46 CHPT 46: Humanity

Night had fallen in SkyHaven and with it came cool temperatures and the sounds of nearby predators embracing in the hunt.

Claude spent a few minutes picking up the various types of spears that were laid out on the grass. He placed them in a semi-neat pile near the side of the cabin— he couldn't get too close without feeling like vomiting as the smell of lavender slithered it's way into his nose brining a barrage of painful memories with it.

He put his twin short-spears out on the grass in front of the cabin along with his backpack and shortsword. He laid in the grass looking at the stars and crescent moon expecting his night to be over. He nervously waited to be carried away by his sleep into the dark and cruel world his nightmares seemed to create for him.

Minutes passed in slow anxiety filled moments until he shot up like a reanimated corpse.

"I can't sleep, dammit!" He said as he punched the grass. Where his hand hit the ground, the grass began to slowly grow taller. He didn't notice but his element was becoming more responsive—probably from how many hours he'd recently spent using it.

His stomach growled ravenously suddenly and felt like it was wrapping around his spine. He felt an intense need to eat. Like if he didn't, he would lose his mind.

"Why the hell am I so hungry?" Claude said.

"[Theres two reasons. One is that you haven't eaten since the infirmary..]"

"Oh yea."

"[The second reason is that you're semi nocturnal now.]"

"I'm what?!... How is that going to work if I have to go to the University during the day?" He asked suddenly filled with panic.

"[Claude, you're overthinking it. As a human you'd need to be concerned at the fact that you can no longer sleep through the night, but your not a human are you?]" Arne questioned.

"So...what are you saying?" Claude asked.

"[Im saying, due to your increased energy levels as a Lupine, you only need 4hrs of sleep.]"

Claude thought about what Arne had told him, thinking how incredible it was. He didn't even consider it but he probably slept about 4hrs the previous night as well. "That's amazing, I can get in so many more hours of training like this!" He thought excitedly.

"[Now. For your food.]" Arne reminded.

"Right. I'll just go get some berries and veggies.."

Claude walked around the forest with Frosty close behind. He ignored Arnes constant interjections saying he won't like vegetables or berries as he approached a blueberry bush.

It smelled less pleasant than usual leading him to believe that some smell nearby was entering his nose instead of the berries in front of him. He quickly grabbed a handful and ate them like an animal.

"HUAGHHH!"

Mashed purple berries mixed with saliva flew from his mouth as he heaved aggressively from the acrid tasting berries.

"What the fuck is happening? I love blueberries!" Claude said angrily followed by random spits and dry heaves.

"[Not anymore. You don't have a...uhm...you no longer have a palette for it.]" Arne stated.

Claude stopped and thought for a moment slowly piecing it together. "Nocturnal...urge to kill...Lupine...are you trying to tell me I'm a carnivore now as well?"

"[No. you're a hyper-carnivore.]"

"What the hell is that."

"[It means 70% or more of your diet needs to consist of meat.]"

"Shit. I shouldn't be looking for berries then huh?" Claude said sadly.

"[No. You know exactly what you should be looking for instead.]"

Claude looked at the crescent moon standing out like a beacon in the night sky. As he exhaled, he looked back at Frosty. "You ready to go for a hunt buddy?"

***

He was deep in the forest at the back of the cabin. He followed the strong musky scent of a deer with Frosty jogging behind with his nose pointing towards the ground. He found that the training he went through in the Astral Quest was paying off— his tracking skills were quiet impressive. He followed the broken twigs and branches of taller bushes that the deer was continuously bounding through, leaving a perfect trail to take.

After a few more minutes Claude and Frosty began to slow down and crouch in perfect sync. The scent of the deer told them it was very close by. In the dark of night Claudes eyes reflected any bit of light that was present, causing his eyes to look like predatory green orbs glowing brightly in the forest.

They walked through another broken in bush in the forest and saw the deer smelling a thick oak tree. Claudes heart stopped for a moment before starting back to life with a powerful chaotic rhythm like this deer was the greatest thing he'd ever seen.

Frosty took another step and his giant paw crushed a twig beneath it causing a loud "CRUNCH!"

The deer took off in surprise but Claude found himself already moving with it— at the very second that it moved, he was already silently sprinting through the forest. During the chase he faded in and out of consciousness finding it hard to completely focus. He tried to use his element to trap the deer but he couldn't focus on anything other than the deers flank.

He pushed his legs to go faster, feeling like his very life depended on catching the deer until he was wildly ripping through the thick forest. As he got closer the deer hopped over a low branch that stood in there way. Claude mounted it gracefully before explosively jumping off.

As he soared through the air, he felt watery saliva fill his mouth in anticipation. He reached out towards the buck with clawed hands and opened his mouth revealing long and sharp stark white fangs.

"GRRraghhhmpff!" He pounced on the buck and dragged it to the ground where he ripped its throat out effortlessly. Frosty was on the ground growling with the deers back leg in his mouth. He must've caught it right before Claude killed it.

Claude stood up with the dripping piece of deer throat in his hands.

"That must be the Lupine race's (Prey Drive)" Claude thought as he breathed heavily.

"[Yes, It is. During my time it was said that if you had a strong prey drive then you were destined to be a strong Lupine.]" Arne said supportively.

During their talk, Claude realized he had started to smell the deer meat with keen interest.

"AHH!" Claude said as he threw the meat.

"[You have to eat, Claude.]" Arne advised.

"I can definitely cook it."

"[Raw meat is better for you.]"

"I'm not a goddamn animal." Claude said angrily. He shook involuntarily at the memory of his father devouring the young boy in the Deviant. He never wanted to look like that.

He suddenly felt unsure of himself as he watched the deer's blood leak out and soak into the packed dirt ground. He felt like he was falling into a trance.

"[Claude, it's alright. I know what you went through is tough but you have to eat this.]" Arne said sympathetically.

"Crshh!"

"Fuck YOU!" Claude said through gritted teeth as tears rolled down his face. He stabbed his claws into his left arm to try and knock himself out of the ever growing hunger induced trance but all it did was make him angrier...and ultimately lose his grip on his control and humanity.

His eyes began to glow green and light black hairs sprouted from his forearms as his other half took control. He walked over to the dead deer and ripped a leg off to throw to Frosty before indulging himself in the blood soaked carnivorous meal of kings of the jungle, of apex predators all over the world....raw meat.

"CRSHH!!"