Zalen was hungry, and he was hunting. It was dusk, the sun starting to set, the shadows lengthening; the perfect time to catch creatures either turning in, or coming out, for the night. The sable male stalked along on all fours, still in Optime, a form that he had nearly been exclusively using. He knew it made the members in his pack who did not have the virus uncomfortable, but there was a reason for it. He was one edge, unsettled. Ichika was gone, there was a mad-woman out there attacking his members and someone also was stealing puppies, and there were whispers of a gathering pack to the north of them. He was worried, but for now, his hunger trumped his worry.
Soon he picked up a scent and immediately was turned on. It was equestrian, a horse. He had not had the chance to dine upon one yet, but he knew it would be easy to catch. Horses were not meant for this place, and the ones running wild had surely been kept as beasts of burden at one time. He was sure it did not belong to any of his members, for there were only a few of them with such creatures, and they kept them far away from the borders for this very reason.
Zalen walked slowly towards the scent, knowing full well this hunt would be easy. But as he neared, as the stench of horse became stronger, another scent entered into the mix. This one was canine, and vaguely familiar. The familiarity immediately sparked recognition; the blond-bitch. It didn’t quite smell like her, but it was a hint of smell he could not ignore. His pace quickened, and ahead he saw as a cloaked, blond headed female dismounted the horse he had been smelling. His fur immediately stood on end, mouth twisting into a snarl. It was her! He did not hesitate, and propelled his muscular form forward, letting loose a blood-chilling, feral snarl.
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