Hot tears streamed down the young boy's face as his town burned to the ground behind him. His small, bruised and muddy hand sat between the paw-like digits of the man at his front as they ran from the flames that licked the falling leaves in their path. The cool night breeze was hidden in a fiery mask and Loring frantically wondered if they would escape.

His heart raced in the confines of his small chest as the beast of a man dragged him along without a single word. Grunts escaped the older man's throat as his eyes wandered knowingly through the burning trees. His feet seemed to fall gracefully on the burned wreckage of forest while his tiny companion's slipped and faltered helplessly while desperately trying to keep up.

As the flames grew hotter Loring could feel the hair on his arms beginning to singe, and the tears began to run even hotter. His ten years of life seemed to be coming to a close, while his family's bodies burned in their fallen home. Nazi soldiers swarmed through the inferno who's eyes reflected the death they represented. Death and destruction was all that Loring and his seeming captor could see, but was he headed for salvation or a fate worse than what they were leaving behind? Would it have been better if he had just been left to die with his family? He would know soon enough.

They ran faster and faster, but it seemed that no matter their speed the soldiers were catching up. From behind a bush jumped a man, gun in hand, but within seconds his body was in the ground, bleeding. As he was carried by the bodies Loring could see slash marks across the chests and faces of the victims, but for the life of him he could not see the culprit, and if it was the man with him he did not see, or even feel, the movement. But his mind was numb to all that was happening, and even with an explanation Loring was glad that he was still alive.

The two began to slow and in the near distance Loring made out the silhouettes of other men, but these men had their faces pointed at the night sky and howling wolves could be heard. Wolf howls, Loring thought, coming from men? He blamed the run for the what he was seeing and hearing, whether it was true or not he needed something to believe. By the time he and the man reached the others the howling had stopped and they were all inspecting him.

“Ulric,” the captor said gruffly, and tossed Loring into the middle of the circle. “He was the only one alive. He is older than you asked for, and if you do not want him I'm sure I can...”

The voice trailed off, but the implication was well understood by all. A hungry, desire filled expression was easily visible, and coupled with the amber eyes, elongated canines, and lolling tongue, Loring had a good idea both of what might be in store for him and what these creatures were. He dropped his gaze to the ground, and tensed. It was apparent that the other man, Ulric, would need to respond before anything could happen, which gave Loring was seemed to be his only change for escape.