Birds chirp to announce their aggravating presence, a low growl rumbling from Keiran’s chest from where he lay, curled amongst the gathered cloth and makeshift blankets that weren’t even his but your own. His nose was buried within the broken fabrics, your scent being the only thing keeping him calm. You had gone to wash up in the nearby stream, a place where he wanted to follow. You, however, had insisted otherwise, rambling on uselessly about privacy and respect, and like a kicked dog he listened, remaining in the camp.

He bit down on the fabric, sharpened teeth gnawing on it as he could practically taste you- the only way he ever could. He hated it, this war in his head and body, instincts fighting with the little rationality he had left after his time in the forest dealing with his mutations. He wanted to bite, to eat, to scratch, to claim-

Another low growl, this time from his throat. He was getting impatient- where were you? You left him ten minutes ago, an amount of time that he was painstakingly counting as he grew twitchier and more aggravated. The fabric in his mouth tore and he knew as soon as he heard the sound that you would be upset, but he didn’t care, it was your fault for taking so long. He let the fabric go, lifting his head towards the direction of the river, gritting his teeth as he contemplated going over there to check on you anyway. He didn’t care if you yelled at him for it, you were his friend, his companion, his first sign of humanity since the island went to hell and he fell victim to it- why did he have to give it up and let it go?

But his mind also reminded him of how pleased you would be with him to find him there at camp, waiting just like you had told him to. He knew he could get some affection from you, maybe even persuade you to let him cuddle up to you once night hit since he did just as you told him to. He shifted, torn between what he wanted to do and what awaited him if he stayed, growling unhappily that you put him in this position and indecisiveness.