You lowered the beer glass, feeling partially glad that they didn't card you. You had only just turned eighteen and that was part of the idea you and Becky had had to go to Pleasure Island. There was an amusement park there, but there were occasional stories that came out with people reporting all sorts of adult fun to be had. That sounded fun, and at eighteen, you and Becky figured to celebrate that and see what kind of "adult fun" could be had. From there, things had gone south, in that the ferries were apparently sorted by gender and the one that went to Pleasure Island was only for boys. The ferry for girls came to "Monster Island," and you found that the men who manned the ship were all werewolves, and they had chased you and Becky off the ship, only to have Becky get clawed and turned into a werewolf too. She managed to save you from getting eaten, but you didn't quite know where she was now and neither did you know where the other girls that had been on the ferry were.
"You'll excuse me if I don't believe that," you said slowly as you lowered the glass and hearing it click against the wood of the counter.
"Don't believe what?" Maude asked with a small smile that was almost as if the woman was trying to hide something. Her eyes were a warm brown, but her air was a bit fizzy and wild, and you were sure that at the absolute youngest she was in her thirties.
"That this island was called "Monster Island" because it looks like a wolf's head on a map," you said pointedly, "one of the guys on the ferry turned into a werewolf just after we arrived and one of them clawed my best friend..."
You paused as there were a few distant howls that carried on the wind outside. You paused to look out to the door and the windows that were near it. The windows were rather small for what one might think for a public establishment and had thick wooden frames that even compartmentalized the panes. It was a window that would look good in an 1800s setting and the darkness outside would add to some feelings of horror and inevitable doom but given that there were no werewolves roaming the streets of this little village, you figured it was safer than wandering the streets or the woods that covered the rest of the island. You'd be likely to be eaten by one of the werewolves that had ferried you and the other girls to the island, or worse, were eaten by Becky.
You watched as Maude then frowned and looked back at you. She then blew hot hair through gritted teeth and looked to one of the other bartenders that was present.
"I told Fenris that he needs to stop moving the ferry schedule back," Maude said with a grumble, "it takes all the fun and pleasure for all out of this..."
"Pleasure?!" you shrieked, "they tried to eat me and clawed my best friend! And who knows what's going on with the others that they brought to the island..."
"The change can actually be quite pleasureful once you're used to it," Maude said with a knowing smile, "and when you're with a partner... be it one of the boys from the ferry or a pack "sister," it's even MORE fun."
You raised an eyebrow with some disbelief at all of this. You'd thought that the crewman from the ferry might have been in pain when he changed and changed rapidly. Becky's transformation was slower, but she also had seemed like she was fighting things, if only to prevent her from rapidly killing you.
"You don't think werewolves have sex?" Maude asked.
"Well..." you began.
"See, THIS is part of where I'd wish that Fenris would listen to me," Maude answered, "but he gets too caught up in wanting to set up some sort of "thrill of the hunt" thing and wants people to be surprised. It takes things away from what we REALLY do here."
You blinked hard. Your mind presently wrestled with all sorts of questions and puzzles at this, as this seemed to indicate that there were things that went deeper than just the horror things that you'd seen already.
"I mean... our island has a nice little wilderness vibe to it," Maude explained, "and since you are aware... and found out in a way that clearly has you spooked, it might be best to explain some things. And yes, it was set up for werewolves. After all... much of the world gets a bit overly panicked over even mundane large predators. Your religious leaders also manned large scale persecutions against anything mythological. All the world's dragons are dead. The fae... mostly gone, and if they still live, they're in hiding. Werewolves... we only survive because we can hide as "humans" at times, but even our numbers were badly hurt by these sorts of hunts."
"You make it sound like werewolves are just like people only furry... even my friend said she felt the urge to want to hunt me after she started changing," you told her.
Maude slowly nodded, "that's understandable. Werewolves ARE still predators and hunters. And often that rush to hunt... particularly with newbies... can encourage hunting people. After all, humans are slow and weak prey with no natural weapons. It's very easy for a new werewolf to choose to chase humans because they don't know how to hunt, yet... and that drive to hunt is still strong. It's in part why partnered with the wizards behind Pleasure Island and assured that Monster Island is the geographically larger island and has more wilderness to it. For a tourist spot, it actually allows for people who come here during the day to enjoy nature hikes and picnic ventures. Though, we also do try to assure that there isn't a lot of traffic coming in and out of the island. But Fenris's moving the ferry arrivals back toward sunset... they make what legal tourism we're okay with and everything else more troublesome and could eventually draw attention to the wizards running Pleasure Island."
"The wizards on Pleasure Island?" you ask.
Maude nodded, "yeah... a bit of a fun camp for bad boys. Boys who often lie to their parents to get into all sorts of other trouble. Some aren't too bad and are responsible. Some can be quite nasty and downright rotten. The wizards that made the playground there are an eclectic sort. They like fun and want people to have fun... and at times experience magic in a way that would let them see the brighter side of magic than just what some horror movie might show. But they also have their own sense of morals and punishments for those that violate them."
"I've heard stories," you found yourself saying, "about boys who came back from Pleasure Island and had all sorts of fun that went beyond just the carnival there... Adult fun... My friend and I wanted to go there for my eighteenth birthday."
"And those boys were probably among the well-behaved ones," Maude nodded, "the ones that didn't steal things. Were honest with those they talked to... Were respectful to female staff on Pleasure Island and all that. They'd get to experience things that would go fairly far out there that would be beyond just an amusement park. Those that break the rules there or are found to have lied to go there... they end up paying for it in some way. Some of the minor offenses have them partially turned into donkeys... They'd almost look like they're in a very expensive made costume. They then have to work off the damage or the offenses made. Those that are truly rotten... get turned into complete donkeys and are then sent here... and it is THEY that are the true food for Monster Island's werewolves. You can probably find some of them roaming the woods during the day at times."
"Some of this sounds excessive," you said slowly.
"From what the wizards tell me, those that end up fully transformed and sent here have earned it," Maude huffed, "one supposedly even raped one of the women working on Pleasure Island and seriously wounded a guard that tried to stop him."
You could only blink, as it also showed the potential for a darker side to Pleasure Island. Though, it didn't quite show on why the yacht for Pleasure Island was only for girls and why the yacht's crew, under the direction of this "Fenris" went about attacking her and Becky when they arrived. You could also only wonder about the other girls who might also be out in the woods, or maybe they had already checked in to the hotel you'd seen at Port Moonrise. In fact, there were a few of the girls that you'd seen on the ferry already moving about, though, not enough of them to know where they all were. And the tavern was seemingly empty besides you and Maude and her staff.
"Okay... but then..." you began, "why was the boat for Monster Island only for girls? Why hunt us? Why would they hunt us?"
"It really isn't about hunting you, per see," Maude gave a sigh and looked to her compatriot at the bar, "it could turn into that if someone is rebellious and doesn't want to leave the ferry. That then sparks the need to protect our secret. And the buildings here in Port Moonrise are specially enchanted to prevent werewolves from transforming while within their walls. And even a transformed newbie will sense the magic that does so."
That made you cringe as you and Becky had tried to stay on the ferry to go back home when you found you weren't going to Pleasure Island.
"So... the werewolves won't come here?" you ask.
"We are here, but those of us inside won't transform, not until we go outside, at least," Maude answered, "I don't know if one who is already transformed would revert or not... the wizards weren't entirely precise on how the spell worked. But they will also sense the enchantment... and in a way, SOME of that is designed to help for the core purpose of why the ferry to Monster Island only carries girls."
This got you more interested, as it might be your only hope for finding a cure for Becky.
"And a lot of it... is... well... reproduction," Maude said slowly while twirling her finger, "women can become werewolves... and no werewolf is sterile. Males and females can have babies. But for some reason, the children of werewolves generally are male. About one in every hundred werewolf puppies is born female, but that's exceedingly rare. And for young men, it can also leave them lonely. As we won't mate with our own children. As werewolves are a highly specialized form of human."
"So... all of this... was for a dating service?" you felt your jaw drop.
"That's one way of putting it," Maude shrugged, "and when it started the ferry would bring young women here to the island at the start of a month, away from the full moon, and during the day. It would let the young males court and form loving bonds. By the time the full moon arrives, the pair has already fallen in love, had sex... and turned the young woman into a new female werewolf. Or they've looked for other ways to become werewolves, and the wizards from Pleasure Island have often helped. Though, sometimes, while the young woman becomes a werewolf... she may not wish to take the male that turned her as her mate and has left as a result. And so for that male, the courtship repeats."
You felt yourself relaxing and listening to Maude's explanation seemed to ease things. You weren't holding the glass with the tight anxiety that you'd had before. You also watched as Maude pulled her lips back in an almost snarling frown. Her teeth didn't look sharp, but they were gritted for a moment as she looked to the door and then back to you.
"But in recent months... Fenris has taken over as the pack alpha," Maude said slowly, "and he's always been something of a loaner wolf... I've tried to set him up with girls that have come to the island, thinking a happy marriage, a mate, and children would mellow him out. But he's always been antagonistic with many of the girls. Particularly those that have come from the outside and aren't already werewolves themselves. I've never understood why."
"I take it he's changed things," you stated.
"Yes," Maude grumbled, "changing the ferry schedules so that it's close to sunset when they arrive here... and often limited to ON the full moon nights. Things that make dating difficult for anyone that isn't already a werewolf. Many of the girls that come in... often go into the hotel here and often leave, with no knowledge of Monster Island's population. And because they don't know, they are allowed to leave. Others... others find out the wrong way and either get attacked and survive, becoming a newbie, like your friend. And sadly... because werewolves are still predators and will be geared to hunt when transformed, some find out and end up being killed. Something that was NOT intended."
"What about those of us who learn and don't become werewolves?" you asked and waited nervously for Maude's answer.