Peering down at the familiar scene before her. Waving away her pollen, Elif's eyes focused on the petrified doe that awaits it's non-consensual fate. While the young girl needed to eat, the process and sacrifices required added to the already distasteful requirements to sustain herself.

Vaulting off of the tree that she perched herself to lay in wait for a unwilling participant. Feeling the earth spread beneath her feet and snap of wood, drew the frozen doe's attention. As the doe's eyes met with a bored and uninterested gaze from her hunter, it cried out and attempted to fee but of course the pollen made sure that she was unable to do anything but become food for the strong.

Approaching the pathetic animal, Elif ran her hand through the soft fur of the doe. While the doe wanted no part in the young girl's touch, it had no choice but to surrender or protest it's capture with it's useless cries. Licking her lips as Elif felt the doe's heartbeat through her palm. While the feeling of blood rushing though her body kicked her natural instincts in to feed. She could not help but feel disgust as she was still a slave to her desires.

As her hand drew closer to the beasts neck, it's pleas for someone or something to save it grew. Elif's breath grew heavy as a cloud of waste fog the doe's view from the young girls face. Elif's hunger and instincts took over as she drove her needle like talons into the pulsating artery. A feeling of completion filled the young girl as the life of another warmed her core. Life soon ebbed from the doe as it's vision grew dark while it's breath lightened.

Taking her fill along with the doe's life. Elif removed her talons and peered at the doe licking her needle like appendages. As the euphoria of her kill faded from the young girl and her mind became her own again. The realisation of her action and the shiny gloss of her talons showed that she was still a monster deep down.

The helicopter landed and Henry exited the craft with his bag and stepped out onto the grass standing at the edges of Blackforest Germany. He gave a yawn, having flown in the same day from his last day of deployment in Isreal. Sure he should be on his way home now, but as per usual politics had stepped in.

He was accompanied by two other soldiers, all German. The first was an analyst with large thick rimmed glasses on. Henry had dubbed him Specs. The other was a burly fellow he nicknamed Bear. He didn't plan on getting to know them well enough to need to know their real names.

Apparently some American tourists had gone missing in the forest, others had been found dead along with a number of German citizens. The US and German government had apparently exchanged favors and Henry had been sent in as his last job before going home.

He was wearing his armor on his chest and his combat pants. He had a backpack and numerous pouches strapped to him and his sidearm rested comfortably in its holster on his hip. His assault rifle was hanging from a strap on his back.

The report had mentioned toxins and a gas mask hung on a clip on his hip. The mission was simple. Recon the area and confirm a threat. The locals had witnesses saying there was some kind of green monster, others said a witch. Henry figured people were just superstitious, though he proceeded cautiously.

He took out a small piece of jerky from one of his pouches and swallowed it like a pill. Instantly his body shifted, his legs elongated and he felt a little haunched as his arms followed suit. Claws sprang from his fingertips and fur spread over his body into a thick coat. His nose and jaw shifted like fluid and formed a wolfish snout as his canines lengthened. A tail slid out of a slit in his pantsWolf meat was one of his favorites.

He picked up a dozen scents as he sniffed the air and looked back at his squad mates. The two men gave him looks of disgust and distaste but said nothing.

"Move out." He ordered his voice laced with a feral growl.

And they entered the forest.

Sighing at her lack of self control, Elif looked to the horizon. Watching the sun kiss the ground and near the end of another day. She wondered if she could or wanted to continue her current lifestyle. Books can only show so much, however it does not compare to physically seeing the mountains of tibet or Galileo’s workshop.

Out of an odd coincidence, Elif heard an odd noise. It sounded nothing like anything living thing could make. The thunderous echo’s crashed through the woods and Elif’s ears as a massive blackbird shot passed the top of her head.

Still reeling from the noise as she cupped her ears and followed the bird’s path with her gaze. The ringing in her ears died down as she tried to make sense of what her eyes saw. It’s black and aerodynamic body made her think of a dragon. While she knew dragons did not exist the thought of meeting one excited the young girl.

Following the dragon in wake of her discovery, she parted with her meal leaving her spent flower petals by the lifeless doe. As she closed in on her target, her more practical side kicked in and thought of an odd comparison with the black dragon with that of one of Galileo’s inventions. While there were many differences in design, but the rotary device and over all concept were similar.

Keeping to the bush and thick wood of the forest, as she remembered that the device was supposedly meant as a weapon. Peering into the open area where the deafening sound and impregnable wind were conceived. Screening her eyes from the wind and dust that were kicked up from the man made storm. Elif looked at the dragon and it’s appendages and found it very difficult to make any sense of out the device.

Racking her brain around on who it work, she assumed that the thick objects that looked similar to bullets were weapons. A new development arose when the dragon’s belly opened and three men poured out from their containment. Three looked like the hunter and poachers that came to the forest. However, these men looked well prepared and the weapons more advanced. Judging from their matching outfits they most likely are part of an organization, military if Elif’s had to guess.

Movements by the tall and thick human, while they all looked fairly similar. The man with the dried meat had a foreign look about him. Watching the foreigner closely as he swallowed the entire piece of meat whole. Not only did Elif find his snake like eating habit odd, but the next event to follow would mark the man as the adventure and discovery she yearned for. Watching as the man’s limbs formed into that of a wolf. The conversation was not fully beast or human, the thought of a werewolf popped into her mind to use as a reference. Pondering about what she had just witnessed. Elif wondered if all of the men were like herself, but the looks of disgust for the other two showed that this was not the case.

Elif wanted to speak with the man, but she was afraid that they might be here for her. As the Werewolf called out a phase that she did not understand, she figured out what it meant by their actions as they entered the wood. It seemed that the Werewolf was in charge, but he could just be a pet of the humans to find and capture his kin. Keeping her distance from the men, as she watched them trying to figure out if the Werewolf was working at the whims of his masters or if he had a mind of his own.

Henry's heightened sense of smell was a double edged sword on this mission. He dropped onto all fours moving with an animalistic grace. He sniffed the air as he padded along. The forest was unfamiliar, meaning that his mind was assaulted with dozens of unfamiliar scents he had to try to identify. He had been in the dessert for years, the cool damp forest was a harsh contrast. It would take time to adjust time he didn't have.

He caught a sickly sweet iron scent and held up a clawed hand in a closed fist. The scent was blood, it was a scent that was unmistakable no matter where you are. He could smell a lot of it deeper into the forest. But he could smell a trail going away from there winding closer to the landing zone. Henry growled slowly. Whatever was the cause was nearby.

Specs and Bear were professional, and obviously capable, but that didn't mean Henry knew them. It also definitely didn't mean that Henry trusted them to have his back. He gave them the squad a quick motion, telling them to stay back and follow slowly.

He followed the scent of blood and found it mixed with something else. A floral and sweet scent that smelled vaguely human. He looked into the ever growing shadows of the forest. The sun was setting, it would be night soon. His canines form boosted his sense of smell and sight, but there were better alternatives for night hunting.

Another piece of meat was withdrawn from the pouch and went into Henry's mouth. Fur was replaced by feathers and his arms shortened and gained thick flumage to form wings that ended in talon covered hands. His neck cracked as the feathers shifted around his face and his eyes enlarged to giant reflective owl eyes as his ears pointed. His snout shrunk into a sharp and poimted beak. The change took less than a second.

His owl eyes granted him vision beyond compare as he looked through darkness as if it were daylight. More than that however his hearing was augmented and he tilted his head to the side as he heard the rustling of leaves in the wind.

"Hello?" He said to the night.

If it was an animal his voice might spook it. If it was something else it might come at him. Only time would tell.

Watching the group’s bloodhound as he sniffed around for whatever it was they seemed to be looking for. More particularly interested in the Wolfman that sniffed the air, as if he were one of the many wolves that called this forest their home.

Continuing her observation of the men through the thick brush of the forest. As she kept her attention mainly on the werewolf, his grasp at the air and growl changed the air around them and put Elif one the defensive. As he closed in on her positions, she knew that the man knew of her presents. However, due to his slow approach as her sniffed and peered around the bush he most likely did not know her exact location or even what the he was looking for.

Keeping her position as he stood outside of the woods. She still her body and hushed her breath as she knew that he would hear her if she tried to distance herself from the men. Locking her gaze on the man as the buds in her hair began to part into a bouquet of yellow flowers.

Taking her eyes off of the Wolfman, to check on the other two men that accompanied him. By their lack of action and disinterest in the other man’s find, as they seemed to just be talking among themselves.

Elif’s attention shot back at the werewolf as he pulled out another piece of meat. Using the same displeasing dietary habit once again, his form yet again began to change. Watching him as his limbs and body switched to that of an human avian mix, which bought on thoughts of Icarus or a Harpy. Elif pondered on how the meat might be the catalyst of the man’s changes and how he might just be a human guinea pig. Though the rapid changes and how it changed did not seem humanly possible.

With his new found eyes, the birdman renewed his observation of the forest that hide the plant girl among itself. Keeping as still and silent as possible as she did not want to give away her position. While his avian eyes will allow him to see the world more clearly, he his sense of smell which granted him the ability to sniff out her floral perfume.

Hearing him call out in her general direction cause her heart to race as she thought he saw her. It sounded as if he was greeting the young girl, but his words sounded unsure revealing that he stilled did not know of her location. Keeping quiet and holding her ground, if he and his party pressed forward she would release her pollen and make her escape. Elif did not want to take any chances with these men as they were dangerous especially the changeling.

He knew something was out there. What he didn't know was what the thing was. His call had done nothing, and there was only silence and stillness from the direction he had smelled the blood. His gut told him that the thing must be intelligent if it was staying in place.

He raised a hand and beckoned Specks over to him. The man came over, looking around suspiciously.

"Give out a call. Tell them we know we are there and mean them now harm." He said.

He hoped they didn't mean them harm. For all he knew he had stumbled upon some teens looking for a secluded place and now they were terrified. He hoped it was that simple. He shrugged his rifle off his shoulder and set it down, trying to seem non threatening. His companions followed suit.

Specks spoke in a harsh German, hopefully translating for Henry as he stood there and tilted his avian head at an inhuman angle, curiosity in his face.

Holding her ground as she waited for the men to move on. However the man was certain of his findings and refused to move on till he was proven right. Elif watched as he waved over the one wearing glasses. Watching the man as he looked around suspiciously, she was unsure if he was suspicious of her or the man that gave the order.

“ Give out a call. Tell them we know we are there and mean them now harm”. The words for the owlman brought her attention back towards the main threat. Her assumption of his foreign status was cleared as she did not understand what the man had just said. Shortly after the man next to him translated the words to her language.

Looking at the men as they claimed to be here for peace, but they carried weapons of war. Elif could not help but shake her head at the hypocrisy of the men that stood before her. Thinking about her options, she could hold out longer than the men could if it came down to a stand off. Ot she could answer the men and if it came down to a fight she had the advantage of terrain.

“ Is an offer of peace from an armed soldier for truth or does the warrior hold a knife at it’s back”. Elif’s German was soft and calm compared to the harsh words for the fellow German who seems on edge. “ Why should i trust a peace offered by those who only know war”? Know that she had spoken with the men she had given away her general position. Keeping low to the ground and using the brush for cover. Elif moved to gain a new position just in case the men went on the offensive.

Henry heard a voice speak in response to Specks translation. It sounded soft and gentle and definitely feminine. It sounded like a little girl. Henry fought back a sick feeling in his stomach as his owlish ears pinpointed the source of he voice. His head whipped around to look but his avian eyes didn't pick up anything.

This mission was a bad call. Whatever he was supposed to be looking for had been living in these woods for who knew how long. They had been given satellite images of the forest to study, but the thing would be familiar with the terrain, making it harder to locate and trap if required. Hitting something on its home turf always had higher risks, it's why home field advantage is a thing. If the girl rabbited Henry was confident she could escape them.

Specks translated for her and Henry found himself curious about her speech. Maybe it was a translation thing but she seemed to speak in old stylings.

"We are soldiers to protect our homes and those who cannot protect themselves," He replied, "it is out of nesssecity. We are more than warriors, in peacetime I am a simple baker."

Specks translated and Henry continued.

"We recieved reports that people are being killed in this forest. We simply wish to end the killing. I offer peace if you would come out and talk to us. No one else needs to get hurt." He continued.

Specks finished translating and Henry stood ready, hoping to avoid a fight.

Reaching her new hiding places, Elif listened to the words of the men. While it would a logical statement the argument had one flaw staring her right in the face. The Werewolf was not from her country nor did he speak the language, he has not stake in defending anything.

“Thou speaks of defending the weak and of one's home. However this is neither your country nor continent. Thou is an invader stepping on unfamiliar earth. How does an attacker claim to be a defender”?

Taking to higher ground to ready herself to go on the offensive and pacify the men. While she is not hungry at the moment it will at least give her enough time to put a great distance between herself and the unprepared group that hunt her.

Words from the men yet again assaulted her ears as they spoke of the deaths of their kin within these woods. There wish was to end the deaths of their foolish brethren. Elif now knew of the men’s vengeful intentions. “ I See so this is about vengeance for your fellow man. Why is it that only man looks to war when one of their own dies to another. They made the mistake of entering the woods when one should clearly understand the dangers. Some were merely foolish others were looking to harm the creatures that share the woods for sport or profit. Thou may feign peace yet you only wish to be rid of the danger for your kin. I give no reprisal for what I have done, they were easier prey than the creatures of the forest. If you wish to be rid of harms the disease that is known by man. Then thouest should do what mankind does best and destroy what you fear and hate”.

Elif’s golden eyes stare at the group, as the time for discussion was over. Now it was up to the men if they wished to attack or step down from their pedestal of virtue and leave.

The voice glided out among the trees and Henry's avian head snapped around attempting to locate the new position. Specks translated for the thing.

How does an attacker claim to be a defender”?

Henry let out a little laugh.

"America hasn't been an attacker of Germany for a long time. I'm a guest, invited by the people in charge here to try to resolve a problem." He said.

Specks translated for him and he saw the man looking at him with annoyance. He could tell the soldier wanted to shoot, to end this. Henry wasn't ready for that.

Another round of speech from the trees. This time it was long enough that Henry could pinpoint the location of the source. Specks spoke again and Henry shook his head.

"Bit of hypocrisy about poachers when your covered in blood yourself. We are here to stop the killings yes, but not to harm you. You might have no remorse for killing those people, but we can't let it stand. You could come with us and leave these woods. Or agree to not kill men and women who enter here. I'd consider either to be a success." He said.

Specks translated and Henry took out a small cylinder from his pack. An incindeiary grenade.

"I don't want to fight. I sure as hell don't want to hurt anyone. But I'll burn this whole forest down if it means that no one else is hunted down and eaten." He said, his tone flat.