Cryptic Cravings 3

Chapter 4: The Fox

-Carmen Silvers Point Of View-

Austin didn't show up to school Tuesday, just like he said. And he didn't show up Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. I saw him after school everyday though for when we went into the forest, me to practice Changing and him to try and feed.

I knew he had to feed...soon. Every day he looked worse and worse; his skin grew paler almost taking on a sickly pasty color, as if he were a corpse. His silver eyes were more sunken in and he looked exhausted. He was running out of energy from no blood quickly, and I'm sure if he didn't feed soon he was going to die.

Which is why after another failed attempt at trying to feed Friday afternoon I stomped over to his house Saturday afternoon with determination. He was going to drink today. Even if I had to force it down his throat myself.

I knocked on the front door and waited impatiently for him to answer it. When he finally did I glared at him.

"You're feeding today," I stated coolly. "Whether you want to or not you're drinking blood. Even if I have to make you."

He sighed, looking down at the floor as he stepped out of his house and closed and locked the door behind him.

We walked to the forest; he had no energy left inside him to run. As it were, walking seemed to be a struggle. I let him lean on me as we walked to the forest in silence before we went inside.

"You're not leaving this forest until you drink something," I said sternly.

"I can try again tomorrow," he said tiredly, rubbing his eyes.

"Austin you can't go on like this," I hissed, "You look like a walking corpse; you need blood. If you don't drink you're going to die. Do you want to die?"

He flinched at my harsh tone but I didn't care; my patience was wearing thin. He needed to drink. It didn't matter that he loathed the idea. He had to. Or else I was going to lose him. And after last time...I couldn't take it.

"No," he said, looking at me with half open eyes, "I don't want to die. I just..." he shook his head, "Never mind. I'll see you later."

With that he turned and stumbled off while I watched after him. I sighed before I jogged off to my clearing.

Once I was Changed I took off, trying to burn off all my restless energy while keeping my mind occupied from the fact that I was still alone. I chased after random animals, learning their scents and movements and sounds for a long while before I went to find Austin. I peered through the bushes quietly, staying downwind so I wouldn't startle him in case he'd found something.

I was shocked to find him with a wounded fox. I watched silently, feeling horrible. The fox was clearly in pain and blood was oozing from his side. I knew Austin hadn't done that; there were claw marks through its side.

Austin was shaking, cradling the wounded fox in his arms, eyes closed as he shook.

"I'm sorry," he whispered brokenly, voice cracking as he stroked the fox's auburn fur.

I saw him dip his head down while the fox let out a horrible whine like noise so filled with pain it made my heart twist. I saw his lips part and I wished with all my heart that he would do it; bite the fox and drain it, just to put it out of its misery.

It would be good deed; not something to guilty about. He would be helping the fox and that wasn't something that was.

But then he pulled away, hand over his mouth as he cradled the fox with his other arm. His eyes were squeezed shut tightly while the fox continued to whine pitifully, tugging on my heart strings. Austin tried again, getting close enough to bite before he pulled away. I watched him do it a few times, his own body trembling while the fox's cries got weaker and weaker.