And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the creature disappeared, leaving Gwendolyn alone in the snow.
She blinked, her mind reeling, unable to believe what had just happened.
"Where did it go?" she breathed.
The snow was calm, the wind silent, and the night was still. The landscape was just as it had been before, as if the creature had never been there.
"It was real," she whispered, her heart racing. "I know it was."
She had seen it, felt its grip, heard its roar. She couldn't deny it. But now it was gone, leaving her with more questions than answers.
"What is this place?" she murmured, staring at the empty valley around her.
The wind howled again, and the snow began to fall once more. She pulled her cloak tighter around her, shivering, and wondered if she would ever find the answers she sought.
