CHPT 18: Usurper

[New Quest!: Feed your injured pack-mate.]

Claude looked at the injured wolf behind the other five and saw that it had a rather serious puncture wound on its side. "Feed the injured? What's that going to do for his wound?!" He yelled at the sky angrily with nowhere else to aim his anger and confusion. He made his way to the buck anyway. With a sense of urgency, he grabbed it by its one remaining antler and tried to drag it to the injured wolf..but the other wolves wouldn't move.

DING

[Additional Quest: Remind the wolves of your position in the pack.]

Claude looked at the 5 wolves in front of him that blocked his way to the injured wolf. One wolf in particular seemed to be spearheading this operation, despite their unnaturally similar features— even for animals, this wolf had a difference about it. All the wolves looked hungry..starved, but this wolf looked pissed. It's lips peeled back and hackles raised as it let out a low growl, "grrrrrrrrrr.....".

While all the other wolves mouths dripped an unnatural amount of saliva as they stared at the buck Claude was carrying, the wolf in the front wasn't drooling at all. In fact it wasn't even looking at the buck...it was holding Claude's gaze unflinchingly. Never wavering and completely welcoming of whatever brand of violence it assumed was coming. It held itself with an air of dominance and intensity. Only describable in a few distinct words. As the two stared at each-other, one in particular came to mind with ease.

"Usurper."

Claude continued to look at the wolves as their eyes flashed a ravenous yellow and they bared their teeth showing spotless incisors. He was convinced they would eat the entire buck— bones and all, before they let the injured wolf even get a piece.

"If I don't do something, I'll be the reason the injured wolf dies...I just need to remind them where I stand-- I need to remind them I'm not about to be run over...."

Claude did the first thing that came to mind...probably not the best idea.

"Ok guys, I know your hungry but your buddy behind you comes first, so move."

As he said it, he walked toward the leading wolf and put his free hand out.

The wolf lunged for Claude's hand, "Chomp!". Claude jumped back barely missing the wolves jaws as they snapped together with a loud and hard clicking sound.

The action frustrated him-- the whole scenario aggravated him because of how stupid it was and how lost he felt. It was that type of anger that he couldn't express with words as he clenched his jaw and groaned, feeling the sound radiate from his stomach and escape his mouth as something akin to a growl.

He wanted to make them listen. Despite all of his anger and fear, he still wanted to do what the System was requesting. He still wanted them to understand him. He just needed to be a little more...forceful.

Claudes eyes started to glow green as he stared down the wolf that previously tried to bite him, "You and I both know.... I don't know what the hell I'm doing. But, I know what I have to do....and you're in the way of me doing that. Because you want your position back, and this, right?" He asked, referring to the Buck.

The wolf growled and snapped at him again but missed. "Is he....missing on purpose? Why? Can he not hurt me anymore?" He wondered after seeing what the wolf did.

He decided to test his theory as he made his way closer to the wolf in front of the other four, taking slow and purposeful steps.

"grrRRr..."

The wolves began to step back and the wolf in front began to look at Claude's feet as it growled in defiance.

WOOSH!

Claude dashed at the wolf once he was confident it wouldn't hurt him, the wolf hopped back fearfully along with the four behind it. Claude crouched down so he was almost face to...snout with the wolf.

SNAP!....grrrrrr

The wolf snapped at Claude again and growled while it avoided eye contact. Claude felt that familiar red hot anger again combined with his sense of urgency after hearing the injured wolfs labored breaths in the back. "I need to help him and your in my way...."

Claude snarled as he put his head directly over the wolf and let out a vicious, guttural growl. This time it didn't surprise him as much...

The intimidating sound had no trace of humanity. The wolf jumped back with its snout almost touching the grass and it's ears pinned against its head as the other wolves followed suit. Claude kept his teeth bared showing his now wolf-like canines that were on the verge of cutting his lips. He observed the wolf noticing it still wanted to defy him, but just barely.

Claude reached out fast and grabbed the wolf by its ruff in an almost belittling gesture as he pulled it back toward him, he then put his mouth next to its ear and said through clenched teeth,

"Move....your...ASS!"