Author's note: This one is kinda...twisted. But that's just how the story of Red and Wolf was bound to end. You have been warned.

~*~*~

His sister had gotten married and moved to live with her husband in a distant town after their father had passed away. She had been worried if he'd be alright on his own, but he had assured her that he'd be fine. That he'd uphold the family legacy. That he already had someone in mind who would share it with him.

It was all lies, though. Once his time was up – which might be rather soon -, the house their bloodline had called home for centuries would be left empty. One less old family to live in the forest.

He knew he was going insane – if he wasn't already. His body grew weaker every day. If he were to take a wife at this point, he'd only end up leaving her behind...or murdering her with his own hands.

The woods felt empty despite all the sounds of life around him. There was nowhere left for him to go, no one to run with. His father, sister, grandmother...all gone. Even the wild beast he had forged close bonds with a long time ago had left the area. To search for a mate and have a few pups, he'd said. What they'd had had been just fun and games.

A sudden wave of pain ran through his body, leaving him reeling in its wake. He grabbed hold of the nearest tree with one hand and slumped to sit down with his back against the trunk before his legs completely gave way.

He'd just rest a little while...

~*~*~

There was a sniffing sound very close to him. Maybe if he reached out quickly, he'd kill his next meal before the curious creature got away-

"Red," someone spoke.

It was a struggle to open his eyes. If he didn't know better, he would have thought his eyelids had frozen shut. It was not cold enough for that.

His fur was as shiny black as ever, and his gaze as piercing. One would think that wolves would live a considerably short time in comparison to humans, but he didn't look like he had aged at all.

"Wolf. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Fate was just messing with him. Why now of all times?

"It is you. I wouldn't have even recognized you without that cloak." The beast sniffed him again. "You smell almost like a corpse."

Red chuckled humorlessly. "Tell me about it." He remained unmoving as the wolf's nose thoroughly inspected every part of him. He knew what his lover in the past wanted to find out. That it was just something he had been rolling in. But it wasn't.

Finally the wolf stopped, having come to the same conclusion. "You're dying..."

He looked like a lost puppy. They hadn't even seen each other for years, and now the mutt was acting like it was the end of the world. Red laid one hand on top of his head and scratched his ears clumsily. "Yeah. Lost my mind first. Now I have no appetite for anything else than bloody flesh anymore, and my stomach rejects it."

"Why? It should be good for you. You would make a great wolf."

"Unfortunately, I wasn't born as one," Red snorted. He leaned back with a heavy sigh. He was feeling so tired. "I shouldn't have listened to you in the first place. But it was still the best time of my life."

"I was...kind of hoping...that you'd come to live with my pack. I...remembered and wanted that time back."

"I see. So you found the mate you were looking for." He had let go so long ago. It hadn't been such a big deal. He'd wanted to shoot the beast almost as often as join him in whatever blood-quickening activity he came up with. They had been lovers, but never in love. It was probably only because he was dying that he was grasping to a dream that never existed.

"Yes!" the wolf replied enthusiastically. "You'd like her. She's smart and cunning. And fast. Really fast. We have seven pups, and there's plenty of food for more litters."

"Good for you." His voice sounded bitter even to his own ears.

The wolf hugged him hard enough to squeeze all air from his lungs. "I want you there. I really do."

"...Then kill me."

He pulled hesitantly back and watched him with those golden eyes in silence.

Red nodded. "Both men of the woods and wolves know it. Everything you eat has a soul..."

"...and a part of that soul stays with you as long as you live," the wolf finished the saying Red had originally put to words for him. "You know I meant different kind of together."

"There isn't a different kind anymore. Please. I don't want to waste away like this."

Tears dampened the smooth, black fur. His companion looked torn, but Red already knew what his decision would be. It was in the beasts' blood to kill. Both the wolf's and his own. His request would not be denied.

The wolf softly nosed his throat first, then opened his jaws wide. The sharp teeth barely touched his skin.

Red wrapped his arms around the furry shoulders in silent encouragement. It was alright.

Of the few remaining alternatives, this was the best way.