Re: [Lou & Atticus: wolfing]
Regular wolves might not, but this was no regular wolf. The wolf realized he was different than the others. He didn't know why he had more thought ability than the ones that ran wild and snarling on full moons. He had less control inside the man. If the wolf had controlled the interactions, say, with the fiery one, they would have gone better. But the wolf knew he was different. Didn't proclaim it or howl it on the night air, but the wolf wasn't stupid. The wolf knew.
Knew this woman wasn't just a woman. Could smell the wolf on her. Could smell the pack. Hadn't run with the pack during the chaos, but knew where the pack had been. Knew who had been at the head of it. The grass and trees all left stories for wet noses to read, and the wolf had the survival instinct to read every single word. Was an old wolf, past his prime, and he couldn't survive a direct confrontation with the young, wild wolves in the pack. The old wolf paid attention.
Knew this was a standoff. Knew there were choices to be made. Wasn't going to turn tail. Wasn't going to do what she wanted him to do. Wasn't going to roll over and show his belly. She could stand there and yawn, but the wolf was becoming more and more displeased with each passing second. It was still injured from the chaos. Had been in this form too long, and the wolf just wanted a rest. It was a bone-deep instinctive need for rest. This woman, with her posturing, was getting in the way.
Missed the old alpha. The old alpha would have gotten out of the way and let the old wolf go.
This woman left him no choice.
The wolf didn't like the dead. Didn't like the rotting stench he imagined he could sense from the bodies of the decomposing specters that followed the academic around on cold air. Didn't like them, but knew to wield them. Had done it once, in these very woods. Did it again now.
Ten of them. Dead, various injuries marring what remained of their human bodies. Bloated and grotesque, they weren't armed, the dead; they were angry. Anger was the weapon they wielded as they barreled down on the woman. If they reached her, they would charge her, jump on her, tear at her with fingers gone clawlike in death.