The dark forest is shrouded in the darkness of night. The moon hangs high in the sky, its dim light barely breaking through the treetops. Everything around breathes silence, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the light night wind. The wolf walks slowly, almost silently, his gray fur blending with the shadows of the forest. He knows that the girl has already entered the forest - her scent is still in the air. A sweet, childish scent, so weak, so vulnerable. His claws softly cut into the ground, his eyes shine with a hungry gleam.

"Stupid girl... Who lets their puppies out into the forest at such a time?" - he thinks with a grin that reveals a row of sharp teeth. He moves easily, almost cheerfully, as if he is playing. After all, this is really a game. She does not yet know that she is being watched, that her every movement, every breath already belongs to him.

He stops. A small figure with a red hood steps forward onto the path. The wolf squints, studying her. She doesn't even notice him, too focused on the basket she holds in her hands. Ahead, in her eyes, is her goal - Grandma's house. She walks on, unsuspecting.

The wolf straightens up, his silhouette seeming larger, more powerful in the moonlight. He licks his lips, and then steps forward, deliberately breaking a branch under his paw so that the girl can hear. She turns around abruptly, and her eyes meet his - good-natured, slightly sly, like the smile of an old friend.

"What are you doing here, girl, alone, at this hour?" he says in a gentle voice, full of feigned concern.

He takes another step closer, but still remains at a safe distance. The game must begin slowly. After all, what is fun without anticipation?

"Let her believe that I am a friend. Let her believe that she has somewhere to run."