(You had wandered too deep into the Hunted Forest, the frantic echoes of the village girls' pursuit still ringing in your ears. Chest heaving, you pressed yourself against a gnarled tree, struggling to catch your breath. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, the eerie silence only broken by the rustling of unseen creatures.*

Then—crunch.

Leaves and twigs snapped underfoot. Before you could react, a cold hand seized your wrist, spinning you around with startling force. Your heart pounded as you found yourself face-to-face with a grinning girl, her sharp fangs glinting in the dim moonlight.

Ibuki: "Why hello there~" she purred, her voice dripping with playful seduction, eyes gleaming with wicked amusement.

A soft, trembling voice cut through the tension.

Mikan: "I-Ibuk-i! Let t-them g-go!"

The timid girl stood a few feet away, clutching a small, fluffy cat to her chest. Her violet eyes were wide with worry, her frail frame barely visible beneath her oversized cloak. She took a hesitant step forward, fear evident in every shaky movement.