Well here we go again, part two of Feral. not as long as I would have liked, but enough for a two parter. I hope it meets your impossible standards XD

Begin!

Feral

(Part Two of Two)

Richard POV

I sat there on that stair, my hands covering my ears half-heartedly as my arms began to ache. I'd been covering them for the past forty minutes or so, my eyes also closed in a silent refusal to open to look at the Changeling but a few steps away.

Her hissing had only just stopped, roughly around three minutes ago. But I didn't dare move my hands and give her reason to start again. Maybe if she was as feral and animalistic as she appeared to be, then staying completely still was likely a good choice.

Unfortunately, the ache I'd had from carrying her all the way from that restaurant, on top of covering my ears without so much as a twitch for the past forty minutes took its toll, and I was forced to let my arms rest on my knees, the screaming ache too much at that moment to handle.

There was a slight movement and intake of breath before…

"Mate?" Chrissy hissed softly, her voice still so nice to hear despite the added emphasis on her duel tone. "Mate, let me hold you." Her words were better strung together too, but given her intelligence as a whole I wasn't surprised how quickly she'd picked it up.

"My name is Richard," I said, the words leaving my lips before I could think to stop them.

A sort of…hissing giggle escaped her, pleasant and yet unpleasant at the same time. "Mate is mate; names not matter. I am Queen, you are mate."

"They do to me."

There was silence after that, not even a hiss escaped her as time ticked on by.

"Why mate not look at me?" she asked suddenly, her voice upset. "Mate unhappy with me, what I do to make mate sad?"

I stayed silent...

"Mate not want to look at me anymore…"

The pain in her words was too much to ignore, and even though everything I had was screaming at me not to open my eyes and look at her…I felt horrible for doing so, and so they opened. Chrissy was staring at me with eyes filled with hurt, her ears were splayed back and she was sitting on her flank, her tail wrapped loosely around herself.

Upon seeing me looking back at her however, her muzzle widened into an adoring smile, her eyes bright and ears perked up in happiness.

"I always want to look at you," I murmured, voice taught with emotion I didn't think I was capable of. "You're beautiful."

She cocked her head to one side curiously, her eyes shining with confusion, as if she didn't understand what I was trying to say. "I no understand," she said, a confused trill escaping her muzzle. "What beautiful mean?"

Animals have no concept of beauty, and right now Chrissy is…

"It means…" I thought, trying to find the right word. "It means…Chrissy, beautiful means Chrissy."

"Chrissy," she hissed, rolling the word as if unfamiliar with it, but then her eyes seemed to shine with realization. "I Chrissy!"

I couldn't help but smile with her. "Yes you are! Fantastic, you must be turning back to normal if you can remember that!"

And then her smile was gone, replaced by…something else, something I didn't recognise, her eyes losing that spark of intelligence. Her stance became rigid, unmoving and tense as she displayed her fangs, snarling at me.

"Mate love this Chrissy," she hissed, not at all pleasantly this time. "Mate want another, I tear her throat out, drink blood, mate on bleeding corpse, SHOW YOU ARE MINE!

Confused, I put my hands up as a sign of peace and waved them soothingly. "No, no. YOU are Chrissy, I want-"

Before I could so much as blink, she sprung up and jumped at me, her teeth bared and hissing, snarling like a mad beast. The chain caught her before she could reach me and yanked her onto the ground where she tugged at it with her hooves and teeth, hissing as if being tortured as she tried and failed to get it off of her.

"Chrissy, stop it. You're going to hurt yourself!" I shouted, making to move and stopping just as I stood up, remembering her wish for me not to touch her until she was herself again.

She didn't listen, continuing to hiss and bite the chain while I stood there helpless to do anything but watch. But then finally, a good many minutes later she stopped and panted, tired from her fit of rage.

"Chrissy?" I asked tentatively, fighting the urge to rush forward and see if she was alright.

She looked at me with eyes filled with rage, all of it aimed directly at me. I'd never seen her look at me like that and…and it hurt to be on the receiving end of her anger, it was frightening to see it. But as quickly as I thought it, the rage in her eyes softened into sadness, tears trailing down her cheeks as she sat up and slowly tilted her head to the side.

"Mate please," she whimpered, reaching out with her left hoof, her lips trembling. "I no mean to scare you. Please…come, let hold you, love you."

I wanted to, I wanted to so god damned badly. I wanted to hold her myself, to wipe away her tears as I kissed her and told her how much she meant to me.

But I couldn't, not until she was back to normal.

But what if she stays like this forever, what if she never turns back?

I looked into the eyes of my girlfriend and saw barely any of the intelligence, the wit, the spark that she always had in her eyes. The only thing that hadn't changed was the love she had within them every time she looked at me.

Maybe if I just touch her hoof, kiss her foreleg, let her know I still love her. Maybe it'll calm her down enough to sleep this off…before I fall asleep myself.

I was beyond tired, emotions and a good half mile of running while carrying an eleven stone Changeling can do that to a guy. We tried the scales once.

Once.

She said not to touch her, but I held her the entire way back so it can't be something passed on by touch itself…so what is it, what was she about to do in that bathroom.

I couldn't remember much over the genuine feeling of fear I felt watching her struggle to speak…but I could recall her trying to do something to my neck. She had been licking it, and before she warned me, Chrissy had sort of frozen in the middle of…

Biting it, she was about to bite my neck. But why…why is Chrissy afraid of giving me a hickey?

I didn't know, but I wasn't going to risk it by putting my literal neck on the line. Holding her hoof however…I think I could do, I just had to be careful not to let my guard down around her.

Smiling at my girlfriend affectionately, I sat down a little closer and gently held her left hoof in my hand, wincing at the complete and utter look of relief she gave me when I did so, as if she hadn't believed I'd ever do so. Carefully, I moved a little closer and kissed further up it, looking at her the entire time and trying my utmost to convey my love to her.

And by the lidding of her eyes, the content purr she gave me…she definitely felt it. Her wings buzzed for the third time that night, the same lovely scent a lot stronger now that I was closer, the short distance causing me to breathe in a lot of the stuff. I felt my skin get intensely hot, the urge to breathe in more of that scent almost overpowering my common sense. My head was pounding with urges I couldn't comprehend, too many at once to do so.

"Breathe," Chrissy crooned sensually, smiling at my panting with a very happy look on her face. "Is good for mate, smell nice. Breathe…"

I jerked away from her and backed away, gritting my teeth and shaking my head so as to clear it as another, stronger urge to remove my increasingly uncomfortable clothing became very prominent.

"You fucking idiot, Tyler," I hissed, angry at my own stupidity. "Chrissy told you not to touch her, and this is why!" Unable to stop myself, I tore of my shirt and threw it behind me in frustration. Chrissy's eyes flashed with delight as she watched me do so, apparently enjoying the struggle to control myself, a remarkably patient smile for one who seemed so feral.

It was either the quickness of my retreat or sheer willpower, but as the minutes ticked on by, the urge to shred my last piece of clothing and run into Chrissy's embrace gradually faded into almost nothing. Looking back at the mare responsible for my battle of wills, I winced as I noticed the upset expression on her face and sighed, rubbing my sweaty face in exhaustion.

"I know you're only going on instinct here Chrissy, I don't blame you," I said, slow and clear enough for her to understand. "But I'm not going to…to mate with you if that's what you want, not when you're like this."

Her eyes narrowed in understanding and she hissed dangerously at me, her fangs on full display as she got up and walked as close as the chain would allow her to go. I backed away even further, not willing to chance another intake of that scent.

"Mate will not deny me…" she hissed lowly, eyes flashing with anger. "We mate for life, be one. Mate will love me."

"I do love you," I implored, edging myself up a couple of stairs for safety. "But I won't do this with you, not today, not while you're not in your right mind."

For a few moments she was silent, unmoving…and then she screamed something I couldn't understand and leapt at me again, the chain still proving effective as it-

SNAP!

Oh no…

The chain that had held her, the chain made out of fucking metal had broken through the padlock which landed on the ground with a horrible thud. Chrissy looked back at the broken metal in surprise, but that surprise rapidly became a predatory snarl as she slowly crept towards me, her hissing low and deadly.

I backed away and put my hands up in an attempt to appear non-threatening. "Chrissy snap out of it! It's me, it's Richard!"

She didn't say anything back, only a hiss and rumbling purr escaping her as she moved up the stairs, stalking me like a cat that had cornered a mouse. My back hit the door and I fumbled for the handle, grasping it and slowly pulling it down, tensing my legs as I prepared to run.

Noticing my discarded shirt on the stair in front of me, I slowly bent down, my eyes on hers the entire time as I picked it up and stood up straight. Whether I did so too quickly I didn't know, but Chrissy's stalking rapidly turned into a pounce as she went for the jugular. I threw my shirt on her, and winced as she gave of a very high hiss, her pounce ruined as she missed me by mere inches.

Quickly, I opened the door and rushed through, shutting it behind me and leaning back against it with all my strength. Indeed, it didn't take long before she began to pound against it heavily, her strength surprising me as I felt the door creak and groan from her repeated hits.

And then her hoof punched through the wood as if it wasn't there at all.

"Shit!" I scrambled away from the door and looked at the hoof shaped hole, gulping as a green eye glared at me angrily from the other side. "Chrissy please listen to me, I'm sorry. I didn't want to, but I can't touch you-" Another snarl, another hiss, another hoof punched its way through the door, which I took as a nice signal to get the hell out of there.

Fuck, the front door. I didn't lock it, and if she goes outside…

Cursing loudly, I ran into the hall and grabbed a heavy cabinet, pushing and pull at it until it was blocking the way out.

I hope that's good enough, my keys are in the basement and there's no way I'm going back down there.

A loud crunch and bang rang through the house, causing me to jump as a loud hiss followed. Slowly, I crept up the stairs and all but crawled into my bedroom, the broken glass from earlier still on the floor. Quietly, I closed the door and walked over to my bedside draws, pulling the bottom one out and taking out the various bits and pieces until got right to the end.

I promised myself I'd never carry this again, not after Emily died…

Frowning as I took the object, I sat down on my bed and stared at it, unsure. The only thing I had on me besides my clothes when I entered this world…my gun, the one I hadn't used in so long. I'd never killed with it, using it only for show, for intimidation. I'd brought it along with me to the funeral in case someone decided to take a pop at me, my young self hadn't exactly made a lot of friends after all.

But now…

No, I can't use this, not on her. I felt angry at myself for even considering it as I put it back, rubbing my face soon after and sighing in exhaustion. Okay, I don't want to hurt her, but I'm pretty sure Chrissy wants to hurt me, she's not in her right mind so I just have to find some way to contain her again until she snaps out of it.

A low hiss sounded from outside the door, another sound, someone sniffing and sobbing following.

"Mate is scared…" the quiet hiss came from right outside my door, followed up with the sound of someone scratching against it. "Please let me in. I sorry, didn't mean to frighten…" Her voice was upset again, hurt, all anger had apparently gone. And knowing that if I didn't she would only break it down, I reluctantly walked over to the door and opened it a touch, just enough to see out of.

Chrissy's face was once more matted with tears, her ears pinned back in distress as she looked at me with watery eyes. "Please let me in, I hold you…soothe mate, no be afraid of me."

What choice do I have? If I shut the door she'll snap again and break it down, if I let her in I've got to somehow stop her from either biting me or making me breathe in that stuff…what am I supposed to do?!

She looked at me when tear filled eyes, lips trembling…

Fuck…

Her eyes got to me, they always did. I opened the door and yelped as she jumped on me, my heart pounding as she went straight for my neck and…kissed it? Losing my balance, I tumbled backwards and mercifully landed on my bed.

Chrissy was purring and hissing in utter happiness, her entire body covering mine as she kissed every visible bit of my neck before moving onto my face and nuzzling it, saying the same word over and over excitedly. "Mate, mate, mate, mate, mate!" Eventually she rested her muzzle under my chin and fell of me, turning on her side and cuddling close, purring happily.

Was this…all she wanted? I thought she wanted to pin me down and shag me or something?

"I soothe…" she hissed softly, her body shaking with joy. "I make mate happy. Mate always be happy, be warm, be safe. No will have you, you mine." As if to clarify her words, she put her hind legs over mine and wrapped her tail around them both, trilling a pleased sound as I made no move to stop her. Then my body started to actually heat up, but not like before. It was as someone had put a warm blanket on me and tucked me in.

"Yeah, I am" I mumbled, warm and confused…but received no response other than Chrissy squeezing me tighter. I was actually rather comfortable with her holding me like that, her grip was much tighter than usual but it didn't hurt me, it just felt…nice.

Chrissy's soft snores showed her to be evidently asleep, only the occasional hiss and sniff proving her to be but a hair trigger away from waking up again. And as each breath left her, I found myself becoming…tired, exhaustion of the night proving too much to fight as my eyes closed.

Well that was anti-climactic...

Unable to fight against it any more, I gave in and fell asleep, the sound of a happy hiss following me into the void.

Chrissy POV

I was very happy, very warm, and very, very pleased. I couldn't explain it at the time, but as I gradually opened my eyes and looked at the sleeping form of my mate, I felt a true sense of contentment flow through me.

This was what I'd wanted all night, I could feel it. My mate was sleeping, happy and warm, safe from those who would hurt him…and those who would dare to steal him from me. I felt anger come but I refused to meet it, knowing by now that being angry made my mate frightened and upset, and I hated it when he was.

I didn't understand why he'd kept me away from me, why he backed away in fear when I let go my pheromones and refused to mate with me. But it didn't matter now, he was sleeping, he was with me as he should be. And he was happy, I could feel his joy as I placed my warmth into his body. I made my mate feel protected, and he loved me even more.

And now…I could bite him, inject the venom and mate for life. He didn't seem to want this when he was awake, but now he was sleeping I could do so and he would awaken to the joy of having a true mate. Shivering from excitement, I moved away slightly from my mate, keeping my tail wrapped around him still so as to make sure he kept the feeling of safety.

I gently licked his neck and applied the numbing saliva, never wanting my mate to feel any pain when I joined us forever. Looking once more at his face, I found myself smiling and unable to resist licking his lips in a show of love, affection.

I love my Richard so much…

Richard?

Flashes of memory came back to me all at once. Meeting him for the first time, taking him to see that terrible movie, ice skating, him looking after me, loving me, talking, laughing, loving, oh I loved him, loved him, loved him-

I gasped and fell back, my fangs barely missing his neck as I fell away from him. The suddenness of the movement woke him up with a start, my boyfriend sitting up and looking at me with groggy eyes.

"Chrissy, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice very tired. Unsure, he patted his chest and spoke to me as one would a child. "Uh, come. Mate is…tired and wants to sleep."

"Mate is an idiot for letting me sleep with him," I snapped, unsure whether to laugh at his startled face or slap it. "I told you not to touch me. I nearly bit you, you idiot!"

"Chrissy?" he spoke my name in a sort of wonder. Then before I do anything, he wrapped his arms around me and held me close. "Fucking hell Chrissy, never…never do that to me again!"

Immediately sensing my lover's distress, I took his face in my hooves and was startled to discover tears fighting to fall. "Hey, it's over. I'm okay baby," I soothed, anger forgotten as I began kissing the tip of his nose and nuzzled it lovingly.

"I didn't know if I was ever going to see you again, the real you," he mumbled, pressing his face against my barrel and kissing it tenderly. "Chaining you like that…it was so fucking hard Chrissy. It tore at me to look at you, to ignore you when you all you wanted was to hold me."

"You should have left me; I would have burned through it fine on my own." I stopped talking when my feelers felt his anger, evidently because of what I'd said. He brought himself back to my level and looked at me, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Do you really think I would have chained you up and walked away, left you?" he asked, disbelieving. "I would never…You mean everything to me! I would never have left you down there alone, never!"

Unable to think of anything to say, I resorted to what I did best with him. I took his face in my hooves and kissed him gently, no passion, no lust, just love. "Thanks for watching over me, you're everything to me too."

He laughed quietly, for a few moments only. "Good to know…"

I held him against me and hummed quietly, shivering as the last few remnants of the poison burnt out into nothing, the veil of instinct I was under quietening down for now. We stayed like that for the rest of the night and morning, until finally Richard succumbed to my gentle humming and fell back to sleep, his head buried in my barrel. I smiled and gently placed him back into a comfortable sleeping position, before joining him and resting my head on his chest.

But I couldn't sleep, there was too big a question demanding to be answered.

Who put that poison in the wine?

POV

The anger-inducer had failed; neither had left the house in the rage they were supposed to.

Conclusion – My spell worked, they suspected nothing but the poison failed, I am unsure as to why. With subtlety gone, I must take my efforts into removing the problem another way. I shall try to induce anger in other ways. If anything about Richard Tyler has proven to be true, he responds to anger in kind. Thus by inciting anger in the problem, Richard will remove it of his own accord, and in the end, run towards the embrace of a better mare.

My mentor will be pleased.