The "Beast Curse".

A Curse only Infectious through dead animals. Having direct contact with it causes the body to mutate to the same species that is dead. How much the body suffers from the curse's impact, depends on how long the Infected was in contact with the dead being. Which also could leave the infected with difficult health issues. Some say that Cursed Beasts are contagious too, so they're not very welcome to the common folk. But why the curse was there in the first place and how it stands in connection to Humans wasn't clear at all, in fact it was a mystery.

_

The sound of howling wind was fusing with the crying of a child. He was running. Small *platch sounds came from small puddles he stepped on and strong stormy rain was pattering on the wet ground.

"Please don't die on me!"

Said the child worried, carrying a small rabbit that seemed lifeless in his arms. Breathing sounds were coming hastily out of the child, a young boy with orange spiky hair maybe the age of 8, ran as if his life depended on it.

"I mean you were alright Yesterday! I bet Coy knows what to do!"

Smashing the door wide open, out of breath full of tears and sweat in his eyes, there he was standing in front of another young boy.

"COY! It's terrible! Somethings wrong with him!"

Coy, a bit older boy, was standing in front of a stove, with a hot pot cooking something nice smelling. He looked with lowered eyebrows at the crying child.

"What the–

He flinched and looked at the rabbit

"Rab!? What have I told you to not touch dead or injured animals!"

Worrying and approaching Rab with an angry expression. Coy was positioning his arm as if he was about to take the rabbit, which Rab was holding tightly in his arms.

"But Coy… you don't understand, he's part of our Family!"

Rab flinches back, worried to be misunderstood by his own brother. He looked to the left and right, walking slowly backwards, avoiding his brother, but coy confronted him closer.

"Rab! I think you don't understand! You know that dead animals could Infect you with a curse! If that happens you won't have a normal life, your life would then be that of a beast! Do you want that!?"

Rab was worried with hesitation.

"But…"

Coy scared Rab with menacing eyes.

"BUT WHAT!"

Rabs eyes tried to avoid Coys.

Rab couldn't even explain himself. Suddenly the sound of a lightning struck, at the same time Rab pushed Coy away, he fled through the door and shouted in a shrieking cry.

"WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN! WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS!?"

Coy was shocked by Rabs hasty reaction, hesitating to follow him.

"Rab… wait… RAB!"

Quickly he started to run after him, forgetting about the pot and closing the door, leaving it wide open. Only a sound of howling wind and a shreking Door was left in the room.

Strong breathing sounds and a *pitchpatch with the crackling sound of windy rain was echoing in the streets of a poor village. Only the two boys were running and their steps were not to be misheard. In the streets all windows were shut, but the ones which were open, curious eyes were following after the two children.

"Rab! Please… stop! You need to let go!"

"If it were you? I wouldn't let go either!"

Rab was a fast runner, even if he was smaller and younger, Coy had no chance to catch up to him. While Coy was running he gave out a strong sight. Worried, he realized soon that Rab was directed to the fence which led to the steppe outside the Small Village. He was out of breath already and stressed about what he should do, which made him more out of breath and he had to stop for a break. Inhaling deep breaths he looked sweaty at Rabs direction, a bit blurry with all the exhaustion. He wipes his sweat away and mumbled to himself.

"Rab… Hah… It's dangerous to run with a dead animal"

He bent over and thought to himself.

You idot where do you think you're running to anyways, there won't be anyone to help it… Why are you always so stubborn?

Looking hastily around to search for a shortcut or something to be faster than him. Starting to run again even if he lost sight of Rab. Suddenly he bunches at a huge man with a big hood and a long poncho.

"S~sorry…"

Coy looked up, and saw under the hood. He saw the face of a dog. He was startled. While the suspicious man gave him a hand. His voice was deep and calm, but it gave off a friendly feeling.

"It's dangerous in storms, don't run or you might trip."

Coy was still speechless, but after analysing what the men had with him, an umbrella and a bicycle, he was confronting the man with confidence.

"Can I lend this!?"

The Dog faced Man wondered.

In all the exhaustion Rab was still running, already leaving the fence behind, and amidst the steppe. Yet he had not realized that Coy wasn't behind him anymore. He kept crying and was still tightly carrying the lifeless rabbit in his arms. That rabbit is really important to Rab, it was the only pet he could have. Both of them had not much money, so they couldn't actually afford it. But on a hunting day they found the rabbit when it was still a baby. Coy allowed Rab to take care of it as a small exception. They had him for 3 years already, of course for a small kid like Rab that pet was dear to him, like Family. But maybe Coy had always seen it differently.

"Ahh~ Owch!?"

Rab tripped when a sudden pain struck in his chest. On the ground he saw that he let go of the rabbit, which lay a foot away on the ground. He checked his feet and they started to slowly mutate, now he knew that his dear rabbit, left its soul. He crawled back to it not worrying about his own health. Crying and starting to cough, he still held the rabbit so dear to him, crawling together like a ball amidst the steppe. Howling coyotes were to be heard not far from the two, they must've smelled the dead rabbit.

"Oh Coy… I'm scared…"

A growl was heard in the distance with fast *Taptap sounds not far away. Suddenly a coyote glaring with piercing eyes on Rab as if he was his prey. He approached him slowly with a drooling growl. His movements became even faster, when finally the coyote made his move, clenched his teeth and jumped. Rab was shocked in fear and shut his eyes close.

"JAAWOL!"

A squeaking howl of the Coyote was heard.

"Rab…Huhff… You really are a Stubborn Idiot!"

Rab couldn't believe his eyes, what he saw was like something out of a movie. There in front of him was Coy, which he pierced through the Coyote with an umbrella, next to him a slightly dented bicycle.

"Coy…"

Rab started to cry again, as if he hadn't already cried enough. The strong rain made the tears look even bigger.

"I'm so sorry, Coy! I'm so sorry!"

Along with the tears came a scratchy cough.

"It's okay Rab, I get it already, so don't cry anymore, ok–"

Coy suddenly started to cough as well. Both looked shocked at each other with slight pain in their eyes. They became cursed and their bodies began to mutate slowly. There eyesight slowly became dizzy, but suddenly behind them the suspicious man with the dog face was aproaching them, but the two children fell unconscious.

5 years later…

A strong *Bamm  sound with a matching "Owch!" Were heard inside of a bedroom with low bunk beds. Above the upper bed, Hanging down Coy having an upside down questioning face. Seeing Rab stroking with pain in his eyes, on his head which had now a pair of Rabbit ears.

"Owch…"

"Had a bad dream again?"

Rab looked up to Coy, and then down with a somehow painful smile.

"Uhm… I dreamed about the past, it's been 5 years already, since that incident…"

Coy bends over to slightly fall off the bed with a somehow half Salto and lands on his feet. Wearing a worn out old blue shirt and shorts. His tail of a coyote was visible to see, even his feet were that of a coyote. He bends over and stretches with his back directed to Rab, only to bend back to his direction.

"Don't worry Rab, we will find ways to still have a normal life~ I mean… We will find a solution to break the curse, I promise you that!"

Rab slapped his cheeks that had stripe marks  on it, they looked like war paint but were actually firm on the skin. He stood up with a confident face.

"You're right! I shouldn't let myself down, we're still working to figure things out!"

As Rab stood up, he was also wearing worn out clothes. His massive legs were looking like that of a rabbit, and pointing out on his Butt was a fluffy spiky rabbit-tail. He held his arms in a confident position daydreaming in the air, when suddenly some clothing was thrown at him.

"Yeh yeh! Sleepyheads still need to wear their gear!"

Mentioned Coy annoyed from the entrance door, he was already wearing his gear and ready to go, closing the door. His words became quieter in the corridor.

"Don't take so long or there won't be much left to eat for you!"

Rab hesitated with a somehow stupid expression, directing to the door for a short moment, he stood there with this face when suddenly he snapped.

"Ah! No way! That's not fair, Coy! Don't just leave me the leftovers again!"

Hastily he changed his clothes containing very huge brown shorts, with a somehow improved belt. The shorts looked handmade but durable. Combined with a dark brown poncho looking worn out and repaired with a few patches. It seems like instead of Coy, Rabs gear is just made out of these clothings. Compared to Coy it was obvious that he was definitely cursed. Coy on the other hand had more luck to not stand out as a Cursed Beast, he could easily hide his cursed features. Maybe the reason why Coy also wears shoes. Although it's weird that Rab doesn't wear a shirt, the reason for that is his habit often lets him nag his clothes. Also known as the Curse Habits, which leads the cursed acting with the Instinkts of it's animal.