Back From the Hunt

A large black wolf shook itself dry in the main foyer of the Xavier institute, splashing water across the floor and walls. In his mouth hung a limp squirrel, which he himself had sniffed out and killed. Opening his jaws, the wolf let the squirrel hit the floor with a soft thud, and began to change. The fur which covered the beast's body began to shed, dissolving into smoke as it fell to the floor, and the creature's entire body shifted, as it reared up on its hind legs. After several moments the wolf was gone, replaced by a tall rugged man in a black unitard. Spreading his arms to either side, and stretching up onto his toes, the man let out a soft grunt as joints cracked in his back and shoulders. With a final sigh, he slumped into a relaxed slouch, and grabbed the squirrel by the tail. Lifting it to his mouth he took a bit of the small rodent's meat, fur and all, and chewed with a satisfied grin, as he headed down the hall towards his room.

(Is this a reserved roleplay or can I join in? I'll delete my post if you don't want me posting. ^^)

Cale ventured out into the hall, interested by the smell of wolf and recently killed squirrel. It'd been awhile since he'd tasted raw meat. He took another smell of the air. The scent was more human now, and it has a familair smell to it, but he could'nt put his finger on it. It was someone he'd met before, but not been around to often. Well, either way, he had squirrel, and he was not going to pass that up. He turned a corner and saw some guy with a big build. Cale knew him, but his name slipped his mind. "Hey, big guy!" Cale shouted.

((No it's open for anyone))

Chris stopped and turned on his heel to look at the younger, smaller boy who had called out to him. He had seen the small wolfen boy around the institute, but had never gone to great lengths to get to know him. In fact, Christopher had not gone to great lengths to get to know anybody, keeping to himself and residing mostly in his room, and the woods on the grounds. Apparently the boy hadn't bothered to learn who Christopher was either, as he called out, "Hey, big guy!" to get his attention.

Christopher used his teeth to rip another chunk of flesh of the squirrel's ribs, and simply stared at the other boy, not bothering to answer. Instead he simply stood, and waited for the younger to continue.

Cale patiently waited for a response, other than just looking at him, which made him feel a bit threatened, and now that he had sized the guy up, he was a lot bigger than originally thought. He must be huge in his wolf form, which Cale had assumed he had, being as he was eating a raw squirrel. Cale caught his gaze for a moment, then looked away, trying to remain neutral. Wolves challenge each other with a stare.

"Uhm, have you been hunting?" Cale asked sheepishly.

When he had turned around, Christopher had not expected to be met with a conversation in which he wanted to participate. And yet, the younger boy who stood before him had caught the wild teenagers interest. As the boy briefly met his stare and turned away, Christopher realized he was conscious of wolf communication. This held the wild teen to the conversation more than most human interaction.

"Squirrel," he said plainly, holding the corpse out by its tail so the body hung limply from it. His voice was deep and full chested, and lent itself to being the center of attention in most rooms. As he smiled, it was apparent how he managed the squirrel so easily, as his teeth were still transformed as that of a canine, set in a human jaw.

Cale glanced up at the squirrel, but his eyes quickly shot to the guy's smile. Those were wolf teeth, for sure. Cale smiled, too. His canines were clearly bigger than most, but nothing compared to this guy. "Dang, nice teeth." Cale walked forward a bit for a closer look. He also took in the guy's smell a bit more, so he could remember it. However, he realized he was being a bit rude by human standards. Cale stood up straight and put out his hand. "I'm Cale. I think we've met before..." He glanced off, but caught himself. "Nice squirrel, by the way." That was the best compliment he could managed at the moment.

"Dang, nice teeth." the boy said, leaning in for a closer look, and clearly taking a taste of Christopher's scent in the process. While the younger boy was there, Animal inhaled his scent as well, knowing he would now recognize the boy better, scent being a better identifier than any other scent. Apparently feeling as if he and stepped over some boundary, the boy backed off, straightening up and offering his hand in a shake.

"Don't bother," he said in a calm, soft tone, "I can't say I really care for that pointless human greeting," he finished somewhat apologetically. "My name's Christopher," he added.

"Nice squirrel, by the way." the younger boy complimented. Chris let out a soft chuckle.

"Want some?" he asked, willing to share because ever since leaving his pack, he hadn't had much chance to share the fruits of a hunt with someone else. "These woods are pretty mad with prey," the Alpha-canine offered.

Cale picked up the squirrel, and looked at it a bit. He had not been hunting for months, and he'd kind of forgot how to properly eat squirrel. He looked embarrassed, but bit into an area that looked promising. The blood was still warm, and it was refreshing to eat raw meat again. "Heh, thanks. I haven't had raw meat for... I think months now." He chewed and spit out a bone.

Cale, strangely enough, did not feel threatened yet. Usually another wolf mutant would get his blood pumping. He had to establish his dominance, at least in most cases. This guy, though, was big. Really big. Cale had a good feeling he would lose in a fight, but at the same time, he didn't really want to fight him. "We should got hunting some time. I might not be able to keep up with wolves, but I can take down a deer or catch a squirrel." He handed to squirrel back. "Yeah, deer sounds great..."

Taking another bite off the small rodent, Christoper pondered for a moment over the boy's offer. Hunting with someone else, and with a pack especially, was always more enjoyable than hunting alone. tracking prey, and working together to take it down was a rewarding thing, which elicited a great deal of excitement and joy. It was truly one of the quickest way to bond in the wolf world, to hunt and share a kill.

"Well I just got back, but if you want to have a run through the grounds, I wouldn't say no," Christopher offered with a laugh, "besides, this was more of a snack anyway," he added, referring to the squirrel which by now was almost stripped of its meat. As he took another bite, a large patch of fur ran across his human tongue, causing a slight shiver to runt through his body. He let out a deep, booming laugh as he spoke again, "It's weird... as a wolf I don't mind the fur... and actually I think skinning a hide robs a lot of flavour... but it still feels weird when i feel fur on my human taste buds, hahahah"

Cale chuckled. "I usually skin it, but I can tolerate fur. Now that I think about it, it does have a certain taste, though." Cale liked this guy. He could finally talk about wolves and hunting with someone who wont gag at the idea of biting into a jugular, which Cale found to be one of the best part of a hunt. "As for the run, sounds great. I've been so bored lately." He said contently.

"As for the run, sounds great. I've been so bored lately." the smaller boy said. Christopher smiled, showing his wolf teeth once more. As he did so, the rest of his body began to transform, matching the teeth in his mouth until he stood there once again as a large black wolf.

"Let's go then," he communicated almost telepathically, unsure of whether Cale was animal enough to understand him, especially in his humanoid form. Either way, Christopher turned and padded calmly towards the main doors, waiting for the other boy to transform and follow.

The large wolf waited by the door, staring out across the lawn with his ears and tail erect and pointed. He had a very proud and strong neutral stance, which came from living so long among wolves. He was used to communicating his strength and dominance to a full pack of wolves, and rarely let himself appear weak or vulnerable in his stance and movement. While the pack he had lived with had known there was something different and foreign about him, and would not follow him as their "official" Alpha, but showed him that level of respect and obedience just the same. However, like any other wolf, he had to remain diligent, and never show submission to his fellow pack members, lest he lose the respect of an Alpha-canine.

"Oh, you're so cute as a wolf!" In reality, most people would have shit themselves when they saw a wolf this big, but not Cale. He hugged the giant wolf, as he did with most dogs, and Jake. Being as most dogs trusted him nearly immediately, he never had to worry about them snapping at this normally threatening gesture. Cale loved the way wolf felt. The rough top coat and the soft undercoat had an addicting feel.

Christopher couldn't help but be amused by the other teen's reaction to his most comfortable form. Being a wolf felt much more natural to Christopher than being in his human skin did, likely because he had spent so much longer covered in fur.

"Oh, you're so cute as a wolf!" the boy said, which was not the normal reaction of people who saw him like this. Those who knew he was a mutant and saw this form, tended to give him a wide berth, fearing their safety against a wolf with a human's brain. Those who believed he was just a wild animal also gave him a wide berth, afraid of what havoc a wolf might wreak. This boy however, wrapped his arms around Christopher's neck in a tight hug, and began to feel and pet the fur on his back.

If his wolf form could have made the correct vocalizations, Christopher would have laughed at Cale's actions, but as it were he could only provide the younger teen with a friendly lick of his cheek. it was a way to thank him for the compliment he had given, and to let him know that he had not been put on edge by the sudden contact.

Cale laughed and fell backwards. "Okay, well, I guess we should start that run soon." He got up stretched. He felt a bit out of shape, he'd been stuck inside a lot lately, so he'd have to give it his all to keep up. "God, I hope I can keep up. I've gotten soft since I left the woods." He glanced at the Christopher, who looked like he was expecting something. Cale sighed. "In case you're wondering, I can't really turn into a wolf." He sighed, most people expected him to do something along the lines of that. He could, if he really wanted to, go into a wolf-like state of mind, but that was about it.

(For some reason I can't write well. >:T I blame everything but me.)

((No, you write fine. Just takes practice to get better, but you're definitely on your way lol))

"In case you're wondering, I can't really turn into a wolf." the boy said. If he could have shrugged Christopher would have. While he personally preferred the form of a wolf, being able to turn into any animal gave him a certain appreciation for all living creatures. This wasn't to say that just because he understood the psychology of predator and prey alike, that he would become some spineless hippy vegetarian. The fact of the matter was that animals eat other animals, and being privy to the mindset of all creatures allowed him to understand this better. A mouse knows its prey, and lives its life accordingly. Christopher thought it was almost blasphemous to go against nature, and refuse to eat meat. Besides, it was so delicious.

To Christopher a dog was the same as a wolf. granted there were differences, and a wolf would be much stronger... but the chance to run with any animal companion was a treat. The simple fact that it was another canine was enough to make him happy.

"Don't worry, if we meet other wolves, or some other threat, I'll protect you," he teased, using his animal communication, but still unsure if the boy before him could even understand him.

((X'D I'm a vegetarian in real life, mostly because I don't approve of slaughter houses. I don't break down and cry when a cat eats a mouse, though, in fact I enjoy watching animals hunt. o3o))

"I can handle wolves, I lived with a pack for awhile." Cale was more canine than human, and actually had an easier time understanding most animals than people. He sighed. He kind of missed those days, and he would often spend nights thinking about if he would rather live with wolves than people. He always decided to stick with people, he could never really figure out why, though. "Okay, well I guess we should head outside now." He said cheerfully.

((sorry if I offended. I'm just writing from my character's point of view.))

Christopher padded through the large entryway, out onto the lush green lawn. It was a bright sunny day, and with his mind so polluted by the instincts of different animals, it was hard for Christopher to stay inside on a day like this. As soon as he was on the lawn he raised his nose to the air and sniffed, before breaking into a run to the edge of the woods. He paused and waited there for the other boy to transform. As he sat his tail wagged slightly, showing his excitement at the prospect of finally having a hunting partner

(I assume you're still in human form)

(Pfffffft. I say worse shit about vegetarians. XD Also Cale does not shapeshift, he simply controls canines through hormones, and those same hormones are slowly turninghim into a wolf. Or a furry. XD)

Cale sighed when he saw the expectant expression on the wolf. "Uhm, what I meant to say was... I can't really transform..." Cale was fairly use to having to explain this, but he hated the let down it gave some people, and hehada good feeling he was letting this person down. "I... I can still hunt though, and I can kill as well as any wolf." Cale said confidently.

(Sorry, mobile post. >_<)

Christopher would have been lying if he said he wasn't at least a little disappointed when Cale revealed that his ears and tail were as close to being a canine as he came. Seeing the boy with his wolfen features had made Animal expect him to be another shapeshifter, but apparently the ears and tail were simply a side effect of whatever power he had... obviously something to do with wolves or canines.

"I... I can still hunt though, and I can kill as well as any wolf." the boy said, trying to make the wolf feel better. It was clear that Cale was sorry for disappointing Christopher, but he really didn't need to be. Its not like it was the boy's fault he couldn't transform, anymore than it was Christopher's fault that he could. He would simply have to make the best of it with this new friend, and was happy at least to have someone else who was at least close to being a canine. he did worry however, that even having canine in him, the boy couldn't keep up on two legs, to Christopher running on four.

"Well... just a second," he said calmly, closing his eyes. He began to transform slowly, his brown knit in concentration. While he had the ability to transform individual parts of his body, free from the rest, he had never tried anything like this. As he sat there his body grew and lengthened, taking on the shape and dimension of his human form, but covered in fur. His front legs turned into his large arms, and his paws split and lengthened into fingers, with claws instead of fingernails. His head remained the same, as did his tail and hind legs, though they grew to match his new body size. After several moments the transformation was complete, and Christopher knelt in the dirt panting. He had transformed most of his body to that of a human, but had kept the hair by not transforming his skin. It took a huge amount of concentration, and it left him so drained that he knew he was stuck in this form for the next few hours.

"Haaooooow's Ack!" he attempted to say, his words coming out more like a howl and a bark than actual English. he had made sure to transform his vocal chords so he could speak normally, but his wolf mouth and tongue were not used to forming words. "How's that?" he asked again, using his animal communication instead. "Now we should be closer to the same speed. But I'm stuck like this for a while so hopefully its not too hideous," he laughed. Mind you, hideousness shouldn't have been his worry as much as how terrifying his new form could be to some. While Christopher himself would have no knowledge of it, the form he had taken on bore a striking resemblance to Hollywood's "werewolf". having never seen a horror movie in his life, Christopher thought nothing of this transformation, and viewed it as a unique idea on his part.

Cale gasped. "You're even cuter than before!" He ran up, and jumped at him. He wrapped his arms around the waist and hung there.. The fur on his stomach felt good on Cale's face. "Okay, now lets run." He said, before letting go of the anthromorphic wolf and standing up straight. Cale sighed. This guy was really cool. "Oh, you know, I should get my wolf." HIs ears perked up, and he whistled. He waited about a minutes until a large white wolf ran around the house and jumped right onto Cale.

Apparently this kid had a thing for wolves, because when Christopher transformed into the werewolf like form that most would have found terrifying, Cale simply jumped at him, wrapping Christopher's waist in a tight hug. "You're even cuter than before!" he yelled, which made the "werewolf" laugh. it didn't come out quite like a human laugh, but was a sort of deep rumbling echo inside the man's fur-covered chest. When Cale let go, the two were about to head of into the semi-dense foliage, when the younger boy suddenly stopped. "Oh, you know, I should get my wolf." he said, before letting out a loud sharp whistle.

At the simple mention of a wolf Christopher's ears, which had been laying flat against his head, perked up, and stood at attention. It was a reflexive action, but likely looked a bit comical, and probably made him somewhat resemble an excited house pet. the boy didn't mention that he had a pet wolf living in the institute with him, and it excited Christopher that he would get to hunt with a canine after all. it wasn't that he didn't like Cale, quite the contrary, it had just been so long since he had gotten to hunt and socialize with other wolves. There was something about the younger teen that Christopher couldn't help but like, and in his mind couldn't help but think of Cale almost as a weird, hyper, cute little pup, even thought the two were fairly close in age. It definitely didn't hurt that the other boy paid such nice compliments to Christopher's wolf form either.

When a large white wolf finally appeared, and jumped on top of Cale, it was all Christopher could do to keep his tail from wagging wildly back and forth. When the wolf dismounted the teen, Christopher crouched down on his hand, so his face was close to level with the wolf. He sniffed the new animal, taking in its scent and getting to know it. After a few moments, Christopher communicated with it through his special "animal telepathy". he made sure however, that he was speaking only to the wolf, so that Cale could not hear what he said.

"Nice to meet you," he communicated in a happy, almost excited tone. "You're friend here is really funny. He's kind of crazy... in a cute way though. I like him, he seems nice. You coming hunting with us?" Christopher babbled excitedly, now unable to control the wild flailing motion of his tail. It wagged back and forth furiously, and he acted almost like a family dog around the new wolf. He was so excited to go hunting with both his new friends that he had lost all intensity and seriousness that his wolf mind usually carried, and instead was much more like an excited, playful Labrador.

Standing back up he spoke to the other teen once more, spreading his animal telepathy so that both Cale and the wolf could hear him. "Let's go then!" he insisted, his tail still wagging like mad as he turned and bounded through a bush and into the forest beyond, sure that his two new friends would be able to keep up to his pace.

(I'm sorry, I'm having a REALLY hard time posting for some reason. I'll think about it for awhile and try to make a half decent post. Dx)

((You're other reply was fine, I was just waiting till the weekend to reply.... and then didn't have internet on the weekend lol))

(SO SORRY! I've been doing a lot and when I get on I can't think of anything. >_<)

Cale kept a steady pace, even though it was barely enough to keep up with the other. He realized how out of shape he was. In his current condition, he would end up being on the bottom of any pack. With that, he took in a deep breath and dashed forward to meet the others. Once he caught up, it felt amazing running with others again. Running alone is fun, running with a pack is great.

As the trio reached a small stream, Animal slowed his pace, and padded slowly into the clean cold water. Kneeling down he dipped his muzzle down to the stream, and lapped at the water for a few moments. it was so crisp, clean and pure, and it tasted so good after the quick run through the woods. After his thirst was filled, Animal simply sat and relaxed in the stream. He waved to Cale and the wolf, motioning for them to join him in the water. granted they were in the woods to hunt, but there was no harm in taking a break first.