It's Like Waking Up From a Nightmare

Redrum stood at the edge of a cluster of willows, muscles twitching as his sharp eyes fixed on the unfamiliar figure near the water's edge. His breath came in shallow bursts, and his elongated ears flicked back and forth, catching the sounds of the forest around him. Curiosity gnawed at him, drawing him toward the stranger.

The wolf by the pond had a striking red hue from head to toe, something that immediately set Redrum on edge. Something about another predator dressed in crimson made his heart thud in his chest. Excitement, anticipation, he wasn’t sure. From the wind he could catch the stranger's scent, which only faintly carried the familiar notes of Insomnia. Tongue swiped out against inky lips, wetting them as he sized the bigger, older man up. What was his name? Why had he joined? These things he was always curious about. There was only one thing to do to sate his curiosity, and get a handle on who this new member was. Redrum's muscles tensed and relaxed involuntarily as he took a cautious step forward, then more, a predatory intensity sharpening his golden gaze.

He moved silently, his paws barely making a sound on the forest floor as he approached. Not on purpose, the young wildling just had a habit of… keeping his vibrant coat as his only flaw when it came to creeping up on his prey. Although he was easy to spot from a distance, hearing him approach would be far more difficult.

When he was satisfied with the distance he halted a few paces away, his head low and body coiled, ready to react as he let out a snort from his nares – an attempt to garner the red man’s attention if he hadn’t noticed him already. “Redrum wonders– who the newcomer is.” Redrum's voice came out in its usual halting manner, the words spaced unevenly. His eyes narrowed as he studied the red-furred wolf. “Redrum is Redrum. Red man is?” Not his most eloquent conversation thus far, but he wasn’t focused on making his words sound pretty.

"Murder"