bakerstreet | rυnnιng wιтн wolveѕ • тнe wolғ pacĸ/werewolғ aυ мeмe

When Merrick began to move, RJ had gotten the fire going brightly again with the spare fire wood and was slowly chewing on one of the other rabbits. The closer he got to moon rise, the more the taste of the meat appealed.

He looked up at the other and smiled. "Focused?"

"Focused," he agreed with a faint smile, assuring. "It'll be a good night."

A night of wolves amongst the trees, of Merrick scouting his territory, of daring anyone but the few he allowed to cross his borders.

A good night.

Looking up at the proclamation, RJ smile ruefully. "I certainly hope so."

And maybe it would be, with someone guiding him and watching out for him. He wasn't as scared of the coming night as he had been before.

"Trust me."

His smile grew more certain, even with that rueful look on his companion's face. He had confidence. He had another Wolf to run with. Being lone wasn't a Wolf's natural state, no matter the personality.

Being alone was definitely not in this wolf's state and it had been very trying for RJ. Given the violence of his attack, he didn't think he'd ever be able to be friendly or close with anyone so meeting Merrick truly had been good fortune.

"I do. I really do."

"Good," he nodded. "But the moon will rise soon. We should start getting ready."

And that meant peeling off his shirts, folding them and setting them aside in the cave's mouth.

RJ took a calming breath and then put away with the few remaining bits of rabbit before he too started removing his clothing. His jewelry went first, everything but the white crystal from Dominic, which he just lengthened. Then he stripped off his shirts, shivering slightly in the outdoor sunset air.

Merrick had gotten used to the cold long ago. Montana winters weren't pleasant to live through as a Wolf, but he'd managed. Soon enough, he'd have fur as insulation. That would help.

His boots soon joined his shirts, and then his pants. There was no shame in him. After all, it was his body, and it was a good one. It served him well.

RJ was Californian born and bred so the cold really took some getting used too. Still, he was determined to make this mind over matter and refused to shiver as he pulled off his sneakers, followed by his pants, carefully setting everything inside his pack.

He couldn't help glancing over as they both undressed and while RJ wasn't ashamed of his body, his fellow wolf definitely made him feel a bit skinny and self-conscious. Was it the wolf that made him like that or was that all Merrick?

He wasn't cut. He didn't have the perfect bodybuilder muscles. Instead, he had bulk. His arms and chest were thick, and his stomach a bit given to fat, no matter how lean the times were. It was an aspect of himself that he hated, but couldn't get rid of, no matter how he tried.

And he had tried.

The muscle of his legs, however, was defined. Obviously, his power was in his lower body.

RJ, however, had a body that Merrick admired. He was lithe, defined, and had an obvious speed to him. One glance was enough for him to feel envious, but he tamped it down. Now was not the time.

He took the moment to stretch, though, and limber up muscles that would soon come into use in new-old ways.

Merrick's body was the product of work and experience. It was the body of a warrior. It was broad and muscled in the right places and even the bit of extra in the middle just give it that sense of being genuine.

In an academy of warriors, RJ had always felt small. He had worked just as hard as everyone else, but his smaller frame had tended more towards speed and agility, something his power house father had taken personal offense too. It was only thanks to Master Swoop taking RJ under his wing to teach him a style more suited to him that he'd survived at all. He had made his master proud...but there would always be a part of him that wished he could have pleased his dad.

His dad would have like Merrick, minus the wolf part of course.

Following suit, RJ began to stretch as well between taking deep breath to clamp down his nerves the closer they got to moon rise.

He bent at the waist, flexing his back, shifting his hips - moving enough to make his joints work before he reached over to squeeze RJ's shoulder. He kept his eyes up. There were things that didn't need to be gone into just yet.

But he couldn't deny that RJ was attractive. It was just not something that was appropriate for the moment.

"I'll stay close tonight," he said, "to make sure you're all right, and to show you around."

The squeeze on his shoulder startled him but just because his mind was elsewhere. He smiled at Merrick, his nerves still showing but he definitely felt more prepared for this change then he had before.

Merrick being a comforting presence certainly helped. He was being so kind and welcoming. RJ was feeling the attraction as well, though he was distracted from it thanks to his nerves.

"Thank you. For everything."

Merrick gave him a smile. "You're welcome."

To find another Wolf-- it was worth it. He'd help him. Train him. Teach him whatever he could. Merrick wanted the company more than he'd ever guessed.

But it was only minutes before the moon rose, and as it did, Merrick crouched, teeth grit against the wave of pain that came with the shift of muscle and bone.

Not even meaning too, RJ crouched at the same time and squeezed his eyes shut, taking deep breaths in and out against the pain. His hands and feet gripped into the dirt as they shifted into paws and that was the least of the changes.

His back knees changing direction and the tail sprouting were always the worst, in his opinion.

Through it all, he just made himself breath and concentrate on the crystal still around his neck.

The tail, he'd gotten used to. It was the relocation of the joints and the shift of balance that always left him panting - and he was panting by the time it ended. His body had sprouted thick, silvery fur with touches of dark around his ruff and shoulders. His eyes stayed the same silvery blue with his human intelligence gleaming from their depths, marking him as himself.

With concern and curiosity, he looked over at RJ, taking one pacing step in his direction.

There were pants, whining and even a few growls by the time RJ was done, a pile of brownish fur on the forest floor. Like his human body, he had a wiry frame, covered in a shaggy coat that had black points down his spine and white under his chin, but was a majority shades of brown.

When he opened his eyes, they were darker, blacker and only vaguely human. It was clear the while his body had changed, he was still struggling mentally.

Merrick approached, step by careful step -- he was sore, but he was still capable. He touched his nose to RJ's ear before headbutting his shoulder. RJ wasn't alone. He had someone there with him, someone who had confidence in him, and was trying to bring him back.

The touch startled him in his pain dazed, distracted state and RJ couldn't help a growl and half-hearted snap in Merrick's direction. But it also help snapped him out of his daze as his human mind very much reminded his wolf body not to bite the being helping them.

When RJ looked up again, his gaze was definitely more human. He dropped his gaze and whimpered once in apology before standing up and shaking himself out.

The shift got him an appreciative headbutt to his shoulder and a lick to his ruff. This part of the change was something Merrick was more than used to, so the gestures of comfort - those came naturally, even after so long.

But there was a whole forest out there. His forest. And now, he had a guest.

A few footsteps and a stretch took him to the fireside where two roast rabbits still remained. He picked up the spit both of them were still threaded onto and brought them back over. They'd need fuel for the night.

This time when RJ whined, it was in appreciation and he returned the headbutt gladly.

He took a moment to center himself and really catalog how he felt. It was much different then before, when he'd been out of his mind with fear, pain and confusion. Now he felt free. It was amazing the difference. Simply amazing.

Merrick picking up the spit caught RJ's attention and he cocked his head before he got it. He'd been hungry before moon rise when he'd finished the first rabbit and he was still hungry. The rabbit actually look appealing now.In fact...it looked like the best meal ever to the point he could feel himself panting and salivating.

With one paw and his teeth, Merrick pulled off one for himself and left the other for RJ. A rabbit was a small meal for wolves of their size, and breakfast would be necessarily huge, but this would keep them going through the night.

True to the phrase, Merrick wolfed his down, bolting bones and all after his powerful jaws had crunched them into small pieces. His body, in this shape, could handle it, and so could RJ's if he dared.

It was only after both of them were done that he stood, tail wagging, and cast his eyes to the moon and stars flickering above. There were still hours in the night. He looked forward to them now.

Mimicking Merrick, it took RJ a try or two to get the rabbit off the spit but once he did, he chowed away like he hadn't just eaten. He didn't quite have the confidence to break down the bigger bones, but the smaller ones he barely noticed as he chewed and swallowed them.

When he was done, he looked to Merrick for a lead on what to do. His tail was wagging and he dropped his front end in a playful position.

With a half-bark, Merrick bounced at him before jogging a few steps away and then leaping into the woods, hoping to entice RJ to follow. They had an adventure before them.

Merrick led him through the woods, showing him hilltops and mountainsides, secluded rivulets that ran with cold water from snowmelt, clearings that were open to the moonlight, and the deep copses that were very nearly pitch black, even to their lupine eyes.

But before the sun rose, he led the both of them back to his cave and clearing where RJ had first found him. Safe and secure. Home.

Entice he did and RJ pounced after him, wagging his tail with a happy yip as he followed on Merrick's heels.

He took in everything, taking in the new sights and smells Merrick was sharing with him. Even if he'd been through the woods before, it was a new perspective on everything. It was relaxing and fun, so much different then last time. And whenever he felt his mind slipping away, he'd concentrate on the crystal hanging around his neck and the memories of his best friend to bring it back.

When they reached the cave, RJ gave a full body stretch, tired but pleasantly so. He rubbed up against the other wolf in thanks before finding a spot to plop down on the ground.

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