The beast hissed, its claws enveloping you, “Many humans have tried to bargain with me. Some offered gold for their life, others companionship…. even love. What useless thing will you try to offer me for yours?” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I tilted my head, thinking. "Frankly, great beast, I think perhaps you should offer me something if you want to take it." It pondered for a while. Then it laughed, a great barking sound equal parts scary and awesome. "Very well," it intoned, its eyes dancing with dark amusement. "I'll entertain the idea. What would you like as payment?" "What are you offering?" I asked in turn. Its tail swished thoughtfully, brushing up dust from the dry earth. "Any riches you may name, I possess. Gold, crystals, ancient tomes and artifacts from times long past. Any knowledge you may want, I have. You wish to know what comes after death? How time and space came to be? I can answer." "Ah," I smiled, "but then what good would riches do me, if I am set to die? What use is knowledge if I cannot share it before I go?" Its eyes narrowed. "Clever, are you not? Hm. Then I could grant you peace, once you have passed on." "Peace?" I laughed. "Peace in my death would mean that I no longer care for the fates of my friends who still live. Peace, then, is only ignorance, and I do so hate willful ignorance." It frowned. "I can promise that you will find all those you have lost." I bowed my head. "It's true," I said softly, "that I miss the ones who have passed on." I looked down at the claws wrapped around me. "But I have mourned them, and they are the stars that lead me onward. I will not drown to reach a mere reflection of their light." "An existence free of pain!" it offered exasperatedly. "Beyond life I can guarantee no more struggle, no more sorrow. Surely you would wish to unburden yourself of your mortal strife?" "Without pain there can be no bliss," I replied simply. "Without pain, the satisfaction of success, the warmth of love, is only shallow and fake." It bared its teeth, releasing its hold on me to paw angrily at the dirt. "Then what. What would you take in return for your life?" "Nothing." "Ah. So you were only buying yourself time, then, with this little...attempt?" I exhaled quietly, meeting the beast's eyes. "Not exactly." "Elaborate, little one. I am many things, but a mind reader is not one of them." "There was a time, not too long ago, when I would have just laid down and waited for you to tear me apart. But now...my life is worth so much more than anything you could offer, and I thought I'd show you why. I thought, perhaps, I could evoke some pity." I sighed. "The moon is so beautiful and bright. Look around, lonely one, and you can see so much." It stared at me. "The birds are sleeping in their nests tonight." I pointed up at the great oak tree. "The squirrels are curled around their acorns, and a fussy little one is still awake and peering up at the stars. The tree is green and healthy, and it shades the burrows of little rabbits as they huddle together against the cold." I crouched and ran my fingers through the grass. "Little ants are marching through, carrying their great big leaves. The ladybird is resting on this clover, see? And the dandelions are swaying in time with the wind." I stood once more. The beast, breathlessly, continued to stare. I smiled. "And at home...my cat is curled up on the armchair, waiting for me to take my place beside him. The lovely owner of the corner store is waiting for me to come in and say hello, to sit and talk with them as we wait for our tea to brew. My friends are waiting for my return, waiting to see what new paintings I've made." I reached into my bag and felt around carefully. "Well. I'm afraid it may have broken when you caught me, but I'd like to leave this one with you." I pulled out a canvas, its wooden frame slightly splintered, and laid it on the ground before me. An offering. "You are lonely, my friend. Your riches never pleased you, and neither did your knowledge. Your power has only ever hurt, and you hunt because you think it's all you can do. I was like that once too, with edges too sharp for people to approach. But I learned to put all my suffering and all my joy onto paper, turned thorns and walls into art and it was beautiful, and I have grown so much since then. And...well. Perhaps you'd be willing to learn, too." There was a rumble, low in its throat. It sounded almost mournful. "You've said that you've been offered companionship before, have you not? People will often make empty promises with a knife at their throat. And you know that. So despite all those pleas, all that bargaining, you were only ever lonely, weren't you?" It growled, finding its voice again. "It has been so long since a mortal being has spoken so daringly with me. You are wrong, little one. I am a hunter by birth and by choice. Do not assume that you could—" [continued in notes]
It broke off abruptly as I reached out to it with a trembling arm. Perhaps it was foolish. Perhaps I was blinded by hubris, and thought myself invincible. Regardless, I stepped forward and brushed my fingers against the matted fur of its chin, gently gliding over the mud-caked tangles. "You have been running," I murmured. "You are so tired, lonely one." "I am not—" It jerked back, looking at me with a wild kind of terror. "You. You and your words, and your touch, and your voice. Poison, poison. I cannot love. I can only live, and run, I am free from the earthly bonds that chain you, the ones of love and beauty you claim so great. I am strong, I am a hunter—" "Cannot love," I asked, "or will not?" "Silence!" it hissed desperately, its pupils shrinking to slits. Its claws dug into the earth, its tail whipped at the ground with agitated thumps. "Begone, begone foul preacher—" It whipped around, entire body lashing as though in torment, snarls falling from its dripping maw as curses to the gods. With a final roar it turned its back on me and ran, away into the trees, its dark fur quickly disappearing into the shadows of the night. The painting I had offered was gone too. And despite the subsiding fear that still had my heart beating fast and hot in my chest, I smiled. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - prompt by writing-prompts on tumblr writing, art, and story by me, @InkTheKat remember, friends, life is beautiful. it sounds cliche, i know. but in life there is art and there is beauty, and if you cannot see a future then just live day by singular day, and slowly you will realize you have come so far. there is so much joy to be had. your life is worth so much. claw your way through with sharp fangs and claws, if you must, tear happiness from the misery with raw fingers and broken nails. it is what i have done, am trying to do. there is so much left to love :) have a great day! if you enjoyed, leave a comment perhaps? <3 #writing #writingprompts #creativewriting #digitalart #art
