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There was a soft rustling in the forest behind the girl's house that traveled around until it stopped behind the swing set. A demon was watching the girl, since her care taker seemed to be busy fumbling around, and crouched low to the ground so the other adults wouldn't be startled.

It had been a long time since any family moved into the house closest to the forest. Most humans avoided the treeline, and for good reason too. He did not want any human coming in to poach in his forest after what happened last hunting season. But. . .this family seemed different. Especially the girl. He tilted his head curiously and blinked before leaning against the tree quietly. It unfortunately groaned from the wind and the sound carried out , making the nanny shiver and look around, "Utau, come here child!"

The rustling she heard was the demon trying to reach out for her, but he stopped watching the girl run away. He frowned but stayed hidden in the trees as the nanny hugged her shoulders and brought the girl inside quickly to get her room ready.

By the time they had the boxes settled in, and the bed brought up for Utau, night was beginning to fall. The forest came alive with fireflies that buzzed around the girl's window as the nanny tucked the young child in, "ok. We'll unpack all of your boxes tomorrow and get your room set up. Until then, and until you get your toys unpacked, play just outside the tree line. No wandering into the forest."

The nanny was a deep sleeper, and didn't hear the young girl scream out as she jumped into her bed. So she wasn't there as the demon climbed up to the window to check in on the child. Compared to the light of the moon outside, it made his body seem like a large, shadowy silhouette against Utau's window. He seemed like he was trying to get into her room, as he reached up to touch the glass silently.

When all he wanted was to make sure she was alright. She was so terrified, and he worried if she would be able to fall asleep at all tonight. The demon tilted his head and watched her before climbing down to see if he could figure out a way to relax her.

He didn't know why this child. . .fascinated him. It was obvious she was terrified of him, which is why the creature stayed back in the trees out of sight, but. . .she seemed so frail. So tiny. He felt like she needed someone to keep her safe. The demon reached and let a tree branch bend down to his level so he could take a piece of fruit before looking up quickly.

A wolf was sniffing around and huffing, getting closer towards the property before looking up at the little girl. It huffed again and crept closer before beginning to sneak up towards Utau. When it got close enough, the wolf snarled and lunged to bite down on the child's shirt to drag her back.

The wolf continued to scratch at the door and bark at the house, it's growls echoing through the halls of the house. It kept ramming and scratching, until a large yelp sounded out along with the sound of dragging and clawing. Silence filled the hall as the wolf was being dragged away but the demon by it's tail. He wasn't hurting the wolf or getting ready to kill it, but the demon couldn't have the canine coming after Utau.

Yet, all she would see from her window was a pair of claws dragging the whimpering beast off into the trees. Through the thick trees and bushes, she couldn't see that the demon released the wolf back into the forest unharmed. Set to just whimper and scamper off with it's tail between it's legs.

The demon was never far behind. He followed within the tree branches, watching the man until he saw the look on his face. A growl sounded out through the trees before he lunged out to tackle the man to the ground. His face was turned away from Utau as he grabbed the now screaming man by his neck, and stood up with him slowly.

He turned lightly to look at Utau and breathed out, turning his attention back to the man before jumping up into the trees with him. The only thing left of the man who was leading Utau was one of his shoes in the leaves.

But months, and years passed by as the creature "stalked" after Utau. It wouldn't hurt anyone, unless they where about to harm her, and occasionally it would pull Utau away from danger. Her friends would ask questions about the strange growling they would hear once and a while, but they just assumed it was wolves wandering around the area.

And he was still there, even after she graduated. Forever being her shadow and being around when she needed it. Even if utau never realized it. One day, a man who had been friends with Utau growing up came to her at the flower shop she had opened and nudged her before chuckling, "hey. What's going on? You sounded really stressed out on the phone."