Once upon a time, in a world where humans did not tread there exists a structure of monster kind much like mankind’s own. They had families and places of work. They earned money and bought many kinds of goods. They are ruled by a monarchy that followed a similar guideline to the societal  systems of mankind, however they moved on a darker path than that of their human counterpart. Yes, a darker path, for they are monsters: beings of terror and dread. It is their mission to bring fear and disorder to others. They are a kind run by might and cunning. Those that could master this aspect stood at the top of all others.

This place that overlapped the world of human beings was known as Fairy Tale, for it was merely a myth in the minds of men. Where these tales of fright told to misbehaved children were derived. No humans have ever set foot here, in this cold place of overgrown greenery and mucky swamp; in this monster city veiled beneath dense wilderness. A city that came alive with the setting of the sun and the raising of the moon. No monster would ever invite human company; therefore, there was not a single monster that would speak of the secret entrance to Fairy Tale for human ears to hear.

Within in this world, this place of Fairy Tale, exists the hero of this story. Though at times, in many places, he would likely be described as an anti-hero. Make no mistake, within the depths of his heart there lied a kindness and a care that is often overshadowed by the darkness of a monster’s nature.

Here he ran, wrapped in the guise of a cat-like creature, though the wilderness of his homeland was touched by the morning light so loathed by monster kind. He ran as if trying to escape some great enemy. Yet there was nothing nipping at his heals. There was not even the sight of another off in the distance from his back. For he was not running from some great danger or physical shape. He ran from the responsibility of life, or rather the responsibilities and trials forced on him through his place in society. He needed air to clear his mind and speed to wrestle the heaviness of his chest lest he suffocate.

In this world of monsters, in Fairy Tale, he bore the position of the "fourth prince." Most would think that being the fourth would merit no efforts and that he merely needed to live off the riches offered to him from his less important place in royalty. This was not the case; he was the fourth of eight children. In the society of monsters, succession to the throne was not only for the first born to take. One needed to prove to not only be the most cunning, but also the strongest to succeed the current king. He could no longer handle the strains of this ridiculous competition to outwit and outperform, in strength, his fellow siblings. Nor could he stomach the encouragement for this behavior from those around him. Weaning him, to give it his all, to take down his brothers and sisters one by one. No... more than that would be the burdens borne in the shadows.

Therefore, he ran.

He fled his current situation and ran with no destination in mind. He swiftly moved through the realm under his family’s control, hardly noticing the moment when he crossed the boundary line--entering the line that marked Fairy Tale’s end and the world of mankind’s beginning. The tightly packed woods soon gave way to a sparse expanse. Although he should have paused for consideration of this oddity occurring right before his eyes while taking into account the sun’s height, he did not. He only continued his run forward consumed by thoughts of his problems and feelings of despair.

It was not until he was faced with such a strange being, not seen in all his years of life, that his flight forward came to an abrupt halt. His mind raced. His thoughts scattered and in that moment his entire body stilled like a river frozen at the peak of winter. He could hardly breathe for his shock was so great. Creatures, only seen in the books his tutors forced him to study, stood like large and great beings when compared to his cat-like guise.

They were humans. Creatures of mankind: Beings, he felt could only exist in myths, for he had never come across their like. Then, everything he studied suddenly flooded his mind and he felt fear. Humans were dastardly things that fed on greed and cruelty. The selfishness and hunger seeping from their pores went to the extent of felling entire nations and still could not be sated. They were things he was not to see until he became a more fearful creature than mankind.

He felt fear, but it wasn't the debilitating type of fear that froze limbs and muddle the mind. It was more along the lines of the respectful sort of fear granted to a wild animal. He crouched low, hoping not to be noticed. Rather than slink off for an escape, he remained and watched their actions. Curiosity taking over his mind and leaving out rational thought. They were speaking, but he could not hear the words spoken. As he inched closer, he realized they were in the midst of an argument. He was barely able to catch the wisps of shouted voices. Moreover, he was not yet close enough to make coherent the words spoken and so closer he moved. Bravery took hold of his heart and made him strive onward in a situation where most would only cower and run.

At this recent thought there was a thrill trilling through his heart. He was doing something that not many of his age and current size would dare to attempt. He would be the first of his siblings to witness the sight and actions of a human being; the first to hear their spoken words. Did their speech reflect monster kind? He wondered. Would he be able to understand the dialect used by these creatures known as mankind? These thoughts were so catching that he did not pay heed to his left or his right, to his above or his below, and neither did he peer toward his back for coming danger.

It was this that became the young monster’s undoing. As he took one more step, just one step forward, his left leg was of a sudden caught in a piercing trap. Hard teeth bit into his leg in a crushing grip. His first instinct was to struggle and cry out for aid. He bit his tongue against it. If he called out now, the humans would see him. He feared that which did not know much about. Shedding his cat guise for an appearance more like man would only make his body lager and dig the teeth deeper. There was one other attempt at freedom he could make, but it was against the rules to use this form without the ability of stealth. To allow a human to see this transformation of absolute terror, to view it closely, without the proper taken conditions was taboo. If the secrets of that form were to be understood by mankind, monster kind would lose its age old practice of being masters of fear.

Grass and twigs and dirt crunched at his left, steadily advancing forward toward his location. Despite the delirious pain overtaking his small frame, he turned his catlike head in the direction of the sound he just noticed though it already trailed so dangerously close. As his eyes made contact with a human, who was dwarfed by comparison to the other two, as it came to kneel by his side, a feeling of awe struck his heart. A small face framed by fair hair peered down at him with an expression of warm concern.

“Oh, you poor thing,” the human cooed. “You've been caught up in a bear trap!”

For one reason or another, he felt as though he would be saved. Relieved his mind gave out and only darkness remained.