Layla sat on the highest branch in the tree, gazing at the almost full moon. It was so pretty and bright, but somehow cast a powerful, yet intimidating aurora.

"Are you going to stay up there all night?" Came a voice from the foot of the tree. Layla chuckled, looking down at Shaw, his brown eyes gazing up at her.

"No, I'm coming." Layla jumped off the branch, flying down to stand beside Shaw. Now you see, Layla is a vampire. Her best friend, Shaw, is a werewolf. They've known each other for about a year. The two species hate each other, but Shaw and Layla got along fine, deciding that killing each other wasn't worth it. Now Shaw's parents didn't know they were friends. And Layla was the only vampire around. Shaw's pack didn't know Layla was there, so she took a lot of precautions not to be found out.

  Shaw's pack lived among the town of Hollow ridge. It was a small town basically in the middle of nowhere. A road through the desert led in, and led out into woods. The road led right through, but it was about 10 miles, in the least, to the next town. The normal civilians of the town didn't know about the werewolves, just thought a pack of normal grey wolves inhabited the woods, which wasn't much of a surprise. They had a camp to the right of the road in the woods, which they guarded, claiming it as their territory.

  Layla lived on the opposite side of the woods, not wanting to get tangled with the werewolves. There was an old camper deep in the woods that she claimed. The town had no idea that she was there, and she gave no trace of her, unless you count the two mosquito bites occasionally popping up onto people's necks. Rarely though, animals were more her target.

"I better get back." Shaw said, running his fingers through his strikingly white hair. That was natural, some freak werewolf genetics. Everything else was normal. He looked, in human years, 17, he was about 5'9, soft brown eyes, and a tan. "I told my parents I was out hunting. If I'm gone to long they'll be suspicious. I need to get a rabbit or something."

"I can help with that." Layla said, grinning slightly.

"My way," Shaw said, smiling.

  They both crept silently, hiding behind a large tree. Waiting, Layla was listening with her heightened hearing. Nothing for a while except their own breathing, then she heard a snap of a twig, and walking as leaves rustled.

"Hear that," she whispered almost inaudibly to Shaw. He gave a slight nod, his eyes trained in the direction of the noise.

   A young deer stepped tentatively into the area. It was a messy area, full of brush. They'd found out that clearings are terrible for hunting, but rather the more messy stuff has the animals. The deer swiveled its head around once, it's eyes passing right over where Shaw and Layla were hiding. It gave one last look, before it decided it was safe, bending its head down to munch on some clover.

  Layla looked at Shaw, and he nodded. Quick as a bullet, Layla sprang out noiselessly, leaping over a fallen tree, and avoiding the dead leaves. She was now right up to the deer, which still hadn't even noticed Layla since she was to fast. Layla kicked out its legs, pinning it to the ground. It thrashed and kicked, but now Shaw ran up, jumped over the tree, and landed, slashing the deers neck with his claws in one fluid motion.

  Now Shaw didnt have to completely change into a wolf, he could change just his hand for claws, mouth for teeth, and so on.

"You had to slash it." Layla said, looking away from the deers neck, which had blood streaming out.

"Yes. That's how we do it," Shaw said. He stepped forward, grabbing the deers two front legs. "Thanks for the help."

"No problem. I'll see you later," Layla said. Shaw grabbed the deers back two legs, hoisting it up onto his shoulders. He began walking off, turning around once to smile back, then took off running.

  Layla sighed. She wished she didn't have to meet Shaw in secret. But she didn't have a choice. Try and tell his pack and she would be dead on the spot, as well as Shaw, since he would be considered a traitor.

  Layla walked back to her camper. She gazed at the sky, seeing the sun starting to rise. Not that she cared anyway, sunlight didn't hurt her like humans thought. Who knew where they came up with this stuff.

  Layla came to the camper, opening the door. She was working on building a house in a tree to live in instead of the camper, so she grabbed some tools, and set out. She had chosen a large oak tree. It was around 100 feet in the air, and extremely leafy, providing good cover. It must be around 100 years old, but it stood strong. She had flew up into the tree, setting down her tools. She had set boards flat on two branches, making a platform that was large. Layla worked for some time, then sat, her legs dangling off the platform, when she heard voices. Peering down, she saw three men, clothed in camo, each holding a rifle. Must be hunters, but terrible ones. They were talking very loudly, and taking no precaution to avoid any sticks or obstacle in their way.

"Aye there's one!" One of the men suddenly shouted, wheeling around, and shooting right into a tree next to Layla. "Dang nabbed them squirrels," he cursed. 

"Aha!" Another one of the men yelled, shooting into a different tree. A cloud of leaves rained down, but saw he got nothing.

"Ah, gosh dern' it these animals," he yelled, flinging his gun over his shoulder in the sling.

I am getting out of these trees, Layla thought, eyeing these hunters. She flew from tree to tree, taking caution to not be seen. She surpassed the hunters, who had no notion of her, and made her way back to the camper. Landing on the ground near her camper, she stopped abruptly. She heard a whirring noise, and saw, strangely enough, a tall, blue police box next to her camper. But it was translucent. She watched, and with every whir, a light flashed on the top, and it became more solid. After three more whirs, it became completely visible, and then it was silent. Layla looked with utter confusion, then widened her eyes in amazement as a man stepped out of it. His back was turned as he locked the box, then spun around. He was thin, six foot, springy brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a sharp jaw. He wore a blue suit, a long brown overcoat, and dark red converse shoes.

  Layla now realized she was out in the open, and they had been staring at each other for a good minute.

"Why hello there," he said, with a distinct British accent. Layla herself had an accent, not quite British, but not quite anything else either.

"Hi..." she said slowly, not sure what to do. Honestly, she was still very confused, not quite sure what to think after a police box, had seemingly fazed right beside her camper. And she hadn't talked to anyone besides Shaw in a long while, so she felt a bit awkward.

  Layla suddenly heard a loud crackle behind her, along with voices, and realized those hunters were coming up right behind her. She ran up beside the man, who still looked at her curiously, when the three hunters stumbled into the clearing.

"Hey!" One said, indicating with the barrel of his gun towards them.

"Howdy strangers," Another hunter said, looking at them inquisitively.

"Ya get lost? Long ways from any town," the third said.

"Oh yes!" The man said, blinking his eyes with realization. "Traveled a long way, hoped to find a town before I run out of food." He patted a bag that had been tucked under his coat.

"This your friend with ya?" A hunter said, jerking a thumb towards Layla. Layla bit her lip, quickly glancing  up at the man with a pleading look. He glanced at her, a calm look in his eyes, then back at the men.

"Oh yea, she's with me." He said, giving her a quick glance of understanding.

"We'll show you folks back to town," a hunter said. "It's bout' half mile trek."

"Ah, that's fine," the man said. The hunters turned around, and they walked in silence. Before long, they reached the town.

"Here's the place you came to see," a hunter said, waving a hand.

"Yes! It looks delightful." The man said, grinning.

"If you say so." The hunter replied. "By the way, I didn't catch your name."

The man looked at the town, then back at the hunter. "It's the Doctor." He said simply.

"Doctor who?" The man asked.

"Just the Doctor."

Hey, this is pikadash here. I hope you liked this story, and stay tuned for part 2!