It was time to hunt and Rudy had spent more than enough time being lazy.  Rudy wasn’t recovered enough to go for large game to bring down but his stamina was getting better and surely he could grab smaller things like a rabbit or whatever else was milling about.

The large moon did a fine job at casting shadows over the earth which left his dapple grey coat just another bit of moving greys like the rest of the world.  He had no problem with extended dusk hours, nor did he mind glowing crystals or mushrooms which he had simply ignored.  Rudy still hoped to find a glowing rabbit or something else just to see it.  He doubted this would last forever.

He always enjoyed the falls and the water was a guaranteed spot to bring about prey.  Everything needed water and the trees offered plenty of hiding spots, the roots helped uproot soil to make it easier for rabbits to make warrens.  Life was all about him, lots of it hidden from sight but not from his nose.  

Quietly he crept through the trees and spied around a stone to where some rabbits were moving about.  The boy’s tail swayed slowly side to side as they hadn’t spotted him yet.  So many hiding spots for himself but also so many for the rabbits.  Cautious to not make noise he slowly stalked his target, his senses now focused on their every movement.

Rudyard Carpathius

Recent days were boooooooring. Oxx hadn't had any fun since banging that pretty albino lady in the hot springs. Sure, there had been the Manea fight up in the cold north, but meh... it had ended poorly. Oxx had rooted for the purple woman and somehow the weird, mouthy man-girl had won. The odds just weren't on Manea's side, it appeared. Pity. He would have liked to have seen the empire that Manea crafted.

Oxx found himself back in the south, holed up by the falls in Auster where he'd had so many fun times with his "family." He'd nearly drowned the pretty dark girl here. He'd chucked the blue boys sword down into the churning waters after a thorough raping. This was also where he'd sewed their pretty mother's pelt back together. A sour expression crossed the massive man's face. Until that orange and white bitch had stolen the skin from him. He'd make her pay for that some day. He had all the time in the world. Oxx was the master of the long game. Some day, revenge would be his.

In the mean time...

Movement nearby caught the behemoths' attention. Dark ears perked and Oxx rose from his place within the shadows. Peering out of the foliage, the brute thanked whatever gods rested in the skies above. They'd sent him a present. A pretty, monochromatic package. Oxx wondered if the boy knew who he was. Only one way to find out.

The giant, slate colored beast stepped out into the brilliant moonlight and turned his face upwards, inhaling deeply of the crisp, nighttime air. "Fine night, isn't it?" His words were friendly enough, though his voice, all silk and obsidian, made it somehow seem more ominous.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

Rudy was ready to sprint, he was close and unnoticed.  The rabbit would be latched in his mouth in a mere second and then a voice broke the quiet.  The rabbits darted away and Rudy scowled at the spot they had been.  Rudy sighed and looked up at the friendly voice, “yah, I like it like this. Makes for a good time to hunt.”

Rudy looked at the new arrival.  He’d never seen the wolf before so for a moment it was just a strange wolf but even as he looked at the dark colored wolf he started to recall Art’s description.  The friendly face changed to guarded for all of a second, a lip twitched but then he exhaled and put a smile back on his face.

This was likely Oxx.  Rudy was in no position to fight or flee from him if it was the wolf he expected.  If need be he would still love to try and rip the wolf's throat out.  Between the logic of knowing he couldn’t win right now and the promise he made Art, Rudy would take a shot at getting out through words.  May luck be on his side tonight.

“Been strange times, but I’d be fine if things stayed like this.” He didn’t dare try and turn away as if to just excuse himself.  If this bastard was Oxx he would probably stop him as things stood.  Rudy had no idea what words would keep it from happening but it was time to know they enemy.  Later he would come with Art and kill the demon.  

For now, by necessity, Rudy aimed to be friendly polite Rudy. The motley wolf loved acting on impulse but there were times he could be smarter.  This was about life, about promises and about growing up.  He wouldn’t start a fight he couldn’t win if at all possible.

Rudyard Carpathius

The boy's words met Oxx's ears and the giant chuckled. "Oh, I'd be perfectly fine with things staying as they are as well. It makes getting around so much easier." Sticking to the shadows. Skulking about. It was all good, fun times. How else would Oxx have been able to get so very close to this little mottled morsel?

The giant man was still moving closer to the boy, though there was no aggression in his movements. He moved at a casual, somewhat lazy pace. Each step closer was a step closer to sinking his teeth into the smaller wolf, but it never showed. "So what is a Hallows kid doing out this late and all on his own? These are dangerous times." Oxx blinked and gave his head a sad, dramatic shake. "Everyone knows about the bad things that have happened to wanderers as of late."

With a few feet between them, Oxx grinned, his jagged, serrated teeth catching the bright moonlight. "Surely your brother told you what happened to him." He wasn't sure if the boy knew who he was, but he surely knew who the boy was. He'd had a lot of time to scope out The Hallows. Oxx knew who they all were. Each and every one.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

Oxx was slowly getting closer and Rudy was keenly aware of it and concerned.  Rudy would never want to label himself a coward but his odds with Oxx right now were worse than his odds against the bear had been.  Art couldn’t beat this guy and Rudy couldn’t beat Art even when it his prime, at least not unless he got lucky.  Well, luck better be riding his shoulder tonight.

Rudy felt his lips twitching as the brute neared.  It was Oxx, even if not in tone, even if not in how he walked the word choices were more than enough.  The demon was baiting Rudy, wanting to get anger or fear or some form of reaction he assumed. “I like the night.”  The words put out plainly, “I’m curious Oxx,” might as well throw the name out, “Before you try and have sport at me, why don’t you tell me why you get such fun out of it.” Think.  Think!  What could he say to stop this fight until it was a place of his choosing, of their choosing?  

“Tell me,” The boy's voice dropped lower to a fierce whisper, “Tell me what goes on in your sick mind that finds pleasure in causing pain and fear.  I have a hard time seeing something as sick as you really being mom’s kid.” Rudy still wasn’t snarling, it would be an invitation for a fight, his ears weren’t back, no warning signs but every muscle inside of him was tensed ready to spring.  His heart was loud in his chest, it wanted him to act now.  

Standing here, waiting, it felt so wrong.  If, more like when, Oxx attacked Rudy would have to try and make his attacks count.  One attack, that was probably the best he would get.  The eye would be his first target, the muzzle or ear or whatever he could reach the next best thing.  When you can’t win you go for what will cause the most pain.  

Rudyard Carpathius

The boy didn't move, didn't run, but Oxx could see the telltale signs of alarm. The tensing of muscles, the twitch of lip, the fix of the boys eyes upon him. The young wolf knew what was coming for him and he didn't balk or run, he began talking, much to Oxx's surprise. The words were wind. The slate colored beast was no child to be goaded with words. But since the boy showed interest...

"Oh I'm very much her child. The first, actually." The leisurely approach continued and Oxx slowly began to circle the mottled boy. "Moreso than you and your siblings. She must have taken pity on your ugly mother and gave you our name so you'd at least have something going for you." Around and around he went, never appearing rushed or overly focused on the boy. "You're all pretty lackluster compared to the true Carpathians." A soft snort sounded and the beasts lips pulled back in a grin. "Even my crazy as fuck sister living in a giant skull out there on the ridge is better than all of you put together. " A light shrug was given as he continued his circuit. "You're just lesser creatures. It's always fun to pick on the weak. Like hunting juicy little fawns." The man gave his shoulders a little wiggle and flicked his tail as though the statement brought up fond memories.

"So you already know what's going to happen, but do you really know what's going to happen?" There was no way that the boy could know because Oxx himself didn't yet know. Once he got started, it would come to him. Once he began, like an artist, his bloodthirsty muse would take control and guide him. "I could do to you what I did to your brother, but he was cocky and sure of himself, you aren't in need of that lesson. So what lesson do you need, little brother? What faults do you have?" Oxx practically purred as he sized the boy up, the beginnings of his imagination starting to work.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

Rudy’s questions had no effect on Oxx but the same couldn’t be said when Oxx was speaking.  Rudy felt his inner rage growing more with every word.  He wanted to challenge the bastard, he wanted to bare his fangs and rush in to attack.  Every fiber of his being said to act in one form or another but willpower had him stand there and just watch Oxx approach.  Muscles twitched and spasmed but he’d wait to react till the last moment.  If he waited till Oxx attacked him, didn’t show off whatever his attack would be, then maybe he could at least get one bite in.  Let Oxx show his hand first.

Rudy felt a sense of dread in him along with the rage and that was a feeling he hadn’t felt since his mom’s death.  “What did you do to Art?” Art hadn’t been all that specific and suddenly Rudy wanted to know what his brother had suffered.  Who was living in a skull for that matter? That had to be a hell of a big skull. As Oxx walked around him Rudy was sure to turn so that he was always facing the monster.  He wouldn't be jumped from behind at least.

“What faults huh?” Rudy wasn’t going to risk thinking of what could happen to him aware that could just make the feeling of dread worse. “I talk to much,” despite the dread it was so habitual that a momentary smug smile appeared but it faded soon enough, “I’m impulsive.” He had no problem listing faults, it wasn’t even about distracting Oxx now it was just to keep himself calm.  Stopping to imagine things was giving in to fear.  If Art hadn’t lost to this bastard or if Rudy was still in peak fitness then he wouldn’t feel so little hope of winning.  He’d try though, maybe something would come up to give him an edge.  “What about you?  Are you willing to admit to your faults or do you label yourself perfect?” Hey, maybe he could even learn something useful from the bastard.  

Rudyard Carpathius

The boy kept his cool, taking the verbal abuse in stride. It was only when Oxx mentioned the deeds that he'd done to the boys brother that he finally received a reaction. The beast grinned, lips peeling back from noxious bridgework as a gritty chuckle emanated from him. "Let's see... I pummeled him, gave him a few bites, knocked him down a few pegs," The grin widened. "And then I treated him like the little bitch that he is." Oh, he'd done a number on the boys brother. It was no wonder that the blue boy hadn't told his sibling about being taken like a woman.

"Enough about your brother though. Did your darling sister tell you what I did to her? The black one, that is." He had planned to do much more to her, but she'd gone and vomited all over the place. It had killed the mood quickly. "And your other sister... the copper colored bitch, well..."Oxx's expression grew dark, his lip curling and his nose wrinkling. "I can't wait for our next meeting. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later. We have a score to settle." The giant man's pelt bristled. "She took something from me, so I'll be taking something from her." The brute huffed. "Pity it was you today instead of her."

The boy listed his faults honestly and then asked Oxx about his own, once again trying to goad him into reacting. "My left side is a little less symmetrical than my right side." Oxx didn't think that he was perfect, but he was pretty close to it. The man was a free spirit. He did what he wanted to do and didn't think too much into things. "So you talk too much. Maybe I'll pluck out your tongue." Circle. Circle. Circle. "Impulsive? I could break your legs. Force you to slow down. What do you think?"

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

It had been hard enough remaining calm but talking always helped Rudy.  He was pretty good at focusing in the now when he needed to and talking was one of his weapons.  That didn’t mean he had no weak spots.  As the wolf spoke of his dealings with Art the motley wolf felt the rage growing in him.  The attempt at calm demeanor was fading as he sucked in air deeper as he worked to restrain himself from acting rashly.  Rudy could act rashly so often and here was the hardest thing ever.  The cold glare that he gave Oxx should have been a weapon that dropped his dear brother dead in his tracks.

Oxx wasn’t done though, it wasn’t enough to tell him about Art but then he spoke of his sister.  He knew that she’d had a run-in with him also but again how much Rudy knew versus reality was hard to say.  Rudy knew well enough some things you never want to fully speak of and thus things could have happened no one wanted to share.  Then Bowen and a change happened, it went from talking about the past to the future.

Somewhere in that talk Rudy’s hackles had come up standing on edge, forehead scrunched up and while it was soft, it was a soft snarl that came in and out with each breath.  The desire to slay the beast was overriding and threatening to eat up the shreds of logic left in Rudy.  Logic was his only chance to try and get in one good attack but he wanted nothing more than to rip his neck open.

Oxx suggested ideas of what he might due to Rudy and that passed right by as nothing of importance accept.  Talking, it was words that kept him calmer and he needed them now.  If he wanted to indeed hurt the bastard he had to calm down.  Taking out the brute’s tongue did indeed sound a great idea.  When it was time to gang up on him Rudy would suggest they take out his tongue before the final blow.  The thought brought a tingle of some pleasure at the idea of hurting the one who hurt his family.  Hurt him in revenge, kill him to protect them.  

Threatening him if he hurt Bowen would be empty air to him.  Rudy took a half step towards Oxx before stopping himself at the thought of him going near his sister.  He swallowed back the words he couldn’t live up to now.  Gloat about the future and the revenge they’d have could inspire Oxx to just kill him so that it couldn’t happen. His jaw moved, teeth making a clacking sound but he stayed in place.  Wait, wait for him to attack first.  The tongue had to go, his hate was growing each moment.  Rudy wanted to talk!! Nothing he had to say would be good.  A realization suddenly came, “Trying to see if you can goad me into attacking for fun now?  Your good,” grimly admitted. The words were practically choked out, they were his only link to thinking clearly Rudy had wanted to manipulate Oxx now he was toying with Rudy the same way.  Hell, it was working.  Rudy had never wanted to kill someone so bad.  He had never wanted to make someone suffer so bad.  Biting this wolf wouldn’t just be done by necessity but for how good it will feel to hurt him.

Rudy wanted him to hurry up and start the fight, he was tired of the game.  It was too important he hurt the one who had hurt his family and had the audacity to think he would get another chance.  Rudy would make sure they knew.  Bowen would be guarded whenever she went out.  If Oxx wanted to hurt her he’d have a fight against more than one wolf.  Rudy tried to calm himself with that instead of the horror of if he got Bowen.

Rudyard Carpathius

The boy was a bad actor. He feigned calm for as long as he could, but Oxx noted every little twitch of lip, every tensing of muscles. He could tell what bothered the young wolf and what didn't. This game was so easy. A few more rounds and the pieces would be in place. He simply had to set the tone and let the rest work itself out.

As the boy spoke, Oxx's grey eyes went wide, his mouth turning into an innocent little O shape. "Is that what I'm doing?" The man batted his lashes before giving his eyes a roll. Only then did he continue the circuits around the young lad, though he switched directions and began going the opposite way this time. He didn't give a flying fuck if the boy attacked him first. It hardly mattered. He knew the outcome of this interaction and the kid should know it as well.

To add more fuel to the fire, the slate colored brute continued. "Your little sister is so tiny. So... fragile. Just imagine the damage that I'll do to her." He imagined it as well, painting a pretty picture in his minds eye. "I'm going to pop out her pretty green eyes and feed them to her." The giant began moving in closer. "I'm going to tear her apart from the inside out." Closer. Closer. "Then I'll flay her skin from her still living body to replace the pelt that she stole from me."

Well if that didn't get a rise out of the boy, he didn't know what would. But just in case... "I can't wait to taste her blood on my tongue. Can't wait to feel the heat of her tiny body as I grind her face into the dirt." He had no sexual desires for the puker anymore, but for the caramel cream bitch... there was a deep lust within the man. Vengeance would be his.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

Rudy had so much patience, so much ability to put his emotions on standby when it was needed.  Calm and thoughtful when necessary he was good at it.  Oxx pounded at the walls of his logic one sentence after another.  There was no greater weakness in Rudy than the love for his family.  This demon, this monster had to be removed from the world.  Rudy with horror could picture to some degree what he was speaking of.  Maybe it was the horrors he envisioned that finally had Rudy shut down any attempt at calm thought.

The ideas of his sisters being hurt, the unthinkable things Oxx was describing.  Rudy's ability to reason, to plot, to rationalize was swept away.  There came a point where the breath he sucked in didn’t come back out.  His muscles shuddered once and then he lunged into the filth.  Logic was robbed and now his desire for blood so all well-planned tactics went out the window.  Rudy went straight for the neck.  There was nothing that would feel better, that would ease the rage than to rip the monster to pieces.

Rudyard Carpathius

It was all too easy. Everyone had a weakness and it seemed that the new Carpathius bastards weaknesses were each other. Rather comical, really, the ease with which the boy was goaded into attacking. He could see the rage in the mottled lads face and knew from experience when and how he would attack. The bunching of muscles, the trajectory as he pushed off with his hind paw, the tilt of head so that his jaws could sink around Oxx's neck. All were anticipated. He'd gotten closer, but he'd left enough space between them to gauge the boys attack. Now all that was left was Oxx's counterattack and a whole lot of fun.

The dire brute rose onto his hind paws and arced his neck, jaws clenched, bringing his chin down hard atop the boys head to effectively bring a stop to the intended bite. "Just as stupid as your brother," he chuckled as he stepped forward, slamming his wide, speckled chest into the boy. Oxx wasted no time in placing one heavy paw on the mottled wolf's throat. As he held the struggling by down with his long, powerful legs, Oxx smiled. "Do you remember our mothers sharp teeth?" The man tilted his head as he questioned the young wolf. "Well, I have them too." As one of the flailing paws came near to the toothy beasts face, Oxx snapped his jaws on one, severing a few toes which he spat out onto the ground beside the boys head. With his toes missing, he wasn't going anywhere fast, so Oxx let the boy up, doing a happy little shimmy accompanied by a cheery hum as he stepped away for a moment to let his little brother reset.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

Reality washed over Rudy fast and yet too late as Oxx so easily stopped the attack and Rudy found himself pinned to the ground.  Rudy pulled back his lips to still show off the rage as he struggled, let him know that if Rudy had a chance he’d be happy to bite whatever got too close.  Let him know Rudy still had the desire to make him suffer.  He could care less about the bastards comments about his teeth.  Rudy had already known whatever happened, if he lived, it was going to be bad.

Rudy’s imagination of what might happen was not open enough to the ways to make one suffer.  Rudy let out a howling piercing scream as wide eyes stared in stunned, pained shock at both the blood where his toes should be, and, as he lay on the ground suddenly free, where his toes lay on the ground.

The bastard had backed off and looked happy over it.  Rudy rolled over to his side, pain washing over him from that simple movement.  He still had three good legs, and his paw was still there.  It, it wasn’t that much blood and it was only..  Rudy cut off that line of thought.  The idea of just laying there and waiting sounded good but still, he moved to slowly get back on his feet.  His one leg tucked up, head spinning with a wash of dizziness.  Between the blood, the horror trying to get through his mind, and simply balance it was really pretty good standing.  His eyes were forced on Oxx.  Deep breaths, sucking in air as he tried to find his focus, to calm a heart that was pounding too hard.  “I hope there is a special spot for demons like you when they die.” Threats of his future still weren’t coming just in case it did goad Oxx into killing him.  Even the longest odds of winning were now washed away.  If Rudy didn’t live he couldn’t help fight him later.  

It was just a few toes.  Not a big deal.  It was remarkable how much it felt like a big deal.  He was doing good to stand, how could he fight now? Running sure as hell wouldn’t work. “I hope your death is long and slow,” the words soft in between the beats of his heart.  Whatever it took, Rudy would help make sure it happened.

Rudyard Carpathius

Blood spattered the giant brute's maw and he grinned maniacally as the boy got back to his paws. Or what was left of them at least. A few toes lay on the ground not too far away, presented like little delicacies in their own individual puddles of blood. What else could he do? What could he take next? An ear? An eye? A whole limb? The possibilities were endless!

The words of the boy met Oxx's ears and the slate and ivory brute grinned, his dead, grey eyes crinkling with mirth. "I would be disappointed if there wasn't some hell waiting for me, lad. Or a heaven. It all depends on how you look at it." A second lifetime of torture, carnage, bloodlust. Yeah. He'd take that.

More words were spat at him and a little snicker pulled free. "Easy to say for someone that could die at any moment. It's only by my grace that you're still alive. Why, you should be thanking me!" Oxx's gaze fixed hard upon the mottled wolf and he took a step towards him. "Go ahead. Thank me." When no words of thanks poured from the wolf's maw, Oxx chuckled again. "See? I've already helped you with one of your flaws. Silence is golden." Just as quickly as the smile found Oxx's face, it fell away. "But not always wise."

Effortlessly, Oxx rushed the younger wolf, coming from the side of his damaged paw. Though there was an effort to avoid the attack, it was to no avail. Oxx was fit as a fiddle and the patchwork wolf, well... he wasn't all there. The behemoth sank his teeth into the back of the boy's neck, serrated canines popping through flesh and digging in deep. Oxx thrashed his head back and forth, letting his teeth do damage, but not enough to kill the boy, though he would have some nice scars. What else could he take?'

Throwing the young brute to the ground, Oxx stood over him, watching him thrash and struggle. His grey tail thumped the ground and Oxx's eyes flashed with glee. That was it. With one wide paw on the downed wolfs hip, Oxx lowered his head and snapped his jaws. Teeth slid through muscle, sinew, blood and bone. With a jerk of his head, the man ripped the lads tail completely free from his body. A nice little souvenir. Perhaps he'd make it into a scarf.

Any more damage and he very well might kill the boy. So instead, Oxx decided that he was done. The monochromatic lad wasn't his true target anyway. It wouldn't be a secret just who was though. Taking his victims scruff between his teeth, Oxx pulled the boy across the ground and to the edge of the falls. "Tell your pretty copper sister that I'm coming for her next. She and I have a score to settle." With that, the beast pushed the boy over into the falls, allowing its rapid current to take him far, far away.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

It would have been worth a few more scars just to get the bastard to at least look upset.  All he got was the wolf’s amusement.  Oxx wanted a thanks? Rudy just bared his fangs, eyes narrowed and hate seeming to roll in waves from him as surely as the pain was rolling in.  

Rudy saw him coming but somehow a few toes missing made a big difference and Rudy staggered as he tried to make himself move out of the way. Rudy made a shriek mixed of surprise and pain as serrated teeth dug through the top of his neck.  Shit, he was going to die!  His neck was shaken and Rudy imagine this is what it felt like to be the rabbit he’d get between his jaws.  

Helpless his body fell to the earth.  Rudy struggled to get up, mouth open panting in a mix of trying to gulp in some air and pain.  It felt like his head should just roll of his neck as motley wolf imagined by how the damage felt.  Rudy wasn’t even sure if he could get back up given the chance but then there was Oxx’s paw on him and that was all it took right now to keep Rudy on the ground.  The growls given to Oxx had last ferocity to them.  

There weren’t many times Rudy doubted himself but this was one of them.  Oxx had hurt the others but sent them back alive but Rudy was wondering if this was going to be the exception.  Oxx’s head went down and a new mind-searing pain swept over Rudy.  Rudy didn’t even hear his own shrieks as the tail came off.  

Rudy didn’t bother fighting as he was drug across the ground towards the falls.  Between the shock of pain and blood loss, there wasn’t a whole lot of fight left in him.  Rudy had thought he’d given up on any urge to fight until Oxx reminded Rudy of his sister and Rudy showed his teeth a last time for good measure, a bit of fresh hate riled up.  The desire to kill the bastard shocked out of his system as he was dropped into the falls.  Water pushing him along, cleaning the wound even as gravel or rocks he was passed by caused amazing amounts of pain just by touch.  Time stopped as Rudy just worked to hold his head above water.  By the time he washed ashore, he had no energy to get more than a foot or so past where the water dumped him.  Rudy knew he should call for help.  He’d call for help after he took a few breaths and Rudy closed his eyes exhausted.

"Speech"