Night of the Wolf
Pt. Three: Is it Love?





Karl was wide awake, tossing and turning in his bed. He thought of Leon, that was the only thing in his mind right now. He felt extremely bad for leaving him like that, after all, they both were having such a good time there. Sitting up to look out the window, Karl's eyes could see the lights of the nomad festival slowly start to fade with time. He walked to the window and opened it up, he leaned forward to look out into the night time cityscape.

//Leon... w-why do I... why do I feel so strongly toward you?//

The door creeked behind him, Karl turned around to see his mother standing there with a glass of warm milk. "Can't sleep, dear?"

"No, I can't."

"Here, have some warm milk." She set it on the nightstand and looked up at Karl. She pulled the curtains shut right in front of him and walked toward the door. "Those lights and music are doing no good, is it?"

"No, it isn't." Karl was lying, but he kept his façade.

"Good, that should help you." She closed the door, smiling. "Good night."

When the hallway lights went off, Karl opened the curtains and continued to look at the dying nomad party. Suddenly, without warning, he heard the lonely cry of a howling wolf in the background. The howl was low and sorrowful and it seemed to be calling out to someone. Karl's fingers lightly gripped the windowsill, he was quite aware of who was howling. There hasn't been wolves here since he was a very small child. The wolf howled again, a low, soft dirge to the moons and what he has lost in his life. Karl listened to the howling wolf for another hour, but in the corner of his eyes, he saw the town's lights light up and the townspeople getting restless.

Karl leapt back onto the tree branch and climbed down, Karl's manly body was being cut by the bark and by the branches. He dropped to the ground and rushed off into the forest. "Leon!" Karl called out into the dark forest, the howls getting louder and closer. He stepped onto an old path when a black wolf leapt in front of him. It didn't snarl or bark, its' golden eyes staring brightly into Karl's. Karl walked closer to the wolf, his hand extended.

"Leon... it's okay... I'm here."

The wolf licked Karl's hand and panted with a happy pant. It sat on its' hind legs and looked up at Karl.

"We got to get out of here, Leon. The townspeople are arming themselves to hunt you." Karl warned, petting Leon's soft fur.

"Kill the wolf!" They heard the mob nearby, the light from the torches was getting closer.

Leon rushed into the brush, Karl close behind. They ran into the pale moonlight, the forest hiding all its' surprises. Karl stepped forward and a loud metallic SNAP was heard. The blonde teenager toppled down, yelling in total excruciating pain. His leg was ensnared by a bear trap, Leon turned around to see this. He turned human and tried hard to pull the trap apart.

"Leon...!! You got to get out of here!" Karl's eyes watered, his fingers latched onto Leon's bare shoulders.

"They'll try and kill me for being what I am... but they'll kill you for being associated with me. I can't allow that to happen." Leon put his magic and psionics into the opening of the trap. It opened up, allowing Karl to pull his leg out. Leon ripped the trap apart and tossed it aside, he scooped Karl into his arms and darted into the forest.

The Schubaltz manor was just around the corner, Leon dodged a shot that was aimed at him. The lynch mob were now on horses, but Leon couldn't afford to let Karl get killed. He leapt over the wall, but a shot was heard and Leon thrusted his head back as blood sprayed from his back. He dropped Karl in the rose bushes and collapsed in the mud nearby. Leon was still, very still. The mud behind him was turning crimson, causing the blonde teenager to cry out for his friend. He limped toward Leon, helping him to the door of the manor, Leon was unconscious. His back was covered in blood, there was a nice-sized bullet wound in his back. With little difficulty, Karl was able to get Leon into his bedroom, since he father slept like the dead. Patching up Leon's bullet wound, Karl blatantly ignored the fact that his ankle was bloody and broken as well and was in great pain. Leon buckled from the pain of the bullet wound, he clutched the soft blankets tightly.

"Leon... it's okay. I'm here..." Karl stroked Leon's sweat-dampened black hair softly.

"Karl..." Leon looked back up at the blonde teenager, their gaze meeting softly. "Why didn't you leave me there?"

"I couldn't." Karl's fingers entwined within the dark strands of Leon's hair. "I love you too much."

"W-what did you say?"

"I said I loved you too much." Karl just caught what he had said, he slapped his hands over his mouth.

Waiting for a disgusted or angry reaction for his friend, Karl looked down against the white bedsheets of his bed. Instead, 2 fingers delicately slid under Karl's chin, a thumb pressed against his frowning lips. Leon tipped Karl's chin upward before leaning forward and tilting his head a little. Karl trembled in Leon's touch, but it was not a tremble of fear or terror. Leon's thumb stroked Karl's lips softly before they were nose-to-nose. He kissed Karl, his hand cupped on Karl's rosy red cheek. The blonde's green eyes went wide with shock, but they sparkled as his eyelids fluttered shut. Karl's hands were careful about the bullet wound as his arms slid around Leon's masculine body. They kissed again, Leon's hands massaged Karl's tensed back. When they finally parted to gaze into each other's eyes, Leon had a warm smile on his face. Karl's smile was equally warm, he rested his cheek on Leon's shoulder.

"I don't want to lose you." Leon whispered, his hand stroked Karl's soft blonde hair tenderly.

"I don't want to lose you either."

The sun was rising when the alarm clock rang, it was time for school. With a quick swipe of his hand, Leon knocked the clock away and pulled the blankets over them. His fingers played with the soft strands of Karl's hair, they were looking each other in the eyes. "That ankle of yours is broken. It's best that you stayed home until I am able to heal it."

"Don't go."

"I won't." Leon whispered reassuringly, pulling Karl into his arms. "I promise."

Karl's eyelids closed, his cheek on Leon's shoulder. Before he knew it, Karl was sound asleep, Leon stroked Karl's hair and back, watching the birds in the window.




-Continued-