Red as Blood
four
The humans tell many stories about my kind, all but a few false. They believe we only turn on the full moon, that we are weak otherwise. They think one bite will turn you, no matter weather we are in wolf form or not.
Some know the truth. They know there is only one time when a werewolf can be created. The three cursed nights, when the blood moon rises once every two years. It can't happen to anyone. You have to have blood compatible with a wolf's, or have wolf blood in you, even if only a drop. The others will die.
The villagers are scared. The blood moon rises in a week. We are scared too. We can't control the blood lust on those three nights.
I haven't had to deal with Red this previous month, or really at all since the first day, due to them increasing patrols. Training harder. Not that my constant avoiding is helping that much.
"Cousin." the blonde yells. She isn't really my cousin, but when we were little I thought all the humans were our cousins, so I mistakenly called her cousin. And it stuck.
"Hey Mist." I embrace her and then sit down in my usual spot.
"Worried about the blood moon? The hunter's seem overly anxious." She asks, sitting across from me.
"With good reason." I shrug.
"You seem tense. Worried the big bad wolf is gonna get you." Misty playfully growls at me.
"No." I'm worried I'll kill someone this time. I've managed to fight it, strapping myself into a cabin for all three days with aconite pumping into my veins, poisoning me so I can't move.
The humans believe aconite strengthens us, even the hunters. I know Red somehow knows differently. The word bane means something that causes great distress or death. Particularly a poison. Aconite. Wolf's bane. It's in the name. It's literally called Wolf Poison.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts as the red cloaked demon sits next to us and starts talking. "So you are named after a flower, right?"
I nod. "My mother's favorite."
"If all of us were named after flowers, what would she be?" He questions, and I roll my eyes with Mist. We've had this conversation ourselves.
"I'd be named Orchid." She replies.
"What about me?" He smirks.
I don't miss a beat. Inwardly smirking over my previous thoughts I say, "Aconite."
"Wolf's bane." He notes. "Is it because I'm a ruthless wolf killer." He narrows his eyes playfully.
"In part." I shrug. "To me it is a beautiful plant, deadly but it has been used as a medicine. Useful in it's own way. It may be able to kill, but it is pretty and helpful all the same."
"You heard that right?" He smugly glances at Misty. "He called me pretty."
"Did not." I sputter.
"You kind of did Amaranth." Misty stick out her tongue.
"I hate you both." I mutter, narrowing my eyes. "You are both children."
My father signals me from the door. "I have to go."
"Really?" Red pouts. I wish I wasn't a wolf. We could actually be friends. I wouldn't have to avoid him. I could fall in love with him without my pack ripping into me.
"Yes. Sorry I'm not good company." Sorry I can't spend time with you without wanting to rip open your throats with my teeth.
"It's fine." Red laughs.
"Go on Ama. Duty calls." Misty says.
I wave goodbye and walk out of the inn. "Father." I greet.
"What are you thinking?" He snarls at me, eyes flashing wolf for a moment. "Sitting at the same table with such filth."
"I can't avoid him every time he sees me. He'd suspect." I snap back.
"He's a hunter." He growls.
"And I am not a child. I know very well what will happen should he find out. But what should I do? What would make you happy, Your highness?" I grit my teeth as his hand comes across my cheek. He hates when I call him by his title rather than father.
"Stay away from him." He barks. "And if you must be near him, don't be friendly. I wont have my only son falling for a hunter."
Some know the truth. They know there is only one time when a werewolf can be created. The three cursed nights, when the blood moon rises once every two years. It can't happen to anyone. You have to have blood compatible with a wolf's, or have wolf blood in you, even if only a drop. The others will die.
The villagers are scared. The blood moon rises in a week. We are scared too. We can't control the blood lust on those three nights.
I haven't had to deal with Red this previous month, or really at all since the first day, due to them increasing patrols. Training harder. Not that my constant avoiding is helping that much.
"Cousin." the blonde yells. She isn't really my cousin, but when we were little I thought all the humans were our cousins, so I mistakenly called her cousin. And it stuck.
"Hey Mist." I embrace her and then sit down in my usual spot.
"Worried about the blood moon? The hunter's seem overly anxious." She asks, sitting across from me.
"With good reason." I shrug.
"You seem tense. Worried the big bad wolf is gonna get you." Misty playfully growls at me.
"No." I'm worried I'll kill someone this time. I've managed to fight it, strapping myself into a cabin for all three days with aconite pumping into my veins, poisoning me so I can't move.
The humans believe aconite strengthens us, even the hunters. I know Red somehow knows differently. The word bane means something that causes great distress or death. Particularly a poison. Aconite. Wolf's bane. It's in the name. It's literally called Wolf Poison.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts as the red cloaked demon sits next to us and starts talking. "So you are named after a flower, right?"
I nod. "My mother's favorite."
"If all of us were named after flowers, what would she be?" He questions, and I roll my eyes with Mist. We've had this conversation ourselves.
"I'd be named Orchid." She replies.
"What about me?" He smirks.
I don't miss a beat. Inwardly smirking over my previous thoughts I say, "Aconite."
"Wolf's bane." He notes. "Is it because I'm a ruthless wolf killer." He narrows his eyes playfully.
"In part." I shrug. "To me it is a beautiful plant, deadly but it has been used as a medicine. Useful in it's own way. It may be able to kill, but it is pretty and helpful all the same."
"You heard that right?" He smugly glances at Misty. "He called me pretty."
"Did not." I sputter.
"You kind of did Amaranth." Misty stick out her tongue.
"I hate you both." I mutter, narrowing my eyes. "You are both children."
My father signals me from the door. "I have to go."
"Really?" Red pouts. I wish I wasn't a wolf. We could actually be friends. I wouldn't have to avoid him. I could fall in love with him without my pack ripping into me.
"Yes. Sorry I'm not good company." Sorry I can't spend time with you without wanting to rip open your throats with my teeth.
"It's fine." Red laughs.
"Go on Ama. Duty calls." Misty says.
I wave goodbye and walk out of the inn. "Father." I greet.
"What are you thinking?" He snarls at me, eyes flashing wolf for a moment. "Sitting at the same table with such filth."
"I can't avoid him every time he sees me. He'd suspect." I snap back.
"He's a hunter." He growls.
"And I am not a child. I know very well what will happen should he find out. But what should I do? What would make you happy, Your highness?" I grit my teeth as his hand comes across my cheek. He hates when I call him by his title rather than father.
"Stay away from him." He barks. "And if you must be near him, don't be friendly. I wont have my only son falling for a hunter."