Hunter's Moon

"I'm not your daughter!" Heather screamed. Rumbling filled the cave and Heather realized the giant was laughing.

You've tasted my blood. You've received my gifts. You are mine. As eternal now as I am, bound here from before your human kind walked the earth. Are you come now to release me?

"Why?" Heather asked. "Why are you trapped here?"

Silence filled the cavern. Somewhere, water dripped slowly. The figure watched her quietly.

It is beyond even your ability to comprehend now. Release me.

"How?" Heather asked. The young woman crawled over to her friend, covering her with her wings protectively. "What will happen if I do?"

End my existence.

"Will I be human again?"

You will never be as you were. There is nothing in the whole of reality that can remove my gifts save Death's artful hand and my own release. And even Death will find you no easy prey now.

"Will," Heather paused. "Will it heal my friend?"

Again, no. Your own death will not free her of you. She is yours and no other will feed of her as you do. She would survive your death and wander, lost forever.

Heather lay against her friend. Pain and suffering radiated through the bond. The creature's very existence was slowly killing Teri.

Leave me, Daughter. I can see into my own child's heart. If you will not free me then I shall not suffer your presence. Go! And be wary of the world you've crossed into.

With a sharp, loud cry, Heather willed herself away.

Heather opened her eyes. The sky was pure dark blue, aglow with an eternity of stars. She lay with Teri on cool, damp grass at the side of a hill. She knew immediately that if she looked behind herself, she'd find a familiar rock jutting from the top of the hill. Her ears twitched as the bats deep in the cave sang their joyous greetings. The young woman exhaled, unsure of how long she'd been holding her breath. Every time she blinked, she could see the onyx giant.

"Teri," Heather whispered. "It's okay. He's gone." She felt slightly weaker and she knew it was due to the distance away from the monster under the castle. He gave her power but she was tied to him. Heather sighed. As Teri was tied to her.

"Scared," Teri whimpered. "Hurts."

"I know, honey," Heather said quietly, she rubbed her friend's back gently in a circle. "I'm here."

"I can't. I can't. I can't." Teri repeated.

Heather covered her friend and pulled her closer. Teri instinctively nuzzled against Heather's chest. Her pain slowly began to fade.

"I think," Heather said. "I think they have it wrong. Vampires. You know? Cursed to live in darkness while lamenting the loss of sunlight. Why? The stars are beautiful and the sun hides them away." Rather than tiny, solid white pinpricks of light, the stars were large and opalescent. She wasn't sure if she'd ever seen someone as visual stunning as the immense field of jewels glittering above her. The moon, nearly full was enormous and bright silver. A halo of pure white surrounded it and she smiled up at the light it gave to her.

Teri shifted against her friend. She held her hands up under her chin like a small child would.

"I'm... I can't go home, Teri," Heather sighed. "I'm pretty sure it would kill me. I think... I think the further I am from... him... the weaker I'd get until I just... stopped. I can feel it. I think I'd be okay with that."

Sadness and anger raced through their bond.

"No, listen. I think I'd be okay with it if it was just me. Maybe. You saved me once, years ago. I thought, you know, after being bullied and told how much of a freak I was because I didn't wear dresses and all that crap. You stayed with me. You taught me to live because people cared about me. That I mattered to other people. You stayed with me then and afterwards, until I was safe on my own. I-"

"Still here," Teri whispered. "I'm still here."

"I know, Teri," Heather said. She hugged her friend fiercely. "I think I'm going to need your help again. I'm scared, Teri. Scared of what this will do to me."

"Need you, too," Teri said.

"I need your laughter, Teri," Heather said. "I need you to remind me to be human." Hot tears mixed with the fur along her muzzle. Human, she thought bitterly. Not so much anymore.

"I will," Teri answered.

"Stay awake with me, Teri," Heather whispered again. "Watch the stars with me. I'll keep you safe and watch out for you."

"Just. Just like you always have," Teri said, her voice small.

"Just like I always have," Heather replied, her throat painful with emotion.

Teri shifted against her, turning to face the stars. Heather wrapped her wing around the woman when she shivered. Teri closed her eyes with a sigh and then opened them again.

"Do you-" Teri paused.

"What?" Heather asked, gently.

"Do you think Uranus is out there somewhere?"

"I- what?"

"I was just wondering if your anus was out there. You know. Because it's so big now. Your ass. Star-like."

"That's- that was terrible, Teri. Way below your normal standards."

Teri sighed again. "So are you, Heather. But, I'm still here with you anyway. And I'm not going anywhere. You'd be lost without me."

"Maybe we'll even get a house somewhere," Heather said while they both stared up into the night.

"With shutters?"

"Maybe. Maybe shutters. Definitely lamps, though."

"Are you hitting on me, Heather?"

The two friends bickered happily back and forth under the stars, their future as limitless as the night sky.