Broken Souls

The Wolf and The Rabbit

HORRORTALE!SANS POV

Another boring day, just the same as the last, posted at my HellDin Sentry Station, drumming my fingers along the wooden surface with nothing to do, and nothing in my stomach. Ever since Asgore disappeared, and Undyne became queen, food has been scarce. Almost unattainable. That is... unless a human falls into the Underground. The poor unsuspecting blood bugger is considered a delicacy these days, and we Monsters stop at nothing to get our claws sunk into their succulent flesh. "Grah..." Drumming my fingers in rhythm, other hand lodged within the empty socket of my left eye, I could almost smell it. That tantalizing treat. That crimson candy, worth its weight in gold.

Wait... lifting my head from its awkward angle, it dawned upon me. I wasn't imaging it. I could actually smell it! And it was close. Fastening my trusty cleaver to the loop of my belt that I had so appropriately deemed the name of Butcher, I began my long trudge through the snow. My mouth watered at the very thought of sinking my fangs into the poor morsel who had the terrible misfortune of being found by me. Besides! Papyrus hadn't eaten in days... I needed to be a good big brother and... heh... bring home the bacon.

The scent was gradually getting stronger the further downwind I went. Closer yet closer. I hadn't been this near to the old Ruin Doors since ... Tori. I grimaced at the very idea of what had happened to the kindly old woman. To all of us. Gripping the handle of Butcher all the tighter, my eye burned brightly with anger. The humans. THEY did this to us... and now? We were just returning the favor.

Finally, the scent was at its strongest. I had found its source. There, laying in the snow, was a human. A girl, by the looks of it. The snow around her was a bright red, and there were gashes, cuts, and lacerations all over her small form. Standing there before her, I watched with a crazed grin, ready to bring Butcher forward, and slice away what ever life she had left, that she clung to. But something stopped me.

She looked up at me. Not in fear. Not with an expression of horror or dread, but... desperation. She was crying out to me, and the words she spoke shattered what was left of my cold, icy SOUL. "...set me free... p-please... kill me..."

I couldn't move. My grin faulted. No one had ever begged me to end their life before. Never. Why did this 'rattle my bones' so? There was a dying human! Right here in front of me! I could so easily take her life, and feed Papyrus and I for day's to come! ... but I didn't.

I watched as she slipped away into unconsciousness, falling back down onto the snow in defeat, a look of bliss upon her face as if she were accepting her fate, and I was the reaper, bringing said fate right to her door. Why did this situation shake me?!

I gripped my skull and shook my head. What was wrong with me?! ... looking back to the girl, her frost bitten, tear stained cheeks, her hair blowing against the fridged air... she was the rabbit, and I? The wolf. Her fate was mine to decide. Kneeling down beside her, I placed a hand on the side of her face. Soft... alive... she needed help. She needed... me. "....kid.." I murmured, my own voice wavering as I examined her broken and battered form. Something wasn't right. Her open wounds weren't the only problem. No.

Her clothing was torn, and I could see her entire left side was covered in large, purple bruise. Scanning her with my one red eye, I focused all of the power that I had, seeing straight through her skin, through her SOUL. ... her leg was broken. Arm was shattered. I winced as I realized... something terrible must have befallen this girl. Another hungry monster, perhaps...? Looking around the area, I saw a long and sturdy looking branch. One that looked impossible to crack. Reaching out my hand and lifting it into the air my telekinesis, I brought it forward.

"...kid..." I grit my teeth as I snapped it in half with one firm grasp. "...what happened t' you..?" Placing the two sturdy branches like a brace at either side of her leg, I bound them together tightly with the fabric of my bloodstained shirt. Tearing it lengthwise once again, I crafted a sling for her arm, binding it snugly to her chest for support. Her lips, her skin was turning blue from the frost. Removing my fluffy jacket, I bundled her up tight.

In the distance, I could hear the snarls and growls of other ravenous monsters nearby. They must have smelled the blood, too. They're coming. My eye burned with intense fury at the very thought, and I carefully lifted her into my arms. I had to get her home. Back to safety. This wasn't right. I couldn't let her die like this... not when she couldn't fight back. Where was the fun in that...? Or at least... that's what I kept on telling myself. As the growls grew closer, my careful grip on her grew tighter. My eye flared as I prepared to teleport us away from the danger. Looking down at this broken SOUL, even though I fully well knew she couldn't hear, the words I spoke surprised even myself. "I'm telling ya... that you'll be safe with me..."

As the growling was now right before us, I held her close. Maybe... I had not lost all of my humanity? Not yet... my magic coated us in a bath of blue and red... and together, this human and I, we both vanished away.