Cries of the innocent

'Oh Rathlon, what have you done this time?' Ishu stared down in dismay at his friend, bent over and covered in deep scratches.

'I think it's quite obvious, isn't it?' he responded as Ishu began to fuss. 'No need for your hysterics. What's done is done and cannot be undone no matter how you wish it.'

'Well, I can see that being injured once again hasn't managed to rouse any sense of self-preservation in you,' Ishu snapped, cross with his friend's lack of concern.

Though Ishu knew Rathlon was a reserved sort in general, it still grated how little regard he seemed to hold for himself. That he could never see his worth, like what a stalwart and loyal companion he was. How his endless generosity was a boon to all who knew him.

The other woodland creatures gossiped of course, always focusing on the wrong things. Like the way Rathlon rarely showed emotion or initiated conversation. They said he was aloof and stuck up. It seemed Ishu was the one exception, able to see past his prickly facade to the sweetness sheltered beneath.

And yet those very same blather mouths were keen to take advantage of Rathlon's strength, his willingness to help those in need. It infuriated him.

Despite others' opinions on the matter, the two had been inseparable for many moons, yet it never felt like enough time to Ishu. There always seemed to be close calls in these parts of the Hallowed Wood. The dryads did their best to protect the forest, but the humans were never content to stay put.

In the dead of night, they'd sneak in to set pits and traps and nets meant to ensnare the simple creatures that were surely beneath them. Delicacies they claimed could not be found in their mundane world. Their dull, rounded ears simply too primitive, unable to understand Ishu's kin when they spoke.

Even more concerning was that somehow their feeble minds came to realize time moved a bit more slowly in the Wood; one moment feeling as two. Their selfishness grew, seeking a longevity they had no right to attain, and Ishu wanted nothing to do with them.

But he saw the way they intrigued Rathlon, how he looked fondly at their young ones' exuberance and natural curiosity. He was drawn to helping them navigate this strange Wood, going so far as to protect them from the natural predators that lurked.

Of course Ishu had pondered all these heavy thoughts many times before when Rathlon got himself into these predicaments. They raced by in a blur now as he took in the scene before him.

Mere moments had passed and yet a rapidly growing pool of wetness gathered under Rathlon's slumped form. It sent a chill down his spine. With a sharp inhale, Rathlon shifted and a fresh wave soaked the earth.

'Where is all that blood coming from? Tell me. Let me fix this!' Ishu's wild eyes searched him from head to toe, heartbeat thundering in his ears. This was no simple wound to dress. No silly tale in the making that they'd laugh about later. Rathlon was dying. What could've given him a wound so sever–

'You were with those human younglings, weren't you?' Ishu gasped.

Rathlon's face said it all. Not a hair moved, not even the twitch of an eye, yet his best friend, the love of his life, knew him.

'They're worth it, Ish. Don't blame them for my choices,' his deep voice rasped, a wicked cough rising up as he spoke. 'There is good to be found in us all.'

Bitter tears dripped down Ishu's velvet fur, mixing with the deep red soaking his paws.

'Well, I blame them. I knew a moment like this might come someday, but I don't accept it.' He turned swiftly and grabbed the branch of an Ansel bush close by. A wicked thorn the length of his leg protruded from the nasty shrub. He snapped it off and held it to his heart.

'Where you go, I go,' Ishu pledged, pushing the tip into his chest, drawing a bead of ruby red. 'I love you, Rathlon. I could not have asked for a better life than the one I shared with you, but I cannot bear it alone. I cannot.'

Rathlon's eyes glazed over, his death ushered in on a hushed plea, 'Love you...not...go...save her.'

Ishu's heart shattered. 'To the end and even then, my love.' With shaky resolve, he moved to slam the thorn home, but a small cry broke the grim silence, stopping him cold.

'Pease help,' it whined pitifully.

And in that moment, two paths slowly unfurled before him–death to be with his love, or life to aid the cause of it.

Ishu sighed deeply, a sob catching in his raw throat, then moved to place a gentle kiss on his beloved's still form.

The sound of innocence called again, broken but hopeful.

And Ishu answered.

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Thank you for reading!