It happened a week after Wolf's graduation. He had told his mother he was staying a few weeks with some friends, so she had no worry for him. He could take care of himself. Wolf would never forget that day, not in a million years.

It was a beautiful day, and Wolf and William were in the market place of the local town, a small trading village by the name of Briarston. The entire area was a bustle, for it was announced that the King's new wife, the new Queen, would be coming for a visit. In preparation, all the marketmen were pulling out their finest merchandise, and every man, woman, and child was dressed in their best clothing, all except Wolf and William. They were simply there to buy some herbs for Gytha, who was running a little low on her favorites of rosemary and garlic. So they were surprised when a highly ornamented carriage stopped in the square.

A trumpet blared, and steps were placed at the foot of the carriage. Finally, a beautiful lady stepped out of the carriage, her dress and cloak made of dark green fabric of the highest quality. In her hand, one could see a crossbow, it's front made in the image of a bird-of-prey, with ruby eyes that seemed to glow with an evil light. She looked around the square, her eyes beautiful and clear, but calculating nonetheless. At last, she called out in a voice which rang with command.

"This is a magical crossbow. It always hits the heart of a living thing. I will give it to one who asks for it. Who desires this fine crossbow?"

The townspeople were leery. Magic was a tricky business, and getting something that good would require a great price to the one who received it. There was no such thing as a free lunch, and they knew it. When no one answered, however, the queen began to scan the square. Finally, her eyes rested upon the face of William. She smiled.

Wolf growled deep in his throat, and began to pull his friend away. This wasn't right. This was magic, Wolf knew, bad magic. But William didn't listen. Wolf stood helpless as his best friend brushed him off and stepped closer to the queen.

"Do you wish to possess this crossbow?" the queen asked, the smile on her face tinged with a hint of something evil.

William looked at his humble bow, then up at the one the queen held in her grasp. He could help his family so much. Just thinking about all the money he could get for Shawn's education and Gytha's new clothes and... They went on and on. With a crossbow that never missed. Why, his business would boom. He had to have it, if only for those he loved.

"I desire it, my queen." replied William at last, bowing as he did.

"It is yours if you will do one thing for me..." the queen said, holding out the exquisite crossbow, "I want you to shoot it."

It was an odd request, but one William was glad to oblige. He took the crossbow from the queen's hand. It had an curious feel to it, almost as if it was alive. Magic. William shuddered. He looked to Wolf, and Wolf kept urging him to leave. He knew he should trust the boy. Goodness know, the half-wolf's feelings were never wrong. But something pulled him to this strange tool of the hunt, and he had to obtain it or go mad.

"I'll simply shoot it into the woods" William said gruffly, pushing off Wolf's hand as it tried to grab his own, "Won't hurt nobody in the woods." William walked to the edge of the town, the entire population of Briarston and the queen herself in tow.

Wolf felt like howling. This wasn't good. This was bad. Very bad. He tried to grab the bizarre crossbow, but William again pushed him away. He screamed and howled at his friend, but for some reason, the old huntsman wasn't listening. 

And so Wolf watched, just as all the others did. William stood straight, loaded the crossbow with it's special arrows, then pointed it into the woods. As the bow let fly it's missile, Wolf had a vision of Shawn, playing with his toy soldiers in the front yard. Suddenly, the vision was cut as an arrow flew straight into the boy's heart. Wolf looked to William, who had crumpled to the ground.

"Is it true, my friend?" William asked quietly, his eyes brimming with tears at what he hoped was merely a bad daydream.

Wolf nodded tersely, then turned, unable to look as his best friend. "It was Shawn, Wil. You killed SHAWN!"

The last was a mix of scream and howl. Wolf couldn't help it. It was too heavy a blow, too close to his heart, and far too close to the full moon night. Wolf's eyes turned red, and his teeth turned to fangs. He changed, then began to howl in earnest, a heart-wrenching sound which seemed to echo through the clear sky like a shriek from the lowest reaches of hell. He howled and howled, frightening the townspeople with his profound grief and anger. His howls seemed to reach into the very spirit of those present, raking their souls through the furnace of his passionate emotions. Along with him, screaming with an insane fervor, was William, who was trying his hardest to destroy the instrument of his son's death. Wolf, brought out of his howls by his friend's screams, lept towards the huntsman, his fury blinding him to the friendship they had once shared. But when he got there, he stopped. His face reverted, and he looked human once more as he reached towards William, who was beating the crossbow into the ground with all his strength.

"Kill me!" William screeched, "Kill me now! Rip my throat out, if you have any care for me left in your breast, Wolf. Kill me now! I can't live with my son's blood on my hands!"

William was right. What William had done, and was doing to himself, was more than Wolf could ever do to him. Wolf wanted to. He wanted to stop his friend's grief. But he couldn't. He couldn't kill him. They were too close. The old man was Wolf's only true friend. He couldn't do it.

"I can't, Wil," he replied at last, "I'll be going now..."

"No!" cried the huntsman, "Please!"

"Good-bye, my friend..." said Wolf quietly, his voice thick with unshed tears.

"NO!"

But Wolf couldn't hear. He wouldn't hear. He had run off, never to return to this place of pain.

"Come, my Huntsman," said the queen seductively as she walked over to him, "The bow is yours."

"Yes, my queen" replied the broken man.

********************Years Later*********************

"What are you doing here, young Wolf?"

"William?"

"No."

"Yes. It's you William. How's Gytha?"

"Dead."

"Of what?"

"A crossbow bolt to the heart."

"What the hell?!"

"I killed her. Her cottage was in my woods, the woods the queen told me were mine to rule."

"But William, she was your WIFE!"

"I am not William. I am the Huntsman. William was killed years ago."

"No, you're William."

"No, I'm not. Now get out of my forest."

"William-"

"I am not William."

"William, I knew you for four years of my life. I'm your friend!"

"You are no friend of mine. And William is dead. Now get out of my forest."

"What?"

"All trespassers are poachers. All poachers I will shoot at sight."

"Then why haven't you shot me?"

"Get out..."

"But-"

"GET OUT! All you once knew is destroyed! For what once was, I grant you one chance. Do not waste it and do not return. Now GO!"

"William-"

"Go!"

"But-"

"GO! And never return, or I will hunt you down like any other, and shoot a bolt through your heart just as I did Shawn."

"I shall never return, William. I promise..."

"Leave."

And he left. And as the quiet of the woods surrounded the man once called William Huntsman, he finally allowed the tears to fall. It hurt so badly.

"Good-bye, my friend..."

************************************

Fin