Jay had been feeling...weird...lately. His senses of hearing and smell were even more sensitive, which was a two-edged sword, in a sense. On the one hand, he could pinpoint specific sounds and scents that he couldn't before, but on the other, the slightest bit of perfume would overwhelm him if he was too close. He didn't know what was going on, and he found himself getting more emotional; temperamental even. 

It was dark, but at the same time, Jay was noticing his vision had gotten a little better than usual at night, too. It was all so confusing and overwhelming, he'd decided to take a walk through the park as his mind wandered. As he walked, his foot caught on something and he fell, face first into the dirt. Hopping to his feet, he felt his blood starting to boil as his eyes turned yellow and he felt his shirt getting tighter. He let out a pained yell as his shirt and pants tore, the straps on his backpack ripped, and his shoes practically exploded off of his feet. In seconds, where Jay stood was a large, canine beast, roughly the size and build of a mastiff, but stockier. As black as the night itself, but with yellow eyes that practically glowed in the darkness. 

With a surreal howl, the dog-like creature took off running through the night, picking up the smell of something nearby. Hunkering low, he saw a young man leaning against a tree, smoking a cigarette. He crept closer, then charged, pouncing the poor soul that had become his prey. 

Blood still staining his maw, the beast walked away, his large canine foot snuffing out the cigarette that had fallen to the ground. The night was still young...


...And he was still hungry. 

Luke did not 'speak dog'.

Some people seemed to assume this and it was definitely not true. He wasn't a biologist but he was pretty sure animals didn't just have language. Maybe? Not to him, though. All he knew was that animals were cute, and some liked him, but most hated him. Presumably because he smelled like either a predator or a rival.

All that aside, he didn't need to speak dog to know that the blood-curdling howl was...not good! At best it was a mutant who was out-of-control, maybe using their powers for the first time. If that was the case, they definitely needed someone there. Not to mention, it could be someone going after someone else. Or both. Probably both, unfortunately.

As soon as he picked up the sound in the distance, piercingly high over the normal city bustle, Luke was moving towards it. It was pretty early in the evening, so there were plenty of people around, which was bad for quickly getting from Point A to Point B on foot. Still, he managed, shouting apologies back whenever he pushed past someone.

It only took a few minutes before he'd made it into the park. He didn't see anything, or hear anything this time either. His eyes were good but not superhuman or with night-vision. So he tried again, closing his eyes to focus his hearing and smell, sniffing the air and turning in place.

After only a couple of seconds, he got...something. Very faint, pretty far away, still. He quickly started moving towards the source, gradually trying to figure out what the smell was. It was not good, definitely, and by the time he'd arrived near the other edge of the park, Luke was very sure that there was blood. A lot of it.

Luke recoiled and cursed under his breath when he saw the slaughtered corpse splayed near a tree. He started moving to the person, it was clear well before he approached that they were very dead. And...eaten? Oh, dear Lord. Luke grimaced and stepped back, fishing his phone out of his pocket. The smell of blood and guts and...stuff was overwhelming, but he could definitely pick up something else. Bestial but not completely inhuman, almost familiar...

Yeah, smelled like a person-animal...something. Familiar because that was how he smelled to himself. Luke was out of his depth alone. He probably shouldn't have come here without backup, but he hadn't wanted to delay. Not that it made much difference now.

Luke grumbled and swore quietly again. He was having trouble getting through the contacts on his phone because his stupid fingers were shaking. Okay, yeah, dead person, it sucked, but he was trained for this. Panicking was not going to get whoever did this stopped.

Just as he was about to get the number for back home in, he heard something else. Luke turned to look, and saw...a thing. A big, huge, monster-dog thing covered in blood. From his angle of approach Luke completely hadn't seen it, and the smell of gore had covered how strong and present the scent was.

Hastily, Luke tried to hit the speed-dial, but missed and closed the menu. Then, because today was 'suck at everything' day, he cursed very loudly.

Just about every day after work Rayne would leave the shop and head towards the park.  Some fresh air with nature around her is relaxing after smelling ink, blood, and chemicals most of the day.  Plus its nice to not have the sound of a machine buzzing around you, but the leaves blowing in the wind is much better.   Tonight though was different.  There was blood in the air.   


Having half a mind to just turn around and walk away and not go to see if someone needed help and what was going on, she paused in place.  She could go and if something was happening she might get caught up in it, but then again if someone needed help and she didn't go, its not a good feeling.   Letting out a sigh she walks towards whatever is happening.  Somehow, she knew this wasn't going to end well.   Someone, somewhere was screaming at her to just turn around and not go that way, like a dang horror movie. 


Coming from a different direction then what everyone else did, Rayne did see the massive black mastiff like dog lurking near by as well as the guy fumbling with his phone by a dead body.  Well she assumed the body was dead with how it looked and how much blood loss there was.   Not taking her eyes off the massive dog, she pauses a few paces away from the guy and the body.  "I don't think standing there is a good idea." She didn't speak very loudly, but enough to get his attention.  No need to spook the dog anymore into attacking them both.  

The large beast's yellow eyes surveyed the area, still licking his lips as his nostrils inhaled the night air. He wasn't alone, and he knew it. There were very few morsels in the area tonight, but he caught scent of two very near to him. Though they had a different smell than the other human. Both had traces of animal...prey. But one of them smelled more like...him. More canine. That...that wasn't prey. No. That was a rival, and this was his turf now.

Somewhere in the mastiff's head was Jay, but the human now lay silent; dormant, much as the creature had for the longest time, fighting to come out, and now that he was free, he was going to leave his mark.

The beast turned, locking eyes with the young wolf-boy. He could smell the fear, and he drank it in. He lived on it, never breaking eye contact as he stood firm, teeth bared as his muscles stiffened. The monster was issuing a challenge as he gave an intimidating bark.

Luke heard a voice behind him, and he recognized it. of all the people in the entire city of New York, the tattoo artist he'd met with Rivka was here. "What are you-ugh, nevermind!" Luke spoke with his eyes still glued to the creature. Whatever she was doing, he was pretty sure she wasn't on the level of fighting this mutant. Said mutant definitely didn't look like they'd be willing-or possibly even able-to talk. And had probably just actually killed someone. Luke could smell the fresh kill, and it made him sick.

He shoved his phone into his pocket. Luke could tell that the mutant was hostile, obviously. Faced with a predatory, canine-like mutant, he could feel his own instincts in the back of his mind. Gritting his teeth, breathing heavy, Luke glared back at his opponent, trying to introspect his own responses, figuring out what the other mutant was thinking. He felt...defensive? Somewhat protective, not of Rayne-right, that was her name-but of something. His own fur was sticking out, making him look feral, or at least in need of a good brushing.

Territory? His turf. "Rrrrrr." Luke unconsciously let a low growl issue. That seemed right, yeah. Obviously, he didn't own this park, nor did the other mutant, but logic didn't really factor into it, for either of them. Shoulders arched, Luke raised his arms, hands out at his sides, as though he was planning to give the hound mutant a hug. He was definitely not planning that. Truth be told, he wasn't sure what his plan was now; 'fight' felt right, but he was in control, and he didn't know what this would do other than probably get one or both of them hurt.

But at this point, his mind was struggling to focus. Turns out, relying on your own personal predator instincts made it harder not to think like that. "Hey!" Luke barked-almost literally-and quickly pulled his phone out again before throwing it behind him over his shoulder, roughly where he though the tattoo artist was. "Run, call uh..." Names weren't coming to him. it was hard to focus on anything but the threat in front of him.

"Uh, someone. X-Men." That was about the best instructions he could manage right now. Now, the best he could do was attempt a takedown, then...do something else. For now..."Arrr!" Luke snarled viciously, bounding forward on all fours and lunging at his opponent with his outstretched claws, aiming to slash the hound across the face with a downward rake.

Raynes eyes flick towards Luke then back towards the mastiff dog as he stares down Luke and lets out a bark.  Yeah, it seems to be ignoring her and focusing on Luke, which is understandable to many.  Luke's mutation is canine, while hers is hidden but still animal.  It makes sense how the beast dog in front of them would focus on Luke and not her, though right now she really wished she had her next form already.  The bear would be a great asset to this situation.


Rayne is going to assume that his question to her was going to be what was she doing here, but she doesn't respond to his unfinished question since his attention has been taken to the other mutant.  She assumes its a mutant based on its size.  Unless its really just some overgrown massive feral dog, which she highly doubts.  


When Luke barks out a sudden 'Hey' at her, Rayne flicks her eyes towards him quickly, almost startled like, but mostly a reaction base.  Grabs at the cellphone that is tossed at her, having to take a step to the side. Call the X-Men?  Yeah a problem with that is she doesn't know their number.  "I don't know the X-Men's number!  Best I got is 911."  Rayne says this right before he leaps for the other mutant.  This doesn't look like it will end well.