"Emory!" Mystic exclaimed and ran to her. "I told you to stay by the stream!"

"I heard all the ruckus and got worried," Emory said apologetically. Mystic sighed, rubbing her hair playfully. Emory looked to Nero and smiled. She ran to him and hugged him, leaving Nero tense and rather flustered. He said nothing though. He winced, however, as Emory touched his bandaged ankle.

"You're bleeding! Here, I have bigger bandages..." She reached into her bag and took out a roll. Nero knelt down to her, taking the roll and putting it back.

"Look, Emory, I'm fine. Look." He removed the bandage from his ankle. The cut from the boot had stopped bleeding as soon as it started, leaving a small scab. The injury from the bear trap itself was now a scar. Emory looked at it in amazement.

"Look, Papa!" she exclaimed. Mystic stepped foward to take a look. Nero stepped back in response.

"He won't hurt you," Emory said. "He's my papa, the one I told you about." Mystic watched as Emory tried to convince Nero, mildly uncomfortable. He was quite gentle around her, yes, but the hunter wasn't wrong. The sun was beginning to set, and there would be a full moon tonight. Even if Emory was unharmed and up close to a werewolf, he wanted to be cautious.

...

"I didn't know you have a dagger," Emory marveled. "Do you also use your claws?"

"Only when I really need to," Nero said, putting the makeshift blade back into the pouch around the belt of his pants. He missed however, falling into the grass. He reached for it again, and it slipped out of his grasp once more. His hands were trembling. Mystic took the dagger and put it back in Nero's pouch. "...Thanks," he said quietly. Mystic eyed Nero's shaking hands.

"It won't be long now," Mystic said, for he knew mild trembling was a sign that the shift was close. Nero closed his hands into fists to steady them.

"Does it hurt?" Both heads turned to Emory. "The shift?" Mystic and Nero exchanged looks, both saying the same thing. Mystic sat up from the log and kneeled in front of his daughter.

"Emory, we don't want you to worry. Nero will be fine."

"You saw someone turn into a werewolf, right?"

"Well, yes..."

"You said he enjoyed it."

"That's because he was driven to insanity by the curse. It's not like that for all werewolves."

Emory glanced at Nero with worry in her eyes. Nero stood up.

"I'll tell you, it certainly isn't painless. I'll be fine though. You don't need to worry."

Mystic looked to the horizon. Nightfall had come around. "It's time we went on our way," he told Emory.

...

"Head on inside, Emory," Mystic said. Emory walked down the path to the tower, waving to Nero. He waved back, and looked at Mystic.

"I have to thank you. For what you've done back there," he said. "I can see she takes after you." Mystic shrugged and smiled softly.

"I can agree, but her kindness comes from her mother," he said.

"Her mother?"

"Yes, um... she's no longer here though. She died in childbirth."

Nero looked at him for a good moment.

"I'm..." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry... really, I..." His breathing became labored.

"Nero?" Mystic took a step foward. The lycanthrope began to sweat profusely. Mystic looked behind him. The full moon glowed brilliantly in the darkness above. Nero began to struggle for breath.

"I-I..." That was all he could say before doubling over in pain and falling to his knees. Mystic held onto Nero's shoulders.

"Here, let me-"

"No! I'm fine... I can..." He snarled in pain as he dug his claws into the earth. Mystic winced as he heard the crackling of bone, watching Nero curl further into himself. He had to get him back into the forest. He couldn't tranform here in the open.

"Hold onto me," Mystic said, wrapping Nero's changing arm around his shoulder. It was a struggle at first, but they were able to stumble into the woods. They reached the clearing with the stream when Nero could no longer continue. He dropped to the ground and arched his back, his screams beginning to morph into roars. Mystic watched the whole thing play out in silent horror. The breaking of bones, the growing of muscles, he's all seen it before. The only difference was pain. The cursed man was enjoying the shift. What Mystic saw now was pain traveling through Nero wave after wave. It wasn't easy to watch then, but it was much harder to watch. Agony made the difference. He couldn't take his eyes off of Nero as the transformation hit its final stages. It was hard to see in the dark, but he could see the dark shadow spasmed, growing in size, until it raised its head to the stars and howled.

...

"How are you going to do it, Markus?"

"It'll be a challenge, but..." the experienced hunter examined the arrowhead. "It should do the trick." Markus turned his head to his fellow hunter. "I will go it alone. Now, hand me the wolfsbane."

(End of Chapter)

Awwww yeeeeeeaaaaaahh! A new chapter!