Samuel and Darkfox had known each other for 9 months, and, in that brief space of time, had become good friends. But there was a thing Darkfox had not told Samuel. It was true of all Cainus-Humans and Samuel might have found out on his own, but, by pure chance, he was gone during every opportunity for enlightenment.

That thing is this: The genes of the Cainus-Humans are similar to those of werewolves. As a result, the full moon causes them to become extremely feral, brutal, and lustful. Unlike werewolves, they do not loose all sense of reason and identity, but they still become potentially dangerous to any who happen to be near by.

Had Samuel known this at the time, there is much that might have been avoided, but then there would not be a story to tell.

Our account begins in a forest not too far from Darkfox’s house. Darkfox had been going through some stress that day, and had taken a walk to clear his head. During that day he had lost track of time and forgotten that there was a full moon that night, and by the time he remembered, he knew that he would not be able to get home in time. It doesn’t look like there’s anyone here, but I can’t assume that this road will remain untraveled all night. I have to find some place where I can stay and not worry about getting innocent bystanders involved.

In desperation, he found a secluded clearing off of the trail. After making sure that there was no one in the immediate area, he sat down, leaning against a tree, and prepared for the night’s ordeal.

Meanwhile, not too far from where Darkfox had hidden himself, Samuel was just finishing his daily sword practice. He had removed the upper part of the robe from his shoulders, so that his perspiration would not stain the sleeves, and had held it up with a sash tied around his waist. All of his hair was tied back in a queue to keep it out of the way. His torso gleamed from the sweat of his exertions.

Twenty-eight…twenty-nine…thirty. Finished. I got a good workout, and I still have strength for tomorrow’s daily activities. It’s almost night time. The manor closes the gates after dark; I won’t make it back in time. I think I’ll ask Darkfox if I can spend the night.

With that, he sheathed his katana, and headed toward Darkfox’s house. However, after a few minutes, during which the sky turned a dusky orange, he heard a noise off to the right. Another might have missed it, but Samuel had been specially trained by The High University of Human Spirit and Philosophy, and he had lived for a time among the Cainus-Humans. Those two things had increased his senses and ability to detect strange abnormalities in the world around him. Thus, he heard and went to inspect.

Samuel tracked down source of the noise, relying as much upon instinct as on sight and sound. His search led him to a clearing, where, as night fell, he saw a figure curled up on the ground against a tree. It couldn’t be… that scent… is that… “Darkfox?”


Until now, Darkfox had been trying to resist the driving instinct that was forcing its way into him. He had been trying to block out the moon beams, trying to cover up the scents of potential prey, and trying to deny what his ears reported and his flesh commanded. But at the sound of his comrade’s voice, he was forced to look up at the figure before him. Darkfox could no longer deny the familiar scent and sound of his friend, Samuel.

What is he doing here? Why does he have to show up now? Meinen Gott! Hilfe uns!
What’s going on? Thought Samuel. Why is he generating such strong energy? Why do I suddenly feel so afraid of him?
A grating silence passed between them. Samuel was the first to break it. “Darkfox, what are you doing here?”

Darkfox replied, trying to sound calm, “I came out here so that I could be alone.”

“Why? You could just as easily have stayed at home and not have been disturbed.”

Samuel knew that this was not completely true, after all he had just been on his way to Darkfox’s house, but Darkfox had no way of knowing this.

What’s wrong with him? Darkfox wondered. Why doesn’t he understand? Does he have some kind of death wish? “Samuel, you have to leave.”’

“I can’t,” said Samuel. “I can’t just leave you like this.

“You must! Leave now!”

“I won’t leave you like this.” Why does he want to send me away? Surely he knows that I’m trying to help him.

That fool! What’s so hard about this concept? Leave or you may die!

For a few moments they stood looking at each other, each hoping that the other would do as they wished, but, as they stood waiting, the tension between them built. Finally it reached an unbearable point.

To understand what happened next and why it happened, you must understand how delicate Darkfox’s state of self-control was at this point. He was trying to restrain cell stamped instincts that had ruled his kind for so long that, for his people, the passing of the full moon had become a sort of sacred event, like the Sabbath was to the Jews. On this night, the rest of his people would be using this time of enhancement by conditioning their bodies through physical activities, and some would be taking advantage of the fertility the full moon induced. They had learned that the full moon’s power cannot be restrained, that it must be harnessed and directed.

Darkfox might have run through the forest, or done some other type of labor in order burn off some of the energy granted him, thus removing the threat of violence toward another creature, but instead he had made the fatal decision to hold it in, and as would be expected, his restraint finally broke.

He pounced at Samuel, extending his claw like hand outward, pointed nails reaching to tear at flesh. Idiot! Why is it so hard to get such a simple concept through your head?! Are human skulls that much thicker than ours?!

Samuel barely reacted in time, drawing his katana to stop the hand with the flat of the blade. What on earth?! Another thrust with his claws. What’s going on?! An attempt to bite him at the throat. What could have happened to make him like this?

“Stupid!” It was like a bark coming from Darkfox’s mouth.

Samuel decided that it was time to stop asking questions and take action. He jumped back out of reach and swung the sword to try and ward off further onslaught. Darkfox paused, but then jumped high towards Samuel in an attack directed at the head. Seeing the maneuver, Sam ducked down, hands over his head, then sprang forward staying low to the ground, and landing with a roll that brought him to his feet again, facing his attacker. Demons below! I’ve never seen anyone jump so high.

Their confrontation continued in this fashion for a few more minutes, Darkfox attacking in a blind rage and Samuel trying to defend himself without harming his friend. I must try to discourage him, Samuel decided. In a sudden dash to the left, Samuel made a small cut upon Darkfox’s right bicep, and then stopped after putting a few more meters distance between them.

For a few moments, they stood in the same positions. Sam hoped that he had succeeded in knocking sense back into Darkfox, but he remained extremely wary. Then, as Darkfox turned his head to look at Samuel, there was a wild look of demonic pleasure on his face, made even more frightening because it was projected on the face of a Cainus-Human. Lord alive! What is this monster?!

Darkfox spoke then, “so you finally decided to play,” the voice was chilling, and it caused Samuel to shudder.

He turned and took two steps toward Samuel who, in fear, began to swing the sword back and forth, desperately trying to keep his attacker at bay. But as he brandished his weapon, the blade caught the light of the moon, reflecting it in Darkfox’s eyes, and the flashing moon beams heightened his sense of manic excitement.

In a blurred movement, he ran around the shimmering sword to stop a foot away at Samuel’s left side. Gods! He’s so fast!

Before Samuel had time to react, Darkfox swiped the katana out of his hands and cast it to the side. He then threw himself on top of Samuel, pinning him to the ground by his arms. There was a moment in which Samuel was stunned, and he could not compute what was happening in the normal manner, but then, as realization hit him, he became filled with terror.

His scent. He reeks of fear. It heats my blood. His body trembling beneath me. All of it makes me feel alive. Darkfox seemed to have forgotten how this had started and why this was happening. All he wanted to do now was give in to his instincts and let them take hold.

He lowered his head down to Samuel’s chest and licked his skin, heading up to his neck, and ending at the jawbone. Samuel could do nothing but shiver in his grip. Fear had immobilized him. He wanted to scream or to cry, but even those simple functions were now beyond him.

Darkfox spoke then, “you always talk about your ‘tricks.’ You say that if you used them, then no one would be able to beat you. Where are they now? Why don’t you try to worm you way ort of this like I’ve seen you do in other places? But, no hurry. I’m just starting to have fun.”

Tricks? I do have a few tricks that might help me, but I can’t use them. I can’t even move… No. I must not fear. Remember the Bene Gesserit litany against fear.# “I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer.”

A feeling of calmness interred him then. He was able to think clearly about what he must do next. Calmness may have come to my mind, but my body is still shaken. I can’t rely on physical tactics. Even as he thought, Darkfox continued to caress his body. Why hasn’t he ended it yet? He has me in a death grip… ah, I see, he wants to savor this moment. I don’t completely understand what’s going on, but it’s clear that he’s reverted to his primal state. Still, this is the same creature that I befriended, and something tells me that there is more here than there seems.

I must think quickly, I’m running out of time, and he may desire to do more than simply kill me. This thought nearly sickened him, and he had to still a sudden tremor. I have an instant knockout sedative in the pocket of my robe. If I can just reach it...

As Samuel decided upon this course of action, Darkfox’s hand reached the waist of the robe Samuel was wearing, and he began to undo the belted sash. A sudden pang of fear gripped Samuel and he writhed in an attempt to break free of Darkfox, or, at the very least, to distract him.

The movement was not lost on Darkfox, who laughed and said, “What’s the matter, meinen Liebchen?” His voice was just as menacing as before, but now it had an edge of lust in it. “You can’t hold on to your virginity forever, and it’s best if taken now when it’s ripe, rather than when it…”

But whatever he was going to say was lost as Samuel let out a cry of rage and dug his thumb into a pressure point in Darkfox’s side, then scrambled away as he went partially limp with pain. Once out of reach, he stood up and pulled the knockout sedative from his pocket, but before he could administer the sedative, Darkfox recovered from the pressure point and jumped to his feet.

That normally leaves a person immobilized for at least 12 seconds, but he recovered from it in only about 6 seconds! Perhaps the anatomy of Cainus-Humans is different from that of humans, or it could be that he’s hyped on sexual adrenaline, or possibly both.

Samuel tried to keep his hand in a natural position as he held the shot partially concealed from view. Darkfox glared at him then, and the night’s full moon cast eerie shadows on his face, making him appear even more fierce.

“Bad move,” said Darkfox. “If you had just relaxed and taken it, I’d have been gentle with you, but now we’re gonna do things the hard way.”

Samuel crouched low, breathing deeply in order to keep a level head. I may only get one chance, but so long as I move carefully, one chance is all I need… Oh, Darkfox. I wish I knew what ails you. I suspect that you are like one who forgets them self under the influence of drink; not in their right mind, and so, not entirely at fault. I know that you would never do something like this of your own free will.

Darkfox suddenly leapt at Samuel with an amazing display of speed, grabbing the sash on his waist and coming forward with a hook punch to the sternum, but before it could reach its target, Samuel’s hand shot up reflexively and drove the needle into Darkfox’s shoulder.

The fist suddenly stopped, then went limp. For a moment they just stood there, then Darkfox collapsed on top of Samuel, yet again, but this time, as Samuel felt the limp body of his friend fall onto him, he sensed that all danger had vanished. He knew somehow that when Darkfox woke, he would be himself again. A sigh of relief escaped him, and he passed out, exhausted.

The next morning, when they awoke, Darkfox sincerely apologized for what he had put Samuel through. He explained what had happened and why he had acted the way he did. Samuel understood. He, himself, had been in similar scenarios where the situation had been reversed, though never quite as serious.

Even though they were both willing to mend the way between them, and Samuel knew that he would not have to worry about such things except, possibly, during the full moon, neither of them could forget what had happened, and memory of it would sometimes come back to haunt them. Yet, at the same time that they had never had a closer call, they had never been closer as friends.