The late afternoon sun beat down on the rickety old school bus as it rumbled along the winding mountain road. Jessica Trumblelee stared out the window, watching towering pines flash by in a green blur. Her stomach fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves. One last summer adventure before senior year. One last chance to feel normal.

Well, as normal as a teenage werewolf could feel, anyway.

She glanced around at her fellow cheerleaders, sprawled across the worn leather seats. Tiffany sat up front, earnestly discussing cheer formations with the bus driver. Amber and Mia huddled together a few rows back, giggling over something on Amber's phone. And Salina...

Jessica's gaze lingered on her gothic friend, slouched in the very back seat with headphones jammed in her ears. Salina's presence on this trip was unexpected, to say the least. The self-proclaimed witch had shown none interest in cheerleading before. But when Jessica mentioned the summer camp instructor gig, Salina had insisted on tagging along.

"I can't let you face a week of pom-poms and school spirit alone," she'd said with a wry smile. "Someone's got to keep you grounded in reality."

Jessica appreciated the support, even if she suspected Salina's true motives had more to do with monitoring her werewolf friend than any sudden passion for cheerleading.

The bus hit a pothole, jolting Jessica out of her thoughts. She gripped the edge of her seat, fighting back a growl as her claws threatened to extend. Deep breaths. Stay calm. She'd gotten better at controlling her transformations over the past year, but the full moon was only a week away. Her inner wolf was restless, eager to break free.

"You okay back there, Jessica?" Tiffany called from the front. "You're looking a little green around the gills."

Jessica forced a smile. "Just a touch of motion sickness. I'll be fine once we get to camp."

Tiffany nodded sympathetically. "We're almost there. Try focusing on the horizon - that always helps me."

As the bus rounded another bend, a wooden sign came into view: WELCOME TO CAMP CHEER ROCK. Jessica's heartbeat quickened. This was it. An entire week of normal teenage fun. No monsters, no mysteries, no transformations. Just cheerleading, campfires, and new friends.

What could possibly go wrong?

The bus rolled to a stop in front of a cluster of log cabins nestled among the pines. A dozen younger girls in matching t-shirts lined up to greet them, bouncing on their toes with barely contained enthusiasm. Standing at the head of the welcoming committee was a tall woman with a megawatt smile and perfectly coiffed hair.

"Welcome, welcome!" she boomed as the Mighty Wolf squad filed off the bus. "I'm Cheryl Perkins, camp director extraordinaire. We are so thrilled to have the state champs joining us as guest instructors this week!"

Tiffany stepped forward, all business. "Thank you for having us, Ms. Perkins. We're excited to share our skills and passion for cheerleading with these up-and-coming athletes."

Cheryl beamed. "Wonderful! Why don't you introduce yourselves to the campers?"

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As her squad mates rattled off their names and positions, Jessica hung back, suddenly self-conscious. Public speaking had never been her strong suit, even before the whole werewolf thing complicated matters. She tugged nervously at the sleeve of her Mighty Wolf hoodie, making sure it covered the faint scars on her forearm - a permanent reminder of that fateful night in the woods.

"...and this is Jessica, our star tumbler!" Tiffany's voice snapped Jessica back to reality. She found herself face to face with a dozen eager youthful faces.

"Um, hi everyone," she managed, giving an awkward wave. "I'm really looking forward to working with you all this week."

One of the younger girls raised her hand. "Is it true you can do a triple backflip?"

Jessica relaxed a bit, grateful for the softball question. "Well, I've landed it once or twice in practice. But it's all about building up to the big stunts. We'll start with the basics and work our way up."

The girl nodded seriously. "Cool. I want to learn everything!"

"That's the spirit!" Cheryl clapped her hands. "Alright campers, why don't you show our guest instructors to their cabins? Then we'll reconvene at the main lodge for dinner and evening activities."

As the group dispersed, Salina sidled up to Jessica. "Well, this is going to be bucket loads of fun," she drawled. "Think they'll let me wear my pentagram during cheer practice?"

Jessica elbowed her friend. "Come on, give it a chance. Who knows, you might actually enjoy yourself."

Salina snorted. "Right. And maybe I'll sprout fairy wings and start farting glitter."

Despite her sarcastic tone, Jessica caught the hint of a smile tugging at Salina's black-painted lips. Maybe this week would be good for both of them.

The afternoon passed in a whirlwind of unpacking, icebreaker games, and a tour of the camp facilities. Jessica had to admit, Camp Cheer Rock was pretty impressive. There was a state-of-the-art gymnasium for indoor practice, plus a vast field overlooking picturesque Moon Valley Lake.

As the sun set, Cheryl gathered everyone around a crackling bonfire. "Time for some camp traditions!" she announced. "We'll roast marshmallows, sing songs, and each of you will share something you hope to accomplish this week."

Jessica settled onto a log between Tiffany and Salina, accepting a marshmallow on a stick from one of the junior counselors. The fire's warmth felt good against her skin, soothing her restless wolf. She closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of wood smoke and pine needles. For a moment, she could almost forget about the constant balancing act her life had become.

"Earth to Jessica!" Tiffany's voice cut through her reverie. "It's your turn to share."

Jessica blinked, realizing the group's attention had shifted to her. "Oh, um..." She scrambled for something suitably inspiring to say. "I guess... I hope to push myself out of my comfort zone this week. Try new things, make new friends." She paused, then added quietly, "Maybe figure out who I really am."

Tiffany beamed. "That's beautiful, Jessica. I know we'll all grow so much this week!"

As the sharing continued around the circle, Jessica caught Salina's eye. Her friend gave her a subtle nod, a silent acknowledgment of the deeper meaning behind Jessica's words.

Finally, it was Salina's turn. She sighed dramatically. "Well, I suppose I hope to... not completely suck at this whole cheerleading thing."

A few of the younger girls giggled nervously, clearly unsure what to make of the goth girl in their midst. But Cheryl just smiled encouragingly. "That's a great goal, Salina! Remember, everyone starts somewhere. I'm sure your teammates will be happy to help you improve."

"Oh joy," Salina muttered under her breath. Jessica nudged her, trying not to laugh.

As the night wore on, the energy around the campfire flagged. Even the most enthusiastic campers were yawning by the time they finished the last round of "Kumbaya."

"Alright, time to hit the hay!" Cheryl announced. "We've got a big day of training ahead of us tomorrow. Lights out in 30 minutes!"

The girls dispersed, heading towards their respective cabins. Jessica lingered by the dying embers of the fire, savoring the last moments of peace before bed.

That's when she felt it. A prickling sensation at the back of her neck, her heightened senses suddenly on high alert. She scanned the treeline, searching for any sign of movement in the shadows.

Nothing. And yet...

A gust of wind carried a scent to her nose - something cold and metallic, with an underlying note of decay. Jessica's hackles rose. Whatever it was, it definitely didn't belong in these woods.

"Jessica? You coming?" Tiffany called from the path to their cabin.

Jessica tore her gaze away from the forest, forcing a smile. "Yeah, right behind you."

As she hurried to catch up with her friends, Jessica couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. The carefree summer adventure she'd hoped for suddenly felt a lot more complicated.

But that was a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, she had to focus on being Jessica the normal teenage cheerleader. The werewolf could wait.

Little did she know, the horrors lurking in the shadows wouldn't wait much longer.