Fangs And Claws [Night Creatures]

Chapter Three: Strange Vampires and Letters

-chapter three-

The fire crackled under the afternoon sun, embers and sparks flying. Dalawang rabbit ang kasalukuyang iniinit ko.

"Ang ganda, Sylvian! Saan ba 'yan?"

"It was when my fangs fully grew, Remus. Mama said we celebrate in Japan so we did!"

I turned the roasted rabbit around, watching the two boys bicker. They're sitting on a log, looking at Sylvian's phone as he showed his pictures. Remus' eyes are shining in wonder and curiosity. Sobrang naaaliw siya sa teknolohiyang mayroon ang kaibigan.

Sylvian glanced at him, giving his phone and letting the young wolf scroll through the pictures. Sunod niya akong tiningnan gamit ang nagtatanong na mata.

"You don't own phones?"

"We do." sagot ko't ibinigay sa kaniya ang lutong rabbit. "But we don't use it a lot. We're rather... traditional in our ways. Mas gusto ng pack na maging malapit sa kalikasan, kaysa magdelve sa technology."

Thirteen years have already passed and technology has advanced. It was more prominent on the humans' side because of their never-ending curiosity and intelligence. The other species followed, interested in the proposal of easy and convenient living.

Our pack didn't blink at that.

Mayroon pa rin naman kaming phone o computer siyempre. Ngunit nagagamit lang iyon kapag kailangan o lalabas. Here, in the Compound, no one uses them. Although we can shift into humans, we're full wolves and so we want nature more than anything else. We want to be close to it more than anything else.

Kaya nga siguro'y kilala kami bilang primitive at overly-traditional.

"Ehh. Remus. Remus! You don't know games?"

Remus looked up from where he was smiling. "Games? I know them. Naglalaro kami sa Compound minsan kung sino ay may pinakamaraming hunt o sinong pinakamalakas. No one's ever beaten me!"

I raised a brow at that, handing another roast rabbit to Remus, who devoured them without a second thought. Samantalang si Sylvian naman ay nagdadalawang-isip pa kung kakagat o hindi.

"No. I meant games here on the phone."

"You can play hunt on the phone?! Amazing!"

"No, no. We're not going to hunt on the phone. Ito, pakita ko sa'yo."

I sighed and looked at the array of rabbits on my feet, letting the two boys play something. Gusto ko sanang makipagkuwentuhan sa kanila para maignora ko ang pagtitig sa'kin, but they're busy. So I counted the rabbits in my feet. Maraming nakuha si Remus kasi nasanay na siya. I should just bring the excess home, para may ebidensiyang naghuhunt nga kami.

I picked up a rabbit with two holes on its neck. Oh, but I should probably leave Sylvian's rabbit. Magtataka sila kung bakit walang dugo na ang hayop at kung naging bampira na kami ni Remus.

"Hala, hala, hala! Oh! Anong ibig sabihin ng K.O., Sylvian?"

"Knock-Out! Yey! Natalo natin siya, Remus. Next, we're going up against an undefeated champion..."

My ears perked up when I heard a branch was stepped on. Kasunod nito ay kaluskos sa damo at paggalaw ng mga dahon na dinaanan. Then, the smell hit. A musky and meaty scent courted my nose, signalling a delicious prey was close.

My eyes glowed gold as I slowly turned to the smell. I could perfectly see it. The prey was standing on a pile of leaves, nose to the ground as it looked for food. The leaves beside rustled as it moved along the path, heading towards the riverbank.