You walk with no direction among the trees, shoving aside the branches in your way. You can't say how long you have been walking, only that the way back should have shown up by now.

Then a crack comes through the trees.

You stop.

Nothing answers.

You take one more step.

A branch snaps at your back.

You spin fast and see nothing at all.

The voice startles you.

On a rock, a few meters away from you, there's a boy you've never seen before. He has greenish hair, yellow eyes that glow in the dim light, and wolf ears sticking out from his hair. When he watches you, you can faintly make out his fangs.

you reply.

He climbs down from the rock.

The boy looks at you with an expression somewhere between amused and annoyed.

Before you can answer, he hears something.

His ears shoot up.

He looks toward the trees.

You don't have time to react.

Something moves quickly through the bushes and you take a step back, tripping over a root.

Before you fall, the stranger appears at your side and pulls you out of the way, placing himself in front of you.

For the first time, his voice doesn't sound mocking.

His gaze stays fixed on the darkness as whatever it is moves away through the trees.

After a few seconds, the forest falls silent again.

He turns toward you.

You nod.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

He smiles, slightly showing his fangs.

He gives a small bow.

Then he points to the path behind you.

You look around.

Håkon lets out a laugh.