Anira

"Alright, maybe bringing Auror with me wasn’t such a good idea," I think.
"Calm down, big guy, we're done here." I watch Bourn freeze and start to contort as he transmutes right in front of me. "Holy shit!"
"Do you want to challenge me, Bourn? Dare to defy your leader?" Auror's voice is so dark and menacing that it sends chills down my spine.
"Maybe a beating, kid? I should have that privilege."
"Why don’t you try?" Auror seems much larger now, much more imposing.
He stands tall, stretching out with his arms open.
"He should have had a life, he should be here, not you. He would have had a mate, he would have had children, and we could have died in peace." Bourn looks furious, and I take a few steps back as Auror makes sure to place me behind him.
"Go on, Bourn. I’m giving you the chance to tell me everything you’ve always wanted to but never could, since you weren’t even a male to confront me directly," Auror says, his pain palpable. He didn’t just lose a friend; he lost a part of his family.
"You didn’t give him the benefit of the doubt, you killed your best friend without giving him a chance to explain himself. You’re not fit to lead us, never were!" Bourn grows larger, and I feel his rage from where I am.
He’s a tall, large férnus with light brown fur and a lot of anger.
"This is your chance, challenge me and earn the right to take my place," Auror says, feeling every word.
"I considered you a son, Auror. I didn’t just lose Clint, I lost you too." Bourn's furious kick sends blood flying.
"Come on, Bourn, show your anger, show how much I deserved to die instead of Clint." Another blow lands on Auror.
"Stop!" I shout because Auror isn’t fighting back. He’s letting Bourn have his moment.
The two of them roll on the ground like fighting dogs, their growls are loud and terrifying, and one hit sends Auror out of the barn, away from me. They beat and bite each other; Auror could kill Bourn if he wanted to, but seems to be holding back. Just when I least expect it, a strong voice calls out for Bourn.
"Stop, please! Stop!" Auror's look at the woman breaks my heart, and I can swear I hear a soft cry.
"Cellem, go back inside!" Bourn yells as they pull away, still in an aggressive stance.
"Please, Auror, go and take your mate away. For Clint, I beg you."
Bourn collapses to the ground, reverting to human form, and is embraced by his wife, who then turns her back on us. I approach Auror, who remains frozen, watching the pair walk away.
"Let's go home, please," I whisper. He looks at me, tears streaming down his face. Auror is grieving for everything that happened here and for the guilt he feels.
"No, please, I can’t bear to see you like this," he tells me. Seeing him cry makes me cry too.
"I can’t bear to see you suffer."
"We needed this. Now I believe it's over, that we’ve put an end to everything," he says as I rest my head on his chest.
Soon, I am placed in the truck and left there for a while until all the supplies are loaded into the bed. Auror doesn’t join me; he sits in the back, alone.
"Don’t pull away," I beg.
"I would never pull away. I just need this moment." With that, he closes off his mind to me, shutting me out.
I drive back home with my companion in torment, his physical wounds less painful than the agony of his guilt. His mournful howl pierces the darkness, a sign of deep sorrow for the loss he feels. This happens three more times, a traditional signal of grief among the férnus.
The moon seems to shine brighter and more powerfully, lighting our path home. I feel the truck sway as he silently leaps out, opening my door and carrying me to our bedroom. Auror remains silent, moving on autopilot, his expression one of deep sadness. He bathes me, dries my hair, and lays me naked on the bed. Returning to the bathroom, he comes back dry and carrying a first aid kit.
"I know you’ll take care of it, so just do it," he says, handing me the kit and sitting in front of me, allowing me to clean the cuts thoroughly to avoid any infection.
I say nothing, concentrating on controlling my breathing. He doesn’t complain or react to the sting of the antiseptics. Once I’m done, he gets up, puts the kit away, and lies down on the bed, pulling me into his arms. He covers me with his body, holding me in a spooning position that always keeps me warm and safe.
We stay like that, with me stroking his hand until I fall asleep, drifting into dreams without seeing anything more.

***


Auror


Auror’s pain is palpable, and his guilt consumes him deeply. The weight of Bourn’s words and the sight of Cellen pleading with him have cut through him more profoundly than any physical wounds. He wrestles with the harsh reality of having taken away so much from a dear friend, unable to absolve himself of the unforgivable actions from the past.
The moon’s powerful light seems to echo his turmoil, a silent witness to his suffering. Auror’s inner conflict rages on as he questions his own actions, struggling with the reality that he will never find forgiveness for the choices that irrevocably altered lives.
As the dawn breaks, bringing light to a new day, Auror finds himself alone with his thoughts, overwhelmed by the realization that he may never forgive himself for the loss and pain he has caused. His grief and sense of unworthiness are as profound as the darkness of the night before, leaving him to confront a future filled with unresolved sorrow.

***


Anira


I wake up alone in bed and look out the window, surprised to see snow falling fifteen days early. I get dressed since I'm naked and head downstairs where I hear voices.
"Everything is in order, Auror; the snow didn't catch us off guard as it might seem," Black reports.
"Dismiss the humans until the end of the week, clear out Forty Mile." His order will soon be put into action.
"I want border patrols here, circling the hill house." I don't understand his request. "The last attack happened when we were at the peak of the heat, where we were very vulnerable; the young males need to patrol the edges of the hill," he points out. "Immature férnus are not affected by the mating scents, so we don't risk them becoming aroused."
"Everything will be arranged; there's no need to worry." Black tries to calm him down. "Let's check the entire protection system of the hill house before we go."
"Don't worry, I inspected them two days ago."
"It doesn't hurt to review." Black smiles, and it seems to help ease Auror's tension.
They discuss a few points, and then Black touches on yesterday's topic.
"I never imagined it would come to this," he remarks.
"Neither did I, but it was necessary; Bourn needed it, it was three hundred years of expectations, and we put an end to it." His words seem confident, but as his companion, I feel his pain, even though I’m not connected to his mind.
"If that's what you say, I'll leave."
Black exits, and as soon as we are alone, his eyes focus on me.
"Why didn’t you come closer?"
"I didn't want to intrude," I say, walking towards him.