It was cold for a summer evening, cold and a large cry seem to echo through the air. The cry of a child, an infant. Ear perked forward at the cry as the beast moved forward through the shadows, stepping through the red stained ground, she paused long enough to sniff a half devoured body of a human before moving forward again, ears perked at the animal whimper. She came upon an another human body, the back torn apart that she could see the bones beneath the strips of fabric and blood.
It was also the source of the strange sounds she continued to hear.
The body was curled up slightly, as if to protect something. She sniffed the body once more before nudging it. Another whimpering cry came forth, so this is where it was. Digging her teeth into what was left of the shoulder she pulled it so it flipped over, the cry louder and more constant then before. Ears flattening on her head, she moved forward, taking in the swath of cloth that was in the arms of the human, it stirred occasionally but the noise didn’t cease. Curious from the noises of an animal, she nudged the bundle with her snout. A whimper answered her as the fabric peeled back to reveal the creature beneath. It wasn’t a human, not with the strong smell of a wolf coming from it, but it wasn’t an beast either, but some strange combination.
She moved her head forward, smelling the youth more closely. Another young whimper answered her. She licked the young one but the result was the same, this child was not human, nor beast…perhaps it was more like her? The large wolf lurker opened her mouth and picked up the babe, before turning around and heading back into the shadows of the forest. It was neither man nor beast, so it will be hers.
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A snarl peered his lips, as yips and yelps followed as he wrestled his fellow littermate. The adults laying around them huffed in good nature watching them. Squeaky growls came from them as they bit and pawed one another. A low grumbling noise caused his ears to perk, before he squeaked as the other pup refused to stop play even though his mother was calling him.
Though that didn’t really matter as she reached into the fight and picked him up by the back of his neck before walking off with him. The red furred child huffed but hang limply from her hold, knowing better then to squirm in her jaws. Instead he watched as the rest of the pack raised their heads to them as they passed by some rumbling growls and huffs following them before she took her place in her den. She gently placed him down before lying down in a small circle around him. He yip up at her his small paws resting against her fur as he wagged his tail before there was a sickening ‘crack’.
The red pup whimpered at the pain as several pops followed, before his human finger clenched into fists as he clung to the wolf lurker. She turned her head towards him and licked him soothingly as he released another yelp of pain. They hurt, these transformations, ones that he couldn’t control them and they usually happened at random. He didn’t like the form he became. With skin and patches red fur, no snout and a small mouth. He hated it but it was a part of him.
He whined and got another lick to his face in reply. She rumbled deep in her throat, a soothing noise as he curled up against her, shuttering from the lingering pain. No matter what form he took, she was there, comforting him between the shifts. She was his mother, how else would one explain they way she cared for him despite being so different. A lick on his retreating snout made him crack his eyes open to look at her even as more bones snapped. He cuddled her side, yes, this was all he needed.
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The pack was moving.
That was nothing new really, they were always moving from location to location, for better hunting and scavaging. Being ten summers old in the pack, he knew what he was expected, the only problem…was his transformations. He clung to the side of his mother as he stumbled over his long hide legs, like he’s seen the occasional human do. It was awkward and unnatural in his opinion but he couldn’t walk in his usual way in his current form. His mother’s ears flicked as another popping noise echoed as his ankle seemed to just snap into place on his left leg, forming a rather strange looking foot. It made it easier to stand on as it was larger and supported his easier but it was still strange.
He stumbled as his mother abruptly stopped, making him peer at her with confused red eyes. Her ears were flickering in every direction while she stared. His own pointed ears twitched, trying to pick up any noises but hearing nothing…well nothing but his own body shift to the strange form. Even after all the years it happened, the pain was still there, but it was more…manageable, it was never and instantaneous transformation either, it still took a good hour for him to completely finish and be in that completely furless form excluding the small amount on his head.
His current process should be finishing up soon. His arm cracked into place as his ears began to shrink to the small round things on the side of his head. It was about that time his mother tensed, her fur bristling as her lips pulled back into a snarl as she growled loudly in warning. His own lips tugged in reply as his hand tightened in her fur. Good thing she did as she sprang back to avoid the thrown dagger where she was only moment before. Other members of the pack snarled and growled as his own nose flared to take in the scents. It was humans…but unlike anything he has smelled before, and as he was there was nothing he could do to help and his mother knew it.
She retreated enough for him to be by the foliage and a large tree as cover. Reluctantly he let go of her fur so she may rejoin them, she had to protect the pack. Just before she left, she turned and pressed her forehead against his, in a gesture of comfort, before giving him a small lick of comfort before disappearing once more. He waited for what seemed like hours, listening to snarls, growls, yelps of his family and the shouts and yells of the humans, he knew he was supposed to stay hidden, to wait till she came to get him, but he heard her yelp in pain and he couldn’t stay hidden any longer.
His ached in a familiar pain as he moved out from behind his hiding spot and stopping as he a horrifying sight greeted him. His pack…his family lay scattered throughout, blood soaking the ground and plants and his eyes widened in horror as it began to sink in. He jerked his head looking for her, looking for his mother, trying not to break down and cry as he saw even pups—pups!—had not escaped the slaughter.
He whined, a small helpless sound that his pack usually responded too easily, because family answered all calls. But no one answered back. No one would ever answer back again. He wasn’t sure where the humans were now, but that wasn’t his focus or even on his mind as he walked seeing everyone he once knew, everyone who he loved and loved in turn, cold and lifeless.
What had they done to deserve this?
And then he finally found her.
She was lying on her side, still, her back facing him. He whined at her, but no ear flick, no acknowledgement as he crept closer, before finally falling to his knees, pressing his face against her side, wanting to feel that warmth once more…but there was nothing. The tears finally began to fall, landing in her soft fur and he pulled himself closer to her.
The grief he felt was shattered as he felt them approach him, and rage began to build up within in. They did this, took away his family. He clenched the fur in anger; he could feel one approaching, making strange noises as their means of communicating with one another, but he could not understand them, he never could.
Why would he listen to the words of monsters?
He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he reacted without thinking, turning his head to sink his teeth into the offending limb, gaining a pained shout from the action. He shook his head violently, just like mom showed him, just as he took down the rabbits when he was hungry. Something came off as the human pulled his hand away shouting, clutching the blood soak limb.
Two fingers were clenched between his teeth, he bit down on them savagely before spitting them out. No that wasn’t good enough. Twice as much blood must be spilt for every one that spilled from his family. He would bleed them dry if it meant to do so! With a roar he launched himself at them. It was foolish, stupid, they had him out numbered he was probably going to die, but he wasn’t worried about that, even if he did die it wouldn’t be so bad.
The humans though were experienced, and he was clumsy and inexperienced in a body he never truly familiarized himself with, he was eventually pinned violently to the ground as a result, he squirmed, kicked, snarled, growled, but he couldn’t escape the hold. There was a good solid hit to his head, and he welcomed blackness with open arms.
When he re-awakened, feeling warm and comfortable, his mother’s scent all around him, but he could feel something cold on his wrists curled and neck as he stared at the straw on the floor before pushing himself up feeling something slide down his back. Jerking his head up he stare at the forest that greeted him…beyond the site of cold gray bars. His eyes widened before turned his head to look at what was on him…and his eyes widened in horror as he clamped a hand over his mouth. With his other hand, he removed it and tried to get as far away from it as possible.
Tear spilled from his eyes before his stomach finally won the battle and empty itself on the straw covered ground.
He had been covered in his mother’s fur.
They had given him her pelt.
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Two summers passed.
Two summers since that day when he was taken. Two summers since other humans come to stare at him from behind his prison. He watched, he learned, he realized that humans weren’t interested in another human, and while his transformations where still uncontrollable occasionally, he could at least initiate the transformation. It still took a long time for him to shift completely however.
His mother’s pelt was carefully folded and placed in a corner, he only used it when he was truly desperate for warmth, usually in winter, but other than that he didn’t touch it.
This place, much like his pack, traveled a lot, between these large places that were filled with more humans and overpowering smells. He didn’t much care for it but…what could he do? He was trapped, with nothing more than to perfect his transformation or work on making himself stronger so he may escape back to his true home one day.
So he may finally put his mother to rest.
There was a high pitched squeak behind him, as he heard a tumble and a splash of water. Turning, he took the sight of a young girl, younger then him laying on the ground that was now wet with water. She babbled in her foreign noises as she scrambled to pick herself up and the wooden bucket she had dropped. She refilled it with the well that was near by before walking once more with an intense look of concentration on her features, to not spill a single drop. When she finally reached him she smiled proudly at herself as she placed it on the ground and looked up at him. He truthfully didn’t know what to think of her, she was a strange thing, so small, but so very bold, and unlike most others—
She didn’t fear him.
As young as she was and just appearing in this camp a few weeks ago, she seemed to think of him as a different human from herself, she talked to him, and never shied away from him. She didn’t bag on the bars to scare him or get his attention, she didn’t make harsh sounding noises at him when he refused to transform, and mostly, she didn’t use that strange long…thing that moved through the air like a snake and cut through his skin if it connected.
It was kind of nice.
She was currently pointing down at the bucket repeating the same noise over and over again. He tilted his head at her, before opening his mouth, “Wa…ter…” He rasped back at her, gaining a gasp as she stared up at him, she then began giggling and clapping her hands in an excited manner that truthfully confused him, was that not the word she used to identify the liquid? He was only copying her.
The little girl placed a hand on her chest, “Sakina.” She said while patting her chest. Was that the noise used to identify her? She repeated the noise and the action, “Sa…ki…na…” His voice was rough, obviously from his use of just growls, snarls and other noises and even though he’s pretty sure he butchered her noise call, it still made her happy at his attempt. She giggled, before scooping some water up in a wooden ladle and holding it up to him, “Water?” She asked with a tilt of her head.
The feral child moved forward and took a sip of the water before pulling away, his thirst sated for now. The girl practically beamed up at him before waving her hand at him, a gesture he was much more use too and something that was easy to return. He couldn’t stay long, after all she would get in trouble from the larger humans about, ones he assumed were the alpha’s because why else would so many people be here under one identity?
She returned later after a day of people wandering though, gaping at others within the set up. She began with pointing at things and making the noise she used for them, very different from his own, so he tried to copy as best as he could, but even if he completely messed up a word she didn’t seem too mind, she just seemed way too happy that they could…speak to one another, even though it was just her pointing to things and him copying her, she seemed to enjoy it.
And as the weeks went by so did he.
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