With a sickening noise, the man's head was split in two, and his body collapsed on the ground. The Warrior raised her axe and looked at the pathetic weakling's cronies, who were staring in horror at their boss's mangled corpse. She growled bestially, and they ran away in panic. Not that it would do them any good if she did wish to chase them, as they were far slower and less agile than she, but lucky for them she didn’t care to do so. They weren’t worth the trouble. The only reason she bothered killing their boss was because he truly thought he could intimidate her into giving up some gold. Not that she had any in the first place, but she was annoyed by the gall of it. This minor distraction dealt with, she placed her axe on her back and continued her endless trek.

Luckily, no more bandits attempted to bother her, any more nearby likely already learning of the fate her victim had undergone. It was surprising that he hadn’t known of her reputation already, as she had been in this area for a while. Or perhaps he did and he thought himself as stronger as, or even stronger than, her. A grievous mistake, and an impossible thing. Her strength came from the hardships she had suffered, watching her family perish before her eyes at a young age, eaten by the dire wolf whose pelt had adorned her shoulders ever since that day. Since then she wandered the land, no destiny to hold her and no connections to bind her. She had no goal, no purpose, and no ideals, merely walking wherever the land took her. Pleasure had no place in her life, as only pain and suffering truly led to growth, and as such she threw herself into whatever danger she came across. She defeated countless terrible beasts, each encounter making her hardier and deadlier, and as such some revered her as a hero, or a monster, or even a force of nature. 

She was none of those. She was simply surviving for the sake of surviving.

That night, as she walked through the forest, a sound caught her ears. Music. It was uncommon for her to hear music this deep inside forests. Hopefully it was not another traveling minstrel who became enamored with her stories or body. She had already suffered one pointless annoyance today, she would not tolerate another. As she grew closer and it grew louder, she could tell it was likely no minstrel. She cared not for the deeper facts of music, but she knew the sound of stringed wood was unlike what she was hearing now. It sounded nicer than what the minstrels played. Perhaps she would not need to destroy this instrument if the owner refused to cease. It grew louder, and she could hear it joined by birdsong as well. She passed through a pair of tall trees, and suddenly she found herself within a glade, and the music played all around her.

The glade's colors were more varied and vibrant than the rest of the forest, with brighter flowers, clearer water, and even greener grass below her feet. Animals frolicked around each other in unusual pacifism, predators leaping and vocalizing happily and innocently with their usual prey. She could feel magic permeating the air around her, and the light was too colorful and bright to be natural. And in the center, blowing into the instrument that created the music, was a young lady with curled rams horns and the hairy legs of a goat. A Satyr.  As the Warrior entered, the Satyr stopped playing, the music continuing to echo softly all around the glade, and smiled exuberantly at her. “Oh what is that, what do my ears hear? Why, a new guest for our party is here! Hello hello, come join our show~!” She bounded up to the Warrior, her steps as bouncy and rhythmic as her voice and music. The Warrior ignored her and continued walking. “Oh my, that’s so awfully rude my dear! Not going to give back a greeting to me? Even a little grunt would do from someone as big and tough as you~!” The Warrior continued to ignore her. The Satyr huffed angrily and bounded in front of the Warrior, who stared down at her. “Move.” The Satyr giggled. “Oh, moving is something that I love to do! Watch me move, dance, and prance all just for you~!” She began to hop and spin in place, giggling merrily all the time. 

The Warrior growled and tried to roughly shove her aside, but the Satyr gracefully leapt out of the way at the slightest touch. “Oh no need to be gruff and tough! Tell me my dear, what can I call you here~?” The Warrior glared. “I don’t have a name.” The Satyr giggled innocently. “Oh silly silly, no need to lie! I’m not one of those trickster fae, I have no need for your real true name! I just want something to call you, it doesn’t matter if it’s actually true! For me my dear just call me the name of something I do love the sound for, Nalia~!” The Warrior continued walking. “No.” Nalia sighed dramatically, then giggled again. “Oh my dear, now that just won’t do! I really do need a good name here for you! And I think from what I see, the name that will fit you today is ‘Wolfie'! How does that name here sound to you my dear~?” The Warrior didn’t respond. “Aww, too speechless to share your thoughts? It really is such a cute name you just got~! Now why don’t you sit down and let yourself rest, and enjoy your time as my new party guest!” The Warrior did not respond and left the glade… Only to find herself walking right back through the way she’d arrived. “Now now Wolfie, just give it a try!”

The Warrior growled angrily. “Let me go!” Nalia continued to prance around. “Oh don’t worry my dear, I’m not trapping you here! I just want you to give this a chance, to let yourself have fun, drink, and dance~! But I will say I will not let you go, until yourself a little more I know! What were you doing on this lovely day, when you found yourself walk into my glade?” The Warrior glared, but understood that she wasn’t going to leave without answering a bit. “Walking.” Nalia smiled happily, glad to finally get an answer from her. “Oh, not many people walk through this forest! Where were you headed beforehand, my guest?” The Warrior grunted. “Nowhere. I was just walking. “ Nalia cocked her head. “But if you say you had nowhere to be, why do you not want to dance here, Wolfie?” The Warrior growled slightly. “There’s nothing to be gained in pleasure. Only hardship makes me stronger. Now let me go. You are annoying me and I will kill you if you don’t.” Nalia gasped and put a hand over her mouth, acting overdramatic but clearly actually taken aback a bit. “Oh my dear Wolfie, what do you mean? What point is a life if it’s all suffering? What point is strength and becoming so tough without any rewards like pleasure or love? Sadness and suff’ring are not what one seeks, they’re to be endured so that one can have glee! That worldview of yours is so dreadful and glum, I must assist you to stop being numb!” She picked up her instrument and began to blow, filling the glade with music again. The Warrior, tired of this nonsense, raised her axe and prepared to strike, but… the song was making it hard to remain steady…

As Nalia's music filled the glade, everything began to move. The animals grew more energetic and agile, singing along happily to the beautiful song. The water began to ripple and bubble, spraying a soothing mist into the air. The light grew hazy and wobbly, even the air falling under her music's spell. And the Warrior… She found herself unable to stand still, unable to properly aim her strike. “What are you doing?!” Her arms trembled, and her axe fell onto the grass in perfect time with the music. Nalia happily whirled and pranced and leapt all around the Warrior, making her feel so dizzy and disoriented. The song filled her head, and… She liked it. It was such a pleasant, warm sound that filled her body… Made her want to move… Her feet began to move, stepping along with the rhythm of the music. “I… Stop…!” She struggled to form words, the wonderful song jumbling up all her thoughts. Her whole body began to sway, and despite how much she wanted to stop, she couldn’t deny that it really did feel so good to just let her body move like this. She was so used to hard, difficult treks and athletics, and the feeling of her body involuntarily swaying side to side as her feet carried her in small circles… It was oddly, yet so deeply, relaxing…

Nalia bounced and twirled rapidly, her dancing getting more complex. The Warrior, unable to control her body but beginning not to care, found her focus drawn by the strange dance. Her movements were so fluid and calculated despite the speed, and it was so easy to just follow the pattern. It was like a spiral, pulling the Warrior’s focus towards the center, where her free hand was smoothly spinning in another spiral, and there was something about that spiral that made the Warrior feel… Sleepy… She began to flutter her fingers as she spun them, and shimmering light glinted off her nails, creating 5 spirals of glittering, mesmerizing light… They seemed to be growing larger… Or no, Nalia was getting closer… Or maybe the Warrior’s body was taking her closer… Did it matter…? No… All that mattered was listening to the song and staring at the spirals… Staring deeper… Deeper… Deeper… “Sleep!” Nalia suddenly pressed on the Warrior’s forehead with all 5 fingers, and everything faded away…

Nalia giggled joyfully. Wolfie was completely and utterly entranced now! And now, she could make her into the perfect party guest! “Listen closely to my voice, not like you have any choice~! Time to have a lot of fun, no longer be sad and numb! You’ll have fun obeying me and partying all day Wolfie! When I tap you on the head, you’ll awaken and be read-y to have a lovely time, and give me a big old smile~!” She tapped Wolfie on the head, and her eyes opened up, glazed over with a colorful sheen. A big, goofy smile appeared on her face, completely unlike her previous dour expressions. “Aww, you’re so cute in my trance! Come on Wolfie, time to dance!” Nalia began to play more music, and Wolfie blissfully danced along, her mind full of nothing but happiness… And as that hypnotic happiness filled her entranced mind, it started to trickle out into her subconscious… Melting away her barrier of grumpiness and nihilism… Embedding Nalia's hypnotic whimsy deep within the core of her mind…

---

The Warrior woke up on a soft bed of grass on the outskirts of the forest. She looked around, feeling hazy and confused. She couldn’t really remember anything about the previous night… Except that it was… Good… She had a feeling inside that she hadn’t felt in so long… Decades, even… She leaned against a tree to steady herself when she noticed something on the ground where she was lying. She picked it up… It was several reeds tied together with a silver thread… And somehow, she knew deep down exactly how to use it. She gently blew into it, and a sound came out. It wasn’t exactly music, but it sounded nice… Sounded pleasant… It made her feel… good… And for the first time since before she wore her pelt…

Wolfie smiled to herself…