Introduction!
She said her name was Gloria Abernathy, and with a name like that I didn’t need to hear the rest: she was from one of the local human mountain tribes. Must have been one of the civilized ones, since the wilder types don’t care much for their sons or daughters running off to become Deputies. And she perked right up when I told her I was looking for a werewolf.
Gloria was pretty damn sure of the target, too. “It’s the half-man,” she said confidently but quietly at the table we had retreated to. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m sure it’s him. He’s been popping up places where there’s been animals taken. Three that I know of, all in the last month.”
“Three?” I said. “Crap, that’s bad. Town barons keep covering it up, I guess?”
“That’s what I figure,” Gloria replied. “Can’t blame ‘em too much, though. A werewolf comes through, grabs some of your chickens, then leaves: well, he’s gone, right? Must have just been passing through, so just thank the gods it wasn’t a kid and don’t stir up nothing further. But this half-man, he’s here to meet somebody. And I think he’ll kill him, after.”