(for everyone) werewolves and magic and witches, oh my
❊ for: everyone
❊ title: werewolves and magic and witches, oh my
❊ pairings: friendship!kai/d.o
❊ rating: g
❊ word count: 3,126
❊ summary: Jongin can't help but wonder, one night.
❊ a/n: Written for the prompt, "Fantasy!AU. Kyungsoo is rumoured to be an evil witch who lives in the woods, and Jongin is just a curious wolf."
They are old, these lands. Far-reaching and panglossian, wondrous in size.
Their pack has lived in this forest for many years, alongside other creatures and neighbouring packs, but never have they entered the Deepwood.
Dark, looming. More silent than the dawn after a hunting.
Nobody dares enter.
“Don’t go sniffing around the other side of the forest,” his mother tells him and his siblings, time and time again, “you don’t know what lives there.”
Nobody knows what lives there, really. There have always been rumours that darkness resides in those parts of the woods. Jongin has never really left his fear behind long enough to trail past the covering of branches that marks the beginning of the Deepwood.
His brothers have never really managed it either. Always either poking their snouts in, or treading carefully along the barriers, but never really stepping fully onto that territory.
Unknown lands. Jongin knows better than to go seeking out things that don’t want to be sought out.
But he can’t help but wonder, one night.
He catches a hard tackle to the shoulder, and rolls out of the way, snapping lightly at the fur that skims past in a flash.
“Almost got him there,” Jongdae calls with a grin. He’s been sitting by the fire watching the playfighting that’s been going on between the others. “Watch your left a little better.”
“I can’t help it,” Jongin says, shifting back, “Sehun’s just faster than I am.”
“Get faster, then,” Jongdae replies, and Sehun yips in agreement, bumping his head against Jongin’s knee. “At least you’re not as bad as Chanyeol.”
Chanyeol gives Jongdae a look-well, as much as a wolf can glare at someone. Jongdae snorts, and turns to the fire momentarily, checking on their food.
Their mother doesn’t mind them going on these little trips. She thinks it’s good for them to know their home-and by home, she means the entirety of the forest. “One day, you’ll be the ones protecting the area,” she’d said, as Jongin recalls often, “when the rest of us are gone. But never forget to take care of each other first. You’ll never know what could be out there.”
Jongin chances a glance towards the side of the forest that leads toward the Deepwood. They’d set up camp near the crosspaths tonight, just to be able to reach the lake easier in the morning. A bit too near to the darker forest for his taste, but he swallows back the feeling. He has to be brave. The woods are theirs, after all. Not anyone else’s.
“Hey,” Baekhyun says, who’d shifted back while Jongin had been busy daydreaming, “you know what we should do?”
“Not go into the Deepwood?” Joonmyun looks unimpressed. “Try again in a million years, Baekhyun. You know the rules.”
“But,” Sehun says, “if we all go in a group, there really won’t be anything to worry about, right?”
Joonmyun looks over at Jongdae, who just shrugs and continues to stoke the fire. “No comment,” Jongdae says, “but if we’re going, I’d rather we go with the right supplies. You know, protective stuff, more food, lights...”
“Oh, we brought supplies,” chirps Chanyeol, and Jongin’s head swivels around to see Chanyeol patting his knapsack. What? Since when-
“-did you bring supplies?” Jongin finds himself saying, and both Baekhyun and Chanyeol grin mischievously.
“We didn’t want to tell you because we knew you’d probably rat us out,” Baekhyun says, and he grins apologetically at Jongin, “sorry, kid.”
“Okay, that’s it, we’re going home,” Joonmyun says immediately, “because there is no way I’m letting you go.”
“Who says it’ll just be us?” Chanyeol slings an arm around Joonmyun’s shoulders casually. “We’re all going to go together!”
“Come on,” Sehun wheedles, coming up on Joonmyun’s other side, “I know you’ve wondered about what’s there. We all have, right? The three of us can’t be the only ones.”
“But...” Joonmyun starts hesitantly, but Jongin knows that Sehun is right. They’ve all grown up wondering what lurks there, and what really can be found in those parts, not knowing if there really is anything or if it’s just their parents being too cautious.
Should they really?
This is how they find themselves trekking through the Deepwood late in the night.
“Hey,” Jongdae says, after a while, “is it true? The rumour about the witch that lives in the forest.”
Everyone pauses for a moment. “What witch?”
“You know.” Jongdae waves his hand vaguely. “The one I heard father talking about with one of the other wolf pack alphas. Witch who lives in the Deepwood casting evil magic.”
“You couldn’t have mentioned this earlier?” Joonmyun asks, looking way too tired for this conversation to be happening. “We can’t take on a witch!”
“I doubt we’ll actually run into one!” Jongdae answers quickly, looking around at the others. “Besides, it’s just a rumour. You know that half of all rumours are never true.”
“Sure,” Sehun says, unconvinced, “but just in case... we should probably shift, shouldn’t we?”
“What about our stuff?”
“We brought the bags with the straps,” Chanyeol says.
Joonmyun sighs longsufferingly. “You just thought of everything, didn’t you?”
“Of course we did!”
“Remind me to tell you I told you so when something bad happens.”
“Relax. We’re just exploring. Nothing’s gonna happen.”
It gets darker and darker as they move further out.
Jongin never knew it was possible for the forest to be this pitch-black. Anywhere else, the moon can always be seen shining down through the little slivers of branch and leaf. Here, the canopies are so thick that all they can see is the movement of each other’s bodies side by side as they slink carefully through the foliage.
They’re only a half a mile out, but it doesn’t seem so bad for now. Just quiet. And dark. Almost unnaturally so, but Jongin doesn’t really mind it. He thought he’d be more scared than this, but actually being in the Deepwood has quelled some of his earlier nervousness about being in here.
Nothing’s going to happen, thinks Jongin. The others already promised. Right?
Sehun stops, and whuffs softly, directing everyone’s attention to the left.
There’s something off in the distance. It looks almost like... a cottage, to Jongin’s eyes.
Joonmyun shakes his head, but the others are already padding curiously towards it.
Jongin just follows behind, curiousity getting the better of him too.
It seems to be abandoned, the little house in the forest. It’s smaller than their own, much smaller. It must be for just one person.
The door is locked, but it doesn’t stop the others from peering into the windows. Seems normal enough-a fireplace, furniture, and bookshelves.
Seems like a house. Nothing sinister about it.
Nothing sinister, until they hear a crackle that comes from behind, causing all of them to spin around immediately, looking around for the source of the sound.
Jongin hears it again, a soft crack, probably a twig breaking, followed by the thump of a footstep. A heart beating. The soft sound of breathing.
There’s something here with them.
Joonmyun nudges the others, and signals to get out of here before whatever it is sees them.
Before they can, however, a loud growl sounds, low and threatening from behind a clump of trees.
Jongin sees it before the rest of them do. He’s too near to not see it. A bear comes ambling towards them, huge and hulking and monstrous-looking. It heads straight for them, and it starts to look less and less like a bear with each step it takes, and more like something that’s come straight out of their worst nightmares.
Run, thinks a part of Jongin’s brain, but his legs don’t seem to be working, and the others don’t seem to have realised that he isn’t following them, making their way as fast as they can in the opposite direction. Jongin doesn’t notice either, until he glances behind him, and there’s nobody there.
He’s alone in the woods with a monster.
Jongin’s heart is racing, but over the sound of the bear and his own fear, he can still hear the same heartbeat from before, and he realises distantly that it’s completely separate from either of them. There’s still someone else in the clearing here, and whoever it is, they’re coming closer.
It happens in a flash. One moment, he’s cowering from the approaching monster, and the next, he’s hearing a loud burst of noise, and a cry of pain that isn’t from him.
He looks up, and sees the bear fleeing back where it came from.
Relieved, he almost doesn’t see the figure that’s standing at the entrance of the clearing, until there’s a cough.
“Uh,” the figure says, and Jongin starts, nearly jumping a foot into the air, “are you alright there? Are you hurt?” He takes a careful step forward, pulling his hood down, and oh. It’s a young man, probably around Jongin’s age, or at least one of his brothers.
He doesn’t seem dangerous. Jongin sniffs carefully. He smells of magic, though. That was probably what chased the monster off.
Jongin shifts back, and the young man doesn’t react. “I’m okay,” Jongin answers slowly, still not taking his eyes off the-witch? Is this him? The one that the others had mentioned? He doesn’t seem evil. “Thank you for saving me.”
The witch eyes him warily. “Well, I was mostly trying to get the thing away from my house, but that worked both ways, I guess.”
“Oh,” Jongin says, a little meekly, “this is your house. We were wondering whose it was.”
“We?” The witch glances around. “You’re the only one here.”
“Yeah.” Jongin winces. “My brothers... they ran when they saw the thing. I don’t know why I didn’t-I just-I saw it and just froze.”
“Oh,” the witch says, and he shrugs. “Do you want to wait inside until they come back? If they come back.”
“Of course they’ll come back!” Jongin says indignantly, but then his face falls. What if they don’t remember the way? “I think.”
The witch’s expression softens. “Well, you’re all werewolves, right? I’m sure you remember paths much better than most creatures do.” The witch waves a hand, and the door opens behind Jongin, startling him for a second. “Sorry. I use magic for a lot of things. It’s warm inside and I have food.”
“Food?” Jongin perks up.
But then again. His mother had always said never to trust anyone you don’t know.
“I, uh,” the witch adds, looking a bit sad, “I understand if you don’t really trust me, seeing that I live alone in these parts and all. But I’m nice, I promise. I won’t hurt you or anything.”
Jongin ponders this for a moment. Does he want to stay outside here, where it’s cold and where the bear could return at any time, or does he want to be indoors with a fire and someone who could fend off any unwanted company?
“Thanks for the help,” Jongin mumbles, once they’re inside.
“You’re welcome.” The witch hangs his coat up on the door. “I don’t really get visitors often. You can probably guess.”
Jongin frowns. “But why do you live out here all alone? Isn’t it lonely? And dangerous?”
The witch sits down in the unoccupied chair opposite Jongin, and just says, “No one likes people who use magic. Especially other forest folk. They all think we just do evil things with our magic all day.”
“Do you?” Jongin asks before he can stop himself, and the witch gives him a look that reminds him of Joonmyun’s own ‘what kind of question is that?’ stare. “I mean... sorry.”
“It’s okay. I guess you wouldn’t know either.” The witch mumbles something under his breath, and two cups float towards them, settling on the little table in between. “Here, tea. And, well, I don’t really do evil things.”
“What do you do then, with your magic?” Jongin can’t help the interest that bubbles up in him.
“Garden.” The witch adds, a little embarrassed, “And cook. Mostly. I’m not very good at all the big magics. What I did to ward off the creature from earlier was something I’ve been practicing for months now. I’m still a little shaky.”
“Cool!” Jongin says, and the witch looks taken aback. “I mean, uh, interesting? Is that okay to say?”
“You’re the first person I’ve met who hasn’t called me evil for having magic,” the witch says, a little surprised. “It’s nice.”
“You don’t seem very evil,” Jongin admits, and the witch chuckles. “Honestly, you just seem misunderstood.”
“And here I was thinking that I’d already gotten past the teenager phase,” the witch mutters, and Jongin laughs. “Oh, yeah. My name is Kyungsoo, by the way. In case you’ve just been calling me ‘witch’ in your mind the entire time.”
“I wasn’t!” Jongin immediately says, but Kyungsoo shakes his head, sighing. “And I’m Jongin. Part of the wolf clan that lives in the north-east, near the valley.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Jongin.” Kyungsoo looks genuinely glad. “You’re the first friend I’ve had since I left my old village.”
Jongin’s heart warms. He likes making friends. And a friend that can do magic-even better! “We’re going to be good friends,” he says.
After another two mugs of tea, Jongin is beginning to worry that his brothers really aren’t able to find their way back to him. Or maybe they’re lost. Or maybe the bear caught up to them. His mind whirs with concern, until Kyungsoo catches his attention.
“I have a phone,” Kyungsoo mentions, pointing at the corner, “do you have one at home? I’m quite sure werewolves these days are more advanced than they used to be.”
“You don’t mind?” Jongin could die with relief. “Why didn’t you mention it earlier?”
“Slipped my mind. Go on.”
He dials home, and waits for the familiar voice to pick up. “Hello, mother?”
Her voice comes down the line, immediately turning sharp. “Jongin? Oh god, where are you? Are you okay? Your brothers came home raving about how they couldn’t find you, that they lost you in the woods-”
“I’m fine, don’t worry! A friend is letting me stay with them until someone comes to get me.”
“A friend? What friend, Jongin?”
Jongin pauses. “A... nice friend?”
“Jongin-”
“A magic friend?” Jongin tries, and his mother sighs so loudly that he thinks Kyungsoo might have heard it from across the room.
“And does this magic friend live in the Deepwood?”
“Yes?”
“Get out of there. Now.”
“But,” Jongin says, “he’s nice and he let me use his phone. Really, he’s not evil at all. You can talk to him if you want.”
“I-” his mother starts, but he’s already handing the phone over Kyungsoo, who stares at him incredulously. Jongin motions for Kyungsoo to talk, and Kyungsoo slowly puts the phone to his ear. “Hello? Who is this?”
“Hi, ma’am,” Kyungsoo starts, “my name is Kyungsoo. I’m letting Jongin stay here until someone comes to get him. Is that okay? I live in the clearing due west of the crosspath.”
Jongin strains to hear the conversation. “Well,” he hears his mother say, obviously not expecting someone so young sounding. “We’ll be there soon.”
“Alright,” Kyungsoo says, “travel safely. There may be creatures wandering around.”
“Thank you,” Jongin’s mother says, sounding surprised. “We will.”
The line cuts off, and Jongin guesses, “They’ll probably be here in half an hour.”
Kyungsoo puts the phone down. “I’m really not looking forward to this.”
“Why? They’re not going to do anything to you. You saved my life!” Jongin reaches over and hugs him, and Kyungsoo goes still. “They’ll know that you’re not bad in a second.”
“I-thank you.” Kyungsoo relaxes. “Sorry, I’m not really used to hugs.”
“Well, you will be, as long as I’m around.”
Kyungsoo smiles, and Jongin smiles back.
“Jongin!” comes a chorus of voices, and Jongin tumbles out of the door and into the arms of his family. He’s so glad to see them. He never thought he could miss people this much in his life.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” his mother whispers, “and don’t think you’re getting off the hook this easily. You and your brothers are all in trouble.”
“Sorry,” Jongin whispers back, before pulling away. “Anyway, it was Kyungsoo who saved my life, so I think we should probably all not murder him or anything and instead thank him for being a good Samaritan?”
Everyone turns to look at Kyungsoo, who’s standing at the doorway. “Hello,” he says, careful to avoid eye contact with all the werewolves who are now standing in front of his tiny house. “Nice to meet you.”
“Have the other packs been playing us?” one of the wolves goes, squinting at Kyungsoo. “That’s a child.”
“Huh,” Jongin’s father says, “well, we are sorry for believing that you were going to bring harm to us. And thank you for saving my son. He really is a whole lot of trouble.”
“It’s no problem.” Kyungsoo shrugs. “Sorry for scaring you by moving here. This place seemed deserted enough that no one would come after me.” At the questioning looks he gets, he continues, “my village doesn’t really like magic-users. I ran away so that my parents wouldn’t get hurt. I’m sure they’re safe, as long as I’m not there anymore.”
“Oh, dear.” Jongin’s mother frowns. “And that’s why you’re living alone here?”
“Maybe,” Jongin comments, “he should move out of this part of the forest... to our side...?”
That gives everyone pause.
Kyungsoo looks hopeful.
“I’m glad you guys decided to go into the forest that night.”
Sehun huffs. “It wasn’t even worth it for us in the end!”
“What do you mean, it wasn’t worth it? Kyungsoo is great!” Chanyeol cries, throwing a pillow at Sehun, missing and hitting Baekhyun instead. “I’m so glad that Jongin almost got eaten.”
“Don’t let mother hear you say that.” Joonmyun takes all the pillows before Baekhyun can instigate a pillow war. “Also, I’m glad that Kyungsoo is here too. The place has never been so safe before.”
“Magic is great,” Jongdae says, “he knows a bunch of neat tricks, too. Can wolves learn magic?”
“Who knows? You should ask him.”
Just then, Kyungsoo walks in, and sits down beside Jongin. “Hello,” he says, “what’s everyone talking about?”
“Oh, nothing really.” Jongin smiles at Kyungsoo. “Just a bunch of things.”
“Like what?”
“Like how glad I am that we’re friends now.”
Kyungsoo smiles back. “Me too.”
(“Ugh, that’s so sappy,” says Baekhyun. “Get a room.”
Kyungsoo waves a hand at him, and all the pillows fly towards him, knocking him off his seat.
“Just kidding! Please don’t kill me.”
“We’ll see.”)
❊ title: werewolves and magic and witches, oh my
❊ pairings: friendship!kai/d.o
❊ rating: g
❊ word count: 3,126
❊ summary: Jongin can't help but wonder, one night.
❊ a/n: Written for the prompt, "Fantasy!AU. Kyungsoo is rumoured to be an evil witch who lives in the woods, and Jongin is just a curious wolf."
They are old, these lands. Far-reaching and panglossian, wondrous in size.
Their pack has lived in this forest for many years, alongside other creatures and neighbouring packs, but never have they entered the Deepwood.
Dark, looming. More silent than the dawn after a hunting.
Nobody dares enter.
“Don’t go sniffing around the other side of the forest,” his mother tells him and his siblings, time and time again, “you don’t know what lives there.”
Nobody knows what lives there, really. There have always been rumours that darkness resides in those parts of the woods. Jongin has never really left his fear behind long enough to trail past the covering of branches that marks the beginning of the Deepwood.
His brothers have never really managed it either. Always either poking their snouts in, or treading carefully along the barriers, but never really stepping fully onto that territory.
Unknown lands. Jongin knows better than to go seeking out things that don’t want to be sought out.
But he can’t help but wonder, one night.
He catches a hard tackle to the shoulder, and rolls out of the way, snapping lightly at the fur that skims past in a flash.
“Almost got him there,” Jongdae calls with a grin. He’s been sitting by the fire watching the playfighting that’s been going on between the others. “Watch your left a little better.”
“I can’t help it,” Jongin says, shifting back, “Sehun’s just faster than I am.”
“Get faster, then,” Jongdae replies, and Sehun yips in agreement, bumping his head against Jongin’s knee. “At least you’re not as bad as Chanyeol.”
Chanyeol gives Jongdae a look-well, as much as a wolf can glare at someone. Jongdae snorts, and turns to the fire momentarily, checking on their food.
Their mother doesn’t mind them going on these little trips. She thinks it’s good for them to know their home-and by home, she means the entirety of the forest. “One day, you’ll be the ones protecting the area,” she’d said, as Jongin recalls often, “when the rest of us are gone. But never forget to take care of each other first. You’ll never know what could be out there.”
Jongin chances a glance towards the side of the forest that leads toward the Deepwood. They’d set up camp near the crosspaths tonight, just to be able to reach the lake easier in the morning. A bit too near to the darker forest for his taste, but he swallows back the feeling. He has to be brave. The woods are theirs, after all. Not anyone else’s.
“Hey,” Baekhyun says, who’d shifted back while Jongin had been busy daydreaming, “you know what we should do?”
“Not go into the Deepwood?” Joonmyun looks unimpressed. “Try again in a million years, Baekhyun. You know the rules.”
“But,” Sehun says, “if we all go in a group, there really won’t be anything to worry about, right?”
Joonmyun looks over at Jongdae, who just shrugs and continues to stoke the fire. “No comment,” Jongdae says, “but if we’re going, I’d rather we go with the right supplies. You know, protective stuff, more food, lights...”
“Oh, we brought supplies,” chirps Chanyeol, and Jongin’s head swivels around to see Chanyeol patting his knapsack. What? Since when-
“-did you bring supplies?” Jongin finds himself saying, and both Baekhyun and Chanyeol grin mischievously.
“We didn’t want to tell you because we knew you’d probably rat us out,” Baekhyun says, and he grins apologetically at Jongin, “sorry, kid.”
“Okay, that’s it, we’re going home,” Joonmyun says immediately, “because there is no way I’m letting you go.”
“Who says it’ll just be us?” Chanyeol slings an arm around Joonmyun’s shoulders casually. “We’re all going to go together!”
“Come on,” Sehun wheedles, coming up on Joonmyun’s other side, “I know you’ve wondered about what’s there. We all have, right? The three of us can’t be the only ones.”
“But...” Joonmyun starts hesitantly, but Jongin knows that Sehun is right. They’ve all grown up wondering what lurks there, and what really can be found in those parts, not knowing if there really is anything or if it’s just their parents being too cautious.
Should they really?
This is how they find themselves trekking through the Deepwood late in the night.
“Hey,” Jongdae says, after a while, “is it true? The rumour about the witch that lives in the forest.”
Everyone pauses for a moment. “What witch?”
“You know.” Jongdae waves his hand vaguely. “The one I heard father talking about with one of the other wolf pack alphas. Witch who lives in the Deepwood casting evil magic.”
“You couldn’t have mentioned this earlier?” Joonmyun asks, looking way too tired for this conversation to be happening. “We can’t take on a witch!”
“I doubt we’ll actually run into one!” Jongdae answers quickly, looking around at the others. “Besides, it’s just a rumour. You know that half of all rumours are never true.”
“Sure,” Sehun says, unconvinced, “but just in case... we should probably shift, shouldn’t we?”
“What about our stuff?”
“We brought the bags with the straps,” Chanyeol says.
Joonmyun sighs longsufferingly. “You just thought of everything, didn’t you?”
“Of course we did!”
“Remind me to tell you I told you so when something bad happens.”
“Relax. We’re just exploring. Nothing’s gonna happen.”
It gets darker and darker as they move further out.
Jongin never knew it was possible for the forest to be this pitch-black. Anywhere else, the moon can always be seen shining down through the little slivers of branch and leaf. Here, the canopies are so thick that all they can see is the movement of each other’s bodies side by side as they slink carefully through the foliage.
They’re only a half a mile out, but it doesn’t seem so bad for now. Just quiet. And dark. Almost unnaturally so, but Jongin doesn’t really mind it. He thought he’d be more scared than this, but actually being in the Deepwood has quelled some of his earlier nervousness about being in here.
Nothing’s going to happen, thinks Jongin. The others already promised. Right?
Sehun stops, and whuffs softly, directing everyone’s attention to the left.
There’s something off in the distance. It looks almost like... a cottage, to Jongin’s eyes.
Joonmyun shakes his head, but the others are already padding curiously towards it.
Jongin just follows behind, curiousity getting the better of him too.
It seems to be abandoned, the little house in the forest. It’s smaller than their own, much smaller. It must be for just one person.
The door is locked, but it doesn’t stop the others from peering into the windows. Seems normal enough-a fireplace, furniture, and bookshelves.
Seems like a house. Nothing sinister about it.
Nothing sinister, until they hear a crackle that comes from behind, causing all of them to spin around immediately, looking around for the source of the sound.
Jongin hears it again, a soft crack, probably a twig breaking, followed by the thump of a footstep. A heart beating. The soft sound of breathing.
There’s something here with them.
Joonmyun nudges the others, and signals to get out of here before whatever it is sees them.
Before they can, however, a loud growl sounds, low and threatening from behind a clump of trees.
Jongin sees it before the rest of them do. He’s too near to not see it. A bear comes ambling towards them, huge and hulking and monstrous-looking. It heads straight for them, and it starts to look less and less like a bear with each step it takes, and more like something that’s come straight out of their worst nightmares.
Run, thinks a part of Jongin’s brain, but his legs don’t seem to be working, and the others don’t seem to have realised that he isn’t following them, making their way as fast as they can in the opposite direction. Jongin doesn’t notice either, until he glances behind him, and there’s nobody there.
He’s alone in the woods with a monster.
Jongin’s heart is racing, but over the sound of the bear and his own fear, he can still hear the same heartbeat from before, and he realises distantly that it’s completely separate from either of them. There’s still someone else in the clearing here, and whoever it is, they’re coming closer.
It happens in a flash. One moment, he’s cowering from the approaching monster, and the next, he’s hearing a loud burst of noise, and a cry of pain that isn’t from him.
He looks up, and sees the bear fleeing back where it came from.
Relieved, he almost doesn’t see the figure that’s standing at the entrance of the clearing, until there’s a cough.
“Uh,” the figure says, and Jongin starts, nearly jumping a foot into the air, “are you alright there? Are you hurt?” He takes a careful step forward, pulling his hood down, and oh. It’s a young man, probably around Jongin’s age, or at least one of his brothers.
He doesn’t seem dangerous. Jongin sniffs carefully. He smells of magic, though. That was probably what chased the monster off.
Jongin shifts back, and the young man doesn’t react. “I’m okay,” Jongin answers slowly, still not taking his eyes off the-witch? Is this him? The one that the others had mentioned? He doesn’t seem evil. “Thank you for saving me.”
The witch eyes him warily. “Well, I was mostly trying to get the thing away from my house, but that worked both ways, I guess.”
“Oh,” Jongin says, a little meekly, “this is your house. We were wondering whose it was.”
“We?” The witch glances around. “You’re the only one here.”
“Yeah.” Jongin winces. “My brothers... they ran when they saw the thing. I don’t know why I didn’t-I just-I saw it and just froze.”
“Oh,” the witch says, and he shrugs. “Do you want to wait inside until they come back? If they come back.”
“Of course they’ll come back!” Jongin says indignantly, but then his face falls. What if they don’t remember the way? “I think.”
The witch’s expression softens. “Well, you’re all werewolves, right? I’m sure you remember paths much better than most creatures do.” The witch waves a hand, and the door opens behind Jongin, startling him for a second. “Sorry. I use magic for a lot of things. It’s warm inside and I have food.”
“Food?” Jongin perks up.
But then again. His mother had always said never to trust anyone you don’t know.
“I, uh,” the witch adds, looking a bit sad, “I understand if you don’t really trust me, seeing that I live alone in these parts and all. But I’m nice, I promise. I won’t hurt you or anything.”
Jongin ponders this for a moment. Does he want to stay outside here, where it’s cold and where the bear could return at any time, or does he want to be indoors with a fire and someone who could fend off any unwanted company?
“Thanks for the help,” Jongin mumbles, once they’re inside.
“You’re welcome.” The witch hangs his coat up on the door. “I don’t really get visitors often. You can probably guess.”
Jongin frowns. “But why do you live out here all alone? Isn’t it lonely? And dangerous?”
The witch sits down in the unoccupied chair opposite Jongin, and just says, “No one likes people who use magic. Especially other forest folk. They all think we just do evil things with our magic all day.”
“Do you?” Jongin asks before he can stop himself, and the witch gives him a look that reminds him of Joonmyun’s own ‘what kind of question is that?’ stare. “I mean... sorry.”
“It’s okay. I guess you wouldn’t know either.” The witch mumbles something under his breath, and two cups float towards them, settling on the little table in between. “Here, tea. And, well, I don’t really do evil things.”
“What do you do then, with your magic?” Jongin can’t help the interest that bubbles up in him.
“Garden.” The witch adds, a little embarrassed, “And cook. Mostly. I’m not very good at all the big magics. What I did to ward off the creature from earlier was something I’ve been practicing for months now. I’m still a little shaky.”
“Cool!” Jongin says, and the witch looks taken aback. “I mean, uh, interesting? Is that okay to say?”
“You’re the first person I’ve met who hasn’t called me evil for having magic,” the witch says, a little surprised. “It’s nice.”
“You don’t seem very evil,” Jongin admits, and the witch chuckles. “Honestly, you just seem misunderstood.”
“And here I was thinking that I’d already gotten past the teenager phase,” the witch mutters, and Jongin laughs. “Oh, yeah. My name is Kyungsoo, by the way. In case you’ve just been calling me ‘witch’ in your mind the entire time.”
“I wasn’t!” Jongin immediately says, but Kyungsoo shakes his head, sighing. “And I’m Jongin. Part of the wolf clan that lives in the north-east, near the valley.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Jongin.” Kyungsoo looks genuinely glad. “You’re the first friend I’ve had since I left my old village.”
Jongin’s heart warms. He likes making friends. And a friend that can do magic-even better! “We’re going to be good friends,” he says.
After another two mugs of tea, Jongin is beginning to worry that his brothers really aren’t able to find their way back to him. Or maybe they’re lost. Or maybe the bear caught up to them. His mind whirs with concern, until Kyungsoo catches his attention.
“I have a phone,” Kyungsoo mentions, pointing at the corner, “do you have one at home? I’m quite sure werewolves these days are more advanced than they used to be.”
“You don’t mind?” Jongin could die with relief. “Why didn’t you mention it earlier?”
“Slipped my mind. Go on.”
He dials home, and waits for the familiar voice to pick up. “Hello, mother?”
Her voice comes down the line, immediately turning sharp. “Jongin? Oh god, where are you? Are you okay? Your brothers came home raving about how they couldn’t find you, that they lost you in the woods-”
“I’m fine, don’t worry! A friend is letting me stay with them until someone comes to get me.”
“A friend? What friend, Jongin?”
Jongin pauses. “A... nice friend?”
“Jongin-”
“A magic friend?” Jongin tries, and his mother sighs so loudly that he thinks Kyungsoo might have heard it from across the room.
“And does this magic friend live in the Deepwood?”
“Yes?”
“Get out of there. Now.”
“But,” Jongin says, “he’s nice and he let me use his phone. Really, he’s not evil at all. You can talk to him if you want.”
“I-” his mother starts, but he’s already handing the phone over Kyungsoo, who stares at him incredulously. Jongin motions for Kyungsoo to talk, and Kyungsoo slowly puts the phone to his ear. “Hello? Who is this?”
“Hi, ma’am,” Kyungsoo starts, “my name is Kyungsoo. I’m letting Jongin stay here until someone comes to get him. Is that okay? I live in the clearing due west of the crosspath.”
Jongin strains to hear the conversation. “Well,” he hears his mother say, obviously not expecting someone so young sounding. “We’ll be there soon.”
“Alright,” Kyungsoo says, “travel safely. There may be creatures wandering around.”
“Thank you,” Jongin’s mother says, sounding surprised. “We will.”
The line cuts off, and Jongin guesses, “They’ll probably be here in half an hour.”
Kyungsoo puts the phone down. “I’m really not looking forward to this.”
“Why? They’re not going to do anything to you. You saved my life!” Jongin reaches over and hugs him, and Kyungsoo goes still. “They’ll know that you’re not bad in a second.”
“I-thank you.” Kyungsoo relaxes. “Sorry, I’m not really used to hugs.”
“Well, you will be, as long as I’m around.”
Kyungsoo smiles, and Jongin smiles back.
“Jongin!” comes a chorus of voices, and Jongin tumbles out of the door and into the arms of his family. He’s so glad to see them. He never thought he could miss people this much in his life.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” his mother whispers, “and don’t think you’re getting off the hook this easily. You and your brothers are all in trouble.”
“Sorry,” Jongin whispers back, before pulling away. “Anyway, it was Kyungsoo who saved my life, so I think we should probably all not murder him or anything and instead thank him for being a good Samaritan?”
Everyone turns to look at Kyungsoo, who’s standing at the doorway. “Hello,” he says, careful to avoid eye contact with all the werewolves who are now standing in front of his tiny house. “Nice to meet you.”
“Have the other packs been playing us?” one of the wolves goes, squinting at Kyungsoo. “That’s a child.”
“Huh,” Jongin’s father says, “well, we are sorry for believing that you were going to bring harm to us. And thank you for saving my son. He really is a whole lot of trouble.”
“It’s no problem.” Kyungsoo shrugs. “Sorry for scaring you by moving here. This place seemed deserted enough that no one would come after me.” At the questioning looks he gets, he continues, “my village doesn’t really like magic-users. I ran away so that my parents wouldn’t get hurt. I’m sure they’re safe, as long as I’m not there anymore.”
“Oh, dear.” Jongin’s mother frowns. “And that’s why you’re living alone here?”
“Maybe,” Jongin comments, “he should move out of this part of the forest... to our side...?”
That gives everyone pause.
Kyungsoo looks hopeful.
“I’m glad you guys decided to go into the forest that night.”
Sehun huffs. “It wasn’t even worth it for us in the end!”
“What do you mean, it wasn’t worth it? Kyungsoo is great!” Chanyeol cries, throwing a pillow at Sehun, missing and hitting Baekhyun instead. “I’m so glad that Jongin almost got eaten.”
“Don’t let mother hear you say that.” Joonmyun takes all the pillows before Baekhyun can instigate a pillow war. “Also, I’m glad that Kyungsoo is here too. The place has never been so safe before.”
“Magic is great,” Jongdae says, “he knows a bunch of neat tricks, too. Can wolves learn magic?”
“Who knows? You should ask him.”
Just then, Kyungsoo walks in, and sits down beside Jongin. “Hello,” he says, “what’s everyone talking about?”
“Oh, nothing really.” Jongin smiles at Kyungsoo. “Just a bunch of things.”
“Like what?”
“Like how glad I am that we’re friends now.”
Kyungsoo smiles back. “Me too.”
(“Ugh, that’s so sappy,” says Baekhyun. “Get a room.”
Kyungsoo waves a hand at him, and all the pillows fly towards him, knocking him off his seat.
“Just kidding! Please don’t kill me.”
“We’ll see.”)