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Martyn ran into the forest with his crossbow in hand. The silver arrow was ready to be fired. And he knew it was for the best if it was him that did it. “Ren, please listen to me. You have to leave. They’ll be here any minute now.”
The wolf stood in front of him. A creature made of fur and fangs and blood. It stood and talked like a human, but it was no longer one. But Martyn knew who it was, and he knew not to be afraid. “Martyn. I don’t want to run anymore. I don’t want to scare anyone anymore.” He looked towards the glowing lights of the city. Martyn knew what Ren wanted. But he wouldn’t survive it. They wouldn’t know who he was. They wouldn’t care. But he knew how to end it as painlessly as possible.
He slowly raised the weapon. The moonlight caused the metallic tip to sparkle. He aimed it straight at Ren’s chest. The red poison on it dripped onto the ground. It carried the color of the beautifully toxic heartsbane foxglove. A rare variety bred solely for becoming the strongest poison a hunter could buy, named for its blood red color and its effects. All he had to do was pull the trigger and the toxin would immediately stop Ren’s heart.
Ren turned to face him. He did not back away. He did not try to attack. He simply stood there, observing Martyn. He did not plead or threaten. Ren just watched silently. Waiting for the piercing pain of an arrow. His face was empty, a hollow feeling Martyn couldn’t bear to see.
Martyn’s hands shook as he placed his fingers on the trigger. There were tears in his eyes. But he did not move. He put the crossbow down on the ground gently.. “No. I won’t do it. I met you on my first mission, beaten and bruised from an encounter with a bear. I would have died if it wasn’t for you. You gave me life, you didn’t care about the risk. As much as I could have taken it from you, you gave it back to me. You nursed me back to health, we figured out how to control your curse. To bring back the humanity you still have in there. I can’t kill you.” He ran towards the beast, knowing who hid behind the brown fur. “I won’t leave you. This is us now, us until the end. We’ll figure out a way to live. We can stay in the woods, build a home, help people who are lost.”
Ren grabbed hold of Martyn. His fur was soft and warm. Martyn had spent ages brushing out the matted mess the last time Ren turned and it had paid off. Ren held him gently, tracing his claws on Martyn's back. “Martyn. I don’t want to stay in the woods any more. If we can make it to the town I know I’ll turn back.”
“Can’t we ride this one out like we always have? The two of us?”
Ren shook his head. “It’s different this time. It craves something more human. It craves the town’s warmth.” Ren put Martyn down and ran towards the faint yellow glow. There was a festival happening in town, everything was lit up for it. The people danced to music past the woods, laughing and cheering at their happy scene. They were the ones that sent Martyn out to hunt the creature in the woods. Ren would be spotted immediately.
Martyn picked up the crossbow. He ran after him but knew he couldn’t stop Ren. Ren was determined to finally find connection. To find his humanity again. And he wouldn’t give up. He could not hear the townspeople but he knew they had seen the dark figure in the trees. And he also knew that the new orange glow wasn’t from the festival.
Ren cried out in pain. Martyn felt his stomach sink. He reached him too late. There were arrows lodged all across his arms. Torches began flying at the woods, setting the brush alight. Ren tried to run back but was faced with a wall of rapidly growing flames. Martyn ran out to try and get in between the people and Ren. Ren held him back with one arm.
“They will hurt you. They know what you’ve done. I can hear it.”
Martyn desperately tried to get loose. “Ren. I can convince them you aren’t the forest beast. Please.”
Ren shook his head. Martyn could hear the shouting from the villagers. “Run. Don’t come back. I promise I won’t hurt anyone.”
Martyn didn’t run.
“Don’t stay here, it's not safe for you. Go.”
Martyn stood his ground silently. He could feel the flames licking at his fingers. “No. I promised I would stay with you until the end.” His voice trembled as he spoke. “I know who you are, Ren, and I refuse to let you die.”
Ren smiled for a moment before lunging out to the side. He cried out in pain once more. The tip of an arrowhead poked out of his abdomen. It was stained dark red. It had hit his stomach.
Martyn kneeled down to help amidst the cheers of the townspeople. There was nothing he could do to save Ren. He placed his hand on Ren’s chest and felt his heartbeat. It was faster than usual, but still beating. He could hear the whispers of the townspeople as they came closer, debating what they were going to do to the beats and the traitor that was helping it. They were not going to be killed for a long time if they got their way. Martyn couldn’t let that happen.
“It was true in the end.” Ren spoke hoarsely. He winced in pain before continuing. He was returning to his more human form. “I would never be human.”
Martyn cupped Ren’s head in his hands. He wiped away Ren’s tears, ignoring his own. “Yes. You would never be one. Because you would never be cruel enough to be one of us.”
“Do you mean one of them?” Ren smiled a foolish smile. The townspeople were closing in, still shocked at the scene before them.
“No.” Martyn leaned in and kissed Ren. And Ren kissed him back. Martyn lifted up Ren’s injured body and held it close, making sure to line up their hearts for a clean shot. He pointed his crossbow at Ren's chest once more, but this time his hand did not shake. “Because I am cruel enough to kill you with a kiss.” He kissed Ren one final time, trying to take in the last few moments he would ever have with Ren. His fingers didn’t falter. They fell silently, painting the ground a deep red.
And the only thing that ever grew where they fell, was the heartsbane that killed them both.