"Predatory"

The scent of blood hung in the air like a fog, and I inhaled it deeply, savoring the rich depth of her fear. She was close, yes. I'd wounded her but she was still moving faster than I could keep up. Oh, this prey was sneaky, worthy, and the end would be worth the long pursuit. I loped across the forest floor , following the strong aroma that filled my senses, firing my fervor into a frenzy. it would be easy to make a mistake, to let myself get too overcome with predatory instinct to lose sight of the main goal. But, no, i held on, kept myself in check as the darkness lit up by an explosion, the sound deafening me momentarily and throwing me off balance. I crashed into a pile of dead leaves, crunching them beneath my lupine form. I shook my head, getting my bearings and my hearing back, and looked around. Everywhere I looked, fire, big, roaring flames were devouring the trees, laying waste with heat and light to everything it touched. I looked into the heart, squinting, and could barely make out a delicate female form deep within. I growled and snarled, still able to smell her over the ash that now swirled into the air, nearly choking me. I knew that i was too late, and that her inner flame had awakened. The forest around was her victim, and I knew i was next if i did not get out of there. But, no. I had a task to complete. She would be coming back with me, alive or otherwise, and now I knew why I'd been warned of the dangers when i accepted this mission.

The ones who's come to hire me knew of my special gift. They offered plenty of cash, more than I usually charge, which should have thrown up a red flag. But, i needed a challenge. The last few had barely gotten my fur up, and I really needed to let the beast out for a while. I decided to go all out on this one, even though it was just bringing a woman "home" who'd gotten a little too...shall we say wanderlusty. I'd managed to track her down easy enough, but the last two hours had lead me on a merry chase, and I couldn't have been happier. Well, until she went all burny just now. I could feel her heat getting closer, the temperature steadily growing almost unbearable. She'd be right on me soon. Hopefully, i could get my teeth into her before she turned me into a pile of cinders. Her perfume had been vaporized by the fire, but I could still get a faint whiff of it through the rest of the char. She was so close i could feel the dirty grey fur on my arms starting to ignite in little wisps, quick little fuses burning down to my arm with a gentle "fft". If I stayed much longer, I'd be a crispy critter...