The village was quiet, as it always seemed to be. In summer and winter, spring or fall,  it always had a calm surrounding it. Though there were plenty of wooden houses and stores, stone wells and roads, there was still land in which they avoided. More like refused to go. The land around the peaceful town was a dense forest, a place where the doctor collected herbs, men hunted and children let their stories come to life. The forest was a wonder, a provider for the village, but it was also their worst fear. There was said to be monsters there, that no man nor woman could take, ones who would take lone children from secluded places and eat any who they deemed fit. Even though the villagers were afraid, they knew as long as they traveled in pairs and stayed far from the border of the woods they would be safe.

    In the land close to this border is where our story starts, but a few feet from the comfortable path. Covered by woods and brush, a creature waited. Too tall to be a man of any place, too strong to be an animal of any kind. With its fur of gray and scales in places so that no creature could reach them, they waited for what they desired.  They waited for hours upon hours, until the shadows of late day casted over them heavily. They showed signs of giving up, though just as they rose they caught a scent, not of trees and the dull flowers of the earth, but of something sweet, with but a hint of something dangerous. 

“Nutmeg?” questioned the beast, their English rough with an accent.

 They sat once again on the earth and saw its source. A girl who bore a basket.  

“What a nice day!” she mumbled, to no one in particular. 

“Hallo, young one,”  A voice spoke from the trees, “What ever could you be doing coming down here so late in your day?”

 “Oh my!” Said the girl, “I did not know that anyone would be here, though I suppose you must be enjoying the weather as well! To answer your question, I am traveling to the pond just down the way. I quite like the place and it is so nice out today! I thought I should have a picnic! Could I ask what you are doing out here, since I don’t believe I have ever seen you before?”

 There was a pause. 

“I don’t know quite why I’m here,” said the monster “I was just here one day, I don't know quite how…” 

“Oh, then you are new to our town then!” She stated, beaming, “Where are you from? What is your name? Do you believe in fairies? Oh, I should tell you my name! My name is Mira Baker! Oh, wait, ELIZABETH Baker! My mother says it was her mothers name! Wait, you never told me your name! What is it? Wait, should I have told you my full name? You're not a witch right?”  

The monster looked at them, slightly shifting from one set of feet to the other. 

“ You talk quite a bit,” the monster mused. “My name is Ulfur Hinder Ulf-Orm. Though if it is not too much of me to ask, could you come closer? I can not see very well and you look quite blurry.”

 Mira looked at the where the voice was sourced in confusion, then proceeded to look up and down the path. “Why are you in the forest anyway? Did you not see the path right here?”

 “I find the cover of the forest comforting,”  Said Ulfur, “The gentle breeze, the sweet smell of earth, and the sweet calm that lies here. Perhaps you should join, if you are enjoying our shared day. It is quite pleasant.”    

Mira looked at him for a heartbeat, and then another.     

“Do you not know that the woods are quite dangerous? Well I suppose you would not if you have just arrived.” Mira said, going from speaking on to more of a mumble as she started to fidget with the ribbon at the end of her long brown braid. “There are monsters in these woods you know!”

 She looked at where Ulfur layed, still masked by shadows. 

“I believe there is quite the amount of nothing among these trees, and you could come in and look if you do not believe me.” Ulfur cooed as lowered himself closer to the ground and looked at her with dark crimson eyes. 

“I could not.” Mira said, looking down at her basket. “ Even if it is quite safe now, it might change in a matter of seconds! I have not done anything with myself so far and I would not be able to handle it if that was my last deed. I have not even married yet, though I am eligible, so I could still tend to my father’s business. And I still wish to see another age!” 

“You act like I am Hel, luring you with sweet words to death.” Ulfur said before letting out a laugh, one that bore the same sound as both a vipers hiss and a river's desperate travel.     

Though the girl did not hold the same amusement. She stared at the spot in the woods, which had become much darker, even since she had arrived. “I do not know that name,” she spoke, taking a slight steep back. “We hold no one among us to do such cruel deeds. Who are you, to be exact? Are you not a good man of our queen and king?”

 The beast's fur seemed to stand taller on his back as confusion filled their eyes. “I hold no one above me, except the one that commands us all. Why is it because of this you are cautious? If you only come closer I can show you how I bear no cruel light in my eyes nor heart.”     

Mira stopped her slow retreat for the path, hearing the hint of desperation in his voice.

 “Do you know of the story of the two foxes?” She questioned. “Either way, I will tell you. Many years ago, in a den in the woods, a fox layed hurt, for they angered a man by stealing his chickens. They knew what they did was wrong, though they did not regret it. As the fox sat there, another arrived. They looked at them and asked ‘why would you eat when the rest can not? Why choose to take another's food, to show no kindness to another who hungers?’. The injured fox looked up and, with a sigh, said ‘kindness is something that can not be given by those who need, never truly.’ The fox who came in looked at them, then left. Later that night, while the injured still yelped in pain, the other fox showed themself once more. Though they now carried a scrawny mouse in their jaw. ‘Have you come to mock me?’ Questioned the injured fox as they looked up, ‘For I could not collect food nor obtain it?’ Though the other did not speak, they dropped the mouse in front of the one who was lying and left. And they proceed to do so until after they had healed. They then showed the other how they caught the mice, and the one who once stole learned. They then taught this knowledge to others, and those who learned taught more. Until none went hungry again in that forest, even in times of little food, because they now understood that they had to be kind, and share what they had, whether it be knowledge or food. Though none of this would have happened if the fox had never started the chain.``

 The monster looked upon the girl with a look of confusion on his face. 

“Why did you tell me this story, young one?” Ulfur questioned, releasing the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. “Do you enjoy stories of old? Perhaps I could tell you many if you came closer.” 

 Mira looked at her feet, and let herself have a bref puzzling look pass over her features.  She took a deep breath, then looked up and said “Maybe we need to follow the foxes, maybe we need to start the chain. Keeping down evil beasts inside ourselves and helping others learn to do the same. I am sure, through time and hard work, you can work through the inklings inside yourself. Perhaps then you would not be so lost inside your mind, and might find clarity in kindness.” She glanced down on her basket of goodies, the ones she planned to enjoy on her blanket by the pond. Mira then reached into the basket and produced a cake, which smelled of cinnamon and sugar, with the faint lingering scent of the warm fire that baked it. Inching as close to the forest as she would dare, she placed down the sweet in the dew-dropped grass. “Good bye, Ulfur Hinder Ulf-Orm. I hope you let the kindness in.” 

She then got back onto the stones of the well worn path and continued her walk to the pond. When she had long passed the bend that became hidden by trees, a furry arm reached out, gently collecting the pastry as if it was made from thin glass. The lone arm was followed by a large creature, a mix of wolf and snake. But on his face he bore no hate or bitterness. As he took a bit of the cake, he looked around as if seeing the forest for the first time.     

Ulfur’s eyes became even wider as he seemed to see the animals and town far down the path, where the villagers were retreating to their homes. “This,” He muttered to himself, in pure shock, “This is not Norway. Where in the 9 realms am I?” He looked back down to where the warm pastry had been lying but a few minutes ago. “They are different from back home, in both food and ways.” He mused. “Though they are a bit strange in their ways, their sweets are quite delightful. But I still just truly want a hug.” He held a glint of sadness in his eyes as he glanced over the trees within his sight, only to have his eyes fall upon a small creature, one which was gray with a fluffy tail. Though as Ulfur looked at the creature's face, he could not help but see a resemblance to a black mask.

 He quickly shook off his confusion, and with a wide wolf grin asked “Would you like a hug?”.