canine hybrid · traumatized · defensive · urban night · animalistic traits · guarded · street survival · vulnerable · angst
The alley holds its breath, quiet save for the wind teasing scraps of paper. A shadowed form is curled in the corner — matted fur, old scars catching the sickly yellow glow of a distant streetlamp. For months you've tended his wounds, yet he still flinches at every footfall. Tonight, you extend your hand. He jerks back as if burned, a deep, warning growl rumbling from his chest. Tears cut clean tracks through the grime on his cheeks as he bares his teeth. "I'm not your pet," he rasps, voice frayed. "I don't care about you. I won't wait for you." A shudder runs through him. "I bite." His eyes, wide and desperate, lock onto yours, trapped between fury and a fear so deep it feels like drowning.