​Eunhyuk was still laughing as they tramped their way through the forest and even Donghae had a hard time stifling his smile. “Amaya, how could you possibly be scared of Sungmin?” he teased. “Now you’ve hurt his feelings!” ​

"H-he had p-pointy t-teeth!” Amaya chattered as she drew the blanket tightly. “W-what was I sup-pposed to think?” ​

Sungmin, as her rescuer had been introduced as, pouted as he ducked under a low-hanging branch. He now had legs instead of a tail and his teeth were thankfully normal. He hadn’t said a word to her since she’d screamed in his face. She couldn’t really blame him. ​

“We’re here,” announced Eunhyuk. ​

Amaya blinked in astonishment. One moment, there had been nothing but trees and bushes, and the next, there was a warm, glowing campfire. With a sigh of relief, she rushed towards it, holding out her numb fingers and rubbing them slowly to get some feeling back into them. ​

"Who’s that?” someone asked in a low voice and only then did she realize there were other people present. Slowly, she turned around. ​

Five pairs of curious and slightly hostile eyes stared back at her. ​

"It’s alright,” Donghae said quickly. “This is Amaya. She’s safe.” ​

“How do you know that?” challenged a light-haired young man, rising from his seat by the fire. ​

"Does she look like a threat, Leeteuk?” Donghae retorted. Amaya’s teeth were chattering violently and her drenched skirt was plastered around her legs. Her shoulders shivered as she rubbed at the goosebumps on her arms and tried not to look pitiful. ​

Apparently, it didn’t work, because Leeteuk’s face softened and he gestured to his spot on the ground. “Sit here and dry yourself off. I’ll find you something to change into. You’ll get sick if you stay in wet clothes.” Amaya nodded her thanks and huddled on the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees. The wet fabric squelched as she bunched up her skirt and wrung the water out of it. Donghae draped a blanket over her shoulders. ​

Beside her, another boy was peeling the skin off a rabbit. She watched in fascination as he stretched the hide over a makeshift wooden frame and speared the rabbit on a stick, holding it over the fire. He noticed her watching and smiled. “Hi. I’m Ryeowook,” he grinned.

​She slowly reached one hand out from the warmth of her blanket and carefully reached out to touch one of his ears. They were pointed.

​The young man on Ryeowook’s other side smiled slightly. “Never seen an elf before?” ​

"A what?” ​

"Here.” Leeteuk a bundle of clothes at her. “These might be a bit big, but that should be alright.” ​

"Thank you.” Amaya took the clothes and glanced around the clearing. “Where should I change?” she asked awkwardly. ​

In response, Leeteuk crossed his index fingers and flicked them outwards. The ground trembled, shaking the clearing and all the trees around it- the very air seemed to vibrate as well. The earth seemed to fold open as a small wooden hut rose out of the earth. ​

Amaya’s jaw dropped open. “How did…” ​

"Questions later.” He pushed her towards the hut. “Go. Change. Now.” ​

She balled up the tunic and ducked into her head. Her wet dress clung to her skin as she peeled it off and left it in a sopping heap on the ground. She unfolded the outfit Leeteuk had given her. ​It was a tunic, similar to the one that he and several and the others were wearing.

It was forest green, made from a material so soft and thin, it felt like cotton between her fingers. Real cotton, not the homespun stuff she was used to. She frowned. This kind of cloth was meant for summer, not the chilly autumn weather they were facing. ​

But when she pulled it on, it was surprisingly warm, though it trailed down to the ground. She folded up the fabric around her waist and tied it in place with her old belt. She removed her cloth slippers and traded them for a pair of soft-moccasins, lined with rabbit’s fur. ​

She wished she had a mirror to see herself in this outfit. It was a costume; it was someone else’s life, not hers. These were the clothes of a fairytale heroine, leaping into adventures with a sword and a smile. ​

That wasn’t her role. ​

When she emerged from the tent, the boys were munching on the rabbit the pointy-eared guy (Ryeowook?) had been roasting earlier. He waved her over. “We saved you a piece!”

​“I…” Ryeowook pushed her into her seat and shoved a hind leg into her hand. He tucked a cloth into the front of her tunic, then snatched the leg away. After inspecting her hands to make sure they were clean, he handed it back and returned to his own meal. ​

Amaya’s heart clenched, remembering the tenderness with which her mother used to do those same things…

​So it was weird coming from a stranger. "Is he going to wipe my mouth afterwards, too?” ​

The other pointy-eared guy chuckled. “Just humor him.” Amaya shrugged and turned towards the rabbit’s leg. She hadn’t had meat in so long, and the sweet smell was making water already. She opened to take a bite- ​

"Meat again?” sighed another voice. The drumstick slipped from her fingers and nearly fell to the ground, but Donghae’s hand shot out and caught it. He handed it back to her with an amused smile, but Amaya was staring at something else. ​

A black horse trotted into the clearing and stopped at the edge, far away from the fire. “Ryeowook, why can’t you ever cook something I can eat?” He sounded like he was lightly teasing the flustered elf, but that was impossible, because horses couldn’t even talk. ​

"I must have hit my head harder than I thought…” Amaya mumbled as the horse gave her an equally puzzled look. ​

"Who’s that?” it asked. ​

"It’s talking to me.” ​

"His name is Siwon,” Leeteuk corrected, as if this wasn’t at all unusual. “But what’s yours, again?” ​

"I’m Amaya,” she replied. “I’m here because…” She paused. Where to start? ​

"You’re the one the vultures are hunting for,” a chubby young man said suddenly, giving her a sharp look as the air around her suddenly grew colder. Ryeowook, who had been smiling at her moments before, inched away, eyes wide, his frown defensive. ​

"How do you know that, Shindong?” Leeteuk asked. ​

"They keep saying, ‘Where is she? Where is she?’ How many girls could there possibly be in this forest this late at night?” Shindong said slowly. ​

Donghae frowned. “That pig should have thrown them off her tracks.” ​

"It’s not the first time that trick has been used,” Shindong replied. “They may have gotten smarter.” ​

"What’s going on?” Amaya asked. ​

"That’s what we’d like to know.” Leeteuk folded his arms. He wasn’t hostile, merely questioning. He was judging her, she realized, evaluating how trustworthy she could be. ​

“I got a gift from the governess,” she said softly. “And I was too much of a coward to accept it.” ​

All of them groaned. “Donghae, not again!” Siwon snapped, clipping the top of the man’s head with a hoof. ​

"You have got to stop interfering in matters that have nothing to do with you,” Leeteuk sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. ​

"It had something to do with me!” Donghae retorted. “I got stabbed in the stomach in a fight last night and she sewed it up. Look!” He stood and pulled up his shirt to show them his bandaged wound, but Eunhyuk reached up and quickly yanked it back down. ​

“Donghae, ew. No one wants to see that!” ​

"And how did you get into this fight in the first place?” The tired look on Leeteuk’s face suggested he already knew and was dreading hearing the actual answer. ​

"That man was being a bastard, okay? He was making a pass at her-” ​

“Because that never happens in taverns.” The taller elf-creature rolled his eyes. ​

“Shut up, Kyuhyun,” Donghae snapped. “You all weren’t there. It was different-” ​

"That man had been trying hire me as his mistress for months,” Amaya interrupted. “I am thankful that Donghae intervened.” ​

The boys fell silent. Ryeowook looked a little disturbed, but none of the others looked too troubled. Presumably, they had heard more upsetting stories. She wondered if that would happen to her, if she would reach the point where the story of a girl selling herself to raise her family would no longer bother her. ​

"Don’t think about it, Amaya,” she ordered herself quietly. ​

"So that’s why she was sent a poison apple?” asked Siwon. “Just for helping you?” Donghae shrugged and nodded. ​

"Aiding a wanted criminal…it’s a capital offense,” Leeteuk agreed. ​They fell into silence once more, as Amaya finally remembered the drumstick in her hand and sunk her teeth into the soft and tender meat. It was a little dry, but she hadn’t had meat in years, so she wasn’t about to complain. ​

Food reminded her of her siblings though, with their thin faces and wide eyes, the skin stretched over their bones, making them look like skeletons. Oh god, what had she done? She’d abandoned them completely, leaving them to fend for themselves. ​

There was never a way to win this one- someone had to die. But this way, you all get to live. 

But if they couldn’t take care of themselves, wouldn’t they die anyways? ​

"Are you crying?” She looked up with a start, meeting the eyes of another young man. She shivered as he stared at her- his eyes were boring into her as if peeling away layers of skin and smiles and her cold front to reveal her for who she truly was. He had a harp strapped over his shoulder- he was a bard, or something of the sort. In legends, they could look into people’s souls and see them for who they truly were. The reflection in his dark eyes showed a sniveling coward and she knew, she knew that was how he saw her. ​

“Stop staring, Yesung,” Leeteuk scolded. “It’s rude.” The bard blinked in confusion, and the moment passed. ​

"Did you at least get what you went for?” asked the elf named Kyuhyun. Donghae nodded and pulled out the flask, tossing it to him as Ryeowook pulled down his collar, revealing a nasty puncture wound. Kyuhyun poured a bit of moonshine on a clean cloth and dabbed at it as the smaller elf winced. ​

"What happened?” Amaya gasped in horror. ​

“Nothing, really,” Ryeowook replied. ​

"Could you pass me that?” asked Shindong, holding out his hand for the flask as he rolled up his sleeve with the other hand, revealing several long bloody scrapes. Leeteuk cleaned and bandaged the arm, before lifting his tunic and allowing the other man to clean the scorch mark on his back. ​

Amaya watched as the boys took turns cleaning each other’s wounds with something similar to familial love and care. Loneliness welled up inside her and before she knew what she was doing, she reached out to take the flask from Sungmin as he began washing the ugly gash on Eunhyuk’s leg. Both men stared at her, confused. ​

"It’s infected,” she found herself saying. “This alcohol isn’t strong enough, not when there’s a high possibility of blood poisoning. You need to drain the pus first before you bandage it, or the flesh may rot.” ​

Eunhyuk turned a slight shade of green at that statement. “That sounds gross.” ​

Sungmin smiled. “Then would you be so kind as to take care of it?” ​Amaya nodded. As she worked, she was aware of the others watching her closely.

"You don’t need to try so hard,” Leeteuk said suddenly. “None of us fits in. That’s why we stay together.” He smiled wistfully as he leaned back, folding his hands behind his head. “We used to travel around as a group of fifteen. One more person doesn’t make a difference.” ​

"What happened to the others?” Amaya asked, noticing the somber looks that crossed the other member’s faces. ​

"Individual missions and such,” Leeteuk explained. “They say they’ll be back in a few years, but who knows what that means in our time?” ​

"Huh?” ​

"Don’t listen to him,” Kyuhyun told her quickly. “Just because he’s an old geezer, he likes to go off on philosophical rants at times.” ​

“He doesn’t look that old,” Amaya replied, staring at Leeteuk. ​

,See? Thank you!” ​

“Looks can be deceiving,” Kyuhyun explained. “He’s really one hundred and forty-nine.” ​

"One hundred and fifty,” protested Donghae. ​

"I thought it was one hundred and fifty-two,” Shindong said, looking up. Amaya’s jaw dropped further with each increasing number as an argument broke out between the group members. Leeteuk scowled and crossed his arms. ​

"I’m twenty!” he protested, but no one was listening to him. ​

"Done,” Amaya said to Eunhyuk, tying the ends of his bandage into a bow. “Does it feel better?” ​

He smiled and nodded. “Much better. Thanks.” ​

"How did you…?” ​

"Get that injury? Just another fight with some bandits. One of them had a scimitar,” he replied. ​“A what?” ​

"A long sharp blade meant for slashing people,” Kyuhyun chimed in. “They’re rare, but we seem to keep running into people who have them.” ​

Amaya didn’t know what to say to that as she returned to her neglected rabbit leg. Why did they live like this, always on the run? Did they get in fights a lot? 

"So.” Leeteuk a few drops off moonshine off his fingers, causing Ryeowook to grimace and fling a napkin at him. “What do you plan to do now, Amaya?” ​

Amaya chewed thoughtfully for a bit. Then she swallowed and took another bite of the leg before answering, covering with her hand as she replied, “Three of your group has each saved my life already. I think it’s best for all of us if I leave before everyone is forced to take a turn.”

​“What will you do?” Donghae asked quietly. ​

"I only know how to do one thing,” she replied with a shrug that was meant to be nonchalant, but came off as slightly bitter. “I’ll find a job in a tavern or something.” ​

Leeteuk nodded. “After that stupid stunt Donghae pulled, we need to move on, anyways.” ​

"Do you…run a lot?” Amaya asked. ​

Leeteuk let out a bark of laughter, though she thought she could detect a wistful quality to the jarring sound. “It’s not running, it’s a tactical retreat.” He smiled, his eyes lingering on hers for a moment before he added, “It gets boring staying in one place, don’t you think?” ​

The tavern girl just shook her head. Who were these guys? ​

"You should rest, Amaya,” Donghae said softly. “It’s been a long day for you. You can take my blanket.”

​“Oh, it’s fine-” she began. ​

"Take it,” Leeteuk said firmly. “I need to speak with Donghae, anyways.” ​

Eunhyuk got up to help her move Donghae’s blanket closer to the fire. As she settled down to sleep, she didn’t fail to notice the serious expressions on Donghae, Leeteuk, and several of the others’ faces as they talked animatedly in hushed voices. ​

Bits of their conversation reached her ears as she found herself drifting off, the food in her stomach and the adrenaline draining out of her body making her drowsy. ​

"Can’t go around saving everyone…” ​

“…doing the right thing…” ​

"…didn’t you see her eyes?” ​

Amaya was too sleepy to pay more attention. With a sigh, she snuggled deeper into the blanket, rolled over, and fell fast asleep.