[oom] Hunt (Cubefall, Day Three)

[hell_in_highheels]

For once, River is actually awake before Richard.  Her whole body is flush with excitement.  Today she takes the final step.  Today, they will visit the Library and find a book with a full moon and prey, and she will hunt beside him for the first time.

She watches him as he sleeps.  Watches the way his chest rises and falls.  Watches the dreams flicker across his face.  She knows about the nightmares, knows there are times when he relives that night over and over again.  But tonight she thinks she succeeded in wearing him out, as he is sleeping as soundly as she's ever seen him sleep.

She casts an eye at the clock.  It's a quarter of five.  She can wait forty five minutes, she thinks. 

And so she waits. 

And watches.

Comments

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Yes. Moving is a good idea. He heads for the woods immediately, getting out of the open. Dam races back across the meadow to join them, falling in with a happy grin.

Richard just wants to run, to move, but he knows he should be instructing her.

We're looking for something secluded, not easily seen. A close stand of trees will do. It's half instinct and half training that's guiding him now, but he knows they don't need anything permanent. They're simply not going to be there that long.

[hell_in_highheels]

For a den? Or simply to conceal us during the transition? Running is helping but there this compelling sense of urgency pressing at the back of her skull.

Her eyes are scanning the forest. Aside from a few game trails, there are no paths. No roads. No sign of civilisation. Somewhere off in the distance, she can hear water and she alerts on the sound.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Preferably, both. A bit of wryness enters his scent. There's a good chance, though, that whatever we find before hand won't hold up to scrutiny on the other side. We may have to hunt for our clothes in the morning.

It would not be the first time.

He sees her alert and tilts his head himself. Water is good. We should at be in the same area when we wake. This way.

[hell_in_highheels]

Wouldn't be the first time we had to hunt for our clothes, would it, love? Even in the fear and anticipation, she can't pass up that straight line.

Smirking, she follows him, head down.

There, she gestures towards a thicker part of the glade, a stand of hundred year old oak trees huddled together like old men in a windstorm. Does that look good?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Good eye, Richard praises. Dam, scout the area. The Doberman bounds ahead, eager to put his training to use.

Of course, he explores the trees himself once they get there, sniffing for anything out of place. There's nothing, naturally. They're years before there ever will be.

He circles round to bump River. How are you doing?

[hell_in_highheels]

Better. Ready for the waiting part to be done.

For all her love of research, once she's made a decision, she is not one to stand around and quibble about it.

That and the insistent thrum in her skull is making her skin crawl.

She leans against him for a moment, catching his hand again. How long, do you think?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Richard rolls his shoulders, trying to ease some of his own itch out.

It doesn't work very well.

He shakes his head, wanting to pace. Soon. You feel it? Of course she does. The sun's near completely set, leaving long dark shadows beneath the trees, and the moon is terribly close to rising.

Start taking your clothes off. There's no romance in his language, just a simple urgency. He gives her a quick kiss before pulling away from her, stripping off his shirt.

When it comes, it'll hurt. Don't fight it. It'll only make it last longer.

[hell_in_highheels]

She feels it like she's hanging on the edge of freefall, her stomach tight, and her skin itching and crawling. She nods at his instruction and does as she's told.

She's been briefed thoroughly on this next part. She folds her clothes and clears away a hollow at the base of the tree to stash them, taking Richard's clothes and doing the same.

That accomplished she stands, her fists clenching and unclenching. Her neck and back feel like a spring twisting tighter and tighter, and her stomach is roiling.

Richard. Richard!

When he looks into her face, her eyes have gone golden.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

She's beautiful. Even in black and white.

His fingertips are itching as his claws start to grow. He'd love to reach out to her, but between the claws and what he knows is coming next he doesn't dare.

It'll be all right, he tells her as his jaw starts to itch, then burn as his teeth fight for room. I love you.

He doubles over with a gasp.

[hell_in_highheels]

She manages to respond, her human hand reaching out towards him. Love you...

And then she's beyond language.

Pain for something you want is significantly different than pain for something you don't want. That said, River has never felt anything like this.

There is a searing agony deep in her bones as they stretch and grow, her entire frame readjusting to accommodate the new mass within and without. She wants to curl into a foetal position, but her body is not her own anymore. Her skull is changing, her heart and lungs, every inch of her skin sprouts fur and stretches to cover her new mass.

It is the longest minute of her life. At some point she fell to her knees and when it's done, all she can do is look at the the ground, and breathe.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

There are two separate noses sticking themselves in her ears, whurfling in curiosity and concern.

Is she okay?

Think so. She's bumped on both sides as the whurfling continues.

[hell_in_highheels]

The world is black and white and rich with scents. Their human clothes, Damocles, and her mate stand out strong against the background of the forest.

Her pack is around her. She lifts her head, shakes her ears and blinks as she looks at the world through new eyes.

Her shoulder meets his and she turns to look him in the eye.

Hey.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Hi. He meets her eyes, unblinking, ears pricked towards her. A hint of aggression works it's way into his scent. Okay?

Dam is still bouncing and bumping on her other side. Hihihihihi! River! You changed! The dog laughs happily.

[hell_in_highheels]

She blinks, confused at the aggression, and a bit bewildered at Dam's response.

Grinning briefly at the dog, she looks back at the black werewolf and then looks down, leaning forward to brush her muzzle against his chin.

You?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He relaxed as soon as she blinked, ears splaying sideways a bit as his mouth opened in a smile.

Glad you're here. Wherever here is. He licks her nose, then rises a bit to look around. Dam?

New place, sir, just for tonight. Should be safe. Water's a short trot upwind.

The black werewolf turns his attention back to him, ears listening to their surroundings. Well done. To River: Can you stand, pup?

[hell_in_highheels]

She doesn't know. Her limbs feel -- odd.

So she tries, feeling the new muscle stretch. Ooo, stretching feels good. She tips her chin up and yawns, a nervous flashing of teeth. Her arms come up and out, and she splays her claws, curling them in just as quickly.

As she stretches her torso, she feels the emptiness of her stomach.

She turns back to him, ears flat, whining a bit in the back of her throat. Hungry.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

All right. Can fix that. He grins a bit, standing. Dam's ears get tousled with his knuckles as he passes him, headed upwind.

We'll find a trail at the water. He doesn't look back.

He's hungry too.

[hell_in_highheels]

She follows him, her eyes taking in the woods, searching, seeking. Everything in this world is new to her, and while she seems to know instinctively that there are very few things that actually pose a threat, she is still wary. He is her mate, she knows this, but there's something new about him as well. She does not know quite where she fits in this new order yet.

The night is quiet here, and she can hear the sound of running water ahead of them. Something small darts away through the leaf litter and without a thought, she's chasing it, crashing through the brush with a singular intent. It goes to ground in a wide mouth hollow and her jaws snap closed on empty air.

She growls in frustration, pacing around the hole for a few steps before she realises they did not join her. She races back to rejoin them, following her own scent back to them.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Here she comes, yips Dam, wagging his tail. You can't catch prey like that. You gotta be sneaky!

Too small anyway. Come on, pup, you have a lot to learn yet. It's patiently said, but one ear flicks a bit in annoyance as the black werewolf turns away to finish the trek to the water.

It's a good sized stream gurgling past and there are several sets of track leading down to and away from the water. He crouches at the water's edge, using one hand to steady himself, and laps up a quick drink.

Here. This scent, this is deer. We'll follow this.

[hell_in_highheels]

She flicks her ears right back at him, before looking away, ignoring him pointedly until they get to the stream.

At the water's edge, she slots in beside him, brushing against him as she also bends to drink. Her nose wet and cold, she whurfles in his ear.

Like the way you smell.

And then she turns to identify this new scent, drawing it from ground and the set of hoofprints in the soft mud and up the bank. She stands back to her full height, breathing it in.

Prey.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He laughs and twitches away. Cold! In his ear! But she's standing again and he joins her, bumping her shoulder once.

Prey, he agrees, testing the wind as Dam gets a drink too. Young, male. Good chase.

Come on.

[hell_in_highheels]

She bumps him right back and falls in behind, content to let him lead for now.

Besides, this way she gets to run through warm banners of his scent as well as following the fading ribbon of the prey scent.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

They'll have to run for a bit, but that's okay. Running is good. He keeps his nose to the wind, one ear on their surroundings, and one ear on them.

It takes time, but eventually that prey scent starts to grow stronger and running turns more and more to stalking.

[hell_in_highheels]

She's watching him, watching Damocles, trying to mimic their movements, but the musk of the deer is richer here, stronger. It's making her mouth water. All around them the forest seems to be holding its breath as the predators pass by.

Her belly grinds against her backbone, reminding her she needs to eat and soon. She can't contain the low whine in the back of her throat and her ears press flat to her head as she hears herself.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Quiet! and Shhh! he and Damocles both say at once.

If the deer hears you, he'll run.

And we'll have to wait to eat. The black's ears flicker uncertainly. Maybe you should wait here.

Dam bumps her thigh. He didn't let me hunt my first time either.