Transition 🗸

Chapter 1

     The Wolf's breathing was heavy, laboured, harsh, trying to take in as much air as it could and each time its chest filled up, it felt pain. Its muscles jerked with low and quiet whines leaving its mouth. Layana felt the sadness, sorrow and pity for the creature as she sat there cross-legged in front of the huge cage containing the Werewolf. Shed never seen one this close before. She'd never hunted and killed, not yet, but she had watched from body cams much like the rest of her grade. She had never gotten this close to a live one, and so she'd been interested. But when she'd gotten close, she'd seen the blood leaking from its chest and face. It'd been shot, but not killed and she could smell the Wolfsbane. They shot, drugged it and brought it back.

     She'd been sitting in the Prison Med-Bay as soon as the day had started, having been tasked with Guarding the creature, though she wasn't sure why. She wasn't a Guard, she was a Hunter Cadet. She had the capability of watching it, but it wasn't her job. One of the Council Members had directly requested this though, so she couldn't disobey a direct order.

     Still, a horrible to see, watching this Wolf slowly die. The pain it felt, still lowly whining and quietly growling, eyes focused on her dangerously. A slow death was a horrible thing. At least she would kill them fast after her graduation, the entire team would. All Hunters did. But this, the cruelty. They were keeping it alive long enough for them to experiment and get what information they needed. It was inhumane.

     She sighed quietly to herself, still watching it and she wanted to just... help it. The Werewolves were their enemy, but she didn't want to see it in pain, and if she could do anything to just make it comfortable, then she would.

     Layan looked over her shoulder, eyeing the Prison Med-Bay and then stood. There were no other guards there, no one else, just her. Which seemed odd, considering that there should've been others there for a Werewolf, and maybe a few extra considering that it happened to be a tad bigger than the normal ones, and there was no one in the room, no Doctors or nurses. Just her and the Wolf and that seemed... almost suspicious.

     But she shrugged the thought off for the moment and headed over to one of the beds, continuously glancing over her shoulder back at the Wolf. She currently had the label of Guard, considering her position, she had to keep watching it, but she'd try to make it comfortable. She grabbed two big pillows and dropped them at the front of the cage as she walked by, heading into the open Lounge, into the small kitchen attached to it to grab two bowls from the cupboard. She filled one with Water and reached into the fridge for a lunchbox. There were big slabs of cooked chicken inside for sandwich making and she took four out of the six big pieces. She'd apologise later.

     She grabbed the bowls and headed out of the room and back towards the Cage, the Wolf still watching her dangerously, suspiciously, eyes following her every move even though they were a little glossed over, not completely focused. Layan saw the interest though when it saw the meat in the bowl. She remembered the Teachers telling the classes that Werewolves were still Wolves, meat was meat and they were Animals.

     Laya knelt in front of the cage, setting the bowls down. She didn't unlock the gate to the cage she didn't need to. The bowls could easily fit between the meal-bars of the cage. She gradually inched the water bowl towards the slot where meals were pushed through, keeping her eyes on the Wolf as she did. It was growling, eyes on her. She slowly pushed the bowl through and set it at a safe distance. She then grabbed the meat bowl and held it in front of the meal slot.

     "I'm not gonna hurt you," she stated honestly and softly, not wanting to speak too loud and spook it. Injured Wolves were dangerous and she didn't want either of them getting hurt, or worse in the Wolfs' case.