Luna Lost

The fire crackled beneath the evening sky, sending tiny sparks spiraling toward the stars. Luna sat between her mother and father on the old plaid camping blanket, wrapped in a sweater far too big for her. Her cheeks were pink from the cool night air, and her small hands were wrapped around a cup of warm chocolate. “Look, Mama,” she whispered, pointing toward the flames. “That one went all the way to the moon.” Her mother smiled and brushed a strand of Luna’s hair away from her face. “Maybe it did.” Her father chuckled beside them. “You know, your mother says that every time you point at something.” “Because you always say it’s not possible.” “It usually isn't.” Luna giggled. For a little while, everything was warm and safe. The fire, her parents, the familiar smell of smoke and pine. The soft sounds of the forest surrounding their campsite. Then Luna heard something. A rustle. She turned her head. Beyond the firelight, the trees stood dark and tall, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. “What was that?” Her father glanced toward the woods “Probably a squirrel.” Luna frowned. “It sounded bigger.” Her mother laughed softly. “Stay close, sweetheart.” Luna nodded. She meant to. Really, she did. Luna wandered only as far as the edge of the forest, she knew better than to go any farther. Daddy had told her, “Don't wander too far, little Luna.” And she hadn't, not really. She could still see the warm glow of their campfire behind her, flickering between the trees. She could hear Mama and Daddy talking, their voices soft and familiar. So she stood at the very edge of the woods, one little hand wrapped around the sleeve of her sweater, looking into the darkness. The forest looked different at night. Bigger. Quieter, almost magical. Luna tilted her head. Something had moved. She stared between two enormous pine trees. Nothing. She blinked. Then— Two eyes opened in the darkness. Luna stopped breathing. They were glowing. A brilliant, unusual auburn. They seemed almost to burn in the shadows, like someone had lit two tiny flames deep inside the forest. Luna should have been frightened. Instead, she smiled. “Oh…” The eyes didn't move. They simply watched her. Curious , careful. Beautiful. Luna took a tiny step closer. The eyes followed her. “You have pretty eyes,” she whispered. A branch shifted. Luna giggled. “Are you hiding?” The creature moved farther into the shadows. Luna could make out the shape of something small. Four legs, pointed ears, a little nose. Her face lit up. “Puppy!” She crouched down. The little creature didn't run, instead, it watched her with those enormous auburn eyes. Luna slowly held out her hand. “Come here.” The creature sniffed. Once. Twice. Then it stepped forward. He was small, much smaller than Luna had expected. His paws were oversized, his dark fur soft and thick, and his ears twitched nervously as he approached. Luna's smile widened, she felt like her heart might burst. “You're a puppy!” He wasn't. Not exactly. He was a werewolf. Born one, not turned. And that distinction made him something incredibly rare. He could shift between wolf and human form despite being born with the curse in his blood. A hybrid. A child who belonged to two worlds. But Luna didn't know any of that. To her, he was simply a beautiful little wolf who had wandered into the woods. And to him… She was something entirely different. The moment her scent reached him, he froze. His ears lifted. His nose twitched. Something deep inside him recognized her. Not consciously, not with words. It was older than words. An instinct buried beneath everything else. Mine. His little body trembled. Luna smiled at him. “It's okay.” She slowly reached forward.