Thank you so much to @squirrelflight1010 for the amazing cover art! So yeah, as I said before, I am only doing chapters when I feel like it, so here is chapter 2 of TWW! Sorry for doing it so late, I didn't have any ideas for the chapter, but I've finally plucked up the motivation to do it so yeah enjoy I guess- Lupo's back was pressed against the cold, grey wall at the back of his cage. He licked his still-painful jaws and winced, watching as a small droplet of blood dropped onto the newspaper below him, flowering out like a blood red rose. It had been many high-suns since he had attempted escape, and his jaw still sung with pain, and his heart stung with humiliation. He could still hear the echoing taunts of the humans ringing in his pointed ears, their cruel smirks, their glinting, intelligent eyes filled with malice. One of his ears pricked, and his whiskers quivered. He slowly, cautiously got to his feet, shaking out his ruffled fur. He could hear the humans' heavy feet thudding about outside his cage, as usual, but this time, they were closer to his cage than usual. Too close for comfort. His hackles stood on end, and his throat vibrated with a low, vicious snarl. Lupo crouched lower to the ground, his ears twitching. He could see the heavy leather boots of the humans just outside his cage, and could feel the occasional vibrations through his paw pads as an emphatic hand struck his cage roof. He could just about make out what the humans were saying through the normal thumps and clamours and barks of the breeding place. "We should take the mutt to the vet, she'd fix that jaw up in a jiffy," one the the humans rumbled from above Lupo. "Nah, I say we leave 'im. He'll heal up in time," the other human argued, his foot tapping the ground impatiently. "We can't just leave 'im!" the other growled again, and Lupo shrank back against the cage wall. He had to stay out of sight. He didn't know what the humans were planning, but it couldn't be good. Nothing they planned was good. Nothing at all. "What if 'e gets infected? 'E's one of our strongest, most expensive wolfdogs, what'd happen if he got infected? Nobody wants to buy a wolfdog like that. Imagine the bills! I say we'd take 'im now before he gets like that." The first human snarled, his hand striking Lupo's cage again. Lupo's nose twitched. What's the 'vet'? He wondered uneasily, scuffing the newspaper with one paw and watching as it ruffled in a stray draft. Whatever it is, it can't be good, he decided. I have to try and not draw attention to myself. He pressed himself hard against the wall at the back of his cage, his tail tucked between his legs and his golden eyes narrowed. The humans were moving around outside of his cage now, still rumbling to each other. One bent down on his long, gangly legs to grab a chain collar from the tall metal pole that hunched in the corner of the main room, gathering dust. Lupo watched uneasily, shifting from paw to paw, and trying not to drool in pain as his jaw gave another painful pulse and another droplet of blood spattered onto the newspaper. The second human was moving across the room, his strides deliberate and strong. Lupo realised with a jolt that he was headed straight for the mysterious door, the door that the old wolfdog on the chain had gone into. And never come out of. The human banged on the door, muttering human curses under his breath. After a few hard thumps on the white, glossy door, the door creaked open, and Lupo shivered in fear. He wanted to disappear, to dissolve into the cold grey wall behind him... There was a female human, tall and ominous, wearing a flapping white coat. Her dark blue eyes sparked intelligently, just like all the other humans' did, but there was something other in her gaze. Not the cruel spark of the normal humans', but something gentler. Kinder. But she's still human! Lupo remined himself, curling his lip over his bloody fangs. She supports what the other humans do to us! She is as bad as the others. The human on the other side of the door, the 'vet', Lupo guessed, spoke in a slow, soft voice, and she winced as if intimidated whenever the aggressive human talked to her. "Bring him right in." The last statement was clearer and more co-ordinated than her last, inaudible sentances. The first human was now walking back to Lupo's cage, his steps heavy and purposeful, just like the other humans'. The chain jangled with every step that he took, and Lupo shivered, pressing himself even harder into the wall, his legs shaking with the strain of shoving to no extent. The second human was moving over to Lupo's cage as well, his big strides quickly bringing him over to Lupo's cage. Lupo crouched down at the back of the cage, hoping the shadows would hide him. His chest heaved in fear and his tongue lolled from his swollen jaw. The first human's pink, flabby hand clasped onto the cage's bars, and he lowered himself carefully to Lupo's level. (continued in notes and credits)
His deep, dark brown eyes sought out Lupo among the shadows gathered at the back of the cage. Lupo's tail twitched with stress, and the human's eyes locked onto his bushy tail, and then travelled up Lupo's body to rivet into Lupo's own, amber eyed, frightened gaze. The human grinned, exposing his jagged, yellowed teeth. He's seen me! Lupo howled inwardly. He'll take me to the white door! I'll never come out! I'll be like that poor, old wolfdog! Oh, Lupus, help me! The human's thin, clever fingers fiddled with the lock on Lupo's door, undoing the bolts and twisting a golden key through the lock. At last, the lock clattered to the floor, and the door slowly swung open. The human snaked the chain through the opening at the front of the cage, and his eyes glinted maliciously. Lupo's heart thumped in panic. He could see the second human crouched behind the first, carelessly picking bits of food out of his teeth. He couldn't fight his way out. If he managed to get past the first human, the second would surely get him. Lupo flashed his whites, desperate to show the humans he submitted, that they didn't have to do this. But the first human did not stop. If anything, he looked encouraged by Lupo's display of terror, and his wary hand moved quicker, more confident. As the chain snaked closer and closer, rattling like a snake, with the same message of death, Lupo felt his waxy hackles spring on end and a low, rumbling snarl vibrate in his throat. He would not go down without a fight. He stiffened his legs, his eyes locking onto the humans'. He forced as much hatred and aggression into his golden glower as he could, and saw the human hesitate. A small bead of sweat dribbled down his brow. Yes! Lupo thought triumphantly. Be scared, mere human! Be scared! "Hey, Conner, can you catch the mutt for me?" the first human asked, turning his head around for a second to look at the second human, who brushed a mop of brown hair out of his eyes. " 'Ight, I'll do it," the second human said lazily, beginning to get up, and stretch out his gangly legs. "Gimme me the chain." As the first human turned to hand the second human the chain, Lupo took his chance. He lunged at the first human, slaver flying from his swollen jaw, and sunk his blood-stained fangs as deep as he could into the humans' hand. "OW! YOU MANGY MUTT!" the human roared, trying to tear his hand away from Lupo. Lupo snarled in hatred, his eyes flashing. He tried to let go, but somehow, something within him, something superior to his 'dog' side arose within him, blocking out all other. The Wilderness Within. Lupo sank his fangs in deeper into the human's skin as the human screamed in agony, he could feel blood pooling under his jaw. The humans' mixed with his. The second human's eyes had widened, and he picked up the heavy chain. Lupo's eyes flicked up in alarm, and he tried to wrench himself free, fear dominating all other, but it was too late. The second human kicked out at Lupo's flank, ripping his fangs from the first human, and flung the chain around his neck, tightening it agonisingly, so hard that Lupo choked in pain. Lupo was trapped. This took ages to write. It took over an hour I-
