You force yourself to slowly turn round - then gulp. In the thicket of trees before you, just scant feet away in the fading light, is a huge wolf. It watches you with keen, yellow eyes that catch the moonlight. Then it makes a move towards you…
Managing to retain control of your bowels, you quickly back-pedal. However, the wolf is stuck! Its forepaw is trapped in a snare. The creature snarls with frustration, then whines. You hear a beeping. Looking at the snare, you realize an electronic signal is being emitted from it.
The approach of running footsteps startles you further. Quickly, you dive back into the thicket of bushes and watch as your two pursuers show up.
“Hey, Burke! We’ve lost the mermaid poacher – but got the she-wolf we were originally hunting for!”
The more muscular guy of the pair eyes the snarling lupine carefully. From his pocket, he pulls out a tranquilliser gun. In a gruff voice, he replies to his mate. “Terrific! That’ll save us from the Doctor’s anger. Go fetch the others, Hare! I’ll give our new…specimen…an early nap. Ha ha! Watch out for our other quarry! He must be close by.”
The smaller guy nods – then sprints back in the direction of the beach.
Burke loads the tranquilliser gun. Before he can fire, there is the sound of bones crunching. You rub your eyes, as from your hiding place you see the trapped wolf change shape. The muzzle pulls back towards a face that is becoming more half-human. The cranial fur suddenly shifts, and turns into the shoulder-length locks of a woman!
Oh, wonderful… First you discover a mermaid. Now you’ve stumbled across a werewolf! Whatever next?
The next shock comes swiftly. The werewolf calls out to the hunter.
“Don’t…shoot…!” She pleads to him, in a growling voice that is slowly regaining its human inflections. “Just go… Now! Whilst…I can…control myself.”
Burke sneers. “You’ll be under OUR control, Missy! You’re going into a cage for the Doctor’s collection!” He raises the loaded dart gun.
You recognize the voice of the werewolf! Shocked, you leap out from the bushes, and slam into Burke – knocking him over. There is a brief, furious scramble for the tranquilliser gun – which you win by shooting the dart into him! With a cry, and a crossed-eyed gaze, the black-clad thug crashes to the ground - out for the count.
Relieved, you turn to the watching werewolf, who is continuing to bleed from the snare. Getting back your breath, you gasp out her name…