"Hey mutt. Glad to see you still remember me."
Zack eyed Sabretooth, unsure if he should attack or flee. He didn't know if either of those options would really work out in his favor. Sabretooth had beaten him in every fight before, but he was also very fast, and running back to the school would just bring the other mutant closer to his friends.
"Relax," Sabretooth lowered himself to sit on the ground, settling against a different trunk than the one Zack had flopped against. The whole tree shook from his weight. He smirked in amusement, eying Zack's stance. "Magneto didn't send me after you this time; I was out hunting and I caught your scent. You're lucky I found you on a full stomach, otherwise I wouldn't be in such a good mood. What are you doing this far from home? Does the runt know you're out here?"
Warily, Zack relaxed his posture when the other mutant sat down. Sabretooth wouldn't be able to strike out from that position, hopefully… At least not as fast as he could standing. Though at the first sign of any sudden movements from the man he'd be off in a flash. He might have a chance making it back to the mansion if he could start with a standing advantage.
Sabretooth raised a brow. "What is this, the silent treatment? Did they teach you that at pussy school?"
Zack hesitated, then changed to his human form. "I can't talk when I'm like that," he said slowly, keeping his voice low and threatening.
"Really?" Sabretooth looked surprised.
"You didn't pick up on that?" Zack stared at him.
"Guess I was too busy kicking your ass to notice the lack of screams," Sabretooth shrugged, uncaring. "Why can't you talk as a wolf? Tongue won't work right?"
"It works fine!" Zack said defensively. He didn't need the guy to think that he was defective in any way. "I just… I don't know. I try to make sound but nothing comes out. My sound just doesn't work when I'm a wolf."
"You're making sound now," Sabretooth pointed out. "You're not dumb, mutt."
"Yeah, but it's not the same!" Why was everyone being so frustrating today? He didn't know how to explain it! "Just because I can't figure it out doesn't mean I'm stupid!"
Sabretooth rolled his eyes. "It means you're not mute. You learned how to bring your claws out how you are now, so why can't you just keep your voice going into a wolf?"
"Because…" Zack paused. Why couldn't he? Was his voice something he could just hold on to? The question caught him off guard, and he plopped down to think. "I haven't tried it since the claws came out," he answered. "Do you think it would work?"
"Don't ask me, I can't test it out for you." Sabretooth said, his voice a low rumble. "The runt's never had you try it?"
"Don't call him that," Zack growled. He couldn't tell if the other mutant was annoyed or amused, but the voice change made him pick his guard back up. "No, he hasn't. We're working on fighting robots."
"Useful," Sabretooth scoffed. "You're never gonna get ahead if you stay at that school, mutt."
"That isn't true, and stop calling me that," he glared. "My name is Zack."
"Oh really? Has your power evolved at all since you've seen me?" Sabretooth asked, then scrunched his nose. "What kind of name is Zack? You're a mutt, why would I call you anything else?"
Zack slumped a little, thinking over the first question. Then he perked up again. "Oh! Yes! My tail came out at Chrismus! And I don't like being called mutt. I'm more than a dog."
"Your tail," Sabretooth repeated, ignoring the other part. "Look, mutt, all they're teaching you is how to separate yourself in two. You gotta embrace your animal self if you ever want to get anywhere. That's why you evolved when I came along. I pushed you to use that other side of you more than the runt ever has."
"What? So I could be like you?" Wolf snorted. "You lied to me before, why should I trust you now? You just want to take me away from my pack."
"Would being like me be a bad thing?" Sabretooth looked him in the eye. "At least I can kill the runt when he gets too annoying. I have no reason to lie to you right now, do I? Don't blame me for just saying things you don't want to hear."
Zack closed his mouth and instantly averted his eyes. Would it be a bad thing? Yes… Yes it would. Sabretooth hurt people, and he was a loner. Zack would never get to be a good alpha if he ever became anything like the other mutant. Still…
"How do you kill Logan?" he asked, inching a little closer.
Sabretooth grinned. "You asking me to teach you?"
"I don't need teaching! I know how to kill him, I just haven't done it yet, and I want to see if my way's better."
The other mutant rolled his eyes. "I don't like being lied to, mutt." He reached over to cuff his ears.
Wolf flinched away. "Don't touch me. Logan wouldn't like it if I had your scent."
"Not my problem. I can't teach you without demonstrating the moves on you."
"I wasn't asking you to teach, I was just asking how!" Wolf huffed, frustrated again.
Sabretooth shrugged and stood up, causing Zack to back away quickly. "That's not how I work, mutt. Come and find me if you want to learn how to use those claws of yours the right way." He turned, taking a step in the opposite direction of the mansion. Then he paused and looked over his shoulder. "I should warn you, though, I might not be in such a good mood next time I see you. I'd as soon kill you as I would help. Keep on your toes." With that, he continued walking off into the woods.
Zack watched him go, turning things over in his mind.