Slow death is best

As Kione got a good look at Chimera he noticed just how big this wolf was, definitely if they were standing next to each other Kione would end up having to look up to the fellow.  The dogs were most certainly with him as a nod from Chimera was all it took to have the dogs start skinning the lion. Kione turned his head to glance back at them working at that, a small smirk of pleasure.  It was dead but hopefully, it had felt some of that before it passed.  Kione didn’t have such dark thoughts towards most animals but this was special.

He didn’t look long though as Chimera started speaking to him. The fellow acknowledged his abilities which was an interesting conversation starter, but his mention of being strange to see his kind alone caused a momentarily flinch.  The summary of Kione was explained when Chimera offered him a place in his pack.  Well, that was unexpected and had the painted dog raise up his eyebrows.

Kione wasn’t sure what to feel at first on the offer.  There was a part of him that was ready to rush and agree to join a pack just to have a family again.  The two mastiffs had shown they could work well with him and there would be other wolves assuredly in Chimeras pack.  However, what would it be like, his species in a pack amongst wolves?  Would some of the wolves, or most for that matter, look down on him for being the odd-man-out in the pack?  If they were all as big as this wolf it would be easy enough to have some foolish notion they were better by species.

Did he want to give up on looking for his own kind?  The pain in his heart reminded him how far he had already traveled with no success.  Would he give up a home to search for what might not even be there. “I appreciate the offer friend,” he glanced back to the dogs and corpse before approaching Chimera.  Hmm, King, so maybe friend wasn’t appropriate?

“Do you hold on formalities to your title or by name alone the normal?” Might as well not insult the wolf who was making the offer, “An African wild dog amongst a wolf pack, you might understand that I have to ask where that would leave me standing in status. I have no expectation for status when nothing is known of me, but will I be judged the same as the wolves in the pack?”


"Speech"