The wrath in me could boil up the cold sea. I howled repeatedly, leaping from tree to tree and pouncing onto the grassy land below as a heavy mist of dust rose and hovered in the air.
Julius stood by, watching me with fascination. I could tell he was entertained by my radiant display. Reality was unfolding before his eyes — a human shape-shifting into a werewolf. From the way he gaped, arms folded and mouth slightly open, I guessed it was his first time seeing such a thing.
Overhead, I caught the chirping of a handful of birds. With a snarl, I howled in notorious fury and bounded through the branches, leaving snapped limbs and broken twigs crashing to the ground below. The birds scattered in panic, but the fury within me only fueled my limbs to move faster.
I landed on a branch just a few inches away from two of the fleeing birds. In a single, swift motion, I lunged — my jaws clamping around two, while my claws captured another pair mid-air. I yelped victoriously, lifting my head toward the full moon. The metallic tap-tap of blood dripped from my fangs, and the birds between my jaws went limp almost instantly under the sharpness of my chiseled teeth.
Ravenous, I squeezed them into my mouth and growled in fury. The ones caught in my claws took their final breaths as my talons pierced through their throats.
Another band of birds fluttered overhead, but before I could leap again, the distant moo of an antelope echoed through the forest. Instantly, my attention shifted. The birds no longer mattered. My neck extended upward as I sniffed the air, a whimper rising in my throat that shattered the calm of the night.
"Darius! Darius!" Julius called, his voice tight with alarm. Perhaps the thrill of my hunt no longer amused him — he must have realized I intended to kill.
The antelope leapt nervously through the clearing, letting out another frightened moo. I almost laughed at its futile attempt to escape an all-brown werewolf like me. It was already too late. Each breath I took steamed through my nostrils as thick saliva pooled in my mouth and dripped from my lips.
There was no stopping me now. I could sense Julius lurking from branch to branch, watching, waiting to see what would become of the antelope. My red, blood-shot eyes locked on its thin, trembling legs — and I lunged.
The beast fell to the ground with a thud, thrashing helplessly. "No one jokes with the all-brown wolf," I thought darkly. "If you must deliver that message to the pack, do it only if you survive my claws."
Its final moo was weak and pitiful. My chiseled teeth sank deep into its throat, tearing through flesh and bone. The warm taste of blood flooded my mouth as I ripped into its belly. In seconds, its organs — the intestines, liver, and kidneys — sloshed against my tongue as I tore and swallowed hungrily.
Unsure which part to focus on, I went for the head, cracked its skull open, and devoured the soft bones inside. The crunch echoed through the silent woods.
A band of hawks circled overhead, screeching noisily. I growled, lifting my face smeared with blood. No one dared distract me. My howl pierced the sky, and the hawks scattered in fright. No bird dared fly over my region again.
I bellowed triumphantly as I finished my kill — the remains of the antelope nothing more than a dark stain on the grass. Its flesh had the softness of mashed paste between my teeth.
Then, faintly, I heard it. "Darius! Darius!" The voice came as a whisper nearby. I turned sharply, blood dripping from my lips, and glared at my beholder.
Julius froze. His eyes widened as he raised a trembling hand, gesturing for me to calm down. I snarled, my body tense, ready to strike. Slowly, I lowered my forelimbs, growling low in my throat.
"Darius, it's me! Julius! Stay put, please!" he pleaded.
But my fury burned hotter. I howled violently, rising to my full height on my hind limbs, my forelimbs cutting the air. Julius began to retreat, realizing the wildness in me might consume him in seconds.
"Darius! Darius! Hold on! It's me, Julius!" he shouted, sliding backward on the wet grass. "Calm down! No more hunting! You're not going to devour me, are you?"
I advanced slowly, stamping the ground with heavy steps. Julius held his breath as I leaned closer, sniffing the air around him.
Then, as if waking from a nightmare, I exhaled sharply. My bones cracked again, my fur receded, and my claws retracted. I morphed back into my human form, trembling and drenched in sweat. My breath came out ragged and uneven as I fell to my knees, gasping.