One

First draft and unedited...sorry, heh....

“Nukka!”

I dared not turn to the voice that called out my name and continued to flee. My neck hurt and I could still feel fresh blood pouring from the wound Selakiir had torn from my neck. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes but I would not dry. I would not!

“Nukka, please, I'm begging you! I'll explain, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!”

Selakiir's frantic cried were getting more and more distant as I ran. My footsteps were quiet, but it still might alert the second vampire of my location. There was no possible way I could face both Selakiir and that monster. With Selakiir wounded and my knowledge of the cave system, I soon left my once-friend far behind.

My ears remained flat on my head, muffling the sounds around me, my tail working hard to keep my balanced while I sprinted across the uneven terrain. I could thank my tabaxi parents for allowing me to inherit their darkvision. I could see well enough, despite the tears that still threatened to spill from my eyes.

Two nights before Selakiir and I had been facing an enemy we should have known well. A vampire who lived on the blood of it's victims. I had been hunting these monsters ever since my parents and our mercenary group had been attacked by one. I had met Selakiir on a job with what was left of our group and he saw my obsession with the blood suckers he also hunter. It had not taken him much effort to persuade me to follow him and learn how to hunt vampires.

Everything should have been the same as it usually was; Selakiir would weaken the vampire and we would work together to make an opportunity for me to stab the creature's heart with a silver tipped stake. Nothing had gone right since the moment we had cornered the vampire and it had started acting oddly. My dark elf companion was struggling, as if there were a heavy weight on his shoulders and as soon as I was within five feet of our prey I felt an unknown pressure weigh down on me. It seemed there was some sort of magic in that place or the vampire had more powerful magic than we could have ever imagined.

I panicked. If it had not been for that, Selakiir probably would not have been so gravely injured and I would have found out his dark truth some time later... We had spoken about becoming lovers. I thought I had found happiness, but I should have known better. We were two completely different creatures; he a dark elf and I basically nothing more than a giant cat. He taught me everything he knew, or so he said. I had been with him for over a decade...

Sunlight filtered down from a hole some fifteen feet above from where I ran. I reached behind a bunch of rubble where Selakiir kept a sturdy rope hidden and swiftly clambered up. Behind me, I heard running footsteps. One of the bloodsuckers had caught up. It didn't matter with one of them had, at this point, there was no way I could face either one with my state of mind. Up I went, into the fading sunlight.

Familiar trees surrounded me, but when they once made me feel safe and welcomed, I now only felt unease and wondered if they too held secrets from me. Were Selakiir's meals buried under these trees? I pushed my exhausted body harder. I had to keep going. For the past night and day, I had been awake, worrying over and caring for Selakiir. I had not known anything; he did not show the signs of turning so I knew the only answer could be that he had already been a vampire from the start.

It was easy for me not to notice; dark elves and vampires had a few similarities. As I had gone with Selakiir knowing nothing about identifying a vampire before he taught me, it must have slipped past my notice.

Behind me, coming from the direction of the cave entrance, there was a loud cry of pain. The sun was setting, but it's rays were still strong enough to cause my pursuer harm. I paused, though. My steps slowed into a walk and then even than completely came to a stop. This was were I would have to make up my mind: return to Selakiir's side or go on without him. Some day I would have to destroy him, whatever I chose. I clenched my furred fingers together, drawing blood, and began to walk forward once more.

He called my name, he begged and screamed and howled. I kept walking. His cried became weaker and more pitiful, but as they did, I found it impossible for me to turn back. Instead, I continued moving. I did not stop to rest or to eat or drink.

Eventually I was forced to stop or I would die. My broken heart urged me to turn around, maybe Selakiir was playing some sort of sick joke. I ignored those unrealistic thoughts and sluggishly began to forage around for food. My vision blurred and the earth came crashing toward me.