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Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

Moon Phase - Waxing Gibbous

Alex took a breath to relax his nerves before turning around. The length of the tree line went on for a way, the edge brightly lit by the full moon and the shadows leaning to his right. After a few steps, he thought to cross into the tree line before moving closer but decided against it shortly after; how unfamiliar everything was and what could be awaiting him and Shane nearby made the option with less noise potential better.

When he glanced back around the halfway point, Alex no longer saw Shane and halted. The hell...where'd he go? He kept still for a moment before hearing rustling and crunching grass noises moving away from his position, further into the brush jungle that he'd refused to go into.

Figuring Shane was moving to a safer spot out of eyesight of others, after thinking he was moving to check on the ranch as well, just in a riskier way, Alex resumed his trek. If the police are watching that ranch...which way are they facing? He pulled what memory he had of the satellite images of the ranch before settling on west-facing as the most likely.

As he drew closer to the edge of the tree line, keeping an eye on the thickness of the brush for any gaps he could look through, the ditch and clearing he was approaching were illuminated by passing vehicle headlights. From his position, he could see the beams light up all the clearing past the tree line's end.

Patrolling officers, if not the ranch owner, were next on his mind. They'd likely have flashlights. No sign of those...yet. Reducing his pace to little more than a creep, alert for the slightest odd or close noise beyond his paws and body meeting vegetation, Alex dropped to his chest as another vehicle came closer, this time from the left. Once again, the headlights lit up more of the clearing than he felt comfortable with.

Better make this fast. He rounded the edge of the tree line shortly after that thought, his initial view of the path towards the ranch showing no sign of the police. It wasn't until almost all of it was visible that the shape of an SUV became noticeable, and then the color scheme, the lights and the outline of the word "POLICE". Even worse was the direction it, and the officer inside, were facing: North-West.

Alex had no chance to reign in his unease from the discovery before the officer in the cruiser turned his head to his right, and then stopped.

Certain as he was that he'd been spotted, Alex froze instead of backing away, his attention locked on the officer and any moves he made. His shoulder radio was reached for, and then the vehicle's door lock was popped.

That sound snapped Alex from his frozen posture; he retreated behind the tree line as footsteps on gravel sounded and a stream of light hit the spot where he'd been just a second before. A stream too intense to be from a flashlight. Shit, that was close.

His expectation that Shane would reemerge after seeing the beam was proven true as he kept pacing along the edge of the tree line; he could hear him coming from the twigs and leaves he was crushing. His stance, and the demeanor he showed, put to rest Alex's other thoughts of him belittling him. "They see you?"

Alex looked back. "Not with that."

Shane's response hum came as a light growl. "Stay close."

Though at first not wanting to, with another look back towards where the beam had hit, Alex followed him back a ways and then into the vegetation. How much darker it was after several steps eased his anxiety a touch, and he got back to his hind paws as Shane had already done.

With a bit of an idea where he was being led, Alex soon saw the western side of the ranch through the trees. The southmost enclosure building hid most of the cruiser from the direction they were approaching, but how well-lit everything was made the idea of getting a kill of any kind, much less alive, look near impossible.

Cutting the power, leaving and trying somewhere else, distracting the officer, somehow, before going for it...all those ideas were turned over in Alex's head as he moved close to the same holly bush Shane was using, opting to crouch instead of go to all fours. Although certain Shane had also thought about at least one of those options, how still he was when he next glanced over at him made him hold his tongue for a moment.

"Now what?" he finally asked. Shane only gave him a glance. With little beyond the crickets around them making any noise, Alex inched around his edge of the bush to check on what was holding Shane's attention. The only animal pen he could see that was exposed from his angle was the pig pen; the planks and rods of its several foot high wooden fence were shielded with wire mesh, and at least two pigs were sleeping outside the makeshift shelter.

Is he seriously...? Alex's heart began to race at that thought. How intent Shane seemed was enough to keep it going at that pace. What he would have to do if the hunger suddenly emerged, and what Shane might do, officer or not, if it did were next on his mind. No, calm down. He said we could wait them out. Wait a minute...is he already thinking that?

Shane's stiff, attentive pose made more sense at that thought, but it wasn't long before Alex was faced with the same question he'd posed to Marcus: when did he need to kill and feed? Even with Shane so close, he couldn't form the words he needed to ask. What assurance would he have that he was being told the truth? And then he started questioning what, if any, portion he would get if Shane got the only animal.

With his thoughts back on how they could make getting to the animals easier, Alex glanced around what was visible of the ranch, noting anything that seemed important and almost missing the hints of headlights and grinding of stones near the already sitting police cruiser. Oh, shit. He then checked on Shane, who didn't seem fazed, but swore at himself for not being more careful.

When the second vehicle stopped and the first hint of voices reached him, Alex almost inched forward before closing his eyes and cupping a paw behind his left ear. "Didn't really see it," was the first thing he fully heard. Oh, thank God."Too big for a coyote, though." The ounce of pleasure Alex got from those words faded as it became evident that the second cruiser wasn't leaving, and it took the brushing of grass where Shane stood to open his eyes and pull his attention away.

Not once did he break a twig or be any louder than the insects around them for longer than a split second as he crept away from the bush, briefly reviving Alex's fears of his friends being stalked. When Shane next shot him a glance, he didn't dare move. Only turn his eyes away. He took another look out at the ranch, giving Shane enough time to get closer and tap his shoulder.

"Now what?" Alex's nervous tone was clear.

"We wait, and get what we can, when we can."

Alex looked back at him, with a second of eye contact, before shaking his head.

"Got a better idea?"

"We leave. Try somewhere else."

"Not that high school."

That was quick. "Why?"

"You haven't been over there lately, have you?" The annoyance in Shane's tone got Alex thinking it was a newly installed security system, or permanently stationed security guard. "There's no animals over there anymore."

Alex looked back towards Shane when he heard that, his surprise fading after a few seconds. Only the mare, foal and cow had been left alive, none of which he could see even the two of them together taking down without getting hurt.

"Wasn't my idea." Alex said after a bit of quiet.

"What was?"

"An animal farm, north of here."

Shane looked past him, then shook his head. "We're already here."

"And it's being watched, by the police."

"Then tell me: Is that other place not?" Alex held his tongue after meeting Shane's gaze again, feeling more angry than off-guard. "Never crossed your mind to check, did it?"

Alex exhaled in favor of letting out a few choice words. "What are we watching for, then?"

Shane leaned up and looked over the brush, then crouched back down before answering. "One less cruiser. Then," he threw his head to the right, "him being distracted."

Alex mimicked the lean up to check on things as well. The original officer looked busy with his cruiser's laptop. That can't be enough. As he dropped back to all fours, he echoed that thought aloud.

"If you're fast enough, it will be."

Alex could feel his heart speed up at those words. Could he be that quick? Much less grab something and not lose it? Shane's shaking head then pulled his attention back to him. "What?"

"You're panicking already."

"And you're not?"

"If this is all it takes to make you freeze and second guess things, you will go hungry."

Alex diverted his gaze for a second, his parents flashing to mind. "Then forgive me for not being so cold-blooded." He retorted, a weak growl accompanying his words.

Shane shook his head again, slow enough that it made him seem like a disapproving family member. For a while after, neither of them wanted to fully break eye contact; Shane did so only to check on the ranch again. As he did, the question of when he needed to feed came back into Alex's head. None of Shane's words so far, he felt, were in line with hinting at having to wait, but...

The noise of an engine turning over ripped Alex's attention off that question and back to the officers. While Shane inched around the bush at the sound, he stayed put, opting to lean up again. The original cruiser was backing up, likely to leave he figured. The realization eased some of the tension throughout his chest and limbs, more so as he considered the possible field of view of the new officer. He was parked further south, still facing half that way and half west, and the nearby horse stable was lined up well with his cruiser's windshield.

When Alex next glanced towards Shane, only half of his hind legs were visible. He dropped back to all fours and followed him, stopping when it was clear he wasn't moving beyond the barbed wire and wood pole fence. For a few moments, all Shane did was stare out towards the pigs, then his head turned to look behind him, Alex's gaze meeting his.

_Now what?_Expecting Shane to come back his way and then dictate to him what animal was his, he braced for another verbal match.

The words he heard instead once Shane was close caused his body heat to seep from his skin and though his pelt. "You go first."

Alex glanced to his left once, his jaws separating ever slightly. The question of why was immediately on his mind, but he couldn't say even that.

"If you go after me," Shane said after a length of silence, "you'll just panic even more, and then one or both of us are fucked."

Most of Shane's words barely pierced Alex's already worry-laden mindset. Did he not care if he was seen? Alex closed his eyes and sighed, feeling his heart racing under his skin, and once again imagined cutting the power to the ranch's lights. It was so simple an idea that it stayed swirling in his thoughts, and in turn made what he saw happening if either of them were seen all the more agitating and worrying.

When he again glanced in the direction of the pig pen, then up towards the lights of the ranch, Shane took advantage of his silence. "If you can't do it, then go. Use that other place if that'll calm you down."

"I can't be a little concerned?"

"Visibly shaking is a little concerned?"

Alex exhaled. "What's your plan if he sees you?"

"Don't panic, get what I want and leave. The same thing I've always done." Shane continued after a second. "Why? You think he's going to pull his gun the instant he sees one of us?"

Alex swallowed at that statement and reached for his necklace as his ears laid back; Shane continued before he could speak.

"Cops don't do that. Your dad's a cop. Have you ever known him to do that?"

Alex shook his head, his necklace and bullet still grasped in his right paw.

"Then stop stressing out, and quit worrying about me while you're at it. Get what you want, then I'll get what I want. Done."

The question Alex wanted to ask, which animal Shane was eying, refused to leave his lungs, even after he closed his eyes again and took a few breaths to calm himself. The pigs were the most exposed. So long as he had a firm grip...but if he didn't kill the animal quickly, the squealing would reveal where he was fleeing. And if the officer called for backup and sent cars his direction...

The animal farm returned to mind, but so did Shane's words. If that place was also being watched, he'd arrive long after Shane had caused every officer within ten miles to be on alert for something like him. If two separate incidents occurred the same night...or what if they brought out the canine units? With that train of thought, Alex opened his eyes. He met Shane's gaze for just a moment; the loss of the curl-up of his muzzle and lips was obvious, though his stare was still as unmoving as ever. It made Alex's first steps to the south, and around him, slow and cautions.

While wishing the evening breezes would, even for a second, blow west or southwest instead of just south, he kept inching along until he heard Shane start to follow him. He glanced back in turn, but Shane said nothing. It took a few minutes at his current pace to start to see the rear of the new cruiser, the moon helping light up the words 'K9 Unit' on its rear.

His frustrated response huff pulled a response from Shane, albeit a hushed one. "What?"

Alex looked back at him, but stayed silent until he was closer. "Canine unit."

"Don't let that bother you." Shane replied. "He won't just let the dog go and for all we know, he's sleeping."

Alex took a few seconds to think before siding with Shane's logic. Even so, the possibility of having to fight such a trained animal made his stomach turn. On his way back to the ranch, and the barbed wire fence, Shane continued to keep close. The position of the cruiser was still a concern, and Alex couldn't help thinking about how he could keep an eye on it without exposing too much of his head. There weren't any easily accessible, much less useful, reflective things nearby, and going around to the other side would just bring him directly into the officer's line of sight.

Asking Shane to watch for when he could make a move... If he was seen, or got the officer to start looking around, it would be for nothing. Was his best option really just to go for it? All he could see if he did was a window of three, maybe five, seconds to run for it and jump the pig pen fence, after which the officer would call for backup.

He tossed those numbers around for a bit, and then something clicked. He looked back at Shane, who was closing in on him, and then spoke. "What if I got one big enough for both of us? Removed the chance of you being seen?" To his surprise, Shane shook his head. "Why not? It makes perfect sense to me."

"Not if we're trying to be fast. Get a smaller one, and then get out."

Alex didn't want to fully agree, but his drive to argue was starting to dissipate; no other ideas came to him, even as he took another look at the pig pen. How tight his stomach was made the idea of eating any of what was just across from him even more unpleasant.

After another handful of breaths, he took hold of the nearby wooden pole. With a hop and a thrust of his arms, he was over the barbed wire, his paws making little more than a 'phut' against the dirt. Behind him, Shane drew closer on two legs. He heard his claws scratch the head of the wooden pole.

Opting to stay on all fours, Alex sized up the pen, his heart once again starting to race. The fence was about four feet high. Clearable, but the gate and padlock would make noise if he vaulted over at that point. Several yards separated him from the pen, a distance he felt he could clear within three or four seconds. All that was keeping him rooted was the officer. How could he tell if he was distracted, or was Shane expecting him to consider what he was seeing before acting?

That he was expecting him to stay in the cruiser instead of getting out was what Alex settled on. With his breaths starting to sound shaky, he leaned forward and stretched out a paw, his eyes darting between the edge of the stable and the pig pen. At the very least, he was thankful that Shane was not trying to get him to move.

He took three more breaths, each working as part of a countdown, and with a thrust of his back legs, took off.

His claws tore into and threw up the dirt he ran over as his body, his heart, his head, and his lungs, started to race. With the gate was closing in fast, as he came close, he turned his head up and leapt for it. The padlock jimmied as the gate was pushed back, and then he was diving onto the group of enclosed pigs.

The one his paws connected with was a small one, but once it was jolted awake and began to squeal, its weight seemed to double. Then the others started squealing, the noise tearing into Alex's ears and getting his teeth to grit. At once, he felt exposed, and then his grip slipped.Fuck. Alex lunged at the piglet, catching it again and digging his claws between its ribcage and into its neck and shoulders. After shaking his head to fight the piercing noises, he focused on the shelter the rest were running around. Its top was solid wood, enough to hold his weight, and the fence was just...

That was when he heard the canine unit start barking, and swore to himself again. With the piglet held as tight as his left paw and arm would allow, he leapt atop the shelter, the animal's hooves raking at his chest and arm and yanking fur all the while. As he cleared the fence and dropped into the brush, Alex reclaimed his grip, this time grabbing the piglet by the head and clamping its snout. The scent of its blood was already reaching his muzzle, causing his stomach to relax, but until he heard Shane reach the gate, and then the officer calling for backup, he didn't move.

Shane was out of the pen four seconds later, his choice of pig held not only by the neck in his muzzle but with both paws. As Alex looked back at him, the piglet began to twitch and his grip was tested again. Almost without thinking, he parted his jaws and tried to get his fangs into the piglet's neck as he picked up his pace away from the ranch. The soft tissue he bit into barely made it bleed versus frenzy even more, the thrashing of its front legs making its neck a riskier target.

It was when he released what his left paw was holding, in hopes of grabbing the animal's front legs, that the piglet's weight pulled his head down. With his fangs now holding tens of pounds, Alex growled as his free paw tried to grab its front legs. As soon as he did, the animal's free front hoof started smashing into and raking his arm, cutting his skin and pulling out his fur.

The pain was quick to intensify with each impact, Alex's eyes squinting and another growl sounding every time he felt a hit. Son of a bitch. He bit down harder after several before another few made him release its neck with a painful grunt. By then, he was nearing the street he'd crossed to reach the ranch and could hear cheering and baseballs hitting steel bats. Once he was past that field, he was home free.

The sound of a vehicle coming made him stop just before he could see the road. As it passed, he tried again to grab both the piglet's front legs, only for the animal to hit his wrist, as well as his arm. The pain from the sharp edge of its hooves hitting an open wound caused Alex's grip to fail and the piglet fell to the ground. It got several feet from him before he started after it, breaking through the line of brush at the edge of the road.

He looked to his left just in time to see a police cruiser coming his way, and backpedaled into the brush, his hind paws almost striking a felled branch. Several yards away, his catch was fleeing into the night squealing.

The sound of the cruiser slowing down near where he'd almost lost his balance pumped more adrenaline into his veins. Oh, fuck. What the fuck do I do now?