Into the Woods

Natalia

"What the fuck did you do, Nat?" Lucio screamed at her as soon as she entered the lab for her weekly check-in.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Natalia feigned innocence as she threw her bag onto her desk.

Lucio looked like he wanted to punch her, and his face was flushed with anger.

"You were supposed to be watching him! You know, from a distance! What did you say to him, Natalia?"

"I didn't say anything!" Natalia replied, rolling her eyes. Lucio had no authority over her, so it didn't matter what he thought. "He saw me in the woods, and we chatted."

"Didn't say anything? You're a shitty liar. Well, let me tell you something, Natalia --"

"Lucio, stop." Natalia's boss said, entering the small office space. Like herself, Margo spent much of her time in the field, studying the flora of the forest, and rarely came to the lab. "Did you see the footage?"

"No, but I heard the screams this morning. Hell of a way to wake up."

Margo hummed. "Yes, I know. What you heard was nothing compared to what we caught on tape." She dropped the words casually as she strolled over to the coffee bar. "The board of tribal affairs will have to review the footage of the warg and the poachers."

Natalia watched her boss closely. This was a good sign. They had finally caught a break. The preserve's board of trustees denied the existence of the poachers for months. Secretly, their team thought the board was working with the poachers. There was a lot of money involved in rothmaru trading.

"Well, we have our proof now." Margo poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down.

"We can't send them that," Lucio said. "No one should have to watch what that animal did to those men."

"Grant."

"What?" Lucio asked, pacing around the room with his arms crossed over his chest.

"His name is Grant. He is a living, breathing, feeling person, not some thing to be feared."

"Well, I'm sure he's very scary, considering he has a taste for human flesh." Lucio said, playing the footage their cameras captured.

"Really?" Natalia planted her hands on her desk, leaning over it and glaring at Lucio. "He didn't eat any of them, you asshole."

"He's a predator. You don't know what he does when he's hungry."

"Stop." Margo's commanding voice silenced both her and Lucio.

They watched the footage in silence, Natalia trying not to cringe at the amount of sheer violence on the screen. Grant was fast, efficient, and deadly. Two of the poachers were gone before the others were even aware they were under attack. The poachers had grown soft, trusting in Grant's schedule. They were completely unprepared to meet him head on.

Man after man, he used his warg form to rend them apart. His claws and teeth tore through their armor like it was paper. Bullets rained against his skin, but failed to pierce his hide. The last poacher took a shot at Grant's head. It bounced off like a harmless pebble.

"He's a monster," Lucio said, shaking his head.

Margo pointed at Natalia. "You're lucky he is one of the protected entities in this preserve, or he would be up for several counts of manslaughter."

Natalia looked at her desk, ashamed of how she used Grant to further her own goals. She knew exactly what he could do, and how dangerous he was. She knew he wouldn't get hurt, or face any repercussions from the tribe. The preserve was considered 'enter at your own risk'. The government wouldn't take action against him.