"The moon shone brightly overhead, blanketing everything in a soft white glow. A perfect moon to accompany all that hunted by night..." In this gothic prequel to "The Thirteenth Hour," a young hunter accidentally interrupts a wizard's spell, turning him into a living shadow only able to venture out by night, unable to interact with others, and doomed to spend the rest of eternity hunting an elusive, ethereal deer night after night. Help and danger collide when he encounters an injured runaway, and he must decide if he is strong enough to brave the light. A prequel to the "The Thirteenth Hour," followed by "Falling Leaves Don't Weep," a short story epilogue to "The Thirteenth Hour." Approximately 11,000 words.