Full Moon Hiking Trip

"Come on, slowpokes! This was your idea, now keep up!" Sam called over his shoulder, trekking effortlessly up the steep, rocky trail. His athletic frame was clearly conditioned for the strenuous hike through the mountainous forest.

Several yards behind, his friends panted and grumbled as they struggled with their overstuffed backpacks loaded down with camping gear.

"Cut us some slack, Mr. Triathlon! Not all of us train for marathons in our spare time," Alex shot back, sweat dripping into his eyes. Though Sam's best friend since childhood, he still felt like he had something to prove to the naturally gifted athlete.

"My blisters have blisters," complained Zoe, her usual upbeat demeanour dampened by the gruelling hike. "This better be worth it for the Instagram pics!"

Mike and Amy trailed at the back of the group, their fingers intertwined. Mike kept Amy grounded in reality; she brought out his romantic side.

"Remind me why we agreed to this?" Mike grumbled, glaring up at the steep incline ahead.

"Because we promised Sam we'd go on one last epic trip together before college," Amy said, always the dutiful one in the group. She gave Mike's hand an encouraging squeeze. With her sensitive spirit, she could appreciate the majestic beauty of the ancient forest in a way the others couldn't yet.

Dusk was settling by the time they reached the remote clearing Sam had picked for their campsite. Towering pines surrounded the area like sentinels, their whispering branches beckoning the twilight. The valley unfurled below them like a rolling green sea. Jagged, indigo mountains jutted up along the horizon, silhouetted against the dimming evening sky.

"Wow...this view was worth nearly killing ourselves on that last hike!" Zoe declared, pulling out her phone to snap some photos. The rising moon glowed above the distant peaks like a luminous pearl.

They set up camp and roasted hot dogs over the crackling fire, laughing and chatting late into the night. As the full moon ascended, it drenched the wilderness in an eerie light. The friends fell silent, listening to the sounds of the forest at night - rustling leaves, hooting owls, scurrying creatures. And something else...a faint, lonely howl echoed across the valley.

"Probably just a coyote," Mike said uneasily, trying to sound unperturbed.

"Right...just a coyote," Sam agreed, avoiding Alex's pointed glance. They all sensed the howl sounded oddly primal and chilling.

The next morning, Sam rose early to get water from the nearby stream. After filling his bottle, he paused, examining some strange, massive paw prints in the muddy bank. Wolves hadn't inhabited this forest for years.

Alex emerged from his tent, yawning. "Please tell me you started coffee already."

"Take a look at this," Sam said. Alex knelt beside him, traces of concern showing through his sleepy haze as he inspected the prints.

"C'mon, it's probably just a big coyote or something," Alex said finally, slapping Sam's shoulder. But his tight expression betrayed his doubts.

The second night, an eerie blood-red moon rose, immersing the woods in crimson shadows. They built up the fire and sat around it to keep warm.

Amy sat transfixed, gazing up at the full moon, her ordinarily warm brown eyes glinting with reddish hints.

"Amy? You okay?" Mike asked, breaking her from her daze.

"Hmm? Oh yes, fine," Amy murmured, not meeting his eyes. Before Mike could ask again, the night erupted with jagged howls surrounding their camp...hungry, excited howls.

"What the hell?" Mike gasped as hulking, snarling forms emerged from the trees, their eyes flashing wildly in the firelight. Werewolves!

Chaos exploded in the little clearing as the beasts charged. The friends fled in terror, scattering in different directions. Zoe screamed as a werewolf's claws swiped at her, shredding her jacket.

Amy and Mike crashed desperately through the underbrush, the ravenous sounds of pursuit close behind. Spotting a dark crevice in a jumble of boulders, they dove inside the cave, trying to slow their panicked breathing. Mike clutched Amy tightly as the creatures scrambled around the rock pile, snarling viciously.

Meanwhile, Alex cried out as his foot caught in a tangle of roots and he slammed to the forest floor. ​ Sam yelled and waved his arms wildly, pelting the monster with rocks. "Get away from him!"

The werewolf rounded on Sam instead. He ran, leading the werewolf away from his friend. Alex pulled himself up with Sam's help.

Deeper in the cave, Amy's eyes glowed reddish in the darkness. Mike didn't notice, too busy scanning the cave tunnels for an escape route.

"This way," Amy rasped, her voice strange and guttural. Mike followed her without question as she crawled on all fours through a tight tunnel. It led them gasping and squeezing to the surface.

As Mike gulped the fresh air, Amy let out a scream. Her limbs started twisting, bones cracking, flesh ripping.

"Amy!" Mike shouted in horror as she swelled into a hairy, snarling creature right before his eyes. An anguished howl split the night as the werewolf Amy threw back her head in agony. Then she turned to Mike with no recognition, only ravenous hunger.

Mike fled as she lunged. He ran mindlessly, hearing her monstrous panting behind him.

Suddenly, he collided into Sam and the others. "It's Amy!" Mike sobbed out. "She turned!"

Before they could react, the werewolf pack surrounded them, cutting off any escape. Amy whined submissively as the largest werewolf, the alpha, moved to the front. As the pack closed in, an unexpected courage seized Mike. He couldn't let the others die trying to save Amy. Standing tall, he moved between the werewolves and his cowering friends.

"Amy, it's me...Mike. ​ For an instant, her burning eyes flickered with something almost human.

Mike knelt down, sacrificing himself to buy the others time. "Do it. I want to be with you, no matter what."

Amy hesitated...then struck, her fangs biting down into his shoulder. He moaned in pain as the transformation began.. Bones cracked, muscles tore, fur erupted from his skin.

Soon a hulking grey werewolf stood before the pack. Mike the beast nuzzled his mate affectionately. Sam and the others looked on, horrified and helpless.

Amy and Mike went off into the blood-red night, leaving the human world behind.

Many more full moons passed. Sometimes late at night, villagers would swear they heard chilling howls from two creatures roaming the distant wilderness.

But if you listen closely to the night wind, you can still hear the echoes of lovers who abandoned the human world for an eternity bound together, wild and free beneath the moon's glow.