Deep in the dense western forest Anatol, commander of the Knights of Kalydon, tread alone searching for the Queen. She had been missing for two months and he suspected the forest’s inhabitants, shapeshifters known as the Children of Metis and mortal enemies of Kalydon, had snuck through the Kingdom’s borders and taken her. Eyes sharp and blade keen, Anatol’s breath fell short at the sight of something moving through the underbrush, and sound of a raven’s call growing louder each second. Into his line of sight, a small dormouse scurried across the path. Before allowing himself a sigh of relief, Anatol whipped his head around to address the sudden, uncomfortably loud cries of the raven. He searched the branches, but it was in the reflection of his sword where he caught sight of a panther lunging towards him with claws unsheathed, right where the innocent mouse had been. Throwing a startled swing behind him, the tip of Anatol’s blade caught the beast by its breast and both were thrown to the ground. Head spinning, Anatol barely saw the raven land beside the assailant and cry out the queen’s name as the lifeless beast slowly assumed human form.