[ WP ] In a genera of your choosing , two old friends meet by happenstance after years apart .


 Carl crashed through the dense undergrowth, his heart thumping painfully in his chest. He paused to catch his breath, leaning against the trunk of a tree for support. He really was getting too old for his. 
 
 He squinted through the moonlit forest, but the wind was blowing fiercely through the trees and it was difficult to pinpoint the movement of his prey. 
 
 He concentrated, tried to tune out the howling wind…yes, there it was, a faint scream in the distance. Silly girl. Carl broke into a run, but he didn ’ t head directly towards her voice. She was a skinny little thing, weak from her captivity, so there was no real hurry, even with the pain in his chest and his old bones creaking. He would flank her, keeping himself between the prey and the motorway that marked the edge of the forest, moving in parallel just far enough away so that he could keep her scent, but not so close so that she could see him. Carl dropped to all fours to close the distance quickly. His coarse black fur made him a silent shadow flitting between the trees. 
 
 The scent of her blood filled his nostrils as he drew nearer. She must have torn her weak, thin flesh on some brambles, or perhaps she ’ d fallen into one of his traps. The screaming had stopped now, but so had the prey. Carl let out a howl that send the crows from the trees, but it did not seem to spur her. *Shit*, Carl thought to himself. *She ’ s probably broken her leg. * 
 
 He padded softly towards the prey, consoling himself as he approached. He had to remind himself that it did n't matter that he was approaching her downwind – humans had such weak noses that she would n't be able to smell him coming. It might have been a disappointing hunt, but at least he would be back home in time for a second dinner. His wife Cathy was cooking steak tonight. A thick glob of saliva dripped from Carl ’ s jaws. 
 
 He could hear the soft sobbing of his prey now in a thicket only a few paces away. Carl emerged slowly, dramatically, snout first into the clearing beyond where his prey lay prone. Above her, an enormous white wolf glared at Carl, its eyes burning with the unmistakable orange glow of a fellow werewolf. A growl rose in the wolf ’ s throat, low and deep, then stopped abruptly as the creature cocked its head to one side. It looked almost puzzled as it caught his scent, or as near as it is possible for a giant albino werewolf to look puzzled. 
 
 “ …Carl? ” From the wolf ’ s through it sounded more like a growl than his own name, but Carl recognized the creature ’ s voice instantly. 
 
 “ …Timmy? ” he ventured. The white beast gave a snort of indignation. 
 
 “ It ’ s Timothy now, Carl, ” he said, puffing out his already enormous chest. Carl sat back on his haunches. He had completely forgotten about the prey now. 
 
 “ God, Tim-Timothy. It ’ s been forever. I haven ’ t seen you since… ” 
 
 “ Since the Alpha ran me off for being too weak to run with the pack. ” 
 
 Carl tried his best at an apologetic shrug, but it was difficult in his present form. Ah, the old pack, those were the days! Running with the boys from dusk till dawn and not a care in the world. Timmy had n't lasted long, though, being the runt of the litter. As far as Carl was concerned the Alpha had done the right thing…but he was n't about to say so now. 
 
 “ Well, apparently you did well for yourself, ” he offered, taking a step forward so he could get the creature ’ s scent. Yes, it was definitely Timmy. Tiny Tim, they ’ d called him. 
 
 “ Yeah, ” said Timmy. “ Did some travelling, met some interesting people, sorted my life out. Got a new job that I ’ m really enjoying so far. ” 
 
 “ But how did you get so big? ” Carl hadn ’ t meant to say that out loud. Timmy ’ s breath was making huge white clouds of smoke in the chill night air. Carl didn ’ t like it; it looked too much like smoke. 
 
 “ I just went to the gym a lot. ” said Timmy. There was a pause before the forest was filled with the sound of the wolf ’ s laughter. The prey covered her ears in terror. 
 
 “ Seriously though, ” said Timmy, “ you would be amazed what a little dedication and a lot of sorcery can do for your body. ” *Of course*, Carl thought smugly to himself. *Magically enhanced. Nothing natural about him. He ’ s still the runt of the litter. * 
 
 “ You must come back to my place for second dinner after we ’ re done here, ” he said. “ I live nearby, just over the hill south of here. My wife ’ s doing steak – you remember Cathy? ” The white wolf cocked his head again. 
 
 “ You know, Cathy. Tall, blue eyes, brown fur, she used to run with us sometimes back in the day. ” 
 
 “ That ’ s not what I ’ m confused about, Carl, ” said Timmy, taking a step towards him. 
 
 “ You said ‘ after we ’ re done here ’, ” said the wolf, taking another step forward. “ Just what exactly is it you imagine we ’ re doing here? ” 
 
 “ Well, I didn ’ t want to make a point of it, but this is technically my territory, ” said Carl, indignantly. “ But I ’ m perfectly willing to share the prey with you for old time ’ s sake. But don ’ t worry if you ’ re still hungry after. Cathy will have enough steak for the both of us I ’ m sure. ” The wolf seemed to consider this for a moment. 
 
 “ And she ’ s nearby, is she? ” 
 
 “ Oh yeah, like I said, just a few miles south of here, you can ’ t miss it really. ” 
 
 “ Great. ” The beast turned now to the prey. His lips curled back in a silent snarl and the moonlight glinted on his fangs. 
 
 “ What do you want me to do? ” he asked…the prey? The thin little creature on the ground looked from Timmy to Carl and back to Timmy again. Something had changed in her expression now –it seemed strangely cold and hard. Suddenly Carl realized that she did n't smell of fear any longer. When she spoke, her whisper was so soft that Carl could barely hear her over the howling wind. 
 
 “ Kill him. ” The wolf turned back to Carl. 
 
 “ With pleasure. ” 
 
 “ W-wait, ” Carl spluttered, taking a step backwards now for each one Timothy took towards him. 
 
 “ What are you doing, what is this? ” 
 
 “ This is my new job, Carl. Honestly, you can ’ t expect to keep taking girls from the town without the witches noticing. It took a bit of convincing for Annabeth here to act as the bait, but I ’ d say she played her role spectacularly, wouldn ’ t you? ” 
 
 Carl turned to run, but Timothy was on him before he knew it, his powerful jaws slicing through fur and flesh and bone. With a quick thrash of his head, the white wolf spun Carl onto his back and leapt on top, his fangs poised to pierce Carl ’ s exposed throat. 
 
 “ Shush ” he growled. “ Don ’ t struggle and I ’ ll make it quick. For old time ’ s sake. ” 

