Author: Ximon
Translator: Luke mcDonut
Link to original work: SCP-021-IT — La Lupa Capitolina
Item #: SCP-021-IT
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-021-IT-1 and SCP-021-IT-2 cannot be separated, because a separation would have extremely grave repercussions on SCP-021-IT-1's health.
SCP-021-IT-1 and 2 have been placed inside an artificial biome in Site Cerere which reproduces the place of their discovery. Ambient conditions are to be replicated with the utmost precision. The temperature of the biome is never to exceed 18°C and humidity is never to exceed 40%. It has been observed that SCP-021-IT undergoes a rapid deterioration in any case the aforementioned conditions are not met.
Artificial wind and rain are to be induced in the biome every seven days at exactly 16:00 in order to keep the terrain and vegetation adequately hydrated and favour spontaneous pollination.
Description: SCP-021-IT-1 is a specimen of Italian Wolf (Canis lupus italicus), measuring 70 cm in height at the withers and weighing 33 kg, characterised by an unusually long and reddish-black-coloured fur never before observed in exemplars of the same species.
The specimen looks extremely aged and specific veterinary analyses have established that it has reached the incredible age of [REDACTED]. Further analyses have led to the writing of an accurate report about its conditions (for an extract, see Addendum 021-IT-1).
SCP-021-IT-2 is a pair of grey humanoids, completely hairless and measuring 28 cm in height. Their faces present deformed features, such as a single, circular amber eye in the middle of their foreheads, devoid of pupil and eyelid; particularly small, up-turned noses, and slit-like, tooth- and gingiva-less mouths. Their upper and lower limbs alike are very thin and apparently atrophic. Their hands have six fingers but no opposable thumbs, and they possess no feet: their legs simply end with levigated stumps.
SCP-021-IT-2 instances seem to have a constant need to feed on SCP-021-IT-1's milk, which seems to be infinitely produced by the wolf's mammary glands. The reason behind the decision on SCP-021-IT-1's part to let SCP-021-IT-2 feed on its milk, along with the effects that separation from the entity would have caused, were completely unknown until the Superintendence agreed to let tests be carried out on SCP-021-IT.
After thorough analyses and studies were carried out in loco, it was observed that the separation of SCP-021-IT-1 from SCP-021-IT-2 causes the following phenomena:
- Screams of pain or anger (or both) from SCP-021-IT-1, which after [REDACTED] seconds lead the way to symptoms rather similar to those of an epileptic crisis, with violent convulsions and frothing at the mouth. Signs of precocious and extremely fast aging become visible once the crisis is over: the wolf loses a many locks of fur and the remaining ones begin noticeably greying. After about [REDACTED] minutes the process ends and the wolf falls into a state not dissimilar to catalepsy, during which it shows no signs of life and its body temperature drastically falls until it reaches [DATA EXPUNGED]. Then, from the wolf's mammary glands begin to flow copious quantities of milk.
- Both instances of SCP-021-IT-2 begin emitting at the same time a distorted and extremely high-pitched wail, which causes in those who hear it a range of effects including dizziness, nausea, slight view blurring and hearing [DATA EXPUNGED]. This "cry" seems to be some kind of defensive system aimed at leading any listeners to bringing the humanoids back to the wolf so they can start feeding on its milk again.
When the SCP-021-IT-2 instances are returned to SCP-021-IT-1 the suction of milk begins anew immediately and SCP-021-IT-1, once reawakened, slowly returns to its normal conditions.
Due to the creatures' cry and the rapid deterioration suffered by SCP-021-IT-1 following separation from SCP-021-IT-2, it was possible to obtain but a portion of cutaneous tissue from the later two, which is currently being analysed in Site Cerere's laboratories.
Addendum 021-IT-1: Medical analyses on SCP-021-IT-1, extract
Subject: SCP-021-IT-1
Class: Mammalia
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: C. lupus
Subspecies: C. l. italicus
Sex: Female
Age: [REDACTED]The specimen showed itself to be extremely aggressive towards anyone who attempted to separate it from SCP-021-IT-2, making it necessary to carry out all of the following analyses inside the biome.
Physical Conditions: Excellent. In spite of the forced and prolonged immobility caused by the presence of SCP-021-IT-2, the specimen's muscles do not show any trace of atrophy; similarly, joints and articulations are in perfect condition, absolutely devoid of any kind of bone pathology. […] The teeth are extremely worn down, almost to their root. Nonetheless, SCP-021-IT-1 was never seen feeding nor does it look like it needs to feed as long as it stays in contact with SCP-021-IT-2.
[…] SCP-021-IT-1's mammary glands seem to be perpetually full of milk, necessary for the nourishment of SCP-021-IT-2. Due to the constant suction they are subjected to, the glands are gravely inflamed, and contact with them causes the animal great pain alongside an aggressive reaction against any subject which is not SCP-021-IT-2. […]
Final note:
It's extraordinary. Simply extraordinary. Any other creature from that time is nothing but a fossil now, yet she is alive. Not only that: she's in perfect health too. I can't believe it's possible.
- Dr. Gennaro Annone
Addendum 021-IT-2: Note by Dr. Luigi Foriani, Vice-Director, Site Cerere
These beings are fascinating and terrible at a time. Fascinating because they show us reaching immortality is a concrete and achievable reality. Terrible because they slam in our face the price that has to be paid to reach that reality.
I ask myself what has lead that magnificent wolf to accept such a compromise: there does not seem to be any reason why she would want to live still. Yet there she is, unmoving, forced into a horrifying symbiosis with those aberrant creatures.
But maybe there is no real motivation behind her choice. Maybe animals are more human than what we believe, and this wolf has simply bent her knee to the weakest of human tendencies: the fear of death.