Hunt

When the change was complete (and I was able to move without any discomfort) I stood and shook out my pelt; feeling the individual hairs settle in their proper places. Satisfied I sat back on my haunches and scratched, my mouth unconsciously pulling into a grimace of canine pleasure; my pelt always itched after transformation. Then I stretched, loosening all the muscles and joints, testing every spot for soreness or weak spots; even swiveling around my newly furred and pointed ears checking for signs of prey or danger at the same time I made sure the muscles were functioning properly. The entire procedure, from man to wolf, took roughly four hours this time; a short one tonight.

I inhaled deeply, the myriad scents of the forest assaulting my sensitive nose. My ears pricked forward at a promising scent and I followed it, moving almost silently through the trees until I came upon the source. A young buck, not even four-point, was browsing alone in a clearing. I tensed, instinctively going into a crouch and slowly creeping closer in time to the rise and fall of his head. Deer only see well when there’s movement, being colorblind, so whenever the buck’s head came up I stopped, moving again only when he had resumed eating.

I continued in this fashion, keeping upwind, until I was only ten feet away. I deepened my crouch, leg muscles bunching as I readied to spring. The leap was almost effortless; I reached out, the toes of my front paws spread wide, and landed on the buck’s back digging my claws into its shoulders. The combination of my weight and the force of my jump snapped the deer’s back, and as we fell I broke its neck with a quick bite and a twist of my head. The hot blood rushed into my mouth and the hunger that was always present after transformation made my stomach roar. I tore into the carcass, animal instinct prevailing making me not care as blood and gore splattered my face and pelt. I ripped into the soft underbelly of the creature, spilling its organs onto the dark ground as I feasted, eating flesh and hide, hair and organs in my haste to quell the angry hunger that coursed through me.

By the time my hunger had ceased its gnawing at my insides the carcass was half gone and I was too full to move. I settled down next to the disemboweled deer, absently licked the blood off one paw, and fell asleep.