[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.

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[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.

[hell_in_highheels]

She bumps Dam back and moves to brush against her mate, rubbing her muzzle against his shoulder. Sorry. Please don't make me wait. I'm strong. I can do this. Please?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He stands tall and unmoving for a moment but finally bends down to nuzzle her ear.

All right. Stay quiet. The scent is strong and we're nearly there. Watch your paws.

And then it's back to creeping slowly forward so as not to startle what they're hunting. It really isn't much further and the black werewolf freezes and hunkers down the moment the young buck is in sight. Dam crawls forward at his side, alerting on the animal but holding his place for now.

[hell_in_highheels]

She does watch her paws, freezing when he freezes, and then very carefully creeping through the undergrowth on the upwind side of the buck. The smell isn't as enticing here, and she can think more clearly.

The creature's head comes up and it looks almost directly at her but she is the same color as the leaf litter, and keeps her eyes downturned. She does not even breathe until it goes back to grazing.

She crouches down, quivering with restraint, her body poised like a nocked arrow, ready to let fly. Finally in position, she looks to him, waiting his signal.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He's tempted to try tactics, but tactics with a puppy is like asking Dam to stop panting. It could be done, but not easily nor for long.

Better to rush the animal, get in a hard strike, and follow the blood trail if that doesn't take it down.

Go. He bursts from the undergrowth, catching the tips of his claws in the deer's side, trying to pull it down. Dam comes in on the other side, jumping high to avoid the flash of rear hooves.

[hell_in_highheels]

River follows, angling behind Damocles, all her power focused on prey, not really knowing where or how to hit.

Instinct takes over and she feels herself leaving the ground, aiming for the only vulnerable spot she can see as the deer flees. Her claws slash into the soft white belly. She smells blood and lunges again, her jaws clamping on a hind flank, but her grip is no good.

The buck chambers the leg and in an terrified frenzy, lashes out with razor sharp hooves, catching her across the muzzle, slicing her open to the bone.

She yipes, tumbles away, coming up snarling, more determined than ever to see this thing ended.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Dam's latched onto the withers of the animal, weighing it down. He's on his hind legs, hopping along with the deer to keep clear of its hooves.

Richard rushes forward, fixing his claws in the back of the deer's neck this time, gripping tightly. He ducks low, nearly crouching, then snaps up again to catch its throat, biting hard.

[hell_in_highheels]

She watches as the arterial spray coats his muzzle, watches the creature crumple and fold beneath the power of his strike. It's over and done with by the time she catches up, and as much as she wants to rip into that flesh, something makes her hold back.

It's not her kill.

The hunger twists inside her and she howls her frustration at the sky.