Like no other he had ever felt.
Not even when he hadn’t caught anything to eat for the day, and in those occasions he’d simply suck it up and moved on, the next day would be better, there would always be something waiting to be hunted in the warm rainforest, hiding in the bushes or clinging to the trees or lurking beneath the water.
Not even when he had left his so-called home and had no idea of where to go, what to eat, how to communicate with people who didn’t understand an angry boy, why couldn’t they just see that he was starving for both nourishment and affection, though he could live without the latter just fine? Some food was all it took to make him happy, and he wouldn’t be a nuisance. He was quiet, he swore he’d be good. And he was, pretty much most of the time but apparently it was never enough, so even trash became a banquet. Whatever.
No, not even then had it felt so raw, burning, made his stomach and his throat ache.
Something had happened. M'Tau realized, when he regained consciousness, that something above his head was blinding him, made him hiss and try to cover his eyes with his arm, only to find that he couldn’t. He had been restrained, and was in a bed. The unmistakeable taste of copper tinged his mouth, but it wasn’t his blood, it was someone else’s, and he couldn’t really help feeling guilty, because there was a small chunk of meat between his teeth. Which, shit, it actually tasted good. Like no other thing he had eaten before; it was fucking delicious.
Restraints. Meat, definitely not replicated, that shit was nasty. Had he harmed someone, shit, he’d totally have to apologize but after he had some more, another bite, more of it, the hunger was about to rip apart his insides and it was like no other he had ever felt, but whom had he bitten, did it really matter?
Hell yes it mattered. Nah, it absolutely didn’t.
More of it. Was this some kind of fucking joke. Were they really torturing him by keeping him still while he was bursting inside, while he was willing to eat his own tongue as long as the need was gone?
Commotion by his left. His ear twitched, perked up at the sound of yelling and groaning and moaning and sneezes, nose wrinkled when he smelled antiseptic and more blood and meat around him. More. More of it. The hunger was too much, he was going to die if he didn’t have a bite, seriously. “Hey," he croaked, finally adjusting his eyes to the light. Around him were—mostly humans. Good. More. More of it around him. “Hey, someone, come on, I’m starving!" please, please, but M’Tau was not one to beg for things. Begging was a sign of weakness, it would only get him killed one day, it was disgraceful to beg.
No one listened to him. Shame, he had gone through so much shit only to find that these guys, this crew, was just the same as everyone was. “LET ME GO," he snarled, loud enough for those around him to become quieter, teeth bared and claws now ripping through the sheets and the mattress beneath him. Maybe, maybe if he used his tail to deactivate the restraints he'd be able to get out of there.
