death is always the winner

Rain fell upon a scab plagued back unrelenting. Tiny bee sting pelts covered thin skin covering high shoulder bones. Wet white and pink fur clung to the red skin below, the mats and scar tissue exposed to the world. Blood seeped from undying wounds from the sun, tangling into dirty white fur like a crimson glue. Shoulder blades and hip bones protrude up and out with little fat or muscle to be seen. Blood shot eyes, bright as the blood rolling down an arched back, were wide with strain and pain. Each step was met with shrilling pain shooting through sore paws and thing legs to a bruised chest. The pain caused breaths to be ragged an uneven. The never ending moisture in the air seemed to make it's way into the creature's lungs causing each exhale to crack and pop. The former Wolf now forsaken fool wandered endlessly without an ounce of hope in view.

Hannibal made his den within the heart of the maze. A overhang of bramble and leaves hung overhead, only enough to avoid most of the downpour. But, the rain never failed to find it's way through. As he arrived the stench of rotting flesh filled a sore pink spotted nose. The smell seemed to not bother the beast as he curled up in a tight corner upon the damp earth. Tucking trembling legs close to his form and a tangled tail over stinging paws. Wide eyes took in the enclosed halls of thicket lifelessly. A hunger pain swept through his abdomen into the hollow of his scratchy throat. Eyes flicked down to an old bird carcass and yellow teeth took hold of a tendril of flesh beneath bloody feathers. A little growl could be heard in response to such a dissatisfying 'meal.'

As the male plucked meat from tiny bones his thoughts roamed as they usually did. The haunting thoughts of his offspring and loved ones. The caring words of Belle and the cries of his children. Were they even alive? Rain pelted the top of his slender cranium and muzzle. One blue and one red eye stung as if prepared to leak tears but it seemed his ducts were dry. Could he even spare tears anymore? Shame flowed through the beasts bones. A pain so otherworldly, it seethed within his veins. A tiny rumble of a painful cough shot from his throat as he nearly upchucked his food. It was almost as if he was allowing himself to die due to the failures months prior. A slow painful death would be the cure to his faults. To lose everyone he cared about as if he were a lesser man then his challenger was enough of a blow to his pride as any. Worthless was the word painted across his sickly, bleeding, and starving bodice. With a twinge of guilt Hannibal lowered his head down onto the tops of his bony paws and shut his eyes to drift off into an onslaught of nightmares.