>A cast iron pot of boiling venison stew sits in front of me, steam rising from its surface as the savory vapors grace my nose

>I take a wooden ladle and gently stir the pot to judge its doneness

>The meat is cooked and the vegetables are soft, it's ready for eating

>Yet as I look around the cabin there's a key party missing, my wife Eleanor

>I sigh, and get up from the stool I was sitting on

>I make my way to the window and stare outside

>The sun is nearly below the horizon, rays of orange sun shining between the trees

>I breathe in and cool, autumn air fills my lungs

>The air is clean, as is most mountain air, but I dislike the coldness

>It reminds me of the coming winter

>A winter that me and Eleanor were hardly prepared for

>The venison I had put in the stew was the last of our reserves, and with only a meager amount of dried jerky, beans, fish, and pickled vegetables left in our pantry we simply didn't have the necessary rations to survive the winter

 >Still, I had faith in Eleanor

>A tall wolfess from the northern regions she was a skilled hunter, well suited for bagging the game that roamed the temperate forests surrounding our cabin

>Similar to most beastfolk she carried a superhuman sense of smell and hearing, aiding her in her many romps through the forest in search of game

>Meanwhile I was content to fish from the many rivers and ponds that surrounded our cabin and trap beaver and other small game, selling their pelts to local traders for money we could then spend during our rare trips into town

>It's a mutually beneficial existence, Eleanor dutifully keeping our pantry stocked with fresh meat while I filled our coffers and took care of whatever odd jobs needed doing around the cabin

>Cutting firewood, tanning hides, sewing up clothing, preserving meats and vegetables, I'm a man of many talents but a master of none

>My eyes survey the darkening forest just beyond the cabin

>With a fog rolling in it was becoming difficult to see very far beyond the trees

>A pit begins to form in my stomach as I begin to wonder where Eleanor is, she was usually home before sunset

>This forest, like so many other uncivilized lands, is full of its own mysteries and folklore

>Tales of trickster witches and man eating cannibals, rumors of monsters that wear the flesh of others, sightings of wild beasts that defy classification

>Strange lights in the dark, odd sounds after nightfall, undecipherable tracks, and the occasional unexplainable event

>Eleanor and I have spent enough time below its branches to know just how dangerous a forest like this can be, yet despite the inherent risk of living in a place like this it has yet to throw a challenge at we couldn't face

>The fact that we were well armed probably helped

>Out in the wilds I carried a cap and ball revolver on my hip, six cylinders of lead being more than enough to prevent a feral bear or wolf from making a meal of me

>As for Eleanor she carried a far meaner means of defense

>That being a long barreled .50 caliber percussion rifle, stocked in the finest walnut and engraved with all manner of effigies and symbols

>The rifle was a gift from her parents before she left to settle the woods with me, it easily being her most prized possession

>She kept it meticulously oiled and free of rust and debris, the weapon being our most valuable tool for acquiring game, not to mention the many symbols her parents carved into it giving it double duty as a good luck charm

>Unfortunately it seems that as of late our bad luck has overpowered the good

>Eleanor, despite her best efforts, has been unable to take down a single animal of significant size for some weeks now

>By this time last year we had a healthy stockpile of meat and preserved foodstuffs, yet as of right now we barely have enough to last a couple months, much less the whole winter

>We needed just one big break, maybe a sizable buck or a bear in order to have enough meat to last us the season if we ration it carefully

>I rub my tired eyes and continue to stare into the fog creeping ever closer

>I spot movement, then a humanoid form appears out of the mist

>It's Eleanor, her rifle is slung across her back and her muzzled is pointed toward the ground as she approaches the cabin

>Seeing my face she peers up and softly shakes her head side to side, the message clear

>No game today

>She enters the cabin and sets her rifle by the door, taking a seat on the bed

>There's a depressed silence before I finally decide to break the ice

>"Did you at least see any deer out there?"

>"No, nothing." She admits with a sigh. “It's like they've all gone somewhere else, or perhaps my skills as a huntress are diminishing."

>"Doubtful, one doesn't lose a lifetime of skill and experience in a matter of weeks. It's just bad luck, nothing more, nothing less. The prey that eludes you may show up tomorrow for all we know."

>She raises her arms in exasperation

>"How could this happen? Not a single prey animal dare show themselves in my presence. I've tried tracking, waiting, enticing them with bait, nothing works. It's as if something has cleared the forest of beasts. Perhaps we've angered the gods above and this is how they show their displeasure, robbing us of the meat we need to survive winter's embrace."

>"I wouldn't go so far as to say that." I motion towards the stew. “Have some venison stew, it's ready. Having a full stomach should raise your spirits."

>She nods in agreement and retrieves a wooden spoon and bowl, pouring herself a steaming portion before sitting at our small dining table

>"How much of our venison do we have left?" She asks, taking a bite

>"That pot is the last of it." I reply

>She huffs in frustration and lowers her spoon

>I take a seat opposite of her

>"Hey, it's not all bad news. I've got enough wood chopped up to last the whole winter. We won't have to worry about staying warm at least."

>"Staying warm is good, staying warm and not starving to death is better. Some of that wood should be put to use cooking our meals, meals that may not exist if we can't get some game."

>I shrug

>"Have a little faith, go out early tomorrow and see what you can find. We're still some weeks away from the waters icing over so I can still catch us some fish to tide us over."

>She takes a reluctant spoonful of soup

>"We'll have to make what we have last until I can get us more meat. Our fortunes better turn around soon, our lives depend on it."

***************************************************

>I awaken the next day to an empty bed, Eleanor must have taken my advice and left early

>Hopeful that she would return home with a king's bounty I go about my day as normal

>Chopping extra firewood, keeping our cabin's roof free of leaks, fishing in a nearby river for salmon

>I keep my mind focused on whatever task is at hand

>It helps keep my thoughts from drifting to dark places where they shouldn't linger

>After having caught two sizable fish from the river I stow my fishing pole and return to the cabin, our dinner in hand

>I close the door behind me and set the fish on a cutting board

>I'm just about to fillet them when-

>*KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK*

>I look to the door in confusion

>It's far too early for Eleanor to have returned from her hunting trip and those knocks sounded…strange

>Far weaker and originating from a point far lower on the door than they ought to

>Suspicious that this may be some kind of trick I retrieve my revolver and step slowly towards the door

>*knock…knock…knock*

>It's weaker this time, and from the same odd point on the door

>Steeling my nerves I grip the handle, turn it, and throw open the door

>I look out and see…nothing

>I'm confused, until I hear a sniffle from below

>My eyes drift downward and I see…Eleanor

>Except she's changed

>Where she once stood half a head taller than I, she now barely came up to my waist, her proportions more like a pup's than a woman's

>Her clothes sag and her pant legs pool around her feet

>Her rifle, now far taller than she is, is held loosely in her childlike hands

>The fur below her eyes is wet and her eyes glisten as they stare up at me

>I lower my revolver

>"Eleanor, what happened to you?"

>"I've been cursed." She weakly states before wiping her eyes with a paw. “Let me inside and I'll explain."

>I take her rifle and usher her inside, sitting at the dining table

>She has to climb into her chair due to her new height, and even once seated I can barely see her entire head above the table

>"Tell me love, how did you become so…changed?"

>She looks down to gather her thoughts

>"First of all, you should know that there are witches in these forests. I had always heard tales of their existence but dismissed them as baseless rumors, as I'm sure you did the same."

>"A witch did this to you?"

>She nods her head

>"Then tell me where it happened and I shall hunt her down! I'll force her to change my beloved back at gunpoint!"

>She puts her hands up

>"No! It's a miracle she let me go, I don't even want to think what may happen to you if you were to attempt such a plan. Witches are capable of far more evil things than changing one's height."

>My anger fades at her concern for my safety

>And she's right, what would she do if I were to go missing?

>"Alright, our retribution will have to wait for another day. Now tell me how this happened."

>"I did what you suggested, I went out early this morning to hunt game, just after the first traces of the sun had hit the trees. In my journey I caught sight of what I thought was a mighty buck, with flashes of antlers teasing me through thick brush and dark foliage. I tracked this elusive prey until I had him cornered by a pond. I slinked between trees and through brush until I was sure I had him right where I wanted him, yet as I finally gained sight of my prey it was not a buck I saw, but a woman."

>"A woman? A shapeshifter perhaps?"

>She shakes her head

>"No, the scent on the air told me she was of the black bear beast folk which only caused me even more confusion. Not wanting to startle her, I lowered my rifle and shouted over, thinking that perhaps she had seen the buck I was tracking. But as she faced me I saw what she truly was. A chimeric mix of bear and buck! And a witchly one at that!"

>"Did you shoot her?"

>"I tried, upon seeing the antlers poking from her head and her witchly garbs I raised my rifle, but before I could get a shot off some foul spell slithered off of her tongue. I felt my body change, and my height slip away from me until I was merely the height of a pup. By the time I had recovered from my change she had already slipped back into the forest, and with my short legs it was no use chasing after her. T-then I walked back here, to the cabin. I-I don't know what to do." She says, voice cracking as she wipes her eyes again

>"We'll survive, as we always have."

>"How?!" She shouts, a fiery anger in her voice. “How are we going to do that? I can't hunt in this state! I can't run, or drag back game, or even fire my rifle! I'm useless! And now we're going to starve!"

>I speak calmly in an attempt to dull her anger

>"No need to be so brash Eleanor, this spell may wear off, you could return to normal in a matter of days for all we know. And I'm still able bodied! I can hunt for game in your place."

>She looks down and shakes her head in despair

>"I love you, I do, but you know nothing of the hunt. And there's not enough time for me to teach you. It's…it's hopeless."

>She leans back in her chair and sighs, the stresses of the day clearly tiring her out

>"Do you want to get some rest? Take a quick nap before dinner? Your rifle must have been quite a burden on the journey back home."

>She mumbles an affirmative and hops of her chair, climbing her way in bed

>I follow behind and get under the covers with her

>While normally she would take up the position of the big spoon given her advantage in height over me I decide to take the initiative and move behind her back, wrapping an arm across her chest

>She allows me to do so without complaint, staring blankly at the wall as I embrace her

>I pull her small body close to my own and rest my chin above her head

>"Do you really think that I'll change back into my normal height? I don't think I could bear to exist as half the woman I was for the rest of my life."

>I gently rub her shoulder

>"We can begin taking measurements of your height, see if the spell is wearing off. If you start getting taller then that's our answer."

>She sniffles, then pulls my arm closer to her body

>"Thanks. I appreciate it."

********************************************************

>The following day she awoke in a much better mood, the despair of the previous day having dissipated overnight

>Over breakfast we came up with a litany of ideas on how to best stage a hunt given Eleanor's new change in stature

>The first was simple, we would venture into the woods together, find a prey animal, then set up a rest for her to steady her rifle on and take the shot

>We did a test fire just outside the cabin, using a couple pieces of firewood stacked on top of one another for her to rest the rifle on

>I loaded it for her, she took aim, then boom!

>When the cloud of gun smoke cleared she was no longer where she stood before, having been thrown several feet back from the recoil of the gun

>We exchanged a few humorous looks, then quickly decided that I should be the only one to fire the rifle from now on

>She tried firing my revolver in the same manner but found that while her aim was still true, the gun was simply too inaccurate to be used for hunting

>And so we came up with a new plan

>Eleanor, now a fraction of her former weight, could fit comfortably on top of my shoulders or latched onto my back

>Not only this but she also retained the sharp sense of smell and sensitive ears that her previous form had as well

>So we decided on a new hunting tactic

>Eleanor would ride on my shoulders as I carried her through the forest, her wolfish senses and assisted height helping her to suss out the telltale signs of our prey

>Then once one had been identified I would let her down and take aim with her rifle, killing the beast and securing our continued existence in the woods

>And so after a few practice sessions with her rifle, and a few accidental tumbles from my shoulders, we began stalking the woods near our cabin for signs of game with my little wolfess on my back

>Not that we anticipated her being small forever, at her insistence I began taking measurements of her every day and after several weeks we observed small, but still tangible, increases in her height every couple weeks or so

>Yet at the current rate she wouldn't back to her full size for at least 12 months, far too long to help us in our current situation

>Week after week we would trek out together, the little wolfess's senses helping to guide me to my prey, yet week after week we would be met with failure

>Sometimes the gun would fail to go off due to a bad percussion cap, sometimes the prey would catch our scent on the wind and run away, or sometimes we would simply not find any trace of game

>Our bad luck seemed terminal, fatally so as the weeks dragged on and temperatures continued to drop

>At least we gained one small boon from Eleanor's misfortune, with her smaller body she now ate far less food meaning our rations would hold out longer than I had planned

>Still, they would eventually run out if we couldn't find any game

>This fact weighed heavy on my mind as my boot stomped on freshly fallen snow

>It's the first snow of the season, the first few flakes began falling just before me and Eleanor set out on another one of our hunts

>I hear her head turn and a rapid sniffing just behind my head

>"It's good we came out when we did, I think this cooler air is helping my sense of smell." She says

>"Good for you maybe, keeping my balance with all this slippery snow around is more difficult than you think. Especially with you on my back."

>"Want me to get off? I may not have my old stamina but I can still-“ She cuts herself off as she sniffs around at a frantic pace before stopping, pointing a paw to the left. “Deer, male, that direction. The scent is strong. He's fairly close so be careful, we don't want to spook him."

>"Got it."

>I begin walking in the direction she indicated, heartrate increasing with every step and crunch of snow

>We round a corner then I see him, the buck of our dreams

>He's big, big enough to keep us fed through the whole winter and some of next spring as well

>A proud set of antlers rests on top of his head and the best part?

>He's totally unaware of me or Eleanor's presence

>She moves her muzzle next to my ear, speaking in a whisper

>"He's pretty far away so you'll want to rest your rifle on something. Up ahead is a small clearing with a fallen tree. Move to it, then take the shot."

>I nod in response and she slowly climbs off my back

>We sneak forward, occasionally glancing up to make sure the buck was still there

>I reach the fallen tree and set her rifle upon it

>I cock the hammer, line up the sights, then place them on the buck

>I breathe in, and-

>"Wait." Eleanor whispers beside me

>I give her an annoyed look, she almost messed up my shot!

>She points to the percussion cap

>"It got wet with the snow. We don't need to be taking any chances." She whispers

>She plucks the cap off and replaces it with a fresh one, blowing on it for good luck

>I shoot her a quick smile in return and return my focus to the job at hand

>I realign the sights, steady my aim, and gently squeeze the trigger

>*BOOM*

>My vision is briefly obscured by a cloud of white smoke

>It clears and…the deer is dead!

>I look to Eleanor

>She's bouncing up and down with joy, her hands raised up in the air in celebration

>I give her a hug and twirl her around before setting her down

>"We did it! That'll be enough to feed us through the winter!" I shout

>Eleanor scrambles onto my back and sits on my shoulders, triumphantly pointing toward the deer

>"Forward human! I want to see my prey up close!"

>"Your prey? I'm the one that took it down!" I fire back

>She bops me on the head in response

>"With my rifle! And I'm the one that picked up its scent in the first place. Now forward!"

>I grunt in discontent then follow her command, trudging through the snow towards the deer

>We approach and I survey the kill

>One clean shot through the heart, this deer never stood a chance

>Eleanor sits by the head, looking over the buck's antlers

>"These antlers are sizable, and handsome. I think we should mount them above fireplace, don't you agree?"

>"Yes, a fine prize for my little huntress."

>She crosses her arms

>"Don't call me that. I won't be small forever, those increasingly tall marks on the door in the cabin are a testament to that."

>"Would you prefer I call you pup?" I say with a laugh

>"PUP!? Don't think for a second I wouldn't make you regret calling me that once I'm back to full size. I am an adult wolven huntress and I demand all the respect that entails."

>"Okay…….pup."

>Suddenly a ball of fur and fang hits me in the chest, knocking me onto the ground

>The angry ball of fluff then begins pounding me with all the strength a three foot wolfess can muster

>It takes all my willpower to not burst into laughter upon feeling her pint sized blows

>"Ow! Okay-okay I'll stop! You'll ruin my coat! Eleanor! I promise not to call you a pup again! Watch the claws. The claws. The claws! Ahh!"