The first thing Remus saw when he woke up was yellow. A sickening yellow that belonged to only one person. He groaned.
There was a chuckle and Remus' nose was filled with the foulest breath he had ever smelled. What did Greyback do to get his breath to smell like that? He'd never come across something so vile and he'd smelt Sirius' breath after one particular full moon when he decided to go "method" and eat a goddamned squirrel of all things. Girls hadn't gone near him for weeks after that little stunt. He and James hadn't let him live it down for years.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
Somehow, that sounded an awful lot more ominous than it rightly should. Especially when it came from Greyback. Then again, everything sounded ominous or even creepy when it came from Greyback. He was just that type of person really.
Remus, not having his wits completely about him just yet, glared at the older man. Which just amused Greyback.
"Tut, tut. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
That made Remus snort. What bed? The hard forest floor? That log over there that looked like he'd spent the night attacked if its splintered state was anything to go by? And every post-moon was the wrong way to wake up. How could there be a right way when your bones had just finished realigning themselves and your mind was just about human again?
Not that he said any of that. Remus may be feeling sluggish and tired but it seemed that he still had some self-preservation left. Or, which was more realistic, he just didn't want to speak to this "man". Which didn't mean anything when he wouldn't take the freaking hint.
Why was Greyback constantly seeking him out anyway? It wasn't like they were on the best of terms. Or any terms. Greyback already knew that Remus would never turn his back away from the Light and Remus certainly wasn't stupid enough to believe that Greyback had any sort of moral compass.
"You missed some good sport last night," Greyback told him, teeth bared into a grin.
Unfortunately, Remus knew exactly what he meant and it made his stomach turn. He was never ever going to get used to the fact that Greyback liked to abuse pain and suffering. That he seemed to revel in it. It really was disgusting.
"Not going to ask me what happened?" He was asked in mocking tone. "So rude. So impolite."
Remus tried to get himself into at least a semi sitting position. Hard to do when everything ached and your head wouldn't stop throbbing but he managed it. He had to when the alternative was being far too vulnerable with Greyback around.
"Forgive me," Remus replied in a sarcastic tone (because, you know, he had great self-preservation instincts). "But I don't really care what you've been up to."
"Pity."
The genial tone Greyback was using was incredibly off-putting.
"Not really," Remus couldn't help but reply.
Apparently, the full moon had made him take full leave of his senses. Great. He tensed in preparation of a blow from Greyback. Or a scratch. The state the man's nails were in made Remus pretty sure that they could do some serious damage. That and Greyback honestly behaved more like a wolf even in human form. He was far more like to scratch and bite than punch. Not that he was above doing that as well.
None came. But that creepy chuckle did again.
"Nice to see you still have some spark."
Remus didn't really think that 'losing the will to keep going' could be described as 'a spark'. But he kept his mouth shut. Self-preservation kicking in again. He also didn't particularly want to talk to Greyback. It made him feel slimy every time he did. Like he was going to catch something. That thought almost made him snort self-deprecatingly because he had already "caught" something from Greyback, hadn't he?
Those thoughts aside, he finally felt (ironically) human enough to be more aware of his surroundings. The damp smell of the forest floor suddenly flooding his senses along with Greyback's general stench. Something else entered his nose and he frowned. Something that didn't belong. Not in the forest and definitely not on Greyback.
Then it hit him and Remus paled, the world lurching. Greyback was still watching him and his lips curled into a sickening grin.
"A child," Remus said in a horrified whisper.
Greyback had bitten a child last night. That's what Remus could smell off him. Innocence. Vulnerability. Youth. One of the most horrifying things you could do.
The grin on the monster's face just got bigger. There was still blood staining his teeth. Teeth that were currently in a very pleased and satisfied grin. Remus' stomach lurched.
"Missus Montgomery won't be turning down the Dark Lord again," Greyback said gleefully.
It was sickening. Absolutely sickening.
"The screams were marvellous," he reminisced.
Of course, he didn't seem to care that he didn't have a captivated audience in Remus or that Remus was disgusted at him. Actually, disgusted was too tame a word. Horrified. Sickened. Shocked. Okay, maybe not shocked. Unfortunately. But these wasn't exactly out-there behaviour for Greyback, was it? No. No it was not.
"How old was he?" Remus asked hoarsely.
He didn't know why. He wasn't going to like the answer either way but he needed to know. Needed to know how inhumane Greyback was. He couldn't help himself, he just had to know.
"Just started school," Greyback said proudly. "There was even a photo with him in a little uniform. Looked good splattered with blood."
He wasn't even a little bit remorseful. Why would he be? It was what he did best Remus thought bitterly. Planning where to shift, targeting the most innocent to prove some sort of twisted point. And probably on Voldemort's orders to boot. Making him feel important and needed.
Remus felt his stomach churn just thinking about it. He could never wrap his head around what could make a man so twisted and evil.
Finally, after a few more comments on how the boy's body looked, Greyback left- whistling happily now that he had completely ruined Remus' day (not that it had been going well in the first place). Greyback was like that. Never happy unless he was causing pain, terror or disgust. Or all three. Which is what he was feeling right now.
Remus gave into his stomach and reached into a handily place bush next to him. There was nothing in his stomach to expel but it kept going. Retching and gagging, he couldn't stop. Just the thought of that child, basically a baby, going through what he did ensured that his stomach wasn't going to settle any time soon.
Eventually, it did stop rebelling though it didn't necessarily feel any better for doing so. One wrong move would probably set it off again so Remus stayed where he was on the forest floor, limbs shaking as his body tried to recuperate. Thoughts of werewolf attacks, children and blood (so much blood) filling his mind.
There was no way he could wait until Dumbledore could organise something for him. He couldn't stay here any longer. He needed out of here. Now.
