It was time.

Sana stood naked in the moonlight, her pale skin made silver. Her long red hair spilled down her back. She remembered when she had seen it for the first time, how it had reminded her of autumn. She would miss that the most.

As the moon neared its pinnacle, her skin began to ripple then writhe. Sana closed her eyes as cracks formed and grew. Within a few minutes great patches of her skin were falling to the forest floor as new skin pushed through. Sana cried out as her face fell away to be replaced by features she would not recognise.

It was all over in less than ten minutes. Sana slumped to the ground, exhausted by the process. She looked at her arms which were now covered in skin the colour of coffee. Her short hair was black, disappointing after her blazing red. After a while she stood up and walked away.

In nine months she would be back and the cycle would begin again.