It was late in the day, travellers trying to get home before darkness set. Nobody wanted to get stuck in these woods in the dark. Aside from wolves, and other vicious nighttime predators, there were rumors of a beast, larger than any man, which lived in the deepest parts of the woods... Which is where one young couple happened to find themselves as the sun was beginning to set.

"Maurice, dear, I believe we're lost..." Said Giselle to her husband, as she tried to read their map in the growing twilit gloom.

Maurice, for his part, had the sense to admit when his wife was correct. "I believe you may be right..." He said, stopping the horses pulling their wagon, getting them to turn around. "I knew we should have gone left at the last turn..."

They retraced their route, though it wasn't right, either, leading them instead to what they believed to be an old abandonned castle, with overgrown yet beautiful gardens. "Oh, Maurice! Look at the beautiful roses! We should pick some- the townsfolk will pay well for such beautiful flowers..."

Slowing the wagon, Maurice climbed down first, reaching back up to help his wife down so they could cut some roses. As they were just finishing filling several buckets of the deep red flowers, there was a rustling and a crack behind them- louder than any normal creature could have made.