Standing at the base of the hills in the early evening, the trio could see their path climbing up into the midst iof the north. Though with the sun soon setting, the night would be upon them quickly. 

“What do you think, should we get some rest?”, Julian asked, gently placing the hind legs of the boar on the ground.

Desiree sighed in exhaustion from climbing the stairs next to the river and dumped the front end of the animal down too. “Maybe we should roast this boar so that we don’t have to carry it tomorrow.” 

Samantha slipped off her pack and looked around. “I was thinking just that. I'm starved.” 

"Food, yes, I've only had a couple of nibbles all day," Desiree agreed a little too dramatically, slipping off her pack and dumping it to the ground. 

Camp was set up almost on top of the path in the hopes that only one adventurer would be crossing this way; Roxanne. They hoped she would stumble upon their campsite; they had all been hoping she would meet up with them for quite a while. Perhaps even the other four, the ones who had gone west, would make their way back to them too. 

That was what each of them was thinking as they set up camp. Preparing for dinner, Samantha found some kindling while Desiree and Julian collected some wood, and in no time at all, they had a roaring fire. Where they were able to feast on spit-roasted wild boar before covering themselves in their sheepskin blankets and drifting off to sleep.

Only an hour had passed since they had settled into slumber when a very close, deep growling noise woke the trio up immediately. Samantha’s eyes opened wide in fear and shock. Staring straight up, there was a full moon in the sky and the light cast eerie shadows all around her. Staying as still as she could, she heard soft footsteps and sniffing, followed by another low growl. Samantha's brain was still quite foggy, she couldn’t get to grips with what she’d heard. 

Desiree, however, took a second to adjust her eyes to the faint glow from their fire, blinking rapidly to try to wake herself properly. On the other hand, Julian was awake. He was able to pull himself up into a sitting position with his back resting against a rock; pleased with where he had chosen to rest. From where he sat, he saw a shape that looked like a human man, who was stepping out of the shadows over on the other side of Desiree. The closer he got to the trio, the more thick brown hair Julian could see covering his chest, arms, and face. As well as long teeth protruding from his mouth. Instantly Julian knew he was a Werewolf, and knew they had to fight this creature.

Not knowing yet that it was a Werewolf, both Samantha and Desiree felt the creature’s breath on them and knew it was dangerous. Together they rolled onto their stomachs and attempted to scramble forward, away from the creature. However, Samantha, who was made unaware of all her surroundings, couldn’t avoid being spiked. Not by the creature, but by Desiree’s flail, which had been whipped up off the ground and into Desiree’s hand. In the process, it had slightly punctured the side of Samantha's arm. She groaned in pain but Desiree didn't hear her, so she figured she would have her on about it later. But she was snapped away from her thoughts by something raging as it leapt over her.

Julian was worried about his peers being harmed and ran at the creature, leaping over them and jumping it. The creature only howled again, and Samantha's eyes were able to see that it was a Werewolf. He batted Julian off to the side like an annoying fly with one of his hairy arms and focused his attention on Desiree, who seemed to be creeping along the ground on her stomach, toward the Werewolf.  

"Dee, Look Out!", Samantha screeched. If only she could find her bow and arrow, which must be somewhere beside her, but a little too late did she find it as the creature struck her. The back of his hand connected with her cheek, feeling as if a World-class Orc had punched her. Next to Samantha, Desiree swung the flail, which missed the Werewolf, swung around her and bounced in the air before spinning back and connecting with Samantha's arm again. Samantha let out a frightful scream after receiving a second blow in a matter of a few seconds. 

From the back of the chaos, Julian had luckily landed on his sheepskin and was able to grab his hammer, which neither Samantha nor Desiree had realised he hadn't had when he had leapt over them. But back on his feet, his Warhammer in both hands, he ran at the Werewolf again. This time running between the other two and bringing his hammer down into its abdomen. It doubled over, falling onto all fours, but never taking its sharp yellow eyes off of Samantha.  

Desiree tried swinging her flail again, causing Julian to jump back just in the nick of time to avoid getting hit. One of the weapon's spikes did hit the side of the Werewolf's face, but on coming out the other side, it got more of a direct hit on Samantha's leg. And she screeched in pain again. One of the spikes had penetrated her leg; fortunately, not overly deep. It was a painfully long gash, just like the new mark on the Werewolf's face. But the pain she was feeling turned to anger and she searched madly for her quiver. Found it. Enraged, Samantha gripped one of her arrows at the stem, leaned over so her other hand supported her weight, and stabbed it into the werewolf. Deep into the creature's torso it went, and Julian was right there to finish the Werewolf off with another hit from his hammer. On shaky limbs, the creature collapsed to the ground, not to utter another growl. 

Samantha too, collapsed under her weight, exhaustedly falling on her arm. 

With a large exhale of air, Julian said, “I wish we could just have a good night’s-” He cut himself off. 

"A full night's sleep would be good," Samantha finished off what Julian had been saying as she carefully rolled back into a sitting position. Not even noticing where his attention had been, Samantha checked herself out in the light of the fire that still burned. It wasn't as bad as she felt. Yes, her leg bled, but it was a flesh wound. Yes, her arm was at the early stages of swelling and bruising, but she was sure it wouldn't affect how she held her bow. As for her face, that would have to wait until the morning to know how she looked. Still, treating them until morning would help. "Do you think you could hel-"

Her concentration back on Julian, she stopped speaking as she heard him ask, with concern in his voice, “Dee, are you okay?” Samantha looked up to find that he was no longer standing up to her right, but was kneeling a few metres in front of her and facing away. He was crouched over what looked like Desiree laying there. Panic filled her chest and stomach. Immediately forgetting the pain over her adrenaline, Samantha crawled across the ground to them both. 

Desiree was lying there; alive but barely conscious as she shook and trembled uncontrollably. Desiree was unable to speak, but from what Samantha could see, she hadn't any visible wounds. Julian asked Desiree if she was okay again, clearly worried after not receiving an answer and Samantha snapped back, “Of course not, look at her. What is happening to her?”

“The werewolf, it has to be. Did she get scratched?”, Julian whimpered. 

He was right. They frantically searched for scratches as sweat poured from her body, despite how very cold she felt, and just under the bottom of her shorts, they found a small and very fresh scratch. While Julian examined it, Samantha felt her forehead and felt a burning sensation in Desiree that was sinking into a raging fever. Samantha cursed. "Damn it. Is she about to change into a Werewolf herself?"

"Not if we can help it." Sudden determination was in his voice. "Have to keep her warm. Get a sheepskin." 

Samantha didn't argue. She went to get one as Julian was carefully moving her closer to the fire. They wrapped her tightly in the sheepskin and watched, hoping it would work. After 20 minutes of quietly watching, Julian told Samantha, "Get some sleep, I'll take first watch."

"No," she replied. "I want to stay up for a bit more. Can't sleep anyway"

He nodded. "Very well, get my pack for me and I'll take a look at that leg of yours." 

She had almost forgotten about her own wounds, but at the mention of it again, it suddenly all came back and she winced. So carefully getting Julian's pack and returning, they sat there quietly around the fire and he patched her up, dressing her wounds.