The story begins in a remote mountain village, tucked away in a forgotten corner of the world. Shelly, a curious young girl, had never once stepped beyond its dusty paths. The city was just a whispered dream — a place of lights, wonders, and things her elders spoke of with both awe and warning.
One morning, driven by an unshakable restlessness, she packed what little she owned and set out on a journey to see it for herself. But the city she found was nothing like the stories.
Here, the streets teemed with creatures from legends — towering werewolves with eyes like molten gold, vampires whose smiles hid fangs, and strange hybrids that were neither one thing nor the other. She walked among them, smiling, greeting, utterly unaware that they could all smell it — she was human. Fresh. Vulnerable.
Some followed her, their gazes sharp with hunger. Others whispered to one another, as if discussing a rare delicacy. Still, Shelly wandered on, oblivious to the danger curling around her like smoke.
Then, without warning, she bumped into someone. A man — or so she thought. He was the only one in sight who looked fully human. Relieved, she opened her mouth to speak… but the words froze in her throat.
Before her eyes, his form shifted, bones twisting and fur erupting across his skin, until a giant wolf loomed over her — triple her size. His claws could have torn her apart in a heartbeat. Shelly's breath caught; her knees threatened to give way.
And then—something else stepped into view. A presence so calm yet commanding that the wolf halted mid-pounce.
???: "Didn't I tell you not to hurt anyone? Why don't you ever listen… you bad boy."
Wolf: low growl "Grrrr… I was just playing. I wasn't going to eat her."