Devlin slithered through the woodland like the serpent he was, all darkness and flashing teeth and rippling muscle. He was a lanky thing, with long legs and hair that slicked down against his skin. Moving through the forest was effortless with feet as large and padded as his -- soft footsteps carried him soundlessly over the snow and threaded him easily between trees which grew far too close together for comfort.

He had caught another male's scent some time ago, and though it seemed the male was intent on getting as far away from Devlin as possible, Devlin always got what he wanted. And for now, what he wanted was to get under the skin of this mysterious loner, simply because he knew he could.

The devil grinned, stopping dead in his tracks when he knew he was getting close. The male he had been trailing was near, very near -- Devlin didn't want to risk exposing himself too early. For a moment the beast simply waited, testing his proximity, lips twitching with the urge to grin.

He could hear no movement, not a thing stirred.

Devlin moved cautiously forward, his serpentine body inching over the dense forest floor, ears on high alert and eyes wide. He wagged his head, trying to discern where, exactly, the wolf was hidden. He was there, surely, hidden somewhere in the thick foliage. It was only a matter of waiting him out.

Come out, come out...

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D E V L ! N