Moonspear By the Sword

@Charon


Nishu was resting only for a few hours. His will to live continued to hold, allowing him to simply last longer but in return, suffer much more. He really believed with a little rest he would get better but rest did no such thing. Instead he was even more tired, even more in pain as everything settled. He couldn't even sleep with his mind constantly saying something was wrong. Nishu had enough of this, He decided that he may need a healer after all.

There was no way he'd be able to call for someone loud enough for them to hear. He needed to go out there and look for the healer. Nishu attempted to get up, ignoring as much pain as he could as he moved. One paw here, one paw there, the other there. While he pushed to rise he was uncontrollably shaking. He found it hard to believe that rest did very little to help. In fact it feels like it made things worse.

For some time now, Nishu had been resting and trying to get better on his own. He'd been leeching from the pack's resources after half a year of insolence. When talking to Dhole, Charon had come up with the idea that maybe it would be better for everyone involved if Nishu would die. Ame would be sad, but ultimately, she would get over him and realise too that it was for the best. She had taken care of Nishu, along with others to bring him food and help him up when he needed it. But he hadn't gotten much better, as far as Charon knew. That night that he had got hurt, when he and Amekaze had spoken to him, Charon hadn't thought he would survive the night. He'd been wrong, but he still had little faith in Nishu's survival.

With determination in his step, Charon trotted towards Nishu's resting place, only to find a quivering Nishu meet him. "Nishu," Charon said as he looked at the shell of his pack mate, at what was left. He looked pathetic, which only further drove Charon's determination to rid the pack of its weakest link. "What are you doing up?" he asked, his voice level and calm, while he considered how best to go about this. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if it was really a good idea, but he reminded himself — the pack needed resources, and the pack was only as strong as its weakest wolf.

Nishu attempted to take a few small steps, it was surprising challenging. Why was it so difficult now, he's gone through so much training and was sure to be able to do what most wolves couldn't so how came he could barely walk when two of his legs were completely fine. It was frustrating for him, he can't just sit around and do nothing all day. Suddenly Charon made his appearance. Nishu felt like he was saved in a way.

He looked into Charon eyes. Nishu was obviously tired, weak, looking pathetic but there was also the fact he was still standing. "Resting doesn't seem to be doing the trick this time so I was going to go look for the healer." He said weakly. "To make this easier, would you mind caller her here?" He asked while standing there waiting for Charon to do just that.

There was a moment of understanding as Charon looked into Nishu's weary eyes. There was a fighting spirit somewhere deep down in there, and he recognised that. Nishu would keep fighting 'til the end; the only real question was how long or short that end would take. "You're right," Charon said, a sympathetic frown creasing his forehead as he spoke. "Resting doesn't seem to be doing the trick." Time was trickling away, life was draining slowly, grain by grain from the hourglass. Every grain seemed more painful than the last, Charon realised as he looked into Nishu's eyes. Nishu was determined and fighting, because he was a wolf and instinct dictated him to, but he was also fading and in constant pain. What, then, was the real mercy? To call for Thistle Cloud and let her assess that his chances were slim, or...

Charon looked at Nishu's broken leg, which still looked crooked. He should've had it looked after. 'Should've' wouldn't do much good now, though, as the only way was forward.

For a while, the young Alpha just stood there and looked at Nishu with the frown of sympathy creasing his brows, while he fought battles on the inside. But he really did think that he was doing the right thing when he moved forward. He nosed Nishu's cheek and hoarsely said, "The stars will watch over you, and Moonspear will remember you." And Charon would look to the skies, knowing that Nishu was watched over, for even if he had been an insolent follower who had learned respect the hard way, he had also been a Moonspear wolf, and Ame's friend.

Expecting no fight from the weakened wolf — perhaps falsely so — Charon's nose trailed from Nishu's cheek down to his neck, where he tried to grab him by the neck so that he could finish this mercifully.

He waited a awhile but Charon never did try to call for the healer. This easily reminded him why he never did trust him. They both agreed that resting wasn't working but then why was Charon delaying the call for the healer? Nishu was very suspicious as Charon stepped closer. He couldn't exactly figure out what was going through the Alpha's mind but is this wolf really able to pull off such act? Although he was in pretty bad shape his instinct were in no way clouded. He felt it, the hostile intentions but what made Nishu hesitate to do anything was the fact he believe Charon wouldn't to able to do such thing.

He waited to see what the Alpha would do. It was only after the Alpha's words that the Knight understood what exactly was going to happen. He felt blood rushing once more in his body giving him only a small hint of strength. At the last second Nishu leapt to the side to evade Charon's attempt to get him by the neck, as Nishu moved he snapped back in hopes to do some damage in return.

He nearly fell over as he tried to get back into a balanced stance. Having only three working legs made it nearly impossible to have a solid stance. He was obviously shaking so much more than before, his body just couldn't take much more but Nishu continued to be way too stubborn for his own good. It's been a long time since he's fought with another wolf. To the death or not he had always loved fighting and the challenged that came with it.

Although Nishu was in poor form he still had a confident grin on his face. "how low of you, Charon. This makes me even more right to say you aren't fit to be Alpha." But all that talk made him cough lots of blood at once. Leaving Nishu barely able to stand properly, it was like he was about to fall any second now. Even though it likely stood no chance Nishu remained confident. Not once did he think he would die here. He continued to show off with his confident smile and to make it even better he rose his head to his usual high prideful self.

Charon had expected nothing to happen but for Nishu to give up and accept his death. It was obvious he was in too poor shape to do anything even if he wanted to. Charon had so expected him to just lay down and give up, for this to be easy — he'd replayed it in his mind at least a hundred times over the past days and never had it gone this way — that the backlash was unexpected. He felt teeth scrape across his nose as Nishu stepped away, and Charon realised that he had underestimated Nishu. It actually gave him some hope that perhaps Nishu was fit enough to survive, after all; but it was too late now, far too late. He had made his decision, and now it was time to stand steadfastly by it and do what was best for everyone.

There was a stumble in Nishu's step as he tried to keep his balance after leaping away. Teeth parted in a snarl in response to Nishu's derisive words — they were an affirmation that it was too late to give Nishu healing on his own another shot. Without wasting any of his own words (perhaps because he was too afraid anyone may hear them, even though he had checked to make sure he wasn't being followed) Charon leaped forward once more, the smarting of his muzzle only fueling his determination that he was doing the right thing. Charon tried to knock Nishu off balance by bumping into him. He grabbed not for Nishu's neck this time, but for his broken leg, figuring the easiest way to go about this was to put pressure on Nishu's most sensitive area. He'd wanted this to be a merciful kill, like killing a deer struggling on the ground, but Nishu had other plans. Typical that after a life of being a pesky stubborn asshat he would refuse to follow Charon's plans even in the events leading up to his death.

Nishu hoped that Charon would at least explain himself but not even a word was spoken. He couldn't help but wonder how long the Alpha had planned this. Since the beginning maybe? Impossible to figure out anything there was no time for words. Nishu had to teach this boy that Knights are no push overs. He was just going to have to take him down, even if Charon was trying to take his life.

He thought to be ready to take in an impact just like he normally would but the moment the connection happend Nishu legs just gave up all together causing him to fall rather easily. Charon caught hold of Nishu's broken leg. The pain was intense but having to suffer for so long made that pain feel like it was just another layer to deal with.

Although Nishu had no more strength left to move his legs, Charon was still in range of his teeth. While he bares the pain he quickly attempted to sink his fangs around Charon neck. If Nishu managed to get hold of something he would tighten his grip as hard as he could.

It was easy to bowl Nishu over and he fell to the ground, defenseless and bare. The attack on the leg was not as successful as Charon had hoped, for though it had to hurt intensely, Nishu seemed to just bite on through the pain. Charon didn't realise that the leg might not have been the best strategic point, figuring that a leg bent and broken so strangely had to hurt more than average if someone were to attack it.

Charon felt the sting of teeth along his face, and anger burned in his mind. Nishu couldn't even stand, and yet he was intent on bringing down Moonspear's healthy Alpha because he refused to accept that it was time for the curtains to fall for him. Charon managed to avoid getting his neck gripped at, though he let out a yelp as Nishu's teeth tore into his sensitive left ear. The pain along his face only further fueled his anger and Charon threw his body weight onto Nishu and tried going for his throat again, now that he was on his side and the underside of his throat was more exposed.

Nishu's body was giving up more and more. He wasn't able to get a good hold on Charon. He managed to do some damage but just couldn't move effectively. It was a strange feeling, like his whole body was shutting down completely. He couldn't move but at the same time all the pain he was feeling was fading away. He could see Charon's move to go for his throat, as much as he wanted to he simply couldn't move out of the way.

Even while he had no more strength, teeth gripped on his throat he still managed to speak a few words. "You'll regret this.. It's doesn't.. end.. he.re.." He said using the last of his strength for what he didn't know would be his last words. Nishu still refused to die just yet. He continued to hold on to life even if the rope he was holding on to was just about to snap. All he could do was hold on and give Charon a harder time to finally finish the Knight.

His teeth found purchase along Nishu's throat, who brought out a few words. Charon's mind was too clouded to properly file the threat anywhere in his brain and it barely registered to him what Nishu was saying. Perhaps he would regret it, sooner or later; but right now, the young King thought — no, knew — that what he was doing was the best for his pack, as well as the fallen knight. He was broken, his body was broken, and he was only dragging the pack down by being alive. He deserved peace, deserved rest, even if he obviously did not want for it just yet.

Blood ran down Charon's face while he held on, teeth digging into Nishu's throat and holding on tightly. He hadn't spoken, not since offering Nishu his final parting words; perhaps because that made it easier, made it like Nishu wasn't really a wolf, a living being, anymore, because he had already said good bye. This moment seemed to last forever (and there were no thoughts of future on Charon's mind in it — he only thought of the now, of his task), with his teeth dug into Nishu's throat while he waited for life to finally depart from his lost pack mate.

Little by little whatever remaining life Nishu had was slowly slipping away. He had nothing left to fight with, no strength, no teeth, no legs, no body. He couldn't feel anything anymore, it was.. a peaceful feeling. He could finally rest without feeling any pain at all. His mind was clear, he was able to see all of his life in just a moment. Such a failure of a Knight he was, not a single mission over he took was completed.

The time he spent with Rain was the last thing his mind held on to. A strong pack member with the heart of a warrior similar to his. Even if she wasn't an Alpha, He never regretted becoming her Knight. He enjoyed all the time he spend with her. He could only wish he'd done more for her but she had always been grateful for all he has done for her.

Nishu's life finally ended after the final memory played out. He wasn't sure where he was now, maybe a dream? What exactly happend with Charon? Well, it didn't matter right now. He was allowed to rest and that is what he wanted to do. He'll just deal with everything else later once he wakes up. But Nishu would never be able to wake up again. He already passed the point of no return, but the Knight continues to walk forward with his head held high. A Knight's duty is never over.

-The end- (but doesn't you can't post one more :D)

That post was beautiful <3 I'll definitely miss Nishu! I'll finish this and post a follow up thread set right after this. ^^

The moment in which life flooded from Nishu seemed to take forever. Charon was not sure how long it was, and neither was he sure whether or not Nishu had been dead for some time when he finally released his grip on Nishu's throat. As he stepped back and licked the blood from his lips and teeth, Charon looked at his dead pack mate and realised just what he had done. He had taken a life. Doubt gripped him, and he considered lying to his pack about what had happened, making up a ruse, saying that someone or other had come onto pack lands and had murdered Nishu, not him. Maybe the bear, maybe a wolf from another pack. But everything he could think of seemed dangerous, too dangerous, for someone could investigate and find no scents of aforementioned bear or wolves. Not that Charon expected his wolves not to trust him and to investigate on their own, but still.

That didn't mean that Charon intended to tell the full truth to anyone who wished to hear. He wouldn't tell them that he had fully aware decided to kill Nishu, even if he did not realise the burden such an act would bring until after it had been completed. He would not tell them that he thought eliminating the weak link that took their resources was for the better of the pack.

No. Charon would tell them something else, surely. Blood continued to trickle down the young Alpha's face while he looked down at the dead knight, who suddenly looked oddly peaceful. Eventually the blood on his face stopped pouring out and scabbed over. "You can rest now," he murmured. Charon was not sure how to feel, divided among his emotions: one side of him felt empowered, as though the gods themselves had sent him a sign that he was the powerful King who could take lives as he pleased, in whose way none would stand without being crushed. The other part of him felt horrified at the thought of taking a life with his own teeth. That second part of him was easily cushioned by simply telling himself that it was not just for his own good and for the pack's good that he had done this, but for Nishu's, too. He could rest, now, could be a better Knight in death than he was in life... wherever he would go.