A low rumble emitted from the thin needles of the forest. The happy chirping birds instantly took flight, for the sound was most deep and angry. The large cavity of the onyx male made a wonderful chamber to release such a sound, deep and throaty as the snarling tones of the brute echoed across the forest around him, and for once, he didn’t care who heard. He was fed up, frustrated with having to keep his true nature in check and be nice to everyone. It was getting him no where. His plan was falling apart for Rhysis was too impatient and sick of waiting. Sick of being nice. Sick of smiling. Sick of forgetting who he really was and right now he just wanted to tear something apart!

As luck would have it, a foolish hare darted from a thicket at the moment. Its timing was awful for the grey eyed beast caught the movement and didn’t allow himself to think before he tore after the animal. He needed to run, he needed to hear the animal scream in fright and pain before he ripped its fucking head off. The leather pads of his paws drummed against the cold terrain as his tore off after the small creature. His solid muscles bulged beneath his shiny black coat, bunching and stretching as he propelled forward at great speeds. For once, his mind was empty. Focused solely on the hare which he was gaining on as it dipped and weaved, trying to escape.

The chase broke free from the cover of the forest and headed towards a cluster of rocks, completely missing the scents of the white wolf closeby. With eyes narrowed Rhysis gave a last punch of speed and landed upon the grey animal, his teeth sought the mammals head and with a bone crunching snap, he crushed his jaws together. A terrified scream released from the hare moments before the light went out in its eyes. Still, Rhysis continued the pressure of his jaws until the hares head was unrecogniseable and he had yet to stop there.
He tossed the creature against one of the large rocks. It splattered and dropped to the floor, but he was on it again in a flash, teeth tearing and shredding at the little meat the animal offered- Rhysis wasn’t eating it though, he was more intent on tearing the small creature apart and flinging its entrails here and there.

My, someone was certainly in a bad mood.

From the corner of his eye a white shape dipped and weaved upon the rocks- he hadn’t taken much interest in it before when it was perfectly still, but now the shape was moving he couldn’t help but glance in its direction. He hadn’t given much thought to what it was, or who it was; his attention had focused only on the rabbit, or what was left of it, within his jaws. Though he didn’t drop the hideous sight from his jaws, he did lift his head and turned his gaze fully onto her.

He took a moment then to analyze her, as he often did; even though he had been in a rage he was relatively calmer now from the burst of exercise and the destruction of the animal in his jaws; though he was still seeing red, he was distracted by the strange female just enough to forget that he was meant to be angry.

She was a large female, perhaps not taller then him but bigger then those he had seen around the land so far, but her most distinguishing thing about her was that scar across her face, and the dull colouring of her eye; it wasn’t the most attractive thing to look at, but he had seen worse- in fact the look of her made him feel a little more relaxed, like he was back at home and she was one of the few females there who. Her presence wasn’t the burden it should have been because of that. For now, he was calm…ish.

He dropped the carcus from his lips to the floor, and it landed with a squelchy thud. ”Hello.” sounded his southern drawl.

As she sauntered closer, Rhysis couldn’t help himself but to stare at her mangled face and the state of her body. She was a wreck and he almost felt sorry for her; almost. It was obvious she had a few challenges in her life, but so had he and he didn’t look that awful. He was a very handsome wolf and he knew it, not that it made any difference because he hated the very thought of physical contact, let alone being told by another he was a ‘catch’. It was almost as soon as his thought had process finished that she suddenly dropped to submission and crawled closer, and as soon as he saw her tongue slip from her mouth to make contact he flung himself backwards and quite harshly into the boulder he had previously thrown the rabbit into.

With a wide eyed and pretty panicked gaze he snarled in response. ”Don’t touch me!” he snapped as he peeled his sore rear from the blood stained surface to face her head on. Without even knowing his hackles were raised and his body tense- his calm mood had vanished within the rage and disgust he felt at the contact. With his lips pulled back he bared his pearly whites, flattened his ears and asserted his dominance over the kill as he moved back towards it slowly. It was his kill but he wasn’t going to eat it and he would have given it to her... but after the attempted contact it was hard to think straight and right now he was all over the idea of chasing her away...

He looked into her eyes then, and noticed the damage there. It made his stomach churn a little to see such a sight and it briefly took his mind off his stance. ”Ergh. Just have it.” he snorted before he picked up whatever was left of the animal and tossed it towards her. It appeared he did have some compassion, buried within his black soul. He figured it was because she reminded him a little of his mother- a mother he didn’t get to see once he was old enough to live without her. He couldn’t even recognise her voice or her face, but he’d never forget her eyes and the way she warmly smiled when she spoke to him if their father wasn’t around. This female had those say eyes, saddened, empty but hopeful and the way she looked at him only reminded him of the one wolf in his life he missed. He couldn’t see her starved to death...

Something in his gut twisted as she apologised. She was so fragile, so scared and sickly. All he had in his head was images of his mother. She often looked the same, cowering, defeated and begging for her life as his father cruelly teased her about her death. He would never find out what happened to her, but he was certain it was nothing good... but looking at the mess of a wolf before him he couldn’t help but see her as his mother. In his mind he wanted to reach out, comfort her and bury his face into her thick fur as he had his mother when their father was visiting. He wanted her to take away all of the pain and soothe the rage within him as his own mother used to.

Still, she wasn’t his mother. She was an imposter... wasn’t she? Maybe it was his mother, maybe she just didn’t recognised her son... it had been so long after all. His logical mind was fighting with itself, half of it believing she could be his mother whilst the other half was unable to back down that this stranger was toying with him. ”Just eat it. I won't hurt you.” he added in a defeated voice before he lowered his defensive and dominant poise and lowered himself to the floor. As his belly his the cold surface he winched slightly at the temperature change. His head followed to rest upon his paws whilst his ears flattened; he was as defenceless as he could be and wishing nothing more for her to fill her belly on the scrap- in fact he would find more for her, yes that would help! He would go hunting for her... it appeared one half of his mind was beginning to win the battle.

He was about to tell her his name, maybe it would jog her memory. Maybe she would know his name and put it to his face, she would reclaim him as her son and then he could tell her all about his ideas for fame and glory. He could treat her right, give her a home and protection and she’d never go hungry or scared again... but then logic reared its ugly head again and he was suddenly afraid to say his name out loud... what if she wasn’t his mother? He didn’t even want to contemplate it. He hadn’t thought of her for so long now that he didn’t want to throw away the chance to find her again. It was crazy... but then again, so was Rhysis.

He wasn’t comfortable with the way she moved; she was almost serpent like, slithering across the floor and inhaling the scraps that were left. With a kick in his gut, he couldn’t stop the words from dribbling out of his mouth. ”Would you like me to get more?... I don’t mind.” It was spoken with a quiet, childlike voice and he had meant every word. His brain was resisting everything which was happening at that moment, but his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own.

”Here- I’ll go find something better. Wait right here, okay?” he said but didn’t wait around for an answer. Instead he slipped into the shadows of the trees nearby, running at a steady trot which seemed to suit his tall and lanky figure. As his nose scented out a potential meal, his brain was still demanding to know what the hell he was doing, but he had no answer. That poor wolf was so hungry, such a shell of herself... of course he didn’t know her, but he couldn’t help but think that she was so empty inside. He felt like he knew her and in his gut that was all that counted at the moment.

It didn’t take him long to track down the leftovers of... something. It was bigger then the rabbit, but he couldn’t identify it from looks. Still, it had some meat left on the bones, not much but even the bones would help that poor female right now. Without hesitation he clamped his jaws around whatever it was and dragged it back towards the rocky face he had last left her on; hoping within his stomach that she was still waiting for him.

I’m coming... don’t have left me again.