Bred For Extinction

Confrontation Leads to Separation

And so the hunts began, each night a bloody spectacle of rage as Mochan learned and feed his powers. Alternating days with Cadell and Sorcha's packs, each encounter did open his senses more, allowing greater understanding and control. Shadow lined streets and alleys became his home and training grounds as he was taught the life. But, these are stories for other times, what is important to know is as the days, months, and years passed....Mochan was quickly forging into a hardened predator, alert with all that surrounded him, surpassing his mentors, and unmerciful in his judgment. With his own patrol now, deadly were his hunts. Where before, a pack was fortunate if they could handle one vampire, Mochan's pack thought nothing of attacking whole groups of the wretched race and walking away in conquest. Stronger and stronger he grew...to immense heights with his powers and so did his name creep across the territory in whispers of hatred from the blood soaked lips of the vampires. Still, as each night approached, his hunger grew. A hunger for the vampire blood that gave him the strength he possessed...yes...but, also a hunger for a true victory over his enemies. It was the latter that had caused him to question the pack's methods. Conversations with Cadell had led to the knowledge that all these towns they traversed had been purged many times before, yet with a return trip the vampire population seemed only stronger. The philosophy and methods of the pack were surely not the solution to truly make even a dent in the vampire's thick hide. Then came the night that would add to Mochan's ever growing thirst.

It was to be the last night spent in the current town, for the targets grew sparse and better hunts were to be found elsewhere. The current pursuit had started much earlier when the pack had sniffed out a foursome of their prey and followed close for most of the night, hoping for the group to lead them to a den or larger assembly. But the hour grew late, the time came to act, and swift was the initial onslaught. Of the four attacked, three were immediately overtaken and did quench the pack's thirst. The one that somehow slipped through the fury of the daggerous fangs fled with all he had as the wolves gave chase, hot breath steaming in the night. Through the darkened streets and trash-lined alleys the chase flew, from rooftop to rooftop did the parasite leap as wolves followed on the ground below, until finally there was no more civilization....only land and trees. Here, in the safety of the woodland did the vampire seek asylum.

It had now been perhaps an hour since the pack had plunged into the underbrush of the trees, searching...tasting the air for signs of the one they seeked. And all signs had led here...deep within the forest....to a monstrous structure of a maple that loomed high into the heavens with its heavy coat and dense cover. Here, the circle of wolves formed, surrounding the immense trunk, all nostrils pointing up as eyes scanned the branches. The man that now enters the circle lifts his gaze in unison with the wolves, peering deep into the thickness of leaves as boots carry him slowly circular around the base of the tree. His words flying up in disbelief as long strands of hair dangle in his vision, "A tree? You make us chase you all this way and you hide in a tree? I'm disappointed." Soft are his footsteps as he stalks, then halts, eyes narrowing to mere slits as legs coil. "I was hoping....", the words come slow just before legs spring his frame high, crashing up into the foliage as claw-tipped fingers grasp sturdy branches, propelling him upwards in thrusts of rapid movements....higher and higher as powerful lunges shake and tear leaves and thin branches from their home, sending them cascading down. In the blink of an eye, Mochan is face to face with the shivering vampire to finish the sentence, "you would join us for dinner." Quickly fingers latch onto throat as gravity takes over, sending both spiraling downwards. Plummeting, Mochan positions himself so that as they crash to the ground below, he is atop the shaken vampire, his face sneering down with hunger.

"Wait,...spare me...I will give you something...anything", heaving breaths spit out the words between drops of crimson that stream from the leech's lips.