End of the beginning

Hóngsè's hands were trembling. As she slowly set down the mirror, she looked back up at Lila. " I apologize. I did not know who I was for a moment. Due to shock, I believe myself to be this Hóngsè person." Even as Hóngsè spoke, her voice was wavering. She knew that she must lie to survive.

She took in a shaky breath and continued. " Now that I am back to my senses, I realized why I am here now." Now relaxing slightly, Lila looked up at Hóngsè and asked, " What is it that you are here for then?" Hóngsè closed her fists together lightly, looked down and spoke.

"I have come to deliver the news to you from Hóngsè. I met her as I was traveling up the mountain and I found her in a bloodied state. She was dying." Lila gasped and cupped her hands over her mouth as Hóngsè continued. "I am so sorry. Hóngsè asked me of one favour though. She told me that I was to bring this Crimson Wolf head to the local guild and look for the receptionist named Lila."

Now with tears streaming down Lila's face, Hóngsè is unable to look her in the eye. She waited for a few minutes waiting for Lila to calm down. After Lila was able to finally stop crying, she reached into her draw to grab the reward for completing the quest. Hóngsè took out the Crimson Wolf head and received the money for the head.

As Hóngsè began to walk away, Lila called after her. " Did she say anything else before she died?"

Hóngsè stopped walking, looked up and let a single tear roll down her face. " She told me this with her last breath. ' I want you to tell Lila that I have always hoped to share my home with her.' after that, she closed her eyes and died peacefully."

Lila suddenly collapsed on the floor and began sobbing. Her cries were full of anguish. As she cried on and on, Hóngsè was forced to hear this all while being forced to not comfort her in any way.

Unable to bear any more sorrow, she quickly left the guild hall with many tears silently sliding down her face now.

.

.

.

.

After leaving the guild hall, Hóngsè quickly went to her home and took all of her hunting supplies. She then took half of her fortune and shoved it into her pack. Once she got everything ready, she left the village to return to the Crimson Wolf and her pups.

For an unknown reason, as Hóngsè climbed the mountain, she was never tired and her pace never faltered. It felt as if this place has been her home ever since she was born. It must have been from the Crimson Wolf that she devoured.

Within only a few hours, Hóngsè arrived at the wolf den. The Crimson Wolf was sitting there waiting. "Have you finished your business with the humans?"

"Yes"

"And what did you learn?"

"That my home is no longer with humans. That I am in fact not, and never was human. And I belong with here like every other Myth. Away from civilization."

"Good. I am glad that you have came to this realization. I believe it is now time for you to learn how to hunt with your own strength and not with some tool that humans have created."

"But how? I have never hunted with anything else."

"Obviously with your physical and mythical traits"