Shrike's ears flicked forward. Well, if he wanted to play it that way....Did the mutt take him as a fool? Did he truly think he was that stupid? He stared pointedly at the yearling as his lips pulled back to reveal his canines, sharp and dripping with saliva. They either did this his way or they didn't do it at all. He would sooner steal the fawn for himself than allow such an affront. Or he could do one worse and startle the fawn, ensure that he went hungry for yet another day...

Both options were tempting.

He watched and waited, tossing both ideas back and forth in his mind.  If they did kill the fawn he supposed he could use it as a bartering tool, but on the other paw Shrike just wanted to see the boy squirm. Decisions, decisions.

Sinking down to the ground, Shirke took shelter beside a worn, fallen log. Being black he didn't blend in too well either, but he'd positioned himself that he could only been seen from a certain angle. That the fawn would try to rush by him, only to get grabbed once it got too close. He would play along for now, he decided, but if the fucker tried to wriggle his way out of it-well, Shrike was a convincing man, when need be. If not, he supposed the other's might enjoy a new chew toy. They were never far, just a howl away.

Shrike was as ready as he was ever going to be. Was the loner ready yet? What was taking him so damn long?

Shrike's ears flicked forward at the sound of thudding paws and hooves. He could have jumped out early, allowed their quarry to escape under the pretence of making a mistake, but Shrike wanted blood. Nothing could stop him when he was on the warpath. And so he waited, bided his time. Just a little closer, a little more. And then it was time.

Shrike charged out from behind his cover in an explosion of black fur and white bared teeth. The Black Beast collided with the spindly legged fawn and the two crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs and flailing tails. The impact of their collision reverberated through his chest and made his body ache oh so deliciously. If nothing else, he would enjoy this. Before the fawn even had a chance to right itself he was upon it once more. This time he went for it's throat, he bit down so hard his jaw clicked- and then the taste of coppery blood followed, so rich and sweet he would have salivated if his mouth wasn't full. Shrike violent shook his head about, cutting and goring the creature, making far more of a mess than was necessary in the process.

Soon enough, the fawn laid dying, it's sides heaving as it struggled to breath. Not long now, Shrike idly thought as he pressed it's face down into the dirt with a paw. Yet another insult to injury.

Before the yearling could even reach the fawn, Shrike stood in his path. "Is that it?" He tutted, less like the beast he was and more a disapproving parental figure. "What did I say?"

The boy had agreed to his terms, he might have done it offhandedly, but he'd accepted them regardless. If he tried to weasel out then this situation would no doubt go south real fast. Still, the ball was in his court. It wasn't as if Shrike was going to ask for his soul, in fact what he had in mind seemed very reasonable... And easy, it wouldn't even take more than a moment of his time.

"I just want a little favour, I'm not an unreasonable man. I helped you, you help me and I will let you have it all to yourself." He gave the fawn another kick, this time with his back foot.

"Tell me about this pack. You said they had pups, how are they faring?" It seemed like an innocent enough question, the sort an curious bypasser would ask. After all, who didn't love pups?

It was more than that though. The loner had claimed they were doing well enough, but any crack was enough. Shrike would force it open, and make it so wide till the pack's foundations cracked beneath his paws. It was all he wanted, really, to ruin someone else's day and make his brighter in return.

Shrike nodded. This was almost too easy. Sure, the loner was being a bit cautious, plenty of trepidation hiding behind his words, but Shrike knew it wouldn't be difficult to brush aside. He rolled his hefty shoulders, the very image of a laid back, comfortable man. In all honesty though, he was half tempted to pin the boy and pry the knowledge from him. But no, this was easier and he'd already shed quite a bit of blood today.

"My word is my bond." Such a pretence came quite naturally to the black beast. He was always good at pretending to be something he was not. "I won't even take a bite."