QT: Nine Tales of the Nine - Tailed [BL]

The full moon was peeking from the branches and leaves of the trees inside the forest. Its bright and tainted light illuminated the narrow paths usually trod by the beasts living in that ecosystem. As the cold wind blew, the branches swayed and leaves danced gracefully, accompanied by the nightly lullaby of the nocturnal birds laying on their nests, watching the play unfold below them.

The dry leaves and twigs lying beneath those tall trees crunched and flattened as the footsteps of men carrying torches lit with blazing fire passed them. That night was unmistakably brighter than the other nights that passed, yet they all carried lights as though the full moon couldn't be trusted.

They all fear that darkness will consume them, so they bring a dangerous weapon that could set the entire forest ablaze from mere contact with the fire. They were all foolish, and their wits abandoned their mind from the fear they harbored inside them.

However, that fear gnawing them wasn't unreasonable. It had an origin—a valid reason. Thus, they searched in groups, wearing their fears on their sleeves, yet braved that eerie forest.

Meanwhile, from a distance, a man was running, delving deeper into the heart of the forest. His long white hair hit his face as he ran against the wind. Some strands got stuck at the corner of his lips, and a few were pasted in his temple, as his sweat formed on his forehead and trickled down on the sides.

However, even with a clouded vision and sweat-stained face, he continued running to the unknown, as though he was trying to run from a nightmare that seemed to be chasing him without rest at all.

His breathing was ragged. His white tunic and black trousers were torn from the sharp branches and his naked feet were mud-filled. He was barefoot, thus, every step for him was like a painful strike of the whip hitting his back.

He couldn't turn.

As the nightmare was getting closer.

He silently cried and prayed for the night to pass and wake him up.

This is all just a dream…, he convinced himself as he ran, his hands slapping the branches away from his path.

Soon, when the sun rises, he will wake up lying in the arms of his beloved. He will take a few minutes to admire his sleeping face and caress his hair slowly, then he will get up and prepare their breakfast.

He will send him away to work and wait for him to come home after cooking his favorite meal for dinner. And the night will be filled with them whispering love for each other.

It was all a dream. A nightmare. He will soon wake up.

The man ran…and ran. The unending path that no creature had ever delved in yet was disturbed and trespassed by him. However, he didn't stop. If running to the unknown would make him live a little longer, he'd brave the darkness, and the sharp winds, just to come back alive.

But his fear doubled as the wind delivered him the voices of his nightmares.

"We must kill the monster before the sun rises!"

"Go deeper into the forest! Nothing to be afraid of! Think of our families! Of our children!"

"Find it and kill it!"

The man shivered. A thought suddenly dashed in his pretty head. Why is he running? He could kill all of them, break their necks, claw his nails on them, then rip them out of their bodies! He could shred them to pieces and spill their blood on that dreadful forest! Why is he running away when he can save himself?!

Their voices were getting closer. But how could that be? He was running continuously. He ran faster than anyone, but why did it sound like they were catching up to him?

He looked down.

Ah.

His feet were bloody. It became numbed. His vision was blurry, his mind fooled him. Because of fear. His thoughts are dangerous and menacing, yet his body is no longer able to execute all his plans.

Why? The man pondered. Ah, he was poisoned. He trusted the humans and drank from their cups. He trusted them…because he loved them. He loves one of them.

His knees trembled and he lifted one foot to take another step. He had to live. He wanted to live.

With his body weakened, he tumbled on a large protruding root of an old and tall tree. He hid and calmed himself. However, the voices weren't going away. After he regained a tiny bit of energy again, he stood and continued running.

But not even a few meters away from that tree, he heard a 'whoosh', the sound of something slicing through thin air. Then a thick sound like something was dropped in the ground, crunching the dried leaves and branches on the ground.

But as he turned to look behind him, he was immediately greeted by an arrow piercing his chest.

He screamed in pain, and heaps of tears rolled down his golden eyes. His mind went blank and his entire body became numb.

As he panted and held his bleeding chest, his dulling eyes landed on the moon gazing directly at him, as though it was illuminating the scene of his sorrowful death. And as though with pity, leaves swayed and gave more room for its bluish light to cast on him.

He let out a sigh. His beloved will be waiting for him. He will search the entire land searching for him. He was saddened to imagine his man losing sleep and weight from searching, but his mind was at ease.

He won't know. He won't find out what he really was. He felt relieved dying without him on his side, as he didn't dare to reveal himself to him.

He smiled melancholy.

His eyelids began to feel heavy. He gasped for breath, waiting for his last to come. But as he was ready to fall into his eternal slumber, he heard a terrified gasp, and his eyes had a glimpse of a shadow.

The shadow of the man who shot the arrow, looking down at his injured body sprawled on the ground. He couldn't properly see his visage because the man's back was facing the moonlight, and his vision was already blurred.

All he could hear was sobbing. Why? Why is the shadow crying? Did it feel guilt upon killing him?

Is there a human that can actually accept his kind? If so, what a pity. He won't be able to meet that human again.

Suddenly, his cold body was enveloped with warmth. Big and callous hands held his back and caressed his pale face. He felt them trembling under his skin. His heart felt like it was squeezed a gazillion times as those touches were familiar to him.

He could never be mistaken.

Then a voice as hoarse as that of a man being suffocated resonated in his ears, "N-NO…"

Little warm lights began to exist, encircling them. Fireflies danced and hovered in their bodies, they flew around and illuminated the shadow who picked him up from the ground.

How? Did he turn back? Why?

His slowly dying eyes glimpsed above and there he saw the moon was gone. It was covered by thick clouds and darkness fell in that silent forest. The hooting of owls stopped, and the wind behaved.

The night became dead. Only the light of the fireflies lit them both.

His eyes moved to the shadow's face. It was confirmed.

The face he always admired in the morning, beside pillows and blankets and the little sun rays peeking from the holes of their wooden wall. The face that would scrunch at his sour cooking, and laugh at his clumsy knitting.

"N-No! S-Stay…hic…with me!"

Ah.

That man was crying.

With his body numbed and almost lifeless, he couldn't even wipe his tears the way he always did whenever he peeled onions. All he could do was watch him bawl while the light in his eyes slowly faded.

And when darkness finally embraced him, he drew his image in his mind. He desperately wished that image would burn brighter in his memories.

"I-I'm sorry!! T-This is all my fault!"

No. None of this was his fault.

He wanted to tell him that, but his eyes finally closed, and the man's sobs became distant until they gradually disappeared. His warmth was no longer felt, even the coldness of the night didn't bother him anymore.

Everything went pitch black. Like a candle that burns out its light, he melted and retired for the night.

He slept.

With a grieving heart.

In the darkness of the still night within the depths of that silent forest, under the bright and full moon hiding behind the cavalry of inconsiderate clouds, and with the gentle performance of the innocent little lights, a loud and anguished cry was heard along with the terrifying howl of a raging beast from afar.

Two souls were enraged because the moon betrayed them.