Land of Snow Sample #1 (Meeting Noon)

         With a quick turn, I looked towards the boulders. I felt my hand draw towards my knife, as my voice rang out.
         "Come out, now."
         After a few silent moments, I focused my gaze on the top of the boulder, where slowly, a wolf emerged. It's fur was a glossy black, with dark brown mixed in along it's underbelly, all the way to it's paws. It stood boldly, I noticed almost immediately, it's nose tilted downwards as if it's golden eyes were examining me. My tension seemed to fade, and I felt my hand flow back to my side once again. "A little young to be out on your own, are you?" My lips curled into a smile. As soon as the words escaped my mouth, the creature bared it's teeth and growled. With that, it proceeded to jump down with grace, standing only a few feet in front of me. The creature seemed to arch it's back and stretch, and I stood in silence as I watched it's fur seem to feed back into it's body, it's limbs becoming longer, it's paws no longer paws, and it's fluffy tail disappearing altogether. The wolf's head was bowed down, and before I knew it, the creature's face had reformed, and the same black I had saw moments before no longer appeared as a mane, but as a thick flow of black hair upon a human girl's head.
         She stood in front of me, her dark tanned skin bare in the glow of the sunrise. She was shorter than what I would've thought, her body seemingly frail and small. Still, her gaze was bold, and the golden eyes fixed onto mine.
         I sighed, stepping back as a motion of peace. "You caught me offguard. I thought it would be a couple more yards until I came across a Lycan, let alone a young one. Is there anyone else with you?"
         The girl grimaced. "No. What is your business here?"
         "I'm looking for Zero Suizids, a friend of mine. My name is Spencer Mance."
         Her eyes seemed to widen for a split second, but then dim as she nodded. Stepping forward, she proceeded to shake my hand, grasping my forearm just as I did so. After a step back in our places, she bowed her head slightly.
         "I'm Noon Magidde." She crossed her arms, covering her chest. "If you will allow me to do so, may I ask why you want to seek Zero? Usually we don't have humans around these parts, or atleast we know about it beforehand. So is it urgent?"          With a nod, I found myself sighing again. "The murder of Amam Jocht, in the village, a couple days ago. Some new information has been gathered up. We found some bite marks on the victim. A Lycan's bite marks."
         I saw Noon's expression immediately darken, and her arms seemed to falter and fall at her sides. Her shoulders slumped, and a look of pure shock rippled across her face.
         "One of us? Are you sure?"
         "Positive."
         The girl didn't speak for a few moments, but seemed to cringe, grasping her arm slightly. Shaking her head, she looked at me. "I don't understand. Our treaty specifically states that the Lycans aren't allowed to cross the village gates. Why would we? We have all the food we need..."
         Her voice trailed off.
         "Apparently someone must have forgotten." I said with a frown.
         Noon took a deep breath, inhaling as if feeling the cold air of the icy land enter her lungs. With her exhale, her golden eyes shifted onto me, and her gaze turned solemn and bold once more.
         "I'll take you to her, but only if I get to hear what you have to say, as well. We got a deal?"
         Even with the girl's lack of knowing that I could have simply moved on forward without her help, I didn't intervene. I simply nodded, allowing the girl to kneel down, and form back into the glossy black wolf that I had seen once more, and trail into the woods.