Now is the time, Now is the hour

A wolf pack had fallen and a challenge was bound to break out for someone new to take up the mantle as a leader of a new pack of wolves.  What sort of a wolf would be the next leader and what sort of pack would they create?  Really, Kichi didn’t care about any of that.  However, he did like the idea of a trip with Al, and Al’s mate.  Just a few wolves traveling together instead of the time spent amongst the numerous wolves in the pack.  Along with them was the small wolf Scylla who Kichi really only knew by sight, name, and that she’d never annoyed him.  Oh, and also, of course, Torch the water deer was with Kichi.  

It was a pleasant trip and Kichi found himself enjoying the trek and even hoping to not miss out on any good fights that came up.  Pain, given and taken, was the one true way to fully feel alive.  The more the risk the greater the pleasure when you win.  The taste of the victim’s blood in your mouth, seeing fear or pain mirrored in their eyes.  That’s the sort of fight Kichi hoped to see.  

As they reached the Oasis a sound came that rattled Kichi’s insides.  That was impossible.  Kichi had presumed her dead ages ago.  That small naïve pup had taken a while to come to his senses and realize she was never coming back but he had finally figured it out.  He’d been dumped.  At least, for so long he’d imagined that perhaps she had died.  Surely it was someone else who sounded like her.  What if?  Kichi’s body shivered with too many emotions arguing for supremacy.
There was no doubt when his eyes spotted Lurid and as he slowly walked closer even her scent was as remembered.  The rest of the world was forgotten, and the reason for being here was forgotten.  Every inhale of breath Kichi took offered him a new wave of the hatred he had stored inside and every exhale offered the thrill of knowing today he could kill the one who had killed the naïve boy Kichi had once been.  That pup was dead, rotted away, hidden in the depths of his scarred soul and never to resurface.  

“Lurid,” Kichi whispered his adopted mother's name like a fine poisoned wine.  Kichi was about to take another step forward when an enraged snarl ripped through him, scratching at his throat and squinting his eyes, claws digging at the earth.  The reality of her in the process of another fight kicking in, one he wasn’t supposed to interrupt. “Lurid!” Kichi didn’t give a damn if she listened or not, he didn’t care who heard but the rage was like acid in his threat that had to be released, “Survive Lurid, live through that fight so I can kill you.  I’m going to, I’m going to kill you.”

Let that challenge fall across the land, let everyone hear his promise.  Who cared about squabbles over packs?  Someone would die today.  Either he’d have his revenge or he’d go say hi to his long-dead parents.  He was getting a chance to kill Lurid just like he’d asked that statue for!  It was meant to be! Finally, the desire of his soul would come to pass.  With each movement in the fight going on Kichi could imagine where he would have bit, what the blood would taste like and the growing need to truly taste it, revel in it, hell maybe even dance in it after her death.

"Kichi"