Among The Wolves

Brittle

Before I could begin fighting and screaming a familiar voice spoke out. "I wouldn't touch her for too long, nor. Did you know that it is common sense that humans are riddled with bugs and diseases? It's quite bad."

I had nothing to say against Bal’Tiq's obvious insult when the girl let go of me in a flash. "Eww!" She yelled out, holding her hands out from her. "How dare you touch me, you vermin!?"

When she quickly left the building, I couldn't have been more relieved. I closed my eyes and took a long calming breath. That was so scary.

I heard Bal’Tiq move to  stand next to me. "That is G'por'r's eldest daughter. I call her Brittle because it seems as if she is always angry at something or someone. She has a younger sister I call Brat. They are a pompous pair: well-to-do pups with squishy hands and pale skin. Did I mention that they hate humans?"

Before Bal’Tiq could say any more or Brittle could come back I thanked him and fled off to the staff building. It was time for breakfast anyway.

*-*-*-*-*-*

After breakfast I chased after the two wolf-bloods that I had encountered last night. I also attempted to talk with an older she-wolf, but all of them shook me off their tail like I was flea.

Undefeated, I resumed my work contemplating things I could do next. I did have one thing to my advantage. I had seen the body. An image that was forever going to be in my brain. Momentarily, it was boxed up in a corner. Before, I wanted to burn the box and spread its ashes in oblivion but right now, I needed it, I needed every bit of precious information I could have. My innocence was NOT going down any drain.

Thankfully that nightmare I had last night refreshed some memories. Like that black dress. It was a dress made to seduce people. Cuff sleeves and form fitting. When I saw the dress, it was shredded mainly vertically. I did notice that where some of the shredding was done, skin was untouched but bloodied. The attacker had undoubtedly been angry. Perhaps anger provoked him or her to scare the victim first by ruining her outfit. Then more anger caused the real violence? Is that what happened?

I wanted to throw up trying to replay that image over and over. Nonetheless, I kept doing it. At this point I was thankful that my nursing classes had aided in my tolerance to blood. I aimed my thoughts at another oddity. Blood, that girl was covered neck to knee in blood. Sure, she had four nasty cuts across her face but her face was fairly clean otherwise.

If dissecting frogs in high school taught me anything it was that dead things don’t bleed. So what? The murderer was so angry that they kept on attacking even as the girl laid in a pool of her own blood. It has probably happened before.
I knew that this was all speculation, but it made sense. I was probably looking for someone who knew the girl. Someone that the girl trusted... maybe. I figured this out from the clean arms and hands. The girl did not defend herself. Why, though? Even if I trusted someone, I would defend myself if they were attacking me. Unless her mind was muddled with outside influences.

Like drugs, did that affect the situation at all? How she had responded? Bal'Tiq mentioned moonshine in her system but that didn't make sense. Strong drinks were measured by alcohol level. And wolfbloods were not affected by alcohol. I rubbed my forehead, there were so many factors and I did not have enough answers. I didn’t even get to address the fact that she was most likely killed somewhere else and then dumped into the bin. With a girl her tall size it had to be a man. I doubt many girls could easily drag deadweight. Then again, I am using my experience with Vakusian strength and not Wos’Theian strength.  If only I could see the police file.

Yea, right stop wishing for impossible stuff.

What other things can I try or do to find things out? I needed to find out more about wolf-bloods, their character, culture, and traditions. Who else but Bal’Tiq to tell me? I groaned. Why wasn’t there someone else who was willing to talk to me?