I made it halfway down the beach when a series of cheers and whooping filled the air, followed by laughter and thundering feet. There were at least a hundred men and women running down the beach, towards the forest’s emerald leaves, muted from the dark but still beautiful beneath the moonlight.

A few shifted prematurely, shredding bathing suits and swimming trunks as fur sprouted from their arms, neck, and torso. For many the shift was instant, an animal breaking free from its two-legged prison. Large paws dug into the sand, spraying those who hadn’t yet shifted. Some shouted and groaned, while others laughed and tried not to get it in their eyes.

“Manhunt! Manhunt!” A few guys chanted, dispersed throughout the crowd. Their voices were nearly drowned in the laughter and cheering. Still, the word brought nothing but confusion.

‘Isn’t manhunt like adult hide and seek?’ I asked Maya, even though there was no way she’d