The Ultimate Prey
Everyone has a weakness
A/N A bit of a fun, kinda carefree story. Hopefully y'all will find it fun and perhaps funny.
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The snow continued to drift lazily from the gunmetal sky, its white flecks coating the rocky ground as I stole through the frosty forest. My paws thudded along the cold path, each step leaving another large pawprint in the drifting snow that coated the ground.
I was going to find her.
'My prey can't hide from me,' I thought as I sampled the sharp, biting air, snorting a bit as I took in a few snowflakes with it. Its scent was teasingly thin, but detectable in the cold air, musky and feral as it tested my tracking skills.
Forcing myself not to instinctively shake the snow out of my thick, night black coat, I started to follow the thin trail of my prey. My thick undercoat still kept me warm even as patchy snow covered my outer coat, helping me blend in a little bit in the snow. I continued to follow that faint, flickering scent as I tracked through the billowing snow off of the path that ran through these woods.
My woods.
As I stalked through the woods, I just enjoyed the feel of the chase as that thin, flickering scent lead me toward my prey. Signs of my prey's flight became more and more prevalent to my predatory, amber eyes. A broken twig here, disturbed snow there.
A feral grin spread across my muzzle as I chased her, gleaming canines flickering against a black face.
My tracks obliterated the daintier prints tracking through the snow as I followed the scent of my prey.
With another sampling of the air, I could tell that I was coming closer to my prey, but my attention was captured by a markedly different scent. It caught my attention, even more enticing than that of my target.
That thick, earthy aroma filled my senses, overpowering the scent of my current prey in my nostrils. A small, almost human, portion of my mind wanted to push it aside...to go back after my prey, but the beast won out. It wanted this...more appetizing prey.
Turning from the tangy scent of my first prey to the thicker, more robust odor of my new fixation, I silently stalked through the forest toward the source of that heavenly odor. My tracks were swiftly covered by the falling snow that continued to weigh on my pelt, my sleek black fur transforming even more into a wet, slushy mess.
With a heaving shake, I flung that clinging snow off my body, wet slaps heralding its slushy impact against the firs around me. Heading into the woods off my path, I crept up on that oh so appetizing scent, coming from downwind without so much as a thought. My tail held low behind my crouching body, all four paws on the ground like a feral wolf as my amber orbs pierced the foggy snowfall. I could see my panting breaths escaping the tip of my muzzle as I sampled that delectable odor.
With silent steps, I came to the edge of a clearing where my perked ears caught a rustle of motion. Sound became sight as the rustle of nylon on nylon scratched into my ears, punctuated by heavy, rhythmic slapping within. That sound, and the slight scent that leaked out of the tent was enough to advertise the passion of the two occupants...at least it smelled like two, but between the rustling nylon and the sounds of passion, even my sharp ears and nose could not be certain. From the looks of the clothing strewn haphazardly around the campsite, there were only two.
Looked like they were being more than a little amorous.
They would probably be occupied for a few minutes longer, so I had my chance.
With my prey unwatched by its masters, I slowly crept into the clearing, the soft crunch of the snow the only herald of my presence. The burbling sound and thick scent that had drawn me here were only yards away from me, all consuming as my head swam in the heaven that I knew it would produce. Quivering nostrils tasted the air as I drew close, my tail slowly swaying behind me as my tongue snaked over my lips.
My mind overlooked the crackling sound of the small Coleman stove in preference to the bubbling of percolating liquid. Flicking an ear back towards the tent and hearing the moans only growing louder, I continued to steal toward that steel basin full of what I wanted.
My mind was screaming at me, calling for me to prey and feast, while my humanity was held back, and standing in question as to why my beast had so taken me over. Why had I given up the prey I consciously wanted for this.
For a pot of coffee.
Another nostril filling sample of the air quenched the questioning from my human side as both sides of my psyche merged, minds acting towards one goal. No longer did I feel like there was a wolf on one shoulder and a man on another. I was a Lycan, neither of the above and yet both...
And I wanted that coffee.
One quick reach with my paws resulted in a snarling yelp escaping my maw as my paws touched the hot, silver surface.
Springing back in surprise, I felt my hackles rise as I landed on all fours, the cool snow salving my stinging paws. A small snarl continued to escape my muzzle, but I could hear something from behind me.
"What was that?" Came a startled female voice.
"Sounded like a wild animal. Stay here."
I already knew I needed to move...to escape with my prize, but the sound coming from inside the tent just clinched it.
The click-clack of a closing rifle action.
Looking at the camp table, I searched for a way to protect my paws. There was no cupholders around and nothing I could grab to protect my hands...except that.
Reaching for the lacy brassiere hanging off the camp kitchen, I wrapped it around the pot, using the cups to cushion and shield my paw. Hoisting my prize with a satisfied smile, fangs bared to the world, I quickly sped back into the forest, careful to prevent my prize from spilling.
"There's no animal here, honey... but you are not going to believe what is...and what isn't " I heard the voice call from behind me, back at the campsite. "There's huge pawprints...and the coffee's gone...and so is your brassiere.
Continuing into the woods, the falling snow disguising, but not completely hiding my trail, I searched for a hiding spot where I could enjoy my prey. Eyes peering onto the grey sky and dark woods, the puffy snow still drifting lazily onto my pelt, I saw a small copse of trees that would serve well to give me my coffee break.
Squeezing through the small saplings that surrounded my makeshift hiding spot, I placed my prize in the snow, its blackened bottom sinking an inch into the snow. Curling my body around the pot, I idly dropped my makeshift potholders as I inched the cover of the pot up, a whispy spray of steam billowing from the crack as it opened.
With eager eyes and eager muzzle, I savored the flavorful scent of the brew coming from within.
"Mmmm." I purred. "Hazelnut. My favorite."
I shifted my body around within the small copse so that I could lean my head into the pot. My long thick muzzle slid into the pot and a long, flexible tongue slid out, just above the surface of the liquid. Perhaps stupidly, the tongue slipped into the liquid, thankfully not getting scorched by the deliciously warm brew.
I lapped at the delicious brew, my mind not registering anything but the deep, aromatic scent and taste of the brown liquid. With lap after lap, I took the delicious brown gold into my gut, the taste and feel that of an old, neglected friend...but something was wrong. I caught it with my next lap. The buzz I typically felt with a good, strong, black coffee wasn't there. It wasn't real coffee.
"Grrr," Came the growls as my faces slipped into a snarl. "Decaf. I need real coffee."
Angrily, I grabbed at the brassiere that I had hastily discarded only minutes before and flung it over my shoulder. The startled yelp that came next wasn't what I expected.
I whirled around, fangs bared and growling at whoever thought they could separate me from my prey. I may not like it, but it was mine, and no one was going to take it from me. The human in me was just a little shocked at the response, but the wolf was in complete control right now. Even the wolf, however, wasn't prepared for what it turned around to face.
A twelve year old pup, standing before me in shock, that shock quickly turning to fear. As I turned, I saw the brassiere go flying off her grey muzzle as the snow fell in tufts across her grey fur. Her unseeing amber eyes were wide in shock and jaw just slightly agape as I continued to growl and snarl at her. I advanced toward her, continuing to snarl and growl aggressively, even the man within me not sure if this was still aggressive or just toying with this meddlesome pup.
As soon as I took a step toward her, the pup took off whimpering. As soon as the pup had escaped earshot, I let out a short huff of laughter. My wolf and human minds both finally meshed again, enjoying the mild prank on that meddlesome pup, but my human mind realized that I needed to do a few things, before I could go and needle the pup some more.
Gathering the mostly drained pot of coffee and brassiere in my paws, I headed back towards that small camp in the woods, a muzzle still cracked in a fanged smile. With my thirst sated for now, my rational mind had managed to impart enough control on the savagery within my mind and body to allow me some rational thought.
Apparently I was more addicted to coffee than I thought. It had been a few days since I had been in civilization, and I thought I had been dealing well. Apparently not.
As my mind continued to wander the dark paths between my beast mind and my humanity, my paws continued to drive me through the thick, snowy ground. My body was driving itself back toward that campsite, the feeling of the sharp, cold breeze flowing through my fur and my claws digging into the hard ground all entered the brain, but were processed only by the beast, my wolf and my human sides acting in harmony.
Before I even realized how far I had gone, I found my body standing just outside the campsite clearing. Tall, pointed ears flicked about, hearing nothing from the site. Dropping to all fours and leaving my spoils in the woods where I had been standing, I crept even closer to the edge of the woods, seeing nothing in the campsite, the only scents teasing the air old enough that I doubted the two lovers were nowhere near me.
Quietly sneaking into the site, I replaced the coffeepot on the stove. In a fit of, what I'd probably later need to defend as insanity, I took the brassiere and made it a makeshift flag on the garbage tripod in the center of the site. Looking down, I saw a large number of prints marring the ground, my own pawprints mingling with bootprints. The abstract pattern was interesting in its own right, but had to go away.
I made my way back into the woods, carefully trying to shuffle over my prints to obscure what I was...assuming they hadn't already taken a picture and gone to the enquirer. I didn't want that. I was already in enough trouble for that last photo.
As I made my way back into the woods, I started toward the spot where my "prey" and I had left our clothes. I figured that she had headed back there to wait for me. She couldn't get very far...I hoped.
As I came to the hidden copse where our clothes were stashed, I caught the acrid scent of fear still tangible before me...less than ten minutes old. The fear carried with it the musk of a young Lycan, as well, the adrenaline coursing through her blood palpable and subconsciously riling the wolf within me, not in aggression but in protective desire. She was just a pup.
Dropping to all fours, I took off after the scent, bounding through snowdrifts as high as my knees and elbows. The girl could only be so far ahead of me, so I pushed my body as hard as I could go, hoping that I could reach her. I was supposed to be watching her. If she got hurt...because I lost it...
Her father would kill me...and my mate would dig up my corpse, reanimate me, and kill me again.
I'd lived through hell, fought two Lycans hand to hand as a human, and worse. Very few things scared me. My mate was one of them.
Continuing my pursuit through the woods, I soon caught track of the pup's physical trail, supplementing that acrid smell of fear that I was already previously following. The trail led me to the edge of the forest were the pup's scent pooled. I could smell that the girl had shifted back to human, but why? She hadn't come back this way, so I needed to try to follow her...but I couldn't leave the forest.
As I paced through the snow, a small, black figure coming over the rise toward me caught my attention. Wanting to avoid being seen in this state, I quickly retreated back into the cover of the woods. Coming out of grey snowy sky, I saw a small figure carrying a box that looked almost as big as her. As the figure approached, I caught a scent of the figure and her cargo on the breeze and was overjoyed. Coffee and the pup.
I was gonna get both my preys...and that pup would learn to make me worry.
I wiggled myself into a small snowdrift just past where the girl had waited, and I assumed, changed before. My quivering, black nose and amber eyes were covered by a small pine bough that served to hide the only visible portions of my furry body from my prey, and they were rewarded with the sight of the pup entering the glen and glancing around nervously. I could smell her worry, although there was a slight hint of mischieviousness within it.
Apparently satisfied that she was alone, the pup rapidly shed her human clothes, her pink jacket starting a pile to which her puffy green pants, tan boots and red flannel shirt were rapidly added. As soon as the girl's body was released from its human trappings, she embraced her more feral...honestly, more natural form. Thick, grey fur poured from her pores, covering her in a smooth, thick, warm pelt. Her rapid shivering from the cold quickly vanished, becoming nothing more than a few intermittent shakes here and there. As her pelt quickly filled out, I caught her scent turning from the staid, human odor to the richer, more flavorful aroma of Lycan. Her small, almost dainty muzzle pushed out from her face as brown, soft eyes transformed into the amber orbs of a predator. The full tail pushing out from her spine served to complete and culminate her reemergence, slowly waving and flagged in a bit of fear. The pup turned her back toward me toward that orange and purple box.
Now was the time to strike.
With a full throated snarling growl, I erupted from the snowbank, flakes scattering into the air. As I landed, I saw the pup turn around, eyes wide and mouth just slightly agape. I smelled that scent of fear again, and was glad. She was going to learn her lesson, but more than that, I was still in complete control of the beast. With a deceptively gentle lunge, I tackled the pup to the ground, looking her in the eye, making certain that she saw the retribution coming.
She squirmed under my weight, trying to free herself, but to no avail. My heavy body atop hers wouldn't let her go. Continuing to snarl, my muzzle inched closer and closer to her own, while she seemed to try to burrow the back of her head into the snow and eventually the dirt to escape me. With an evil-looking, snarling grin on my muzzle, I opened my maw wide, gleaming fangs shining in the light.
With a soft grip, I caught the top and bottom of her own muzzle. It was firm enough to push her into some submission, but hopefully wouldn't hurt her...too badly.
The tips of my own black lips lifted up into a canine grin and I know she saw the mirth in my eyes as confusion filled her own. All I did was simply give the top of her muzzle a short little lick before I let her go...and began to mercilessly rake her unprotected belly with my claws.
The pups giggles filled the glade as I caught her unaware yet again.
"Sorry bout before, kiddo," I apologized. "I wasn't really myself...but I see you brought a peace offering."
The pups giggles and stuttering breaths were enough of a response for me to let her go so that she could get up. I moved over toward the orange and purple cardboard box and effortlessly lifted it and the pup's clothing from the ground as another paw lifted the squirming pup under my arm. I felt the pup's squirming nose drag snuffling along my flank as she smelled for where I had been...what I had done as she continued trying to catch her breath.
I brought the two of us back to where our clothes had been left before all of this started and tore into my prize. The box of Joe was still warm from Dunkins, and even was my best of all possible flavors of hazelnut. Drinking in that heavenly aroma was one of the most delicious moments of the entire week for me, only surpassed when I could drink in my mate's lovely scent. Ripping the top of the box open with a claw, I dove into the brew, tongue eagerly lapping at the fluid, the tingle of the caffeine buzz spreading through my body. The world fell away as I drank away. As the sound of giggling reached my twitching ears, I jerked upright and looked at her, coffee dripping from the fur on my chin, staining the snow below me brown.
That only caused the pup to fall on her back and roll over laughing at me. I figured I should answer a couple other little questions now...namely how she got this.
"Kid...Kid!" I shook the poor pup's shoulder before she forgot how to breath, my attention rewarded with the cessation of the howling laughter and the pup's attention. "How'd you pay for this?"
The pup simply grinned her own Cheshire cat smile and ducked her own head into the case for a quick, curious lick.
She came up sputtering and grabbed a mouthful of snow to likely try and get the taste out of her mouth. Apparently she didn't like coffee. I had to let out a huff at her reaction, though.
"You owed me some money...and your wallet was in your pants."
I could only grin at the pup's ingenuity as I lapped up the remainder of the delicious brew. Leaving the empty carton with our clothing, I held out my paw for the pup to give me my wallet back, tucking the black leather into my pants where they belonged.
Turning back to the pup, though, I really did need to apologize for my actions toward her.
"Sorry for how I acted, kid. Amy's not let me have my coffee the last few days. Guess that's a bad idea, huh?" I asked as a massive paw ruffled the fur on the pup's head as a glaring pup nodded yes. "I'll have to get better at that." Again, another nod from a playfully angry pup.
"Oh, one more thing," I said, a sly grin on my face as I gave the pup a quick lick...and a quick slap on the back.
"Tag! You're it!"
And with that, I bounded off into the forest, a more cheerful pup snarling at my heels.
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A/N - Thanks for reading. The saddest thing is this is a true story about me and coffee... well, as far as the need for that brown elixer of life. Anyway, Comments and thoughts are always appreciated. I don't bite (If I've had my coffee XD)