“You all need to leave now,” a tall dark haired man said hurriedly “they are in their way to the forest.”

Another well build man is pacing back and forth “or we can try to explain?” he suggested “it wasn’t us.”

“They won’t understand. They were angry, really, really angry. There is no way you are given the chance to even talk before they burned you down. You and your family.”

The tall muscular man turned to the side where his wife is sitting, hugging their six years old daughter in her arms securely. In the other side of the couch is sitting another woman with a baby, a three year old baby.

“This is our home.” The dark creature said slowly, “where could we go after this without them chasing after my family?”

“You need to leave, Yunho.” Again, the other man pushed close to begging “they are closer.”

“We were not the killers!” Yunho spat, her eyes raging red, red as blood, red as his anger “they have no right to throw us away from our home!”

“Take your family to run away deeper in the forest, they wouldn’t dare to chase after you.” he suggested “wait until a week or two, and let’s see if I can find a place for you to live, peacefully.”

Yunho is staring into his bestfriend’s eyes, doubt and worry are what written in all over their face.

“..maybe we should take Changmin’s advise for now.” a soothing voice calmed their anger.

Yunho turned to her wife, where their daughter is still sleeping soundlessly.

Yunho heaved a sigh, walking closer to his wife’s side “..you know how dangerous it is deeper into the forest.” He said wearily “how could we get her into that, Soojin?” he whispered as his fingers brushing his daughter’s hair.

“We have no other choice.” Soojin answered as softly.

“They have no right to do this to our family,” Yunho said “it wasn’t our fault.” He added “it might be really just wild animal, or—or another creature.. or—or even if it was our kind, it might be another pack..”

Sounds of what seems like trotting in a group of people get clearer, distinct.

“Yunho! They are near!” Changmin mumbled desperately.

“Yunho..” Soojin’s voice followed, caressing her husband’s cheek softly “we can do this together.”

Yunho stands up, taking their daughter in his arms “let’s go.” He quickly said “Changmin, Vic, thank you for the warning.” He said “I will meet you sometime soon.”

The married couple offered a smile before they hurriedly run to the front door.

“Kill them! kill them!” the sounds are what can be listen from behind the door.

They were too late, a step to late.

Yunho gulped. This small house of there is surrounded by a group of people with lighted torch which they can see from inside through the small windows.

“Damn!” Changmin cursed.

“We know you were inside, changmin!!” a loud clear yell heard from one of the group “we knew that you were trying to help them!!” he yelled as loud “and there is no way we could let that happen!”

“They are not human! They are animals!”

Yunho gritted his teeth in anger, arms tensed where his veins become visible, his eyes redder, ready to take a step outside before Changmin’s grab him.

“You will only going to prove them right.” he said “you are not what they accused you to.”

Yunho calmed down slowly, but the loud yelled can be heard once again.

“We know you are inside!” the same person said “you should take your responsibility after what you have done!!”

“Get out the hell from your lair!!” another person yelled “you killed one of our kind! How long it left before you and your family is starting to hunt us and tear the entire village down!!”

“Mommy..” the six year old girl woke up by the noises, the loud yelling and a crying baby, rubbing her eyes sleepily before the sight of the familiar couple come into her sight “uncle min, aunt Vic..” she smiled “hi..”

“Come out!! Now!! we want you!!”

Soojin bit her lower lip, hugging the little girl tightly.

“I will try to negotiate with them.” Yunho finally said.

“You know it won’t work.” Changmin’s voice barely comes as a whisper.

“I will try.” Yunho said “for my family.” He added before he turned to his wife “..you know that I have been rebuilding our reading room to become a bedroom for our little angel, aren’t you?”

Soojin nodded.

“I am digging a secret tunnel.” He whispered “I was taught to always be prepared for any kind of situation by my father.” He smiled weakly, holding both Soojin’s shoulder “and since we are living close to a human village, I thought that this is necessary.”

“..and I was right..” he whispered softly “..i will try to distract them..” he softly whispered before he turned to his bestfriend “Min, you can take this opportunity to run away, and please take my family away from this place.”

“No! Yunho—“

“Please Soojin,” Yunho cut “I need to know you are okay, you and our daughter.” He said “when I am done,” he added “after I make sure that you both are running far away, I will come after you.”

Tears are streaming down from Soojin’s cheeks.

Yunho gently wiped the tears away with a weak smile, pressing his lips on Soojin’s temple “I love you, Soojin..” he whispered “giving one on her daughter’s temple “daddy loves you, baby..”

“Where are you going to, daddy?” the little kid asked curiously, her tiny arms circling around Yunho’s neck “are you going somewhere? Take me with you please..”

Yunho’s heart broke as he caressed his daughter’s cheek “wait for daddy, okay? You are going with mommy, and daddy will come after you later.”

“Why can’t we go together?”

Yunho tried to swallowed the lump in his throat which he failed to do “Soo--..”

“Come out and face us!! Or we are going inside!!”

The threat seems to worse their restlessness, worry and fear.

“Min, please take them with you.” he said, pointing a room in the left side of the house.

Changmin nodded, walking after Soojin and Vic who are carrying the children.

“Min,” Yunho called, grabbing his bestfriend’s arm before her could make it to the room “if I don’t make it..” he said softly to prevent her wife to hear his word “please take care of my family..” he said “..please..”

“I owe you my life, Yunho.” Changmin’s voice cracked, recalling their first encounter, the start of their friendship “..i will do anything for you..”

Yunho smiled weakly, but something seems different, like a big burden has been lifted up from his shoulder “..thank you..”

“..anything..” he answered before Yunho patted his bestfriend’s shoulder to sign him to leave.

 

The small room feels cold and quiet  the moment Yunho was left alone no matter how much noises could be hear outside.

..he might can’t come back to his family..

up a deep breath, carrying all his pride and courage, Yunho opened the door to reveal a group of familiar people, just people he knows.

“So you are ready to take your punishment?” a middle age man from the group mocked.

“It was not me, neither was my family member.” He replied.

The answer got the people furious.

“How dare you!!” he said “it was evident that the recent kill was one of your kinds!!” he growled “and you are the only family in this area!! One that is from that dirty, evil, dark creature!!”

Yunho stayed still, his eyes saddened.

He has living here for half of his lifetime, and he even once help the population only to get his real identity uncovered.

“I would never do that.” he said “you know I won’t.”

“Liar!!! Liar!!! Liar!!!” it was yelled through the calm yet cold night, over and over again.

“How can I--..”

“You should take your responsibility!!” another man said “the boy’s family is grieving over your animalistic habit!! Over your act with no morality!!”

“Please, spare me and my family some expla--…”

“We don’t need your self justification!!”

“Right!! we need your responsibility!!!”

“An eye for an eye!!” yelled another man while banging his torch high.

“Wait--..” Yunho tried to talk but cut once again.

“We are not letting you leave! you and your family!”

 “Wait--!!”

And without Yunho known, the group of people starts hitting him with a big wooden torch, kicking mercilessly.

Yunho is curled on the ground, trying to keep conscious.

But a loud growl occurred right close to him, so close.

Yunho hardly lifted his head, to find a big, furry, and not so friendly creature.

Standing all in four, black fur like the darkness from where it comes, eyes red like the source of life, teeth sharp and ready to tore anyone in pieces, there it comes from the front door, closer when the group of people are stepping back in fear.

“..no..” Yunho mumbled in pain, both from the psychical abuse and the sight of the love of his life.

But dark creature growled louder, forcing the group to back out, going back to the town, to where they belong to be.

And none of them are listening.

 “Do—don’t come any closer!!” they started to chanted in fake courage.

“..Soojin..” he mumbled wearily while standing on his feet, holding his arm which seems to break from the kicking.

Yunho gently runs his palm on the side of the dark creature soothingly to have the blood color eyes come into his sight as he signaled her to go back into the house.

Stepping into the house, Yunho first, followed by the dark furry creature which seems five times his size to shape back into his wife to get into the house.

“..Soojin.. you shouldn’t come back..” he whispered painfully, hardly sitting on the wooden chair.

“..are you okay?” Soojin squatted down to check his injured.

“..Soojin..” Yunho’s voice cracked “how about our daughter? Who will--..”

“I haven’t got to say ‘I love you, too’” Soojin cut.

Yunho’s lips curved weakly, lifting his hand to caress her cheek “I love you more.” He said “now, you should leave before they barge inside.”

“Let’s go together.”

“Soojin, I can’t. if I go with you, they will find us in no time. They will realize that we are escaping, I need to make some time for you to get further enough where they can’t get you.”

Soojin doesn’t seem to move, not even replying her husband’s word.

“..Soojin--..”

“Have you forget your promise when you asked me to marry you?” she smiled softly “when asked me to be your mate?”

Yunho mirrored the smile “how could I forget? That day is one of the best days in my life. It was the start of my happiness..”

“You said, life and death..” Soojin whispered “let’s face this together.”

“I can’t get you into that..” Yunho immediately object “no Soojin--..”

“I am not going out without you.” Soojin stood up, grabbing her husband’s arm before she hooked it around her shoulder “let’s--..”

Soojin’s word cut by a broken glass which she quickly turned to her side to see a burned arrow shot right to the wall, followed by another, and another, and more.

“..no..” Soojin mumbled in horror when her eyes scanned her surrounding and the fire is already everywhere, from inside and outside the house “they are about to burn the house.”

“Let’s run.”

Yunho’s body covered in blood and injured, he even got one arm and one leg broke by the mindless, unreasonable abuses which cause him to hardly move, yet again walking.

Soojin’s another shape might be strong enough to carry her husband, but she can’t do it in the house, not when the tunnel is still for human size.

“Argh!” Yunho’s legs tripped and caused him to fall down “you need to run!”

The fire quickly spreads all over the wooden made house, and even wooden pieces are starting to fall from the roof.

“Yo—you need to run, be—before the only way out was blocked, Soojin!!”

“Not without you,” Soojin quickly tried to hook Yunho’s arm around her neck once again.

“Soojin, please! Please think about Soo--..”

“She will be sad if I left without you too, Yunho!” she yelled in sadness “please, we can make it, we will..”

But getting out together might not the only thing they need to think by now.

It was when they saw a big wooden piece from the roof fall right in front of the tunnel.

 

Changmin hold his wife close to him with their daughter in her arms and Yunho’s daughter in his arm.

“..please..” they prayed over and over again when the fire seems to devour the entire house.

“Mommy!!! Daddy!!!” the six years old kid’s voice echoed the moment she saw the fire around the house.

They are standing far enough from people to realize but close enough to witness what happened.

But still, it was just a matter of time before the people realized that it was just two persons inside the house.

They want the kid too.

“We should leave..” Changmin mumbled when the little girl’s crying is getting louder.

“Noo!!! Mommy!!! Daddy!!!” tears are streaming down on her face.

Changmin and Victoria are watching in pain, but nothing could they do. The fire is getting to big for someone to survive.

The little girl’s cry is getting louder, even louder than the yelling of the group of people.

“The kid was there!!” Changmin’s eyes rounded big in horror when one of the people finally notice them and pointed to their direction.

They need to leave now.

“We should leave, now!”

“Noo!! Daddy!!! Mommy!!” the little girl kept struggling to get free from Changmin’s arm as they are running deeper into the forest.

“NO!!! MOMMY!! DADDY!!”

“Please, please..” Changmin chanted over and over again.

Victoria is losing the strength that her running become slow, and carrying a crying and rampage kid is not easy either.

“..they won’t take you..” he panted heavily “they only want the kid..” he said “get back to the town, vic.. I will hide with her until people calmed down.”

Having no more strength to run, Victoria complied by running to the other way, not deeper to the forest, but to the side, along with their baby.

“Mommy!! Daddy!!” the cries are getting louder, make it easy for the group to follow the sound.

“Please Soo.. you should--..”

“I said get me back to mommy and daddy!!!”

Changmin fell, along with the girl in his arms.

And before he could get the kid back into his arm, the group of people is already there, steps behind them.

“If you want to back to the town, give us the kid, Min!”

“She is just a kid.” Changmin pleaded “let her go..”

“No! it was just a matter of time until she become one of them! she will turn like what her parent were!”

“You killed her parent! what do you need from her?”

“She is like them, Min! she is an animal! She will turn like them in--…”

“She is already one of them!!!” a loud yell from the mid-twenty boy pointed right to Changmin’s side.

Changmin quickly turned, his eyes widened in horror as he find the little girl is trembling hard, eyes red as blood “no!! no!! she is not supposed to change!! Not yet, not now!!”

“She is a monster too!!”

Having both his hand on the little girl’s shoulder, Changmin called desperately “please, no, not now.. Sooyoung!! Sooyoung!!!”

-----

 

“Sooyoung!! Sooyoung!!!” the loud yell, followed by countless banging on the door wake Sooyoung up from her sleep, from her nightmare.

Sooyoung sits on the bed hastily, covered in sweats, trembling.

“Yah!! Sooyoung!!”

Calming her breath, Sooyoung took a towel from the small table by the bed, wiping her sweat before she opened the door, growling.

“Today is our turn to hunt!! Were you overslept?!” a tall dark skinned woman is standing by the door step, with hands on her hips.

“I didn’t!” she swiftly denied.

“Yeah, exactly,” the girl rolled her eyes in sarcasm “that’s why you seem like you were just from bed.”

“Yul, I just need five minutes to get ready.” The taller woman said, walking back inside the room, to the small bathroom to wash her face and brushing her teeth.

“Eww!” Yuri gave a disgusted look, following along before she sits on the edge of the bed “shouldn’t you at least showering before going out from your room?”

“I can do that after our hunt.” Sooyoung shrugged, walking right to the small bathroom, quickly washing her face before brushing her teeth.

In less than five minutes, Sooyoung already accompanied her bored bestfriend again.

“It’s really unfair..” The tall dark skinned woman whined, scanning the taller woman from head to toe “how could you seem like you are ready to be hunted instead of doing the hunting?”

Sooyoung chuckled “thanks.”

“Well, even if I prefer the messy bed hair.” A petite woman stepped into the room, walking closer to the tall standing woman, tracing her finger on Sooyoung’s jaw “in my bed, without clothes.” She ended.

Sooyoung laughed “I guess it’s time for you to find your mate, Tae..” she said “you and Yuri.” She giggled “you both have been awfully--..” she paused, trying to find the most polite word to describe her bestfriend “steamy..” she giggled “and easily aroused..”

“It wasn’t our fault, we are on the age to mate anyway.” Yuri shrugged “we are 20.”

“Have you thought about mating with me? making love and all that follows?”

Sooyoung once again laughed “that sounds—nice.. but thank you, I am not feeling it yet..” she added “I think it is not time for me yet..”

“How so?” Taeyeon pouted childishly, sitting by Yuri’s side “out of us all, you are the first one who alter your nature.”

“Yeah, based on survival act, not puberty issue.”

Yuri laughed “well, of course. You were just six when Kahi unnie found you in your nature form.”

“So, hunting now?” Sooyoung asked, standing in a black tank top and long pants.

“Sure, I badly need some exercises.” Yuri stood up, walking to the door, followed by Taeyeon.

“You might as well asking Kahi unnie to give all the hunting for you.”

“Yeah, I might--..”

“No, you are not!!” Taeyeon disagree right away.

Yuri’s brows raised “do you mind, Soo?” she asked her teammate.

“I like hunting.” Sooyoung shrugged.

Taeyeon groaned in annoyance “I would rather take the time to find my mate!” she growled “and Yuri, Sooyoung, I swear.. if ever both of you ask Kahi unnie about more hunting time, I will let you two suffer! And I meant it! a lot!”

Sooyoung and Yuri are giggling as Sooyoung locked her room.

“Yeah, let’s see about that..” Yuri teased, running with her life away from Taeyeon.

“Yahh!!”  the loud yelled echoed though the dorm, only to get the two tall girls laughing louder.

-----

 

“You won’t do that!” Taeyeon strongly disproved as her loud yell echoed though the forest.

“Try me.” Yuri smirked, but walking just a step behind the quiet girl, letting the only petite one whining her head out without care.

“I hate you! I really hate you!”

Yuri laughed “why are you so pissed anyway? We could get nothing but benefit.”

“Benefit?” Taeyeon rolled her eyes like it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard “yeah, being trapped with two cold, stone hearted woman like you both for the entire day seem like a benefit,” she said sarcastically.

“Two? You just asked Sooyoung to be your mate less than an hour ago.” Yuri mocked “already changing your mind?”

“Jeez, Yul, we both know that it won’t happen. Mostly, because Sooyoung is not interested in anyone,” Taeyeon rolled her eyes “she might ended up with a big furr--..”

“Guys, I am here.”

Yuri giggled “and you prefer the cooking assignment? or what? the farming?”

“Hey, at least I get the chance to talk with girls! And they will at least giggles over my jokes!!”

Yuri only laughed harder “oh, Tae, it was cute.” She mocked “but they are much younger than you, and if I may add,” she paused, stopped her track only to spare the petite girl a pathetic stare “she is talking to you like you were their age.”

“Yah!! You are mean!!” Taeyeon yelled, smacking Yuri’s head mercilessly “I am going to tell Kahi unnie that you have been bullied me!!”

Sooyoung giggles, but continuing her walks, Yuri is already laughing her off, and Taeyeon is incredibly pissed that she takes every change she got to kick the tall tanned woman’s .

“I won’t let you--..”

GROWL!

“Hush!”

A loud roared sounds interrupting their not friendly conversation when Sooyoung hushed them silent.

They are taking another couples of steps carefully, hiding behind a tree.

“Great,” Taeyeon mumbled under her breath “I am so not going to deal with a hybrid.” She whispered to herself when a creature of half man and half lion comes into her sight, turning back, ready to take a step back.

“Well, if you forget,” Yuri grabbed her petite bestfriend’s collar swiftly “you are one of them.”

“I am not!!” Taeyeon swiftly denied, still keeping her voice low.

“Shh!!” Sooyoung urgently hushed them, walking steps closer with carefully still hiding behind a tree.

Still in a distance, the three bestfriend could see three girls has their back on a big tree, seems to be cornered by one of the occupant of the dark forest.

They could see the three girls are shivering, with one of them holding a sword, another is holding a bow with no arrows, and one is obviously unarmed. And out of all, the three of them are already injured, bleeding, and bruised here and there.

…could it be?

“We should just leave..” Taeyeon mumbled when her head popped behind Sooyoung’s shoulder “they are not our responsibility.”

Sooyoung seems to take her time before she answered “yeah, maybe we--..”

“Or we could help them.” Yuri suggested “they don’t seem dangerous.” She said “and as much as I know how much you hate human, Soo..” she said “they may not one.”

“Yeah,” Sooyoung glanced, it was pretty obvious that they are human “you bet.”

“We should just--..”

“And Tae, there are three of us, and he is just alone.” Yuri cut “he will leave even if we just show ourselves up.”

Taeyeon sighed “I don’t like you, I really don’t.”

Sooyoung glanced on her two bestfriends in turn, before she walked closer, this time without so much care about exposing herself. Yuri is following after, Taeyeon is last with muttering curses silently.

The dark creature turned instantly, roared “they are mine.”

“Well, let’s see if you can go past us.” Taeyeon said cockily.

“This is not your region.” The man with lower part  similar to a lion, growled. His dusky golden fur is shining from the sun, her mane like hair alerted.

“And what is a wemic doing here?” Yuri’s brows raised.

“Lunch?” he smirked, glancing on the frightened girls.

“Sorry, in the dark forest, those who survive is those who is strong.” Yuri said again “and we are ready to take the challenge.”

The wemic is staring at the three cold strong women in hatred. He may be strong, not strong enough to devour three humans and three ware wolfs.

“Make sure you don’t travel alone cocky girl,” the man grunted “because if the time has come,” he paused, giving a grim “

Taeyeon smirked “let’s see about that.”

With no other choice, the wemic turned to the other side, leaving the place to find another lunch.

Sooyoung instantly turned to the three frightened women, walking closer, and closer.

There is a small distance between the girls, and both Yuri and Taeyeon are making their way to the girls as well.

Sooyoung is walking closer to the center woman with the pony tailed hair and sword, she has cuts here and there.

Stiffened, the woman could barely move as her legs are too numb from running away from the wemic for too long.

The grip of her hand on the sword tightened, but she could barely lifted her hand.

Sooyoung stops right when she stands in front of the girl, her chest hits the frightened girl’s.

The other girl swallowed, with the back of her head hitting the tree, she has nowhere to go.

Sooyoung is leaning closer, tilting her head slightly.

The woman has her eyes closer. She is so dead, and there is the only thing she had in mind.

But instead of feeling a painful pointed object, she could feel a warm wet muscle on her jaw just above her neck where she got cut from branches earlier from her run away attempt.

Her heart is beating rapidly, and she could feel the sting from her cut which is being by the girl is slowly going away.

Sooyoung pulled up, and the girl opened her eyes right away, seeing the girl her own lips, tasting her blood. And if there is one thing she could be aware of, it was when that pair of brown eyes turn bloody red in an instant.

The girl brought her hand to the cut which being and she could feel that her skin is healed, smooth like it was never being cut.

“..human..”

It was what escaped the Sooyoung’s lips from the blood she tasted.

Sooyoung is leaning closer, so close until she could feel their tip of nose in touch.

But the other girl seems to not mind, by the way her eyes is staring back into that bloody pair of eyes with no fear.

They can feel each other breathing, but unlike earlier, the other girl seems too captivate that she refused to close her eyes yet turn her head.

Sooyoung’s chest tightened, her right hand lifted slightly, but before she could turn herself to what she wants to become, Yuri grabbed her hand.

“No, you don’t want that.” Yuri quickly pulled her bestfriend gently “we will get into trouble if Kahi unnie find us killing humans.”

“..let’s go..” Taeyeon softly whispered, patting Sooyoung’s shoulder lightly.

Sooyoung doesn’t stop the staring, mostly because the other woman doesn’t break hers too. nobody ever dare to meet her eyes, not when they are bloody red.

Sooyoung’s breathing calming down, with her eyes slowly back to its color.

Turning back, without word, Sooyoung is leaving that place, she was about too if only she didn’t hear the woman spoke, the one that has been challengingly staring at her back.

“Sooyoung, you are Sooyoung, aren’t you?”

Sooyoung swiftly turned back, along with her two bestfriend who is staring at Sooyoung in confuse.

“Who are you? how do you know my name.”

“I need your help..” she said, walking closer until she is again, only a step further from the other girl “..Yoona.." she said "you can call me Yoona..”

-----