THE silence looms over the marsh lands like a poisonous haze threatening to steal the life from all sound itself. The few creatures that dare dwell in such lands have too grown quiet. This day was believed to be forgotten from the wishful hopes of others; this day of return. It is the calm before the storm; dark clouds suffocating the life from the sun and causing the earth to reach night far too quickly. Shadows fall from the sky, caressing the landscape gently like a fraud before sucking the last bit of light out of the world in haste. The air feels cool, far too cool for the season of now, breath now becomes seen within the depths of small brush beside the pack line. The steam flows from slack, bloodstained jaws before retreating back into the sharpest of canines. A massive shadow outdoes the others not just in size but in darkness for though the smooth, charcoal coat is light, the heart is darker than night…

HUSH little birdies that dare speak out of turn, the monster can hear you and soon you will burn. Cool, oceanic pools shift from the murk before him towards the tree to his left, pinpointing the sound like the skilled hunter he is. Silence. A blink and then his icy gaze shifts forward once more. He commands the world with his very presence, demands respect without even speaking and the bloodthirsty beast has returned. Oh no, not to stay though, merely passing by for this is a place he had grown to leave and if he could leave once, he would leave again. His loyalties do not lie where they once did for now he has a hunger deep within him that cannot be satiated by a mere pack life. The cannibalism must not be sated, it must be let loose freely without orders or condemnations. His body quivers at the thought of the taste of brethren once more though mere minutes ago he had fed. Tongue slides out from behind its cage, coming to drag slowly along clean chops as if to snag one more savory taste of flesh. The action is futile, the taste long gone and it cause a low, dissatisfied rumble to peel itself from within him.

IT was time to move.

THIS little pit stop needed to happen quickly before the thirst overtook his soul and he ravaged on the one thing that used to keep him sane. Upon his disastrous departure thoughts had lingered upon the face of another. It was almost enough to make him turn around. Almost. The carnivore had not returned for some pretty little pet though, oh no. His venture was one of purpose. She was just a mere pit stop along the way to self-destruction. The beast had missed his beauty. The thick mass rises from the underbrush, muscles rippling under a thick pelt as a massive step is taken towards the border line. Talons dig into the earth as tainted lips curl back whilst crystals tear through the darkness to see into the very heart of his old pack lands. Though she cannot be seen, he knows she will catch his unique musk eventually for it is truly unique; a surprisingly enticing mixture of testosterone, earth, and blood.

BUT just in case, “Aithne,” he grants her his low, seductive tones in a mere whisper, demanding the winds to carry his strong, quiet call to the ears of the empress. She would have come whether he called or not but he was impatient, there were things that needed to be done.

PLACES to be, wolves to kill, the usual.

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