A week I have done nothing now, turning up in his room at night, stalking him when he walks the grounds…why can't I just give it up already? I could've raped the bastard to my hearts content a multitude of times by now and what have I done instead? Act like some sort of lost puppy…following him, frolicking and play with him and I honestly think I'm loosing touch with my human side when I transform. When Sirius transformed he always had an unnerving human quality to him and I think I'm losing that and what for? To be Mr. Draco Malfoy's pet…not that the idea isn't appealing but not necessarily in the context in which I am describing.

"Gather 'round everybody!" Hagrid called out, motioning for the class to gather around his newest, potentially harmful creature. Harmful was right this time because what he had decided to show the class today was a Kimera…not the nicest creatures. I watch with only halfhearted interest instead allowing my gaze to rest upon my favorite wild animal, my Dragon.

No one really wants to get close to the kimera, not that I blame them. The thing is pissed off to the extreme, it shape changing and blurring, straining in its confines. Ron…what is he doing? I notice him in the corner of my eye, glaring vilely in Draco direction, his glance then shifting down to the trapped kimera.

A moment too late it occurs to me that Ron is going to do something dangerous and childish and that it comes down to a certain stormy eyed youth and a particularly enraged creature. I step forward to stop what is already taking place, even as Ron 'accidentally' shoves Draco. Even as I push though the crowd and Draco begins to fall, landing on top of the kimera cage. In a second the kimera is free, lashing out at the closest person available, Draco.

Draco rolls to the side, scrambling to his feet as the kimera charges him. The semi circle that the class formed around the beasts' cage blocks of all of his chances to escape and although he seems like it on the outside, Draco is not one to put innocents in possibly life threatening danger. So he takes the only escape open to him, the Forbidden forest, and the kimera follows.

"All you's get back in the castle!" Hagrid bellows, "'Mione, get the 'eadmaster!"

Hermione nods in understanding and sprints off to the castle. Ron stands stock still where he was when he pushed Draco; a mixture of shock and triumph are mixed in my eyes. I feel disgusted, revenge is all good and well but not at the risk of someone's life and Draco could die in there…he could die. I wait until Hagrid's back is turned, as he releases Fang from his hut and bolt into the forest, only Ron's cry of protest echoing behind me.

I run through the thickened undergrowth, ducking branched and fallen trees. The sound on the world retreats as I head deeper into the forest. When I can no longer see nor remember the direction of my coming I slip into my transformation. I am filled with boundless energy and the knowledge that I could keep up a steady trot all day long. My fur warms me in the damp and my nose picks up the fear-tainted scent of Draco, along with the sour stench of the enraged chimera.

I follow the scent at a lope, noting as I go that Draco's fear is steadily increasing. After a minute or more, a wolf's sense of time is almost useless, I hear the faint sound of bushes crashing in front of me and a scent of blood taints the air. I break into a run. The sound of crashing brush from ahead disappears and the darkened forest ahead of me illuminates for a split second in a vivid red color then fades, a scream follows.

I skid to a halt, as the brush ends in a sudden clearing in the center is Draco. He desperately scrambles backwards on his hands, trying to gain purchase to stand again but wounds on his right arm and leg prevent him. His wand lies behind the kimera, probably lost when it wounded his arm. The kimera itself stands only feet from Draco, an ugly red gash on its shoulder where Draco's spell hit him. The kimera is moving in for the kill.

A growl reverberates deeply within my throat as I step trot forward, placing myself between the kimera and its prey.

"Azimuth!" Draco cries.

The kimera backs up slightly, raising its head to study me, Move away from my kill, pack hunter. The kimera growls.

I bare my teeth, emitting a low growl, This one's mine, shape changer.

The kimera hisses in anger, He's one of the one's that captured me, his kind must pay a blood price for my wrongful captivity. I will not give my prey to you, pack hunter. he spit my name like an insult.

My hackles raise and I step forward, I claimed this human long before you did, shape changer, you will not have him!

I dodge sideways, lunging at the kimera's already injured shoulder, imbedding my teeth in the sour black flesh of the kimera's unchanged shape. It hisses as me, pulling away; its shape shifting and changing as it does until a great panther, many sizes larger than a normal one, faces me.

I shall feast on, pack hunter flesh this night as well! It yowls in fury, charging me head on. I try to leap out of the way but the great cat's claws, lash out and dig into my side, flinging me to the side. The pain is so intense I can barely feel the hot flow of blood coursing down my side as I shudder to my feet. I stumble over to stand in front of Draco once more, my entire body wavering and my legs unwilling to take my weight.

Draco's fear filled eyes watch my own, his hand reaching out and touching my blood stained side in shock. His body begins to shake as mine does as he sees the blood that comes off on his hand. I have to protect him.

I turn to the kimera, who's laughing eyes watch me in mocking.

Leave now, pack hunter and I will spare you. he offers.

I grin at the kimera in my wolf grin, I cannot and I won't, abandon my mate to you.

This human is you mate!? it demands

Yes

Then I have no choice but to kill you, lover of human filth! In one bound he is on top of me his open mouth large enough to take my head. I, in desperation, leap to meet him my open maw meeting the kimera's throat. I bite hard, deeply and lock my jaws as the acidic blood pours from it neck. It shakes it head in fear and pain throwing me loose. My body skids across the ground stopped only by an uncaring tree, a large chunk of the kimera's throat still in my mouth.

I watch from where I collapsed on the ground as the kimera's lifeblood spills from its body and it collapses on the ground. Soon all I can hear in my own broken breathing all I can smell is the horrid stench of kimera, its bloodstain and burning the ground, burning my mouth.

I force myself to my feet, trying desperately to catch the scent of moister in the air or hear the sound of running water.

"My god, Azimuth, are you alright?!" Draco cries as he stumbles to my side.

He hugs me painfully, causing a whimper to escape. He apologizes, then retrieves his wand from the ground where it dropped and returns to my side. Focusing my concentration on our survival I pick up the scent trail we left coming here, following it back the way we came. Draco follows behind me silently but I can feel his eyes on my side, now steadily oozing a stream on blood upon the forest floor and I can feel his worry.

After many long minutes of painful travel, we come across a stream which I drink from heavily, trying to clean my mouth of the acidic blood. The water pains my mouth and burns my stomach and as I glimpse a fragmented reflection of my own blood covered fur the last of my strength dissipates and I collapse.

The stream chokes and burns against my injured side, my energy drained and my concentration waning.

"Azimuth! Come on boy, Please…" His voice fades and he steps back as I loose control of my animagi shape and return to my human shape.

My flesh returned and my clothing rapidly soaking with water of ice. The pain that before was a lance down my side and a nuance to our survival, intensifies a thousand fold in my weak human shell.

I glance upward, catching Draco's eye through my labored breathing, "I figured you would have left me." I wheeze.

"Potter? You…your Azimuth? You have been the whole time haven't you?" He asked.

I struggle up, my arms shaking, until I can sit upright, the pain shooting through every fiber on my being at the movement.

"If you go that way," I point towards the way we had been traveling, "you should reach the school grounds."

I hear a soft, 'humph' behind me and suddenly there's a shoulder under my arm and I'm being pulled to my feet, my robe slipping off and falling into the stream.

"Can you hold your weight at all?" He demands.

"A little," I mumble, forcing my legs to hold their own, "why didn't you leave me, Draco?" I ask even quieter.

"You saved my life, stupid mutt." He mutters between clenched teeth.

I smile slightly, "Glad you noticed."

He pauses as a violent cough wracks my body when it subsides blood covers my hand. We continue although now Draco seems to speed his pace and takes even more of my weight than before. Time passes minutes upon minutes pass before, the light returned. Far in the distance light filters through the trees and voices, slowly becoming clearer as we near.

"I dun know what ta do, 'eadmaster, sir," Hagrid's voice drifts back, "Fang lost the scent an' that kimera, it'll kill'um if it gets the chance!"

Soon we make out figures although all conversation is drown out by Hagrid's wailing. A cry is taken up as we near them and the edge of the forest. As we stumble out we are surrounded by people all exclaiming loudly in either delight or worry.

"Silence!" Dumbledore orders and they all grow quiet, he conjures up to stretchers and Draco helps me onto one.

"He's been wounded deeply in the side," Draco said softly, "and he's bleeding internally, he coughed up blood. I'm not sure if kimera blood in poisonous or not but he may have ingested some of it."

Dumbledore, nodded sternly, motioning Draco onto the stretcher, which he collapsed gratefully on.

"You did this to him didn't you, Malfoy!?" Ron roared, suddenly at the edge of the crowd, held back only by Hagrid.

Dumbledore begins walking back to the castle, the two stretchers in tow.

"No, Weasely, he did it to himself while he was saving my life," Draco called back, "…and for that my life is indebted to him…"

TBC

(a/n: Make sure to read the second installment to The Wolf Legacy, Azure. Yes I like Az- words, the third one's an Az too so get used to it. Thanks, please review. tigger.)