The Breaking of Cato Jones
They’d been married a few months and Cato had never been happier in his life. He spent all of his time with Annabelle, Mikael, and the people of the village who had finally started to accept him as one of their own…even a leader. They went to bed that night, curling up in eachother’s arms. Cato fell asleep with her scent wrapped around him but when he woke up a different scent surrounded him and a sudden, heart wrenching feeling of dread crashed over him. He knew before he even opened his eyes what he was going to see ad for a second he couldn’t make himself open his eyes…but once he did he couldn’t make himself look away. Annabelle laid there, completely limp, covered in blood from jaw to ribs. Cato practically felt his heart stop. He frantically scooped her into his arms, doing the one thing he thought might fix things. He’d seen how his sister, Raven, turned people. Maybe Annabelle wasn’t quite dead yet? Maybe this would work? He bit into his wrist and pressed it to her lips, tears starting to run down his face He waited for any sign of life and let out a pained noise, standing. He rushed out into the village, trembling and gasping for breath. “Somebody help me.” He choked out, dropping to his knees in the dirt. He didn’t even think about the fact that he was covered in blood from nose to ribs and now his arms from carrying her.
The elder who had wedded Cato and Annabelle was the first to hear his cries. He emerged from hia tent and immediately crossed himself, swearing. “What HAPPENED?!” he cried.
Cato looked up at him, his face twisted in despair. “I-I…” He couldn’t make himself say it…
The village healer ran past Cato, ducking into the tent. He emerged seconds later with blood on his hands and fear in his eyes. “He’s killed her!” He bellowed
Cato swallowed heabily, shaking his head. “It was an accident…I-I don’t know what happened…” He whimpered.
By now most of the villagers had gathered arouns. Mikael pushed between them, wide-eyed as he saw the blood. “Cato…wh-where’s Annabelle? ” he whispered. “What did you do?!”
Cato clamped a hand over his mouth, shaking his head. “I didn’t mean to…I didn’t mean to hurt her…” He whimpered.
“You’re a monster!” Mikael screamed, tears rolling down his cheeks. “You kill just like every monster does!” He tore away from the elders and ran.
Cato watched him go, his heart pounding in his chest. Mikael’s words hit him hard, the reality of what he’d done finally sinking in completely. “I killed her…” He whispered, his voice breaking.
there was a shout of fury and one of the villagers drew his bow and notched an arrow. “Was this your plan all along? To infiltrate and kill our leader?” He screamed.
Cato jerked back, eyes wide. “I loved her.” He said, his eyes wide.
“Your kind aren’t capable of love! Just lies and appetite!” The man let the arrow fly toward cato’s chest in a fit of grief and rage.
Cato fell backwards as the arrow struck him in the chest. The man’s words hit him hard, so hard it sent a ripple through him. He sat up slowly, his face going from pained and tormented to emotionless. He pulled the arrow out slowly and tilted his head. “You all want to see me as a monster…you can have the monster.” He said calmly, his eyes turning yellow.
The villagers grabbed their weapons and came after cato all at once, seeing the change in him but not knowing what it meant. All the fear they’d moved past or hidden for Annabelle and her happiness came roaring back to the surface.
The first guard that came towards Cato he grabbed, a hand closing around his throat. He growled, looking to the others. “Let me leave and I won’t kill him.” He snarled.
“Make way!” Cried the elder who had wed cato and annabelle. The villagers parted rapidly, trembling with fear and eager to let cato pass.
Cato shoved the man hard into the dirt and walked out, smirking to himself.
The villagers buried Annabelle that night and planted wolfsbane all around her grave. Hundreds of years later, the village was long gone...just a memory. But the gravestone remained, untouchable to Cato, a reminder of his failures.