More Than Human

Chapter 77: The Griffin

The estate was twitterpated as fuck.

Soap was coming up on another full moon, so he was extra needy. His neediness made Simon's cravings increase. Alex was going through a period of molting, so Farah was diligently preening and taking care of him. Roach was clearly kicking it into high gear when it came to courting Gaz. Jumping onto his back and making him carry him around, fluttering his wings, and taking Kyle by the hands to dance around the halls. All the love in the air made Rudy and Alejandro reminiscent of their younger years, so the pair was all over each other.

Price didn't mind, it was a natural monster thing that they were all sort of synced up. Particularly with the spring-like weather on the property interrupting the usually cold December temperatures. It probably had them all out of whack. He just kept himself in his office, around if anyone needed him.

One individual who found themself with not much to do, was König. The kraken had vacated the water for Rudy and Alejandro, and in the actual house, everyone was usually in their rooms. He was, all in all, a little bored. And for the first time in his life, a little lonely. He enjoyed his solitude, but with everyone else paired off and seeming so happy, he felt like, no pun intended, a fish out of water.

He spent quite a bit of time in the library to keep himself distracted, or soaking in the tub of his room. But he really wanted to be doing something. Outside of going every few days to torment Makarov, he wasn't doing any work. The time off was night, but he was left wanting for something to accomplish. Wanting for something.

So when Price came to him with a small assignment for just the two of them, he was thrilled.

"Received some reports of a possible disturbance in Manchester. Sightings of an aggressive animal. Normally we'd direct them to animal control, but apparently the thing isn't quite normal. Whatever that means." Price explained to him, "Normally I'd say this is below our pay grade, but Simon and I cleared a lab out in Manchester. Could be a monster that snuck past our team. We don't know what their mental state could be in, which means they could be dangerous."

König nodded, eager, "Of course, Captain!"

They geared up and changed into their winter clothes for leaving the property. The temperature and scenery change was strange. Where it was pleasantly warm and the sky appeared clear and sparkling with stars in the early morning on the property, outside the stars couldn't be seen through the clouds that lazily spit snowflakes. It wasn't quite cold enough to stick and little clumps of dirty slush clung to the sides of the roads. The sun rose on their drive to Manchester and they parked the car in the middle of their forest search area. They would split off in two directions to search the expanse of the forest that contained the sightings.

König enjoyed some of the colder weather, the feeling of the snow crunching beneath his boots. He snaked a couple of tentacles down to the icy ground to feel for any unusual vibrations in the area. Although he doubted it would help much, particularly as he didn't know what sort of monster they were searching for.

He had been going for a few kilometers when he came around a cave. He paused here, knowing that it would be a good location for a monster to reside in the cold weather. Both werewolves and vampires often resided in them. Heck, even he was inclined to hole up in a cave when he was underwater.

He listened intently and focused on the ground's vibrations feeling nothing before he paused. The distinct amount of nothing he was feeling was unusual. Almost... intentional. He carefully slid his tentacles back into his clothes and carefully spun around in a circle.

He felt eyes on him.

He felt hunted.

He scanned his eyes around, trying to find the source. He was in the woods, there shouldn't be that many places to hide around here. Unless...