A Patronising Wolf Lady and A Mad Monster
"It's rather unfair of you to get ahead of us, don't you think?" A new voice rang out, dripping with an old-fashioned lady-boss authority.
Alex whipped around, eyes scanning the rooftops. There, emerging from the morning light, was another enigmatic figure. This time, it was unmistakably a woman, her silhouette sharp and commanding. Unlike Crawson, she stood clearly in the sunlight, her presence undeniable and every bit as intimidating.
With a balletic leap, the woman launched herself from the rooftop, defying gravity with her movements. She formed a stark silhouette against the morning light as she descended onto the street below with a feather-light touch. Turning towards the group, she walked towards them with a commanding catwalk, her every step a testament to her regal bearing and commanding presence.
As the woman approached, Alex couldn't help but be fascinated by her unique features. Her hair, a thick, fuzzy black, cascaded down to her waist like a dark, flowing waterfall, contrasting with the fluffy wolf ears that peeked out from it. Her eyes, a captivating shade of orange, glowed dimly, adding to her air of authority. Her facial features were striking, with high cheekbones, a delicate nose, and full lips that enhanced her enchanting appearance. Her every movement, from how she held herself to how she walked, exuded a sense of dominance and allure.
She was adorned in a high-collared blue bodice that accentuated her figure, boasting intricate gold detailing that wound around the edges in a mesmerising, eye-catching pattern. A heart-shaped cutout at the chest added a touch of vulnerability and allure. The bodice extended down to the waist, where it flared out into a split skirt. Long sleeves adorned with gold bands at the upper arms and cuffs echoed the motifs on the bodice, and the fabric draped gracefully to her hands, functioning as fingerless gloves. She also wore shorts that continued the blue and gold theme of the bodice, along with elaborate gold-patterned leggings resembling delicate vines cascading down her legs, ending at her tabi boots. A bronze belt cinched her waist, with several tools resembling makeshift shuriken and kunai hanging from it.
Each detail of her attire spoke of power and grace, making her presence both captivating and formidable.
"Caw. Well, if it isn't the patronising commander of the shapeshifting narcissists. Quite uncouth of you to interrupt a gentlemanly conversation, don't you think?" Crawson's voice dripped with hostility as he addressed the wolf lady.
"Hmph, coming from the bird-brained, credit-for-eyes avian who always cuts ahead of the crowd. We had an agreement on this, Crawson," the wolf lady, Ookami, retorted, equally hostile.
"Caw caw caw. Have we ever honoured agreements with each other, Lady Kurokami? You know the rules of our game. The first crow to move is never the hungry crow," Crawson sarcastically replied, refusing to back down.
Ookami, visibly annoyed, smirked patronisingly at Crawson before turning her attention to Alex, bowing with intentional charm. "A pleasure to meet you, Alex. My name would be Aoi Kurokami. I am but a humble leader to my community, the diverse but united Shifters."
"Uh, likewise, Miss Kurokami," Alex responded.
The wolf lady, Aoi, approached Alex and gently took his hand in hers, her touch attempting to convey a sense of affection and faith. With subtle undertones of seduction, she praised him, her words laced with hints of admiration and temptation. "Oh, please, do simply call me Aoi, Alex," she said, her fingers lightly tracing along Alex's palm as she spoke.
"I sense great power within you. I believe you're more capable than you realise, and we Shifters can help you explore that further," Aoi continued, her hand lingering on Alex's, "If you'd just give us a chance..."
Strangely, Alex didn't feel nervous around Aoi. Instead, he sensed an underlying agenda in her actions, as if she were coaxing him into something. The unease grew, and he glanced at Lydia for support, only to find her pouting, a storm of jealousy in her eyes. Beside her, Linda was silently laughing, her shoulders shaking with barely contained amusement.
Finding no help, Alex forced his best diplomatic response. "Uh, I appreciate the offer…"
"Oh, please, don't be so formal. You simply must visit us! In fact, I can take you there right now…" Aoi insisted, her tone aggressive and unrelenting.
"Alex! Watch out!" Lydia suddenly screamed.
Alex turned just in time to see an axe hurtling towards him, spinning wildly through the air. His heart lurched as he instinctively threw himself to the ground, feeling the rush of air as it narrowly missed him. Aoi reacted with astonishing agility, flipping backwards to evade it. The axe struck the ground with a thud, quivering where it landed, and a laughing voice that dripped with madness echoed throughout the air.
"AHAHA! HAHAHA! GOOD DODGE!" the deranged voice cackled boisterously.
"What in the world?!" Alex cried out, his heart pounding. He struggled to regain his composure, his eyes darting frantically as he searched for the source of the chaos.
Emerging from the shadows of a nearby alleyway across the street, a monstrous figure stood at a hunched six feet, his gaunt frame riddled with grotesque mutations. His body looked sickly and bore countless scars and stitches, and it looked as if he was put together with different body parts. Milky and sightless, his right eye contrasted starkly with his left, which glowed an eerie green as if it was radiating poison. Still, it burned with an enthusiasm that spoke of unspeakable horror, a relentless will to live at any cost. Clusters of coarse hair sprouted sporadically from his scalp, scattered with bald, scabbed patches. His mouth is twisted into a permanent sneer, revealing teeth intentionally sharpened to points, more by interference than natural growth. A deep, ragged scar ran from his temple, down his cheek, and disappeared beneath a rusted metal collar.
On his neck hung a string of crude talismans made from bone, metal, and other unidentifiable materials, seemingly meant as a collection of trophies to intimidate his opponents. They clinked softly with each motion, a grim symphony of his violent existence. Around his waist, a belt of braided wire and leather held an assortment of pouches and makeshift holsters, each containing a variety of tools and weapons. Some were recognisable—knives, a rusted pistol—while others were more primitive, fashioned from bone and scrap metal. His pants looked like they were military issues, but they now were a patchwork of different fabrics reinforced with leather strips and metal plates. His legs were mismatched in length from a half-healed break, giving his step a swaying quality, making him appear to stalk rather than walk.
Behind him walked several people of smaller builds, but all of them were of similar ferocity. They were also riddled with grotesque mutations and dressed as if they had come out of an apocalyptic movie, boasting the same look the monstrous figure had.
"AHAHA!!! Well, well, fresh meat's a feisty one, ya?" the monster cackled menacingly and continued with a maddened look in his working eye, "But we like feisty! Especially ones that don't die easily!"
"Urgh! Scarface! You could have cut my face clean off, you crazy bastard!" Aoi screamed angrily and pointed at the monstrous figure. "We freaking had an agreement, and none of you kept it!"
"BAHAHAHA! Who cares about stupid agreements when we see treasure?! We do it the usual way! BEAT EACH OTHER UP AND GET IT BEFORE IT GETS GET!"