Cutie and The Beast

Episode Ten: I Spy With My Little Eye

As the wolves watched me enter their den, I tripped over my front paws, hearing everyone howl in laughter made me embarrassed. I was shoved onto the ground by some warrior dogs and the growling of the Jubilants chimed in my ears, until a voice boomed inside my head, the growls of mischief and hisses of sly thoughts shrunk down to a whimpered hush. "Do you even know the first rule of being a wolf-shifter?" The Alpha, Blaze asked me, I stared blankly at it."Do you even care if I die? Do you care that there's blood on your paws from murdering other people?" I yelled, threatening it."I murdered them as wolves. Not as people. Doesn't count as cannibalism then." It said."You eat them?!" I screeched in disgust. The scarred dog licked its lips. Tracing its outer mouth, The Alpha also licked its infested nose, catching some scabs on its tongue.I shuddered."You will be taken as our prisoner, hostage...bait," Blaze said with a wry smile, "You'll lure your pack here and we will attack them. Leaving no survivors, and if you come in handy, we might just claim you as our own too. Have fun in a cell, you wrangy mutt." Blaze spat on me. I already didn't like this wolf.I was dragged through corroded corridors by my neck, until I was thrown into a small room, with no windows, but a big metal door. Titanium, dammit.Could I change back to my human form? No, risking my safety, I wouldn't do that.I smelt the scent of cinnamon, like the perfume my father used to wear. I missed my father so much. I heard some growls outside of my cell door, so I started howling. The titanium messed with the thoughts communications thingy, so I couldn't tell the wolf outside my door to let me go.I eventually howled so much that the guard it annoyed and opened a little slot at his eye level. His thoughts told me to be quiet, but that voice sounded somewhat familiar....no, it couldn't be, could it?I risked being caught out, "Daddy? Daddy is that you?" I said to him in a hushed whine. The dog's eyes narrowed, his thoughts rushing with mine, black fur, blue eyes, perfect white teeth, he widened his eyes."Zia? Zia is that you?" I smiled, and a tear rolled down my fur, dripping on the floor, nodding, my father shoved his nose through the slot, "You wear the Juvenile perfume I got you when you were little! I'm so sorry Zia, making you and your mother thinking I was dead...I'm sorry, I will explain to both of you once we get out of here, find an antidote to being wolves so you and I can be people again." My smile dropped, I forgot about Mum, she wanted to go, and she did. And I can turn to human, can't Dad?"Zia, what do you mean your 'mother wanted to go...and she did?' Did she go to Hawaii like she wanted?" I shook my head, "Hm, you can turn back to a human? So you're a wolf-shifter?" I nodded and my father stepped back, contemplating a plan to get out of here. "I'll talk to The Alpha, maybe he will let you and I 'go out hunting like Jubilants,' don't you think?" I nodded."Is Blaze a male?" I asked, actually wanting to know the answer."Shh, sweetie, don't say the 'B' word, only 'The Alpha,' but yeah, nobody knows who Blaze really is, we use 'he' instead of 'it,' nicer, but not as nice as getting out of here. Been here for....how old are you now?" I thought hard, my birthday was soon so I was 15 right now.My dad nodded, "Been here 13 years then, you remember my disappearance?" I nodded. "Alright, I'll be back in an hour, hopefully less," he closed the slot with his nose and trotted away.Half an hour passed, and my dad came trotting back, with two more wolves as extra guards. He opened the slot, "Let's go you dirty dog, we're going to teach you how to hunt like us Jubilants. If you're good enough, we might take you under our wing." The titanium door slid open, scraping on the ground, hurting my ears. I strutted out of my cell, into the corridors of the gaol, strong enough to hold any supernatural immanity.