The Lycanthrope Club - An American Werewolf in Japan, Chapter I

Author’s Note: This story is set in modern day Japan. While I have attempted to accurately portray the country and its people I have never visited Japan nor have I formally studied Japanese culture, history, sociology or language beyond reading a select few titles - The Making of Modern Japan by Marius B. Jansen, The Book of the Yokai by Michael Dylan Foster, The World of the Shining Prince by Ivan Morris and a few others. The rest of my knowledge of Japan stems from anime, manga, video games, numerous Wikipedia articles and a two-year acquaintanceship with a Japanese researcher living in San Francisco. My depiction of Japan, therefore, is likely rife with inaccuracies and anachronisms. I apologize in advance to those readers who know better and welcome them to correct these errors for both their benefit and mine. 

In central Japan there is a term for rain when the sun nevertheless shines - kitsune no yomeiri, a fox's wedding, and is said to coincide with strange or even supernatural phenomenon. In particular, the mythical kitsune supposedly married one another or even humans during this time, often accompanied by the appearance of weird lights or eerie sounds emanating from nearby forests. A sunshower is an impossible event and thus must be engendered by other impossible events, or so the folk wisdom went.

While there was indeed a sunshower over Inuyama, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Junko. True, holding her umbrella in the brightness of the morning sun was a bit odd but other than that it felt like just another Saturday morning. Nothing strange or even notable had happened since she woke up - no ghost lights, no weird sounds, no sinister shadows lurking at the edge of the forest; nothing of the unearthly or uncanny. All in all, she was a little disappointed. She passed a tiny drug store, crossed a narrow two-lane street and made a right turn around an old bank. Small clusters of other high school students in summer uniforms - the same dark grey ensemble Junko was wearing - were walking behind and ahead of her. They carried identical wide black umbrellas. Some chatted convivially as they walked; others were silent. The steady hiss of the rain and hum of scattered traffic hung in the air. 

Junko stopped at a corner and looked around expectantly. She waited for almost a minute. Several groups of students walked past. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone - a bright pink device with a smiling yellow bear face sticker on the back - and started tapping away on its screen. 

where are you? 

Junko started walking again. A few seconds passed. Then, her phone beeped inoffensively. Junko looked down and saw she had received a reply.

just left my house. meet you at school. 

Junko grinned. 

"You're going to be late," she chided jokingly as though Masae could hear her. "Did you stay up w-"

Junko lurched forward as her foot failed to meet the sidewalk. She yelped in alarm as she staggered into a puddle that had formed around an overflowing gutter. She managed to keep her balance (and umbrella and phone) but her shoes and bottom half of her leggings were soaked. Junko scuttled across the street and skidded to a halt. Gasping, red-faced, she looked around and saw that a few pedestrians were giving her curious looks. Far more distressing, several students were pointing in her direction, giggling and whispering to each other; she recognized one or two of them. Junko groaned, but then took a deep breath, pocketed her phone, straightened her back and marched onwards. Her feet squelched with every step.

Inuyama Senior High School sat in the middle of a mixed residential/commercial area near the Kiso River. It was a large, three-story building made up of three separate structures connected by covered walkways. A large yard featuring a dirt track, baseball diamond, soccer field, and pool (currently empty) lay south of the building. Verdant green bushes lined the campus, obscuring the chain-link fence. Students were streaming in from the surrounding streets and alleys. Dozens dark umbrellas bobbed in the air around the main entrance. Junko hurried up the steps but then stopped. She glanced down at her water-logged shoes and hosiery, hesitated, and then shuffled over to the side of the building where it was dry. She folded her umbrella and took out her phone. 

have you made it? will you be here soon? she typed.

The reply came quicker than Junko had expected.

i'm here. in front of the school. 

Junko looked up and scanned the crowd. 

"Over here," intoned a deep female voice, outwardly calm belying irritation.

Junko turned. A tall, bespectacled schoolgirl - also holding a cell phone - was standing no more than ten feet away. The girl had long, smooth dark hair, lightly tanned skin and an angular face that seemed naturally predisposed to adapt an unamused scowl - like the one she was currently directing at Junko. 

"Masae-sempai!" exclaimed Junko a bit. "You're already here?"

"Of course," said Masae, shrugging. "I took a shortcut through the alley next to my house. I had to jump a few fences but I made it."

"Amazing," said Junko excitedly. She hesitated, her smile changing subtly. "I, um, I need a favor." She said quietly. "Do you, uh, do you have a spare pair of stockings?"

"What?" said Masae, her stern countenance flickering with confusion.

"I, uh, stepped in a puddle on my way here," whispered Junko urgently, blushing, nodding down at her shoes. 

Masae looked down at Junko's feet and then back up at her. 

"Why did you step in a puddle?"

"It was an accident. I...uh, I didn't see it when I was crossing the street."

"Isn't being careful when crossing the street one of the first things you learn in kindergarten?" said Masae, folding her arms. 

"Yes! But, ah, you see, I was distracted...no, thrown off by the kitsune no yomeiri and so wasn't expecting a puddle so I-" 

"Enough," said Masae, raising a hand. "Fine," she sighed. "You're really lucky I keep a clean pair with my bōgu."

"Thank you thank you!" 

"Whatever," snorted Masae. She gestured at the school. "Come on, class starts in ten minutes." She paused. "I want them back by Monday. And don't say a word about this to anyone. Clear?"

"Of course!"

"Good."

The two schoolgirls turned towards the main entrance. As they walked, a male student detached from the crowd and approached them. He was a bit on the small side, not thin nor overweight, slightly pale but not unhealthily so. His uniform was clean and neatly pressed as though it had just come from the dry cleaners. He had a simple, short, functional haircut. Anything more said regarding his appearance would be embellishment. 

"Good morning Takahashi-sempai!" he said, smiling.

"Good morning," said Masae with considerably less enthusiasm, though she did not seem actually irritated by the newcomer. 

"Sorry to bother you," continued the student, walking crabwise alongside the two girls. "But I wanted to make sure the club is still meeting in room 303-B. I checked the website this morning but it's still listed it as 117-A."

"It's 303-B," said Masae as the trio passed through the doors and stepped into the school. "They announced it yesterday, remember? Scheduling conflict with another club or something. Kinda annoying but it can't be helped."

"Just wanted to be sure," said the male student earnestly. "Oh, uh, hello Hayashi-san," he said diffidently, addressing Junko.

"Come on, you can use my first name," giggled Junko. "We've known each other since we were five."

"Yeah, don't be so uptight, Taro-kun," said Masae, grinning impishly. 

"Oh, um, sorry," said Taro, scratching the back of his head. "Well, uh, I hope the meeting goes well."

"Yeah," said Masae. "We really need that new equipment. Just gotta convince the club to actually buy it. Should be a walk in the park. Half of the dō have broken straps; no way they're going to keep ignoring it with regionals coming up."

"I'm sure you'll convince them, Takahashi-semp-...I mean, Masae-sempai," said Taro happily.

Masae rolled her eyes. 

"Ahhh, Masae-sempai..." said Junko. She nodded meanfully over at the girls' restrooms.

"Huh?" said Masae. "Oh, yeah. Let's take care of your little problem before a teacher notices."

"Huh?" said Taro.

"Nothing!" yelped Junko quickly as the two hurried into the bathroom. She waved. "See you in class."

Taro stood there for a moment, shrugged, turned and nearly slipped. After regaining his balance he stepped back and looked down. There were several wet splotches on the floor where the two girls had been walking.

* * *

It stopped raining by midday, leaving glistening wet sidewalks and roads and a pleasant fresh scent in the air. The brooding mass of rainclouds that had passed through Inuyama drifted farther to the west. By the time school was finished two-thirds of the sky was bright blue while the rest was still a murky dull grey. 

Junko dawdled by the entrance phone in hand as students trickled out onto the sidewalks. She glanced down at her slightly off-color leggings and still moist shoes. School had ended twenty minutes ago and neither Masae nor Taro had left the building. They weren't responding to her texts either. 

"Meeting probably ran late," she murmured to herself. She looked up at the retreating storm clouds clouds. Oddly enough, they seemed more ominous now contrasted with the otherwise cerulean clear sky - like some distant, otherworldly invader. Perhaps something interesting would happen after all. It was certainly overdue. She tapped an icon on her phone. The screen went dark for a second and then a colorful title screen appeared. She selected a saved game and started playing. Dozens of tiny superdeformed warriors, wizards, elves, dragons, dwarves, samurai and other sundry fantasy icons fought each other for supremacy. 

Five minutes later Masae emerged from the school looking more annoyed than usual. 

"There you are," said Junko happily, shutting off the game and pocketing her phone.

Masae snorted and folded her arms.

"Where's Taro-kun?" inquired Junko, peering around Masae.

"He'll be here in a bit," growled Masae.

"Uh, okay," said Junko, cocking her head, puzzled by her friend's behavior. 

The two schoolgirls stood by the entrance for a time. A teacher exited the school and trotted down the steps. Masae and Junko turned and issued a 'thank you and goodbye, sensei' as he passed.

"Meeting go well?" inquired Junko, growing uncomfortable with Masae's sullen silence."

"Oh yeah, everything's just peachy," harrumphed Masae. 

There was a pause.

"Uh...you seem unhappy, Masae-sempai," said Junko.

"Very perceptive, Junko-kohai," snorted Masae. 

"Come on, what's wrong?" said Junko playfully, edging closer to the senior student. 

As though to answer her question, Taro emerged from school carrying a pair of black duffel bags, one for each shoulder. They swung ponderously as he walked, knocking into each other and the unfortunate student's knees. 

"This is what's wrong," said Masae, gesturing at Taro. "Instead of buying brand new equipment the student council decided to send all our old stuff to the shop to get fixed. It'll cost about the same but instead of brand new equipment we'll be stuck with the same old crap. And guess who gets to carry it to the shop."

"This...this is really heavy, Takahashi-sempai," murmured Taro through clenched teeth. He knees were wobbling.

"Yeah, no kidding," said Masae absently. "That's nearly half of the club's kendōgu."

Junko chuckled. She stepped forward and reached for one of Taro's duffel bags. "Here, let me carry one, Taro-kun!"

"Uh, thank you, but-"

Junko pulled the strap off and held it with both hands. She stepped back, arms visibly straining. With a grunt she hefted the load over her left shoulder. 

"It's...not so bad," she managed, grinning wanly. "How...far is the shop?"

"About three kilometers," said Masae.

"Oh," said Junko weakly, maintaining her smile despite the fact it felt like the straps were about to cut through her shoulder blades. "Well...let's get going then," she said, taking a few wobbly steps towards the stairs.

"Yeah, you're not carrying that," said Masae quickly, blocking her. Ignoring her protests she yanked the duffel bag away from Junko. "Besides, this is club business and last time I checked you aren't a member," she said, hefting the bag without any apparent effort.

"Aww...fine," huffed Junko. "Can I come with you, at least? I've never been there."

"Whatever," said Masae. "You ready, Taro-kun?"

"Yes, thank you," said Taro, who looked far less encumbered with only one bag.

The three students descended the steps and made their way along the street. Foot traffic was heavier now. There were lots of students - not just ones from Inuyama but nearby junior high and middle schools as well. The general mood was jovial; school was out, after all, and they had Sunday off. The arcades, parks, and shops were filling up with students as were the cram schools. Junko, Masae and Taro wove their way through the crowd towards a quieter part of town filled with older houses and small, dingy shops, one of which they entered. Several minutes later they exited, leaving the duffel bags behind. 

"What time is it?" inquired Taro stretching his arms in relief.

Junko checked her phone. "Uh...4:45."

"Oh, um, I need to get going then," said Taro apologetically. "My parents are probably getting anxious."

"What? Come on, it's Saturday!" exclaimed Junko. "Give them a call and tell them you're hanging out with us."

"Uh, I am?" said Taro, somewhat taken aback. "Did you have something planned?"

"Well, no, but we should do something," said Junko. She turned to Masae. "Any ideas, Masae-sempai?"

"Not really," said Masae, adjusting her glasses. "I was just going to head home and get some shut-eye."

Junko pouted. "Well, can we at least get some ice cream or coffee jelly? There are a ton of stores on the way back."

Masae considered this. "Yeah, I could go for something," she conceded, almost grumpily. "Taro-kun?"

"Oh, sure," he said, reaching for his phone. "Just let me call my par-" 

"I'm sure they'd be fine with it," interrupted Masae irritably, waving her hand. "Come on, I know a shortcut to place next to the clinic," she said, already walking.

"Oooh! They have yummy parfait!" squeed Junko.

Taro sidled up to Masae as they walked.

"Um, are you sure it's a good idea to give her more sugar?" he asked surreptitiously.

Masae turned and gave Taro a surprised, wry grin. He managed one of his own.

Masae led the trio down the street, through a narrow alley and along a quiet suburban street. They cut through a small park, climbed the concrete steps of an old, dilapidated temple, circled around it and wound up on a narrow street bordering the dense forest that surrounded the neighborhood. The sun, though still bright, was nearing the horizon. The light was changing, acquiring a softer, golden hue that reflected brilliantly off the numerous puddles on the streets and sidewalks. Somewhere off in the distance, a crow cawed. 

"Taro-kun?" said Junko suddenly.

"Yes?"

"When did you start practicing kendo anyhow?" she asked. 

"Oh, uh, when I was very young," said Taro. "I found an old shinai in my parent's closet and started playing with it. My father caught me and, well, said if I was going to wield a shinai I would do it properly. So he signed me up for junior lessons and, well, I've been practicing ever since."

"Just like that?"

"Mmm-mm."

"Cool!" said Junko. "Masae-sempai started practicing kendo when she was young too. She had a grandfather who was a famous kendo master. He started teaching her when she was five."

"Really?" said Taro curiously. "You've never mentioned that, Takahashi-sempai."

"Eh, he only taught me for a couple of months," said Masae. "He was really strict - one of those old-school sensei. I don't even remember that much about it - only that it really sucked. I didn't pick up a shinai again until I was twelve." She paused, giving Junko an odd look. "You know, if you're so interested in kendo you should join the club."

"Huh?" said Junko, blinking. "Uh...nope. Sorry. I'd be terrible at it." She grinned apologetically.

"Well, that's a first," said Masae. "I've never known you to say no to something."

"Yeah, well, kendo is kind of your thing, Masae-sempai."

"So what's your 'thing,' then?" asked Masae.

The question had been casually asked yet Junko stopped in her tracks when she heard it. Her cheerful smile faded. Both Masae and Taro turned and looked back at her, bemused.

"I, um...that is," murmured Junko, fiddling with her skirt. She brightened up. "I guess I'm still figuring it out," she said, laughing. "I mean, I'm good at a lot of things."

"Like what?" said Masae.

"I'm good at English," she said quickly. "And, um, I'm good at art. You said my Skip Beat dōjinshi was pretty good, remember?"

"I said it was okay," said Masae wearily. "Okay then, why don't you join the art club?"

"Oh, er, they don't actually draw a lot of manga," said Junko. 

"And the English club?"

"Well...I mean, just because I don't join a club doesn't mean-"

"You're hopeless, Junko-chan," sighed Masae, continuing along. Taro reluctantly followed. Junko frowned. She gazed down at her feet, sighed, and then hurried after them.

"Are we almost there?" she asked when she caught up. "I could really go for some parfait now," she added, a touch sorely. 

"Just a couple blocks," said Masae. 

"You sure?" said Junko, looking around. Even in the late afternoon the light was dim and there wasn't a single person or car in sight.

"Relax, this street circles around the north side," said Masae. "It'll wind south eventually and we'll be just a block from the big convenience store. You'll get your parfait."

The three high schoolers ambled along. It was quieter here than the rest of the city. The rumble of traffic was distant and muted. Small sounds such as birds, rustling branches and their own footsteps grew audible as their ears adjusted to the dearth of ambient noise. This, coupled with her unfamiliarity with the neighborhood, was making Junko a little uneasy. 

"I've...been this way once before, too," said Taro reassuringly. "It's just an older part of town."

"I know, I know," said Junko. "Just...everything looks...I dunno, a little sketchy. Like, over there," she said, pointing. "There's a pile of clothes or...or rugs just lying in the street."

"Huh?" said Taro, looking ahead. 

There was indeed some kind of furry black object sitting on the side of the road next to the forest. It was a good fifty meters away so the high schoolers couldn't make much detail of it. It was charcoal black, though conceivably its dark hue was due to it being water-logged from the morning shower. It was the only piece of litter or debris in the otherwise clean albeit wet street.

"Must have fallen out of someone's bike or car," mused Masae. "Weird."

"It...kinda looks like a big fur coat," said Taro.

"Hey, yeah!" said Junko. "A real fancy one?"

The object was tufted and not a uniform shade of black; there were dark grey streaks and blotches here and there. It was rather lumpy for a discarded garment. In fact, it looked as though it was covering something. As the three students grew nearer, however, it became painfully obvious this was not the case.

"That's...that's a dead animal," said Masae suddenly.

As one, Junko, Masae and Taro stopped in their tracks.

"N-No way," protested Taro. "It's too big. There's nothing that big around here."

"Maybe it's a dog," said Masae quietly. "It looks like one. A foreign breed, maybe."

"I...I guess."

"So sad...and kinda gross," whispered Junko, her face wrinkling with disgust.

"A dead dog, then," said Taro unhappily. "Should we do som-whaaa!" 

The animal had stirred.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa!" yelped Junko.

"It's still alive?" breathed Masae. 

The animal lifted its head. It was vaguely canine in shape, sporting a narrow black muzzle. Its ears, though currently drooped, were pointed and long. It was large. Very large, in fact. 

"Look at the size of it," said Masae.

"I hope it's friendly," gulped Junko. 

"W-We should get out of here," urged Taro, stepping back. "Go and get the police."

"It's just an animal," said Junko, though in truth she sounded uncertain.

It flexed its legs once. Then twice. It remained where it was. Its chest slowly rose and fell as it breathed.

"Yeah I think Taro has the right idea, Junko-chan," conceded Masae, an uncharacteristic tremor of fear in her voice. She stepped back. Junko, however, didn't move.

"It's...hurt," said Junko. 

"Yeah, obviously," growled Masae, equal parts angry and frightened. "It's an injured animal. That makes it dangerous. Let's get out of here."

The creature shifted its weight and rose unsteadily. As it stood, two disconcerting facts became apparent. For one, it was as large as a human, perhaps larger. For another, it wasn't a dog. While none of the high schoolers were experts in comparative physiology it would be difficult to mistake the creature before them for a dog. The fur around its neck and back was far too thick, its skull too large, its muzzle too straight. Bizarrely, it had a curly ebony mane that bore a striking resemblance to human hair; it almost looked like someone had put a toupee on it, albeit an incredibly realistic one. Then there were its eyes - yellow, piercing, intelligent, wild. And they were staring directly at the high schoolers.

"Junko-chan, walk away, slowly," whispered Masae in a hushed, terrified voice.

Then, it rose up on its hind legs. And stood there. 

Junko, Masae and Taro stared in stupefied amazement. Its posture was not awkward; it was not teetering on its hind legs like an animal performing a trick. It looked as though it could maintain its bipedal stance as long as it wished. That said, it looked...exhausted. The creature was breathing heavily and clutching its stomach with a paw. 

Almost unconsciously, Junko reached into her pocket. She took out her cell phone and snapped a picture.

"No, no, no!" exclaimed Masae, shaking her head in disbelief. "What are you doing?"

The wolf-thing did not seem to like this. A low, rumbling growl issued from its black lips. It took a single step forward. 

"Oh no," breathed Junko. She stared horrified at her phone as though it had betrayed her. 

The creature took another step, still holding its side. Then, it crumpled to the street with a surprisingly pathetic whimper. It raised its head and gazed up at Junko. Then, it sniffed the air and opened its mouth.

"You need to get away."

The voice was deep, hoarse, but unmistakably female. It wasn't Japanese, but neither was it the simple, unintelligent bark of an animal.

There was, for a moment, absolute silence. There was no wind, no birdsong. The distant rumble of traffic faded. Everyone held their breath. Then, the wolf creature shuddered. Dazed, heart-pounding in her chest, Junko inched closer. She looked down and noticed a wet patch on the creature's body. It wasn't water. Junko pocketed her phone and hurried over to the creature. 

"What are you doing?" cried Taro.

"I...I don't-....It's not...it's bleeding," stuttered Junko, looking back. "We need to help it."

"A-Are you insane?" hissed Masae in shock. "That...that thing talked...I think."

"It did," said Junko, looking around for something; she wasn't exactly sure what. "It told us to get away. Uh, in English."

She reached down and tore a piece of her skirt. 

"W-What? You understo-...what are you doing now?" said Masae, almost screaming.

"I'm, uh, I'm going to stop the bleeding," said Junko. "Make a tourniquet." 

"That's enough," roared Masae, shaking her head in disbelief. She rushed over to Junko, wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pulled her away from the beast. Taro just stood there, mouth agape. 

"We need to go. Now!"

"Bu-"

"Now!"

"T-Takahashi-sempai," said Taro suddenly.

"What?" snarled Masae.

Taro simply pointed. Masae and Taro turned their heads. 

A man was standing in the road ahead of them. He was dressed in a smart blue coat over a white shirt with no tie, matching blue pants and shiny black derby shoes. His shirt sleeves were torn and dirt smudges covered his pants legs and shoes. He was holding a gun in his right hand. 

Masae let go of Junko. The man watched them owlishly. He looked like his was in his late forties, maybe fifties. Though not exactly wrinkled his face was coarse and rough, like old leather. His dark black hair was styled into a sharp undercut. For a time, nobody spoke. Then, the man wiped his mouth and started walking towards the high schoolers and the creature.

"What are you kids doing?" he said in a curt, irritated voice. 

Masae and Junko exchange terrified looks. 

"Go on, back off," he said, motioning with his gun. He paused. "I'm with the police. You're not in any trouble."

"O-Okay," said Junko, relief washing over her. She glanced down at the creature. It wasn't just a wolf. There were too many odd things about it. Its paws, for one, almost looked like hands. "M-May I ask what this is?" she said.

"Stay away!" ordered the man, now standing a few meters away. "It's dangerous."

"Yessir," said Junko, complying. Masae gulped and did the same. The three high schoolers huddled together as the man approached the fallen creature. He leveled his gun at the thing and prodded its recumbent body with a foot. It didn't move beyond breathing. Whispering some foul expletive under his breath he reached into his coat with his free hand and took out a black phone. He tapped the screen and raised the device to his ear. 

"It's me," he said after a few seconds. He dropped to a whisper, though whether by accident or indifference the high schoolers could still make out what he was saying. "I got her. Do you want me to finish the job?" 

"Finish the job?" hissed Junko. "That...that doesn't sound like something a policeman would say."

"Obviously," whispered Masae out of the corner of her mouth. "Look at him. I think he might be yakuza."

"Fine. Fine," said the man, still speaking over the phone. "Pick us up." He glanced at the three high schoolers as though he had forgotten them. "Actually, we have a problem. There were three kids here when I showed up."

Junko started shaking. She didn't like where this was going. 

"Yakuza?" whispered Taro, terrified. "We should run."

"He has a gun, stupid," said Masae.

"But he told us to leave."

"Stop whispering!" barked the man, lowering his phone. Once they had gone silent he continued. "Sorry about that. Yes, it was them. What should we do?" There was pause as he listened. His expression did not change. "No, I don't think they're with her - just some students at the wrong place at the wrong time. I...yes of course. Sorry sir. You're right. We can't afford to take chances. But how...I see. I'll keep them from leaving. See you soon." He hung up and pocketed his phone. "Sorry, kiddos, looks like-" 

Taro bolted down the street. Masae whirled around, cursed, and then ran after him. Junko stood there for a second longer, looking wildly back and forth between her retreating friends and the man before scampering off as well. 

There was a loud bang. 

Junko had heard gunshots on television, films and internet videos but none of them did the real thing justice. The sound itself was almost a physical force that stuck her like a violent slap. Fortunately, the shot itself didn't hit her. Unfortunately, it did hit someone. Junko saw Masae tumble to the ground and heard her wail. Junko just kept on running. Maybe it was adrenaline. Maybe she was so frightened she was no longer capable of thinking of anything but self-preservation. 

There was another bang. Then another. 

At first Junko thought she had slammed into something while running. She hit the pavement - hard - rolled a meter or two and then the real pain came. It felt as though someone had thrust a jagged knife deep inside her and just kept twisting. Agony seared her terror-addled mind. Junko screamed and writhed about on the cold wet pavement clutching her wounded leg. It was without exaggeration the most intense pain she had ever experienced. Several, excruciating seconds passed. The shock wore off. The pain eased slightly, becoming bearable, but only just. Junko peered up through teary eyes and saw the man glaring down at her contemptuously.

"That was stupid," he growled. "Now we hav-"

There was a flash of motion and the man simply disappeared. 

Junko heard a low, inhuman snarl. Then screaming. Other sounds soon followed and none of them were pleasant. Many had a horrible, suggestive organic quality; once or twice Junko made out a sort of snap or crunch. 

The noises stopped. Junko slowly lifted her head and heard Masae sobbing; if Taro was still around, he had gone silent. Junko shuddered. The pain was getting worse now. She slowly rolled over onto her back to relieve the pressure on her leg and then froze. There was something warm and slightly sticky pooling around her body. Her hand was dripping with it. She felt...dizzy.

There were footsteps. Then, the creature reappeared. Junko's eyes widened. She started to tremble. The wolf creature stared down at her shivering, prostrate form. Its gaze briefly shifted to something behind Junko - presumably Masae or Taro - then back to her. To her surprise, it bent low - resting its elbows on its knees - and looked directly into her eyes. Junko's jaw dropped. As ridiculous as it sounded, the creature had a beautiful face. Though it lacked the pleasant rounded shape of a human head, neither did it possess the sharp, angular proportions of a wolf; it was a strangely compelling compromise between the two. Its cheeks, forehead, and jaw were coated with a velvety layer of soft grey fur that darkened slightly along its slender muzzle, which gradually tapered into a shiny black nose with nostrils not much larger than those of a human. Its penetrating yet alluring yellow eyes gleamed like twin bonfires a cold winter night. Long, black tresses ran down its temples, framing its exotic countenance. Then there were its ears. Though arguably one of its more inhuman characteristics there was something undeniably appealing about the way they stuck out of its head.

Suddenly, the creature sighed.

"I don't know if you can understand me," it intoned, speaking English. "But I don't think you or your friend are going to last long enough for an ambulance to get here. I can save you, but..."  it grimaced. "Well, let's just say things will get even more complicated." 

Junko nodded vaguely. She understood maybe one word in three and couldn't quite grasp what it was trying to say. Still, she sensed it wanted to help her. Maybe. She wasn't sure. She was having a hard time focusing on its voice. Her eyelids were growing heavy.

"No, no stay awake,"  growled the creature. "Don't go passing out on me, damnit!"  

Junko recognized that last bt, at least; she giggled deliriously. The creature clutched its forehead with a paw.

"I guess we're doing this," it said. "I'll contact you once the heat has died down. Until then...try not to bite anyone, okay?"

That was the last thing Junko heard before slipping into unconsciousness.