One Year Later….

The Moon Tribe had hunted on the western plains hidden deep in the forest for more than thousands of years. The land was heavily forested, and there were some parts that were forbidden, and sacred, only trained warriors are allowed to go into the deep part of the forest. Those parts were deep into the forests known as Ghost Winds, for obvious reasons. One foot into the Ghost Winds, one would think they were crazy- whispers and sounds from the unknown filled the mind and echoed in the ears. And yet this warning did not stop Jeongguk from venturing into the dark parts of the forest in search of a rare herb, his adopted mother needed- Rosehip, an herb that can be consumed and provide nourishment during pregnancy. The herbalist doctor had run out of Rosehip, and it only grows in the Ghost Winds, and the soldiers being occupied with other tasks, Jeongguk decided to go by himself. And of course, his adopted brother, Taemin, also tagged along, despite being scared, there was not a place Jeongguk went to without Taemin.

They have been walking for hours searing for the exit out of the deep parts of the forest, but it seemed as if they were going in circles. Jeongguk’s eyes wondered, confused, he had left marks on the tree as a trail, but he could not see anything. Each tree where he thought was marked, had nothing.

“Are we lost, hyung?” asks Tae-min, for the tenth or twentieth time. Jeongguk glances at him feared had filled his eyes,

“No,” he says, his voice trailing off. He falls silent, looking up, and stares at the sun, that was now in the middle of the sky. He smiles, feeling foolish. He was so focused on the marks, he had left that he forgot about the sun, the moon tribe lands are on the east.

“Come on, let’s go,” he says, “We don’t want to get in trouble now.”

“Do you know where we are going?”

“Yes, let’s follow the sun,” he says.

“The sun?”

“Yes, the sun.”

As they walked, Tae-min continued whining about the consequence of missing training and venturing into the forbidden forest. The conversation was dreadful to Jeongguk who was trying to focus on not getting them lost, despite following the sun, it was longer visible behind the large trees, he could still see a flicker of it. The stillness of the air was enough to send anyone in a panic mood, so Jeongguk understood Taemin, as he tried to focus on the surroundings and not the loud thump against his chest. No tree rustled; no bird chirped. The silence made the late summer day cold. The mind was playing tricks.

Then out of nowhere, a burst of loud laughter caused them both to come to a halt and turning around.

“What was that?” shrieked Tae-min, hiding behind him. Jeongguk glances around, listening to the silence. The mind was surely playing tricks, he reassured himself.

“It’ nothing,” he says, quietly, “Let’s go, we’re almost at the entrance.”

They turn to leave but came to a stop when a loud growl echoed throughout the forest- a heart thumping against his chest. Jeongguk swallowed. The growl reminded him of the day he first arrived at this unknown strange land, he now calls home. That was the sound of a monster. Tae-min held onto his arm tightly, trembling, a feeling Jeongguk knew very well, as his own body trembled as well.

He turns around to find a large six-foot beast standing behind him, ten feet away. He clenches his fingers. He was skilled in fighting but with Taemin, he could not risk getting into a fight with a beast and getting him hurt. He glances back again towards the entrance; he could see it. The only option is to outrun the beast, and then let Taemin go ahead towards the village while he fights it.

“Okay,” he says, “I know this might be crazy but how fast do you think a beast runs?”

“Huh? Hyung, a beast is faster than us.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate,” he says, with a soft chuckle, “Because we need to run, and run really fast. I’ll give you a head start, just head straight. Here take the herbs”

A growl comes again, as the beast watched them watching it, Jeongguk tried to keep his fear under control.

“On the count of three,” he says.

“Hyung!” Taemin called softly.

“You better run or else I’m leaving you behind,” he says, “One. Two. Three.”

Jeongguk watched, and as he planned, Taemin took off running, while he stayed back, watching the creature snarling as it slowly walked towards him. Jeongguk watches as Taemin was soon out of sight,

“Alright, it’s just you and I,” he says. The creature roared again, its rusted black long fur, short ridged snouts, and the four long tusks protruding from its mouths had him take a step back.

“Okay,” he says, quietly, reaching and pulling out his knife from the pouch that held his arrows, which he took just in case, the Ghost Winds held more than eerie noises.

“Easy- “and before he could finish his sentence, the creature snarled and run towards, leaping at him, as he moves to the side. The wind carried a scent of death, but who it was Jeongguk was not sure. He’s been living with the Moon Tribe for a year, and he had more encounters with death than he would like to remember.

The beast circled him, as he got into a defensive mood, he was in a warrior in training and could match the beast movement but he knew, he was no match to go head to head with the giant beast.

The beast leaped at him again, and without hesitation Jeongguk ran towards it, went underneath the beast, plunging his knife across its belly- A thick red fluid covered his hand as he cut open the flesh and a piercing roaring sound echoed throughout the forest. Jeongguk quickly, came to his feet, as the beast struggled to stand, ultimately falling on the ground. His heart pounded as he breathed heavily, surprised by his own skills. He watched the beast heaved, taking its last breath, and as his mind wraps around his victory, he slowly walked forward towards it.

It was eerie, the scene felt familiar, but this was the first time he has slain a beast, it should not feel familiar, and out of nowhere, he heard clapping and voices. He glances around but there was no soul around except for his.

“Sorry,” he mutters at the beast, whose eyes were starting to close, chest moving slowly, “It was you or me.”

Finally, at the outlet and go through the exit, Jeongguk came to a halt, eyes widen. In front of him, stood the tribe’s guards and his heart stopped in his chest. He was in deep trouble.

“Bring him!” ordered Min-ho, the leader of the guard. Four of the guards grabbed him as ordered, and Jeongguk knew exactly where they were taking him.

***

Jeongguk sat in the middle of the Jurist Commission which was led by Ji-min, the Oracle who was next in line who hears disputes and issues out punishment for the wrongdoer or solves cases. He was the second highest authority in the Moon Tribe, and his words are absolute unless the Oracle gets involved and overrides his decision. But Jeongguk didn’t care about any of that, he refrained from looking at Ji-min because, despite everything, Ji-min was the one who saved his life a year ago and the only person he considers family. Sitting beside Ji-min were the rest of the Commission, three woman, and three boys, and behind him at the corner stood the leader of the Twelve Chosen warrior, whose duties is to protect Ji-min.

Jeongguk fidgets with his blood-stained hands, as the room fills with chatter- voices going against him, angry.

“This is not the first time he has ignored the law!” a tribe member roars, “He must be punished!”

“Yes! Punished!” exclaims the rest. Jeongguk clasps his hands tight, clenching his jaw. He was aware of how many times he went against the law of the tribe but none of them were on purpose.

“Silence!” roared a member of the commission, “This is a place of judgment, and every accused has a voice here, Jeongguk what do you have to say for yourself.” Jeongguk flinched when he heard his name, and quickly looked up at the pair of angry and frustrated eyes stared at him, his gazed stopped at Ji-min, whose beautiful light brown eyes were filled with curiosity rather than anger.

“Speak!” another member of the commission shouted.

“Well,” says Jeongguk, his voice trailing off. He glances around nervously. He had no excuse; he did ignore the law by going into the forbidden part of the forest but a part of him still urged for him to say something.

…

“Well, I have no excuses, I did break the law but- “

“But what! roared someone from the crowd.

“Let the boy speak! “says the member, glaring at the crowd, who quieted down again.

“But I did it with good intentions,” he says, “The herbalist healer no longer had any rosehip, so I went to the forest to fetch more. I would never put the tribe in harm’s way on purpose.”

“Alright,” says one of Commission member, “What do you rule Ji-min?” The chatters die down, as the room fills with silence, Jeongguk gazes at Ji-min, nervously, as Ji-min scanned the crowd for a split second and then back at him.

“He should be banished!” exclaim someone from the crowd, followed by incoherent voices in agreement.

“Silence!” ordered a commission member.

“Taking his truthfulness in consideration, he won’t be banished,” he says, as the room fills with chatter and disagreement, “But…Jeongguk you also purposely ignored the law and committed a serious offense, so for that, you will be punished.”

“Punished?”

“Yes, you will not participate in the water race tomorrow,” replies Ji-min.

“But that’s- “

“Be quiet, you are in enough trouble,” roared Ji-min, cutting him off as he glares at him, “Would you like me to give you a harsher punishment?”

“No.”

“Then it’s done,” says Ji-min, “This better be the last time, I see you here.”

“Yes,” he groaned.

“Dismissed,” says Ji-min, “Jeongguk you stay, I need to speak with you.”

“Um… okay.”

Jeongguk watched Ji-min as he paces back and forth, calming himself down before turning to him.

“What the in Dal’s mind where you are thinking?” roars Ji-min, irritated.

“Mother needed rosehip,” pouted Jeongguk, “I didn’t want to trouble the warriors or wait so I decided- “

“To risk Tae-min’s and your life?” Ji-min cut him off.

“Sorry, I just wanted to be useful,” he replies, apologetically, “You know how dangerous it is for a pregnant woman to catch a cold, without rosehip tea, there are more chances of that. I didn’t want to risk it.”

Ji-min locked gaze with him, sullen, his anger turning into worry. Unnerved Jeongguk broke the gaze, staring at everything and at nothing. When he dared to look at Ji-min again, he was still looking at him, with a soft smile on his lips. Jeongguk’s heart skipped a beat. Ji-min was the most beautiful person he has ever laid eyes on- he was small inbuilt but stood almost at the same height as him. An inch or two shorter, with prettiest eyes he has seen on a human. Especially when he laughed or smile, then his eyes would take the shape of a crescent moon, so breathing taking and beautiful. His face was soft with a hint of femininity, but his bone structure was all male. So ethereal.

But just as many things were forbidden in the tribe, Ji-min was among them. Jeongguk was a stranger after. A stranger with no memory of who he was in the past.

…

“You have blood on your hand,” says Ji-min, softly. Following his gaze, Jeongguk stared at the red covering his hand,

“I killed a beast.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it didn’t take me long,” he boasted, “You should’ve seen how quick I was.”

Ji-min glares at him, “Taking a life should not bring you joy.”

His words pierced Jeongguk’s guts, who clenched his hands, unlike him, the Moon Tribe never celebrates the taking of life, enemy or not. This difference made Jeongguk feel like an outsider, he was not happy that he killed, he was about he won the fight but even that was hard to explain without sounding like a madman. The more different he was, the further away he was from Ji-min, and it drove him mad.

…

“You should go home,” says Ji-min, “Your mother must be worried.”

“About the water race?”

“It’s done,” says Ji-min, his tone changing, “I cannot afford to give you any more leniency, it was that or have the Oracle banish you.”

“This means I’ll be behind in my training,” he whined.

“Well, now you’ll think twice before doing something.”

Jeongguk exhales loudly, annoyed at Ji-min’s tone of authority and chastising him like a child,

“That ,” he says, teasingly, “This means I won’t have a chance to ask you for a dance.”

Ji-min’s eyes widen, his cheeks flushed red, “Even if you did, what makes you believe I would’ve accepted?” he shot back.