Howling Fur

Ranger Ben was no stranger to the eerie sounds of the wilderness. The creak of ancient trees, the hoot of owls, and the distant roar of a mountain lion were all familiar to him. But the howls he was hearing lately were different. They were deeper, more guttural, and carried an unsettling undercurrent of primal rage.

Ben had been patrolling the dense, ancient forest for years. He knew every trail, every stream, and every creature that called it home. But these howls were unlike anything he had ever encountered. They seemed to come from deep within the woods, echoing through the trees with a chilling intensity.

One night, while on patrol, Ben spotted something strange caught in the branches of a towering oak. It was a massive tuft of fur, the size of a small dog. Intrigued, he climbed up to investigate. The fur was thick and coarse, with a reddish-brown hue. It was unlike anything he had seen before.

As he examined the fur, a shiver ran down his spine. It was as if something had been dragged through the branches, something massive and powerful. The thought sent a chill down his spine. Could there be a creature lurking in the forest that he didn't know about?

The howls became more frequent, more insistent. They seemed to be growing closer. Ben began to feel a sense of unease, a growing dread that something terrible was about to happen.

One night, under a particularly bright full moon, Ben was patrolling the forest when he heard the howls again. This time, they were closer, more menacing. He could almost feel their presence, a cold, predatory gaze that seemed to pierce the darkness.

Then he saw them. A pack of wolves, but not just any wolves. They were enormous, their bodies larger than any wolf he had ever seen. Their fur was a deep, almost black shade, and their eyes glowed with an eerie, otherworldly light.

As they approached, Ben realized they were not ordinary wolves. These were creatures of myth and legend, ancient beings cursed to roam the forest under the full moon. They were hungry, and they had chosen him as their prey.

Ben turned and ran, his heart pounding in his chest. The wolves were close behind, their howls echoing through the woods. He dodged through the trees, ducking under low-hanging branches, but the wolves were relentless.

Just when he thought he couldn't run any further, he spotted a small clearing. He burst through the trees and into the open space, hoping to lose the wolves in the moonlight. But they were right behind him, their jaws snapping at his heels.

Desperate, Ben turned and faced the wolves. He raised his arms and let out a primal scream, hoping to scare them off. But the wolves were undeterred. They closed in, their eyes filled with a feral hunger.

Just as the wolves were about to pounce, a strange thing happened. The moon seemed to dim, and the wolves howled in pain. They turned and ran, disappearing back into the darkness.

Ben stood there, panting and trembling. He had survived, but he knew the wolves would be back. He had seen things that night that would haunt him forever. And he knew that the next full moon would bring them even closer.

---

No one saw Ben after the next full moon. Some say he became a part of the forest,
others say he’s one of the wolves, while others just believe he’s dead.
But the truth has yet to be discovered.