As England opened his tired eyes a while later, severely weakened from his loss of blood, he saw that he was still alone. Really, he'd expected that. After all, what would entice a meal to walk right into his mouth? How could the rabbit expect a wolf to resist taking the bait? Especially after he'd received a small sample of what deliciousness the rabbit had to offer, and seen that look on his face. That look, the of pure and tantalizing fear as his poor bunny life flashed before its beautiful blue eyes. That was the clincher, the thing that made Iggy yearn so strongly for his meat. It was amazing that he'd fought it off that long, long enough for him to get away. But something about him was just too interesting to slaughter right then.
There was more important business to consider than a rabbit, though. Like his pack, for instance. He had slept... how long had it been? Would any survivors still be wandering this part of the forest, where so many were slain? If there were survivors...
But his leg... he couldn't move it. This inhibited him from finding traces of his pack, and chances were he'd bleed out before it healed. What an idiotic, cowardly way to die- from tripping a human trap, instead dying in a battle for his clan. He'd never predicted this one, that was for sure.
Sniffing the air, he found no traces of wolf besides his own. No one around here, at least... sighing, he closed his eyes and mourned the loss of his pack. Praying that some were alive...
But his mourning was cut short- he could hear them before he could smell them, those humans. His heart was gripped between fear, and a fierce, deep hatred... more adrenaline coursing through his system the nearer the two loud humans came, he tensed his muscles and bared his teeth. There was no way, no way they could be stupid enough to not find his trail, and he wasn't going to go down without at least an attempt at a fight... even though it was of no use- his limbs wavered when he tried to move them, and his eyes could barely focus.
From around where the trap was, the humans began to shout. They had seen his blood, he guessed... and now they argued over which trail to take... so the bunny had really made a new trail. Strange, what a strange being. Did he have any sense of self-preservation? Even if he was on the idiotic side, he was strangely- sweet...
To his utter shock, their footsteps grew not closer, but farther away... his heart pounded in stunned relief. Starting at a low chuckle, his amusement grew into uncontrollable laughter, dry and cracked as it was. They had really fallen for it, the had followed the wrong trail! Didn't they have any sense of smell?!
His hysteria quickly led to weak coughs. Ah, this was no time to celebrate in such a way... he felt so sick, and just the strain of movement had him dizzy.
He was just about dead already.
As the day wore on, he slept in short intervals- never allowing himself full slumber, knowing that in his state he needed to be wary. It proved more difficult than he'd expected, but the rest he'd gained earlier let him keep at this schedule for longer. Most of the time he laid there in a self-induced stupor, bringing himself completely around only to deal with business a little ways deeper in the woods. It was a strain to get there, but it was better to have a clean place to die.
When his thoughts weren't on his pack, or some strange place in the land of La-la, they stayed on the pains in his body- trying to name the cause of each one. The first couple were obvious: his throat from thirst, his stomach from hunger, and his leg from the wound itself. The other things, like the dizziness and poor circulation in his hands- anemia, he'd guess- and the headaches- either dehydration or a possible infection- were a little more difficult to place. After awhile, though, he realized that it was pointless; they would still be there, all the same. He sighed defeatedly. It wasn't going to take long now, his death, would it?
He was smelling rabbit again...
At first he thought it was a hallucination. After all, 'Alfred' should've understood his place as prey by now, and Arthur's place as his hunter. But as he wearily raised his head, he was greeted by his still-pouting face.
"You don't look too hot, Wolfy." he snapped, as though retorting to some unspoken insult. Instead of finding the energy to reply, too tired to really be irritated, he returned to his original position and lazily narrowed his eyes.
"You actually came back." he noted quietly.
"Yea- yeah. I said I would." His tone seemed to soften just slightly when Arthur posed no threat. "And I brought some herbs that should help. I promised that, too."
"I guess you did." Smiling dazedly, Iggy reached out and brushed his fingers against Alfred's hand. "Good boy..."
"Hey, that's not funny! And you know what, I'm not the dog here, you are! So I should be saying that to you!" the rabbit huffed indignantly, his face flushing.
"Humans came by." he informed, not really talking to him as much as he was talking to himself. "They followed your trail instead of mine, though."
"Oh. That musta been scary."
"It was. I wasn't expecting that plan of yours to work."
"Poor Wolfy." Smiling cheerfully again, his moods inconsistent, he patted Iggy between the ears. "Good boy!"
"You're so damn lucky I'm tired."
"I know. Hey, I need you to eat this." he murmured, holding out some ginger root. "It'll help, trust me."
"I can barely swallow..."
"Hmm. I thought about that. Pain chokes me up, too." Taking the red cloak from over his shoulder- he'd turned the cloth into a makeshift sack- he took from the fabric a handful of currents. "Try some. They're good and juicy, and that'll help you swallow." he grinned.
Lifting his head, Iggy ate the berries directly from his soft palm- and watched as this made the bunny blush madly. This, after a painful gulp, made a sly smile seize the lower part of his face.
"I'm starting to wonder if I turn you on. You pervert." he chortled, moistening his lips. The bunny looked startled.
"W-what? No, no, you're misreading me!" he stammered, looking away. It was answer enough...
The berries finished, he moved on to the blood that still shimmered on Alfred's arms. A little clotted, but despite that it was good enough for his needs. Softly and slowly he lapped at the delicious red liquid, listening with the slightest amount of pleasure as the man's breathing changed.
"Does it hurt?" Arthur asked in a low voice, pressing his lips to one of the deeper injuries. As he drank in the delightful taste, the bunny bit into its finger and nodded feverishly.
"B-but just a little..." he whined, looking shyly to one side.
"If you act this way, and hurt only a little... I'm reading you just fine." he purred. "Not that it matters either way. Now, then, that root."
"R-root? Oh- yeah. That root." Shaking his head clear, he held the ginger out towards him once again. "Stretch out your leg and hold still, while you're at it."
Doing so, he took the root between his teeth and set it on the ground, using his hands as a brace while he gnawed at it. All the while he watched the bunny as he was trying to get ahold of himself: looking around, flushing madly, blinking, shaking his head until he seemed clear of his emotions. Then, diving back into the red cloak, he pulled out a dozen yellow flower heads- arnica. These he popped into his own mouth, chewing them mechanically before spitting the remnants into his palm.
"That's right. Keep the leg extended, and hold it still. Good boy!" he teased lightly, spreading the mush over Iggy's injury. "It'll help it heal faster, and disinfect it. So it's all good for you. Don't worry."
"You seem to know your way around herbs, rabbit."
"Yup!" Nodding brightly, he chewed and spat a couple more. "Mmm... tastes so sweet! Anyway, I guess you learn stuff when you eat things like this all the time."
"I suppose." Finishing off the bitter ginger, Iggy rested his head atop his arms and closed his eyes.
"There, done. How does that feel?" Alfred asked, patting his leg. Arthur winced, breathing in sharply as pain lanced through it.
"It'd feel better if you didn't hit it!" he snarled, hands fisting. "Watch it, Leftovers!"
"Stop calling me names!" he fumed, fiercely prodding the wound and making the wolf howl in agony.
"Dammit! Do you want to die, is that it?!" But as Alfred kept pressing deeper, furious, the pain weakened Arthur's resolve. "Stop it." The order made the bunny grow crueler in his act, and eventually the wolf couldn't take it any longer. "Ahh... n-no... I'm sorry. Stop..." he practically begged, tears forming in his eyes.
"What's my name!" he insisted, prodding again. Iggy literally bit back a shriek- he sank his teeth into his arm to stop the noise from leaving his lips.
"A-alfred... Alfred, stop..." he choked, curling up on his side. Even as Alfred did as he asked, he couldn't stop the shaky tears. He was traumatized- not so much by the pain, but by the simple fact that his prey could make him like this...
Feeling the warmth of Alfred's hand hovering over his shoulder, Iggy jerked away.
"D-don't touch me!" he cried, ears flat against his head. As seconds wore by in painful silence, he brought his tail closer to his chest and hugged it tightly. Is this really all I am now...?
Waiting for another snappy comeback or some annoying disobedience, he was surprised when he was greeted by none. Looking up, his eyes met blue orbs that seemed more shaken that he was.
"A-Arthur...?" he asked, his hand still held where his arm once was. The saddest part was, Arthur truly had wanted that touch...
"Go." he said quietly, turning away once again. "Go."
So, he had reached the ultimate low... being defeated by a rabbit. He probably wouldn't bring himself to kill the stupid thing later, either. How sad.
"I-I'm sorry, dude, I really didn't mean it! I just got fed up and I lost track of myself!" the bunny gasped breathlessly. "Please don't be mad, okay? I'll make up for it! I will!"
"Just go. I want to be alone." he intoned softly.
"... good boy..." the man whispered gently, patting his head in a soothing manner. Before Iggy could turn and scold him, he and his cloak was gone once again.
Hah... well, I'm trying... .