Victor wrinkled his nose as he and Markus eased their way out of the woods towards the small cabin the pair shared. Something played at the edge of his senses, a smell that set his heart racing. Instinct set him on edge as he struggled to pinpoint the scent. A low growl escaped his throat.
Next to Victor, Markus felt his friend's unease. Markus's own instincts were urging him to use caution. The closer they moved in the direction of the cabin, the more Markus's instincts began to bother him, like an itch he couldn't scratch.
Victor stiffened like a stone as a rush of wind blew towards them, sending the smell deep into his nose.
"Do you smell that?" He asked Markus, his eyes flashing to the younger of the pair. Markus nodded.
"Blood," He growled. With that, Victor was off like a shot, running towards the cabin. Markus snarled and took off after his friend, his longer legs propelling him quickly over the ground. A thrum ran through his body as he ran, setting his ears ringing and his skin crawling. Fur forced its way out from under his skin, making him snarl at the irritating sensation. Markus's muscles began to crawl under his skin. He leaped into the air just as a sharp, violent snapping forced his bones to realign. He howled in pain as the bones of his face elongated into a short muzzle and his legs lengthened, bending to resemble the powerful hind legs of a wolf. Claws ripped through his fingers, and sharp fangs stabbed through his gums.
When he landed, the transformation was over, leaving Markus panting as he stumbled and resumed his stride. His longer legs propelled him faster. In a matter of seconds, he was running behind Victor, who now has a fur covered, misshapen beastly body much like Markus's.
If Victor hadn't been sure the smell of the blood was coming from the cabin before, he was sure of it as soon as he made it past the tree line. The entire area around their small home reeked, and the smell only got stronger as Victor approached the door. A rush of energy coiled in Victor's body, his muscles tensed, and with only half a second of hesitation, he leaped at the door, nearly knocking off it's hinges as he forced his way through.
Victor landed in a crouch, his fangs bared, ready to defend himself. His eyes flashed around the room, taking in the undisturbed furniture. He stood up slowly, still trying to identify the threat to his home, the source of the blood.
Markus paused at Victor's right shoulder, waiting for a word from his mentor. His nose and eyes twitched almost in sync as he focused on the signals his senses directed to him.
"Clear the house," The order was quiet, but it left no room for questions. Markus nodded and slunk past Victor with a predatory grace, sliding towards the hall that lead to their bedrooms and the back of the house. Victor turned, satisfied that Markus could handle himself, and he prowled the opposite direction, headed toward where he thought the smell was thickest.
The kitchen door creaked as Victor opened it, making his ears twitch to hear past the sound. The sound of breathing came from a mound of oversized clothes curled up in the middle of the kitchen floor. Blood stained most of the clothing, and it had begun to pool on the floor around the strange, breathing mound.
Victor moved slowly, still aware and alert, looking for some kind of threat, anything nearby that might explain the creature's battered state. His chest rumbled with a near silent snarl as he got close enough to inspect the thing on his floor more closely. He trailed his fingers lightly over the nearly shredded cloth, his eyes darting back and forth while he inspected the flesh underneath.
"Clear," Markus spoke quietly as he entered the kitchen behind Victor, "I didn't.....good god....what happened?"
"Not sure," Victor's hands moved more quickly now, stripping the baggy clothing away from the bloody figure underneath. He whistled when he saw the extent of the injuries.
