What One Thinks is Only A Monster...

Raz looked over to the hunter with annoyance but when he unfurled the cloth the wolf literally spazzed.
It bolted to the end of the tether, the abrupt motion along with the strength of its wings flapping in surprise (even the injured one), the rope snapped.
The wolf was out of the cart in a flash but instead of bolting after where the other wolf had vanished he dropped to the ground a few yards away, tucking his tail under his belly, raising his mane of hackles. pinning his ears back, and growling at the tarp-like thing now over the cart.
Oh yes, he'd had things thrown over him when he was much younger.
His father had saved him then, from a sack of deerskin, but it had also ingrained a really bad fear that turned into nasty aggression whenever a similar situation arrived.

It was a bit funny that the wolf didn't even realize that he was loose and could bolt.
He was just so fixated on the scary cloth covering that he had to make sure the fabric was scared enough to not come near him again.
 
The cloth was half way on the cart, leaving a tent like space to one side, the other falling draped over the wood. The hunter paused at the reaction, watching the wolf carefully, ready to pull a weapon should the need arise. As the rope snapped, his body lowered closer to the ground, readying himself for the attack he thought was coming. Then something curious was happening, the wolf was snarling at the cloth, instead of running.

Standing to his full height again, Eska slowly moved closer to the back of the cart after fixing the second side to sit properly across the top of the thing, stretching the cloth taut until it created a hollow area with one half flipped up in the back to create the hole. "Shh, it's alright my friend..." his hands out showing he had no weapons and was not about to attack. Carefully he sat on the edge of the cart, eyes locked on the growling beast, and slid up under the cloth to show there was no harm. "Come on, it's okay, it's not going to hurt you..." patting the wood next to himself wondering if this was even going to work.
 
The wolf didn't even seem to take notice of the hunter's response to him.
He was so focused on the cloth that he didn't realize the other until he was walking right in front of his vision.
That caught the wolf's attention and his ears hesitantly perked forward.
The pup knew most of the words that were being said but he didn't understand.
Last time he'd been in contact with that type of cloth he'd nearly been taken away from his father and pack.
Well, now he didn't have a father and his pack was so far away...

His eyes widened, taking him out of his thoughts as he saw the man walk over and sit right under the cloth canopy.
It's eyes were so focused on what was happening that it still hadn't realized the rope around his neck wasn't connected any longer.

After a few tense minutes he took a hesitant step forward, then a few seconds later, another.
The wolf's tail was still tucked beneath its belly and its posture was close to the ground but it was slowly getting closer.
When it finally got right next to the human it was much more tense.
He hadn't done anything yet, just sat there...
So, Razgul hopped up with his two front paws to peek inside the darkness beneath the sheet.
Without realizing it his face was right next to the hunter's waist, his paws literally touching his pants.
The pup was too focused on the inside of the cloth, his nostrils flaring and eyes narrowing to try and find something dangerous inside.
 
A soft smile spread slowly across the hunter's lips as the wolf gradually came closer and closer. When it was finally so close, the beautiful creature was actually brushing up against him, he wanted so badly to reach out and pet him. He refrained however, as he thought this might cause the wolf to react adversely again, and Eska felt like he was slowly gaining some of the beast's trust; he'd not waste that effort on a simple petting at this point.

When he spoke again, his tone was soft and soothing, "It's alright, there's nothing in there, it won't hurt you, boy." because yes he'd seen the wolf's gender (:P) Just then the horse up the front stamped the ground, growing impatient with all the waiting around while he was still attached to the cart, causing the thing to shake a little. The hunter's eyes went wide hoping the wolf didn't get spooked, waiting silently without a single movement then.
 
The wolf had almost been about to jump inside after the gentle coaxing from the hunter, however.
The horses actions shook the cart too much for his liking and he freaked out, pushing backwards and bolting away.
Its makeshift leash slashed through the air like a whipped as he bolted further.
And.
That was when it realized it was no longer caught.
Razgul was panting heavily as his eyes dropped to the ground where the snapped portion of the rope frayed.
He took a few slow steps backwards, watching the end of the rope follow.
Then his fuzzy head was rising to the hunter.
If the man moved to get a weapon Raz would bolt. No questions asked or thought.
However, he wasn't running yet?
Perhaps curiosity or hunger kept him from vanishing for the moment.

I mean, he did eat humans before he was caught...and there was a very fit one sitting right there.
Along with a large horse.
Just with those thoughts the pup started licking his muzzle, taking a step forward with a slight head tilt.
 
Shit. Damn horse. Eska had known the pup broke the leash long before the wolf did and was now sitting perfectly still, staring him down. The wolf had come to that recognition, and it showed in the creature's body language, and it's eyes when it looked back up at the hunter again. No fear showed on the man's face even as he realized that he was being considered a possible food source at the moment. His mind however was racing on how to fix any of the outcomes. He was left with only his daggers at his hips, the bow would be no good in close quarters like this, not to mention he'd have to move off the back of the cart to even have room to use it. If the pup bolted, that would be his plan, but for now, he sat there, in a staring contest with this wolf, blank expression on his face.
 
The wolf's eyes stayed locked on the hunters as it took several more careful steps forward.
It's eyes narrowed as a hungry growl echoed from its chest.
There was about to be a rather nasty face-off when a small deer happened close to the creed a few meters in front of the cart.
It noticed Razgul right as the wolf saw it, then bolted.

Bad move.
Raz blurred past the cart, his wings splayed and flapping behind him, pushing the air to improve his speed.
The small wolf had managed to tackle the deer within seconds, snapping its neck with a loud 'crack!' before he started to instantly dig in.
He didn't even seem to be picking any certain pieces to eat, just grab, tear, swallow.
No chewing or anything else needed because he was just that hungry.

Hmmm...guess his injured wing was healing pretty darn well since he could use it a little.
 
As instantly as the wolf moved, the hunter was off the back of the cart, drawing his bow and aiming towards the beast. Then he saw it tackle the deer and begin tearing into the now dead animal's flesh. After a short sigh of relief, his body relaxed a little, letting his aim down but keeping the bow out still. He would let the pup finish the meal, glad it wasn't him or his horse at this point, and wait to see what it would do after. He was hoping the wolf realized it was a long way from home, and it seemed the closest pack didn't accept him or even wish to help, at least that's how the human interpreted it. So for now, he waited to see what his next move should be.
 
Razgul managed to put down a good five pounds of meat before he finally gave up.
The reason he got up and started quickly heading back towards the hunter?
The local wolf pack was encroaching from several angles, baring and snapping teeth at him.
He'd already eaten all he could and still be able to move but it didn't seem like the others wanted him anywhere near their territory now that they knew he could kill for himself.

Razgul bounded heavily back to the cart but instead of jumping in the back he hopped up front and laid down.
The wolves stayed a bit off in the distance but it was obvious they didn't want him there.
 
He'd heard their growling from the trees on either side just as his captive..well, the pup he'd tried to capture, leaped up into the cart. He never put that bow away, instead using a single hand to hop the saddle and his legs then became the guide for the horse. As he sat upright, his bow was ready, Sé circled above watching all the pack as it was about to descend on them.

Slowly he coaxed his horse forwards with a light tap of his feet to the sides, "Come on, nice and slow..." His steed was clearly a little freaked out by all the wolves, especially since the deer carcass had been dragged off and it was looking like the pack was big enough to take the horse too. Suddenly one of the wolves close by started to leap, but, as if he'd seen it coming with the help from above, Eska's arrow was aimed true and that one went down almost instantly, the arrow piercing it's heart. He'd turned just enough to show his eyes clouded over again if Raz caught a glimpse.

The other wolves growled louder at their fallen comrade, another about to make the leap. That one too fell hard to the ground, just as a third came at him almost simultaneously. The hunter's movements were like a dance, as he lowered the bow keeping it only in one hand, the second going for his knife and slashing out at the wolf that got too close. That one too fell to the ground, but only injured deeply. The pack started to back up, ears pinned and tails down. They watched the hunter carefully as he moved past them and as soon as he felt the danger had subsided enough, the man returned to his normal vision.
 
The pup had watched the entire display with disturbing discomfort.
He didn't want the wolves to attack him but that didn't mean they deserved to die.
However, seeing the man's skill he was surprised all he had gotten for attacking him was a small wound on his right wing.

The young wolf didn't understand about 'selling' an animal as a pet so he was honestly confused about why he was still alive.
At some point during that dash across the wooded field his rope collar had gotten snagged on something and slipped off.
So, when the man finally did end up looking behind him there would be a young teenager-looking boy with scragly black hair and torn up clothes sleeping on the front bench of the cart.
His wigs were tucked against his back tightly as he snored quietly in the cool encroaching night time.
 
Once he was convinced they were out of danger completely, he put up his bow and turned to see the shocking sight behind him. Where he'd expected to see the beautiful black wolf was now the young man, though the two shared the spectacular black wings. Shaking his head a little confused, he figured there was more to this creature he'd captured than he'd expected and again that little voice in the back of his head went off saying this wolf...man? was too special to be sold as a collector's pet.

One thing he figured was good, the wolf looking like a young man, however scraggly, would draw far less attention at the village than a winged wolf. However those wings still visible...the hunter took his cloak and carefully covered the sleeping boy, leaving the head exposed to keep him from freaking out hopefully. At the gates, he stopped and explained to a guard his necessities, showing the cart was empty and lying that they'd just came from selling all their goods at the previous town and had to make the stop on the way home. Eska was a great liar, and the story was bought, gaining him and his unique companion passage into the village's walls.
 
The pup didn't awaken when the cloak was softly placed overtop his sleeping form.
Instead of spazzing he actually snuggled into happily.
He was used to the warmth of a thick layer of fur so having shifted to human form he was definitely colder and not used to the temperature yet.

The villagers didn't seem to mind the boy in the cart, even if he didn't look to cleanly.
Heck, the kid probably had never taken a true bath.
He would probably remain asleep for most of the day and possibly be able to be lifted, depending on how carefully it is done.
Since he'd eaten nearly five pounds of food, then shifted, his human body had to work darn hard to process it all.
 
He didn't want to spend long in the village, but did need some rest. Taking a room at the inn, the hunter did his best to carry the sleeping boy inside without waking him, he couldn't, after all, just leave a kid out on the cart, that was asking for trouble he thought. After putting the kid down on the bed, the man left to get his few errands done. After a couple hours, he was back in the room and made himself comfortable in the wooden chair next to the window. Still partially attentive to things around him, Eska rested as best he could, questions about who or what was sleeping in the bed next to him floating across his sleep hazed mind.
 
The young boy remained asleep the entire time.
When the hunter came back the boy had moved under the blankets but wasn't using the pillow.
He'd hardly ever slept as a human and definitely not on a bed so he didn't know why it was there.
When night time fell though, he did start to stir.
At first the boy was confused as he pushed himself up with hands instead of paws.
Why...
He'd shifted?
When??

The boy looked over and noticed the hunter sitting in a chair only a few feet away.
Hmph!
With a growl he lunged at him.
He wasn't nearly as deadly in his human form but he did have some nice canines and could deliver a really nasty bite if given the chance.
 
While there were disadvantages to never fully falling asleep, right now was one of those times it was really helpful. The hunter was awakened with the growl and caught the boy leaping at him by the face. Standing he used his own height and build to push back against the wild kid, knocking him back to the bed, one hand on the other's chest while his knife at some point had come out and was hovering over the kid's throat.

"Ease down boy, I don't want to use this on you." The hunter didn't know if the creature could talk, but assumed not, since it was a wolf that just had a really nice disguise at times.
 
The man being awake was definitely not something Razgul had expected.
He couldn't do anything against the shove and was soon on his back with a knife against his throat.
Oh ho, definitely not very happy sounds coming from the kid as he bared his teeth up at the hunter.
"III does...." The boy growled back in a slur.
He hadn't spoken much in his life but his dad had taught him the basic sounds.
But yes, he would love to use that dagger on the man above him but right now he couldn't do a damned thing without getting cut, so he waited.
The human couldn't stay over him like this forever...
 
"Well I don't." Speaking clear and slower hoping to get somewhere verbally with the wild boy. "Now I'm going to let you up, on the condition that you behave. Do you understand?" He would wait to release any of the tension he was holding onto, ready to react if the kid chose to try and fight back. The hunter was hoping the kid didn't realize his hand was potentially close enough to the man's hip, where his second knife was. If the young pup noticed, it would even the playing field just a bit, hopefully for Eska he didn't have to find out if the wild child could use a knife as well as his claws.
 
The boy's nostrils flared in agitation.
He was sick of being a captive of some stupid human.
Normally a sane person would agree to the terms and just sit quietly but Razgul wasn't as stupid...or smart? As most people.
"You be.....ba...have...."
He started to get up, his neck pressing against the blade.
If the hunter wanted a severely injured pup then he could keep the blade steady, if not he might want to move.
The boy didn't notice the dagger but even if he had he wouldn't know how to use or hold it correctly.
 
He tried not to, but the kid's words made Eska laugh a bit, and as the wolf pup tried to get up, the hunter eased a bit, drawing the knife back just before it bit into the tender flesh at his neck. He didn't put it away however, keeping it handy in case the young man tried to pull something. The man took about two steps back, enough to allow Raz to sit up, but not really get up easily, looking down with a smirk at him.

"Well you certainly have a bit of attitude, not like I couldn't tell before though...pissing on my cart." He shook his head, but the smirk was still there. He was finding something endearing about this kid, though he'd never admit it yet. "Do you have a name, wolf pup?"
 
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