The Difference between Lies and Truths

Bo had asked to talk to Rusl privately after the impromptu gathering broke up sending his daughter Ilia home saying he would be along soon. Rusl too had Uli and their young son, Colin, go along ahead of him while the two men walked along the shore of the large pond that allowed life in the village. For several moments they were quiet as they walked somehow a silent agreement had been formed to wait until none of the other villagers were within earshot. Once they reached the point furthest from the nearest residence Bo turned to Rusl leaning heavily upon his cane.

"Rusl, that… boy spoke earlier of you having killed his father after he spoke to you. I don't recall you ever mentioning any of this and I would very much like it if you explained to me what he was talking of."

Rusl sighed running his hand through his hair looking out along the calm waters before answering the larger man. "It was about a year ago that I was out in the forest hunting with some of the others. I'd gotten a ways away from the group and was trying to make my way back to them when I heard a rustle in a nearby bush. When I turned I watched a large man rose from the bush shifting into his human form. I'll admit it Bo I was terrified so much so I was shaking too much to bring my bow up to bear on him. He was so close he could have taken me out but instead he raised his hands as a sign of surrender speaking calmly to me like we were friends. He said he merely wished to speak with me and wished me no harm. He asked that I hear him out for both our villages' sakes. I was too stunned to do anything else but nod.

He told me that all the strife between our people was unnecessary and that his people weren't the ones killing ours. He said that his people were bound to protect our village and that they weren't the reason our villagers were being killed. He told me that a large number of monsters had started inhabiting the forest and they were the ones killing our loved ones. The man said that his people had been trying to stop the creatures but every time they eliminated one encampment another sprang up. Apparently the monsters had also taken out a few of their own too so their numbers were dwindling and it was becoming almost impossible for his pack to both protect us and eliminate the monster hordes.

I of course scoffed at that asking how he explained the claw and bite marks on the corpses. He said that the monsters were framing his people; that his people had been here for generations watching over the village unbeknownst to us. He then had the nerve to ask for a sit down with you, he said we could meet in neutral territory at the spring. That beast even had the nerve to suggest that he would come alone and unarmed while we could come with weapons, as if that would make a difference. I told him he was a fool to think there was even a chance that I would believe that, let alone bring someone else for him to feast upon. He shook his head at me as if to say something, but instead a feral growl came out of his mouth while is eyes went hard as stones. I knew in a moment I would be dead if I didn't act fast so I prepped my bow. Oddly as I took aim I noticed he had turned from me, but I let loose the arrow and took him down in one shot."

Bo nodded while Rusl again ran his hand through his hair before he continued. "The truth is though I never felt right about that kill. I know he would have killed me without a second thought but it just felt so wrong to shoot a man in the back; it wasn't how I was raised."

Bo was still nodding before he turned to Rusl speaking gravely. "I know what you mean Rusl but you did the right thing; I would have done the same thing in your situation. It's hard to kill them when they're in their human forms but no matter how they look they're still wild beasts at heart."

As he said this Bo looked to the village center where they could still see the torches burning brightly illuminating the area as well as the cage and its doomed inhabitant. "Just like tomorrow will be especially difficult if he chooses to remain in his human form; by Din he's no older than Ilia and she just turned fourteen."

Rusl sighed his eyes following Bo's to the wolf boy he had captured. "I know Bo but for the sake of the village and our children we must." The large man nodded as they lapsed into an uneasy silence.

The young man sat back against the bars of his small prison trying in vain to find a comfortable position, but it was impossible. He knew he might be more comfortable in his other form where he'd able to lie out upon the floor, but his wolf form was bigger and he would not give them the chance to kill him as a wolf to appease their minds. If they were to murder him, the last of his kind, they would have to look into his human eyes.

Out of habit he let his long pointed ears range out listening to the sounds of the night. He could easily hear the conversation of the two men causing his lip to involuntarily curl in a snarl at how casually they talked of his father's murder and even his own. Purposely he changed the direction of his thoughts not wanting his final hours to be consumed with the anger and hatred. The young wolf thought back to happier times, but before he could lose himself in the joyous memories of the past another much closer noise caught his attention.

His eyes automatically began scanning the darkness trying to find the source of the small gasp he had heard. The torches interfered with his search though, not allowing him to make out any details beyond their flickering light. The youth gave off another growl in frustration, he could normally see in the dark even when in his human for, but with the torches his eyes wouldn't adjust and he could make nothing out beyond their light. Worse still he couldn't even smell if there was someone nearby since all he could smell was the smoke. It gave him an uneasy feeling not being able to let his senses range out so he could know what was around him, after all sound could only tell you so much.

Before he could think more on the irritating beacons of light someone moved out of the shadows towards the glow. The teen was surprised, he had expected one of the adult villagers to return just to taunt him or finish him off. Instead standing awkwardly with a bowl and a cup in his small hands was a young blonde boy. For just a moment the boy in the cage felt a stab of pain. This young child looked very much like his younger brother except his hair was a brighter blonde and combed. Even the nervous and shy expression the boy wore was reminiscent of his brother. Shaking his head, looking slightly like the beast he could become, the youth dispelled the image. This boy was not his brother; his brother was dead and this boy's fellow villagers had killed him.

Before either could say anything a soft voice called out from the darkness, "Colin, what are you doing here?" As the voice spoke the speaker came into the light, showing it was the young girl that had worn the fur of the boy's mother. Now though she was holding the piece in her hands instead of around her shoulders despite the chill of the night.

"I-Ilia I-I-I," the little boy stuttered blushing profusely as he looked down at his feet. The young girl smiled placing her hand on the young boy's shoulder. "It's okay Colin," she said smiling kindly before looking at the wolf boy in the cage who was watching their interaction with intense blue eyes.

"I…," Ilia swallowed hard apparently trying to steel her courage to talk to the wolf boy. Taking a deep breath she started again, "I wanted to ask you something. You…you said this fur belonged to your m-mother. Is that true?" The girl was obviously nervous about broaching this subject and when she found his hard blue eyes staring coldly at her, she turned her head away unwilling to meet his level gaze.

Some may have felt sorry for the girl in this situation but the boy felt no pity. These people who his family had been bound to protect had slaughtered his people to near extinction, and by this time tomorrow they would accomplish that goal. His tone was every bit as hard as his gaze when he answered her.

"No it didn't belong to my mother, it was my mother. The same fur you wear around your shoulders is the fur I snuggled into when I was a pup. I remember leaning close to her side comforted by her warmth and softness when I was scared. The woman whose pelt you hold was a fierce fighter, one of our strongest, and a devoted mother. She was a beacon to my people and a shining example to my siblings and me. But now she's dead and you wear her to keep warm unknowing of all the lives the person who bore that fur touched."

Ilia, gasped dropping the fur as her hands shot to her mouth. Colin looked about ready to cry for the harsh words the wolf boy had spoken. If the teen noticed their distressed reactions he either ignored them or did not care if he was upsetting them. Given the circumstances the latter was more likely as he growled at the two when his mother's fur met the ground.

"Have you so little decency girl that you'll further degrade her sacrifice by throwing her to the filthy ground?!"

Ilia's face immediately went pale as she hurried to scoop up the fur shawl muttering, "Sorry," quietly while wrapping it around her shoulders.

The boy didn't say anything just continued to glare at them. To break the tense silence Ilia turned to Colin who had been standing back watching the exchange between the two teens.

"Colin why are you here, and what do you have there?" The little boy blushed profusely before mumbling an answer that neither of them could understand.

"I'm sorry Colin I didn't catch that. What did you say," Ilia asked kindly.

Taking a deep breath the child spoke again his voice clearer now but no less nervous. "I-I thought maybe he might be hungry or thirsty and he can't get dinner so…," Colin gulped before continuing, "…so I brought him some water and food."

Ilia smiled gently at the shy boy speaking softly, "That was very thoughtful of you Colin. Wasn't it?" Her last statement was directed to the boy in the cage.

Neither of them had seen the look of confusion pass on the boy's face when Colin spoke of bringing him food and drink. He had only just replaced the look with his hard mask when Ilia turned back to him. Instead of acting grateful the boy curled his lip at the pair of villagers.

"What use is it to give sustenance to a dead man? Besides, why would I take anything from a village full of ingrates and murders?" His tone while quiet but it had maintained the hard edge he had used since he had been brought here.

Colin gasped blushing while stepping back; Ilia's face too went red but it was not from embarrassment. Instead she turned a furious gaze onto the caged wolf boy glaring at him just as hard as he had been glaring at them.

"You don't have to be so mean! Colin was just trying to be nice; the least you could do was say thank you. He's just a child! It's not like he really understands anything nor has he ever hurt you or any of your people!"

The imprisoned youth snorted before he responded, "Oh so I should be thankful that I've been granted a last meal?! I should go easy on him just because of his age. That's funny because none in your village went easy on my little brother who was near his age, but you know what, he understood. Even at the age of ten my brother understood the intricacies of what we were doing and he knew that he could die. Ignorance was not a leisure that could be afforded by anyone in our village and I would very much doubt if this boy is as ignorant as you would claim. He smells of that man who captured me so I would bet he knows all too well what is going on."

Ilia's fists clenched at her sides as she spoke harshly to the other teen. "Maybe that's true but you can't blame Colin for that. He is just being kind to you despite the fact he's scared, at least he is trying to do the right thing. That's more than you can say since you've been nothing but rude to us since we came here."

The boy in the cage snarled fiercely, growling out his next words. "Leave me be. Let my last few hours be ones of peace with my memories of those I once held dear."

Ilia was about to say more but the boy turned his head away from them staring out into the dark of the night. She could feel Colin quaking under her fingers that rested on his small shoulder. Letting out a huff of air she prodded the small boy away from the area and the doomed boy. As they walked along the dark path back to their homes Colin spoke up tentatively.

"Ilia what did he mean when he said it didn't do any good to give suste-sustenance to a dead man," he had stumbled a little on the unfamiliar word but managed to get it out and continue on. "I don't know what sustenance is and I don't understand because he's not dead?"

Ilia winced at the innocent question cursing the other teen left and right in her mind. Knowing there really was no way out of this she knelt down to be at the youth's level. "Well sustenance, Colin, is another word for food and water. Basically it is means the things we intake for nourishment."

The little boy looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding his understanding then waiting for Ilia to continue with his next question. Instead of answering his question directly Ilia asked one of her own. "Tell me Colin do you know what's going to happen tomorrow."

The little boy's eyes took on a saddened look while he toed at the dirt with his shoe. "They're…my dad and the others…they're going to kill him." Ilia winced mentally, so he knew, outwardly she nodded her head trying to explain it to him.

"Yes Colin, by this time tomorrow he will be dead. When he said there was no point in giving him the food he was referring to that. He knows he will die tomorrow and because of that and his pride he doesn't want anything from us. Do you understand?"

Colin had watched her as she explained but now was again looking at his feet. "Why," the boy barely whispered. Ilia's brow furrowed in confusion not understanding his question. Before she could ask though he continued his voice strained and cracking from the tears he was holding back.

"Why do they have to kill him? He didn't seem too bad, and if he promises not to hurt anyone like they made Talo promise not to push me down anymore, then couldn't they let him go. I-I know he seemed kind of mean now but I think maybe he was just scared or…or upset. I mean he did say he lost his family and you said he knows he's going to d-d-die. I don't think I would be very happy and maybe I wouldn't be so nice then either."

Ilia's heart nearly broke at this and she quickly enveloped the boy in a tight hug. Poor Colin was such a kind good boy. His heart had never held an ounce of malice for anyone even when the other children picked on him. After a moment she let him go before her own watery eyes met his.

"Colin I know it's hard but if we let him go he'll just continue to hurt us. He may seem tame right now, but that's only because he's in that cage. If we let him go we could lose more of the village like we lost Shad, Malo, and Sera. I know it's hard, especially for you, but sometimes we just can't change people or their natures. He is a wolf, an animal, and we can't change that no matter how much we wish otherwise."

Colin sniffed but looked up at the kind girl giving her a watery smile. "I know it's silly of me to think that, Ilia. I'm sorry thank you."

"No Colin, it's not silly to think the best of people. You make sure to keep that point of view, okay?" The little boy nodded as Ilia nudged him towards his home standing from her previously kneeled position. As her hands briefly touched her shawl she winced at the thought of the boy's words to her. Slowly she too retreated to her home dreading the dawn, but knowing there was no way to stop it from coming.