Beware The Dark

Two - The History of Them

Bill lays at the bottom of the cage, his eyes fluttering but unable to focus on the world beyond those silver bars. He could see a man, a noble perhaps? He stood in anticipation of the prize they brought to him.

"Is this it? Is this the werewolf?"

"We didn't see him transform, but we heard it," one of the hunters chuckles. "He was eviscerating a doe when we caught him."

Bill was certain it wasn't a doe, it was the warm season and this animal was bigger than a doe. It was far larger. He wanted to make sure he had a meal that would satisfy him until morning. He wanted to get up but the drugs kept him weakened and he couldn't even get to his feet. His eyes lull over to the man wearing the expensive clothing and Bill wishes to get up. He wants to plead with him to escape, he didn't want to hurt anyone.

"Father? It's very late what did you—." The voice stops, Bill traces it to this blonde male. He looks quite young to him but he could really see much beyond the hazy fog of the drugs keeping him partially unconscious at the foot of the cage.

"Thomas, I have found a present for the king. One of those damn werewolves. It should heighten his highness' mood, don't you think?"

Thomas gets closer, crouching down to get at eye level with the beast. Bill swipes at him, wanting him to get away, or to even let him go but that's not how it's registered. It looks like an attack and the man takes yet another arrow to the back. He growls and passes out, Thomas backing away and glaring at the hunters.

"Why did you do that? He wasn't going to hurt me!"

"We had to protect you. These beasts feed on human flesh. They love killing us," the hunter growls.

Rengard's family has been killed by a werewolf, the beast broke into his home and slaughtered his wife and two small children. He was out hunting other creatures when it happened. None of them are safe in his eyes. The whole lot of them needed to be wiped out if they ever wanted the chance to survive. He spits on the ground, a complete disregard of the space he stood in. What did he care? The beast was caught and Rengard wanted to be paid.

"Well he's already sedated, there's no point in poisoning him!" Thomas near shrieks. "You forget that these are still humans."

"Nonsense," Duke Trumper snorts. "That beast is about as human as the dogs we use for tracking down deer. Poisoning it would've saved us the trouble of bringing it live to the king but the ransom may be greater if we bring one of the breathing ones. The king may want to slaughter it himself."

Thomas often wondered about the beasts. They weren't ever seen in their human forms, unless they were killed. Usually they remained in this animalistic state until the sun rose again. The animal in the cage looked tired, his eyes lulled about and he could barely hold up his own head. Bill wondered if this is how he'd die. Would this be the final moment of his existence? He didn't even get to see his family again. Bill thought of all the updates he would miss from Gustav and all the years he wouldn't get to experience. His sister would grow up and he'd never know the woman she would become. A single tear escapes his yellow eyes and he tries to hide it but he's too weak to swipe it away.

Thomas notices the drop roll from his narrow eyes and across his furry snout. The young noble crouches down and touches his leg. He didn't understand why they hunted them. There had to be a reason for their actions. They weren't just beasts hiding in human form. They were forced into this world; they were forced into that transformation. You either survived a bite or your were the child of someone who did, every nightfall a curse. Bill couldn't predict when it would happen but he knew that he could prevent anyone close to him getting hurt because he lost control.