Word Count: 1,420 words (6–7 minutes)
Genre(s): Horror, Dark Fantasy
First Publication: Weird Tales, August 1925

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On a lonely path through the dark woods of Villefère, a wary traveler meets a mysterious stranger who offers to guide him to safety. But as the night deepens and the moon rises, their journey takes a sinister turn. The stranger’s unsettling manner, his eerie laughter, and the whispered legends of werewolves in the forest all point toward a horrifying revelation. As the shadows close in, the traveler must confront an ancient terror lurking within the heart of the woods—where the line between man and beast fades, and only a blade can decide his fate.