The wind was fierce, howling and thrashing through the tall alpine trees, nipping at your cheeks and nose, you wished you'd realised it was warning you about what was to come. The sky was a lazy grey and as the branches creaked under the force of the wind and cold, a single snowflake fell from the sky and landed on your hand, melting instantly.
The snow was expected, and you smiled at its delicate descent only to have a shiver run up your spine as if someone was watching you. Before you could shout and ask if someone was out in the woods, the wind whipped up again, drowning out your voice.
Each step you took towards the golden glow of your cottage reminded you of the dull ache in your legs from a day of hunting but readjusting the two rabbits you had managed to catch on your back, you continued to walk home knowing your brothers would be hungry and worried.
A scream shattered the silence and the door to your small cottage swung open to reveal Jin, yelling your name and your feet that had felt frozen in place began to move as you sprinted to the house, arm already reaching to your back to pull your curved hunting knife from its sheath.
The thought of Hoseok's vulnerability from whatever had scared Jin, stuck in his bed with his usually glowing tanned skin flushed from the fever he seemed unable to shake scared you. As you leapt over the stone wall surrounding the house, the sight of your elder brother collapsing on the ground, still screaming your name filled your heart with fear you had yet to truly know.
It was just as you reached Jin, scooping him up and squeezing him into a hug, tears streaming your face pushing him away to check he wasn't injured that a low rumble of laughter caused you to grab Jin by the hand and push him behind you.
"Human, this little girl cannot protect you," a monster, no, a beast, the size of a horse, towered in front of you with wolfish features and an amused lilt to his voice, "I'll leave you in peace when I find out which one of you killed him."
Him. It was clear what the beast was talking about, the huge bear that had lumbered into your sights whilst you were hunting, instantly you knew it had to be a fae or from that realm, as no normal animal was that large. And it was in a fit of blind rage that you had shot it, rage from what they had done to your father. As the arrow pierced its eye, you had no thoughts of regret, until you dragged it into the garden of your cottage.
Jin had shrieked, confirming it was one of them and then warning you to not venture as deep into the forest again because you had turned the forest against you. And now, this beast was here to collect his debt, which was most likely going to be your life because the fae were a race who enjoyed the old cliches.
An eye for an eye and a life for a life.
Now, with the memory fresh in your mind and your heart full of emotion, you walked past the beast. He laughed at your poor attempt to try and hide the fear that was written in the shaking of your hands and the fast beat of your heart, your feet stuttered as your eyes landed on Hoseok, he smiled at you and eased himself into a sitting position, "you're back early."
"I should have been back sooner," with your head hung, you moved forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead, pretending that you didn't wince at just how hot it was beneath your lips before you turned to face the intruder within your house.
The fae's eyes shone bright green before he growled and slammed his hand into the table, the one your father would tap and tell you how it had been passed down generations of his family. Now you winced as the wood splintered under his giant paw, claws sinking into the wood before another rumble echoed around the little cottage, "who killed him or I will kill you all starting with the one who dares use his fur as a blanket."
Your hand smoothed over the brown fur that covered Hoseok before you stood and sheathed the sword to accept your fate with open hands, "it was me." You wondered if they would survive without you, the map of traps you had laid out were up to date and Jin often sold his rabbit stew for much more than the ingredients cost, you were sure they would make it without you.
The beast walked towards you, his eyes unreadable until his hand landed on your head, you waited for him to crush it under your hands which was when you ducked out of his grip, "if you are to kill me please do it outside so my brother's don't have to clean it up."
"Although I do kill liars, I can tell you're only trying to protect them," he bent down, the floorboards creaked under his feet as he looked into your eyes, "Which boy killed him?" The beast smelled of the pine woods and fresh air, you closed your eyes wondering if all fae were so sexist as you shook your head.
"I killed him," your voice was stronger than you meant it to be and the beast, in turn, gritted his teeth at what he thought was your continued insolence, his foot began to tap on the floor as he pushed you into the wall to grab Hoseok by the shoulders.
Your brother broke into a coughing fit, weakly looking into the eyes of the beast as it growled a question, "it was you, cursed with an illness befitting the murderer of a fae." Hoseok smiled and nodded his head and you looked away as the tears began to stream down your face unsure of what to do.
"I killed the bear," Hoseok whimpered as he was picked up by his neck, choking and clawing at those huge claws as Jin sunk to his knees again, head in his hands as his shoulders shook with tears. You felt the tears roll down your cheeks, but wiping them on the back of your arm, you grabbed your bow from your back, pulling an arrow from the quiver before lining it up with the beast in your sights.
An arrow flew past the beast's ears, close enough to nick one of them, making him turn and face you, "Let my brother go." Hoseok opened his eyes to shake his head, he was ready to sacrifice himself for you but that wasn't going to happen as you pulled another arrow and aimed right at his heart.
"So it was you, impertinent, stupid, disrespectful little human girl," he dropped your brother, storming towards you to grab your bow, clenching his fist around it and ripping it from your grip to toss it away. "It really was you who killed him and instead of apologising you try to kill me?"
Jin who had moved to stand in front of Hoseok, knowing his ability to protect you from this was rapidly slipping away coughed awkwardly, "if she had wanted to kill you, she would have."
"What trust you have in her," he grabbed the rabbits that were still tightly tied to your back and observed them, looking for where you arrow had pierced their skin before nodding in agreement, "so you're a good shot."
Each rabbit was without a wound, your arrow having pierced an eye to ease removing it as well as them selling for more when not baring the taste of bitter steel arrowheads.
Claws curled into the wool of your top, as he dragged you outside, dropping you on the floor. As he inspected you, the vibrant green of his eyes in the night sent a chill, you hoped he would assume it was because of the cold wind that whipped at your hair.
"Did he die quickly?" Suddenly the beast looked smaller, his shoulders slouched and his eyes creased with a worry you were surprised to see. You nodded quickly, his death should have been relatively painless, "I was going to kill you. Fae law is a life for a life, as you probably know."
The wind howled, window panes rattling slightly and as the scent of a lit fire greeted your nose, you felt ready to die, tilting your chin up to look at him with a defiant smile, "I accept your law."
He scooped you up in one hand, "then your life is mine."
