Epistrèfo

Chapter VII: Eínai

Afterwords, he is alone for a while. He will be killed if he returns to his Pack, and he doesn't belong anywhere else.

Foniás is alone for what feels like a really long time, but he tries to ignore the sad feelings like he does with all his other differences.

The places where his ear and tail used to be are covered in fur once more. They never hurt, though, and he thinks the Sun-Prey did something when he fell asleep last time.

He doesn't miss the Preypack. He doesn't.


He is hunting when they take him.

He doesn't know who or what they are, but they take him and keep him locked in a small, cramped cage in a place with many other cages containing a multitude of creatures.

They are all making lots of noise, clamoring in distress and outrage and fear and pain, and it's so overwhelming that he just wants to make them stop. He can't hear himself think and the cage restricts his movement and‒‒

‒‒he's trapped, and he knows he can't get out, so he gives up trying. The air has long since dissipated, but he brought the special fruit to help with that and the hunger. It doesn't stop the thoughts, though, and he knows he has to get free, has to run away like he always has, run from the people and their happiness, run from him and those feelings, run from anything that can get into his heart and hurt him. He's a coward, he knows this, but the two monsters keep repeating it over and over, and even though he knows it, it still hurts. No one will come for him, because they all hate him, and they should, because he's worthless, he's a failure, he's a burden, an outcast, a mistake, he's‒‒ he's‒‒

He's N‒‒

The hellhound screams, because he has no idea who he is anymore.