The night was quiet with a chill in the air. Winter was settling across the lands. The swamp was no exception, though it was not subject to such extremes as the northern territories were. Though there was no snow that floated through the air, many were choosing to remain inside their dens, burrows, or nests. The breeze brought with it a bitter sting when it touched exposed skin like eyes, ears, and nose. Even the moon herself seemed to shy away at the cold, for she hid and snuggled within the clouds that hung low overhead. The swamp was dark, very dark, as the cypress trees and mangrove roots sheltered those beneath from the frigid winds that blew overhead. Even with the efforts of the great immobile sentinels of the swamp, wind still worked its way through the trunks and branches.
On the wind rode things most were unable to see. As a gust raced through the branches, splitting and rejoining together to continue the dash, a figure followed behind it. The figure was hard to see, flickering in and out of visibility as it too flowed with the wind's current. If one looked close enough, they might think they saw a serpent rushing through the swamp. After all, a long reptilian tail flowed behind it as it flickered in and out of existence. If one looked closer, however, they would also see four limbs, fur, and wolf face leading the charge ahead of the reptilian tail. A gleeful snarl was stretch long across its face, impossibly long, stretching where a wolf's lips could not reach, back towards his ears. Two lights glowed where a wolf might have eyes, flickering in and out of existence less than the rest of the creature. When the shape on the wind ahead broke and rejoined, so did the figure behind it as it tore in two, split the branch, and rejoined to full figure once more.
"She waits for no one" the figure emitted on the wind as the presence flickered faster. Then, with a lunge, the canid quickly dashed forward. A loud audible snap echoed through the cold, empty air. Gulp the sound came, the unmistakable swallowing sound of a creature enjoying a delicious meal. The figure ceased flashing and appeared full in existence. The dark thick fur on the wolf swayed in the breeze, his reptilian tail twitching with excitement behind him. "Now, who's next?"