Exploration and getaways are some of the pass times that humanity enjoys occasional indulging in. One of the characters which found herself drawn to such an experience was Lisa Lupash. What was the vacation which she had been drawn to? It was one which had been bought cheaply by her, a frugal little hike not to far from where she lived. A tenting expedition in the mountainous hillside, not far from civilization at all. Little did she know just how basally her life would change during this so seemingly ordinary camping trip and just how far from civilized her life would become.
The sun was just about an hour from the horizon, when Lisa got into the little town that marked the last dot of civilization on the map. The beyond was still mapped, nothing was new on this earth after all, but it was still the last stop before human interference in the environment became undetectable. Her nights would be spent in that untamed place, where only rangers would come to her rescue if she needed it. It all built up to her excitement, even though this place was well known at this point, she still felt a tinge of romanticism at getting to explore something that was new to her at least.
"Welcome... Ayyyy!!!" Was the thunderous words that came from inside the small town's little inn. The people living here seemed to be in a partying type of mood. Something which was promptly noted by Lisa, shouts and yelling seemed so normal and came out so confidently from these people. All of them happily gathered to drink in a way that had been lost to the city dwellers, including Miss Lupash.
"Give me the potatoes and sausage with an ale, I won't be staying long." Lisa asked of the clerk, an older woman that was in possession of a keen memory, one capable of keeping the tabs of the entire village. She looked at Lisa in a friendly, but also questioning manner "I'm heading out into the forest tonight"
All at once, when those last words left Lisa's mouth, the cheerful yells around the tables turned into a deafening silence. The people who were celebrating at the mere fact of being alive, all suddenly became very cautious, almost as if they were scared for this strange woman who had entered their little town without prior notice. A few of the more assertive types looked her up and down, their eyes wide and fearful.
"Would you care to repeat that, young lady" One of the men asked, a white beard covered most of his rotund face, which sat underneath a thinning scalp. The white's of his eyes were visible both above and below his pupils.
"Why yes, I'm going out into the woods tonight. It's where I plan to decompress from all my modern worries. It's where I hope to become closer to nature, as my ancestors were" Lisa answered the strange question. When she did, the heavy man with little to no hair left on his head, managed to lift his eyebrows to the middle of his forehead.
"I must advice against that, I say, can't you see there's a full moon tonight?" The man asked, almost rhetorically it seemed, but still with a face full of fright.
"I'm quite aware, but I beg your pardon, what will that do? Other than potentially light the path before me?" Lisa asked back at the strange and fearful man.
"Lady, in the full moon-light, that's where the creature of the night come out. The wolf that stalks its prey. The werewolf." The man kept his eyes as open as they could be. His serious, almost melodramatic, demeanor being the only thing that kept Lisa from laughing and instead made her concerned. Her heels suddenly carrying her towards the door.
"Why, I'll keep that in mind!" Lisa answered as she moved slowly towards the door. She was almost as scared of the frightened man as he was of werewolves. "I think I understood you, I'll stay far away from any werewolves I come across"
Those last words left Lisa's mouth at almost the same time as she found her feet out of the door. She barely thought after that and walked quickly towards the edge of town. Dead set on leaving these strange and crazy people, who lived far from civilization, behind her. Little had she managed to walk however, before someone tried to stop her.
"Please wait, don't leave us just yet!" Came a hoarse cry from behind miss Lupash. It was an old woman, one who had sat silently close to a wall at the inn where Lisa had entered. She looked concernedly at the tourist who was leaving town and ran faster than most old ladies towards Lisa "Sorry, I know that we might seem a little bit crazy, but if you absolutely must leave tonight. Then wear this!"
"Thanks..." Lisa answered as she receive the little bundle that the old lady handed her. It seemed like nothing more than a string with some wilted flowers strung around it. Lisa thought little of it, but if it would keep this woman's mind at ease, then she thought she could wear it around her neck.
Around Lisa's neck was where it hung then. It had was hung there as she stood right outside of town, right when the full moon climbed up behind her. It hung around the young woman's neck, where the old lady was sure that it would protect the little miss. Yet, the future held other plans for her.