Chapter 13 : His Monstrous Appetite

Man wandered the forest at night.

Vanity. Pride.

It knew the forest belonged to the beasts and yet he heard it fumble through the leaves clumsily. It tripped as it moved. Slowing down and then speeding back up. Perhaps it sensed his presence in the shadows.

The dark creature puffed out his breath in a deep rumble and allowed his silent paws to crack a dead branch that had fallen with the snow. He paused and heard the stupid man speed up. His nostrils picked up the spike of fear that shot through the trees and he growled in approval.

It was moving quickly, for a sack of man-meat, though it made little progress. The thickets were too dense to get through without claws or teeth. It was useless. Meal for the taking. The dark beast kept his pace leisurely, easily finding the man within the black woods.

He could attack at any moment. It would never see him. In an instant, its life would be over, in a red flash of talons and fangs. The dark beast thrilled at the thought. The kill was so sweet when it was a surprise.

For a moment he was tempted. The man-meat would be warm from its exercise and taste faintly of salt upon his tongue. His eyes rolled back as he imagined the heady flavor, then he snarled and slowed his movements. No. His pack was hungry.

He needed more. He needed much more.

He waited. Watching it move in what seemed like slow motion, the dark beast denied his instincts. Finally, it seemed to have found its path.

Tedious, insipid.

Then it edged to the outskirts of the trees and fumbled into an open clearing.

The dark beast could sense its relief and he smiled cruelly.

With a low howl, he alerted his pack. After some time, from just within the darkness of the forest, legions of black and red eyes began to glint in the moonlight. The dark beast motioned for them to pause and remain silent as they watched the meat-meal tumble closer to the hidden dwellings. It was a small pack of man but hunting in the forest had been successful that day and the wolves would make do.

He heard the sound of voices and edged closer. The men were coming out of their straw and clay caves, houses, the dark beast mentally corrected. They crowed around the salty man-meat and spoke in hushed whispers. Then, as one, they turned their eyes to the trees.

The creature felt their gaze and waited another second to enjoy their confusion. Then, with a grunt to his pack, he stepped a padded paw out into the open.

It took a moment for the deficient humans to detect him in the dim light. They blinked as his eyes became visible first, viciously reflecting the moonlight with an evil glare. He grinned in the night, flashing his fangs and sweeping to stand at his full monstrous height. There were gasps that sounded out and a few exclamations but the men seemed at a loss as they looked at something they couldn't possibly explain.

The dark beast moved in closer, barely holding back his excitement. Then, when the night went silent, and the men seemed caught in their own idiotic shock, the creature threw back his colossal head and let loose a terrifying roar.

The sound shook the ground. Water and leaves fell from the trees as it spread across the clearing, into the woods. It vibrated off the houses and the noise of shattered glass could be heard behind the men who had yet to move. Then the howls of hundreds of wolves split the night and awakened them from their trance. The men began to run. They tripped over each other, pushing to reach their homes.

The dark beast stepped forward slowly, enjoying the scene. Then, he turned his head and motioned for the pack to follow. They came out from the forest in a nightmarish row of hungry eyes and fangs. They were excited too. The dark beast felt the energy that radiated off of their long muscular bodies and roared again, giving his approval.

Then they attacked.

The clearing erupted in beautiful chaos as the wolves rushed forward, fur flying in the darkness and engulfing the houses. They slammed against the homes, clawing at the doors and beating against the walls. Some found easy access through broken glass, while others were even more fortunate and found man meat outside their dwellings.

The wolves feasted upon the men with unrestrained vigor. Those that put up a fight soon found themselves outnumbered and the sounds of gunshots quickly gave way to howls and screams.

The dark beast moved inward slowly. He didn't waste his time on the easy kills around him. While the wolves fought over carcasses, the creature kept his eyes on the back of the clearing. He wanted the brainless man-meat that allowed this to happen. He followed his scent. Salt and fear. It was moving away, edging to the trees again. The beast growled at its insolence. It's guile.

He leaned forward and landed on all fours. With a manic push, he leaped from the ground and pushed past the wolves and carnage around him. The blood on the earth soaked into his claws and stuck to his fur as he ran. It was only a matter of seconds. Then he was in front of it. Upon it. Over it. The useless thing looked up at him with eyes blurred with tears and the dark beast felt revulsion rise in his throat. It had caused this. With its hubris and stupidity. Thinking it could wander in his domain.

He watched with disgust as it covered its face and twisted away, clawing at the wet dirt. He pushed his face close to it and growled low, forcing it to stare into his eyes. The man stopped moving, lost in the empty, accusing eyes of the monster. Then, the dark beast clamped his teeth around its collar and yanked it back to the massacre in the clearing. He shook it roughly and made it watch.

It began to weep, taking on the enormity of what it had done. It was delicious.

The dark beast watched on with glee. Then, before the man could feel the sweet release of shock, he towered over him and leaned in with maddening deliberation. Edging close slower and slower, until his fangs dripped just inches away from his prey's face.

It didn't beg. It was too broken. But it did weep. The beast licked a tongue down its face and tasted its sorrow and guilt, marveling it the sweetness. Then, he bared his teeth further and bit. The man struggled for a moment and then went still underneath him as he finished his meal.

A.N. All characters belong to Walt Disney

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