It was rather early and the first golden hues of dawn, had just begun to accent the sky. Frost clung to blades of grass, as well as various other forms of plant life. Dew that had formed quickly froze, before evidence of the approaching sunrise, could even get a chance to greet it with radiance and warmth. A tremendous chill that came in the dead of the night, saw to that and in spite of the bright, new day beginning, the temperature was still relatively cold. Yet, that did not hinder anything or make this morn, any less majestic. If anything, it added to the wonder, for the slight accumulation of icy highlights on the greenery, glistened like shimmering crystals. Making for a perfectly, picturesque morrow. Everything was quiet, tranquil and traffic was sparse at best. Coupling considerably well with the climate, thus creating quite the atmosphere.


Awake at this hour, Nathaniel Idenhaus took the opportunity to go for a run, all alone with nothing more than silence and his own thoughts, accompanying him. Feet pounding the pavement, Nathaniel moved with expeditious precision. Fully fixated on the shit going on in his head. This was one of the ways that he sorted himself out and gained perspective. From the time he was very young, long before he had an interest in mass genocide and world domination, and the concept of being a werewolf was nothing more than fantasy, this is how he coped with stress. Years later, he still upheld this practice of self induced therapy, with the exception that when he found himself at the edge of a nearby forest, he couldn't help himself... he had to transform. This was a different sort of a remedy though, while his previous bipedal sprints came with internal analysis, this was nothing more than freedom and absolute release. When Nathaniel allowed the wolf within, sweet abandon and free reign. On a morning such as this one, he had the ability to indulge the need of the beast and let go completely. A whole new version of cathartic healing that involved zero thinking at all and he loved it.


Racing through the woods, limbs speeding beside his body and all four feet barely touching the ground, he was truly free...


Unfortunately.


Subsequent several moments afterwards, it became abundantly obvious, he was not alone and that's when it hit him, an overpowering stench of decomposition.


On instant defense, he darted his head about and spun around, yet he saw nothing. Totally by himself and not properly prepared for a wendigo attack, panic set in. Even in wolf form. An occurrence that he immediately knew was a mistake. He couldn't help it though, he did damn near, almost die after that foul entity, ripped his body asunder. That's not something someone simply shakes off and forgets and for Nathaniel, it came soaring back to his thoughts, fresh and vivid in detail. It was like it happened, yesterday! Swift survival instincts followed, along with the vow to stay alive for his son, Grey helped guide him to the decision to flee and live to fight another day, when he was better prepared for battle and he bolted. Traveling faster than he ever had before on foot; in human or wolf form, he fucking flew without wings.


Nathaniel nearly made it to the edge of the trees and then, the wendigo struck. It dropped down from overhead branches and charged, lunging claws first at Nathaniel. They scarcely missed shredding into his flesh. Nathaniel tossed himself off to the side at the last second and rolled, then dashed off in another direction. Averting and switching up the pattern of his movements, opposed to staying on a direct, continuous course, till he felt it was safe. Nathaniel veered straight and careened forward. Right into the withered, putrescent, abhorrent creature! His entire form crashed into it! And bounced backwards onto the forest floor. What??? But how does that make sense?!?! How was that possible? Confused, Nathaniel jumped up from the ground, scurried around and attempted to hurry away, only to discover a second wendigo! Beyond bewildered was an understatement, Nathaniel swerved left and got greeted by the sight of a third! And a fourth!


It was too late and he was doomed to his sealed fate, there were too many wendigos to fend off solo. The evil entities advanced and unleashed a vicious onslaught of epic proportions, regardless of his valiant struggle to ward off their assault, Nathaniel Idenhaus was torn apart. Slaughtered, in the most vile and unholy manner, he witnessed it all. Even when there wasn't anything left for him to do but watch it play out, almost as though he were viewing a program on television because by then, he was nothing more than a pile of bloody mush, slivers of flesh and shattered bones...


...And then, he sat up with a jolt. In bed! At home!


In the darkness of his bedroom, he gasped for air, wide eyed and attempted to calm himself. It was a nightmare, he understood that as truth but it was so real, even the parts that wouldn't make sense for him to observe, he watched in horror. Almost as if something invaded his mind and it was a warning, foreshadowing his fate, should he continue his quest to kill a wendigo. Either that or his past experience fucked him in the head, worse than he realized and now, his own mind was messing with him. Good lord. That's all he needed. Sighing, he reached off to the side and removed a cigarette from a pack, located on his bedside table. Then fired it up, with the aid of a black, metallic zippo, took a drag and just about set the bed on fire, when Sasha startled the crap out of him by simply touching his arm and not saying anything first. Fortunately, that did not occur and Nathaniel thwarted that disaster with a small sum of water from a glass that had been obtained off of the table by the bed, releasing an exasperated sigh, he placed his attention on Sasha and shook his head. Thereupon he laughed, provoking her to do the same.


"Jumpy much?"


"Not at all, I thought you were asleep and I wasn't expecting you to reach out like that in the dark, my mind was on other things, that's all."


"Uh-huh. There was no other reason? And before you consider lying, remember who I am, where we are and what bond we share that prevents you from ever deceiving me and getting away with it."


"Oh good, you have been researching werewolves, that is... awesome."


Heavy emphasis on the final word, Nathaniel's accent bled through, not a common occurrence. Usually only happened when he was frustrated... or drunk.


"And talking to Azrael."


"Even better."


He stated with sarcasm.


"Az has been alive for a long time and is sort of an expert on all things that exist... outside of the box, so to speak. You're the one that encouraged me to research our kind. So I sought out his vast wisdom as a means to obtain information."


Nathaniel sighed and his tone softened.


"I know, I didn't anticipate that I'd be finding out in this fashion though or learn that you've been having gossip sessions with the spaceman, I'm kind of frazzled at the moment."


"From what..."


"A nightmare. It's silly... stupid, I don't know..."


His voiced trailed off to nothing.


"So you were jumpy?"


"Yes."


"Wow. That must have been some fucking nightmare cause I have never seen you skittish."


"Not anything I couldn't handle or that was overly exceptional."


He lied.


"It's cause I literally had just woken up from it, when that happened, I'm fine now."


"You sure?"


"Yeah, I'm good."


Quick grin.


"Although, I could be better."


"Really and how do you propose that improvement?"


With a smirk, Nathaniel moved over closer to Sasha and whispered.


"I'd rather show over tell."


Sasha giggled and the two shared a kiss, lowering back onto the bed; however, as he slid over her something made him chance a brief glimpse to the window, where he could have sworn he seen a pair of sunken in, glowing, unblinkingly evil, yellow eyes. One quick breath and he forced himself to shut his eyes, when they shot open, there was nothing looking in the window. Pushing the sight far from his thoughts, he kissed Sasha again and let himself get lost in the distraction. Choosing to forget, over focus, regardless if what he saw was real or he was going insane. It didn't matter, he was not going to show weakness again. He had no time for such things. At least, that's what he told himself, with immense conviction, so strong, he even tricked himself into believing it was true.

---

"Well, here we are... High Stakes! Nathaniel Idenhaus vs Centurion! Did you see how that asshole acted after challenging me? After I had to track that man down. Okay, I didn't have to track him down, per se but I wanted to let him know, I got his message. That I heard his provocations, I accepted his request and who doesn't like the hands on approach? It just gives everything that special touch, you can't relay with a text."


"Really, he should be thanking me cause I made an actual effort, I even waited for him to finish his card game. I didn't have to do that. I could have fucked up his last hand and you know he would have lost all those winnings because those shifty freaks that he was playing cards with, would have run off with them while he was getting his ass kicked. He could have been bruised, bloody and broke. Instead I was patient and waited. I wanted to attack him when he was paying attention. Not when he was all distracted. And he responds by trying to choke me? Was he for real? Like I don't carry a loaded weapon at all times. I was only agreeing to fight him at High Stakes and he loses his mind."


"Based on his response, he's clearly letting his temper control his actions, not the best approach during a fight. He also seems to be obsessed with proving I'm a Nazi... come on, get a hobby you lunatic. What's next Cent, are you going to hire someone to start stalking me? Has it come to that yet? Fine. Do as you will. I have nothing to hide. Leave my son out of it though, I don't want to have to kill you and if you bring him into this insanity, you will regret it cause it'll be the very last thing you do, on this Earthly plain."


"Lets discuss the bout at High Stakes, shall we? A Texas Bullrope Match. That makes sense, since we're fighting in Arizona and neither of us, looks like a cowboy or even hails from Texas. Centurion and I, are going to be tethered to each other by a rope, with a cowbell in the middle of it. Who thought a guy from Atlantic City, New Jersey fighting a man from Berlin, Germany like we're a pair of cattle ranchers having a dispute, was a good idea? What am I doing here, trying to use logic? Expecting things to make sense? I suppose it has finally happened, I've lost my mind cause that is the definition of madness, doing the same thing, precisely the same way and expecting different results. Why am I still pointing out absurd things like that matters? I'm only wasting my breath on deaf ears and ignorant minds. Nothing will change, I'm merely trapped in an endless loop. Riding on a carousel that needs to be desperately, unplugged."


"Moving on..."


"Fuck it. If the powers that be want to see Centurion and I, tied together with a rope and a bell, so be it. Link us together, tie a knot in that rope and secure a cowbell. You think that it's going to impede me cause I won't be able to transform into a wolf or risk breaking the rope. Nein. I'm also not a stranger to restriction, I am German, after all. It's why I have a higher tolerance for pain and can go without oxygen longer. Why else do you think I was so calm, when Centurion was choking me out. With all his might too. The solitary reason I broke things up, when I pulled my Luger on him was because I didn't want to mess up the fun for High Stakes. Little did I know, we'd be partaking in the rodeo. Scheisse. Was zur Hölle. Might as well embrace the concept and find some amusement in it. Make the best of things and see how much damage I can cause, with the toys that I will be provided. Appreciate the challenge. Too bad Centurion didn't pick a safe word. I wonder what will dent first, the bell or Centurion's skull? Also when he suffers massive oxygen loss and passes the fuck out, will actual brain damage occur or will he simply shit himself? Guess there's only one way to find out."

Current Hart Champion
1x X-Treme Champion
1x Television Champion
1x SOTM November 2013