FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Little Red Wolf - 06 - Hunger and Fear

Scarlett rushed south through the woods as fast as her strength and skill allowed. Leaves dropped off of her skirt as the magic that held them together faded. She gave this knowledge only the briefest of thoughts as she was busy trying to figure out how she was going to find and put to rest the rusalka.

She knew there was no time to lose. According to local lore, the rusalka was a woman who had been murdered and could not rest until they had been avenged. She knew the rusalka was always a very pitiable soul and she would call men into her embrace. She would then hold them with her supernatural strength and drag them under the water.

She knew there was more to these stories than the local legends told, but the details were often skipped over to get to the interesting parts. The rusalka was much like a siren only in swamps instead of at sea. In every tale Scarlett had ever heard, the victims of these creatures were men. She hoped this meant woman were unaffected.

Scarlett would have to find the wronged woman, first. Then maybe she could get some answers out of the poor girl. Or maybe the moon would come up and she would spend all of her time chasing her tail. Clouds had moved in during the evening, Scarlett hoped this would cause the moon to stay hidden for a time. She worried about what would happen when she finally was face-to-face with the full moon but she was certain that it would complicate things.

Though she had more endurance than before, she was not a wolf yet. After running hard for a couple of miles she fell to her knees to catch her breath. Feelings of desperation nipped at her and she wondered what she would do if she could not find the rusalka. She tried not to think about it and got back to her feet.

"S-Scarlett!" The voice of a very tired satyr got Scarlett to stop.

"Puck?"

"Y-yeah..." He was exhausted from his run through the woods. When he finally came within a few feet of her he put his hands on his knees and panted hard.

"How long have you been following me?"

"I <pant> I really <breath> don't know."

"Well,"Scarlett started to walk south again, "the swamp is still about eight miles away."

"Oh, booger," Puck sulked as he found a stump to sit on. "What has the queen of vanity sent you to do?"

"I've got two nights to find and put to rest a rusalka who's anguishing away in the south swamp. I need to find her, discover who killed her, then put down the werewolves who tore her open and ate her baby."

"A challenging task for certain," Puck said, looking dejected. "Are Adara and Arthur are her honored guests for the time being?"

"Yep."

"So, what does the lady's scroll say?"

Scarlett blushed a little, "I don't know."

"Have you not read it?" Puck said with a grin. "Now would be a good time."

"Here," Scarlett said, thrusting the scroll into his hands.

"Are you afraid of some foul play? It will not likely explode?"

"I can't read," Scarlett said as her anger attempted to cover up her shame.

"Oh," Puck said deciding not to tease her about it. He broke the seal and was unrolling it when the parchment suddenly burst into green fairy fire. Out of the fairy fire flew a white light that sparkled upward. A little voice then shouted, "Puck!?!"

Puck shielded his eyes and tried to see what was talking to him. "Dewdrop?"

"Yes!" shouted the ball of light, which spun about a few times then landed on the satyr's shoulder. The glow faded and Scarlett could see a little winged girl not more than a few inches in height. Dewdrop hugged the side of Puck's face and began talking very quickly.

"It's so good to see you again! Are you here because of Adara? She really missed you when you left, you know. Are you working on getting unbanished? It would be great to see you in court again. Oh, Sprinkle never stops teasing me about the shrinking incident! I swear she's just jealous, though. Are you helping Scarlett? You're not really supposed to help her, yo know. But she could really use the help. You're not temping her, are you? Adara really doesn't have time for that right now. Did you bring any silver?"

"Yes, Dewdrop," Puck said when she took a breath, "I have my knife, I'm helping my friends, and I'm happy to see you too."

The pixie gave a little cheer then fluttered back into the air. This time her glow was a soft green color and not so blinding. "So, Ms. Scarlett, I'm here to witness your trial and report your success back to Queen Titania. Her majesty is grading you on your self-control and cognitive skills despite Luna's touch. If you have any questions feel free to ask!"

Scarlett was not sure what to make of the tiny winged girl. She looked at Puck who smiled reassuringly and that was her main reason for not squashing the little bug. "Cognitive skills?" Scarlett was annoyed by the word.

"Yep!" Dewdrop's smile was both innocent and wide. "Luna's curse has a side affect of making humans nuts! I think they call it lunacy. If you can prove you aren't a big bottle of crazy sauce then she'll be much more likely to talk to you! After all, Queen Titania's kinda scary when she's angry and moon wolves always foul her temper."

"Do you know where the rusalka is?" Scarlett wanted to know before the little fairy could prattle any further.

"Of course I do, silly. She's at the swamp!"

Scarlett could not tell if this was her real answer or just the answer she would have to deal with until she got to the swamp. Before she could inquire, though, her whole body seized. It was as if all of her muscles had cramped at once and she fell to her knees.

"Oh great," Puck said as he took a few steps back, "here we go."

Scarlett's breathing became labored and erratic. Her skin seemed to burn and she began to sweat. Instinctively she looked to the moon and saw Luna, in all her fullness, gazing directly at her. Looking at her own hands, Scarlett watched her fingers grow and shift into claws. All along her arms and legs her hair began to grow and thicken. There was some shifting in her mouth and her canines grew and sharpened.

Scarlett moaned and growled as her muscles and bones shifted. She tried to untie her blouse and loosen the fasteners on her pants so that she could take them off before she shredded them, but was unable to do more than loosen the fabric. Suddenly, her spine pushed outward then her collarbone and shoulders widened. She was unable to focus on her outfit, only the maddening pleasure of her physical changes mattered.

Her ribs shifted and popped as the cage around her heart and lungs grew to allow more space for the swelling organs. Scarlett's hips also widened as her gluts strengthened and grew rounder. Her abdominal muscles stretched and pulled her body taught. Her feet began to hurt, and then her foot claws pushed through the toes of her hunting boots.

Red fur was now covering her arms and legs, as white fur grew on her stomach. Her head hair lengthened and fell forward, covering her face. The world became brighter, as her eyes changed, and the hunted became more fearful. The beast cried within and Scarlett howled.

Her howl was not as musical as those of the wolves she had heard. She did not grow as large as she felt she should but she was definitely bigger. She touched her face, it was furry but there was no pointed muzzle. While her teeth were sharper, only the front ones were slightly longer than normal. She brought her hands back to her ears, they were pointy but still where they had always been. Her transformation was not complete. Her body had stopped half-way.

"What happened?" she asked in confusion.

"First change," Puck said calmly.

Scarlett examined her new red fur in a confused manner. "But... I'm not a wolf. What happened?"

"You kinda look like a fox," Dewdrop commented excitedly.

"First change is half-way," Puck said as if he had been expecting this to happen. "Tomorrow night you'll have the full, body shifting, blood thirsting, life altering, experience. Unless, of course, you use Adara's gift before then."

"No, I," Scarlett paused and tried to collect her thoughts. She was hungry again. It was not the normal kind of hunger that called for food, this was... different. She looked at Puck and was filled with desire. She felt like bitting him. She wanted to fill herself with his body and drink the essence of his life. His smell aroused her and she began to growl a little.

"I know that look," Puck said as he ran his fingers suggestively through his hair.

"But we don't have time for that," Dewdrop complained.

"Her mind will be able to focus on little else until she satisfies herself." Puck was smiling in anticipation of what was to come. "I believe a bit of the beast that bit you is in order." He braced for Scarlett's passion and she responded.

Like the predator she was becoming, she pounced the goat-man and began bitting his chest. Puck reached up Scarlett's tunic and masterfully freed her bosom from the constraining buttons with several well practiced flicks. He then grabbed her and began to massage. Scarlett's body tingled with sensation and she ran her claws down Puck's flanks. He groaned as the length of his manhood began to emerge from his body.

"Such delicious prey," Scarlett snarled as she looked down at him and licked her lips.

"Excuse me?" Puck looked a little concerned.

"I haven't had goat in awhile."

As Puck began to realize the danger, his body chemistry changed. The smell of his fear enthralled Scarlett and she sank her teeth into his neck. His blood was intoxicating and it filled her with a dazzling warmth. Puck flailed about for a moment then reached for the dagger in his belt. As Scarlett supped at his wound, like a pup at her mother's tit, he stabbed her in the ribs.

Scarlett released her prey as the blade bit into her skin. She leaped back onto all fours and growled menacingly. Puck stumbled unsteadily to his hooves and backed away slowly. The dagger stayed between them in an effort to protect what was vulnerable.

Dewdrop was swirling and babbling too quickly for either of the combatants to make out.

"It's silver," Puck reminded both females, "don't make me stick you again, girl!" She growled in response. His blood had been wonderful and she wanted more. "The beast in your heart needs to run! Go, run to the swamp!"

Scarlett felt this was a wonderful idea. With a roar of pure savage delight she faced south and sprang off hard in that direction. Her body coiled and uncoiled in a rhythm that was both familiar and strange. She was moving faster than she was used to and showed no signs of stopping. She felt no danger traveling at this speed, no worry that she might might trip or sprain something. She just ran, fast and hard.

Arthur had been correct, Scarlett's endurance had been drastically increased. She ran without fatigue or hesitation. She dashed through clearings and leaped hedges with far less effort than expected. She never lost her sense of direction no matter how many turns she took. She was on the hunt and nothing would deter her.

She smelled the swamp before she saw it. The vapors were foul and they reached her at almost a mile away. She assumed this to be a canine benefit and pushed harder for the final stretch. She rounded groups of trees, sprang over a fallen log, and skidded to a halt before she could slide into the mud that surrounded the foul body of water.

Scarlett breathed hard to catch her breath, and began to pant a little. She caught herself doing it and found it very funny. If her parents ever saw her panting like an animal they would die; so she let it out. She dropped to all fours and panted like the beast she wished to be. She found it oddly relaxing as cooling air lowered her body's temperature. As she caught her breath, her transformation inched forward. Her tongue thinned, becoming longer and more flexible, and her nose became pink as wolf-like ridges formed around it.

The swamp had a great deal of life in it that felt it needed to be heard. Insects, amphibians, reptiles, and birds all croaked, screeched, and made their presence known. The smell of decay filled Scarlett's senses and this made it difficult to focus, for a time. Her ears were itching and she gave them a scratch. It was then that she noticed they were shifting into a more properly wolfish position. New muscles formed around their pointy bases and she rotated them ever-so-slightly. As she turned her head she could hear farther. She strained and listened.

Still on all fours, Scarlett paid extra close attention to the background noise. She was certain that the rusalka would make noises that were not "normal" for this environment. At first all she heard was birds, bugs, and wind. After some time, though, she heard the sound of crying. It was a subtle moan, at first, but then the voice began to cry in louder and more pitiful tones.

Scarlett stalked through the murky shadows, as a huntress should. A thick fog slithered along the water's surface and bled up along the shore. An unnatural coldness crept up her spine and caused her fur to bristle. Suddenly the crying became a scream and Scarlett sprang toward the source. Her claws kept her from sliding and her instincts knew where to go. She stopped dead when she saw the naked woman. She was huddled in a ball and weeping. Bloody claw marks covered her and it was obvious she had just been attacked.

Scarlett immediately formed plans to give this poor woman Adara's gift. She approached slowly and then called out when she was appropriately close.

"Excuse me?" Scarlett said, feeling a little silly for not having a better opening line. The woman started and stared at her. Scarlett was feeling a tiny bit self conscious. I must look horrifying** , she thought to herself. "Are you alright?"**

"Am I alright!?!" the woman shouted in outrage. "LOOK AT ME!!!" She stood and spread her arms and legs. Scarlett could see all of the damage that had been done to her and it made her sick. Claws had dug out chunks of flesh along her arms and legs. Her left breast had been torn away and her face was bruised and ragged from crying. The woman's stomach had been torn open and her womb had teeth marks. Though she had been mutilated, Scarlett recognized her.

"Auntie Sasha?" Scarlett called to her.

The woman seemed to come to her senses for a moment and looked at Scarlett with a different look in her eyes. "Scarlett? Is that you?" She began to tear up again, but it was relief and not despair. "Oh my goodness, look at you! You've grown so much!"

Sasha had been a young mother when Scarlett was eight. She had been one of the few women at the hearth who Scarlett could stand, even if she was a bit overly focused on looking pretty. She had disappeared when she was eight months pregnant and the rumors of her fate had ranged from a jealous husband to fairies.

"Come here and let me take a look at you." Scarlett smiled and was approaching her when Dewdrop zipped out of the wilderness and hovered between the two women.

"Don't let her touch you," Dewdrop cried out, "she'll take you under if she does that!"

"What?" Scarlett took a step back and stared at the bright ball of green light.

"Yes," cried Dewdrop, "she can't help it. When life is in her grasp she dives under the water!"

"It's true," Sasha said calmly. "If you come too close I'll drown you."

"Then why did you call me over?" Scarlett half-shrieked.

"Because... I wanted to hold you, it's what I do."

"What do you mean it's what you do!?"

"I just feel compelled to do it," Sasha said calmly. "It's not like I have anything against the dears souls who take pity on me. But when they come over I just grab them and take them down."

"Like instinct," Scarlett said with a sudden bit of understanding.

"Yes," Sasha agreed, "I believe instinct is a good word to use. If you'll forgive me for saying so, you appear to be wearing your instincts a little more than usual these days."

"Well," Scarlett blushed and was suddenly more embarrassed than she had been in years. Here she was becoming more powerful and free than she had ever been. The catch was the instincts that came with it were intoxicating and powerful. "Dewdrop," Scarlett suddenly turned to the pixie.

"Yes, Scarlett?"

"Is Puck alright?"

"Oh, yes," Dewdrop said with a giggle. "This isn't the first time his sexy adventures have gotten him hurt! You should have seen what happened the time I shrank him so he could occupy my house!"

"I don't think I want to know," Scarlett said as she began to wonder if anyone else could see her blushing.

"Well maybe you could use your instincts to your advantage," Sasha said as the other two turned to her. "I just mean, the three werewolves who did this to me might not be able to help themselves if a cute little thing like you was to show up. There was one who was definitely the alpha but the other two wanted to be. Maybe if you used your feminine charms, you could give them something to fight over. Then you could watch them kill each other and pounce on the weakened winner."

"That's pretty smart for a beaten house wife," Scarlett said before she could stop herself.

"I've had a lot of time to think about it," Sasha noted as the creepiest smile Scarlett had ever seen settled on the beaten woman's face. "They like the area to the east of here. I'm sure your nose will know their scent. Do you think maybe you could be a little overly messy when you eviscerate them? Maybe shred their manhoods before they stop breathing? That would make my very happy."