Werewolf Courtship

	You inhaled, feeling all the icy cold, January morning air as it flowed down into your lungs. Your feet stood on top of the fresh white snow from last night. And better yet, it’ll stay white and fresh, here at your home, secluded in the woods. You never liked how snow would get all brown and dirty in the city. The winter sun shone through the skeletal trees and the sparse fog. You exhaled, your breath condensing against the cold air in a billow of mist. A smile crossed your face. Days like this reminded you of the memories of snow days when you were a little kid. Bittersweet feeling filled your chest. Happy that it happened, sad that it never will again.
	A strange sound tickled your ear. Like something whispering or something. Maybe it was the trees rubbing together. But the sound tugged at your attention, you feel as though you’ve heard it before, but it’s whatever it was eluded you. But, suddenly you remembered. You turned on your heel, running around the perimeter of your cabin.
	“Winnie!” you yelled as you reached the front. There, laying on her side at your front door, was the short werewolf, Winnie, her claws held to your door. She craned her head up and smiled.
	“Anon!” she said, springing to her feet. She was always under dressed during the winter months, maybe due to her fur. This morning, she wore a flannel jacket, the same one that she always wears, and her pair of black capris with the tattered hem that really drives home the “Canadian Werewolf” aesthetic. She took one extra precaution, though it was probably just to appease you, that precaution being a black wool cap that she cut slits in so her ears could stick out.
	“I’ve told you a million times not to scratch the door.” you said.
	“Sorry.” she said. “I knocked but you didn’t answer.”
	“It’s alright.” you said, subtly eyeing the door for scratches. “So, what’s up Pupster? What do you need?” Her face cracked into a smile that she seemed to be attempting to stifle.
	“And, I’ve told you a million time not to call me ‘Pupster’.”
	“Alright then, Winifred, what did you swing by for.” you said. Her smile grew and she stepped down from your doorstep and towards you.
	“Shut up.” she said, stifling giggles. “Or I’ll kill you.”
	“You can try.” you said, looking down at her as she got close. She laughed.
	“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Anon.” she said. “But, uhh...I came by to see if you wanted to go for a walk with me.”
	“After you just threatened to kill me? I don’t think so.” you said.
	“C’mon…” she said, tapping your arm. “I’m serious.”

----------

	Your hands felt the soft inside lining of the pockets in your jacket. Your ears were numb, you regretted not wearing a hat. Looking down at Winnie, as she walked with a happy, bouncing gait next to you, her hat didn’t serve much of a purpose with her ears sticking out. She turned her head to look up at you with her smiling face and big, yellow eyes, pupils wide open.
	“Isn’t the Winter great, Anon?” she asked. You looked up towards tall, green fir trees, their branches shouldering loads of snow.
	“Yeah.” you said. “It is a nice time of year.”
	“And it’s a great time to hunt.” she said. “If we find a deer or something I’ll be able to cook us a really nice dinner.”
	“Sounds great.” you said, hoping that she doesn’t find anything to kill.
	“So where’s this lake you’re telling me about, Anon?” she asked. There was a lake, or maybe it was a bit more of a pond, tucked into the woods a ways in.
	“Straight ahead.” you said.
	“It’d better be a nice view.” she said.
	“It is. I’m surprised you haven’t been there before. I thought you 'knew every inch of these woods'.” you said, teasing her for some of her past boasting. You didn’t get an answer. “Winnie?” you asked, turning to look at her. But there was no werewolf next you. There was one, however, off on the side of the path, sprawled out in the snow, rolling around, smile on her face. “Winnie.” you called again, approaching her. Her head, covered in fine white snow popped up. “What are you doing?”
	“What?” she asked. “Don’t you love the snow?”
	“Yeah. But I’m not gonna get all cold and covered in it.” She glanced down at the pile of snow she was in, a mischievous smile slowly crossing her face.
	“That’s what you think.” she said, plunging her hands into the snow and packing together a snowball.
	“No, no!” you said, laughing, stepping back and attempting to shield your face before you were struck in the shoulder. You knelt down and scooped up some snow in your numb fingers, and discharged it in her direction as soon as you could. It hit her in the side as she constructed a snowball arsenal. She scooped them all up in her arms, and stood up, bounding after you. She began barraging you with snowballs like a gatling gun, not chance for you to dodge. All you could do was attempt to shield yourself until the onslaught was finished. After the last snowball struck you, you lowered your guard, only to the sight of Winnie in mid pounce.
	She hit you like a train, sending you onto your back in the snow, then pinned your shoulders down with her deceptively slender arms. She straddled your body, giggling cheerfully, yes closed.
	“Alright, alright.” you said. “You win.” You tried to sit up, but she still giggling, slammed your shoulders back down and held you there. “...Winnie?” She opened her big wolf eyes, her pupils, first as slits, opened up to their full size. She smiled and slowly lowered her face towards yours, and...started rubbing her forehead on yours. Her soft fur tickled against your skin, and the snow that had been dusted on her began to melt on your forehead. She lifted her head back up, smiling, and giving you strange, sultry eyes, that widened when she saw the confusion on your face. Her smile faded and she frowned before lowering her face again and rubbing her cheeks all over your face. “Winnie, what are you doing?” She lifted up and looked down at your furrowed brow again, a look of confusion on her face. Her brow creased, and she grabbed your face with her hands, and began licking your face all over. “Aww, c’mon Winnie, stop!” you said, attempting to push her off of you. She reared off.
	“I-I’m sorry, let’s just keep walking.” she said, embarrassed. You sat up, wiping your face with the sleeve of your jacket. “I’m sorry.” she repeated.
	“It’s alright.” you said, standing. “...What were you just doing?” She didn't answer, only looked away. "Let's just keep going." you said.

----------

	It was snowing now. You watched the flakes from your window, illuminated by the blue light of the moon behind the clouds. The lights in your house were all off, all except for the warm glow of the wood stove, granting a soft warmth to your home. The view from your window was like a Bob Ross painting. You thought about going for a walk, but these woods have the capacity to be dangerous at night. And you already went on a walk earlier that day with Winnie. You wondered just what she was trying to accomplish by licking you and rubbing her face on you. Probably just some werewolf strangeness.
	A few knocks sounded at your door. On your door, in the woods, in the middle of the night. It was these times that you regretted living here. You stood up and walked to the door, and, hesitantly, with your guard ready, opened it.
	In front of you stood Winnie. Speak of the devil. She looked up at you, smiling, her eyes twinkling in the light of the fireplace glowing behind you, contrasted against the the blood that coated her teeth and lips, and the hulking carcass of a buck behind her.
	“Hi, Anon.” she said.
	“...Hi.” you replied. “Thanks for knocking.” She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head.
	“I hoped you’d notice that…” she said. “But, I bought you a gift!” She pointed to the dead deer behind her. “...It’s also an apology…”
	“I already forgave you.” you said.
	“Yeah…” she said. “But I did promise that if I found a deer, I’d cook us dinner.” You smiled.
	“Alright, come on in.” you said. She nodded happily and stepped back, wrapping her arms around the deer and lugging it up off the ground. “Wait, wait. Let me get a tarp or something.”

----------

	The carcass of the deer, stripped of all it’s desirable meat, lay on a tarp in the middle of your kitchen. Winnie had it all skinned and cut up impossibly fast, and was already done seasoning and searing the pieces that she was cooking, which was only yours. Winnie liked raw meat better.
	The two of you sat at the table in your dining room surrounded by candles that you’d lit so that you wouldn’t need to turn on the light.
	“...and the thing thought it could run and get away.” Winnie said, telling the story of how she caught the deer. “But, let me tell you, Anon, nothin’ gets away from me.” She sprung up from her seat, propping herself up with her hand on the table. “You should come hunting with me some time!” she said, her tail wagging wildly behind her.
	“It sounds kind of intense out there, Winnie.” you said.
	“Oh, c’mon.” she said. “I bet you could take down a buck! And even if you couldn’t...I’d be there for you.”
	“Yeah, I—” Winnie held her hand up, cutting you off. She turned her head, her nose twitching.
	“Your cut is done.” she said, getting up. She scurried to the stove and grabbed a fork, then took the meat from the stove top. “Are you sure you don’t want to try it raw?” she asked.
	“Definitely sure.” you said.
	“One day, you’ll come around.” she said, coming back to the table with two plates. She set them down on the table. Two filets, one medium rare, one raw. “And one last thing.” She took two glasses from your cabinet, and a bottle of brandy that you’d never seen before. Your brow furrowed.
	“Where’d you find that?” you asked.
	“I hid it there the first time I came to your house.” She chuckled bashfully, as she poured the two glasses and came back to the table. “I had a feeling we’d be friends.” She sat down. She glanced up and down between you and the food. “Well, don’t leave me hanging, Anon.” You took your fork and knife and cut a piece off from the meat.
	“You know, I’ve never had venison before.” you said.
	“Who better to be your first time?” she said with a wink. You smiled at her and ate the piece that was on your fork. It tasted kind of like beef, but also, kind of like duck, somehow. It was sort of smoky and earthy. Winnie looked at you, excited, anticipatory smile on her lips.
	“It's good. Really good.” you said. You’ve never been good with compliments. She smiled.
	“I knew it’d be.” she said, taking a bite of her raw cut. “You want a bite of this?”
	“Maybe some other time.” you said.

----------

	You felt the warmth from the candle that sat between you and Winnie, as the two of you peered out the window together.
	“It looks like a postcard.” she said. “I guess I can see the woods for it’s uhh…”
	“Aesthetic?”
	“Yeah, that.” she said. “Maybe you can take me to the lake some time, since we didn’t get all the way there today.”
	“Yeah.” you said, turning to look at her. “I think you'll like it there.” Her eyes reflected the light from the candle as she looked out towards the peaceful snowflakes, falling down from the clouds, turned blue by silvery rays from the moon descending through the clouds. Her ears twitched at the crackling of the wood stove behind the two of you. She turned to look at you, your eyes meeting, and holding.
	“Why’s that?” she asked. You shrugged.
	“It’s just a nice place.” you said. She didn’t reply, and she didn’t look away. You heard the tiny ringing that you hear when there’s not much else to drown it out, and the crackling fire and Winnie’s soft breathing weren’t loud enough for that. “Thanks for the dinner.”
	“No problem.” she said, so quiet you could barely hear her. And silence fell again. Winnie face slowly grew closer to yours. And closer. And closer…
	Something sharp jabbed you in the rib. You looked down to see her claw there. You looked back up to her face, that looked back at you, waiting for some kind of reaction. You creased your brow, and she did the same before poking you with her claw again.
	“Ow.” you said. “What are you doing?” Her only reply was to purse her lips in determination, and continue poking and scratching you. “Winnie, what are you doing?” you asked again, stepping back off of your chair. She followed you, clasping onto your side with her sharp claws. You tripped on a floorboard and fell backwards, Winnie taking the opportunity to continue painfully prodding you with her claws. “Winnie, stop!” you said, pushing her body, which wasn’t in the slightest bit heavy, off of you and onto her butt. She looked at you for a moment, before her ears folded down. She shook her head.
	“I…” she stammered. “What do I have to do, Anon? I don’t understand what you want!” You shook your head.
	“What?” you yelled, the strangeness of the situation getting to you.
	“I...I should just go.” she said, standing and backing away.
	“No, no.” you said. “Winnie, you don’t have to go!”
	“No, it’s okay.” she said, as she frantically made her way to the door. She stopped in the kitchen and heaved up the deer carcass. “I’ll get rid of this for you.” she said with a forced chuckle.
	“No, Winnie, just wait.” you said, but she didn’t listen. She held the weight of the deer with one arm and one knee as she reached out and opened the door. She scurried out into the snow, and didn’t turn back. “Winnie!” you called after her, but she never stopped. “Damn it.” you mumbled to yourself, shutting the door. You asked yourself what her problem was.

----------

	A knock rasping at your door woke you up. You peered your weary eyes out of the window. It was early morning, the Sun having barely finished rising. There were a lot of people coming to your house at stupid hours lately. Well, it was actually just one person, Winnie. The memories of her clawing at you rushed in. You sighed and rubbed your eyes as you rolled off the couch, where you fell asleep the night prior. Whoever it was at the door, though you knew who it was already, knocked again. You walked to the door, and without even caring to prepare yourself, swung it open.
	To your surprise, the person standing before you was no werewolf. She stood in her violet dress, on hand on her hip, the other holding a parasol above her head. Her face set in an angry expression.
	“Sibella?” you said. You didn't know her very well, besides that she was Winnie's best friend. “Hi, Sibella.”
	“Hi, Anon.” she said. She didn’t sound happy. She just stood there for a moment, waiting.
	“Oh! Come in.” you said. You had to, she couldn’t come in otherwise. She walked in, closing her parasol. “So...It's a surpise to see you here.” you said. as you shut the door. She turned to you with an upturned brow.
	"Why?" she asked. "Are we not friends? You don't want me here?"
	"No, no!" you said. “Uh...you seem kind of mad...”
	“You know as a matter of fact, I am kind of mad.” she said.
	“Oh...Not at me, though, right?”
	“Yes, at you.” she said.
	“Uh huh.” you said, beginning to grow nervous. “What did I—”
	“I just don’t get why you’re making Winnie feel so bad about herself.” she said. You shook your head in confusion.
	“Wha—”
	“She'd kill me if she knew I was here talking to you about this, but she is trying, Anon!” Sibella said. “She has enough trouble just being a werewolf here, instead of being with all the wolf packs up north! All you’re doing is making her feel even more like she doesn’t belong!”
	“Sibella, I—”
	“And the candles, Anon?” she said. “You’re just teasing her!” She took a step close to you and jabbed her finger into your chest. “Make a decision, Anon. Commit to that decision. And let everybody know which decision you’ve made!” she said. She let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry for yelling at you.” she said after a bit of silence.
	“...I don’t…” you started, but you just shook your head. You’ve never been so confused. You had no idea what she was talking about, though you were pretty sure it pertained to Winnie acting all weird.
	“I can’t stay to chat, I’ve got family stuff to take care of.” she said, backing towards the door. “But we should hang out soon. All of us.” She opened the door behind her. “And remember all the stuff I just told you.” She smiled and waved, then, in a cloud of purple, she changed into a bat and flew off. You scratched your head. You didn’t really know much of anything, but it seemed like you were going to have to talk to Winnie. But later. Winnie usually sleeps in anyways.

----------

	You trudged through the snow, still falling, through the trees of the woods, on your way out, to Grimwood’s. You were just going to have to ask Winnie what was up, because you couldn’t really make heads or tails of the whole situation. Maybe it was just werewolf body language or something. She is the only werewolf you know, maybe you overreacted. But did you? All you did was push her off when she was clawing or licking you. That isn’t really an overreaction.
	Whatever was wrong with her, you had to talk to her about it, and make her feel better. Because, what Sibella said got to you. You didn’t want her to feel like she didn’t fit in. And you definitely didn’t want to be the one to make her feel that way. at the end of the day, you cared about the pupster.
	The mouth of the woods was in sight, and so was the menacing hill, atop of which stood Grimwood’s, looming over the land. You started up. It was almost too snowy to walk up without slipping.
	You may have waited to long to come by. The Sun was almost all the way down now, the night’s dusky purple taking over, snow still falling.
	The huge doors of the building stood in front of you. You knocked and waited. You turned for a moment to look at the tops of the trees from the hill. The low light made them appear like they just went on forever into the darkness. You turned back to the door, to the sight of a semi-opaque, blue, big eyed face sticking out of the door. You stumbled backwards in start.
	“Jesus!.” you said. The blue ghost snickered and began to giggle. Phantasma, another of Winnie's close friends. Her head disappeared back behind the door, and the door slowly began to open. You stepped inside and the great, cavernous hall swallowed you in. Two staircases led to the hallway of the second floor, which bridged the gap in the second floor that overlooked the hall. A huge window let in the light from the Moon and the last streaks of sunlight hidden behind the clouds. Phantasma swooped into your field of view again, her arms crossed and her face wearing an expression of mock anger.
	“I’m supposed to be mad at you.” she said.
	“I really don’t know what I did.” you said. She started to giggle again.
	“Yeah, I’m sure.”
	“Is Winnie in her room?” you asked. Phantasma nodded.
	“Anon!” a young, happy voice called out. From the darkness of the hallway to your right came Tanis, who as far as you understood was kind of a mummified baby sister to Winnie and the rest of these girls, who had been a toddler all these years, since they were all children, and now that they were all adults, a toddler she remained. Escorting her was Elsa, the last of Winnie's group, a tall lanky patchwork frankentein.
	“Are you going to talk to Winnie?” Elsa asked. You shook your head.
	“Why does everybody know about this?” you asked. “Is it some kind of big deal? Did I commit a werewolf faux-pas or something?” Elsa chuckled.
	“No.” she said.
	“Well then, what?”
	“You should know.” she said. “It is January after all.” You overturned your hands. Just another detail that made no sense.
	“What’s that have to do with anything?” you asked. Phantasma swooped down to you.
	“January to March, Anon.” she said in her her high pitched, wavering voice, before tearing off in her trademark banshee laughter. You shook your head and made for the stairs, the ghost's laughter haunting you as you ascended them.

----------

	The hallways here were like a maze. The building was way too big to only have six people living here. But you were pretty sure you knew where Winnie's room was, among the numerous empty ones. It seems that the matriarch of this ghoulish ensemble, Miss Grimwood, had bigger plans for Grimwood’s Finishing School for Ghouls. But she seemed to be happy with how it came out. It was happy, spooky family here.
	You crossed a corner hallway, and all the way at the far end was an open door, a soft reddish glow seeping out. That was Winnie’s room. You started on your way through the dark hallway, that light like the one at the end of the tunnel, the one they say you see when you die. You knocked and nudged the door open.
	The inside of her room smelled distinctly like a dog. It reminded you of your dog when you were a kid. You missed that dog on those bittersweet sunny days all those years ago. You poked your head into the door, and there she sat on her bed, facing away from you. Somehow with her canine hearing she hadn't heard you knock. She hugged a big teddy bear close to her, and gnawed on it’s neck. The stuffed animal was ravaged with tears and rips, stuffing spilling out. But, like Winnie had said the night before, nothin’ escapes her. She was intently watching television as she chewed on her prey. You didn’t recognize what she was watching. Some kind of animated show. On the screen was some blonde haired guy wearing a purple suit, and floating behind him was some kind of weird, pink, muscular cat person or something. It looked weird. Bizarre even. You knocked on her door.
	She jumped in start, a yelp escaping her throat. She fumbled with the remote, changing the channel. She turned around, and was again surprised by who it was waiting for her. Her ears folded down over the torn flannel sleeve that she was wearing as a headband.
	“...Hi, Anon.” she said, casting her gaze away, down at her hands as they began fiddling with her blankets. "What are you doing here...besides invading my privacy."
	“Hi, Winnie.” you said, taking a step in. “Sibella came by and talked to me.” Winnie twirled around on her bed.
	“What?! She did?” You nodded. Winnie put her hands on her face and she groaned.
	“I told her to stay out of it!” she said, lowering her hands. “...So…what do you think?” You shook your head.
	“I really don’t know what to think.” you said. Her doleful eyes looked away, and she let out a few sad chuckles.
	“...I knew it was wishful thinking...I—”
	“What was wishful thinking, Winnie?” you asked. “I seriously have no idea what’s going on. All I know is that you’ve been acting kind of weird and that everybody is kind of mad at me. I need you to tell me what’s going on.” Her head slowly lifted.
	“People are mad at you?” she asked. You shrugged. Winnie let out a little growl. “I’m gonna get  Sibella for this one.” She looked up at you. “But she didn’t tell you?”
	“She just yelled at me for a really vague reason and told me to make a decision.” you said. Winnie chuckled and shook her head.
	“Shut the door.” You complied and walked towards her. She patted the bed, and you sat down. “So, listen…” she said, averting her gaze.
	“What?”
	“...The reason I’ve been acting weird and doing all that stuff, y’know, licking your face, and bringing you the deer, and clawing at you…” You nodded. “Those are all…” she bit her lip and rubbed her arm, looking down at the bed. "uhh...instinctual..." she searched for words. “...methods of courtship.” She glanced up at you. You brow creased, then your face softened in realization, and then your brow creased again in an even deeper realization.
	“Oh…” you said.
	“Yeah…” she said, looking away again. “A-and like I said, it was wishful thinking. I don’t expect you to—”
	“Wait, so you…” you said. “Wanted...me?” She nodded, embarrassed. You ran the idea through your mind, over and over again, having not chance to stifle the smile that was creeping across your lips. Winnie watched it happen, and her face went from embarrassment to dangerous werewolf fury.
	“You don’t have to laugh at me, jerk!” she yelled, reaching for a pillow to throw.
	“No, no, no, Winnie!” you said, holding your hands out if front of you. “I’m not laughing at you!”
	“Well then, what are you doing?” she asked, pillow locked and loaded to be thrown at you with ferocious power.
	“I’m just...thinking about it.” you said. She lowered the pillow.
	“...You are?” she asked. You nodded. She put down the pillow and crawled closer.
	“You could’ve tried human courtship. I probably would’ve been more receptive.” you said. She chuckled, looking down, twirling the fur on her legs.
	“Yeah, I may have made some off decisions.” she said. She glanced up at you from under her brow. You swallowed hard, no words in your mind to say. You felt her warm hand touch yours. You decided to go for boldness once in your life. And slowly, hesitantly, and with a slightly trembling hand took her by the hip. She gasped as you pulled her close, but that gesture was all she needed. She smiled, showing her teeth, wrapped her arms around your shoulders, and pulled you in with her werewolf strength.
	The uptake was a bit aggressive, but her kiss was gentle. At least as gentle as Winnie could be. She forced you onto your back as she ran her fingers through your hair and you felt the warm fur of her back, scratching her spine in a way that you thought she might like. The tip of her tail curved down and tickled your hands. She broke off the kiss and looked down at you with her big, yellow eyes, then reared her head down to your neck, where she ever so gently gnawed on your skin.
	“Hey, Winnie, you don’t have to do this courting stuff anymore.” you said. She popped her head up.
	“Don’t pretend you don’t like it.” she said. You smiled as she went back to chewing on your neck. You rubbed her back, feeling her the fabric of her tank top and her shoulder blades underneath.
	“So...why’d you choose now to ‘court’ me? After we've known eachother for a while now” you asked. She rose again.
	“Well...I don't know really. But c’mon, Anon, you should know...January through March.” she said. She bought her head to your ear. “It's...𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 time of year for me” she whispered.
	“...Whoa.” was all you could muster once her meaning clicked in your head
	“Yeah…” she said. “But we can take it slow…I know humans like to do that.” You hugged her close.
	“That’s not the real reason, is it?” you asked. You could almost feel her roll her eyes.
	“I might be a little bit nervous…” she said. “Nobody ever wanted to be with a werewolf…” You chuckled a bit, though you were anxious about being in a relationship with a werewolf. But you wouldn’t tell her that. You rubbed her shoulder.
	“I’m a bit nervous too…” you said.