Lion Head Mesa I will not apologize

Memory lay, burdened by his own haunted past. Flashes of teeth, splattered blood, and Nix's low voice echoed in his mind. He stirred, paw kicking violently in his sleep, then pedaling wildly with all four paws. 
They had been in their hollow together. They had just kissed for the first time, and as the words "I love you." Had left from his lips, whispered back to him with an excited giggle, there was a furious roar. Pain lanced through his hind leg as he was ripped away from his lover and tossed aside, as Cole was yanked up and away. And he had done it. He had made the fatal mistake of screaming, of trying to defend his lover, his best friend. Nix had tossed the pup in the pit- a Yelp and the snap of a broken leg- and Nix had rounded on him. "Unnatural" "Disappointment" "Useless Pup"...... Cole crying and telling him to do it, it was ok, he knew he didn't want to, he still loved him....a Yelp, and a dying gasp...Cole's body, neck broken, blood everywhere...so much blood...he retched...Nix's cold yellow eyes and bared fangs...
He woke up with a shout, leaped to his paws, eyes wild and fur bristling. Panic and pain set his features as a tear slipped from his eye. He stood there, legs braced, snarling and panting, for a moment before his mind caught up with him and he calmed down. He sat, a low, lonesome, mournful howl escaping him. 
Finally he shook his head. He needed to settle his nerves. Needed to hunt, to provide for his new pack. He set off in search of a hunting partner, and it wasn't long till he found the boy from before, also seemingly restless. "Seems I'm not the only one haunted by my thoughts tonight." He uttered gently- er, well, as gently as a scarred, grizzled warrior could.