It was that time of the year again. 

The peaceful winter has melted away leaving only the cool wind behind. Seedlings have sprouted from the ground. Animals in hibernation stirred awake from their sleep. The woods have woken up; the early morning spring has come and with it, a whole lot more of things that would change everything.

A lone creature walked through the maze of plant life, his footsteps sure and calculated. It made its way towards one of the ancient trees with large roots that weaved in and out of the ground. It went straight to the biggest one and looked around. All clear. It shook the parcel wrapped in paper and twine from his back and watched it land on the ground with a soft thud.

He worked his way through the packaging, shook his body once, and stood up. A shot of excitement went through his body at the sight of its content and at the thought of its purpose.

The garments on his body brushed against the plant life in his path, and its hem or sleeves would sometimes get stuck on low branches. He tugged on them carefully yet he could not hide his growing impatience.

As he walked towards a familiar clearing, a path that he hasn’t been in since his younger years, his heart started to pound against his chest. He patted his hat and behind flat (where his tail was supposed to be) but there was no need. He looked perfect, exactly like an average human being, only taller. So why were his palms clammy?

You’re not even sure if she’s going to be there let alone remember you, a voice at the back of his mind growled.

“I know,” Mingyu admitted. “It’s been years. I never had the chance to come back…but…” He cleared his head of the thought and took his position behind the tree. He’s waited for a long time. A little more waiting is nothing.

A slight wind danced through the trees, their shadows, cast by the northeast sun, restless on the ground below. It’s well past morning. Despite his earlier declaration, Mingyu was starting to worry.

He paced back and forth behind the big tree with his arms crossed over his chest. He bit his lips, maybe a little too hard; the person he waited for was nowhere to be found.

“This can’t be,” he cried silently. “Not on this day. Not today when it's—” His ears perked up against his hat. There was something. There was something just now.

He didn’t dare move but the way he was, anyone is sure to see him. Gingerly, he took a step behind the tree and poked his head out but there was nothing. The path was clear with no one in sight.

“But I’m sure I heard it,” he muttered and adjusted the hat on his head. Maybe his normal ears decreased his senses. But that wasn’t possible. They’ve always worked fine.

“Heard what?” a voice from behind him asked.

Mingyu turned too fast and lost his footing in the process. As he watched the world tilt before him, he got a short glimpse of the voice’s owner, a figure cloaked in red.

He landed with a thud on the ground just as his thoughts came and flooded his mind. A foe? Should he run? Why did he not hear or smell it? All these thoughts sent his senses into a frenzy until he heard laughter.

“I’m–,” the figure before him tried to speak in between laughs, “–did I scare you that badly?” she asked, covering with her hand.

His ears twitched. It was different, not as cheery nor peachy, but not alien altogether either. He swallowed, leading his eyes carefully to the figure that he briefly saw.

Her hair was black and reached to her knees in one thick, long braid. Her clothes were like a young pink flower with its wide, green leaves flowing freely around her. Then came her cloak, the one she had just draped over her arm. It was deep red like that of a perfectly ripe apple, he thought, the utter opposite of his own blue ensemble. Its edges were white and its fit fell perfectly on her…

“…unlike before,” Mingyu finished in a soft, almost broken voice. He knew who this stranger was. In fact, she was no stranger at all.

“Before what?” you asked.

Mingyu’s eyes were locked with yours in infinite wonder. He watched as you took a step towards him while tucking a dagger you had in the pendant bag tied around your waist and held out a hand.

“Do you need help?”

She doesn’t remember, the voice growled again in amusement. She doesn’t remember you at all.

Mingyu pushed himself up and dusted off his clothes, patting his behind and his head a few times out of habit before remembering his current form.

“Thank you…is what I’d like to say but,” he cocked his head to the side and gave you an innocent smile, “in my defense, you were the cause of my fall.”

“Well,” you said withdrawing your hand, “I most assuredly did not mean for you to fall.” You studied the person before you intently, but to Mingyu, it was a look of empty familiarization; the feeling of knowing something yet not knowing it at all. “Your lip is bleeding,” you pointed out.

Mingyu’s hand flew to his mouth. He ran his thumb on it and sure enough, there was blood. “How did you do that?” he asked, wiping his lip with the back of his hand.

“Did what?”

“Sneak up on me.” 

“Easy,” you shrugged. “You were distracted, pacing and talking to yourself all the while.”

“Huh,” Mingyu huffed, unconvinced. “Not a lot of…people…can do that. I can usually hear them before seeing them,” he whispered the last words to himself.

You smiled. “Maybe I’m just different.”

At that word, Mingyu forced a smile, repeating the word different in his mind before deciding to let it go. “Where are my manners? My name is Mingyu,” he said, giving you a grand bow.

“A bit late for introductions, aren’t we?”

Mingyu grinned. “We did get on the wrong foot.”

You nodded at him in agreement and gave him a small curtsy, your eyes momentarily leaving him. “I’m Red,” you replied.

“Red?” Mingyu asked, his eyebrows furrowed at the odd name you used.

“That’s what most people here call me.”

“What do the other least call you then?”

You smiled. You did not answer but instead took a step to the side, prompting Mingyu to do the same. “Isn’t it a little too early for me to reveal myself to a stranger?”

“A stranger?” Mingyu withdraws his head as this realization hits him. “Why, I guess, I am one.” His eyes were on you, your earlier expression of empty familiarization now mirrored on his own. Stranger. Of course.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” you continued, “who are you? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here…ever.”

Your words pulled Mingyu back to reality. “I’m not from around here,” he responded curtly as he has rehearsed a thousand times. “I come from a small village, a tribe, across the mountains at least five days journey from here.”

"Five days journey? I’ve never heard of it.”

“Ah…We are a small yet decent tribe. It is due to our number that we tend to live far from…others,” Mingyu said, carefully making his towards the line separating the lie from the truth. “That is until today, the day I’ve turned of age and I was finally permitted to go out and explore and I-” Mingyu stopped as you took a step towards him. “W-what?”

“You said you come from a place five days journey from here.”

Mingyu took a step back. The line in his mind that separated the truth from the lie has now snapped in half.

“And you being here is because you recently reached adulthood?”

“…yes.” Mingyu took another step back and bumped against a tree trunk while a thought crossed his mind. Oh, the looks his brothers would have given him if they saw him now. The hunter being hunted, the oldest would’ve said.

And he would be right, Mingyu thought. Looking at your eyes, there was no more sense of wonder like you had as he remembered. They were intrusive and suspecting. It was a look he’s grown to see in his brothers during hunts but never did he imagine to see it from yours.

You took another step making the distance vanish between you and him. “Then…” You lifted a hand slowly while Mingyu tried not to do the same. If he needed to fight, which he hoped he wouldn’t, it would be easy anyway.

You broke into a smile. “It’s your birthday isn’t it?” you asked, grabbing hold of Mingyu’s hand.

“…huh?”

“You said it earlier! You were finally permitted to leave since you’ve turned of age and now you’re here. That means you’ve just celebrated your birthday!” you concluded. “Or is it today? Or maybe a few days from now?”

“Truthfully,” Mingyu’s eyes traveled from your ecstatic face to your hand holding his. He wasn’t expecting this development at all. He finally allowed himself to smile. “It is today.”

“That’s great!” you exclaimed. “How are you celebrating it?”

“I’m not sure,” he said, his eyes examining you again. In a blink of an eye, it seemed like you were back to how he remembered – no sense of hostility, no doubts. He smiled. He’s always remembered you as a little storm of unexpected chaos that turned his world upside down. Witnessing it again, he can’t help but look forward to what you have in store. “As you can see,” he said placing his other hand on yours, “I’m all alone in this unfamiliar place with no one that I know. Would you…accompany me today?”

“Of course!” you beamed. “Just leave it all to me, Mingyu.”

Hearing his name from your lips after years of recounting it from memory, Mingyu felt the familiar warmth from you flow. It was all worth it, he thought, looking at your hand that pulled his as you walked through the clear path. The wait, the distance, and the patience that it took was worth it. 

But then again, the day has just begun.

---

It was oddly like home, Mingyu thought as he watched the chaos around him ensue; laughter, flutes, decorations, and dancing abound on one side and on the other, shouting, gambling, and brawling. Everywhere he looked invited his ears into confusion and it was hard not to get excited about it.

“What’s with everyone in this village?” Mingyu shouts amidst the noisy crowd that has formed around a bunch of brawling men. “Everyone’s full of life!” he exclaimed.

You peered at the group and winced as one of the men get stuck in a headlock. “Ohh, that’s the end for him,” you muttered before cheering with the rest of the crowd as the man escapes from his opponent.

The crowd erupts in cheers as one of the competitors come flying to the ground, signaling the end of the match. Mingy realized how tense his whole body was. Fights were always the best, he recalled, having more than a couple of them with his brothers.

As the crowd dispersed, you led Mingyu through the street with a satisfied smile on both of your faces. “Everyone’s celebrating,” you replied simply. You turned to look at the whole street. Color splashed everywhere you looked, mostly in reds and blacks. The flavor of alcohol in the air was stronger than ever. Even the grumpiest of the grumps in the village were all smiles as they cheered for the street performers. “It’s the liveliest that we’ve been since I can remember!”

“What are you celebrating?” Mingyu asked as he claps for the finished performance. “Everyone seems so happy!”

“That’s because we’ve finally defeated what has been bothering this village for some time now.”

“What do you mean?”

You led him through the busy street and out to a quieter place. “There had been some attacks on this village by,” you paused, choosing your next word carefully, “…outsiders. It’s not the first time they’ve attacked us but they have been getting ambitious. It usually only happens once in a month.”

Mingyu turned to look at you but your eyes were again lost in the area of the unknown, at least unknown from him. The taller moved, hesitant to put his hand on your shoulder until your detachment melted that he withdrew his hand fast.

“But they should be leaving us alone by now,” you turned to Mingyu, your eyes lit with certainty. “Our village has a group of hunters to protect the people here. And we’re strong.”

Mingyu watched as you continued to walk, greeting back the people who greeted you on the way. Your words spun in his mind just like how you were now with an old lady who pulled you in a dance.

A tiny, harmless village attacked…just what kind of enemies can this village have? But whatever it was seemed to be a thing of the past. Liberty erupted all around him; Mingyu could not see any trace of the shackles that have bound the village in fear.

“Mingyu!” You ran towards him and took hold of his hand. “I want to show you something! Come with me.”

“What is it?”

You led Mingyu a little deeper into the street past the busy stores and big houses before rounding a corner. “Here.” You pulled him to a stop and in front was a little store with baskets of pastry and bread displayed at the front.

Mingyu’s eyes went wide, his heart beating fast yet again. He was only able to visit this store during the nights he spent awake thinking what happened and what could have been. It was there. This time, it was right in front of him. “It looks just like befo–” His hand flew to his mouth but you were too busy talking to the baker to hear him.

What is it, the voice in his mind asked casually, though his words were laced with malice. What are you afraid of?

Mingyu watched as the baker gave you some type of rectangular bread and realized how different he was from how he remembered. His hair had streaks of grey and white on them. His body looked thinner and the lines on his face also grew in number. But looking into his eyes, the bright twinkle of joy present as he nodded and made small talk with you made certain his unforgettable identity in Mingyu’s past.

“Here you go,” you said, handing Mingyu the bread. “It’s just sweet bread. It’s been difficult getting some ingredients lately so this is all we have. I would’ve gotten you a cake otherwise. He makes really good cakes,” you smiled at him sheepishly.

Mingyu looked down at the warm bread in his hand. It smelled like barley and beer with a faint smell of…

“Berries!” Mingyu proclaimed with a wide smile. “And different ones at that!”

“How did you know?” you asked, astonished at his conclusion. “The baker said he didn’t have enough so you probably won’t notice but…yes, there are mixed berries in it.”

“Ah…I…that’s…” he forced out a laugh. “I just really like berries, that’s all.”

“Oh. Alright.”

Mingyu switched his attention from you to the bread and examined it. It was a much simpler bread from the cake he once tried but it was from you and this little tradition that you told him before. He smiled at the little memory before breaking the bread in half. “Let’s share.”

“But I bought it for you,” you protested.

“And I’m sharing it with you.” He placed the broken bread on your hand and pointed at a small, unrecognizable shape in it. “See? Berries,” he smiles before taking a bite out of his share.

Shoulders slacking, you resigned to the offer. Mingyu didn’t look like he was up for an argument, and despite your protests, it has been a while since you’ve had sweets. “Alright then,” you said, taking a bite off your bread. “I guess I’ve got to give you another gift that you can enjoy.”

“Another?” Mingyu can’t help but laugh as he joined you on another walking tour towards who-knows-where. “Are you normally this nice to strangers?”

“Hey,” you frowned. “I am a nice person. Besides,” you smiled and bumped shoulders with him, “I have this light-hearted feeling towards you. I don’t really understand how though. We did just meet,” you laughed, not noticing how Mingyu’s small smile fell. “But it’s alright now. We are friends, aren’t we?”

Ignoring the laughing voice inside his head, Mingyu quickened his footsteps up the hill you were climbing to. “Where are you taking me anyway?”

You smiled knowingly. “The sun will be setting in a while. It’ll be a waste not to see its full beauty.”

The climb up went on in silent anticipation of what kind of show the world had in store. Sure, he’s seen sunsets before, Mingyu thought, but he knew today’s sunset would be different.

You reached a small clearing at the top of the hill. Flat rocks lined up just before the decline in front of you, providing perfect front row seats for the show that was about to happen.

A few minutes passed and the huge orb of orange and yellow started to bleed right through the evening sky. Slowly, ever so slowly, it sank into the horizon and with it, pulling the large dark blanket of the evening sky over you.

You soaked in the last remaining rays of the sun before you opened your eyes. “It’s kind of beautiful, isn’t it? Sunsets are overlooked and taken for granted but if you stop for a moment, it’s truthfully something magical.”

Mingyu nodded in agreement and watched the sun disappear completely. “I’m not really a sun person, but I get what you mean.”

“What do you mean?”

Mingyu gave you a half smile. “Have you ever watched the moon rise?”

“Well, I guess–”

“Up close?” Mingyu asked, raising an eyebrow. “Back where I’m from, we have a spot where you could watch the moon rise, just like this place here. From there, the moon would look gigantic. It’s almost as if you could touch it.” 

Mingyu lifted his eyes to the sky and breathed deeply as if breathing in the moonlight. “It’s really beautiful,” he added with a smile, his eyes landing on you. “As magical as your sunset.”

Maybe you gazed at each other a second too long and it was difficult to make sure with the moonlight shining on you both, but Mingyu was almost positive that you were blushing as much as he was. The warmth in his cheeks told him so and so were you as you repeatedly touched your cheeks with the back of your hand.

Finally, Mingyu spoke. “Dance with me.”

“Huh?”

“Dance. With me?”

A smile grew on your lips but you couldn’t help but get confused at his request. “Why all of a sudden? And I can’t dance.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know how.”

Taking your hand silently in his, Mingyu lifted your hands between the two of you on eye-level. “I’ll show you then.”

You laughed, clearly amused at the other’s random enthusiasm to dance but obliged. “Why do you want to dance?”

Mingyu nodded at you encouragingly before bending his knees and bowing slightly. “In our tribe, we have this tradition where you dance under the moon on the night when you turn of age.”

You returned the gesture. “Alright…and?”

“As you can already tell,” he said, leading the dance into a slow circle, “the dance requires a partner. There’s a legend about it as well but I don’t really remember except that it’s a good thing, like receiving a blessing.” Mingyu averted his eyes. He knew what the legend actually said but to say it out loud…just remembering was enough to make his cheeks red again.

“But there’s no music,” you said, switching hands and direction just as Mingyu did.

“If you listen closely, the wind and the trees have already started playing the music. Maybe then a song will arise from somewhere.”

Half-smiling, you shook your head in response. “You are truly strange and yet I could not argue.”

The two of you continued to dance slowly in silence and in satisfied smiles until sure enough, a faint melody reached both of your ears. Just as you danced together under the bright glowing moon, so did the combination of strings, timbrels, and flute with the faint rustling of the wind.

Mingyu could not help but grin. “See?”

“Alright,” you said, hitting Mingyu’s hand playfully. “I’m dancing already, aren’t I?”

Your steps fell into place with the rise and fall of the music while the world around you passed slowly in a faint blur.

“Tell me more about you.”

Mingyu caught the look of curiosity you had on your face. Of course, you’d ask. “What’s there to tell?”

“The clothes you’re wearing, for example,” you started. “They’re not exactly for common folk like me. You won’t see them here in this tiny village but I know only people with a high status wear such garments.”

“I…where I come from…” Mingyu can only shake his head in disbelief and laugh. “I don’t know where to start.”

“It’s alright. I’ll listen,” you urged.

He pressed his lips into a thin line and took a deep breath. “You remember what I said earlier? About me coming from a small tribe?”

You nodded.

“Well, that is just the surface. Right now, it’s more appropriate to call it a collection of tribes. We all started with one family. That family had children who grew up to be the leaders of their own tribes and uh…I’m one of them.”

“Oh?” you lowered your hand in astonishment. “You’re a leader?”

“I guess I’m bound to be one. I’m not sure yet but it comes with me turning into an adult. My older brothers now all lead their own pa–,” Mingyu stopped just in time, his heart skipping a beat, “–tribes,” he corrects himself. His eyes darted towards you but you just nodded in encouragement.

“And then?”

He lowered his hand and gestured for you to come with him to sit on the row of flat stones earlier. In all honesty, he wanted to stop speaking. But he realized that it was also a chance to connect with you, something he’s always regretted missing since your first meeting. 

“Some of my younger brothers are still waiting for their turn,” he continued. “Once you become an adult, you leave and start your own tribe. If you don’t, you find one and hope that they’ll allow you to join or you would have to fight them for it.”

“Fight?” you asked, and one eyebrow shot up. “Why would you need to fight them?”

“Ah, I didn’t mean that they would…physically fight,” Mingyu replied slowly. “They just have to prove their worth to the tribe.”

“I see…So, did you manage to make one? Or find one?”

Mingyu laughed softly once he saw the concern on your face. “Neither. But I’ll get there, sooner or later. That is why I’m now on a journey. I’m in search of…a new family.”

You smiled. “You’re a nice person, Mingyu. And you seem capable. I’m sure you’ll find a new family in no time.”

Mingyu nodded. “Just as long as I pick the right one.”

“What do you mean?”

Mingyu shrugged. “Like I said, once you reach a certain age, you leave your natal tribe and start a new group. We’re the original family in this area but that doesn’t mean we’re the only one; there were others that joined us. But in a mixed tribe, there’s always bound to be differences–in beliefs, in their standings in life, and in their views about people. Our family has always been open to new things but there were some who absolutely hated change and were loyal to tradition. It caused a division. So, they left.”

Your gaze fell on the ground with just one word in mind. “Oh.”

Seeing how the atmosphere suddenly became serious, Mingyu tried to lighten it up. “But the leaders of every tribe make sure that the deserters do not cause trouble. Besides, they’re still considered family,” he concluded with a soft smile but you could not help but think about it seriously.

“I can see that the tribe you were in have decent values for you to be able to say that.”

“Well…”

“Most people do not have such nice thoughts once they get betrayed.”

What little smile was left on Mingyu’s face fell. He did not know how many times it has happened throughout the day, but he noticed how you’ve been acting. Although you were with him, there were times when you would feel detached. Even your eyes would sometimes flicker with some unknown sadness in them.

“Red–”

“You know,” your mouth curved into a smile, “even though everyone calls me that, it feels a little strange coming from you.” You lifted your hand and let your finger slowly trace the outline of Mingyu’s face.

Mingyu had his heart beating fast. Bathed in the moonlight and with your eyes boring through him, his mind came flooded with thoughts, both good and bad. Are you about to remember? What would your reaction be?

Mingyu leaned close to your hand, resigning to its warmth when his ears perked up.

“What is it?” you asked.

He whipped around back to the direction of the village and what he saw made his eyes grow wide.

“What is it Ming–” your heart fell.

A thick pillar of smoke arose from the village and all was covered in a sea of fiery orange. One after another, the sound of howling pierced through the night bringing a sharp coldness down your body and you knew: the battle you thought you won was far from over. The village is under attack. The wolves are back for revenge.

Your body reacted before you could come up with possible scenarios. How? You’ve pushed the wolves past the borders and had them weakened. Even their dens have been destroyed in the fire to make sure that they leave. “How...”

“Red!” Mingyu ran after you as fast as his long legs could take him. “Where are you going?”

“To the village of course!” you cried without looking back.

“It's dangerous!”

“I can help!”

“How?!”

You stopped before the village gates just as a pillar comes falling from above, the heat of the fire stinging your skin at once. Fire cackled at the panic that covered the ground. It seemed to enjoy the cries of the lives it was consuming no matter what it was.

Amongst the curtains of fire, you spotted a few villagers being ushered out of their house by some of the hunters in your group.

“What happened?” you shouted amidst the noise as you ran over to them with Mingyu right behind.

One of the younger ones in the group looked up, a faint glimmer of hope flashing on his face. “Red!”

“Tell me.”

“It's an attack!” he answered. “A group of men we’ve never seen before came and made a ruckus in the square. They threw torches and started burning everything. But then…then…”

"What is it?"

"We tried fighting them off but then...” And though the flames continued to grow, the young man shivered as he recounted what happened. “…they transformed...those men…with sharp teeth and claws..."

“What?” you asked, unsure if you heard him right. “What are you talking about?”

“Werewolves, Red!” another guy, an older man with a bow, answered coughing. “We cannot be sure but we think they were the ones that we’ve been trying to fight off.” He coughed again, the look of distraught more evident on his face. “We were wrong about them, Red. We cannot keep them out. They’re too strong. Red, they’re monsters.”

You shut your eyes and shook your head. “The villagers?”

“Most have been led to safety. We're making sure that no one has been left behind.”

You nodded. "Where are the others?”

The man pointed north. “Still in the village square. We've managed to contain them there but not for long.”

“Give me your bow and quiver. Make sure that everyone has evacuated. Lead them somewhere safe for the meantime.”

“But Red!”

“The people are more important. Go!”

The small group looked at you and wanted to protest but they knew that there were no arguments that can change your decision. After all, they considered you are their leader as the one who made the group of hunters a reality. They nodded and did as told, scouring the remaining houses as they looked for more survivors.

“Red, what are you doing? What's happening?”

You turned towards Mingyu and saw the confusion on his face but there was no time. “Mingyu. Go with them. I'll meet you later.” You strung the quiver on your back with the bow when Mingyu grabbed your hand.

“I can help!”

“Then help the people evacuate. Make sure no one's been accidentally left behind but do not go to the square. Do not stay here any longer.”

“Red,” Mingyu continued, exasperation obvious in his voice. “Werewolves are stronger than regular wolves.”

“I know that!” you finally exploded, giving the other a shock. “I've had my share of experience meeting some of them,” you said, the last words almost in a whisper, your eyes watching Mingyu’s hand as he slowly releases you.

“…what?”

“That's why I need to be there.” You let yourself take one last look at Mingyu before you go. His eyes searched yours for answers to unspoken questions that must have been running through his mind. “Trust me,” you said, cupping his face with your free hand. “Be safe.”

You turned and did not look back. There were more important things right now. As you walked away, you made a silent promise to tell Mingyu what was on your mind: all the questions, all the suspicions, and all the things you wanted to say…that is if you survived.

Mingyu stood planted on the ground and watched as you disappear from view. Too many things were happening and he knew he couldn’t keep up. Another howl sounded at a distance. Before he knew it, Mingyu was already running. The howl. There was something about it.

Mingyu finally saw the small group of hunters that you met earlier and ran towards the man that gave you the bow. “What do the wolves look like?” he asked, grabbing the man by the shoulders.

“What? Who…aren’t you that kid with Red earlier?”

“What do they look like?” Mingyu repeated himself, his voice with that of a low growl.

“I don't know!” the man answered, his eyes transfixed at the set of sharp teeth Mingyu had until he winced at the growing pain on his shoulder. “I...one of them transformed into a huge, black wolf! That's all I could remember.”

Mingyu slowly released the man, not caring at the frightened look on his face or the quick steps the group made to get away from him. Mingyu turned to the direction of the village square just as another howl went off. A black wolf. That was not a good sign.

---

With your legs carrying you as fast as they can, you finally arrived at the center of all chaos. It was a relief to see that the fight was indeed contained in the square but you knew it was still a lost cause. At least three people were needed to keep one wolf occupied. There weren't enough hunters. Even with the ones in training, there were barely enough people to keep the fight from being completely one-sided. And it doesn’t help that they were not ordinary wolves. The smallest had to be at least the size of an adult tiger, a size comparable to that of an average person.

You felt your heart crumble to the ground. The most that you could do was to keep the wolves distracted while the villagers escape. With that, the number of casualties has a chance to decrease.

You pulled an arrow from the quiver. You aimed it at one of the wolves near the center when three big wolves, bigger than the others, stepped into your line of sight. You shifted the arrow towards them. They didn't even flinch as you released it. The arrow came straight for the wolf in the middle but it was too slow. The wolves merely ducked and the arrow flew past them while the wolves made their way towards you.

It was impossible. It was all hopeless. But there was nothing else to do.

You ran. The area was too open to fighting with just a bow. You needed to make use of the chaos in the village and give yourself a better position. But where? Everything has been consumed by the fire. Fire...that's it! They won't come close to where there's much fire.

You made your way to one side where most merchants set up their products. More things to burn, more fire. More fire, bigger shield. But three versus one was a sure loss no matter how advantageous everything else would be. You were already losing strength and air. You had to narrow them down.

You turned to a corner, bringing them into one narrow street.

“One at a time.” You skidded to a halt and turned and aimed one arrow at the wolf in front and released the arrow. It went straight under the wolf’s neck.

You didn't stay to watch. The yelps and crashes were enough. The first wolf fell, giving you time to create distance and find another corner.

You ran at one side of the street with houses situated beside the other. You looked back. The two others were right behind. You let an arrow loose but the wolf moved away fast. You released another arrow. It went straight to the wolf's shoulder.

“Just one more,” you whispered as you watched the second wolf trip on its own leaving the last wolf until crash! Your foot gets caught from a fallen pillar of wood. Your body gave way and you soon found yourself rolling on the ground, your bow flying away from your hand.

Lungs getting heavy and shocking hot pain coursing through your ankle, you laid against the dry ground gasping for air. You could barely push yourself up as the dry air and dust started to suffocate your body. You turned. One wolf left yet there you were on the ground.

You reached for the dagger kept safely in the bag tied around your waist and pitched it. The wolf merely bent its neck and the knife went flying past. The wolf snarled, it's body shaking as if laughing and mocking you. It took another step and snarled at your foot, narrowly missing it as you rolled to the side.

You looked around. There was nothing else that can be of use. No rock, no piece of wood...nothing to throw or hit with. Everywhere else, individual battles were ongoing. No help was bound to come.

The wolf bent its knees. It was ready to pounce.

“So, this is it, huh?” you whispered, no other thoughts, not even regrets crossing your mind. You steeled yourself as you watched the wolf launch itself towards you, its canines ready to rip you off. You wondered how painful it would be. Would the pain last or will it be over soon? The black wolf was just a foot away when another wolf crashes with it midair.

Yelping and snarling filled your ears as the two snapped their jaws at each other, both trying to wrestle their way to victory. They scrambled on the ground, their claws busily swiping and scratching whatever it touched. Dust and soot flew everywhere. Snap! went the black wolf’s jaw at the other’s neck but the brown wolf used its body and pushed the other to a corner prompting it to let him go. The brown wolf wasted no time. It picked the other up with its strong jaws and flung it against a burning house’s wall.

The black wolf falls limp on the ground just as fallen wood comes crashing. Your view was blocked by the dust and the fire. Was it still alive? Did the other won?

Your eyes trailed back to the intruder, your breathing getting heavier by the second as a thought registered. Before you was a massive wolf with brown fur, poised towards the direction of the black wolf as if taunting it to get up. It bared its teeth and growled before turning its head towards you.

You broke into a cold sweat. The battle wasn’t over, was it?

The brown wolf lifted its nose and howled. It wasn’t long until you heard more that seemed to be getting closer and soon enough, a couple more wolves came skidding into the scene.

These wolves, you thought as you scanned the newcomers carefully, there’s something different about them. As if having a silent agreement with one another, the newcomers started invading the fight and to your surprise, it was the wolves that they went for.

The brown wolf turned towards you. It came closer, slowly and carefully, its eyes fixed on you.

“Stop.”

A low whimper came from it before it stopped at a good distance.

You did not dare move but it’s not like you had a choice. You just barely escaped death by being ripped into pieces. And the sight of a giant wolf brought you no comfort.

The wolf shook its head before moving closer again, its head now bowed low to the ground.

“I said stop,” you repeated in a weak voice, wincing as you tried to move your foot away.

The wolf whimpered but did as told and stopped right next to you. Its eyes never left you even as it lowered its nose and gently nudged your foot.

“You…” your eyes flickered. The corners of your lips tugged upwards as you realized what this gentle beast was doing before it yelped, its body jerking away.

Your eyes widened. An arrow was sticking on its side. You traced where it came from with your eyes and saw one of the hunters holding a bow.

“Red!” he shouted as he pulled another arrow from his quiver.

“Wait!”

The arrow nearly missed but not without leaving a scratch on the wolf’s shoulder. The wolf turned to snarl at the hunter but staggered as it did. It was getting weak fast. The wounds it sustained from its previous fight was acting against it.

You saw the hunter reach for another arrow. “I said wait!”

The third arrow comes flying but the wolf managed to dodge. You watched helplessly as the wolf scrambled to get away with what little energy it had left. 

Reaching a corner, it gave you one last look with its big, golden brown eyes before it disappeared.

“Red! Are you alright?” The man came running to help you stand, asking you questions about what happened. “More wolves came and disappeared with the wolves we were fighting. What happened here?”

You grabbed onto his arm for support but chose to ignore his question. You had to go to the wolf. You had to follow him.

“Red!”

“Go!” you finally answered back. “Go find the others. Don’t bother trying to salvage anything from the village. There’s no point. Make sure no one’s left then go to the mountain. I’ll meet you there.”

“But Red–”

“That’s an order!” Without looking back, you made your way out of the scene, leaving the man no choice but to obey your final word.

You ignored the growing pain on your right foot and continued to look for signs the wolf left and it wasn’t difficult – on the ground was a trail of blood that leads outside the burning village and into the woods.

The wolf must’ve lost its strength. There were imprints of a huge body dragging itself with little pools of blood smudged on the ground. The track continued until you found the broken shaft of the arrow but the point was missing. The arrowhead was most likely still in his body.

The track then changed into a longer and slimmer impression on the ground. You wondered why until you found an imprint in a shape of a human hand. And just a few inches from it were imprints in a shape of human feet.

You noticed your heart beating hard with every step you took while your brain was busy wondering what it is that you will find. But you didn’t have to wonder for long. Slumped at the foot of a tree a few feet away with his clothes stained with dirt and blood, was Mingyu.

---

Mingyu woke with a jolt and stinging pain all over his body. His side was hot but his face felt cool. He reached for his cheek, then his neck but not without first having difficulty; his left shoulder had a strip of linen wrapped around it with the smell of honey on them. As for his cheek and neck, it smelled faintly of aloe. Mingyu tried to move but this time, a great pain came from his side. He reached for it and found it bandaged just like his shoulder.

“Four wounds,” he huffed as he sat up, nausea briefly hitting him in the gut. “Not bad.”

He heaved a sigh and looked around. He was in a house, a hut to be exact. It looked modest, to say the least. There were jars of different shapes and sizes, pans, clothing, and some other things one would normally find in a house. But most noticeable of them all was the powerful mix of smells from the flowers and herbs all over the place. Maybe that was the cause of his growing headache, he thought.

“But whose…” A voice came playing in his head. It whispered his name. He remembers warm hands gently touching his face, his wounds, and his hand. The voice told him all will be well and nothing but darkness and silence came after that. But he knew. Somehow, he knew.

The walk outside was a mix of uncomfortable pain, hunger, and being cold. It was a good thing that he found a robe at the foot of the bed was using. He at least had something to protect him from the cold. As for the others…

Mingyu stopped at the entrance of the house just as a figure emerged from behind the trees in front of him. She pulled her red cloak and hung it on her arm, the one holding a basket filled with plants.

You looked up to see Mingyu right outside your house. “You finally woke up,” you managed to say after standing in painful silence with him. You walked towards the small wooden table situated beside your home and took out the plants you’ve picked. “You were asleep for two days if you were wondering. Did you see the bowl of soup on the table inside? You must be terribly hungry but you needed something easy to eat first.”

Mingyu did not move nor spoke. All he did was follow you silently with his eyes as you began placing some plants on a mortar and started pounding them.

“Are you hungry? I can get something for y–”

“Why?”

“Wh–you’ve been without food for a long time–”

“Why did you help me?” Mingyu finally asked, though his voice sounded strained.

You your lips as you continued with your work. “You were a mess. It’s a good thing I learned how to take care of common wounds. Although I did almost think that regular herbs and medicine would not work on you with you being,” the pestle in your hand hovered above the ground leaves as did some unspoken words hung in the air.

“A monster?”

You looked up and met Mingyu’s eyes. It was only a few days ago when you thought that he was easy to read. Excited? He would be glowing. Nervous? He'll be biting his lower lip. But right now, it was difficult to tell. Was he angry? Hurt? Genuinely curious? There was nothing to read at all. “Different,” you corrected him.

The atmosphere only grew colder and it was difficult to tell if it was from your natural surroundings or from you both.

“Aren’t you scared of me?” he asked. “Or is it because you pity me?”

“Neither,” you answered, taking in deep breaths to help calm yourself. Who knew he had this side? But then again, a person can hold so many secrets about themselves regardless of how common they may look like.

“Then why?” 

You sighed and placed the pestle on the table. “It's because of a little boy I met some time ago. I knew from the start that he was different. I mean, what kind of kid would not know about eating cake for their birthday?” you said with a soft smile at the memory. “The young me knew he was different, but it was only since meeting him again that I realized for there to be different differents.”

You allowed yourself to take a look at Mingyu's expression and found the look of disbelief splashed on his face. “A lot has changed since we last saw each other,” you continued before Mingyu could interrupt. “You lived your life and I lived mine. But I believe it did not affect what we had no matter how little we knew about each other.”

“But...” Mingyu started, trying to find the right words to say. “About me being...”

“A werewolf? I wasn’t sure at first. I did not even realize until the night under the moon,” you said laughing at yourself. “The moment you spoke about your family, everything made sense – our encounter, how we spent the day, and the reason for your visit – all of a sudden, I was reminded of that little boy who said he had to eat me because it was his birthday.”

“Growing up with that small memory, I had an inkling of what and who you are. It took me a while to piece them together with the you now but it wasn't a shock at all. You would think that I should have been scared but Mingyu,” you said taking his hand, “I was just really happy to see you.”

Words were getting difficult. You squeezed his hand and hoped for your feelings to get across. “I helped you because it does not matter what you are. What matters is who you are. You are my friend, Mingyu. You’ve always been. That's enough for me.”

“But the whole day,” he said, turning his eyes away from you, “the way you talked about us wolves...”

Your heart fell. “I'm sorry. I...” You took a deep breath. “I don't know if you remember, but I did say that I've had my share of encounters with them before. My grandmother...I believe she was a friend of your people. But it’s just as you said: there were others that thought badly about the relationship between wolves and humans. My grandmother did not know. She and my mother…It was because of an incident involving them that I've decided to protect what I had. I became one of the hunters that protected the village. We protected our land from whatever or whoever threatened our peace.”

You cupped his face in your hand and made him meet your gaze. “Mingyu, I hope you understand.”

The warmth in his golden, brown eyes returned. He took your hand in his and resigned to its comfort. “…I do.” A small smile finally appeared on his face, causing you to mirror his.

“Thank you.”

Still holding your hand tightly, Mingyu moved towards you and silently pulled you into a hug. Of course, he smelled like herbs and medicine but nonetheless, the gesture was more than welcome.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Mingyu muttered, nestling his head on your shoulder, even swaying you slightly in his embrace.

“Hey,” you laughed. “Aren’t you getting a little too comfortable?”

Mingyu froze. “Do you hate it?”

The smile on your face grew at his alarmed tone. Mingyu was really easy to tease. “I don’t,” you answered, maybe hugging him a little too tight as he jerked when you did.

“That kind of hurt,” he winced, letting go and checking the wound on his side. “Come to think about it, how is the village?”

You shook your head.

“The wolves?”

“It’s a long story and I promise to tell you later in detail but it’s been taken care of.”

“And the villagers?”

“Safe. But we're planning to start anew.” You chewed on your lower lip before looking up to him. “I'm planning to start anew.”

“What do you mean?”

You smiled. You could practically see the conclusions forming in his mind just by the way he smiled and took your hand back in his. “I think you know what I mean,” you teased. “But first, let’s take care of that wound, shall we?”