A loud howl rose and fell through the wood surrounding the young Red Cloak. She shivered, drawing the crimson garment tighter around her, and cursed the Captain who had sent her on this journey so late on the night of a full moon. A strong wind blew against her, carrying with it cold and tiny snow flakes that decorated her large, long-lashed blue eyes. In the satchel attached to her belt was the medicine she was ordered to deliver to the base across the woods, a tiny vial of purple fluid that would make well their ill General.
"You are the fleetest on foot Jocelyn," Captain Rodrick had chastised when she voiced her fears. "This task will bring you much recognition from General Ox, you should feel honored." He smirked as he said this, his gray eyes gleaming with cruelty. As she resigned herself to this dangerous task and turned to leave, she felt his hand grope her rear. She looked up, startled and shocked, but that look in his eyes told her it was best to keep silent. "Off you go then." She hurried out as quickly as she could.
Another frigid blast of air pulled her from her thoughts. The trees around her whipped about in the wind, looking like monstrously tall and wraith thin skeletons that loomed menacingly. Jocelyn thought that perhaps it would be best to start running again, to keep herself warm of course. No proper Red Cloak would be scared of a little darkness and wind. So she picked up the pace, her thigh-high boots sounding off with muffled thumps as she ran.
It wasn't until she had rounded a sharp corner in the wooded path that she noticed there was someone behind her. Stopping abruptly, she turned with a gasp to see a large shape dash from the path into the thick bushes beside the trail.
"Hello?" She called as she reached for the short sword strapped to her side. "Who's there?" A rustle in the trees beside her was, at first, the only reply. Then a low growl reached her ears. Panic took hold, she spun around and bolted as fast as she could, fearing the worst, and the sound of heavy paws crunching in the snow confirmed it. There was a lycan on her tail.
Fear blossomed anew within her chest and she pushed herself harder all the while knowing that death was inevitable. There was no possible way she could out run this beast. Regardless, on and on she ran driven by terror and the burning desire to live and though there were a few times when the creature had been so close behind her that she could nearly feel its breath on her neck, Jocelyn managed to stay just a few steps ahead. All too soon though, she grew tired , her legs were numb and her breath came in ragged gasps that burned her throat and lungs. She stumbled over a fallen branch and hit the frozen ground with a thud. The beast halted over her, she could see a massive black paw in front of her face and she began to sob softly, waiting for the final strike. When it didn't come, she slowly rolled over to face the creature.