The Mooshkah felt physically stronger once he left the town

and the lights behind.

     Where the Hairless One’s lights had been fire the moonlight

was moisture on his skin.

     At the building with the cages he had taken a small white dog that had been slower than the others in escaping. Its horrid white hair stunk and stuck in his teeth so he took only its guts and heart as nourishment… which was lucky for the small Hairless One he knew was following him. He had caught its scent and seen the strange red light pointed his way as he left the building and made his way back into the canyon again. He had been hoping the young Hairless One would continue to follow him so he could eat it when he grew hungry again, but it had stopped following him as he left the town. 

     The small dog had been enough nutrition though for he had made good time into the mountain’s valley down which the water flowed.

     He had not seen a house nor any sign of the Hairless Ones for some time now and the forest was getting thicker and older… the trees reassuring giants that created plenty of shadows to slip through. Despite his still throbbing head the Mooshkah recognised the valley as the very same one he had fled down on that horrible, burning night. The memory of the thrilling kill he and his brother had made  surged into his mind, and with it his blood rose... and his hunger came back. He should have taken his young pursuer when he had the chance.

     A sound reached his ears and he froze, ears swivelling, trying to pinpoint its source. A faint electronic squealing at the edge of his hearing. It annoyed him greatly. He had been enjoying the quiet of the night and here were more Hairless Ones disturbing it. Ghosting through the trees that followed the creek he soon saw a glow… dropping low he snuck in close.

     The glow came from a small square on the shiny wall of some kind of dwelling on wheels. Light also came from an open door in its side. In front of the door were two Hairless Ones crouching over some sticks. The sound was coming from inside the strange dwelling on wheels. It was much louder now and tingled at his throbbing head in its shrillness.

     There was a tiny flash which lit up the faces of the two… both males, one younger and smaller. They were trying to light a fire. 

     The Mooshkah snarled, the memory of the last fire he had experienced burning in his mind. He hated fires!

     The older male stood, said something and moved off to the back of the dwelling, out of the light.

     He was not particularly hungry yet but coming across these Hairless Ones… just when he had been enjoying the dark quiet, and seeing them trying to build a fire angered him. Quickly he backed away and swung wide through the trees towards where the older Hairless One had gone.

     His night eyes easily saw where it was, its hands unfastening a large yellow container of some kind. He quietly rose onto his hind legs and was close enough to take its head when new sounds from inside the dwelling gave him pause.

     Voices! 

     There were more Hairless Ones… two, by the sound of it… females. One shouted something to which the male replied, lifting the container and moving back into the light. The female that had shouted laughed and the younger one giggled.

     Returning to where they were trying to light the fire the male touched the younger male’s shoulder to make it stand and began pouring liquid from the container onto the sticks.

     The smell of the flowing liquid was unbearable to the Mooshkah’s sensitive nose… instantly reminding him of the smells from the town, but harsher, and stronger this close. Toxic fumes tainted the clean night forest air, which the Hairless Ones seemed to not even notice let alone care about. The Mooshkah felt a growl begin deep in the pit of his stomach. He stepped around the corner, into the light, but the two Hairless Ones were too engrossed in what they were doing to notice him.

     One bent, lowering an arm towards the sticks.

     The Mooshkah stepped closer, ready to strike.

     There was an explosion of light and sound, which instantly blinded the Mooshkah and made the Hairless Ones jump, the younger screaming in laughter. From inside the dwelling there was another shout and more laughter from the males. 

     Slowly his vision returned and the Mooshkah could see the two males were patting each other on the back and smiling down at the bright flames. Fire!

     The Mooshkah felt his skin burn in empathy with the flaming wood and his blood boiled.

     He growled. A sound that froze the two males instantly.

     There was a scared, enquiring shout from inside the dwelling and the older male turned to face him. Its mouth dropped open and its eyes widened to large circles as a wet stain appeared on its crotch. The Mooshkah wrinkled his nose at the new stench and lashed out with one massive paw, sending its head flying and the body falling into the flames. The smaller male tried to catch the body but failed and it instantly doused the flames with its mass.

     The young one tried to scream then but nothing came out. It turned to run but the Mooshkah was faster, ripping its body apart in one heave of boiling rage. Holding both halves in each hand, he threw back his head and howled a challenge to the world that echoed off the ridges and mountainside.

     As the howl faded he lowered his head and became aware of screaming from inside the wheeled dwelling. He looked around and saw the door had been closed… as if that mattered.

     With one swipe he tore it off and flung it into the trees, almost pulling over the wheeled dwelling in the process. He poked his head inside and saw a small Hairless female struggling through a window, a larger one pushing and urging it on to greater efforts. It swung its head to stare at him in abject terror, its mouth wide open and screaming. 

     The smaller one fell through and disappeared. No matter, he will catch it later. 

     He squeezed his immense bulk into the door and saw the older female was holding what looked like a long, shiny claw. It was pointing it at him, still screaming, but this time with its brow furrowed in terrified determination. Distantly, he admired its willingness to put up a fight but forced himself the rest of the way in regardless. 

     He had such a claw on each one of his fingers.

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