the same with his new friend, and finally went to the young girl''s room to lie down on the bed. Sofia told Dave to wait there while she went to get the traps. She went down to the basement and grabbed a handful of old foothold traps and some more snares. She could not allow him to see that room that smelled of death and misery, that place where her mother tanned cinanthrope hides and prepared claws and fangs to sell on the black market. ¡° ¡° After getting the dog out of the room and closing the door, Sofia left the traps and snares on the floor. The young man looked at them with some interest, but a shadow had spread across his face and his gaze, though it had been there since he mentioned his family. Sofia knew nothing about them, Dave hardly ever talked about his past, and although she was curious she wasn''t about to inquire. Unfortunately she knew what it was like to have to keep certain things to oneself. ¡°You already know the snare, but it''s important that you understand how the foothold trap works. This can hurt you, and if you don''t know how to open the mechanism it will trap you too. They are illegal but people use them regardless. Look, you have several models, I will show you how to deactivate them safely and how to open them if you step on one,¡± said the young woman, showing the traps. For a while Sofia showed him how those instruments worked and how to disable them. She made him practice with her until he understood the mechanism perfectly, and also showed him different types of snares and some more rudimentary traps that could be made with stones and a couple of sticks. The boy was visibly angry, but he also watched those inventions with fascination. Many were incredibly simple, with no particularly complex elements or gears of any kind. ¡° Sofia bit her lip and looked away. Without wanting to, she began to tremble. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 14; A Crystal Mirage in the Sky ¡°promoting an international system based on strong multilateral cooperation and good global governance''? What exactly do they mean?¡± Sofia commented, pointing to one of the sections in her study material. ¡°I guess literally what it says,¡± said Dave, leaning over her notes. ¡° ¡° ¡° Dave shrugged and continued marking with a color marker the key words he considered important. ¡° ¡° They were supposed to be quiet, but a murmur of whispers filled the classroom. If someone went a little too loud Rosa would hush at them to lower their voice, and generally the student obeyed without complaining. Rosa was a friendly and kind teacher, but her exams were hard and she could be very inflexible with the grades. That was why her students respected her. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The weird guy? What weird guy? Sofia had been living in the village for a little over a year and didn''t know all its secrets, so it was possible that there was some sort of hermit living in the mountains far from civilization. Her knowledge as a former hunter of supernatural beings told her that it was more than likely that this was her white cinanthrope. Most of them lived as humans, fully integrated into society, but she knew that a handful of them failed to adapt and decided to move away from civilization to live closer to the forests. He would matchwhat she would expect of a wildweredog who subsists by eating what he is able to hunt in the mountains. ¡° Sofia felt her blood burn. The energy in her chest pulsed against her ribs and slowly began to pour through her veins. A dry, deep growl climbed her throat and struggled to will itself out, to force her lips to bare the teeth in a grimace of aggression. With difficulty, she was able to control her instinctive urges, but not the other urges that made her try to get up. It was only an attempt because Dave grabbed her hand and locked his eyes on hers, prompting her to stay still. ¡° For an instant Sofia felt very confused. Her friend''s whole attitude was different from what she was used to. All of a sudden he showed a strength and integrity that, on one hand, made her feel safe, and on the other it activated her most competitive side. She wanted to rebel, to fight back and prove that she was as strong and self-confident as he was. The very fact that she wanted to challenge him made her understand that it was not true, that it was her insecurity talking. Reluctantly, she managed to control that instinctive part to remain seated, albeit tense, in her chair. It wasn''t just because it was completely disproportionate, but also because challenging a human as if he were another cinanthrope was utterly ridiculous. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° Suddenly all three boys fell silent. Rodrigo looked around as if he wanted to check if anyone was listening. It was highly unlikely since, although the classroom was mostly silent, the murmur of whispers was a constant noise. No one who did not have exceptional hearing and was close enough would be able to discern the words spoken by those three. Dave released Sofia and leaned over his papers, returning to his task of marking those words he considered important. However, Sofia saw him inhale several deep breaths of air and run his tongue over his lips. His body was still tense, despite the calm and steady demeanor he had shown a couple of minutes ago. The two things were not incompatible. ¡° ¡° Under the skin she felt a slight vibration, as if his muscles were throbbing. Her friend was not even able to articulate a word. Concentrating on his breathing, he only nodded. That he was lying was quite obvious, one only had to look at him to know that he was not okay, but Sofia did not know what was wrong or how to help him. Anxiously, she searched through the classroom until she located Sara in her usual place, at the room¡¯s front. She was talking to her classmate, completely oblivious to what was going on many desks behind hers, and Sofia had no idea how to get her attention. ¡°There are more effective methods, methods that are not easy to detect and that eliminate the problem in one fell swoop,¡± the hunter''s son kept talking, thinking that no one could hear him. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° All the students who were milling around the classroom made sure they were seated at their desks before the strict and stern physics teacher arrived. Sofia noticed her friend moving more cautiously. He was careful when he picked up the chair to put it back up, as if he was afraid of hurting himself by bending over, and then settled into it very gently. She had also noticed that he was quieter and seemed to be trying not to open his mouth at all. In fact, he dived straight into his notes and avoided even looking at her. Day 15; Under the White Moon in the Milky Galaxy That Saturday afternoon Sofia had arranged to meet Dave to do their usual exercise routines in preparation for the physical tests they would have to face in the Civil Guard entrance exam. Sofia had had the good sense to take advantage of the afternoon¡¯s early hours, since the full moon would rise that night. However, she already felt its influence, something like a slight caress that stirred the energy in her chest. She didn¡¯t feel that she would change that night either, although it had never happened to her before so she could not be entirely sure. In any case, she chose the time thinking of finishing the routine with enough time to go deep into the pine grove. She wanted to try to find the cinanthrope by taking advantage of the full moon, when by his very nature he would have no choice but to hide in his house or go to the forest until it fell. Of course, Sofia could not tell the boy who was running beside her anything about all that. The girl furtively glanced at him and a small smile tugged at her lips. Dave, dressed in his tracksuit, was looking straight ahead with an expression of absolute concentration on his face. The day he said he wasn¡¯t feeling well, they hadn¡¯t been able to meet in the afternoon for their exercise routing. However, the following day he came to class like usual, and claimed to be quite recovered. In fact, he had been studying with her after class, since Sofia''s mother was not at home, and after they both had taken Kas for a walk. Whatever it was that had made him sick had stopped giving him trouble. ¡° ¡° ¡°If you don''t want to, it''s okay. I wanted to show you something, but I can do it some other day,¡± he said with a shy smile. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The two teenagers left the wide dirt road and entered the depths of that incredible place. Under the cold darkness of the night ithad an atmosphere that was somewhere between ghostly and magical, as if only then could the most incredible miracles and the most terrifying apparitions occur. However, bathed in radiant sunlight it seemed like another world altogether. Golden rays filtered through the tree¡¯s branches, creating a dance of light and shadow that brought out the color from the lichens that covered the rough trunks, the red berries of the holly trees and the moss that carpeted the ground. It also descended on the two of them, highlighting the gold of the boy''s hair and the light brown that Sofia wore on her ponytail. The girl took a deep breath to inhale all those smells that mingled in her nose. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I understand you better than you think. My mother is a psychotic lunatic. For a long time she tried to teach me her hobby, and I...¡± Sofia sighed, ¡°I accepted it at first. It was the only life I knew and for me it was normal. All my friends belonged to our hunting guild and it was hard not to want to be part of that. I never got to shoot game, and I''m glad for that, but it doesn''t change anything.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡° ¡° Her voice lowered until it was no more than an almost imperceptible whisper, so quiet that it lost itselfamong the bird¡¯s song and the sighing of the leaves above their heads. Sofia bit her lip to stifle a sob and looked up at the patch of sky visible through the tree¡¯s branches. Thick tears began to run down her cheeks. Dave said nothing, but in his silence and presence he supported her more than a million catch phrases and empty comments. All he did was move closer to her to wrap her in a hug. Then Sofia hugged him back and began to cry, for the first time feeling understood. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia''s cheeks lit up in a deep blush, matchingthe boy¡¯s who,despite his apparent calmness, showed that nervous gesture of his of licking his lips. However, she was unable to look away from those sincere eyes, so pure and so innocent that it was impossible not to feel a shudder. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° A little more cheerful, the two friends continued their walk through the woods, accompanied by that radiant afternoon sun that hid the brightness of the first stars and their unquestionable queen. As they walked, going further and further into the deepest part of the forest, a place that even Sofia did not know, the two chatted and smiled, sharing snippets of their lives that were more or less accurate to reality. Naturally Sofia wasn''t going to tell him that her mother hunted supernatural beings, and that her father was a cinanthrope, but being able to say some things like the fact that he abandoned them when she wasn''t even born felt like taking a slab off her shoulders. Suddenly she had a person by her side whom she trusted completely. ¡°I will never understand what kind of man abandons his own children. I may sound a little... conservative perhaps, but a man has to be there for his partner at all times, to care for her and support her, and it is his duty to protect and raise his children,¡± he said, frowning, his voice slightly deeper. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Then she heard it. Far, far away, but still clear and distinct, the answer. Not one but a chorus of six howls that made Sofia shudder all the more, that made her blood wake up with a shout of joy as she recognized her people in those voices. It was a friendly response and also a warning that indicated the size and strength of the pack, and also marked the territory they occupied. It was a cordial greeting to a neighbor with whom they would get along if he did not cross the invisible boundary between the two areas. ¡° ¡°I thought you might like it.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 16; Kisses of Light and Twin Rifles ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Undoubtedly this new friend of yours has nothing to do with your distractions,¡± said the woman as if it was nothing to do with her, but her voice¡¯s tone was enough to awaken a burning rage in Sofia. ¡° ¡° The tension on the young woman''s lips eased as she realized her mother''s words were true. The woman was a true monster, as cold as a glacier and as efficient and lethal as a goshawk, but her targets had always been cinanthropes. She never attacked a human, not even by accident. Abruptly Sofia looked away and grabbed Kas''s leash. Helena, as if that warning from a potential weredog had been nothing more than background noise, resumedher task of getting ready to go out. She took the balaclava and put it on, putting great care in hiding her golden curls within the fabric. Without another word, and hoping she was gone when she returned from her walk with her dog, Sofia went out. ¡° A rustle in the undergrowth behind her made her turn around sharply, with her heart pounding and her breathing quickening. Intently, she focused on her surroundings, trying to make out something in the darkness, a darkness she could pierce with her privileged sight. The forest was quite dense, with thick undergrowth, rocks and a wall of towering trees that stretched as far as the eye could see. Even though she was able to see clearly, Sofia could not tell what was hiding in the vegetation. However, somethingcaught her attention, something that had gotten caught onthe branches of a bush. Trying to make as little noise as possible, she walked over toit and picked it up. It was a tuft of white undercoat that gave off a familiar forest scent, as if the creature was a spirit born from the very roots of the pine trees. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡° She heard another rustle of movement through the vegetation, right behind her. The creature had circled her like a predator would. Biting her lip, Sofia turned around and tried to make out something among the plants. Again she saw nothing but a dense forest witha thick foliage of ferns and bushes where anything could hide. However, she was certain of one thing, that cinanthrope was capable of moving very stealthily. The noise she had heard had been deliberate. The creature was not trying to ambush her, he was givingaway hislocation. Hewasn¡¯t lettinghimself be seen, but the simple fact of making his presence known meant that he was giving her the benefit of the doubt. Sofia took that one opportunity, she didn''t think she would have another. ¡° ¡° Then she saw it, a slight movement among the vegetation, just enough for the silver rays to reflect in the creature''s pupils, making them glow. Under any other circumstances that would have been a terrifying sight, but Sofia knew the cinanthrope was not going to do her any harm. Attacks on people did happen, but they were very, very rare and almost always in self-defense. Cases of cinanthropes preying on humans to devour them were simply unthinkable. Despite that, her mother hunted them, firstly under the excuse of their unproven dangerousness, and secondly because fur, fangs and claws fetched a high price on the black market. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The click of the rifle''s bolt sent a shiver down her spine. Scared, she looked in the weredog¡¯s direction, and to her surprise their eyes met through undergrowth. There was no malice in that creature. Only the most absolute incomprehension of why they were chasing him when he had already moved away from the humans. Why they wanted to eliminate him as if he were vermin. Why his life was worth less than that of a lamb that would have ended up on some plate anyway. ¡° ¡° Day 17; Wood Smoke and Ice Petals ¡° The Stuck-up looked up, frowning and twisting that bushy Russian hussar mustache he always wore. Sofia, aware that she had spoken too loudly, put a hand over her mouth in apology and immediately returned to her exercises. It took her only a few minutes to solve the two problems, which were still complex, but part of the difficulty lay in finding the correct solution. Once the logic was applied, the rest flowed by itself. As soon as she finished the test, she put the pen down on the paper and leaned back against the back of her chair. The Stuck-up never picked the exams up before the hour ran out, so those who finished first had to wait in strict silence. Of course, with the paper still in front of them, they couldn''t get anything out of their bags to entertain themselves, so the spare time could feel incredibly long and boring. Fortunately, it was never more than five or ten minutes. As she looked at Dave, she also saw him struggling with his test. Despite what her furious writing might show, Sara was actually having a great time. Dave wasn¡¯t, it was obvious from the expression on his face, his frown of concentration and the way he kept running his tongue over his lips. He was also moving his leg in rapid jerks, something she had never seen him do before. Sofia bit her lip, a little worried. Dave, like her, had a lot at stake and couldn''t afford to retake the year. He had to pass everything to be able to go directly to the Civil Guard exams when the course was over. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The students handed in their exams and went to their desks to collect all their belongings before returning home. That had been the last exam, so the ritual of asking each other how they had done was accompanied by the enthusiasm of knowing they were finally free. There were still a few school days left, but most of them would be devoted to handing in the exam notes and going over mistakes and questions. ¡° ¡° ¡°To be honest, I have no idea. This subject is not my strong suit. I think I''ve got some exercises right, at least the execution, but I''m not so sure about the others, and I didn¡¯t have time to finish the last one,¡± he said. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia knew that was true, because for a few weeks, more or less after showing her the wolves in the woods, they had met only a couple of times to go for a run. Other than that, she had only had a chance to see him in class, since the rest of the time he excused himself by saying he had a lot of studying to do. Sofia was not careless, but neither was she such a model student that she couldn''t go out for a walk, something she had been doing with Sara. It was a way to get away from her studies and clear her head. That was far more helpful than spending too many hours on it. ¡° Instigated by curiosity, the students, including the three friends, peered out of the window. In a second the complaints about the exam¡¯s difficulty, and the whispers and murmurs calling the teacher names that were not exactly kind, were replaced by a collection of almost thirty enthusiastic smiles. Flakes as big as grapes were falling from the sky. Everything, from the parking lot to the street, the road and the park right in front of the school, was covered in a thick, white blanket. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Guys, I suggest a great plan to celebrate the end of the exams, why don''t we all go to the park and have a snowball fight?¡± Lola commented. There were several nods and glance exchanges, and most of the students agreed to it. Those who didn¡¯t were promptly convinced by their friends. The class was not a cohesive unit, it was more like a large group made up of smaller groups, but they spent hours together and had eventually developed a certain sense of belonging. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll¡­ find a way, I guess.¡± Dave scratched the back of his head and licked his lips. ¡° ¡°Man, I¡¯m fed up with the fucking dog. You''re obsessed. He''s already gone, let him be and don''t pay Miguel any more attention. In the end he''s going to do something stupid, SEPRONA will catch him and he''s really going to get it because of you,¡± said Luis, who didn''t seem to want to talk in whispers anymore. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Her words, her attitude and her way of facing life was enough to lift he friends¡¯ spirits. Both Sofia and Dave began to laugh and the expression on their faces softened. That was why they loved her, because even in the deepest of darkness Sara was able to bring some much needed light. Besides, that was the first snowfall of the winter and there was no point in being mad because of some jerk. Together they crossed the street until they reached the park, walking as best they could on a thick white mattress that came up to their ankles. The cold seeping into their shoes was unpleasant, but the three kids, who had just finished their exams, didn''t care. They dropped their backpacks on the pile their classmates had formed on top of a bench and joined the fray. ¡° ¡° In one of those passes they miscalculated. Sofia stopped to throw a ball to her friend but he was too close to her. With his hiking boots sinking in the deep snow, he wasn''t able to change direction in time and crashed into her, causing them both to loose their balance and fall to the ground. Sofia ended up underneath him, her lips so close to his that she could feel the warmth of the breath he released in agitated gasps. It was just a few seconds in which time stood still, in which neither of them dared to move, in which Sofia felt her whole body shudder. Dave was the first to snap out of it. Red as a tomato and with an expression of absolute dread, he quickly pulled away from the girl. ¡° ¡° They were both still panting, although it wasn''t too clear whether it was from running around the park, or due to what had just happened between them. The flush on their cheeks certainly seemed to indicate the latter. They exchanged a silent glance, one in which they both wondered how the other would have reacted had they gone further, had they narrowed the space until their lips touched. Also, they wondered if they were willing to take that important step, if they really wanted to risk ruining what they had for something that might be ephemeral, born out of a moment of fun and nothing more. No, Sofia decided, abruptly looking away, things were fine as they were and it wasn''t worth risking their friendship for such a silly thing. ¡° Sofia disliked Lola, but she had to admit that it was the first time she was grateful for her unwelcome presence, because at least it was enough to get them out of the awkward moment they had gotten themselves into. They both stood up, Sofia before the boy could even think ofoffering a hand to help her, and returned to the fray. However, they didn''t come near each other again. Yes, they threw snowballs at each other, they played, but at a safe distance and without the mad dashes from before. They were still uncomfortable, still had in their minds the memory of the warm breath brushing their lips in a kiss that never came to be. Day 18; A Paper Lily and Broken Dreams ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° It was at that moment when they both realized that some of their classmates were paying attention tothem, among them Lola and her little group of gossip girls. Turning red as a tomato, Dave let go of Sofia and, licking his lips, he turned away from her to focus his gaze on the wall next to him, as if he found it extremely interesting. Sofia raised her head proudly and dared Lola to make a single comment about it. The two had become the talk of the class since the day of the snowfall, and there was an open debate about whether or not they actually kissed, even though they had denied it multiple times. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡°Dave, it''s not them who are making us uncomfortable. It''s us. Is it so bad that they think we''re together?¡± She asked, in a quiet voice, looking up into his sky-colored eyes. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia jerked away abruptly and glared at him. She had raised her shoulders and curled her lip slightly to bare her teeth, a gesture she was hardly able to contain. Those icy eyes fixed on the boy''s, that display of body language that clearly indicated that if he touched her again he would bear the consequences, was enough to make him run his tongue over his lips and avoid her gaze. He didn''t want to fight, he was making that very clear. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The girl walked around the classroom handing her classmates small paper lilies that she had made herself. When she arrived at Sofia''s desk, she gave her the pink and white flower as well, something she had also done the year before. It was a purely symbolic gesture for Lola, who as class representative could not exclude a student because she disliked him or her. Sofia did not lose her dignity for making it clear that she wanted nothing to do with her, so she was going to leave the flower on her desk, like she did the previous year. The bell rang. The class began to move hurriedly, eager to get out and enjoy the first Christmas vacation day. For the first time Sofia packed her things hurriedly and slung it over her shoulder to head out without waiting until everyone had left first. ¡° ¡° ¡° That question asked in a concerned voice was the last thing Sofia heard before she bolted down the stairs, fleeing her classroom. She appreciated Sara''s gesture, and they would end up talking about it, of that there was no doubt, but right now she just wanted to be alone. What a fool she had been to trust him. What a fool she had been to let a boy get close to her again. What a fool! Day 19; A Cry of Unfulfilled Wishes Those thoughts crossed her mind at full speed as her feet propelled her through a grove of trees she couldn''t even see. She moved with difficulty, her boots burying themselves in the snow with every step she took, but her cinanthrope strength kept her going even in those conditions. The forest seemed to want to share her grief, dressing itself in pale, gray and dull tones. The reddish bark of the Valsa¨ªn pines looked brownish, and their leaves, once radiant green, had lost their luster. Even the snow that covered everything like a cottony carpet looked more gray than white. The culprit was the overcast sky that threatened more snow. Exhausted, panting and so hot from running that she felt like taking off her coat, Sofia dropped to the ground. She sat by the spring-fed pond she had shown her friend weeks before, when they had just begun to know each other. Its water had not frozen except in a few small patches, and its surface showed her face¡¯s distorted reflection. A fully human face, with watery eyes and flushed cheeks, without a single feature to give away her supernatural nature. Had she known that things would end up like this she would not have brought him to that place. In fact she would have been much more forceful in her rejection. Undoubtedly, she would have avoided everything she was feeling at that moment. ¡° Actually, she did know, but she didn''t want to admit it because doing so would only make it too real and she wasn''t ready yet. It was simply because, for a moment, she had allowed herself to dream of another life, one that she had been denied since the day she was conceived by a cinanthrope. Ever since she was a child Sofia had grown up knowing that the horrors of legends were real, that behind the shadows there were beings that appeared human but were capable of becoming nightmarish creatures. Her mother had trained her under a strict mindset focused on making her a huntress, and her entire circle, the only family she had ever known, had been friends from the guild. In a few short years that whole world had completely fallen apart, leaving her lost and not knowing what to do. Not justbecause she had confirmed that she had inherited the blood of the children of the moon, but also because of Angel''s death. Sofia did not want that life, she never did. She didn''t want to know anything about cinanthropes, about hunters, she didn''t want to spend her whole life counting days until the full moon, keeping an eyeon the shadows and fearing being rejected because she wasn''t born human. She just wanted a normal life, she wanted to meet a special boy, have a date to go to the movies, have a first kiss, live together and argue about the order of the house, get married, have children and be able to give them what her own parents denied her. ¡° If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dave let out a quiet sigh and gently wiped her cheeks with his fingers before letting one of his hands wrap around her face in a caress. Sofia looked up, but her gaze was so blurred she was barely able to discern his features, though she did catch a warm smile on his lips and a gaze so gentle it made her shiver. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia threw a handful of snow at him again. Dave tried to dodge it by standing up and jumping backwards, but it hit him squarely in the leg. Sofia threw her backpack to the ground and so did he. Then they started running around the clearing, throwing balls at each other, dodging, chasing and laughing openly. This time it was Sofia who charged at him, and he responded by opening his arms to embrace her. They both fell to the ground, sinking into a cold cushion of snow, side by side and with their gazes intertwined. Again their cheeks were flushed and their bellies quivered with feelings they didn''t quite know if it was just friendship or some other longing. Yet there was no surprise in their eyes as they met, and their lips, so close that they could feel each other''s breath, curved into a smile. Then it was Sofia who decided to jump. She leaned toward her friend, noticing how the arms around her back tightened slightly, and left a warm kiss on his cheek. A kiss of friendship, of smiles and sighs, a kiss that Dave reciprocated with a tender smile and a soft caress on her cheek. It was all they could promise each other for the moment. Friends, but for them it was all they wanted and needed, because they both still had too many wounds to heal before they could think about taking a step further. Day 20; Fireflies of Colors and Shortbread Cookie chorizo sandwiches and roasted chestnuts. It was the smell of winter, of snow and Christmas. El Cerro was a small and humble town, mainly populated by people of the land, but they were not going to stop celebrating the holidays because of that. Every year the square was adorned with colored lights that were like garlands of throbbing fireflies. There were also several stalls, all of them with green and red awnings and wrapped with bright tinsel. They sold everything, from figures for the Nativity Scene, to decorations, joke items and handmade crafts. Not to be missed was the traditional fir tree with its balls, an old tree that continued to endure being dressed up year after year. As was obvious, the townspeople had taken to the streets to enjoy the decorations, the carols and the good atmosphere. The town''s churreria was completely packed, with people even waiting in hopes anyone would leave so they could snatch a table. Because of that, Sofia and Sara had ordered their ration of churros and their hot chocolate to take away, and had sat down on a bench to eat. Despite how early it was, night had already fallen, but the moon had not yet risen. Better, because in a couple of days it would come out completely full, and whenever that happened, in the days before and after, her energy stirred restlessly. Sofia pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. To be honest, she was starting to feel really stupid, because she had already checked it four times, but she was still holding to that little sliver of hope. Again she skimmed through her SMS, focusing on the ones she had shared with her friend. ''I gt smthin 2do dunn if I can'' he had replied when she asked him if he wanted to go to the Christmas market. That had been the last message she had received from him. Letting out a quiet sigh, she put the device back in her pocket and continued eating her churros with chocolate. She could have asked him again if he was coming, and in fact she was tempted, but she didn''t want to seem annoying. ¡°Nothing new?¡± asked Sara in a voice that didn¡¯t make it so clear if it was a question. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°churro. ¡°Sara...¡± Sofia let out a quiet sigh before continuing. ¡°We have agreed that we are just friends, and it''s better this way. I still have a lot of problems and I don''t want to get into a relationship right now, and he has his own stories to deal with and he doesn''t want to commit to anyone right now either. But...¡± she stared at the churro in her hand, which was dripping hot chocolate into the plastic cup. ¡° Sara didn''t tease her, like other times. She knew that this was an important step for Sofia, and showed a respectful seriousness to encourage her to get her feelings off her chest, which is exactly what she did. With a shy smile on her lips, Sofia nodded and the blush on her cheeks deepened. A pleasant warmth spread across her belly. She was starting to get used to the sensation, but she didn''t mind because she found it pleasant. It was like a gentle tingling that appeared whenever he smiled in her direction, or when he brushed her hand. ¡° ¡°And he''s like totally hot, he has a motorcycle and he''s simply really cute. He''s a real catch, and you had to take him,¡± said Lola, who had just arrived and was carrying a piece of handmade pastry she had bought at the street market. ¡° ¡° ¡°Your foolishness about wanting to see our relationship as if we are the protagonists of a romance novel almost fucked up our friendship,¡± she blurted out, standing up abruptly and barely managing to suppress the growl that had risen to her throat. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡° ¡°churros with chocolate and threw the containers in the wastebasket. ¡°Where do you want to go? There are stalls over there, and there are a few places to have a drink but they''re full. They serve churros here but there''s a long queue now, although if you feel like it we can get some.¡± ¡° ¡°Hey, wait a minute, I didn''t invite her. Where are your friends?¡± Sofia asked, turning to Lola. ¡°Visiting the family, but don''t worry, I wasn''t trying to intrude in your date. I was just taking a walk and came over to say hello,¡± said Lola haughtily. ¡° For a while they wandered among the stalls. There wasn''t that much to see, it was just trinkets, decorations and gag items, but it was a multicolored curiosity highlighted by the music of the Christmas carols. There was quite a crowd, not as much as on Witches¡¯ Night, but enough to make walking not so easy. They both stopped next to a stall full of figurines for the Nativity Scene. Sofia didn''t care about the human figures, but she loved to see the water mills, houses and farms made in the style of a primitive Middle East. Among those little sculptures, of course, was the traditional ''caganer''. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° That was all the answer she got from her friend, though his body screamed with his posture and gestures. He gently put down the sheep he had been looking at next to its shepherd and turned to walk away from the stall. His shoulders were slightly slumped and he rubbed his chest with one hand, evidencing his nervousness. His breathing also seemed a bit labored, as if he wanted to pant but was controlling himself. Biting her lip, Sofia fell into step with him, and he gave her a smile that she could tell from miles away that it was forced. He was still trying to actively participate in the stroll, but he looked very uncomfortable. ¡° ¡° ¡° With their fingers intertwined, barely aware of whether the other two girls were following, Sofia walked away from the Christmas market area and the square itself. Just on the other side was the park where Sara''s sisters had made the queimada. The trees had already been stripped of all their leaves, leaving the branches completely bare, although the town hall had decided to cover them with garlands of cold blue lights. The pale luminosity reflected off the snow, resembling silvery moonlight. Normally the park was darker, but between the Christmas lighting and the snow itself there was a brightness so dazzling that it felt uncomfortable to Sofia''s eyes. She wasn¡¯t the only one. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her friend squint a bit and frown. With a sudden thought running through her head, Sofia decided to look for an area away from the lights¡¯ brightness. As they walked away from the main path, the snow crunching under their footsteps, Dave lifted his head to the sky and took a deep breath, sucking in the cold winter air in one long inhale. The crescent moon hadn''t risen yet, and Sofia knew it would still be a little over an hour before it did, so the sky looked like a blanket of dark blue dotted with bright stars. That was the beauty of El Cerro, that it was so far from the big cities and so small that it allowed one to see the sky in a way that was not possible if one lived closer to Madrid, or in a large town. The bad thing was that, far from the stalls and the people, the cold was more noticeable and Sofia began to shiver a little. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Sofia wanted to protest, she wanted to say that nothing was wrong, that she was fine, but all she could do was snuggle further against the boy who gave her warmth and reassurance. Tucked in his arms and with her head resting against his chest, she was able to hear his heartbeat, and she found that sound soothing. If she had been in her right mind, and not immersed in feverish delirium, she would have been horrified by what she was doing. At that moment she just wanted to fall asleep listening to that accelerated heartbeat and breathing in his scent, his lovely musk that seemed to be loosing that intense forestaroma. Day 21; Olive Oil and Honey Tea Sofia''s mind was a foggy thing. In fact that was the best way to define it, since she felt as if she was moving through a thick fog. She had been reasonably well all day, perhaps a little tired and with a bit of a sore throat but nothing more. However, as soon as they sat down on the bench she was shaken by an intense chill, and soon after she started feeling so drowsy that keeping her eyes open had been a real struggle. Not only that, but she had not been able to think clearly either. Yes, she naturally remembered the moment when she curled up next to her friend, seeking his arms, his warmth and the smell of his skin, and a part of her had been horrified by what she was doing. The other part had decided to silence the first and seek the comfort and security he provided. That was why she had done it, because she was sick and she felt calm and safe with him. ¡° ¡° ¡° In one gulp Sofia drank the contents, then grimaced. It was a bitter concoction that tasted like crap, but she knew it would bring her fever down pretty quickly. Her friend took the glass from her hands when she handed it to him, responding to her expression of disgust with an apologetic smile, and went to her desk to get the dinner he had prepared. ¡° ¡° Dave knelt down on the floor next to her bed and put the tray on her legs, holding it with his hands so it wouldn''t tip over. Sofia was overwhelmed with gratitude for everything her friends were doing for her, and she felt her cheeks turn pink. The soup looked very good, and the tea gave off a distinctive honey smell that made it very appetizing. Carefully, Sofia picked up the spoon and began to eat. The hot broth and chicken meat filled her stomach and chased away some of the cold that had crept into her bones. Between spoonfuls she also took sips of the tea. It was sweet and she could taste the distinctive honey flavor. When she finished her dinner, Dave removed the tray and put it back on the desk. It was just then that Sara came in from the walk. Kas ran into the bedroom and climbed on the bed to give Sofia wet licks. She laughingly stroked the Dobermann''s back, though a brief glance at her friend, who was standing by her bed, allowed her to see an expression marked by a smile and a look of nostalgic sorrow. When the dog finished saying hello, he laid down at his owner''s feet, something she was grateful for because he would keep her warm during the night. Dave walked over to the bed and helped Sofia settle down to sleep. As he fixed her pillow, Sofia noticed that his hands were shaking slightly, and his breathing seemed a little more agitated. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° While that strange conversation was going on between her two friends, Sofia felt the full moon rising over the sky and the energy in her chest stirred. She was startled, not expecting it to rise so soon, when the sun was still shining brightly. She tried to escape from there before she was seen, but she was beginning to feel the changes happening in her body. As she ran, fur sprouted from her skin, her fingertips became pads and a tail grew from the base of her back. For some reason, only understandablewith dream logic, Sofia decided to stop running and turned around in horror. She was sure she had run a long way, but her friends were still there. ¡° Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡° ¡° Then her mind began to emerge from that dream world, prompting her to wake up. Slowly she began to become aware of reality, of the blankets covering her body giving her warmth, of the comfort of her pillow and of Kas''s presence next to her legs. As she opened her eyes she noticed morning light streaming in through the window, though she didn''t know how many hours she could have slept. Sofia pulled her hand out from under the covers. Nothing abnormal, as human as ever. Then she let out a quiet sigh and looked at the spot where Dave had knelt to help her with dinner. It had only been her desires and wishes represented in the form of a dream, and nothing more. For the moment she was still human, her friend''s lips had never touched hers, and she had never seen him with canine fangs. What had been real about that dream was the warm shudder that shook her belly when he kissed her, the same shudder she felt at that very moment as she remembered it. ¡° After stretching to loosen her muscles, Sofia left the room and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. There she found her friend, who was preparing a breakfast of toast with olive oil and tea with honey and lemon. When he saw her, he smiled and approached her. His smile was again more spontaneous and wide than the night before, and he himself seemed to be well rested. Discreetly, Sofia glanced at his teeth, visible under the parted lip, and noticed that his fangs were indeed sharp, but they were of normal size. Plenty of humans had them like that. What surprised her was the brief twinge of disappointment she felt. ¡° ¡° With him this close to her, she as able toobserve his features better, and was aware that the dream version had also been distorted. In person he was even more attractive. As always, he wore his blond hair tousled, and the sun streaming in through the window highlighted its color. His eyes were a shade similar to the clear summer sky, a deep, vivid blue. He had not yet shaved, so a blond fuzz was growing on his chin and under his cheeks, making him look more mature, more like a man than a boy. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Fede is not a bad person and he cares about me, but he''s a solitary and bitter man. As long as I stay out of trouble and fulfill my obligations, he doesn''t mind too much if I stay out all night. He''s not my father, he''s just someone who has to take care of me.¡± ¡° ¡°Yes, I miss them,¡± he answered, looking out the window without really seeing the street outside. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°We shouldn''t. You had a high fever last night and it''s better if you stay home and rest,¡± said Dave, putting the toasts on a plate and taking them to the table. ¡°I can make some dinner with what''s around here, or I can go out and buy something for the two of us. I don''t have a lot of money, but I think I could fix something, and Sara said she''d drop by after dinner.¡± ¡° ¡° No, Sofia thought, blushing visibly, Dave wasn''t like Sara''s sisters. In fact he was better. Maybe he didn''t have that chatty spark but he had stayed there all night to take care of her, had cooked her hot soup and tea, and even prepared breakfast. The idea of spending Christmas Eve with him seemed perfect. Perhaps she was a little sad to miss the party at Sara''s house, because the previous year she had such a great time with her family''s craziness, but the warmth that welled up in her belly made it quite clear what her preferences were. Smiling, she ran over to him and closed her hands over one of the teacups, tucking his fingers in the process. The boy was a little surprised, and his cheeks turned pink, but his lips responded by opening into a smile. ¡° ¡° Day 22; Golden Threads and Footprints in the Snow churros and exchange gifts, nothing opulent since they didn''t have a lot of money, but the goal was to have a good time. Since they needed to use all the time they could to study, it was not unusual for them to sit together during breaks to review something. That was the case that day in mid-January. Sofia and Dave were sitting on some rocks in a sand circlesurrounded by trimmed privets and the occasional tree. It was a quiet spot behind the school building, away from the cafeteria and other crowded places. It had become their usual study site, but their classmates believed that they were dating and looking for privacy to make out. They no longer cared, they were too busy to worry about such nonsense. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You''re restless again. During Christmas it looked like you had managed to relax, but for the last few days you''ve been having stereotypies again, and they''re getting worse.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°I''m stressed. We have so much to study, so much work to do, and I don''t have time for everything. What I really want to do is to take a walk with you in the woods, go for a run or something, but I can''t. I need to pass this any way I can.¡± ¡°This is not helping you either. You need to relax, unwind. You''re going to be much more productive and learn faster and better than if you lock yourself up at home to study.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Biting her lip, Sofia looked at her friend wondering how she could help him. Not only was he restless, but she had also seen him breathing rapidly a few times, and at that very moment his hands were shaking even though he was trying not to let it show. The forest scent he usually wore as a perfume had also dissipated again, Sofia imagined because he kept locking himself up at home to study. If he continued like this he would break before the public examinations came around. There were still many months left and Dave didn''t seem to be able to stand the pressure any longer. ¡° Dave picked up the pen with a trembling hand with the intention of going back to studying, but couldn''t. His body rebelled against him, shaking his muscles with a pang of pain. Clenching his jaw, the young man closed his eyes and let out a muffled groan as he brought a hand to his chest. Immediately afterward he began to breathe in deep, controlled gasps of air. ¡°No way, Dave. We''re not pushing on, not like this. You need to rest,¡± Sofia said, taking his hand, noticing how much it was shaking. ¡° ¡° ¡° On the gravel path just behind the hedge wall, they both heard footsteps walking their way. At first the two teenagers didn''t think much of it, as it was probably a group of kids who wanted to smoke before going to class, and they weren''t going to do it where they could be seen. However, those three were talking as they walked, and Sofia and Dave quickly realized that they were Luis, Rodrigo and Miguel. ¡°What do you want to show us now, Rodrigo? If it''s something related to that mutt again, I''m getting the fuck out of here, I''m totally serious,¡± said Luis, and from the way he sounded it was obvious that it wasn¡¯t an empty threat. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡° Sofia''s heart skipped a beat and she clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from whimpering. What animal? It couldn''t be the cinanthrope. It wasn''t that easy to take one down. Seeing her so distressed, Dave gave her hand a gentle squeeze in an attempt to reassure her, and leaned toward her so that his lips were next to her ear. In other circumstances his closeness and feeling his warm breath against her skin would have made her shiver, but she was too worried to think about her stupid feelings. ¡° ¡° I told you so, don''t always put yourself in the worst''. Now it was Sofia''s turn to start shaking, but in her case it was a consequence of the fear she had just felt. She had been trying to find the creature for weeks, but all tracks and tufts of hair she came across were too old. That he had been shot down wasn''t a remote possibility, but she preferred to think he had either become more elusive, or he had finally left. However, this changed everything. ¡° ¡°Look at these tracks, man, and tell me if they look normal to you. I tell you that this animal is not a normal dog. Its paws are huge, and it has a very strange behavior. It''s as if it were a ghost that goes for weeks without appearing, and one day it appears again only to disappear again for weeks. The only animal it killed, as far as I know, was that roe deer. What kind of dog is capable of going for weeks without hunting?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dave took the bottle and looked at it with some hesitation before opening it to take a good sip. As soon as he opened it, Sofia was hit by a strong smell of herbs that inspired her anything but any desire to drink that infusion. From the disgusted look on the boy''s face as he swallowed, it was clear that her nose was not wrong. ¡° ¡° Together, the three friends returned to class, and after apologizing to Rosa and enduring their classmates¡¯ whispers, they each went to their seat. Sofia discreetly looked in her friend''s direction while he, as always, drank in the teacher''s words with fascination. The concoction was certainly effective, his hands had stopped shaking and his breathing had returned to normal. Sofia bit her lip. The forest scent had all but faded from his skin again, and last time, during Christmas Eve, it had been the same. He always seemed to be doing a lot better when the pine scent was strong on him. Sofia turned towards the window, the moon was still visible on the sky, and it was going to be full soon. That lingering suspicion was getting stronger each day. What she didn¡¯t know was whether she was scared or thrilled at the idea. Day 23; A Flour Pentagram on the Ground Under the watchful eye of her dog, she sat up on her chair and stretched to relieve her back muscles. As she turned around she saw Kas''s bright eyes watching her intently, eyes that were identical to hers. It was at that moment that she looked around and realized that it had been dark for a while, and she hadn''t turned on the light. She didn''t need to, the light of the almost full moon streaming in through the window was all the brightness she needed. Again she bit her lip with her fang, a small but pointed fang. Many humans had them like that, that didn''t mean anything, but all cinanthropes had them like that. Yes, so did he, but that didn''t mean he wasn''t human. Her mother had taught her how to identify them, and she hadn''t seen his fangs grow larger during the night, or silver scars on his skin. ¡° ¡° Maybe she could ask him, let him know that she was his ally, but there was a very real risk that he had no idea about the supernatural world. If that was the case and she told him everything, it would destroy his life as they had done to her. He would never be able to sleep peacefully ever again, and he would always live in fear that the full moon would claim what was hers, something that didn''t necessarily have to happen. Besides, she would have to tell him the whole truth about what she was, about her supernatural nature and about her trade as a huntress, and all the victims she tracked down for her mother to finish them off. He would hate her, one only had to see how angry those three conspirator apprentices made him every time they talked about hunting the cinanthrope. If he found out about her past as a huntress of supernatural beings, she would lose him. ¡° Followed by her dog, Sofia left the room and went to the kitchen to get a good drink of water. The lights were on, and her eyes completely dark-adapted, so the brightness momentarily blinded her. Normally her eyes changed to their human version when there was light, but that time it didn''t happen, probably because the moon was almost full and its influx was pulling hard on her energy. It was strange to see her house immersed in a pale clarity, all the colors dull and with no chromatism other than blue and yellow. The brown furniture looked pale and gray, because Sofia could no longer see red. It was what she sacrificed in order to see in the dark, full color vision. Whenshe entered the living room, she found her mother cleaning her work tools toget them ready for the following day. She didn''t even look up when Sofia and Kas walked past her. Their relationship had never been very good, but now it was simply nonexistent. ¡° That question was enough for Helena to look up and fix those glacial gray eyes on Sofia. The girl immediately noticed that her mother was studying her, looking for some trait in her that would determine whether she had already changed or not. Uncomfortable, Sofia looked away and licked her lips. Yes, he also displayed the same body language as she did, as all weredogs dig. Shit! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I pant because I don''t sweat! It''s the only way I can cool down! What do you want me to do, die of heat stroke?¡± Sofia exclaimed, noticing how the energy in her chest stirred uneasily. ¡°And what''s wrong with my behavior? Just because we don''t behave like humans is no excuse for hunting us. You''re lying when you say we''re dangerous, we haven''t hurt anyone. Angel was a good man, a thousand times better than you, and he wasn''t human.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I don''t care about him. I could have hunted him down myself by now had I wanted. I''ve got him totally tracked down, but I''m not as much of a monster as you think I am.¡± After getting dressed, she smeared herself with a spray that hunters used to camouflage their scent. If he detected that it was her, he might not take her seriously. Then she hugged Kas and left the house. The tracksuit itself was not so conspicuous, but she waited until she reached the forest to put on the balaclava. The last thing she needed was to run into a neighbor and have the poor guy think there¡¯s a bandit walking the quiet streets of El Cerro. She just wanted to scare a cinanthrope, not create a widespread alarm among the local population. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Indeed, she had gotten the wrong footprints, but what she saw was very interesting. Following the trail she reached the spring. Someone had removed the snow from an area around two square meter big, exposing the frozen ground just below. There they had drawn a pentagram using a white powder that, when she rubbed y against her fingers and smelled it, turned out to be only flour. If they had used salt they would have contaminated the earth, killing the vegetation, so those witches were concerned about the environment. Around the pentagram were a series of letters similar to runes, but this one was a language lost in time. In the center of the star were the burn remains of a campfire. The similarities to Sara''s sisters'' spectacle were undeniable, but there the large cast-iron cauldron had not been used. If anything a normal sized pot, in view of the size of the fire. ¡° She wasn''t going to get anything else out of there, so Sofia kept walking, going deeper and deeper into the depths of the forest. There were far fewer tracks there, but she did find some evidence of the cinanthrope¡¯s presence, his pads marked in the frozen snow. It was a very old trail, but at least that meant he was still in the area. After a good while moving through the trees she located another trail, that of bare but perfectly human feet. Sofia bent down and checked the snow¡¯s consistency on the footprint, and she was able to sink her finger into it. If it wasn''t frozen that meant that he had recently walked through there. Stepping on them, she was able to move forward while minimizing the noise as much as possible. A cinanthrope''s hearing was very fine, but she hoped to be able to ambush him, or at least make him think that a hunter was after him. ¡°Dave has proven more than enough times that his hearing is even better than mine..¡± again, she bit her lip, knowing what this implied. Her train of thought was interrupted by something resembling a strangled moan, a muffled sound that was halfway between human and dog. With the hair on the back of her neck bristled, Sofia crouched down and walked very carefully, using the frozen snow-covered vegetation as cover. Peeking out from behind a tree trunk she saw him, and for some reason felt sorry for that creature, and a little afraid for her future as well. He was too far away to see him clearly, and his back was turned to her, but she didn''t need to get any closer to see that he was suffering. He was kneeling on the floor, completely hunched in on himself, and Sofia was unclear whether he was trying to hold back the change or forcing it. His breathing was very fast and his muscles seemed to be spasming, as if they were being shaken by electrical currents. That looked like it was being very painful. For several minutes the canine simply laid on the snow, his eyes half-closed and his breathing increasingly slow and relaxed. When he seemed to have rested enough, the animal rolled around on the ground just as a dog would, his muzzle open and his tongue hanging out between his jaws. Sofia couldn''t help but smile. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. Her mother''s words echoed in her mind, calling them beasts for their behavior. Yes, cinanthropes had to constantly fight against their own instincts, and it wasn''t always easy to mask their doglike behavior. However, if that display of absolute freedom and relaxation was beastly behavior, then Sofia would rather be a beast than a human limited by a stupid society. Before the girl could react, the cinanthrope turned tail and ran. His body moved gracefully through the snow, as if he had little trouble wading through it, and in a few seconds he had disappeared among the tree trunks. The crunching of his footsteps faded into the night, moving farther and farther away from her in a desperate flight. Suddenly she heard the metallic sound of a spring activating. The next thing was a sharp yelp of pain that made every hair on her body stand on end, and the energy in her chest flare up. ¡° That wasn''t part of the plan. He didn''t have to get hurt, just scared, nothing more. Sofia broke into a run in the cinanthrope¡¯s direction and soon found him. A foothold trap had caught one of his hind legs. It was not a razor trap, but the force of the impact had broken the bone. That wasn''t a problem as it would heal as soon as he got free. The problem was that he wasn''t doing it. He fumbled with his hands, as if trying to figure out how to open the mechanism, and when he found himself unable to do so, he began to bite it in desperation. During the whole process he kept crying and whimpering due to the pain. ¡°Come on¡­ I taught you how to open that¡­ come on, you can do it¡­¡± Sofia, who was watching him from a distance to see if he was able to free himself, said to herself. ¡° Time was up. Either she acted now, or she left the cinanthrope at the mercy of a common gunman, and that was not going to happen. Aware that she''d just blown her whole plan, Sofia ran towards the creature. Seeing her approaching, the cinanthrope panicked and began tugging at the trap, desperately trying to free himself. Sofia dropped to the ground and, with the dexterity she had acquired from years of handling such objects, pulled it open. His paw freed, the weredog fell face first to the ground, then turned to the girl with a look of confusion on his canine face. Indeed, the plan to scare him had not worked as she would have liked. The hunter¡¯s footsteps were still approaching, and Sofia didn¡¯t want to save his life a second time. Brusquely, she pointed at the forest depths, urging him to leave. Confused, the weredog tilted his head, but he understood her silent message. Still limping a little, despite his wound being already healed, he stood up and ran off towards the deepest part of the mountain. Relieved, Sofia did the same but in the opposite direction. When Rodrigo reached the place where the trap was set, the only thing he found was the empty foothold trap, and two pairs of footprints going in different directions; ones were human and the others of a canid. ¡° Day 24; Piano Chords and the Cat of the Forest Winter was coming to an end, something that was already beginning to show in the changing weather. Cold had been gradually receding, giving way to a warmer, spring-like temperature, and that had made the snow melt, dressing the landscape in a radiant greenness. There were still a fewpatches here and there, in areas that were usually in the shade, but almost all of the white blanket had melted. The vegetation, nourished by the humidity and heat, had begun to grow vigorously, covering itself with tender sprouts as bright as emeralds. The birds had also entered the season, beginning their courtship songs and the construction of the nests where they would raise their offspring. That afternoon Sofia and Dave had gone for a run in the woods. Since it was warmer than when they started that routine, they were both dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. It was the first time Sofia really looked at his body, at least what he was allowing her to see, and she couldn''t say that she disliked it. Both his legs and arms were strong, with hard but harmonious muscles, without being exaggerated like those of bodybuilders. Every time he put his foot on the ground his calf would show under his skin. However, the boy had a considerable amount of body hair that made him look more adult than he really was, even when such hair was blond. Sofia couldn''t help but wonder, not without blushing of course, what he looked like under that t-shirt that was too wide to let her appreciate a bit of his pectoral musculature. ¡°Huh? What are you thinking about now?¡± asked the young man, catching her again gazing at him. ¡° ¡°Me too,¡± he replied, smiling, and again it was that wide, spontaneous and sincere smile that made butterflies sprout in her belly. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Yes, I can play,¡± said the boy, blushing a little. ¡°It''s still at my parents'' house, and I''d like to get it back when I pass the public exams and find an apartment to live in. I want part of my old life back. That''s why I get anxious, because I¡¯m risking a lot in these exams, but I was risking more with the path of destruction I was leading. I''m not suited to stay locked up in a house, it feels like a cage and it stresses me out. I need open spaces where I can breathe and....¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Yes, ever since I decided to join the Civil Guard I''ve known what I wanted to do. You?¡± Sofia asked. ¡° ¡° ¡° If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡°Oh, it''s you two. I was looking for Kissy, my cat. I usually take her out so she''s not always cooped up in the house. She always goes into the plants and I lose sight of her, but she doesn''t usually wander off. I haven''t heard her in a while and I''m starting to get worried, because she''s never done this to me before.¡± Sofia and Dave exchanged a meaningful look and nodded at the same time. There was no need for words, they both knew how dangerous the forest could be, and what they had to do. They were, after all, going to be cops, and in theory, helping others was going to be their duty. Disliking Lola was no reason to deny her help when she needed it, even if there were too many rotten apples who took advantage of their position in the law enforcement corps. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dave nodded, and after agreeing on the areas they would each comb, they dived into the forest where he broke into a run as fast and quiet as a deer. Sofia took Lola in the opposite direction. She seemed like a completely different person, so worried, so small, as fragile as the stamen of a flower. Her haughtiness and pride had been reduced to nothing by the worry of not knowing if her cat was allright, and that was something Sofia could empathize with because she would feel the same way. They belonged to different worlds, but there was always something that was able to bring two people together, no matter how different they were. ¡°The moon is full tonight, I think. Do you believe those things Rodrigo says?¡± Lola asked in a whisper. Sofia rolled her eyes. Rodrigo had become the new class freak, and all because he was becoming more and more vocal with what he called the White Wolf or the Ghost of the Forest. Now he was obsessed with the ideaof showing everyone that this being was a real werewolf, and to do so he had set up some photo-trapping cameras and went into the woods on full moon nights. Obviouslt, neither the cameras had captured anything, nor had the cinanthrope appeared, because the fool was being vocal about his plans, and was telling them to the very same werewolf he wanted to capture. Naturally she couldn''t tell Lola any of this. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The cinanthrope turned tail and, still barking so they could follow him, began to run. Sofia and Lola did the same. The creature was nothing more than a flash of white in the distance, appearing and disappearing among the tree trunks, and if it hadn''t been for his barking Sofia would have lost him a while ago. It was clear what he was trying to do, let himself be seen as little as possible so that he simply looked like a big dog. At first sight, a cinanthrope on all fours was not very different from a mastiff, but a closer look revealed details that were not consistent with a simple canine. After a while of following the cinanthrope through the forest, they reached a place not too far from the path where the undergrowth was thicker. The animal pointed at something on the ground at his feet before disappearing into the vegetation. As Sofia and Lola approached, they saw that there was a Siamese-colored cat lying on the ground next to a dismantled snare. She was wearing a pink collar with a little heart on it, and perhaps that was why she was still breathing, albeit with some difficulty. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Day 25; An Evocative Embrace on Stone Ruins The following day, in spite of the horrible situation they had experienced the previous afternoon, the two friends returned to the class routine. The exams were just around the corner and they had to work hard if they wanted to pass everything. Due to all that happened, the previous afternoon they had not been able to do as much as they would have liked, since about fifteen minutes after finding Kissy the two girls met up with their friend and took the cat to the vet. After a thorough examination the vet determined that Kissy only had a minor injury on her throat caused by the wire which, fortunately, had closed on the collar and not directly on her neck. She was sent home with anti-inflammatory pills and with a tearful Lola who was very relieved that her cat was okay. Dave and Sofia, that was a different story as they were both pretty pissed off with Rodrigo and his obsession, especially the boy, who suffered one of his occasional muscle contractions. That morning, when they saw Rodrigo enter the classroom, they both couldn''t help but glare at him, and Sofia would have eagerly growled if she had been able to. If if wasn¡¯t because of the trouble she would get herself into, Sofia was sure she would have punched him in the face right then and there. It wasn''t just because he had filled the forest with traps that were a risk to other animals. It was also because Sofia knew her white cinanthrope was not dangerous. She knew that very well because he sat next to her every day. Dave could have attacked her when he saw her dressed in her hunter attire, and he didn''t. He simply fled. Cinanthropes were like people, there were some that were troublesome and even dangerous, but most were totally harmless and just wanted to be left alone. Sofia knew that very well, she was one and she just wanted to live in peace. That recess was going to be a little longer than usual because one of the teachers had not been able to come for whatever reason the students didn¡¯t really care about. Instead of the twenty-five minutes they usually had, they ended having almost an hour and a half, so Sofia and Dave went to their quiet place to study. Sara also joined them. Actually everyone already knew about it. Their classmateshad tried to catch them making out, and every time they ended learning something more about physics or community law. Eventually they gave up, although every now and then a student would join them to review, so that place had become known as the Physics Corner. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dave twisted his lips into a weak smile and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, a gesture they had made their own, to encourage each other and to let the other know they were there unconditionally. He then huffed and tried to solve the problem on his own. Sofia watched him carefully. He was indeed more restless than in the previous days, not as much as that time when it seemed he was on the verge ofbreaking down, but he didn''t seem to be comfortable or relaxed in any situation. ¡°Be careful here. Remember that you have to divide by the value of this variable, not this one,¡± Sofia explained, pointing at the notebook, and brushing his hand as she did so. ¡°Yes, this way?¡± asked Dave, while he continued to solve the problem. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° As Sara returned to her exercises Sofia looked up at her other friend. Dave was sitting on the rock, hunched over the notebook on his lap and with an expression of concentration on his face. While he studied, he nibbled absentmindedly on the cap of his pen. He was also twitching his leg a little nervously, a stereotypy he only had when he sat for too long, and she had only seen it at odd times during the month. The young man let out a small huff and put his hands to his head. He then stretched his back and rubbed his lumbar region, which was probably already feeling the strain of sitting on that rectangular stone for so long. Again he returned to his exercises, without even noticing the girl who was looking at him with interest. ¡°I see you,¡± said a whisper near her, snapping her out of her thoughts. ¡° ¡° Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Don''t be silly, Sara,¡± she said, getting up to return to her friend, though she could feel the blush that had risen to her cheeks. ¡°How''s it going? Do you have any doubts?¡± she asked, leaning over him to glance at the notebook. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Don''t they see it?¡± Lola asked Sara, truly fascinated by the exchange she had just witnessed. ¡° ¡°See what?¡± asked Dave in his utter innocence, tilting his head to one side. ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t see it¡± added Sara with a shrug. ¡° ¡° Sofia couldn''t take it anymore. Maybe it was the incipient full moon pulling at her energy, awakening it to fill her with the strength to act. Maybe it was the fact of seeing Lola getting pissed off too, while her eyes filled with tears from the distress she went through the day before. Maybe she was simply fed up with this ridiculous persecution of a cinanthrope who had only eaten a damn lamb months ago. The reasons didn¡¯t matter. The only important thing was what the girl did when she heard those words. Suddenly, and to everyone¡¯s surprise, she stood up and jumped over the hedges to face Rodrigo. Lola, the always demure Lola, joined her with identical rage. ¡°Sofia?¡± Dave threw his notebook to the ground and both him and Sara went after their friend. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Are you calmer?¡± Dave asked against her ear. ¡°I''m not going to be a cop or anything,¡± Lola said suddenly, approaching Rodrigo to slap him across the face with a resounding smack. ¡°This one''s for Kissy!¡± She slapped him again on the other cheek, ¡°And this one is for me and for the hard time you gave me yesterday!¡± ¡° Then he turned and stormed away withwide strides. Luis turned to Lola and, clasping both hands together, made a sort of bow in her direction. ¡° ¡° ¡°Nothing...¡± they both mumbled at the same time, looking away and blushing even harder. ¡° Sofia bit her lip and looked sideways at her friend. Their gazes met for a second, but Dave quickly licked his lips and turned his head to sniff at the air at his right. It all made sense to her. Dave had changed to cover more ground faster, but when he found Kissy, he saw her in such a bad state that he knew he needed to get help immediately. Once again, Sofia thought about that night, about Rodrigo and his obsession. A cold fear ran through her stomach. He was completely out of his mind, and was going to end up hurting someone, or worse. She had to tell Dave, she had to let him know that she was his ally, but if she did, he would hate her for being a hunter, and if she didn¡¯t, Rodrigo might eventually get him. He almost had once already. She had no choice, she had to protect him, even if he didn¡¯t want to talk to her ever again. Day 26; One Second of Hunting and Silver Edge The moon had not yet risen, it still had a couple of hours to go, but Sofia had put on her huntress uniform again and had gone into the forest. This time, however, she wasn¡¯t trying to frighten the white cinanthrope, but Rodrigo. Considering how angry he had been that morning, she suspected that he was also going to go into the woods with the intention of shooting down his werewolf. Killing a cinanthrope was not easy, their intelligence was human and they had an extraordinary healing capacity, but it was not impossible either. A shot to the head or heart resulted in instant death, so healing was not an option. If the projectile lodged in their body and could not be removed, they would still die depending on whether it had hit a vital organ or ruptured a major artery. They were not immune to poisons, and silver was absolutely lethal to them. A silver bullet caused a very powerful anaphylactic shock that could kill them in a matter of thirty minutes. Even is the bullet was removed there was no guarantee that the allergic reaction would not be fatal. Rodrigo knew nothing about this, but he was a hunter and knew where he had to aim to bring prey down. The sensitive organs were precisely the heart and the lungs, and in both cases the hydrostatic shock of a rifle bullet intended for big game could kill a cinanthrope without too much trouble. Although proportionally to their size they were stronger and faster, they were still the size of a human, anda weapon like that was designed to shoot prey three times the average weight of a man. Sofia knew all this because her mother didn''t teach her how to shoot against a practice target, she introduced her to the hunting culture and she had shot many deer, roe deer, fallow deer and wild boar, all of them exquisite. It didn''t help that due to her predatory nature she enjoyed it, although she was not interested in trophies, she just wanted the meat. ¡°I wonder what it would be like to hunt with him,¡± she wondered as she moved through the woods as quietly as possible. When she approached, she saw that it was a tuft of white undercoat, and it smelled of him. This wasn¡¯t so weird, considering Dave had to be entering the spring shedding period, but there was something strange. Normally they lost fur because it got caught in the vegetation, but that tuft was stuck between two small rocks in a very visible area. On closer inspection she saw that one of the rocks had been moved a little. That was not a natural track, Dave himself had placed it there. Looking around she noticed a trail of canid footprints leading off into the depths of the forest. Next to it was another set of footprints; the soles of boots. Sofia shivered. Rodrigo was after the cinanthrope, and he was being led towards an ambush. Dave wasn¡¯t dangerous, she knew that, but Rodrigo had pissed him off, and he was armed. Surely her friend was only trying to give him a good scare to drive him away, but that psychopath won¡¯t have qualms about shooting, and a wounded, cornered cinanthrope could become very dangerous ¡° After about fifteen minutes she slowed her pace and began to use the vegetation for concealment. She had just heard footsteps, and that meant she was close to the hunter. As quietly as her soft slippers would allow, she slipped through the undergrowth until she managed to find an angle from which she could see Rodrigo without being seen. As blind as any human, the boy moved through the forest using only the light of a very weak headlamp. He held his rifle in his hands, ready to fire. He walkedcautiously, keeping an eye on the tracks he was following, and on the surroundings. From the way he moved, in erratic circles, he seemed to have lost the trail. Sofia got ready herself. That was the ambush site. The warped tree shot up like a catapult. The wire hidden in the ground rose up, catching Rodrigo''s foot and lifting him about two meters. Seeing himself jerked from side to side, the boy let go of the rifle, which fell to the ground, but the trap was not set by any expert. It was a sloppy thing, and the snare did not close on his ankle, it just swung him around and tossed him onto a pile of ferns, which cushioned the impact. Dazed Rodrigo looked around, desperately searching for his rifle, but he was disoriented and his poor night vision was not helping. Sofia drew her dagger and prepared to spring into action. She didn''t think it would stop there. He had gone through a lot of trouble to set up the trap, and seemed more than willing to throw the hunter out. ¡° The answer was not long in coming, but it did take her completely by surprise. The cinanthrope had climbed to the top of a tree, and dropped from it like a bird of prey. It was an imposing sight, as white as snow and as big as a mastiff. To mistake him for a common dog was absolutely impossible at that point. Rodrigo screamed as the creature landed about two meters from him, and Dave responded by standing as tall as he was. As a human, he was a meter eighty tall, but as a dog he stood on his toes, so he easily surpassed the meter ninety. Without any regard whatsoever, he threw something at the hunter, something he was carrying in one of his hands. The hunter covered himself, thinking he was being attacked, but when he looked around and grabbed one of those things, he saw what they were. The snares, all the snares he had placed hoping to catch the weredog. He had picked them all up to throw them at his face. Suddenly, Dave bent down and grabbed the hunter by the jacket, causing Rodrigo to yelp and thrash about. Sofia got ready to jump. She didn''t have to, all her friend did was get him up to his feet to look him very hard in the eyes, his tail very straight and a quiet growl rumbling in his throat. He didn''t even bare his fangs, which had to be something truly menacing. He merely looked at Rodrigo, who was way shorter than him, and growled slowly to let him know that he was very annoyed with his constant interference in his wild life. ¡° The cinanthrope growled louder and stepped forward, making Rodrigo flinch in fear. Not wonder, since before him was a formidable beast who was much bigger and stronger than him, and had been capableof ambushing him. However, the creature gave him no respite. From the ground, he grabbed some of the traps he had thrown at him and placed them on the hunter''s hands. Then he pointed in the village¡¯s direction with one of his fingers and growled again. He could not speak. Cinanthropes lost the ability to speak when they changed, but you didn''t have to be very smart to understand what he was trying to say. ¡° The cinanthrope followed him with his gaze, and Sofia was able to see his face as he turned towhere she was. His expression was one of absolute annoyance, and no wonder. Rodrigo had not only filled the forest with traps, even trapping him on one occasion when he stepped on a foothold trap. The continuous incursions into the woods had forced Dave to adopt a low profile, which meant that he had had to change in some enclosed place, most likely his human home, or not change at all. Sofia still remembered the hard time he had during the months when he was forced to repress his nature, and how liberated he seemed while he rolled on the snow after changing. His anger was totally understandable, especially since all he wanted was to be left alone. Dave suddenly tensed and flicked his ears forward. He had noticed where Rodrigo was moving to. Bristling, he leapt forward, landing on all fours, and ran towards the rifle. The hunter also broke into a run in an attempt to reach his weapon before the animal did. Naturally, the weredog was faster. He stoodover the gun, and this time he bared his fangs and let out a hoarse, warning growl. Those four fangs were so terrifying that Rodrigo stopped abruptly, skidded and fell right underneath him. Dave could have done anything to him right then, but he merely snarled just a few centimeters from his face. That was his undoing. He was a pacifist, he didn''t want to hurt his classmate, he just wanted to scare him so he would leave him alone. The problem was that Rodrigo also saw through the bluff. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. From his belt he drew a knife, one similar to Sofia''s dagger but made of steel instead of silver. Hunters used to carry them as it was a very useful tool. It was used both to cut weeds or anything that might have become entangled, and to start skinning downed prey. Rodrigo used it to stab the cinanthrope onhis side. The creature let out a yelp and staggered away from the hunter, clutching his side with one of his paws. Blood gushed from the wound, staining his white fur, but it took no more than a few seconds for it to close. It had been enough time for Rodrigo to pick up his rifle and aim at the unfortunate canid. The weredog, aware of his precarious situation, lowered his ears and whimpered. ¡° The shot never came because Sofia stepped in, and she was not a pacifist. She didn''t want to send a message, she really knew how to threaten another until he pissed himself. The huntress emerged from the shadows, grabbed Rodrigo¡¯s arm and pulled at it to divert the rifle¡¯s barrel, while placing the dagger¡¯s edge against his bare throat. This time she did not repress her instinctive impulses. She lowered her voice until it was no more than a dry, harsh whisper, practically unrecognizable thanks also to the balaclava, and growled menacingly against the hunter''s ear. Satisfied, she felt him tense up and begin to tremble. ¡° ¡° ¡° When he saw her, the cinanthrope''s blue eyes widened like saucers. His gaze swept over her body, taking in her attire, and landed on the dagger she was still holding in her hand. A silver dagger, a metal that burned them at the mere touch, and would kill them in a matter of minutes. Dave laid back his ears and, whimpering, looked into her eyes. Sofia bit her lip, and had to blink several times to control the tears that were threatening to flow. She had already imagined this would happen, but she hadn''t thought seeing the disappointment in his gaze would hurt so much. ¡° ¡°I never killed anyone, I never got to that point in my training. I''m no saint, I did terrible things. I tracked down several cinanthropes and left them at my mother''s mercy, and you have no idea how much I regret what I did. When I learned the truth... when I realized that you are people, that you are harmless, that you are only being hunted because you are not human, I walked away from the guild and the hunt,¡± she hugged her knees and she cried even harder. ¡°I understand that you are disappointed, and I would understand if you never wanted to speak to me again. I told you, I¡¯m a monster...¡± She looked down at her hands, barely visible through the blur of her tears, and began to shake. She heard a deep sigh, and then the sound of footsteps on the ground, and Sofiashut her eyes tight, thinking he was walking away from her. That was just what she had feared would happen, that he would reject her when he knew the truth, but she had not imagined it would hurt so much. Suddenly his scent hit her nose, that masculine musk mixed with the smell of pine, and hairy hands gently wiped away her tears. Surprised, Sofia looked up to find him sitting in front of her, looking at her so lovingly that she shuddered. Unable to stop crying, she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly, and he held her close. ¡°You''re my best friend, Dave. I don''t want to lose you...¡± she whimpered, her voice barely a whisper. She felt him tense, and his breathing quickened. It was only for a few seconds, for almost instantly the tension seemed to melt into a quiet whimper, and Dave hugged her tighter. Sofia felt his hands resting on her back, and his muzzle¡¯s vibrissae tickled her as he nuzzled her neck. Then he shuddered in her arms, and the fur disappeared, leaving in its place human skin, covered in thick body hair, but human skin nonetheless. The hands that rested on her back were no longer clawed, and the damp truffle was now a nose breathing against her neck. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Sorry, I didn''t know that happened...¡± She murmurred and looked away. ¡° ¡°I''ve suspected it for a long time. I''d seen your eyes glow in the dark, and that''s a trait only cinanthropes have, but I didn''t know if you had already changed. I knew it for sure the night you stepped on the foothold trap. When you stopped right in front of me I recognized your scent,¡± she said. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Their joy was interrupted by the sound of something approaching at full speed, something moving on all fours. Bristling, both Sofia and Dave raised their heads and sniffed the air. The scent that reached her was that of a person, a grown man, but not anyone she knew. She had no trouble deducing that it was another cinanthrope, because their scent was indistinguishable from that of a human being. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dave responded by tensing even more and stared at the other weredog straight in the eyes. His fangs were bared and a low, menacing growl rumbled in his throat. ¡° To Sofia''s surprise, the white cinanthrope stood even taller and his threat became clearer. His whole body, from his tail held high, his chest puffed out, his ears forward and his fangs visible, clearly indicated that he was accepting the challenge. This was no mere pup, this was a sub-adult that was beginning to seek his own independence and was questioning his godfather¡¯s rules. The adult responded by changing again and dropping down on all fours to adopt an identical pose in response. The adult was as large as the younger dog, but neither seemed intimidated by the other. They studied each other as they growled, baring their fangs as a warning to the other that they would have no qualms about using them, their gazes fixed and their whole body tense. ¡°I know you hate this whole situation, that you don''t understand why you have to hide if you haven''t done anything wrong, but that''s the way it is,¡± said the adult, changing back to the human form so he could talk to the pup. ¡°Maybe someday it will change, but you won''t achieve it by threatening and scaring hunters. You''ll only achieve the opposite. You need to keep a low profile. If you find it so unbearable to change in a small area, go to another place and let go, hunt, sleep in the brush and behave like the dog you are if that makes you happy. You cinanthropes without humanity are complicated, I know, and I also know what a hard time you have when you don''t follow your nature, but you have to be smarter, stay away from people and not let yourself be seen. If you want to continue living among humans you will have to accept the rules of the human world.¡± Day 27; A Paper Note and Tea Aroma ¡° After a few minutes of lazing around in bed, Sofia decided it was time to beat sloth and got up. She quickly got dressed, groomed herself, and after breakfast hurried to take Kas for his morning walk. When she returned, she saw her mother sitting on the sofa, reading the newspaper on her mobile phone and drinking tea. Any other person would have thought this was an everyday morning scene. Sofia knew she was looking for any signs of the presence of cinanthropes, such as an unexplained attack on domestic livestock, an unusually large dog seen roaming the area, things like that. ¡° ¡° ¡°No, I''d rather you concentrated on the task you were supposed to take care of. Have you found the cinanthrope already?¡± asked the woman, looking at her with those cold gray eyes. ¡° ¡°I understand. That explains why you were out all night during the full moon, and why you''re all smiles. I was wondering when you were going to realize that that boy isn''t human, nor a pup,¡± Helena commented in a dispassionate voice, and returned to her task of reading the paper. ¡° ¡° Because she was afraid. Because that monster in front of her took Angel away from her. Because she didn''t want to go through the same thing again, she didn''t want to suffer, she didn''t want to have to live in fear that one day a hunter would find out he¡¯s not human and kill him. That''s why she didn''t want to see it. That''s why she didn''t want to get close to him. Because she knew that she would end up falling in love with that boy who smells like forest, who licks his lips when he is nervous, who has an extraordinary sense of hearing and who is restless on the day when the full moon is going to rise. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Because I''ve never promised you anything I haven''t honored,¡± Helena said. ¡°Besides, I told you I''m not as much of a monster as you think I am.¡± Clenching her jaws to stifle the growl she felt bubbling in her throat, Sofia left the house and began to walk towards her school. A clear blue sky decided to accompany her, sporting a translucent, pale waning moon. Sofia looked up at the monarch of the night, her anger flowing into frustration and rage. The words of that adult cinanthrope were still echoing in her head nearly a week later. She understood Dave, she understood him being angry at having to hide when he had done nothing, but that was the way things were. Yet perhaps because she was young and idealistic, she wanted to believe that another future was possible, one in which they would be full citizens, accepted and integrated into society. One in which she could have told her friends that she was not human without fearing they would reject her. One in whichhe would be safe. ¡° A motorcycle pulled up beside her, and through the helmet visor Sofia could see a pair of sky-colored eyes and the outline of a smile. Immediately the anger and frustration she felt subsided, and her own lips began to bend into a spontaneous smile as a pleasant warmth spread through her body. He had that effect on her, he soothed her, he made her feel safe and calm. Nobody had ever made her feel this way. That''s why that school year had been worth it, because ever since she met him she had become a better version of herself. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°It''s not very common, but it''s more common than you think.¡± Dave blushed and licked his lips. ¡°Not having humanity isn''t all that rare either. Most cinanthropes lose it over time. It''s normal, we''re dogs that look like humans, we''re not humans that turn into dogs. What happens is that we are raised in human societies, and we are taught to behave like humans and to hide our natural behavior. When we change, we re-integrate with what we really are, and it''s easier and more natural for us to growl when we''re angry, or pant when we''re nervous, than to huff or shout.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°No, I just learned to have a lot of self-control. My mother scolded me a lot when I showed my natural behavior, and believe me, I was horrible. Living with me was like living with a wild wolf. I''d move on all fours, growl, howl, and as soon as I could I''d run off to find wooded places where I could roll on the grass and sniff trails," she said, and laughed sheepishly. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dave took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. That look framed by his smile was so full of enthusiasm that Sofia shivered. For years she had been afraid to change, both because of the hunters and because of the risk of rejection that all her kind face. Yet here was this boy, talking excitedly about the moment when her dog nature would emerge. For years, her greatest wish had been to be able to lead a normal life, and now she was daydreaming about waking up in the forest, wrapped by a certain weredog¡¯s arms. ¡° ¡° ¡° Embarrassed, Rodrigo ducked his head and tightened his pace. Sofia bit her lip. He was an asshole and a psychopath, and she would have liked to punch him in the face, but bullying him was a totally different story. In a fight there was a direct one-on-one where different points of view, mutual insults and whatnot are exchanged. It was a fair thing. A group of people ridiculing a person who is not fighting back was pure sadism. The worst thing was that he was being attacked and humiliated for being right. After his last run-in with the cinanthrope, he had told the class about what he saw in the forest. As expected people had taken him for a madman, but Sofia knew perfectly well that everything he was telling was true, because she was the witch. That had lasted a couple of days. On the third day Rodrigo had disappeared. She had asked her mother if she had initiated him, but she had answered, with her typical cold and impassive tone, that others had been faster. Who those others were, Sofia had no idea, although maybe it was something related to what the adult cinanthrope had said about ''recruiting him''. Quiet frankly, she was very confused about the whole thing. ¡°Let''s go to class. There''s no need for us to be an audience to this sorry show,¡± said Dave, and started to walk towards the door. ¡° Dave paused, took several deep breaths and only when he was sure he had his emotions under control did he dare to look at his friend. The short hair on the back of his neck had come down a little but was still bristling, and his face showed a marked expression of annoyance. ¡° ¡° ¡°u more if you are different than if you are cruel. They didn''t humiliate Rodrigo when he talked about killing a dog, they do it now that he''s telling stories about witches and werewolves.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°God, Sofia, you''re such an...,¡± Dave whispered, looking at his friend in wonder. ¡° ¡° Without wasting a second, the three friends dashed up the stairs. Fortunately they arrived a few minutes before their teacher did and were able to go to their desks without problem. As Sofia pulled her notebook out of her backpack, she thought about the warm feeling in her belly, and the idiot''s grin she was holding back with all her might. Dave had never looked at her like that before, as if it was the first time he saw her. She couldn''t help but wonder what he had been about to say. I am such an...?'' on one of its sides. She then folded it and hissed softly in at her friend, barely a whisper that shouldn''t have been audible. As expected he did hear her and turned to her, his gaze inquisitive. To be honest, their abilities sure were convenient. amazing girl''. Her heart skipped a beat. A horde of butterflies began to flutter across her belly. Blushing, she turned to her friend. His lips were curved in a warm smile, and again he had that look in his sky-colored eyes. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Yes, Angel had said nice things to her, like how she had a good hand at dog training, that she was cute, and that he loved her. That was the first time anyone had simply thought of her that she was an amazing girl. Day 28; A Quiet, Empty Place and a Mirror Sofia, her cheek resting on her hand in a gesture of boredom, looked at her other friend. Again he was restless, fidgeting in the chair as if he was not comfortable in any posture. Occasionally, he rubbed the base of his back as if he had some kind of discomfort. He was nervous, and she couldn¡¯t blame him considering how much he had at stake, but it wasn¡¯t only that. The moon had been full three days ago, but it was still visible in the sky. She knew he was dealing with what he called partial changes, which meant that his fangs were larger and his tail was hidden inside his pants. Dave had told her it was really uncomfortable. ¡° ¡° ¡° Desperate, still fidgeting and starting to shake a little, Dave put his hands in his hair and lowered his head, focusing his gazeonthe desk. There it was. The boy parted his lips and Sofia saw his sides start to move faster. As much as a cinanthrope tried to suppress their natural instincts, the body was wise and forced them to use them. Not panting meant a real risk of suffering a heat stroke, and before it came to that the instincts were going to take over. Sofia knew this, she had suffered it all her life and she always ended up panting when she was hot, whether she tried to avoid it or not. ¡° As was always the case when a teacher left, the students began to talk louder and louder, and a group of them started to play hangman using the blackboard. The game caught other classmates'' attention, and within minutes the letters were flying around the classroom amidst laughter and excited shouts. The only one who wasn''t participating was Dave, who kept looking at his desk, panting and visibly nervous. Sofia sighed and walked over to him, seeking to get his attention by gently stroking the blond hair on his arm. It was a thick enough hair that it wouldn''t go unnoticed, but it was also surprisingly soft. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Let''s just say I''ve learned to keep a cool head in tense situations. Getting nervous isn''t going to help me pass my exams,¡± Sofia explained, shrugging. ¡°I imagine that never having changed helps, too. I feel the moon, but it doesn''t affect me the same way it affects you,¡± she said with a small, apologetic smile. She didn''t know if she should be relieved or annoyed by that fact. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He smiled, and in doing so he showed how much he relaxed when he was with her, because he let the tips of his fangs show. They weren''t so big that their classmates on the other side of the room would notice, but it was obvious they weren''t human. With flushed cheeks she had to admit that this was another feature she found strangely attractive. It matched his pretty boy face, made him look more wild and dangerous. ¡° Both Sofia and Dave frowned. Those two broke the rules as they pleased. They could have reported them a long time ago, but not only was Luis'' father one of the town¡¯s Civil Guard officers, but also, being a small place where everyone knew each other, they were less inclined to pursue those kind of offenses. Not every officer was honest, despite wearing the uniform. The only remarkable thing was that, since the week he had been missing, Rodrigo had radically stopped talking about werewolves and black witches. That didn''t change the fact that he had become the target of cowards and wretches, but it had made him and Luis become like brothers again. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Rodrigo put his hands to his head and clenched his jaw tightly. His eyes bugged out in an expression of utter despair. Months had gone by and they never got tired of humiliating him whenever they could. Not just some of his classmates, since it really wasn''t all of them, butpeople from all over the school as well. Van Helsing they called him, and not in a good way. It was bad luck that a movie about a hunter of supernatural creatures featuring werewolves had just come out. Not all of the class participated in the humiliation, but most of them simply looked the other way. Yeah, she did too, Sofia thought biting her lip. Rodrigo was a miserable psychopath who hadn''t minded pointing a gun at a creature he suspected could transform into a man, but she couldn''t justify this bullying. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡° The blow was forceful and abrupt enough to take everyone by surprise. Suddenly there was a stony silence, and thirty pairs of eyes were focused on the young man who was slowly moving his gaze around the classroom. Sofia saw in him an attitude she had never seen him before. He stood as tall as he was and raised his shoulders and head with integrity and pride, but he was the image of serenity and strength, like a gallant tree. His breathing was slow as he looked at the rest of his class, and the bulge in the back of his trousers showed that he would have raised his tail if he could.. ¡° ¡° ¡° Again there was silence. Some people looked at Dave in wonder, seeing in him just the light that some need to find their way, to dare to speak out. Others lowered their heads in shame, suddenly aware of what they were doing. They had gone along with the crowd without a second thought, simply because there had been no one to punch the table and tell them it was wrong. A small group refused to admit that they had done anything wrong, but the hatred in their eyes showed that, deep down, they knew he was right. ¡° Then it happened. The miracle. The first step that inspires others to dare take their own had taken effect. Another classmate stood up and he too looked at his classmates, one of many who, without participating in the outrage, had remained silent so that he would not be caught in the dirt. Then another girl did the same. Before they knew it, several students were on their feet,staring that rest of the class with the same annoyance as the young man. ¡° ¡° ¡° Gradually more voices rose, emboldened by the first ones. The bullies, suddenly seeing themselves cornered, tried to defend themselves because they refused to accept that they had done something wrong. Rodrigo looked around the class surprised at the amount of support he was suddenly receiving. Yet he was still the same miserable bastard he had always been, the bastard who was bullied for talking about witches and werewolves, not for saying he wanted to kill a feral dog. For that alone Sofia could have no sympathy for him, but neither was she going to defend attitudes such as those displayed by some of her classmates. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° As she pondered those thoughts, Rodrigo abruptly stood up and stormed angrily toward the classroom¡¯s door. Sofia felt the hair on the back of her neck bristle. The boy was white with rage, all his muscles were tense and his fists were so tight that his knuckles had turned pale. Confused, Sofia exchanged a quick glance with Luis who shrugged, and an icy chill began to run through her veins. ¡° Outside there was a commotion, a roar of unleashed rage followed by the unmistakable sound of glass shattering. The whole class, still immersed in their discussion, gradually fell silent. For Sofia that was all she needed to rushto the door. As she ran past Sara, she nodded at her and the girl stood up brusquely and followed her. A handful of other classmates also joined them, mainly because they wanted to know what had happened, not because they had any intention of helping. As they stepped out into the hallway, they saw that the door to the toilets was open, and there stood Rodrigo, shaking with rage right in front of Dave, who was holding onto the sink. His breathing was very fast, and his lips were pursed in a grimace of restrained anger. The mirror right next to him was broken and there was blood between the pieces. ¡° ¡° ¡° He was making such a scene that the teachers from other classes, alerted by his screams, came out of their classrooms and surrounded Rodrigo to try to calm him down. Rosa, who had appeared at that moment, hurried to ask her co-workers what had happened there. While all this was going on Dave, who had begun to tremble and had a grimace of restrained pain, finished cleaning his hands as he had been doing before Rodrigo assaulted him. Sofia realized he had them more than clean, and was looking for a way to distract himself. ¡° ¡° ¡° It wasn''t just that, Sofia knew it well. He was losing control and needed to change, and he couldn''t do it in front of his classmates. Biting her lip, she looked back towards the bathroom. Both on the sink and on the floor were bloodstained shards of glass, and neither of them had any wounds. What was less clear to her was who had broken the mirror; whether Rodrigo had punched it, or whether he had pushed her friend against it. Considering what she knew, she didn''t have much doubt as to who the blood belonged to. Day 29; Under a Mantle of Blue and Green Classes had come to an end for the high school sophomores at I.E.S. El Cerro, but that didn''t mean that all their problems were over. In a couple of weeks most of the students were going to face one of the most important exams of their lives; the university entrance exam. However, not all of them were going to take that test. Some, like Sara, had turned to the next page in their lives and had started looking for a job. Sofia and Dave were preparing for the even more difficult Civil Guard exams. However, that night they just wanted to rest and celebrate that a long school year had come to an end, a school year full of eventualities, surprises and changes. A school year that Sofia would never forget as long as she breathed, because it was the first time she felt really happy. El Cerro was a small town and there wasn''t much to do, but as everyone knew each other the owner of the only party hall offered it so that the teenagers could celebrate their end of the school year party. This was not the United States of America, there was no big gymnasium full of colorful garlands, balloons and smoke machines. It was a small town in Spain and things were done in a less theatrical and spectacular way. The party room, which was a traditional old fashioned pub, had a torch with colored lights and a mirror ball, as well as a dartboard and a wooden counter. The attendees were classmates, friends, people with whom they had shared the experiences of an entire academic year. The loudspeakers were blaring the latest hits, and some girls were dancing, some boys were trying to flirt, and others chatted among themselves. Sara, Sofia and Dave were by the counter, away from the dance floor and those places where the sound of the loudspeakers was the loudest. No matter, it was still unpleasant to her sensitive cinanthrope ears, and a glance at her friend told Sofia all she needed to know. She wasn''t surprised to see his scowl and disgruntled expression as he absentmindedly sipped a glass of Coke. His gaze wandered frequently to the establishment¡¯s door, perhaps wondering if it wouldn''t have been a better idea not to come. She couldn''t blame him. For a human the noise had to be annoying already, but his sense of hearing was not human and that was an unbearable cacophony. ¡°Are you having fun, guys?¡± asked Sara patting her friend on the back. ¡°We''d be having a better time if the music wasn''t so loud,¡± shouted Dave, trying to make himself heard above the musical din. ¡°Don''t be dull, man. Dance a little,¡± said Sara, shaking her enormous body not really following the music¡¯s rhythm. ¡°I''d rather not. I can''t dance...¡± said the boy, blushing with embarrassment. ¡°If that''s the problem, don''t worry. Nobody here knows how to dance, they just move pretending they do,¡± said Sofia with a smile. Dave twisted his lips into a small smile. ¡°You''re not wrong, but I''m not going to dance.¡± ¡°You guys are a drag! You two go frolick in the woods like you enjoy doing. I''m going with Lola,¡± said Sara, draining the mug of beer in one gulp and leaving her two friends to go with the other girl. Sofia shook her head and leaned against the counter, next to her friend, grazing his bare arm unwillingly. They exchanged a brief glance, their cheeks tinging with a rosy blush, but quickly turned their attention back to the room full of classmates. Lola was not with her usual friends. The events in the last few months had made her distance herself from them, and eventually she had started hanging out with people who were less troublesome, and who also were friends of Sara. Her influence had been good for the girl. Lola was still an unbearable brat, but at least now she wasn''t as stupid as when Sofia met her. As Sara reached her, Lola smiled and they both began to chat animatedly. About what, Sofia had no idea because the noise was so thunderous she wasn''t able to hear anything, but she didn''t need to in order to notice the way they were looking at them. Dave must have noticed too because he lowered his head, embarrassed, and started looking for something interesting to pay attention to, preferably a scent. Sofia was more amused than anything else. Both girls had their hopes set on the end of the school year party. They had been waiting for the slow song to start and for the two of them to take to the dance floor, ending with the magical kiss in front of the whole class. Sara and Lola were not going to leave it to chance, so they ran to ask the owner to play a romantic song. ¡°What a pair of conniving matchmakers,¡± said Sofia laughing as soon as the song started playing. Although she couldn''t deny that she felt a bit embarrassed by the whole situation, and knowing that they were playing matchmaker with them made her more aware of the touch of her friend''s hairy arm against hers. Suddenly, taking her completely by surprise, a warm hand closed around hers, his fingers intertwining with hers. Startled, Sofia looked up and met a pair of blue eyes that were watching her with interest, one eyebrow raised and his lips twisted into a mischievous smile. The other thing Sofia was becoming acutely aware of was the handful of gazes fixated on the two of them. The blush on her cheeks increased. He couldn''t have fallen into the trap of those two matchmakers, he couldn''t have gotten carried away by a cheesy romantic song. Dave leaned towards her. Sofia held her breath. ¡°Why don''t we accept Sara''s invitation?¡± he said in her ear. ¡°To the woods?¡± she asked when he pulled away and they could look into each other''s eyes again. Dave nodded smiling, and Sofia''s lips curved into a mischievous smile, very similar to his. Without warning, the two kids left their drinks on the counter and, to everyone¡¯s surprise, they ran out of the bar, their hands still intertwined and laughter vibrating on their lips. They got away from the bar, leaving behind the unbearable din, leaving behind a bunch of confused classmates and leaving behind Sara and Lola and their poor attempts at hooking them up. They ran non-stop through the town''s streets, following a path lit by dim streetlights until these lights were also left behind and the asphalt gave way to dirt, stones and the intense smell of pine. Only when they found themselves in front of the giant trees did they stop, both panting and smiling at the same time. They looked into each other''s eyes and, still breathless, burst into laughter at the thought of the disappointment their friends must have felt. ¡°We''re really going to miss this,¡± Sofia said, opening her arms to let the waning moon¡¯s light wash over her. ¡°I agree. I never thought I''d say it but... I''ve enjoyed spending the year here,¡± he said, smiling at her. Sofia blushed and began to walk across the road. For a few minutes they said nothing and just enjoyed the smells, the fresh night air and the chirping of crickets. Sofia looked out into the forest depths, thinking of all the adventures she had had there in a matter of a few months. It had all started one rainy, foggy morning, with an unexpected encounter with a frightened cinanthrope of coat as white as snow. A smile tugged at her lips as she felt the now familiar warmth welling up in her stomach. Who would have thought that this cinanthrope would become her best friend. Sofia stepped off the path and began to walk through the forest, and the smile began to fade from her lips as she looked at the trees, rocks and bushes that were so familiar to her. In the next few weeks they were not going to have as much time to enjoy outings like that. Starting the next day the home stretch of a long effort would be upon them, and if all went well in a year at most they would both be wearing the green uniform. She looked at her friend, imagining him dressed as a handsome civil guard, and she couldn''t help but blush. He was already attractive, and he was simply wearing a light short-sleeved shirt and matching jeans. There was no denying that she had a certain fetish for men in uniform. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°We''ll get examined soon. How are you doing?¡± Sofia asked. They had just reached the spring¡¯s clearing. That night there were some kind of fireflies hovering above the water like fighter planes, which left her wondering if they were really fireflies or some exotic type of dragonfly. Besides her, Dave sighed and moved away from her to approach the pond. He knelt before it and let his fingers trace ripples on the water¡¯s surface as he thoughtfully studied his distorted reflection. ¡°I''m nervous,¡± he confessed. ¡°And I''m not as sure as I thought I was....¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sofia sat down next to him and looked at him with some concern. ¡°I was sure I wanted to help people, that''s why I chose to become a civil guard, and I chose this corps because it''s one of the most vocational. However, I''m not sure if this is the path that will make me happy. I talked to my godfather, he made me think about other options, options that might suit me better. You''ve seen me break more than once, Sofia, I don''t know if I''m going to be able to handle too much pressure,¡± he said without taking his eyes off the pond. Sofia reached out for his hand and let her fingers caress his skin. Her distorted reflection joined her friend¡¯s. ¡°It sounds like a goodbye.¡± ¡°I would go away. Very far away. We will most likely never see each other again.¡± Sofia looked away sharply so he wouldn''t see the tears that had begun to form in her eyes, and took deep breaths until she felt the weeping that had begun to build in her chest subside. Only when she was able to twist her lips into something resembling a smile did she dare to turn back to him. He was looking at her with concern, but he was also maintaining a respectful silence. He wasn''t stupid, he knew that his words had hurt her because she didn''t want to lose him. ¡°You have to do what makes you happy,¡± she said, grabbing his hand to give it a gentle squeeze. Dave sighed. ¡°I know.¡± Their eyes met in the darkness. Their fingers remained intertwined but he dared to go a step further and began to gently caress the back of her friend''s hand with his thumb. Sofia felt a pleasant shiver run down her back as her stomach shuddered with a sweet warmth. Suddenly her friend frowned slightly in a thoughtful expression. Tilting his head to one side he seemed to study her face intently. Such sudden interest made Sofia blush even more, but she was unable to tear her eyes away from those sky-colored ones. It was then that she saw his lips curl into a smile and a sigh escaped them. ¡°I think I''m going to go ahead with the exam.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She said with a little too much enthusiasm. ¡°What made you decide that?¡± ¡°What you said...to do what makes me happy,¡± he said while he scratched the back of his neck, a little embarrassed. ¡°If I withdraw now, I won''t be able to try again. But the other option will still be open if I ever want a change.¡± Sofia couldn''t help herself. She let out a little cry of enthusiasm and pounced on her friend to give him a tight hug, catching him so unaware that he lost his balance and they both fell into the pond. At the same time they both emerged, soaked from top to bottom, and shook instinctively to get some of the water off their hair and faces. Again their gazes met, their cheeks flushing at the same time, and all at once they burst out laughing loudly. The next thing he knew, their lips had melted into a kiss. There was no slow approach, no quizzical look, none of those romance novel clich¨¦s. She simply sought him out and he accepted her with a hungry growl that made her shudder. Entangled in a trembling, almost uncertain embrace, they gradually became immersed in a kiss shared with longing. A kiss that turned into a trail of soft nibbles on her neck and jaw that made her moan. He wasn''t like in her dream, he didn''t have that slow sweetness. On the contrary, he was intense and passionate like a raging storm, and he was awakening her desire to howl with him. ¡°Sofia, wait...¡± It was that voice, barely more than a breath accompanied by the gentle nervous trembling of his arms, what brought Sofia back to her senses. With a gasp, the girl pulled away from her friend so abruptly that she almost ended up submerged under the water. It wouldn''t have been such a bad idea, considering what she''d just done. ¡°Fuck, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have let myself get carried away like that,¡± she said, her cheeks burning. ¡°It''s... it''s no big deal...¡± he muttered, his cheeks just as hot. They exchanged a brief, sidelong glance, one that reflected their doubts. Dave licked his lips and avoided her eyes. His nose twitched gently, inhaling the smells around him. Sofia bit her lip and she looked away too, but a painful knot formed in her chest, and it had nothing to do with the moon. She had fallen in love with him, and Dave didn''t feel the same way, something she already knew, but the certainty made it all the more difficult. She closed her eyes for a moment and took several deep breaths until she calmed down. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that he had become her best friend, and she didn''t want to lose him. The best thing to do was to put those stupid feelings aside and concentrate on maintaining the friendship they already had. ¡°Sara and Lola would have loved to see this,¡± she joked, in an attempt to undo some of the awkwardness that had arisen between them. ¡°Yes, I''m sure they would,¡± he replied, laughing nervously. Again they exchanged a brief glance, and it was joined by their lips curving into a warm smile and their hands clasped in a promise of friendship. With her cheeks still flushed and her belly quivering with the seed of feelings she didn''t yet understand, that neither of them understood yet, they both climbed out of the pond. Dave shook himself, and splashed water everywhere, eliciting laughter from his friend. Realizing what he had done, he turned as red as a tomato and licked his lips. ¡°God, I''m sorry, I...¡± he stuttered, embarrassed and quiet nervous. Understanding his unease, Sofia did something she never did in front of other people. For once she gave in to her true nature, and she also shook. Puzzled by her attitude, Dave tilted his head to one side, but the girl merely twisted her lips into a reassuring smile. ¡°It''s an effective way to get dry, but we''d better take off our clothes or we''ll catch pneumonia,¡± she joked. Dave let out a small sigh and the expression on his face softened. The way he looked at her, with that smile of gratitude and affection, rekindled the warmth in her belly. ¡°Yes, we''d better take off our clothes or we''re going to be soaked until we get home,¡± he commented rather sheepishly. Silently, they both took off their shoes, socks and shirts to dry them, but left their trousers on out of sheer embarrassment. Seeing her in her bra, Dave couldn''t help but blush, and the same thing happened to Sofia when she saw him bare-chested. He had a nice body, well toned from all the exercise he''d been doing, and a thick clump of whitish-blond hair covered his chest and stomach. Sofia timidly reached out. Dave took a deep breath, suddenly tense, but didn''t move. Then she took the leap and dipped her fingers into the fur, smiling at its touch. It was not like coarse, bristly human hair, it was thinner, softer, like the coat of a full-grown dog. ¡°Sorry, it''s just...¡± said Sofia, blushing visibly and pulling her hand away. ¡°No, it''s OK. I understand. I know I don''t have a normal body. You... you don''t dislike it?¡± He asked shyly, almost hopeful. ¡°Not at all. Is this why you don''t like to show your body?¡± Sofia said, as she sat down on the floor and looked up at the moon. Every time she had met her friend to go out into the forest, and she had seen him change, he had hidden so she wouldn''t see him naked. Although she had already seen him, he was embarrassed about showing his naked body, something she didn''t understand because she didn''t dislike it, on the contrary, she found it very attractive. A hairless body was a boyish body. The hair on his skin, the musculature of his chest, his shoulders, even those fangs she could see in his mouth, all indicated that what was in front of her was not a child, it was a man, an almost adult male cinanthrope. He still had boyish features, especially in the sweetness of his face, but he was leaving them behind as he matured. ¡°Yes. I''ve had... quite a lot of hair since I was thirteen or fourteen. I think that''s when I stopped going to the river to swim with my friends,¡± said the boy, sitting down next to her. ¡°The different one,¡± said Sofia. ¡°Not only because of that, but yes. It was as good a reason as any to single me out.¡± Sofia moved closer to him and snuggled against his body, resting her head on his shoulder. Dave, blushing, looked down at her as he put his arm around her. He was so close that she could feel his breath brushing against her skin, as well as his scent, that masculine musk she found so appealing hidden beneath the fragrance of the wild pines. Again she rested her hand on his chest and enjoyed the softness of his hair and the warmth of his body. Satisfied, Sofia closed her eyes and sighed, letting herself be rocked by the sound of his heartbeat. ¡°I''m glad you''re different,¡± she murmured. Dave sighed and hugged her tighter. He wasn''t human, he was like her, a cinanthrope. With those thoughts in her head, feeling happier than ever before in her life and tired from the day¡¯s hustle and bustle, the girl began to feel herself sinking into the embrace of sleep. Gradually her mind became clouded until she was no longer aware of sounds, smells or even herself. The last thing she felt before she dozed off was something she didn''t know if it had been real, or a dream. She felt her friend gently caress her face, brushing a strand of wet hair away from her forehead before placing an affectionate kiss on it. ¡°I don''t know what I feel for you, but I do know that you''ve become very important to me and I don''t want to lose you,¡± he confessed, safe in the knowledge that she was asleep and couldn''t hear him. Day 30; Uniform, Badge and White Wine It was early November, but the town workers were already setting the garlands of Christmas lights. They called it a town because it had originally been so, but the real estate boom had made it grow to the not inconsiderable figure of forty thousand inhabitants. It was much larger than El Cerro, which had a couple of thousand inhabitants, mostly humble people who worked the land, but it had been one of the few postings they could both ask for and which met the requirements they were looking for. In fact, the strong point was its old town, in which there was a convent, a church and a palace that once belonged to a prince, and of which some stories were told that may or may not be true. Just behind the palace, wrapping the village in an embrace, there was an oak forest that belonged to the regional park of the middle course of the Guadarrama River. It was not the pine forest of the Segovian sierra, but the times they had walked through it they had enjoyed it just the same. That early November afternoon the two officers had gone out for a normal patrol, accompanied by Ginger, the German shepherd puppy that Sofia was training to search for traces. They were walking along one of the town¡¯s main streets. There were many bars, restaurants, and stores of all kinds, from haberdasheries, hairdressers and hardware stores to places that sold home decorations. Of course, there was also a traditional Seven Eleven. It was cold, as expected, since the peaks of the distant Madrid sierra were covered with snow, but that did not seem to be a problem for people to go out. In El Cerro they tended to avoid very cold weather except out of necessity, but life here was chaotic and fast-paced, and the streets were always bustling with people coming and going in a hurry. To Sofia it was a bit stressful, and although her friend hadn''t said anything, she knew he felt the same way. ¡° ¡° Something tingled in Sofia''s belly, a distant memory that brought a blush to her cheeks and a smile to her face. It seemed unbelievable that a year and a half had gone by since that moment when she fell asleep in his arms, listening to his heartbeat, and felt his lips brush her forehead in an affectionate kiss. The morning lights and the songs of the birds had been the first thing to greet them, and at first they had felt quite embarrassed but didn¡¯t think much about it. It hadn¡¯t been the first time, and it wouldn¡¯t be the last. ¡° ¡° ¡°I guess what we did in El Cerro wasn''t very normal,¡± Dave said with a little laugh, scratching the back of his head. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° When they went for a run in the woods, sometimes they would get completely carried away, and end up lying on the grass, staring at the stars in silence. If it was cold, Dave would cuddle her to cover her with his thick white fur, and more than once she had joined him on full moon nights so he wouldn''t feel lonely. What a strange contradiction. All her life, what she had longed for was a normal life, and now she was delighted at the thought of her best friend being a cinanthrope. ¡° So distracted had she been that she didn''t even notice him looking at her, his head tilted to one side in that confused puppy gesture. Blushing, Sofia twisted her lips into a small smile and tried to look somewhat normal. ¡° ¡° ¡°Excuse me, officers, could I ask you a question?¡± said a lady who was approaching the two civil guards. ¡° ¡° ¡° The energy inside her suddenly stirred. Right at that moment, Dave took a deep breath and put a hand to his chest, but there was no further gesture. Sofia looked up at the sky. The moon was rising and the full moon was very close. Again she turned to her friend, who gesticulated pointing out directions to the lady. On his lips was that controlled smile, the one that had unsettled Sofia when she first met him, and which she now knew was to hide his fangs. His professionalism and composure was immaculate, despite the discomfort she knew he was feeling. Dave had told her that in the days before and after the full moon, he still suffered partial changes; his fangs got larger and his tail grew. He could control it, but it was painful and not worth it. Discreetly she looked down at his trousers where, indeed, the outline of his furry tail was subtly visible. Sofia bit her lip and blushed. She found his wild looks very attractive. The woman thanked the officer, and he responded politely before taking his leave to continue his patrol with her friend. ¡° ¡°Uncomfortable, you know that, but that''s preferable to the pain of trying to contain it,¡± he commented, and twisted his lips into an embarrassed grimace as he scratched the back of his head. ¡° The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡° As he did, his eyes glowed a fleeting greenish colour. His lips curved into a slight smile, a smile that grew wider as his gaze descended to meet his friend¡¯s. With his head tilted slightly to one side in a thoughtful expression, he watched her closely causing her belly to quiver and a noticeable blush to ascend to her cheeks. Behind the small opening between his lips Sofia could see the tip of fangs that were not human, a trait that was especially noticeable on nights like that one. ¡°Sofia,¡± he took a deep breath and ran his tongue over his lips, ¡°Do you have something to do tonight? I thought we could take a walk through the woods, if you''d like, of course.¡± His voice shook a little and he avoided her gaze to stare at the tiled floor as if he found it interesting. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Raising one of his eyebrows Dave looked at the coroner and tilted his head to one side. For an instant Sofia thought she saw him move his nose flaps, but the boy turned away and went to look for a table where he could leave the glass. Sofia left her beer on the same table, crossing a brief glance with her friend as she walked past him, and went to the cue rack hanging on the wall to get a cue stick. Looking at it, she wondered how she was supposed to do that. She knew the theory, she had to hit the colored balls with the white ball, but she had no idea how to hold the thing. ¡° ¡° ¡° At that moment she realized how close he was, how close their faces were, their lips. Sofia blushed and looked away quickly, but not before noticing the small smile that had appeared on Sergi''s lips, and the tense expression on Dave''s face. She had known Sergi for months and in that time they had hit it off quite well, but that was the first time she had begun to wonder if she liked him. That she liked Dave was no secret, but he didn''t feel the same way about her and there was no point in waiting for him forever. At some point her own heart would start to realize other people existed. ¡° ¡° ¡° Then he leaned over the table and, after quickly calculating the trajectory, moved the cue stick several times back and forth and hit the white ball. The cue ball hit the handful of colored ones and scattered them all over the table. Some were quite close to entering the holes, but did not fall in completely. To celebrate his success, Sergi smiled in Sofia''s direction and winked mischievously. Blushing, she shyly lowered her gaze and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. He was very different from her friend. In a similar situation where their lips had almost touched Dave had gotten nervous and hadn¡¯t known what to do. Sergi was being more mature, more mischievous. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The boy just smiled sadly, and shook his head, pleading with his eyes to let it go. Then he went to Sergi and shook his hand goodbye while he said that he was tired and wanted to go home. Sofia watched him as he left, her fingers caressing the spot on her cheek where his lips had landed. He seemed so normal, but she knew him and could see the tension in his breathing, in his slightly raised shoulders and on the bristled hair at the back of his head. He didn''t leave, he didn''t leave his job or the barracks, but it was a goodbye kiss in a sense. In the following weeks he continued to accompany her on walks with Kas and Ginger, and they would meet for a drink at home or at a bar. Day 31; Visions of a Mundane Life, Forest and Howls Maybe inviting him to her house feeling what she felt hadn''t been such a good idea, Sofia thought when the boy''s lips rested on hers. Maybe it hadn''t been such a good idea, but she still grabbed his dark hair and opened her mouth to plunge into the kiss. His arms wrapped around her as he tried to keep up with the girl''s fiery rhythm. He was sweet, and soft, and loving, and his lips tasted like beer, and she was a wild she-wolf who craved more. Slowly the young man pushed her down and Sofia allowed him to, letting herself fall onto the couch. Suddenly she felt a burning pain in her collarbone. Hissing she pushed him away and looked down at herself. There was a cross-shaped burn on her skin, a burn she covered with her hand as it closed because she knew it would be a matter of seconds. ¡°Are you all right, princess? What happened?¡± Sergi asked, looking at her with worry in those green eyes that had made her fall in love. ¡°A pulled muscle, it was nothing,¡± she said with a smile, discreetly glancing at the silver cross hanging from his neck. ¡®Human¡¯ she thought. He couldn''t be anything else. Besides, the guy didn''t have a clue about the supernatural world. All he knew was what he had read in some role-playing manuals. She had known him for a few months, and in that time he had already shown her his video game collection, his role-playing manuals and his anime character figurines. He was a nice, funny guy who introduced himself by clowning around, and eventually he had won Sofia over. He was a buffoon but she had fun with him. That''s why she wasn''t surprised when they ended up making out that night. They had spent several weeks flirting at work and meeting for drinks, so that was the logical conclusion. ¡°Am I going too fast? If I''m going too fast, or if you don''t want this, it''s okay. Let''s go back to the good vibes we had before and that''s it,¡± said the officer. Sofia leaned over him and kissed him again. ¡°I''m fine, Sergi,¡± she said smiling. The boy smiled too and gently caressed her cheek. Sofia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He didn''t smell of forest, nor of motorcycle gasoline, in fact he had a certain scent of the chemicals he used in the lab, which Sofia didn''t particularly like, but there was a masculine musk that she did find appealing. She liked him, and with a little hesitation she had to admit that she was falling in love with him. A little hesitantly because, when she had imagined the future, this was not the man she had thought would be by her side, but Dave didn''t feel the same way she did, and maybe it was better that way. They were good friends, that was all. ¡°A question, Sofia. You''re going to think I''m a bit of an idiot for asking you this in a situation like this one, but it''s better to clarify things now and avoid having any trouble later. You two aren''t a couple, are you? I''m not getting in the middle of you guys or anything, I hope, because I''m not that kind of guy. I respect someone else''s girl,¡± said Sergi, suddenly worried. ¡°No, we''re not a couple, and if he wanted us to be one he''s had almost three fucking years to make up his mind.¡± Sofia said, noticing how her energy stirred uneasily and the urge to growl in frustration and anger surfaced. ¡°Sofia, this is not the question I would ask a girl on our first serious date, and I feel like a bit of a dumbass for asking it, really,¡± said Sergi, letting out a small nervous laugh. ¡°Do you like him? I mean, I''ve seen you two interact at the barracks and you don''t have a very... normal relationship. Do you like him?¡± Sofia let out a quiet sigh and, biting her lip, she looked at a very interesting spot on the floor so she wouldn''t have to stare into those green eyes that were watching her intently. A warmth rose to her cheeks, turning them pink as she hugged herself while she searched for the right words to say what she wanted to say. Things were not so simple, but it was best to be honest with Sergi. There were already too many things she was going to have to hide from him simply because he wouldn''t understand, nor was it fair for him to know them. ¡°Yes, but I''m not going to wait for him forever and...¡± She shyly took his hand, blushing. ¡°I''m falling in love with you. I want to give us a chance.¡± ¡°I want to too, princess, but promise me one thing,¡± said Sergi, caressing the girl''s hands. ¡°If you ever realize that you love him, if you decide that I no longer give you what you need and you want to go out with him, don¡¯t hesitate to tell me. I will understand.¡± Sofia nodded and only then did Sergi lean over her and kissed her again in that loving, tender way. ¡®Human¡¯, she thought again. And he was nothing more than that, a simple human who had no idea of the supernatural world. Perhaps that should have worried her, for after all she was still a cinanthrope and would change someday. However, the energy in her chest seemed to have found a certain balance, and any threat of change was gone, at least for the moment. Some cinanthropes never got to change, and perhaps she was one of those. Maybe she was really going to be able to have a normal life, get married, have children and forget about the supernatural world once and for all. After all, that had been her greatest wish for years. *** That night, after her date, Sofia went for a walk in the oak grove right in front of her house. While the dogs ran through the trees, she strolled without leaving the path. She found no reason to want to go into its depths, there was no point in doing it alone, not anymore. She let her gaze wander among the trees while her mind traveled between two worlds, the present and the one she had left behind. The oaks were stubbier and more widely spaced than the pines, so that place didn''t seem as gloomy and sinister as the pine forest that surrounded the little town. However, she thought, letting out a quiet sigh and looking up at the full moon, she had long since stopped that way about the forest, and it had been thanks to him. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. With the taste of Sergi''s lips still present in her mouth, Sofia hugged herself and kept walking. She was falling in love with him, she had not lied about that, but she missed her friend. Since the night at the tavern something had changed between them. It wasn''t just their outings, it was also him and his way of interacting with her. He seemed more distant, more serious, more... human. She bit her lip and looked around, at Ginger running through the trees chasing the seeds of a dandelion she had just shredded. It was then that she realized that Kas was not there. Intrigued, since her dog never used to wander far from her, Sofia turned around and saw him about ten meters away. He was very close to the path, but he was in a shady patch, sniffing around a bush with great interest. Had it not been for her night vision, she would not even have seen him. She was intrigued by his attitude. Kas tended to be a very clingy dog, more so than Ginger who was more independent. That scent he had found really had to be interesting for him to have strayed so far away from her. ¡°Kas, let''s go.¡± Upon hearing his owner¡¯s voice, Kas stopped sniffing the bush and trotted over to her. ¡°What''s that on your nose? Fur?¡± Sofia said distractedly, removing a tuft of white fur that had stuck to his moist truffle. ¡°You mustn''t fall behind. You can get lost. Come on, go run with Ginger.¡± Barking, the dog ran forward while Sofia stared at the tuft of white hair between her fingers. Undercoat, belonging to a spitz-type dog. Biting her lip and with a lump in her throat she looked up at Ginger and Kas, who scampered through the trees with complete nonchalance. This life was just what she had come to long for and desire, a simple human life. A life where she didn''t have to think about cinanthropes, or hunters, a life where the full moon was romantic instead of terrifying, a life where she could hang up her hunter''s uniform once and for all. Sofia shut her eyelids tight and clutched that lock of white hair against her heart. Through her memory reverberated visions of nights in the forest, games by the spring and their voices joined in a howl that flowed through the trees. Again she looked up at the full moon, the moon that no longer evoked fear, but rather brought memories of waking up in his arms, wrapped in his white fur and the warmth of his body, and breathing in his scent. That full moon that had been theirs, theirs, that they had shared, just as they had shared the secret of their true nature. Sofia raised her head and let her voice flow out to the stars in a long howl. In the distance a howl answered back, a howl that made her shiver and smile, a howl she knew all too well. Then she saw him appear, his white fur silhouetted against the darkness, and his name escaped her lips as she ran towards him. The white cinanthrope rose on his hind legs and hugged her tightly, and Sofia sank back into his warmth, his scent, and the softness of his fur. Dave sighed and gently nuzzled her head. ¡°I know why you did it. You think I want to live as a human, and it''s true that there was a time when that was what I wanted most, but not any more, not any more,¡± she said, pulling away to look into his eyes through tear-fogged ones. ¡°You have taught me another life, you have showed me a different side of the moon. Maybe we''re not ready to take that step yet, maybe we''re not yet sure how we feel. Maybe we¡¯re in love, or maybe we¡¯re just friends and we¡¯re mixing up our feelings.What I am sure of is that I want to go with you again during the full moon, and I want to wake up in your arms, and I want to hear your howl and see the fangs in your smile. The time I spent with you was the happiest in my life, and I don¡¯t want to loose that. I don¡¯t want to loose you.¡± Dave sighed and very gently and carefully wiped the tears from her cheeks. A little frustrated, she rubbed her face with the cuffs of her coat, and again she could see the sky-coloured eyes she had fallen in love with.Her stomach shuddered with a pleasant warmth, and a shy smile, very much matching the blush on her cheeks, appeared on her lips. ¡°I love you, Dave. You''re my best friend,¡± she said, placing a hand on his cheek. The boy closed his eyelids, covered his friend''s hand with his own humanoid one and, sighing, pressed his cheek against it, seeking the touch of her fingers on his face''s white fur. When he opened them again, they shone with such affection that Sofia shuddered. Again they melted into an embrace in which his kisses were soft nuzzles on her hair, and his smiles were wags of his tail. One in which he promised her he was not going to lose him. That embrace lasted as long as it took for Ginger and Kas to assault the boy, demanding his attention and asking him to play with them. Like a puppy, he granted their wish, and Sofia saw him become just another dog, carefree, happy, free, just like that day in El Cerro, so long ago. That day when she saw him play with Kas, and she was suddenly aware that this boy who smelled of forest would become her best friend. Then, with a pleasant warmth in her belly and a smile of absolute happiness on her lips, she too jumped into the game. The four of them ended up breaking the night''s silence with the echo of their laughter and barking. Yes, Sofia thought as they ran through the trees and dropped onto the grass, as she rested on his chest listening to his heartbeat and breathing his scent of oak and pine, that strange life of full moon nights, of magic and secrets, would be perfect.