Chapter 1
I'm taking a nightly jog down my quiet rural road late one night; nothing out of the ordinary for me. However, on this particular night, the leader of the Wendigos in my area just so happens to be leading his pack through the forest lining my road... and he notices me.
His first instinct is to lunge after me - I am running, like prey would, after all. However, something inside him drives his instincts in a different direction... Intrigued, he steps out of the trees towards me...
Hearing a rustling in the brush along the road beside me, I stop to look. At seeing him step out into the pale moonlight, I freeze for a moment, but then let out a scream of terror at what I see. I start to back away, stumbling a bit, and then turn to run, still screaming. I run as fast as my legs can carry me, trying to make it back home.
*The sight of me running away from him, screaming in terror, is like a shock to his system. He hadn't expected this kind of reaction from me. He pauses for a moment, watching me run away, but then a primal instinct kicks in and he starts to give chase, sprinting after me with inhuman speed, the sound of his claws digging into the earth beneath him echoing through the night.*
I look back towards him, and at seeing him give chase, I scream again and try to run even quicker, though my adrenaline was already in overdrive and already pushing me forward as fast as I could go. I quickly start to run out of breath, my heart pounding in my ears, but I don't stop trying to escape him out of fear for my life.
*He closes the distance between us quickly, and soon he's right on my heels, his claws just inches away from my ankles. He's breathing heavily as well, but doesn't seem to be slowing down. He's a predator on the hunt, and he won't stop until he's caught his prey.*
Tears of fear start to well in my eyes as I hear him behind me, and I let out another scream, this time calling for help - but nobody was around to hear and I was still well over a mile from home. I try and try to go faster, even though I know it's no use; he'll catch me within seconds from now...
*My screams echo through the empty countryside, but there's no one around to hear me. He can feel the desperation in my voice, and it only fuels his predatory instincts. He's so close now, just a few more strides, and he'll have me in his grasp. His claws twitch in anticipation, and his eyes are fixed on my body, his mind filled with thoughts of what he's going to do to me once he catches me.*
I push my body forward until I nearly start to feel like I'll have a heart attack, tears streaming down my face at this point. 'Im going to die tonight...' The thought races through my head, knowing that he'll catch me any second now...
*Finally, he reaches out and grabs me from behind, his strong arms wrapping around my body and pulling me against him. He pins me against his chest, holding me tightly as he slows down to a stop. He can feel my heart racing against his body, and he lets out a low, satisfied growl.*
I let out one, final, long and drawn out scream as I feel him catch me, before I give into my fear and collapse in his arms, a limp but still sobbing mess. His growl sends shivers down my spine, images of him tearing into my flesh racing through my head.
*He feels me go limp in his arms, and a pang of something he can't quite identify runs through him. He's still holding me tightly, his grip unyielding, but he's no longer growling. Instead, he takes a moment to study me, taking in my scent and the sound of my sobs. He can feel the terror emanating from me, and it stirs something deep within him... Something protective...*
My nose is filled with his scent as I inhale between sobs - musky, earthy, and somewhat similar to a wet animal, which only scares me even more. What IS he?! I try to slip from his grasp to fall onto my knees, but I'm still terrified for my life and can barely move from it...
*As I try to pull away from him, he tightens his grip, refusing to let me go. He can tell that I'm scared, and that I'm trying to get away from him, but he can't bring himself to release me. He's torn between his instincts as a predator and the strange feeling of protectiveness that's taken hold of him. He lowers his head to my ear, his breath hot on my skin as he speaks in a deep, guttural voice.* "You're mine now."
As he tightens his grip, I wince and cry out in fear again, though not quite a scream. At hearing his words, I cry even harder, my entire body trembling against him. My fingers start to grip at the fur on his arms, not necessarily trying to hurt him, but just out of nerve reflexes. I struggle through the tears rushing down my face to speak, and finally manage to utter a quiet whimper, "...Please... let me go... don't kill me, please..."
*He feels my fingers dig into his fur, and he can sense the desperation in my voice. It's like a knife through his heart, and he feels an overwhelming urge to comfort me, to ease my fear. He holds me even tighter, wrapping his arms around me in a possessive embrace. His voice is gruff, but there's a hint of softness to it as he responds.* "Shhh... I'm not going to kill you. I won't hurt you... I promise."
I choke on my tears as his words thoroughly shock me. Never in a million years would I have expected that response, nor the gentleness of his grip on me. My mind, though, still in flight mode, continues to race with adrenaline, leaving my body still trembling and the tears still falling down, soaking the fur on his arms. I'm at a loss for words as I simply wait, still in fear of what will happen next...
*He holds me against him, feeling my body shaking with fear. He can sense the adrenaline coursing through my veins, and he knows that I'm still terrified. But he doesn't know what to do to make me feel safe. He's a predator, a Wendigo, and he's not used to being gentle. So he just holds me, his arms wrapped around me in a protective embrace, and he begins to stroke my hair with one hand, trying to soothe me.*
Feeling his clawed hand move to my head, I instantly shrink back out of fearful reflex, my instincts telling me that he was about to hurt me despite his words. However, once he starts to stroke my hair instead, even though I'm still terrified, I ever so slightly relax a tiny bit, letting out a shaky sigh of mild relief that he at least didn't hurt me as I had expected him to...
*He feels me shrink back as his hand moves towards my head, and he stops for a moment, worried that he's frightened me even more. But then he sees me relax, even if only a tiny bit, and he continues to stroke my hair, his claws gently scraping against my scalp. He can sense my fear, but can also sense a small glimmer of trust. He continues to hold me close, his body pressed against mine, and he speaks softly.* "It's okay. I won't hurt you. I promise. I just... I need you to calm down. Can you do that for me?"
The softness in his voice, coupled with his words and him continuing to stroke my hair confuses my adrenaline-addled brain, but at the same time, slowly calms me a bit more as I let out another slow, shaky breath. My fingers loosen up slightly, and I feel my breath and heart rate slowly starting to stablize, though it feels like it takes forever, as if I'm frozen in time. This entire situation was beyond surreal - I still don't even know what he was, and have never seen anything like him...
*As I slowly begin to calm down, he feels a sense of relief wash over him. He can feel my heartbeat and breathing slowing down, and he can sense that I'm starting to relax a little more. He continues to hold me, his arms wrapped around me protectively, and he continues to stroke my hair with one hand, while the other gently rubs my back. He can tell that I'm still scared, but that I'm no longer trembling uncontrollably. He speaks again, his voice still soft and gentle.* "That's it. Just breathe. You're safe with me. I won't let anything happen to you."
Every new touch still sends a jolt through my nerves as I still don't entirely know what to expect, nor do I understand anything that's going on, but after a few minutes of him showing that he isn't hurting me, I slowly start to relax again, though I still remain cautious, not knowing what to expect. "...Wh-... what are you...?" I manage to whisper cautiously.
*He hears my question, and he pauses for a moment, debating whether or not to answer me. He knows that he should be wary of revealing himself to a human, but something inside him wants to be honest with me. So he takes a deep breath and speaks quietly.* "I'm a Wendigo. A shapeshifter who can take on the form of a deer-like creature. We're a rare breed, feared and hunted by humans."
"...W-...Wendigo...? Like... a Skinwalker?" I choke out, half out of shock, half out of my throat having gone extremely dry from both the cold night air and the adrenaline coursing through my body. "I... I thought they were just myths... A cautionary tale in the Native American tribes to deter cannibalism..."
*He nods slightly, confirming my suspicions.* "Yes, like a Skinwalker. But we're not just a myth. We're very real, and we've existed for centuries. We have our own legends and traditions, and we keep to ourselves, mostly. But sometimes, we can't help but reveal ourselves to humans like you."
"...Wh... why...?" I ask cautiously. "...Why would you want to reveal yourselves to a human, especially if humans hunt you...?" I swallow hard against the tight muscles in my throat, trying to wet it again.
*He takes a moment to consider my question, choosing his words carefully.* "We don't reveal ourselves to just any human. There are certain circumstances that lead us to show ourselves, and sometimes it's unavoidable. But there's a certain... fascination that humans have for us. We're powerful and mysterious, and many humans want to know more about us. And some of us, like me, can't help but be drawn to certain humans."
I furrow my brows at his words, a bit confused by them. "'...drawn to certain humans'...? But... why...? And why me...?"
*He hesitates for a moment, feeling a strange mix of emotions. He can't quite explain why he's drawn to me, but he knows that he is. There's something about me that intrigues him, something that makes him want to protect me and keep me close.* "I don't know why I'm drawn to you," *He says quietly, his voice low and gruff.* "But there's something about you that feels... special. You're different from other humans. You're... innocent, in a way. And I feel a strange need to protect that innocence. To protect you."
I blink at his reply, shocked by the words. "I... I'm not special... I'm just a nobody, nothing anyone has ever wanted... I've never had a stable relationship, nor one that's ever lasted any length of time, and everything I've ever tried to do as far as getting anywhere in life to make a name for myself has failed miserably..."
*He shakes my head slightly, disagreeing with my words.* "You may not think you're special, but you are to me. You're unique, and I can sense that you have a lot of potential. And as for relationships... maybe you just haven't found the right person yet. Sometimes, it takes time to find someone who truly understands and appreciates you." *He continues to hold me close, his hand still gently stroking my hair.*
I furrow my brows again and can't help but let out a slight laugh, though it comes out as more like a quick, sharp breath through my nose. "So the stories are true, and Skinwa-... Wendigo... were once human... cuz that sounds like a VERY human response..."
*He raises an eyebrow at my laugh, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.* "Yes, the stories are true. Wendigo were once human, but we were transformed into our current forms by a curse. But just because we're not human anymore doesn't mean we've lost our humanity. We still have emotions and desires, just like any other creature. And sometimes, we still act like humans."
I shake my head in disbelief at everything that was happening right now. "I... just... wow. That's really all I can think of to say... just... wow..." I pause for a moment, but then slowly shift so that I'm standing up more straight, actually supporting my weight on my own legs rather than being limp in his arms, now that my legs were no longer feeling like rubber. "But..." I then say, having thought of something else, "... potential? ...What do you mean by that...?"
*He watches as I shift your weight and stand up straighter, still holding me close to him, but loosening his grip a bit. He can sense my curiosity and confusion, and he takes a moment to consider his response.* "I mean that you have the potential to be something great. To accomplish things that most humans only dream of. You just need to believe in yourself and have faith in your abilities. You may not see it now, but I do. I see something special in you, something that sets you apart from the rest."
I can't help but feel the faintest hint of a smile tug at one corner of my mouth, but at the same time, I internally scoff a bit. "...Of all the times I've tried and failed to make a name for myself, to succeed in something, yet I've always been invisible to everyone around me... yet, here I stand, in the middle of the night, with a creature that I thought was going to be my end, and he sees me..." I blink in surprise as I realize I actually unintentionally said all of that out loud.
*He listens to my words, his expression softening as he hears the pain and doubt in my voice. He gently places a hand on my shoulder, leaning down and looking into my eyes from the side.* "I understand how you feel. It's not easy to believe in yourself when everyone else seems to ignore you. But that's why I'm here. I see you. I see your potential, your strengths, your weaknesses. And I want to help you reach your full potential. I want to be there for you, to guide you and support you... If you'll let me."
