The Nightmare of the Werewolves

"Is... is that a wolf?" Katheren's voice quivered with terror as she scanned the surroundings. Above the hollow, countless green glints appeared in the darkness—a chorus of howling reverberated around her, the threatening growls of sharp teeth piercing through the icy air.

"Damn it, get back, stay away from me!" With shaking hands, Katheren drew two silver pistols from her waist, her eyes darting around the ring of lupine eyes. She didn't know how many wolves were lurking, but she knew she only had twenty bullets.

Sensing the girl's fear, the glowing eyes began to close in. A robust white wolf, baring its fangs and fixing Katheren with a ferocious stare, growled menacingly as it edged closer.

"Don't come any closer, back off, get away!" Katheren cried out, panic-stricken as she raised her pistols and pulled the triggers. The alpha wolf recoiled sharply, narrowly dodging the silver bullets that whistled past its snout to bury themselves in the snow ahead.

Katheren's attack only inflamed the white wolf's rage. It howled furiously at her, prompting the surrounding pack to pounce from all directions.

Without a moment to spare, Katheren raised her pistols, firing repeatedly. The flying silver bullets felled wolf after wolf to the frozen ground.

After discharging ten rounds in a defensive radius, ten wolves lay motionless, and the rest hesitantly backed away.

"I think... I've completely enraged them..." Katheren held her breath as she saw murderous intent flare in the wolves' eyes, like soldiers angered by the fall of their brethren.

"Elyra, Elyra, where are you? Help me! Mr. Grayson!"

She looked around desperately. The little owl had vanished, and there was no response from Grayson. She seemed utterly alone on the snowy expanse, encircled by the malevolent pack.

After a tense standoff, the wolves charged again. Katheren had no choice but to fire her pistols. Just as she took down another wolf, one suddenly burst from the thick snow behind her, knocking her to the ground.

Katheren kicked the wolf off and tried to sit up, only to find herself completely surrounded. Fanged jaws snapped at her from all sides.

Then, out of nowhere, a fearsome howl pierced the night. A towering werewolf leaped from behind the pack, landing with a ground-shaking thud and unleashing a terrifying roar.

The wolves looked back in surprise. The werewolf stepped forward, roaring fiercely at the alpha, which hesitated before lunging at the newcomer.

Dodging the alpha's attack, the werewolf swiped with its steel claws, sending the white wolf tumbling through the snow, its cry of pain cutting through the chaos. The rest of the pack scattered in panic, and the werewolf turned its menacing eyes on Katheren's pale face.

"Oh, no..." Katheren gasped in horror as the werewolf turned its attention to her. In a frantic scramble, she aimed her pistols at the beast.

The werewolf stared down the barrels unflinchingly and advanced. Katheren fired, but the bullet ricocheted off the creature's tough hide. She fired again, and this time the bullet struck the werewolf's shoulder, causing it to flinch with a searing pain.

Angered, the werewolf leaped toward her. Katheren pulled the trigger once more but found her chambers empty.

A shrill scream echoed across the snowy plain as the werewolf pinned Katheren to the ground, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at the creature—twice her size, its white mane gleaming in the moonlight.

"How can it be... You... You're the beast that killed my father!" Katheren shrieked, struggling frantically against the imposing figure, but her strength was no match for the werewolf's impenetrable skin.

Her screams seemed to annoy the werewolf, which grabbed her flailing arms and tossed her aside into the snow.

Katheren hit the ground hard, losing consciousness as the relentless snow continued to fall around her...

...

"Wake up, you lazy furball, it's time for the early birds to have their feast!"

She felt a sharp sting on her face and reached out to push it away, only to be smacked back by something firm. Then, an irritable voice scolded her loudly.

Katheren's cheek was pierced sharply by the little owl's talons. She shot up from the ground with a yelp, covering her face and casting a resentful glare at the little creature perched on Grayson's shoulder, contemplating whether it would suffice as a meal for her growling stomach.

"Good morning, you're looking a bit pale," Grayson's gentle voice came.

Collecting her thoughts, Katheren looked around. Dawn had broken, and the remnants of a campfire still smoked in the morning light.

"Last night?" The memory of the night's terror flooded back. She grabbed Grayson's hand urgently, "I saw it, the werewolf, it was here!"

"Werewolf?" Grayson paused, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead. "Are you ill, or was it just a nightmare?"

"I'm not sick, it wasn't a dream. I really saw the werewolf that killed my father. The wolves attacked me last night, it drove them away, but then it attacked me, and then..."

Her voice faltered, and then she spotted Elyra, pointing at the owl, "Elyra can vouch for me!"

"I saw no wolf pack, no werewolf, only a sleepyhead!" The owl retorted with disdain.

"But I clearly saw it..." Katheren mumbled, her confusion deepening until she noticed her pistols. Upon inspection, she found not a single bullet missing.

"Was it all just a dream?" She held the pistols, dazed, as the morning sun's glare on the surrounding snow dizzied her.

"You must've been overwrought, maybe yesterday's encounter with the Yetis triggered the memory of the white werewolf."

Grayson handed her a roasted snow hare leg, "Eat, we haven't had meat in a while. The magical provisions are tasty, but they can get monotonous."

Katheren nodded absently. As she reached for the food, Elyra swooped in and took a bite first.

Grayson plucked the little owl away, "Don't steal others' food; you've had your fill! Little glutton!"

The owl flipped upside down, glaring at Grayson, "I caught that hare; why can't I have more?"

Grayson stuffed the hare leg into Katheren's hand and teased Elyra, "If you keep eating like that, you'll end up as round as a woodland hog! Are you ready to become a piggy owl?"

Elyra, transformed into a young girl, pummeled Grayson's chest with tiny fists as he laid back, laughing heartily.

Katheren smiled as she ate, the night's terror fading from her mind.

After breakfast, they resumed their journey northward, crossing the snowy plains to a frozen stream. Grayson cracked the thin ice, carving out a hole for them to drink. While Katheren and Elyra jostled for water, Grayson stood and surveyed the banks, only to spot fresh bloodstains not far along the river's edge.