(a/n: Brace yourself.  There's one spot of goriness in the middle.)

                The day passed by oh so slowly in the confines of the cave.  With the singed smell of Himchan still lingering in the air, most of the remaining wolves sought refuge outside, content to maintain the semblance of normalcy achieved by pretending things were okay.  As for the vampires, they remained relatively stuck inside.  It was possible to step out with the sun shields at hand, but none of them cared to risk it when there was more they could learn from Himchan anyway.

                Ryeowook was saddened but glad that JR cared enough to linger near so that he could ask Himchan himself how Kangin was.  Truthfully, he still sort of resented the almost brotherly relationship they’d achieved in so short a time, but part of him was happy too.  His brother had another friend and someone else to confide in when Baekho wasn’t available.  Or when he himself couldn’t be there.  With heavy eyes, he watched his younger brother hover near Himchan as Hyosung and N both continued to fuss over him.  The other vampire looked much better now that he’d had a chance to feed from Sulli; she’d volunteered since she wasn’t patrolling anyway and it would be easy enough to recover inside.

                Their low spoken words continued to flit by Ryeowook’s ears, easy enough to hear when he was a vampire.  Himchan’s story was frightening in an entirely new way.  Human horrors and those half-turned creatures they could deal with; new monsters created from the earth itself was something none of them knew how to handle.  It made him chew on his nail worriedly as he sat cross legged across the cave with Kyuhyun at his side.  He didn’t even realize he was doing it until Kyuhyun took his hand and threaded their fingers together.

                “We’ll be alright,” he promised without looking down at the shorter man, his grip reassuring and strong.

                “How do you know?” Ryeowook asked immediately, the fingers of his other hand tightening on his bent knee.

                “We’ve made it this far haven’t we?”

                Now Kyuhyun looked at him and the fierce determination Ryeowook saw in his gaze nearly took his breath away.  It made him flush in embarrassment for even questioning and he ducked his head with a sigh.  “Yes,” he nodded slowly, glancing out the corner of his eye to take in the rest of their group scattered about the main room.  None had wanted to split up at the moment with the news from the morning: they were all too keyed up anyway.  “What about them though?” he wondered in a whisper, touching upon the humans in their midst.

                His brother wasn’t the only one he worried about but he was high on the list.  Then there was Jieun whose pregnancy was wonderful but it put a lot of strain on the others.  Hana seemed alright and so did Henry for that matter.  Likewise for the few that were otherwise hardy enough to step outside just so they could feel useful in turn, like Zico, Jihoon, Dongho, and Minho.

                Then again, none of them were exactly healthy.  They’d been in hiding for months now and it was starting to show.  Most of them wore their skin like too tight coats, with not an ounce of extra fat on them.  The only reason it wasn’t as obvious to the eye was because most of them were also bundled under as many layers as they could find, but it showed in other ways.  Their faces were gaunt and the eyes often sunken in no matter how much sleep they got.  Knuckles pressed against paper thin skin, protruding more than normal, and everyone tired quickly.  It was true that they’d survived this long but it was becoming rather obvious that if they didn’t do something different… they might not last anyway.

                “I don’t know,” Kyuhyun admitted so quietly it almost went unheard.  But Ryeowook did and his shoulders slumped as he gripped the other vampire’s hand harder.

                Their concerns from this morning rose in his mind again: the new creatures, their dwindling food supply, a lack of supplies and warmth.  The hospital run was only a crutch to buy them time and even that looked as if it might have cost them more than they were willing to pay.  Tiredly, he rubbed his face with his hand and shook his head.  “We’ve gotta do something.”

                Kyuhyun snorted once and tilted his head in an obviously questioning manner.  “What would you have us do?”

                Annoyed at the question, as much as by his own inability to answer it, Ryeowook wrinkled his nose and managed a perturbed frown at his companion.  “Just… something,” he huffed, glancing around the cave again.  The other vampires looked just as morose and thoughtful with Changmin brooding as usual.  His good hand scratched at the stump of his missing arm, a sure sign he was thinking, and nearby, Changjo wore a similar frown.  Ryeowook was briefly confused when he noticed Sungmin though.  The Shim had a confused look on his face, eyes squinting and one brow raised as he looked around.  “Kyu,” Ryeowook urged, tugging on the hand that still held his.

                “Huh?” the Cho blinked, following his line of sight.  He didn’t even have to ask before his head tilted to the side thoughtfully.  As if their attention made it into something, Sungmin picked his wolf head up from the floor and cocked his head, tilting his ears back and forth.  A low whine escaped from his throat and Jieun reacted next to him.

                “What is it, boy?” she asked, petting him soothingly with her hand as his tail brushed lightly over the ground, body tense and ears still moving.  Beside them, Sunny and Sunhwa in human form frowned in confusion, glancing around the room too.

                “What do they hear?” Ryeowook asked nervously, looking around to see that no one else had picked up on whatever it was yet.  Though Changmin was starting to, his glower transitioning into concentration as he stilled completely.

                “I don’t know yet,” Kyuhyun admitted, slowly getting to his feet in a move that made Ryeowook even more nervous.

                Tension started to rise in the cave as everyone began to become aware that something was off.  “Something’s coming,” Daesung murmured with a curiously blank look, his dual tone indicating that Donghae was speaking through him.  The young man stood up, every eye in the room on him, and moved over to the wall furthest from the door and closest to the back rooms.  He paused and put his ear to the wall, pressing himself flat against the stone surface, his face a mask of concentration.

                “Daesung,” Taekwoon warned softly as he moved towards Sulli in a reactive, protective gesture, his gaze trained on a spot just past the other man.

                “I’m trying to- oh,” he started to say before turning to look into the dimly lit hallway.  Ryeowook heard several other people inhale quickly but he was focused rather intently upon the single, strange vine that had appeared through one of the walls.

                “Is that what I think it is?” Ryeowook whispered as he stood up, drifting away from the wall and closer to JR and Henry, still holding hands with Kyuhyun who moved along with him.

                “That’s-”

                “The monster!” Himchan hissed over Sungmin’s comment, sitting up enough to see around N and Hyosung who were trying to keep him otherwise shielded.  Next to him, Kiseop stepped close to put a restraining hand on the other vampire’s shoulder.

                “Not normal,” Changmin added with a shake of his head and glared at Himchan who shrank back in on himself, clinging to Hyosung who simply held him tight in a protective embrace.  “Smells salty,” he added with a wrinkle of his nose.

                “Hyukjae, come here,” Daesung called without looking away.  Carefully, he squatted down in front of the slowly searching tendril, careful not to touch it as he observed.  It resembled some kind of seaweed plant, but it wasn’t that wet and it appeared to be just fine out of the water.

                Sungmin whined softly and got up to pad over in turn, pausing beside the squatting man as Baekho moved close, his eyes unnaturally bright.  “It’s one of those things isn’t it?” he asked, absently petting the wolf’s head as he peered over Daesung’s shoulder.

                “Then we should get rid of it, shouldn’t we?” Changjo asked with a confused look around.  He seemed baffled why no one was actually doing anything and he moved as it to take care of it himself, a determined frown on his face.  Changmin reached out and snatched his coat with a strong hand before he moved two steps, his gaze unerringly fixed on the vine.

                “Don’t,” the elder vampire commanded in a soft whisper.

                Ryeowook wasn’t the only one to notice that the vine had stopped and angled towards Changjo when he started to move.  It was hard to see because it was hidden behind Daesung and Baekho, but they too seemed surprised by the reaction.  “I don’t think you should do that,” he commented, grabbing JR’s sleeve and pulling him back, closer to the front of the cave instead.  Henry moved along as well, just as quietly and without encouragement.

                “What are we supposed to do?  Just let it come in here?” Changjo hissed, meeting Changmin’s eyes.

                “There are more of them in the back,” Daesung spoke, standing up and stepping back as the vine continued to make its way further into the interior.

                “,” Changmin his lips and inched towards the door, gesturing for the women in the middle to do so too.  “We need to find out where the body is.”

                “But what if there’s more than one of them?” Himchan asked, getting up with some help from the vampires around him.

                “More importantly, what about the sun?” N frowned, biting his lip as the looked at the door and then back to the vine that was continuing to search around blindly.

                “Come on,” Taekwoon murmured as he picked Sulli up, his good arm holding her unresponsive legs while his partial limb supported her back with her arms around his neck.

                As a group, they all drifted towards the entrance with the Possessed staying between them and the vine.  Sungmin even moved closer to it, nosing at the green tendril curiously before he bent down on his front legs, hind quarters in the air and tail wagging.  He barked and whined at the vine, nudging it with his wet nose.

                “Sungmin!” Sunhwa hissed, helping Jieun between her and Sunny.

                The other wolf ignored her while the vine recoiled briefly before returning.  Sungmin nosed at it again and it brushed against his muzzle before continuing on its search, apparently unbothered by the werewolf.  “Kyu,” Ryeowook whispered, keeping his voice low by apparently unanimous agreement.  “It’s not attacking us.”

                “Yet,” the other vampire reminded him pointedly, pushing open the front door with a frown.  Patches of sunlight showed through the clouds, threatening pain if they were caught in the open.  The clouds had been clearing up strangely well recently and it was troublesome for the vampires.  “Where are those damn patrols when you need them?” he muttered, gaze scouring the landscape for the other members of their group.

                “Everyone else out,” Changmin urged, ushering the non-vampires towards the door quickly, continuously casting nervous glances over his shoulder.

                “What about you?” JR paused long enough to hold onto Ryeowook’s hand, fear in his eyes as he looked between the cave and the sunlight outside.

                “I’ll be fine,” Ryeowook promised, cupping his brother’s face with the hand he freed from Kyuhyun’s hold.  “Go on.  Stay with Henry, alright?” he urged, nodding towards his friend to come take his brother to safety.

                “But-”

                “Go,” Ryeowook urged more forcefully, grateful to feel Kyuhyun’s hand squeeze his shoulder in quiet support as the vampires clustered in the decreasing safe zone.

                “Stupid sun shields in the back,” N mumbled irritably.

                “Whose bright idea was it to put them there?” Hyosung glared at him.

                “They were in the way!” he hissed in response, shoulders slumping at her words.

                “Shut it,” Kyuhyun snapped, gesturing with his hand for silence as the vines seemed to respond to their raised voices.  His gazes sharpened on Sungmin who had yet to move from his spot near the vines; he almost seemed to be trying to play with them.  “Wait here,” he urged, patting Ryeowook’s hand gently.

                “No,” Ryeowook denied immediately, staying next to the other vampire like a burr.

                “Wookie,” Kyuhyun frowned, though the expression was marred by the subtle joy his objection brought the other vampire.

                “You go, I go,” he stated simply, grabbing onto the Cho’s hand with his.

                “We might as well all go if that’s the case,” Changmin mumbled smartly.

                “Just wait,” Kyuhyun urged, giving Ryeowook’s hand an encouraging squeeze as they moved together slowly.   With bated breath and the sound of the vines whispering over the ground, the pair drifted closer, inching forward little step by little step.  When they were close enough, Kyuhyun looked at Ryeowook and they nodded together.  “Gently now,” he whispered, extending his free hand towards the vine while Ryeowook did the same, fingers trembling at their proximity.

                “Be careful!” N called out, holding onto Kiseop tightly.

                “N,” Kyuhyun warned through gritted teeth without looking back.  Ryeowook didn’t look away as he focused on the vine that seemed to sense their presence, though it didn’t react strangely otherwise.  “Nice and easy,” his companion whispered, hand jerking reactively when the vine undulated closer before he was ready.

                Ryeowook’s palm brushed against the vine for just an instant and he inhaled sharply as he felt the jolt of power running through it.  The vine recoiled from his touch as if startled, surprising them both.  “What’s it doing?” he whispered, leaving his hand out as the vine curved closer to brush against his palm like a friendly snake.

                “I don’t know,” Kyuhyun admitted with a perplexed frown on his face.  But then he stiffened as they both heard the cry from outside.  “Oh no,” he blinked, everything tensing as the weight in the air shifted.

                “Get it!”

                “!” Sungmin cursed as his furry namesake yipped and skittered back while the vines burst into frenzied movement.

                “Move!” Kyuhyun yelled, throwing himself to the side with Ryeowook in his arms while the vines thrashed through the air.  The plant bodies crashed into the walls with enough force to create tears in the surface and the holes around them ruptured into larger openings, further weakening the structure.

                “Get out of there, Kyu!” Changmin snarled, jumping back into the fray with his claws bared, slashing at vines as fast as he could.  Changjo joined him in an instant and the pair tried to battle their way through as the living foliage flailed through the air.  A tendril was severed but then the body recoiled and caught Changmin as he was trying to dodge, sending the vampire careening into a wall.  Changjo moved to help him but a limb coiled around his waist and pulled him back, slamming him into the unforgiving surface with a bone cracking sound.

                The younger vampire screamed, pinned in place as he frantically scrambled at the vine around him.  “Changjo!” Ryeowook cried out, scrambling with Kyuhyun to dig their claws into the strangling limb at the same time.  Electricity surged and sparks crawled over their bodies, transferring to the vine and Changjo in turn.  He convulsed as the constricting arm did, but then it went lax and let go, allowing Changjo to crumple to the ground with a pained cry.

                More shouts from outside agitated the vines further and they rose up as one, wrenching through the stone with furious force.  Rocks fell inward and dust filled the air, threatening to choke them.  With a haunting groan, the vines surged in and up, decimating the interior as they arched outwards.  “Wookie!” Kyuhyun called out, gathering Ryeowook in his arms and shielding him as best he could when the ceiling gave in.

                “No!!” JR screamed as he watched the cave collapse in front of his eyes, dust pluming out the door in a huge cloud that engulfed the other vampires huddling in the entryway.  “Wookie!” he called out, immediately trying to head for the cave before Henry grabbed him and yanked him away, heading forcefully towards the forest edge.

                “Move!” the wolf-kin commanded with a panicked look over his shoulder.

                Battle raged at their backs as the returning patrols attacked the main body of the creature they’d located on the coast side of their settlement.  It groaned as werewolves in their terror forms swarmed the dark green, moist body, clawing and biting at every open space they could reach.  The Possessed, in full panic mode, tried to flee or stop the madness, depending on the moment, but battle frenzy was upon the participants and there was no stopping the wolves.

                One of them cried out as a vine constricted around them, squeezing tight before another leaped into range to bite through the offending limb.  The wolf dropped from the air and shook free before launching itself back at the creature.  Only one was truly recognizable and that was Luna because of her diminutive size, even when transformed.

                “We have to help them!” JR cried hoarsely, fighting Henry as he tried to yank back around to go to the cave.

                “What can you do?!” Henry snapped at him, shaking his shoulders roughly.

                “I have to help my brother!” the human screamed, his voice cracking with fear.

                But as soon as he tried to jerk free, Henry hauled him back and caught him in a bear hug, his grip trembling but secure.  “Just wait,” he whispered in his ear with his back to the battle so that JR could still see it.  Shaking in the wolf-kin’s arms, JR held to him like a drowning man in the ocean and watched with tears in his eyes as the rest of the scene unfolded.

                “Jongup!” Sunny commanded as the wolf-kin skirted around the edge of the combat.  As soon as his name was called, the young man sprinted to Jieun’s side and helped to usher the pregnant woman away while Sunhwa and Sunny transformed to join the fray.

                Vines whipped and twirled around the creature as they tried to get close.  In wolf form, it was easier to maneuver and they stayed that way while Junhong, Karam, and Yoochun continued to try and get close.  Less of a target than the others, Luna slid under the creature’s belly and tried to disembowel it in a practiced hunting maneuver, raking razor sharp claws along the underside.  Undeterred and mostly unaffected, her target lurched forward, nearly crushing her underfoot.

                She yelped and backpedaled in a panic, feet sliding on the disturbed earth under her.  It came to a jerky stop and promptly dropped down, heavy body nearly directly on top of Luna.  Like a lightning bolt, Karam appeared to grow wings so that he could tear through the flailing vines to get to his sister.  Teeth latched onto her wrist and tossed her free, getting her out of harm’s way even as the weight continued to fall, partially pinning him in place under it.  Karam howled in pain and the entire pack reacted as if struck.

                As one, the wolves surged inward with Junhong and Yoochun leading the charge.  They tore through vines and were knocked aside only to return with feral fury as they didn’t seem to feel the tears and bruises upon their bodies.  Copies of a man appeared around the creature to further try and distract it but the vines paid the images no attention, focusing instead on the wolves and Minsoo himself.

                Yoochun managed to get on the monster’s back and grabbed at the chunk of stone with his savage claws, ripping the piece of debris free as the creature keened.  The debris fell away and he reached to go again before the entire structure exploded outward, dislodging him and bludgeoning the incoming wolves with unexpected fury.  What was worse, the underlying stones were still connected with vines so that they were pulled back into place as soon as the attackers were expelled, restoring the protective outer covering as it was otherwise rooted into the ground, keeping Karam trapped beneath it.

                Howling a challenge, the swiftly returning Daehyun and Byunghee sprinted into view, launching themselves at the monster in their midst.  Snarls fell from their lips and fangs gleamed as open maws threatened savagery if they gained purchase.  Growling fiercely, Taekwoon in terror form dashed in from the ground, ripping into the creature from below while Byunghee and Daehyun came from above.  Minsoo tried to help but the monster didn’t seem to acknowledge his clones and aimed unerringly for him, leaving the Hunter to defend himself frantically.

                Even as he tried to regain his footing and the other wolves shook themselves free from the unexpected retaliation, Byunghee landed on the beast’s back and Daehyun tried to follow suit.  But the tentacles that missed the others wrapped around him binding the wolf tight.  Reacting immediately, Byunghee lunged to try and free his pack mate but another momentous upset shoved him up so that he lost his purchase on the ground.  In terror wolf form, Daehyun scrambled to catch hold of something but the vines around his body held tight as they pulled the wolf within the loose framework of the monster’s body.

                Jieun screamed, the sound piercing and high, when the stones retracted on Daehyun with a terrible grinding sound and his pained cry, cut short far too soon.  As red started to seep through the cracks, the creature seized up, freezing in place with a series of arresting twitches that gave the rest of the wolves a chance to retaliate with unbridled rage.

                While Luna moved in to help her brother, the rest of the wolves jumped back on while the beast was apparently paralyzed.  It didn’t react when they anchored claws into it and pulled, ripping away with vengeful anger.  Teeth bit at flailing vines and in a matter of seconds, the briefly catatonic plant monster was being torn apart by savage balls of animalistic savagery.  Stone and plant parts and debris flew in their hastened fury.  Too late, the beast tried to respond, keening in an inhuman howl that cut through every person nearby, but it was no match for the fury of the wolves.

                Claws ripped through stone and plant until there was nothing left but a crumbled pile of both, and the sad, mutilated remains of Daehyun.  Breathing hard, when the battle fury ran its course, the wolves sagged under the weight of their loss.  One lost, one maimed, and several injured…  With that knowledge in their minds, they sat on the ground and turned their heads to the sky, howling their pain into the open air.

                The cry ran through JR and those present with primal intensity, shaking them to the bone.  Jieun collapsed where she stood, even as Jongup tried to support her.  Henry didn’t have the energy to stop JR as he yanked free and ran around the wolf-kin to begin searching the collapsed cave system.  “Ryeowook!” he screamed, his voice cracking in his fervor.  “Wookie!” he tried again, stumbling over debris as he reached the outer edge of the perimeter.

                Coughing from inside the tumbled overhang of the entrance made him pull up short as he noticed a cluster of vampires bunched together, trying desperately to maintain their cover.  Sungmin kept his vigil with one stone resting heavily against his back while the Chas huddled under his protective stance.  As for the Chos, Changmin, and Changjo, there was no sign…

                “Wookie!” he tried again, already scrambling around the vampires who winced at the sound of his voice.  Rocks slid under his hands and feet and it wasn’t long before he was joined by Baekho and Ken: possessed, Daesung was investigating the beast they’d felled.  “Help me!” he sobbed, clawing at the rocks that refused to give to his pitiful strength.  Nails cracked and split under his efforts and his fingers started to bleed when his efforts were for naught.  “No, no, no!” he howled, pounding on the rocks with mere human fists.  “Wookie…” he sobbed, crumpling in place on top of the shattered cave.

~~~~~~

                Nervous.  That was what they were.  Even with the strange assurance they would be safe, the boys were nervous at being around the thing that had taken Boa from them.  But… it hadn’t hurt them and since she’d disappeared inside, it seemed to be more intelligent; especially when it was considering them and their condition.  Vines like encircling arms extended on either side of them, keeping them close but apparently protecting them from the outside too.

                They huddled together in front of it, bunched close for warmth and comfort as it herded them along.  While they weren’t entirely sure of where they were going, at least it seemed to know.  Granted, they didn’t know if that was a good thing yet, but it kept ushering them along with vines that moved them the direction it wanted.  The creature wasn’t violent or pushy but it was insistent and persistent in its directions.  As far as they were aware, it was nudging them towards where the wolves and the Hunters had gone when they left.

                “What did it do to Boa?” Jungkook asked again, since no one had been able to give him a decent answer since she’d been picked up.

                “We don’t know, Kookie,” Namjoon shrugged again, still annoyed that he had no better answer from the first time the young man had asked.

                “Just keep moving,” Taehyung urged, hovering inordinately close to Hoseok and Jimin as if they would somehow protect him.  Granted, they all seemed equally scared, but things could have been worse.  They could all be dead, which was what Namjoon had honestly expected when the thing swallowed Boa and then turned its attention on them.  But that hadn’t happened so here they were; alive and cold but otherwise unharmed.  For now.

                That didn’t mean much when they had no idea what the next moment would bring as they were corralled along by the thing behind them.  Cold, shivering, and uncertain, the boys banded together and trudged along, waiting to see what would happen as they moved through the forest.  Eventually, amidst their bitter and confused mutterings, they noticed a change ahead.

                “Hey.  Isn’t that Dara?” Seokjin pointed out, looking ahead with narrowed eyes.

                His comment drew a veritable flurry of reactions as the boys all stopped and stared together, holding onto each other as they waited with held breath.  Trudging at the fore of a very tired and battered group of Hunters and wolves was Dara indeed, her ponytail askew and her proud shoulders bowed under the weight of her condition which seemed even more fragile than normal.  At their back was another such creature and to the side was a pure white wolf, unfamiliar to them but bright eyed and relatively unharmed in comparison to the other wolves with them.

                “Boys!” Dara cried upon seeing them, her tired eyes flashing as she lurched forward to close the distance between them.  Behind her, she left Bom who was carrying a bloody Jungsu over her shoulder in a very subdued manner while the battered wolves trudged along in the rear, shepherded by another such creature.

                “Dara!” they cried in unison, sprinting to converge around the weary Hunter with real relief.  They had thought all of them might have been killed.

                “You’re alright,” she smiled, touching them, looking them in the eyes, and searching obviously for the one her gaze always landed on.  But when she didn’t see her, Dara’s face fell and she frowned at them with her bottom lip caught between her teeth.  “Boa?” she whispered, looking over their shoulder at the silent behemoth standing watch behind them.

                Without the words to adequately explain, they pointed back the monster behind them, making uncertain faces as they did so.  Dara looked up to stare at the creature, a mix of confusion and anger crossing flashing through her eyes.

                “Don’t, Dara,” Bom sighed wearily as she set Jungsu’s body down with infinite care, all fight gone from her shoulders.

                The four wolves whined softly and milled about, obviously uncertain.  Their bodies bore traces of blood and missing patches of fur but they seemed otherwise alright, if somewhat wary of the white wolf beside them.  That one moved closer and got within range of the creature guiding the boys, nosing at one of the vines that immediately came to wrap around it lightly.  But then it let go and the white wolf stood up, tongue lolling as he looked at the rest of the group with more than an animal’s intelligence.

                They were all surprised when the creature guiding the boys slowly sank to the ground, tendrils taking root in the earth while the body began to shift with a slow grinding sound.  Confused and frightened, the boys stepped away, huddling closer to Dara who stepped in front of them defensively, her weapons gone and her stance shaky.

                “What’s it doing?” one of them asked in a hushed whisper to which Dara shook her head.

                “I don’t… know,” she trailed off, inhaling in surprise as the boys did when the creature opened up.  There was no other way to explain it.  And when it did, Boa was revealed to them, nestled within the interior and cradled in a mass of growth.  She seemed asleep and otherwise unharmed save for the vines that looked as if they were growing into her skin.  “Boa!” Dara gasped, running forward immediately despite the monster around her.  The creature remained unmoved as she clambered in enough to reach the other woman, cupping the warm cheek with her palm.  “Boa?” she asked, feeling for a pulse and laughing once as it thrummed beneath her fingers, slow but steady.

                Boa whimpered with her eyes closed, struggling to come around.  Her face scrunched up before she peeled one eye open and whispered, “Dara?”

                “I’m here,” the other woman promised, looking over her lover’s trapped form to see what she could do to help.  As soon as she reached for the knife still at her hip, a vine shot out to grab her wrist, startling her.

                “Don’t,” Boa urged, trying to focus as she reached out to grab Dara’s hand with hers.

                “But we need to get you out of here,” Dara whispered, giving up on the dagger for the time being.

                “It’s… alright,” the trapped woman managed a weak smile, her eyes traveling over Dara’s shoulder to take in the sight of the others beyond.  “They’re okay,” she breathed, her face falling slightly when she noticed Jungsu and Bom.  “I’m sorry,” she apologized, focusing on Dara’s face again.

                “Don’t be,” Dara swallowed hard, grabbing Boa’s hand and pressing it to her cheek.  “He shouldn’t have attacked it.”  Her tone was bitter and sad; tears sparkled on her lashes.

                “You’re changed,” Boa blinked in surprise, her touch becoming more tender and her expression softening.

                “How did you…?” she gasped in confusion.

                “I can feel it,” Boa frowned, her brows creasing together.

                Dara swallowed harshly and took a trembling breath before she tried to speak again.  “What’s going on, Boa?”

                “I don’t know,” she answered honestly, her face evidencing confusion and uncertainty.  “I don’t know what this thing is but it’s… learning from me,” she explained with a frown, her eyes narrowing.  “I can feel it.”  She twitched once and winced.  “Sifting through my thoughts.  Trying to understand.”

                “Understand what?” Dara asked with a look at the interior.

                “What happened to the world,” Boa whispered with a look of such pain on her face that Dara knew it wasn’t just coming from her.  “It’s just as confused about that as we are about it,” she shrugged, at a loss for words.

                Dara mulled that over for a moment and then brought Boa’s fingers to his lips so she could kiss them gently.  “So what are we supposed to do now then?  What about you?”

                “I think I’m stuck here for the moment,” she admitted unhappily, shifting in place with the vines still attached to her skin.

                “We have to get you out,” Dara stated again, not sure how to manage that.

                “No,” Boa urged, grabbing onto the other woman’s hand.  “Here, I can do some good.  It won’t hurt you with me inside.  It won’t hurt you if you don’t try to hurt it,” she promised fervently.  “And right now, it can help you all stay alive,” she explained with a worried look over Dara’s shoulder once more.

                “You’re asking me to trust the thing that killed my brother, took our powers, and has you captive inside?” Dara demanded flatly, her expression conflicted.

                “Yes,” Boa whispered back, clearly struggling with being strong.  “For me?  For the boys,” she added, her voice thick with unshed tears.

                “For now,” the former Hunter sighed with a weak exhale.  “For now,” she stated again, leaning close to kiss Boa quickly before she retreated so that the creature could close up once more.  She watched until she couldn’t see Boa any longer and then turned around to try and explain this mess to the others.  “Not fair, Boa,” she muttered, not at all happy with her task and the current situation.

(a/n: I'm trying to get answers in as much as possible and they're almost all revealed.  I've got a couple more coming and I should be able to wrap this up in a few more chapters.  Not sure how many - I don't have outlines and estimates and I'm terrible at guessing.  But I hope you've enjoyed despite the upset in this latest chapter.  Luck did not favor Daehyun today.  T_T  But thank you for reading and I hope you have an awesome New Year!)