On the Aecor was a small band of werewolves. They were self-proclaimed “Roamers” living a nomadic lifestyle. These men had no need of towns, beds, or money. It was rumored that they spent all day hunting, and even ate their meat raw.

And like all other werewolves, they hated unicorns.

I’d been taught that werewolves were the most dangerous thing on our planet, but these guys didn’t actually look so bad. There were only four of them. One was a female, though I personally thought she was as scary as the old leader werewolf.

As I walked a good fifty yards behind them (enough to keep out of sight for now), I tried to collect my thoughts. So I knew that werewolves hated unicorns because the unicorns destroyed their city, werewolves transformed every full moon, and they were… magical?

Ok, so I didn’t actually know that much.

Why was I put on this investigation again?

It’s a good learning opportunity, I told myself every time I stumbled over a log or crunched some fish bones. After one particularly loud snap, the band looked back suspiciously. Their amber eyes cautiously scanned the surrounding plains, but I was already lying low, hidden beneath the waving grass.

I tried not to breathe so the grass wouldn’t stir, but it was impossible.

Maybe I should have taken a wilderness survival class or something…

Frozen in place, I waited for what felt like ages. But there were no growls, no scratching claws coming closer, no sign the werewolves knew I was here.

I waited a couple of minutes more, but there was nothing save the ominous chirp of a bird. Either I was alone, or they were waiting for me. But I wanted them to find me, didn’t I?

Closing my eyes, I tried to rationalize everything. I needed to get their attention sooner or later so I could conduct the interview. So would it really be that bad if they were waiting for me?

Yeah, who am I kidding…

No way would I want them to find me. I need to find them. But if I didn’t, if I failed to get the interview… Going home and facing everyone who told me this was a stupid, dumb idea would be the worst. Because it would mean I’d failed. And then I’d be condemned to a life of writing boring articles for a newspaper half the town doesn’t even read, and I’d never get to do anything important in my life.

My grandfather had his portal incidents, my dad had his giant battle. Me? I would have nothing.

It was that thought that made me stand up.

A good distance away, the werewolves were stopped. Waiting. Waiting to see what I would do now.

I headed forward.

“Well well, the little guy decides to show his face,” the female purred as I came within earshot. “Very smart of you to come to us. Otherwise, we would have had to chase you down, and that wouldn’t have ended well for you.”

The setting sun gave her teeth a malicious orange glint as she spoke. I gulped in return.

“Maria, knock it off.” A larger male werewolf growled at her, and she saucily stepped aside. “Boss wouldn’t like you scaring him off before we’ve figured out why he came.” All three werewolves present turned to me expectantly. One was missing. The leader. The one in the video.

“Um…” I stalled. The leader was the real werewolf I needed to interview, not his band. But it wouldn’t hurt to ask them… “I just need to get some information regarding your motivation, and I’d like to write an article on… your cause.”

“Cause?” The male who had spoken earlier hissed.

“Your ideology, your beliefs. I would like to show my town that you all are justified in thinking what you do, and I’d like to convince them not to, er, kill werewolves anymore,” I lied. Well, that took an unexpected turn…

The three turned and exchanged glances, seeming to silently say ‘we can always kill him if he asks any stupid questions’. But in the end, they agreed to the interview.

I decided to start with a standard, (hopefully) non-intrusive question. “First things first: what are your names?”

Another exchanging of looks. Then one stepped forward, the male who hadn’t spoken yet. “I am Leon Jordana, second in command,” he growled. I nodded and made a show of writing that down in my notepad.

“Dennis Harold,” the other male followed.

“And Maria Harold.” The female smirked, showing off her impressively long fangs. “We are siblings, if you couldn’t tell.”

Siblings? I hoped Dennis wasn’t as harsh as his sister.

First question down. Maybe I should go for a short and sweet interview method. Time to move on to the actual reason I was here. Facing Dennis, I asked, “What was your motivation behind the video threat?”

He froze. Eyes narrowing into slits, he growled, “How do you know about the video?”

“I…” I faltered. Was honesty the best policy in this situation? I couldn’t think of a lie fast enough, so I mumbled, “I saw the video.”

“How?!” A voice exploded behind me as two hands shoved me forward. I stumbled, barely keeping my balance.

“I don’t know! It was recorded or something.”

Suddenly I got the feeling this interview wouldn’t end well…

All three voices shrieked in unison: “Recorded? Recorded?!” They closed in, forming a circle around me. “It was recorded for the government, not for you, journalist,” one spat.

Journalist?! How did they know?

Behind me, the first rays of the full moon spread across the plain. Eerie howling filled the air, and I assumed that would be the last thing I’d ever hear.

But when there should have been teeth gnawing my bones, an amber light flooded the area. They were transforming.

My heart sank. I was really a dead man now. There would be no escape.

Even so, I took off sprinting.

I had gotten maybe ten steps away when Leon caught up. Darting in front of me, he blocked my path and snarled.

“You know too much, journalist.”

“No! I don’t! I really don’t!”

Claws swiped at my face and dug into my arms. Everywhere I turned, there were claws.

“I don’t know anything!” I screamed.

But they didn’t seem to care.

***

When I came around, my face hurt like hell. Groaning in the darkness, I reached up to feel how bad my injuries were – and found that I couldn’t.

My hands were bound with a coil of coarse rope.

I sighed and admitted defeat. Samantha was right. This was a stupid idea…

What if I never got to meet my child now?

The soft scraping of claws against grass alerted me to Leon’s approach. He didn’t even bother to hide the smug smile on his face. “Get up,” he snapped. “Our leader is ready to see you now.”

Bracing my back against the hill, I pushed myself on my knees, then staggered to my feet one leg at a time. What other choice did I have?

The Aecor was darker and quieter than I remembered. Night had fallen, and the full moon burned bright against the inky black sky. I staggered behind the werewolf, his claws digging into my arm, dragging me forward.

Upon reaching the top of the hill, I was greeted by a familiar sight. The werewolf from the video.

But he was still in man form. Why had he not changed with the other?

“You are quite intriguing, journalist.” The werewolf leader stepped forward, a cunning gleam in his eyes. “I assume I drew you here, to this empty land?”

He raised his arms and gestured out over the plains. I shuddered as a chilling breeze swept by, almost as if he himself had summoned it.

“I take it you also want my name for your little story, don’t you?” He stopped a few inches from my face and flashed his claws. “It’s quite a good one, in my opinion. You’ll remember it the rest of your life, guaranteed.”

With a quick swipe, he brought his claws down and severed the ropes binding my hands.

“I am Markus Lenidon,” he proclaimed. “And I spare you from death.”

My legs shook as I tried to calm my viciously beating heart. Meanwhile, Leon’s face wrinkled in confusion. He must have been expecting the leader to kill me right then and there.

“You’re letting him go?” Leon whined.

“Yes, but only after he helps us. Until then, we keep him.” With a cool smile, Markus turned to me. “When you tell us who you are and what you know, we will let you go.”

“I-” I started to protest, but Leon did that for me.

“How can he help us? He’s a journalist. He knows nothing,” the werewolf grumbled in disgust.

“On the contrary…” The leader beckoned Leon closer to him, then pointed at my face. The later’s eyes widened, then he slowly nodded and stepped back. “Those violet eyes mean something, Leon. They are very rare; I haven’t seen any in almost a hundred moons. He must be important.”