SECOND PLACE
WEREWOLF MAGNET
1 XP

The thing that looms out of the mist of the showers is the sort of thing that emerges from the bottom of bogs in order to fight heroes. It is the sort of thing that is dredged up by children who scream and see it in their nightmares for the rest of their lives. Its eyes are dull, chipped jade, darting and low; its face and body are caked with wet earth, and it smells like the underside of a rotting log. It trembles when it moves, losing circulation in its limbs from the wicked shadow claws of its assailant. Its triangles twitch.

When it moves, it is not with any practiced coquettishness. It peels away the last remnants of its ruined clothing with the single-minded purpose of a snake shedding its skin, and underneath is more clotted mud. The tatters slough to the wet tiles. It stands before Margot, its body heaving with every breath, then squatting suddenly. It cocks its head like a bird, before reaching out and stroking Margot’s cheek, as if trying to understand what a face is, what a person is. Its fingers leave smeared, trailing earth along Margot’s fine, downy cheek.

“Wash me,” it hisses. “Work me clean. Hold me fast.” Reward is only implicated. This is not how these stories go. Only once the monster has been transformed do we speak about dates or kisses or worship. The first thing that must be done is to obey the cryptic commands, or else you will be eaten, or cursed, or the like.

[Turned a 6 into a [b]7[/b] on turning Margot on by stealing [i]The Wild Hunt[/i] from the Fae. Gaia is at 2 Strings.]