Monster //Hermitcraft\\

5

Mumbo had gone to see Grian earlier than usual. Grian was fine with it, of course, but unlike usual, Mumbo still had some strength left in him as he drank. He felt Grian's signal to stop, but as he pulled his fangs out, pulled away too early. He heard Grian scream as he opened his eyes and looked at what he had done. A patch of skin had been pulled from his neck and began to gush blood. Mumbo stared at the blood, the taste of it still lingering on his tongue, and began to move closer. Grian slapped his hand over his wound, and as Mumbo continued to advance, one thing broke him out of his bloodthirsty haze. Grian's eyes looked at him in terror. He had seen those eyes before.

Consciousness faded in and out as Mumbo laid on the cold ground of the alley, watching blood flow between the grey stones beneath him. He could hear his name being called in the distance and footsteps running toward him, and just as darkness overtook his vision, he caught a small glimpse of the person running toward him. All he could focus on was their eyes, but he knew them instantly as Grian's. They were wide, filled with fear and terror. Mumbo now looked into those same eyes as Grian desperately attempted to get his attention.

"Mumbo! I'm ok, just get me a rag or something to stop the bleeding." He commanded, and Mumbo nodded suddenly as he stood and ran to get supplies. Grian fixed up his wound, and as it healed over the next 5 months, noticed Mumbo was distant again. He noticed how much he avoided him around the server, and any time Grian tried to go to his base, he would come up with some reason he couldn't be there. 5 months went by like this, and by the end of the 6th month, Mumbo was nowhere to be found. Grian thought back on how Mumbo was the last time he went this long without feeding and began his search around the server.

"Have you seen Mumbo?" Grian asked frantically to everyone he could find. Almost everyone had said no, except for Xisuma.

"Last I saw him, he said he was 'going back to where it all started'. But that was like, a month ago. Now that I think about it, I haven't really seen him around." He answered, and Grian thought for a moment before his face dropped.

"Oh god, I know where he went." He said to himself as X began to worry.

"Is everything ok?" He questioned quickly, and Grian turned.

"Uh, yeah, thanks X." He took off into the sky, leaving Xisuma in confusion. Grian flew faster than he ever had before toward the shining city lights, desperately searching for the familiar crevice between 2 dim storefronts. Grian thought back on the last time he had flown this flight, although that time there were flashing lights guiding his way. But even without the flashing lights, his body knew which way to go until finally, he arrived in front of the alley. He cautiously stepped into the darkness, and as his eyes adjusted, he found a figure hunched against one of the walls.

"Mumbo?" He asked, and he heard a slight chuckle.

"You found me. Again. This is where it all started. Where it all ended." He lamented as Grian slowly sat next to him.

"What are you doing here?" Grian asked, and Mumbo took a deep breath.

"Well, I was trying to get away from you, but I guess it didn't work."

"Why?" Mumbo turned to look at him, exasperated and tired.

"I made a promise to myself that I would never hurt any of you. I told myself that no matter how hungry I got, I would never drink human blood again. I really hurt you last time! I can't let that happen again. I thought if I was to die again, I might as well do it where I did the first time" He admitted, and Grian sighed.

"Mumbo, you didn't hurt m-"

"But I did! I saw that look in your eyes, you were scared! I never wanted to see you look like that after you found me..." He trailed off, and Grian sighed.

"You're right, I was scared when I found you. But I got over that fear so you could be ok. What happened last time... yeah, it was scary. But I knew deep down that you were just doing what you had to. You were hungry."

"I wasn't! I was cocky!" He admitted, starting to lose his voice along with his strength.

"Either way, you didn't mean to. Mumbo, I won't let you starve yourself to death just because I got scared by a little blood." Grian rubbed at his scar, feeling the rip left by Mumbo's fangs. Mumbo didn't speak for a while, until he nodded slowly. Grian scooted closer to him, offering him the other side of his neck now. Mumbo instantly reacted by biting him and drinking. He felt his strength return suddenly, and as he continued to gulp down blood, he couldn't feel Grian's desperate attempts to stop him.

Dun Dun Duhhh! Now we're getting to the fun stuff. Also, the idea is supposed to be that Mumbo had been sitting in that alley not drinking for like a month, which is why he is hungrier than the first time he fed on Grian, if I didn't make that clear enough. Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you have a good day/night, and you are loved.