Rohan would often seek advice from Ruru before him and the other forest spirits vanished. Ruru’s head had been crowned with sharp antlers that commanded as much respect as a bejewelled monarch. Rarely did he use his raspy voice, but his animal-like ears listened diligently to the living.

To those familiar with Rohan’s forest, it was well-known a human’s whistle was as good as a siren by the likes of the demonic Ruru. No matter the talent of the musician, Ruru would be lured and begin a dance. Rohan had witnessed it himself many times. Once a young traveling girl was singing a lovesick song. Her distant eyes were so lost in her memories, she didn’t realise she wasn’t alone. Further and further she blindly walked into Rohan’s forest, and deeper into the belly of the beast. The soft drops of rain hadn’t alarmed the trespasser. Instead, in unity her own tears started to fall. Then, Ruru appeared, towering over her fragile figure. She shrieked.

"DO NOT STOP YOUR SONG," Ruru commanded, two of his long fingers pinching her head to make her look into his entrancing eyes.

The girl did as told, resuming at the start of the sad chorus. The odd pair started to sway together in a ballroom dance. The wind swept the two up in the air as the forest playfully joined in. The two didn’t react to the third party intrusion, for they only had eyes for each other. When the girl had looked nothing but distant and empty before, there was now brightness and hope in her. She was fully attentive of Ruru’s desire of her. She extended the song with new verses, wanting to make it last for eternity in order to please him.

However, eternity was never a desire of Ruru’s.

Instead, once he was satisfied with her, he ended the dance with a kiss. For a moment, the trespasser was released from Ruru’s magic. Then, her rejuvenated body was devoured whole. Ruru had been the cruelest protector of the forest, but now he was gone.