The Lycaetos

Chapter 3: Dragging Dead Bodies

I was near the man-made river which flowed through the city. The smell of blood filled my nostrils, leading me here. I dived in, using my wings to torpedo to the bottom. The deeper I swam, the more I could feel the disgusting scent of rotting flesh fluttering against my fur in this already putrid water. Finally I reached it.

I snapped down gently on an arm. Carefully swimming back up.

These are my nightly adventures. Finding dead bodies. Meant to be hidden from the world. Dragging them to where everyone could see them.

Helping to find them justice. Justice my parents never got.

The hardest part is breaking the surface. Then the full weight of the body and the added "sinkers" really tested me. I was strong, but not always as strong as I'd like. This body was definitely of a rather heavy man. It made it far more stressful. I couldn't tear anything or leave any post mortem marks, otherwise it would make it harder on the cops. So I doggy paddled along the edge of the river, out of sight. Heading toward a spot I could pull the body directly up. A spot near a park that looked and smelled to be deserted. Not even a homeless person around. Along with that, I had to control myself from gagging at the smell. Now above the surface and much stronger than before. Luckily my gag reflex didn't work the same in this form.

The body and I finally made it to land. I was soaked through my coat; the fur weighed me down like I had eaten bricks.  As I let go of the body so it could lay on the ground, I trotted my feet slightly. Regardless of the struggle, it was worth it. The poor man looked to have been beaten to death. At least I think, that part's not really my job so I'll try not to speculate too much.  The smell hit me again. I stepped back a few feet. Shaking my face. I couldn't shake the rest of my coat, for fear of tainting anything. It was then a different scent filled my nostrils.

The smell of salt suffocated my breathing. A reflective growl left my lips.

Something growled back.

I turned quickly in a defensive stance, expecting a dog I could scare away. Instead I got a wolf, with wings. Like me. This is a first.

We're not the same though. This winged wolf, he's three times the size of me. Oh and did I mention his teeth were larger than my claws? Before shock could set in, the instinct to run filled me to my core. Wait how did I know he was he?! My sense of smell must be amazing.

A howl that sounded more like a roar snarled through his teeth.  His pitch black fur was flushed back ready to lunge at me. And then he lunged. Ready to rip my throat out it seems.

But the body. Quick think!

I ran toward him, instead of away. He turned in response, faster than I anticipated. His jaw made contact with my leg, but I was more stealthy. He gauged out just a little bit of the thigh. I converted the yelp begging to come out into a loud growl and tilted slightly, swinging my paw into his face. It didn't even make a scratch, but it did give him the opportunity to pin me down. I did what I could to escape, but he was far stronger than I.

Snarling still, he snapped down at me. Yet he never bit my throat. Just getting spit in my face. Fuck this shit. If he won't take the opportunity I sure as hell will. The next time he snapped down I snapped too. Biting his teeth with my own. We fought like this for a moment. As I pushed further and to the left and right still having his teeth trapped within my own, his balance became noticeably off for just a second. A second was all I needed.

I swung the full force of my body around pushing him to the ground. With me now on top. Ignoring the pain in my now bad leg, I pushed up with all limbs and took off in a rapid flight. Terrified suddenly as I flew higher and higher, then away. He ran below following me, but not using his wings. Eventually I lost him once I got closer to the forest. Almost home. It turns out I was bleeding a bit more than I thought.

Next thing I knew I was crashing into my room.