- no good in goodbye [Venom]

[Deleted]

Ever since the young brute had left the side of his newfound friend, Sasha, his heart had been full and his spirits high. Although his night terrors had not ceased, sometimes extending to waking hallucinations that left the young male frightened, he found that it was easier to stand. While he’d promised Sasha that he would return to visit her later, Ren’s paws had itched to move, and so he had obliged them. He’d traveled a large portion of Anikira in the days since he and his siblings had been alone, and now it was the north that called to him, a smile upon his face as he moved.

A gleaming river stretched like a snake before him, and Ren trotted alongside it for some time before eventually halting, lowering his head to lap at the cool water. On one side of the river, rolling hills dotted with rocks stretched; on the other, there was only the flat expanse of a meadow. It was so very liberating to be here with only the sky and the clouds above him, the sound of his heartbeat matching that of his steps as he moved slowly and leisurely along the water’s edge once more. Soon enough he would need to find his siblings again, for Ren could never stand to go extended periods without speaking with them, no matter how much he enjoyed roaming.

It was the young male’s first winter – or rather the first that he could recall. While he had yet to see snow, Ren found that he enjoyed the cool, crisp air, his thick coat keeping him warm even on the coldest of nights. Hunting had been a tad bit more difficult than usual, but Ren and his siblings had been fending for themselves for so long that he’d become a skilled hunter, and so it was rare that he went hungry.

Once more he came to a halt, lowering his rump to the ground as he stared out across the meadow that stretched before him, his back to the hills. It seemed as if all of his troubles had left him at last, though he knew they would return again in the form of nightmares when he dared to sleep. But for now, Ren was content, an easy smile upon his muzzle as he sat listened to the sounds of the river.

TAG: Venom
WORDS: 400
NOTES: Poor, naive Ren ;-;

[Venom]

[attr="class","plbase"]

[attr="class","pltxt"] Having just left his last scene of destruction, Venom felt wonderful. He had satiated himself on the flesh of his victims, bathed himself afterwards, and now with a full belly and his bloodlust stifled for now, he wandered the edge of the river without a care in the world. It had been blissfully easy to rid the world of those two pathetic lone wolves, the male letting his fury control him as he foolishly challenged a wolf much older and wiser than he. Venom didn't mind, truly; he had been eager to taste the flesh of the Ethiopian wolf, having never had a chance to partake, and it had certainly been worth the minimal effort required to neutralize the threat her mate had posed.

Now that he was devoid of the blood and scent of flesh, he was free to continue on toward the south without raising suspicion, without causing anyone alarm when he walked by. Perhaps he would go a few days, or even weeks, before he killed again; he certainly would need to do it somewhere else, for though he had hidden the bodies of his latest victims, they would surely be found by somebody, and his scent covered the area they were in. The older brute knew he would not stay a mysterious killer for long, but he would stretch it as much as he could in order to keep himself safe.

As he loped along, his missing leg very obvious, the wolf caught sight of another canine and his interest was piqued. The male he saw was young, but large, and seemed content to sit silent and alone on the line that divided the meadow from the hills. Venom took pause in his mind, but continued to move forward, not going directly toward the stranger but neither avoiding him completely. His green eyes, cold and calculating, stayed fixed on the young lupine, and he debated his options as he got closer.

He could be friendly, greet the wolf, and continue moving on; he could also ignore him completely, and likely avoid any sort of confrontation--most loners were not eager to attack other loners, and he had the advantage of his missing leg to garner pity. His last option was the pause and make conversation, which he had been doing more of lately. If nothing else, he could pretend to be friends with the male and decide whether or not to kill him later, as he tended to do. His first kill in the north, the dark loner, had been different; he had stalked that male for days, just to see if he could, and killed him for fun.

Once he was within speaking distance, Venom flashed a stunning smile and slowed his pace, locking eyes with the stranger. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" He called, his smooth voice light and friendly as he continued closer, now heading straight toward the male, his appearance entirely non-threatening. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting your time alone. I've been traveling all on my own for a few days now, and I fear the solitude is getting to me."

Now that he was closer, Venom could see that this wolf outclassed him, at least at first glance; he was much larger, and it would be quite a challenge to take such a wolf down without some other advantage. Older and more experienced though he was, Venom was not all-powerful, and if he chose to attack, it would require quite a bit of planning and foresight. "My name is Venom," he said in a softer tone now that he was closer, for there was no need to shout.

Words || 619
Tags || @ren
Notes || Poor baby Ren doesn't even know.
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[Deleted]

Ren had only been seated by the water for several long moments when movement on the horizon caught his eye. Glancing up, the young brute watched silently but curiously as an ebony shape picked its way across the horizon, coming towards where he rested. There was something odd about the gate of the other, though at first Ren could not pinpoint what it was. But then the wolf grew closer, and Ren realized with a start that the stranger was missing a hind leg, though it did not seem to hinder his gait in the slightest. Though the stranger was close enough for Ren to catch his scent now, the young male was unsure if he would pause or continue on his way. A heartbeat later his silent question was answered as the male paused, turning his emerald gaze upon Ren as he spoke, his tone friendly and almost cheerful.

”Indeed it is,” Ren said, his golden gaze drifting skywards before returning to the brute, who introduced himself as Venom as he stepped closer to Ren. ”You needn’t worry about bothering me at all. I’ve been alone for some time now, as well, and your company is certainly welcome.” In the days since Ren had left Sasha’s side, he’d found that he was lonely, desiring for the company of his siblings for not the first time. But even though this wolf was not related to Ren, he was still glad for his presence. A slow smile spread across his muzzle as he added, ”My name is Ren. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

There were very few wolves in Ren’s life that he’d become acquainted with, outside of his family. For all of the traveling he and his siblings did, they seemed to somehow avoid encountering loners more often than not. For a while, the thought of other wolves had terrified Ren after what he’d witnessed: the massive, scared brute who still haunted Ren’s nightmares murdering his father, unaware that Summit’s children had watched from the nearby underbrush. But surely there was no harm in getting to know others; not everyone was a monster, after all, and Venom seemed so very friendly that Ren could not bring himself to shy away.

”Have you explored much of this island?” He asked curiously. More than anything else, Ren adored exploring, and so he always relished hearing about others traveling experiences. His favorite tales from the mouths of his parents had always involved the places they’d been, the sights they’d seen. It was a feeling that he spent much of his time trying to replicate. ”My siblings and I have been traveling for quite some time. I separated from them to explore more a few days ago; I hope that we can go somewhere new soon.”

TAG: Venom
WORDS: 463
NOTES: I am breaking my own heart here 

[Venom]

[attr="class","plbase"]

[attr="class","pltxt"] As Ren spoke, Venom began to calculate his chances; most wolves, if taken completely by surprise, could be overpowered, despite how much larger or faster they might be than the attacker. The older male, while fairly small and clearly disadvantaged, often stood a chance because of that. If he was not sneaking up out of nowhere, he would charm his way in until there was no doubt that he was only a friend. A friend who would strike without hesitation the moment opportunity struck.

An idea sparked as the lone male mentioned his siblings--mysteriously missing siblings, which Venom was not unaware of. The fact that they existed but were nowhere near was refreshing, and lucky; if he played this right, the dark male could have this younger wolf within a few hours, if it even took that long. "If you're apt for exploration, there is a wondrous avenue of caves not far from here, built neatly into the side of a hill. The ones that don't house any bears are quite fun to inspect," he said excitedly, wagging his tail gently behind him in encouragement. They did not need to reach the caverns for Venom to make his move; no, if they simply started along and got comfortable with each others' company, it would only be a matter of time before the elder male felt enough at ease to attack.

"If you wouldn't mind staying away from your family awhile, I could lead you to them," he added, in case Ren was not willing to continue without his dearest siblings. Clearly he had no qualms with being apart from them, but if he were a suspicious wolf, he might not be apt to follow a stranger so willingly. As if to garner trust, Venom moved himself past Ren and deliberately turned away from the wolf, as though he trusted Ren enough to take his eyes completely off him--trust garnered trust, after all, and if he was willing to turn away from the younger wolf, perhaps the younger would turn from him when the time came. "Come along, if you like. I wouldn't mind a bit of company."

Words || 369
Tags || @ren
Notes || I AM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I AM THE WOOOORST also this is so short but I know you wanted him gone soon. D:
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[Deleted]

At the offer that Venom extended to Ren, the young male’s eyes widened, his face lit with pure delight. He never got tired of exploring, and now his new-found acquaintance was extending an offer to explore a place he had not yet been. He simply could not resist. A part of him knew that he should have hastened to find his siblings, to share his adventures with them and reassure them that he was alive and well, but Ren supposed there would be time for that later. Now he had potentially made a friend, one who seemed familiar with places that Ren had never visited. Perhaps after today, if he found Venom to be friendly enough, he would consider introducing the brute to his siblings down the line, and he could show them beautiful and interesting landmarks as well.

Tail wagging happily behind him, Ren hastened to follow after Venom’s retreating form, scarcely able to contain his rising excitement. He was older now, but still young, and some of his puppyish tendencies had not yet faded away. A large grin spread across his muzzle as he loped alongside Venom, his eyes eagerly scanning the horizon for a hint of the caves that he’d spoken of. ”I’ve seen caves before, but the ones you speak of sound unique. I’ve never seen a series of them.” Thinking back on the brute’s previous words, Ren glanced sideways towards Venom before looking once more to the horizon. ”Bears…I’ve never seen them, but I heard they’re testy creatures. Have you ever encountered one?”

Ren’s parents had told him stories of bears in the past, and since then he’d been careful to avoid them, though he was curious as to what they looked like. Still, his senses trumped his curiosity, and he could only hope that all bears vacated the caverns that the two wolves moved towards.

TAG: Venom
WORDS: 311 (ew)
NOTES: So over Ren, he's stupid

[Venom]

[attr="class","plbase"]

[attr="class","pltxt"] As they went along, Venom took care to go as quickly as he could without putting too much strain on his single hind leg; as he was very used to it, he had very little trouble despite Ren's fairly quick pace. "The series is quite unique, the only setup I've seen on Anikira. Perhaps there are more in the south, where I haven't spent much time," he said conversationally, his voice light and amicable as it had been the entire time. Though the old brute had made his decision, the time had not yet come; he would need to distract the young wolf just a little bit more before he could pounce without giving the new acquaintance a chance to retaliate or jump away.

"As far as bears go..." he began cryptically, chuckling under his breath and shaking his head as they moved, slowly and stealthily moving in a way that brought him closer to Ren's side without appearing suspicious. "They are massive beasts, several times the size of the largest wolf you've seen. Thick, burly, and fast despite their shape. Their fur and skin are incredibly thick, impossible to puncture before they swipe you with paws and claws longer than your muzzle. They are impressive, and you would do well to steer clear of them at all costs." It seemed genuine, his warning, though in truth Venom was saying these things to frighten the wolf beside him, if only so he could reassure him seconds later.

"But don't fret, Ren," he added after a beat, smiling over at the happy-go-lucky wolf who trotted along, dangerously close to the killer's side. "We needn't worry about bears today. Well, you won't, anyway." When he finished speaking, the slim brute dove forward, jaws gaping and aimed straight at Ren's throat. It was bloodlust that drove him to do so; he had nothing against the young male himself, but he was wired to love killing, and had been doing so his whole life. Not to mention the copious amount of meat the larger male would provide, leaving Venom fed for nearly a week. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Words || 381
Tags || @ren
Notes || SORRY LOVE I didn't see that you had replied from here we can go as quick as you like. Also holy SHIT that's a beautiful table???
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[Deleted]

As Venom went on to describe bears, Ren listened with widened eyes and perked ears, his mind working to come up with a fearsome creature that resembled the one his companion described. If Venom was correct – and it seemed as if he was, judging by the vast knowledge he had of bears – then Ren couldn’t possibly imagine how a wolf could ever survive an encounter with one of the beasts. He’d heard stories of hunting parties taking them down; he assumed that the parties would have to be particularly large…or perhaps wolves large enough to rival the bear in size, like the one who had killed his father, would be able to achieve such a feat.

”But don't fret, Ren.” The sound of his name drew Ren’s gaze, a smile flitting across his muzzle as he glanced towards Venom, noticing for the first time how very close he’d drawn. Still, there were no alarms in Ren’s head, no suspicion, only a naïve sense of trust that he would ultimately regret. ”We needn't worry about bears today. Well, you won't, anyway."

He’d turned his head away as Venom had begun to speak again, but now he frowned, confused. ”What do you mea-“ he began, turning his head – a fatal mistake. Before the last of his words could leave his maw, before he could even comprehend what was happening, Venom’s jaws found his throat with ease. Ren jerked to a halt, mouth opening to yelp, but no sound escaped him as Venom’s teeth sank into his throat. The pain was searing, his flesh ripping as he tore away from Venom, stumbling backwards only to crumple to the ground.

He could not breathe; blood was pouring down his throat, flooding his lungs, leaving him gasping wetly for air that could not come. Confusion and terror flickered in his golden-brown gaze as he lifted his eyes to gaze at Venom, if only for an instant. A moment later his vision was blurring, fading, as he laid his head down in the grass. Briefly he thought of his siblings, of Sasha, but even then he could not hold the memory of them long in his heart, for the pain that slashed through him burned everything else away. And then, blessedly, the pain stopped. He felt numb as his eyes closed, the earth wet beneath him with his own blood.

He was alone as he took his last breath.

TAG: Venom
WORDS: 403
NOTES: I REGRET HIS DEATH ONLY BECAUSE I WON'T GET TO USE THIS BEAUTIFUL TABLE ANYMORE. I figure we can end this here since...well, he's dead.