we're just animals

[theshabbiestofmen]

Who: Remus and Bigby
Action: Planetside!
When: Late December

[We'll find the biggest room on the ship, Bigby had said, but Remus hadn't been able to resist the call of the forest on the planet below. It's honestly far safer than any of his Forbidden Forest trips had ever been-- the closest village is miles away. The land is flat, which means the scent might carry-- but Bigby ought to be able to grab him before he gets very far. If he gets far at all.

The downside, of course, of transforming on the planet is the cold. He's loath to destroy his clothes, but he also would like not to suffer frostbite-- so Remus compromises. He sheds his trousers and his shirt, but keeps on the coat and his shorts til the last moment-- because those are more easily replaced, and have less sentimental value.

The other downside is the one Remus is trying not to think of-- the fact that James isn't here. It's for the best-- James has suffered enough from Moony, and it's a giant pain, and anyway, Remus privately thinks Moony will be a lot less confused if there's just new smells instead of new and old mixing.

But it still feels like a betrayal, no matter how he justifies it to himself.

He'll make it up to him, he promises himself. He'll spend time with him tomorrow, reaffirm their bond. It isn't as if Prongs and Moony are done for good-- but just for this month, Remus wants to see what will happen if there's another wolf around.

The transformation is painful, as it always is, and Remus screams his way through it, as he always does. Bigby will able to hear his bones snapping, watch his muscles shift, his teeth lengthen, his eyes change-- until there's Moony, not Remus, shaking himself with a little wuff. At the very least, Moony doesn't care about things like guilt or embarrassment-- all he has is the here and now.]

Comments

[bb_wolf]

[This time, Moony will only have to deal with Big Bad. Eventually, Bigby wants to get the young werewolf used to his human smell and then slowly train him off eating humans, but that will have to come in the future.

And this, out here? This is the best way to start working on him. In open spaces, so he can run and hunt and work off his energy.

Big steps out from the trees as the shift ends. It sounded horrific, and considering the things he's seen and done, that says a lot. But the wolf seems to be more or less unharmed from the traumatic change.

He gives a low sound, telling Moony he's there and waiting to see what he does.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Moony is so different from Remus. That's why it's so hard to reconcile the two; why Remus never wants to think of him as a part of himself. Whereas Remus had reacted to the wolf's approach with curiosity and delight, Moony's reaction is decidedly different: he growls.

More specifically, he snarls, hackles rising, teeth bared in clear challenge. This wolf is big, but so what! Moony is deadly; he's the most feared thing in the Forbidden Forest. He wanders where he pleases, does what he likes-- and no matter what input Remus might desperately be trying to give (shut up shut up shut up don't challenge him we like him shut up), he knows precisely how to handle this.

He's always so angry, Remus had said, and it's true: Moony is half a moment away from leaping up and tearing at this interloper, this strange new intruder.]

[bb_wolf]

[Big watches the display. Moony thinks he's an alpha wold, but he isn't. He's a small, confused wolf that's never had any real wolf company.

Big stands up and fluffs himself up to his full size, stalking to show just how much bigger and how much more dangerous he is. He circles slowly, snarling, rumbling low in his chest.

He's ready for the attack. He can probably pin Moony with a single paw if he needs to, but he wants Moony to conclude that he needs to submit without having to pin him.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Perhaps a real wolf would conclude that. Remus hasn't any idea. He's so far from a real wolf, so much different-- he looks the same, of course he does, but his mind is so full of rage. Anger at himself, anger at the world around him, anger at all the restrictions and limits he finds himself with month after month-- and now, anger at this strange wolf.

He snarls right back at him-- and that's it, that's his limit, he can't wait anymore. He leaps, teeth flashing, not caring that Big is so much larger than him-- he aims for his throat, ready to feel teeth sinking into flesh, taste the heady copper liquid he loves so much-- he'll show him, he'll show him--]

[bb_wolf]

[Big lazily swats him out of the air with one paw and sends him tumbling. It's a hard hit, but not one designed to do serious damage, just to hurt enough to be felt.

He gives a sharp sound of clear disapproval.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[What the hell.

Moony isn't good at complex thought, so it isn't so clear as that, more of a general confused feeling-- but that best translates to: what the hell. In all his years, nothing has ever stood a chance against him; even Padfoot at his best was nothing more than a puppy, fun to play with but no real challenge. And surely that couldn't have just happened-- surely Moony is still triumphant--

He staggers to his feet, blinking to try and clear his head. And-- well, repetition has always worked for him, so he snarls and leaps again, because surely this time it will work!]

[bb_wolf]

[This is clearly going to take a while.

Big hits him down again, straight down into the snow this time, at his feet, and snaps his teeth at him with a deep growl that is a clear 'no'.

Moony is a socially starved creature. He needs to learn the basics, from scratch. Luckily, Big is fairly patient in these things.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[It takes three more tries before Moony seems to get it-- or, perhaps, until the Remus bits of him gain a bit more control. He's certainly been snapping at Moony the entire time, but too much new stimulus means Moony has been entirely in control.

But now he lies in the snow, stunned, and stares up at the wolf before him. Eventually, he whines curiously. What does he want, then, if not a fight?]

[bb_wolf]

[Big just keeps it up. Moony attacks, Big swats him into the snow again until he stays there.

And finally, Moony seems to get it. At least a little. Big gives a soft whine back, and then stretches and yawns. It's a confident thing to do, but it also indicates that he doesn't want to fight. Maybe play. Maybe hunt. But not kill each other.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Well, what's the point of that? They're not pack, and if they're not pack, they must be enemies. And if they're enemies, surely they ought to kill each other.

But he'd tried attacking, and the wolf had done nothing but swat him away. So . . . and Moony struggles through this, his mind not used to this-- so perhaps . . . perhaps they ought to do something else? Yes, Remus inputs, yes for gods sake do something else he isn't your enemy, and Moony whines plaintively.

Eventually, what he decides to do is ape Big. He settles down, though his body remains tense, wary, ready for just about anything.]

[bb_wolf]

[It's sad, in a lot of ways, a young wolf, not really a cub anymore, with no idea how to be a wolf, how to be anything but savage.

Big isn't a pup anymore, hasn't been for centuries, but Moony needs to learn things like play and hunt. And that starts with a small pounce forward and back and a low sound, a wuff. An invitation to chase.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Oh. Oh? Oh-- oh, he knows how to do this. Moony knows how to chase, he'd chased Prongs and Padfoot all the time-- carefully, of course, because they were pack and it would be so easy to hurt them by accident-- but he knows how to do this!

god, Remus thinks in despair, because there's some tiny part of him aware that Bigby is watching all this far more coherently, but at least they're not fighting. Moony yips and springs up, bowing low to the ground, shivering in excitement. Chasing, yes, he can do that!]

[bb_wolf]

[Big is kind and doesn't horribly outrun Moony, but he gives a couple of jumps which make the earth shake a little and then he bounds off through the snow, head and tail high.

He's letting Moony chase him, for fun.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Remus realizes that, but Moony is far too excited to care: chasing, and he howls joyfully as he races across the ground, paws digging into the snow, sleek and quick as he's finally allowed to run. The earth shakes each time Big leaps, but that only encourages Moony-- this is exciting, fantastic and wonderful and god, but he's missed this--]

[bb_wolf]

[Big runs. he could easily outpace Moony, but he never does, staying slow enough that he doesn't lose him, but far enough ahead to make him work at it, make him really push and run and burn some energy.

And then he spots a herd, down in the valley and he stops, dropping to his belly and ears going back, watching them. One would not much of a meal to him, but it would be good practice in splitting one off and taking it down and teaching Moony eating manners.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[By the time Big stops, Moony is panting, chest heaving, body shaking in exhaustion. It feels good-- he's never gotten to run so far before, and while he's far from spent, he's comfortably exhausted right.

When Big stops, Moony does too, dropping down low. A low growl sounds in the back of his throat, and he worms forward, getting ready to spring. Hunt, he knows how to hunt-- he's killed countless times in the forest, this will be easy--]

[bb_wolf]

[Big gives a low, warning growl. Hunting together is different. He flicks his gaze at Moony and then behind the herd. Moony should go behind them. Big will come down in sight and spook them, startle them into running into Moony.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Yes, all right-- Moony growls right back at him, not so pleased at being told what to do. Bu-ut he also goes, silently darting down the hill. For all he's rather inexperienced in the ways of-- well, everything, he does at least know how to move silently. He waits a little ways back, crouched down low, waiting impatiently.]

[bb_wolf]

[He's unsocialised, but not stupid.

Big creeps closer, surprisingly stealthy for something so big, ad then he comes out at the herd, scaring the fuck out of them and sending them scattering.

He hones in on an older one of the... deer like things. Starts driving it back to where Moony is waiting with snaps and snarls.]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Moony is unsocialized, yes, but oh, he's good at this. They'd hunted for years, he and Padfoot, working in tandem in the pale imitation of a real pack-- and so he knows this trick, knows precisely what to do. He waits, crouching low, until Big snarls and snaps-- and then he strikes, tearing the slowest deer's throat with glee. Easy, when you're a werewolf, when you're big and strong and built for such things.

But bloodlust runs deep-- and so as soon as the first one is down, Moony goes after a second, and a third, racing after the herd, intent on killing as much as he possibly can, driven on not by hunger but an eagerness to taste blood.]

[bb_wolf]

[Big was waiting for him to go out of control.

The reaction is instantaneous. Big snarls and roars at Moony, after him in an instant and clobbering him hard with a paw, sending him away from the herd.

No.]