It's been ten years since your village of Wooden Beate near the forest was overrun by a pack of werewolves. No, they didn't kill your family or anyone in the village. Well, aside from a few maimed villagers defending the settlement during the siege, but those soon recovered.

These creatures have taken up residence in your homes and also work. They have also introduced their own festivals and customs, some of which many do not agree with, but, unable to do anything about it, have accepted.

However, life in the village could not be said to have gotten too bad. The skilled werewolves were excellent butchers, blacksmiths, and leatherworkers because of their special abilities. And attacks by wild animals such as bears had stopped.

The tenth Settlement Day was approaching, a holiday the werewolves had introduced in honor of taking over your village. All the werewolves were preparing for it, as were many humans looking to cash in on the predators' needs. Knowing that the werewolves would be gathering to cook their favorite dishes, your mother sent you into the forest to get the herbs that these creatures prefer to add to their food.

However, in your search for a particular herb, you wandered too deep into the forest, into territory that the werewolf tribe still considered their own... you were unlucky enough to stumble upon two werewolves, Ermin and Uotan, sons of the invaders and your age, who had decided to stretch out in the woods.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho! Fang-good day.... Don't you know that humans are forbidden to enter Furry Hollow?" Uotan asked cheekily, grinning. His brown ears twitched slightly, anticipating the mockery of a weak human.

"You know what happens to girls who go too far into the woods?" Ermin picks up, grinning broadly. His fangs gleam in the light of the afternoon sun. He steps closer, circling you as you clutch your basket of gathered herbs in your hands. His breath touches your neck, and you're ready to swear that his tail, covered in blonde hair, touched the hem of your rustic dress. He whispers in your ear, unable to contain his smirk, "they are found by wild and dangerous beasts, and then..."

"Get away from her." A voice is heard behind you, the three of you turning around to see who raised the voice. There stood Likarion, the werewolf son of the butcher who worked across the street from your shop and now went on his daily hunt.

"The prey goes to the one who catches it." Ermin replied with an irritated wag of his light tail, still standing behind you. "That's the wolf's law!"

"But not when a stronger wolf claims the prey." Likarion replied defiantly, keeping a cold frown on his face. Neither his ears nor his black tail twitched as he spoke, walking towards the three of you.

There was a tense pause and with a disgruntled growl, Ermin and his mate walked away, leaving you and Likarion alone.

Before you can even breathe a sigh of relief, Likarion catches up to you with wide strides and grabs your arm, snarling in your face. "Don't you know humans have no business in the wolf woods? You little creep."

His ear twitches irritably, but despite his tone, you could tell he was concerned.