The following is the Intellectual Property of Willem Tobey (nom de plume). Usage outside of personal entertainment purposes will bring shame upon you and your family. This writing\story\novel, its characters, and the events portrayed within are purely fictitious. Any similarity to other writings\stories\novels, characters, and events is purely coincidental and unintentional.
WARNING: May contain coarse language, violence, gore or sexual content. Reader discretion is advised. 

Epilogue

I opened my eyes to see the sky - light blue with a few wisps of clouds. I could see tree tops. It smelled of the forest. Other smells mixed in of other people present. 

I pushed myself up from the ground to find the others in front of me. The winged wolf, Mykol, was sitting on a thick, cut-up tree trunk, doubled over with his hands covering his face. He was flanked by the gazelle and the cheetahs. The gazelle rubbed his back as he sobbed. The others were loosely huddled around him. The mood of the atmosphere mimicked the faces of everyone present: Remorse.

I didn’t feel any pain. I looked over my body to find everything was fine. My right arm was still lame, my left leg still had the scar, I reached up to find the scar on my muzzle, my nose was still crooked and my right ear flat against my head. 

I made it to my feet and brushed myself off. I was wearing a white tunic and brown trousers. A leather belt was around my waist with the sword that Ularn gifted me at my side. As I looked around, the others looked over at me and gave a weak smile.

“I’m sorry,” Mykol said meekly.

“What happened?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“It’s no one's fault. It happens sometimes. Even if she had the technology to find it, it was...and with the plate…”

“I’m lost. I’m a stupid, ignorant meathead. Speak plainly.”

Mykol looked up at me. His face was matted with tear-soaked fur. His eyes were puffy and nearly bloodshot. He slowly lowered his hands to his knees.

“The village won the fight. You were a hero to Shari once more,” he said and weakly smiled. The smile faded as he looked at the ground. “The power we can conjure isn’t what it once was. You were on your way back to her house. As you calmed down from using the power, your organs started to shut down. Your blood pressure skyrocketed and your brain began to swell. Your leg was shaking because it was the start of a grand mal seizure. Your heart stopped and…”

Mykol bent over and placed his head in his hands again, then began to sob. I looked around as confused as ever.

“I still don’t understand. Why did it happen?” I desperately asked.

“WHY!?” Mykol shouted. He looked up at me looking furious - the blue aura exploding from his eyes like a raging fire. “WHY!?” He shouted again. “GOOD FFFUCKING QUESTION!”

Mykol growled and yelled out his frustrations. He grabbed his head and yelled again.

The gazelle looked over at me. She half-heartedly smiled. She rubbed Mykol’s back again, then stepped closer to me. She held out her arms.

“Come here. You’ll know why in a minute,” she said politely.

I groaned, then looked around. I looked back at her. I walked over to her and she stepped closer to hug me. The others began to surround us and embraced us.

“This is so frustrating,” Mykol breathed out as more tears fell from his eyes.

He looked up at me. He stood and walked over to us. The others parted and let him in the group. He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes.

“I can’t leave things like this. For you...I can’t leave her like that,” he said and bit his lip. He swallowed and sniffled. “I’ll think of something. Just...give me some time.”

Mykol smiled. I could feel the pain behind that smile. I glanced over and saw the others slowly disappear as they melded into Mykol’s body. My eyes widened as I looked back at him. I felt my heart being tugged at. My body began to move on its own as I was being pulled into him.

Mykol sighed and lowered his arms. He backed up and sat on the stump. He looked around as the scenery began to fade. He bent over and placed his head in his hands again. He sighed heavily.

“I have to fix this. I know her pain. I can’t leave her like that. But, what can I do?”
                      
He sniffled and sat up, then began to wipe his eyes and face. He sighed again.

“I can’t leave her alone. She means too much to me.” He looked around. “I know all too well what it’s like to lose a loved one. I know all too well what it’s like to be lonely...to be all alone.”

End…?

Shari belongs to Celeste