Come Play

The northern wilds carried their biting chill, a sharp sort of discomfort that seeped into his hide, but he ignored the discomfort as he trudged along. Redrum moved haltingly through the bleak landscape, his golden eyes sweeping over the snow-laden terrain. His blood-red coat stood out like a wound against the paleness of the frozen expanse, a target if ever there was one. A calling card, if you will. His muscles twitched sporadically, each involuntary spasm a maddening reminder of his body’s rebellion—a betrayal etched into his every movement. His imperfections.

He paused atop a gentle rise, his long ears swiveling to catch the faintest sounds carried by the wind. The world stretched hollow and still, the silence broken only by the occasional caw of a raven overhead. His breath escaped in small, fleeting clouds, vanishing into the cold air as he scanned the desolation below. It was all pine trees and scarce brush, nothing he could use for cover should he need it. His long legs sank into the fresh snow, each step at an uneven pace as he moved. He’d been here before—Insomnia had raided these territories, striking at the Syndicate pack nearby. He could still picture the monochromatic woman with her mocking half-smile, the one who left a scar carved across his cheek. A phantom pain flickered in his memory, his tongue moving to caress the inner wall of his mouth where the flesh was a raggedly healed slice. Maybe he’d run into her again. Give her a taste of her own medicine.

Redrum’s nostrils flared as he sniffed the air, his head tilting in thought. The sharp sting of cold dominated, but beneath it lingered something faint—prey, perhaps, or the trace of another wolf wandering. His predator’s instinct pulled taut within, though he forced himself to slow. His prowl brought the bulk of his mass lower to the ground as he moved in an uneven semicircle, advancing cautiously, his paws breaking through the crust of snow that clung stubbornly to his vermillion fur.

His teeth clicked together, his jaw twitching with growing frustration. Golden eyes narrowed, his sharp gaze scanned, searching for something—anything—that would shatter the stillness.


"Murder"