Liek held his captive close. They walked slowly, Liek managing to keep in time with his captive's steps, and the other guard leading them to the door. His arms burned with pain, since escaping from the shackles tore most of the skin off of his forearms leaving nothing but blood and exposed nerves in its place. He wasn't sure how much blood he lost, but he was sure that it wasn't nearly enough to kill him.

He heard a door open and he felt the rush of cool air on whatever skin he had left. It was very uncomfortable on his arms, but he was grateful for it nonetheless.

"Now, you..." Liek motioned to the lead guard. "Get back inside, and go about your business. If I hear any commotion before I get to the edge of town, this man dies."

Liek heard the lead guard back away, and he heard the door shut. "Take me to the woods at the edge of town and you will never see me again." He ordered.

He felt the guard nod in agreement, and he removed his nail from his throat and instead grabbed his arm. He didn't bother threatening the guard any more. Liek knew it was pointless. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the edge of the woods. Liek let go of the man.

"Thank you. You may leave now."
"Why aren't ya runnin', boy? Ya made it this far."

Liek's words stopped in his throat. For a moment, he was ready to tell the man that he was blind, but that would mean that he would most certainly be attacked. He couldn't let him know that he couldn't see. Liek took a few steps forward and stumbled. Roots were everywhere, threatening to trip him if he took one bad step. Liek's clumsiness gave him away.

"Ahhh, I see. Yer blind, aren't ya boy?"

Liek could hear metal sliding against a leather sheath.

"Couldn't make it outta there by yerself, could ya boy?" The man sneered.

He had to run. Liek jumped as high as he could, sending him sailing into a thick branch. The man grabbed Liek's leg mid-fall and slammed him to the groud. He grabbed one of Liek's injured arms and twisted. Liek screamed.

"That's right, boy. Scream for me. Scream fer mercy! Maybe I'll make it quick."

Consumed with rage, Liek attacked. He lunged forward and buried his nail into the man's chest. He felt it slide into something soft and rubbery. The man gurgled, and coughed. He tried to scream, but only a wheeze came out. Liek drew his bloody nail out and gripped the man's face, sliding both of his thumbnails into the man's eyes.

This time, the man screamed. Liek dug deeper. The man began to wail. Finally, his thumbs broke through something, and he felt them stab inside of the man's head. The screams ceased. He had made his first kill. Liek felt sick.

"Congratulations, little brother! I half-expected you to be killed by those savages." A nearby voice said.

Cale. Liek turned in the direction of the voice.

"Nothing? Not even a thank you? Come, tell me! How do you feel?"
"Look at me, Cale. How do you think I feel!?" Liek snapped.
"Ah, I don't blame you for being a little cranky. Don't worry, the baby will get his rest soon enough." Cale said as he patted Liek's face.

Liek slapped his brother's hand away.

"Why did you leave me back there!? Why didn't you help me!?"
"Oh come now, brother. You're alive, aren't you?"
"Barely! Tell me why you abandoned me!"
"Abandoned you!? Don't be so dramatic!"
"Then what would you call it!?"
"Only the strongest are capable of surviving on their own!"
"Yet the strongest also leave one of their own kind behind!? You've admitted yourself, you didn't expect me to come back!"

Cale sighed and shook his head.

"You've proven yourself to your heritage and as an adult, so why do you question me like this? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be able to show your face back home!"
"Ha! If it weren't for you, I also wouldn't be blind and half-dead!"
"Don't chastise me for teaching you to grow up, little brother!"
"You've taught me nothing except to know the behavior of a coward!"

Cale went silent. Liek could feel Cale's anger at his last remark.

"If you weren't blind, little brother, I would have killed you four times by now." Cale said through gritted teeth.
"Then do it! Kill me now, and let me be at peace so I won't have to deal with the likes of you or my heritage!"

Cale roared and punched a nearby tree.

"You!! You are not a Werewolf! You are nothing more than a friend to those humans!! That makes you little more than a dog!"
"If showing mercy to those that don't deserve death makes me a dog, then perhaps I should learn to fetch sticks and wag my tail!"
"WHERE IS YOUR PRIDE!?"

Liek began to cackle. Never had he felt such power and control.

"What do we have to be proud of!? Why is it that we needlessly sweep the landscape, killing men and children?"
"Because we can! Because they are filthy, and weaker than us! We are the hunters and they are the prey! We are sup-"
"Superior! Yes, superior! If we are so superior, brother, then why do they only know of our existence through fairytales and fables? Why do they not run in fear when they hear the name of our race?"
"How dare you-"
"If we are so superior, then we should gather ourselves together as one, and overrun the humans! Why have we never done that!?"

Cale remained silent. Liek could tell that he had damned himself, but he didn't care. He didn't want to stay loyal to a heritage that killed children in the night. He didn't want to be an adult, and have to rake his own flesh from his bones to stay alive.

"Answer me, brother! You seem to know everything about our heritage, so please enlighten me!"

Cale turned away from his brother.

"No, Liek. I will not answer you." His voice quivered with rage. "If you want to live amongst the humans as their faithful dog, do it without me. I will never answer to you, because no dog is my brother."


And with that, Cale walked away. Liek stood alone in the woods and wept quietly.

to be continued....