Low Life

The massive black wolf, his sleek fur marred entirely by a plethora of imperfections upon his skin, sauntered through the terrain like a blade. He cut through everything in his path as he prowled with that eerie grace of his, eyes an unsettling shade of green devouring the surroundings with a meticulous gaze. The dense vegetation of the plains made for a good place to forage for herbs- which is exactly what he was investigating. He had been drawn here, eager to build a cache of fauna in this new land.

As the beast moved through the verdant landscape, all manner of serpents slithered in the grass, their movements smooth and precise. He much appreciated the creatures for that, it was a beautiful evolution that had perfected them for hardy survival. All was silent, the hush broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant, constant crash of waves. The brutish male, guided by his purpose, sought out each of medicinal herbs hidden in the brush, all of them taken into account within his memory; their locations saved for future use.

Amid the unsettling peacefulness of the plain and his task, Caedes’ thoughts momentarily flickered to that haunting, delightful encounter with Mariah. Her eyes that glinted like liquid silver, her fragile frame — the utter beauty in her plight… The memory lingered in the air, casting a possessive shadow over the brute’s features. However, with an impatient huff, the scarred man suppressed these thoughts and continued his work, driven by the desire to make use of himself in the time before he reunited with his kin. That had to be his first and foremost focus. Not the willowy details of a girl. His teeth gritted, a paw swiping out at an unfortunate passerby snake, smacking it off to who knows where.

It did turn out to be an excellent piece of luck though, as a roar erupted from the brushes the snake had flown into. Caedes rose with his fur bristling and his tail held high, eyes alight with fury at the sight of a grizzly bear charging him — the snake clinging to the side of its face, poisonous fangs sunk deeply into the flesh there. Caedes laughed, readying himself to sidestep the bear as it sought revenge for an interrupted ambush. Teeth flashed from both beasts, but the man allowed the bears own momentum to carry it too far forward, his side step turned into a twist of his massive body as jaws made purchase with the side of the bear’s neck — attempting to lock down its movements for a moment while he thought of a plan of action. He was no fool to think he could kill it this way easily, but hell if he wasn’t going to try.


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