A lonely figure stood at the entrance of the cave, her red eyes peering into the thick darkness. Strong winds blew all around her, cold and dry, they fought against her thick jacket and pants for her warmth. A wail came from the cavern, deep and long, almost like a desperate plea for mercy. It rose and fell to the wind's whims, changing pitch and length at the drop of a hat and casting the cave into a much darker light. Still, the girl glared into its depths, her brows furrowing as time passed and nothing happened. She glared at the cave, one foot tapping impatiently against the ground. Five more minutes passed with only the wails to keep her company. The girl kicked the snow that had gathered over her black boots while grumbling under her breath. her hands tightening into fists before she stomped her way to the cave's entrance. She took a deep breath and shouted into the cave, her voice echoing on the walls. She waited a couple of minutes for an answer, straining her hearing for any answers. None came.

The girl cursed softly under her breath and glances back to the way she came, worry seeping into her scarlet eyes. She shakes her head and whispers to herself reassuring words. A gloved hand fixes her scarf, pulling it up until it covers her mouth, while the other pulls out a metallic cylinder. A soft click can barely be heard over the raging winds before a ray of light pierces the darkness. Flashlight in hand and ready, the girl steps inside the cave with careful steps. Even so, the girl had a hard time walking on the slippery floor of the cave, a thin layer of frost turning every step into a potential disaster.

Minutes passed with the girl performing this precarious dance, her free hand seeking support from any surface it could grasp. Her flashlight casting sinister shapes all around her with every move. At times the girl would look one way and see claws as large as she was closing in on her, then she would turn the other way where a hunched form seem to burst from the ground. But whenever her light fell upon these sights, there would be nothing but rocks and ice, always forcing a nervous laugh from her as she blamed it all on her nerves. She never saw the icy blue eyes following her every move, nor the huge body they belonged too. And so she went deeper and deeper inside the cave until the tunnel opened into a wide room. The soft sound of running water reached her ears but no matter where the girl pointed her light, she couldn't find the source. There was only gray lifeless rocks standing guard all over the place, twisted and menacing.

The girl lifted her light towards the ceiling only to watch the darkness absorb the yellow light without revealing its secrets. She called out once more, first as nothing more than a whisper, then with more strength in her voice. She called and called, her voice echoing against the walls. No one answered her. The girl stood there alone in the darkness, her breath coming in white puff of condensation. Her legs were trembling and her free hand rubbed her arms for warmth, the cavern was cold, somehow even colder than the outside the girl thought. She called out again, her throat struggling to form the strange name of her friend, the same one that had brought her here. A low rumble was her only answer and the girl felt like it came from all around her at once. Then she heard it, it was barely above a whisper and came from behind her. The sound of claws scrapping stone. Slow and deliberate, the sound extended for long seconds before it was gone. Silence invaded the cavern once more, its weight forcing the girl to hold her breath. She heard it again then, the same scrapping sound, only it was louder. No, she realized, it wasn't louder, it was closer.

She turned around, shivers running down her back while she pointed her flashlight frantically this way and that. Stone and darkness were the only thing she saw. She stood frozen in place, her senses stretching to their limit to catch any hint of what caused the sound. The sound came from her right this time, closer and clearer, followed by the distinct sound of heavy steps. The girl's voice caught in her throat, her eyes staring into the darkness with a desperate glint. She started to walk backwards, her flashlight tracing arcs of light as she searched for the source of the sounds. She let out a gasp the moment cold stone touched her back, the touch both reassuring and unsettling in equal parts. Her hands were trembling, her breath coming in shorter intervals as her body prepared to face the threat.

She heard the crushing of stone and aimed her flashlight at the source, barely seeing a giant hunched shape jump from one of the rocks into the darkness. The girl tried to follow it yet the beast seemed to be one step ahead of her at every turn. She could only follow it as it grew nearer and nearer to her. Cold sweat ran down her body, her muscles clenching and unclenching in time with her breathing, her heart beating like crazy. She heard a growl come from behind her, claws scrapping the surface of the rock she was laying against. Slowly, she brought up her light, her hand trembling with fear and excitement. She would finally lay eyes on the beast, the dreaded monster that had hunted her so. A scream building up in her throat. Until it wasn't.

The silence that followed matched the surprise on the girl's face, her eyes wide as platters not out of fear, but of disbelief. There, in front of her was a giant wolf with charcoal black fur. Its head big enough that she though it could eat her with one bite. Its blue eyes shining with an eerie eye of their own. A thick wild musk hanging from it while a savage growl came from its throat. It was a terrifying sight no doubt, or at least it would be, if the same beast wasn't wearing a baby blue sleeping gown covered in stars and a fluffy hat resting on its head. The girl flicked the wolf in the nose, the big beast jumping back with a pitiful whine. She stood up and glanced at the beast with furrowed brows, her hands resting on her hips and a growl of her own coming from her throat. Only one thought held the girl's mind "All that work for nothing."