"So, ready for a nighttime adventure?" Lucía said with a playful smile as she watched the redhead shift nervously on her feet in front of her.
"I'm not sure I'd call it an adventure, considering there's a homicidal monster out there," Katherine replied. The way she kept glancing around nervously betrayed how terrified she was inside, so much so that her response came out more blunt than shy, which was unusual for her.
"Just a minor detail. Come on, the night's not getting any younger."
With a shrug, Lucía took the lead, walking toward the canopy of trees that bordered Hertford with near-omnipresent density.
"Do you know where we're going?" Katherine couldn't help but ask, seeing how confidently Lucía picked a direction before heading into it.
"I've got a pretty good idea. Come on, don't fall behind."
Lucía's steps, full of purpose and confidence, echoed through the silence of the night, setting the rhythm as Katherine followed.
The night air had a chilling edge to it. Katherine instinctively zipped up her hoodie, trying to preserve some warmth. The moon, hidden behind scattered clouds, barely lit the edges of the trees, while the town faded behind them, swallowed by the forest's thickness. For some reason, the woods, once familiar, felt especially eerie and unfamiliar to Katherine tonight.
Lucía handed her a flashlight with a carefree, almost playful smile, though the gesture had a clear intent.
"Take it. I don't want you getting lost in the dark."
Snapping out of her thoughts, Katherine accepted it with trembling hands, gripping the cold metal nervously. She was scared; anyone could see that, but deep down, that ever-bubbling emotion inside her kept her moving. It was a constant whenever she got involved with the supernatural. This was what her gifts were for. This made sense. It gave her purpose.
"Never thought I'd end up following a monster hunter on a nighttime quest," Katherine said after a minute of walking, trying to fill the silence that had only been broken by the sound of their footsteps.
Lucía shrugged, her relaxed energy a stark contrast to Katherine's palpable tension. "I warned you, didn't I? You can turn back now; no one would blame you. Though I'd be a little sad. I'm really enjoying your company."
But Katherine shook her head firmly, as if the idea of retreating were a challenge to herself. "No. If Jonathan died out here, then I want to know why." She spoke with conviction, though she couldn't quite hide the blush brought on by Lucía's compliments.
Lucía looked at her for a moment, a flicker of admiration hidden in her expression. She'd already formed an idea of Katherine's personality, but it was still refreshing to see her being so brave.
"Good. Then follow my lead and stay close," Lucía said before guiding the way toward their destination.
The hunter adjusted the strap of her backpack over her shoulder, her body language calm but alert. Without another word, she moved forward. Katherine took a deep breath, turned on the flashlight, and took her first step into the unknown. The forest swallowed their figures within seconds.
Katherine stayed within arm's reach of Lucía, finding the woods far too creepy to risk straying farther. The mist, heavy and cold, clung to the leaves, turning every surface into an extension of the darkness itself. The ground, damp from days of rain, absorbed the sound of their footsteps, making the world around them feel more distant than it truly was.
Branches rose like twisted bones in the gloom, and every so often, the whisper of the breeze made the shadows seem to shift. Katherine adjusted the flashlight in her hand, and though her expression remained determined, Lucía noticed the slight tremble in her fingers.
"Is it always this terrifying?" Katherine asked, her voice lower than usual, as if the forest itself demanded discretion.
Lucía smiled calmly, her gaze sweeping the dense surroundings with the confidence of someone who'd walked these paths before. "It really depends on the situation," she replied in a light, almost amused tone. "In this case, I'd be cautious of any strange sounds or moving shadows. Werewolves tend to stalk their prey before attacking."
Katherine exhaled with a mix of nerves and what might have been a small, involuntary laugh. "You're not helping my nerves."
Lucía clicked her tongue teasingly before turning her flashlight toward the path ahead. "Sorry, I haven't had company in a while. Let's try something better then."
She let her words hang for a moment in the forest's mist.
Lucía's expression shifted to one of deep focus, as if she were contemplating something serious. "No matter what we find out here, I'll protect you." Her voice came out more serious and resolute than Katherine had ever heard it.
And right after saying it, with absolutely unnecessary theatricality, Lucía flexed the arm holding the flashlight and patted her bicep with her free hand, as if she were about to pose for a sports commercial. "Consider me your knight in shining armor for tonight," she added with a cheeky grin.
Katherine let out a laugh, an involuntary relief at the hunter's carefree attitude, but her gaze lingered on Lucía longer than she expected. Because, despite the joke, despite the playful tone, there was something undeniable in the way her body moved.
Muscles compressed just beneath the fabric, an athletic silhouette that spoke of pure functionality, and a certainty in her posture as if every fiber of her being were accustomed to combat.
Lucía wasn't just strong; she carried strength as if it were a natural part of her existence. Katherine blinked, a fleeting thought crossing her mind before she could catch it. Her slightly quickened heartbeat went unnoticed.
But before Katherine could analyze it, Lucía dropped her arms with a light laugh and began to walk again. "You could say something, you know. I'm going to cramp up if I keep holding this pose."
Katherine laughed and replied, "Well, I was thinking that the whole 'knight in shining armor' thing is a bit much, especially since you're a girl."
"Hey, women can be knights too," Lucía retorted, bringing a hand to her lips in an exaggerated gesture, pretending to be offended.
"Maybe, but you don't exactly look like a knight right now," Katherine replied, acting bolder than usual.
Lucía let out an indignant huff and began arguing that it was only because she was far too attractive and charismatic for the traditional role.
And so, with the joke still hanging in the air, the two ventured deeper into the forest, unaware of what awaited them ahead. It only took a few minutes before they reached the area where Lucía had seen the police earlier that morning.
Immediately, the atmosphere shifted. The sound of the world seemed to fade, as if the air itself knew not to disturb this place. Katherine swallowed hard. The change was subtle, but unsettling.
"Is it always this… quiet?" she asked, moving closer to Lucía until she could clutch the other girl's jacket.
Lucía slowed her pace to allow the closeness, her flashlight sweeping through the vegetation with meticulous movements. Her posture had changed. She still kept a relaxed tone, but her body moved with more precision, each step measured, each breath calculated.
"Take note. In situations like this, silence means there is or was a dangerous predator in the area."
The comment made Katherine press herself a little closer to Lucía. Instinctively, she looked around, but all she saw was the mist swallowing the distance. It was still unsettling, but the warmth from being near the other girl helped calm her.
Lucía stopped. Her gaze dropped to the ground, the beam of her flashlight revealing an animal track in the soil. Or at least it looked like one at first glance, until a closer look showed how deep it was. Not to mention the size.
The hunter crouched down, brushing the mark with her fingers. The depth of the impression in the mud was abnormal, the kind of track left by a creature walking on two legs.
Katherine, still unsure what exactly to look at, stepped closer. "What is it?"
Lucía nodded slowly. "At first glance, anyone would say it's a wolf print. But I'm pretty sure this was left by the massive homicidal canine we're hunting."
Lucía stood up, her gaze scanning the trees with sharper intent. Her flashlight then caught another trace, a claw mark on the bark of a nearby trunk. Upon closer inspection, the arrangement was disturbing, too wide, almost shaped like a grotesquely extended human hand.
Lucía touched the surface with a meticulous analysis. "Given the size of this mark and the tracks, I'd say we're dealing with a young werewolf, close to adulthood, not fully developed yet."
Katherine swallowed hard. But before she could even think of what to say, Lucía tensed completely. The muscles she'd shown off playfully earlier were now on full alert. Katherine noticed Lucía gesturing with her nose in a way she found strangely adorable.
What Katherine didn't know was that Lucía had caught the werewolf's scent. A mix of dirt, blood, and animal fur. But it wasn't just a smell, it was an impression. It was a full moon night, a blood-flooded palate, and a howl filled with madness.
Lucía exhaled calmly, closing her eyes for a moment before looking back at Katherine. "I've memorized its trail. If we run into it again, I'll be able to detect it in advance."
Katherine said nothing, though she found it strange. "Only God knew the kind of knowledge and techniques a professional monster hunter had at her disposal."
That was her reasoning.