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Jongho sat around a campfire, his eyes uninterested as he listened to the other travelers. Well, some of them were hunters, a small part just villagers, but most of them were indeed travelers.
They usually would go on with their story, and warn hunters about the whereabouts of the world.
But Jongho had fought with a bear.
And won.
He stabbed out his eye, and threw a rope around his mouth and neck, and managed to make the beast pass out, right before him.
He had slain many animals before.
It was an easy way to make money, after all. He wouldn't do the butchering himself, though. He knew how, but just didn't have time for it. He'd leave that to the butchers of the closest village he'd pass. There was always someone, so, he didn't have a problem selling his fresh prey.
Jongho was an outlander. He wasn't from around here, but surely as hell didn't believe in fairies. Neither fairy tales. Magic didn't exist to him until he had seen it with his own two eyes.
So when the woman with a pixie cut was explaining about certain beasts in the forest which was a few miles away from here, with exaggerated (in Jongho's opinion) arm gestures.
The animals they saw in the forest where the grass was a glowy purple mixed with blue, weren't any normal human being ever ran into.
Jongho was sharpening his arrow, letting the stone scrape against the sharpening metal, and usually, he wouldn't be bothered to really listen. He just liked to be near the warm campfire, and they would usually grill meat above it, and as a certified omnivore (he'd more of a carnivore, though...).
But when the woman mentioned 'Fairies, Unicorns, Spiders as big as half your body, cats that smiled and disappeared,' he had still raised his eyebrows, and glanced up, eyeing the traveler.
He cleared his throat.
"Have you checked your mental state with a doctor yet?"
The question was blunt, so blunt everyone fell silent.
"Choi Jongho. Of course you're the only one who's thinking I'm crazy. You're laughing, until I tell you that no one has ever made it out of there alive after seeing one of the organisms there," She explained, her voice shrill with the offence she had taken in the question, but she seemed dead serious, apparently.
No one dared to joke about fallen hunters, after all.
Jongho's amused expression fell slightly, his hands stopping the repeating movement. It was so sudden, still no one around the campfire dared to say anything.
"How were you able to describe it without even having ever went there, then?" He threw in another counter. "If everyone had been killed, then who's telling you these things then?"
She stayed quiet for a second, and Jongho was about to grin in triumph. But then she answered.
"They had left notes, in the forest. And the animals... Are never in the same place as we find the notes. It's the same thing happening over and over again, every time a hunter enters. It's the handwriting of the hunter journaling what they have eyes on, then a singular drop of blood is found on the paper, while the notes are always being left behind, the hunter...Has never returned home."
It fell silent, and no one dared to say anything anymore. Only the rustling of the leaves in the background was heard, and the sound of an occasional bird chirping through the silent night.
Jongho stood up.
"Fine, I'll go see for myself, then," he mumbled gruffly, and took his coat, standing up without furthermore words.
He wasn't the type to be easily scared by anything. He faced wild boars, even fought with a bear. Nothing could stop the outlander. He heard the echoing of the voices behind him trying to change his mind. He just kept his stride steady, his coat hanging loosely over his shoulders as he headed for the horse paddocks.
His dotted white horse stood in front of him, and he briefly let the mare snuggle against his palm. It wasn't like he hated animals. But he just made a clear difference between prey and friend. Like his mare, was his friend. He would only kill her if she became useless, as heartless as it may sound.
He opened the stable door, and guided her out of the paddock to get her ready to take her to the... "Sacred" forest.
He placed her coat on her back, then the saddle and bit, attaching the straps and leather not too tight on her.
He led her outside of the horse stable, and mounted his horse, letting his teeth hit the sides of her stomach to get her to move.
He galloped off with her, to new adventure, apparently.
It wasn't hard to find the sacred forest, honestly. Jongho just had... Expected it had been a little more hidden. It had been almost easy for him to find the place.
As if they really wanted him to enter the forest. It had just been so blunt of him to fall for that trap. The forest seemed harmless. It was just... A bunch of purples and greens thrown together.
It did look like a mystical forest, though. It wasn't just something that he should head in without any caution at all.
He dismounted his horse, and took her by the hand. She just obediently followed him, probably in the hopes she's able to graze somewhere later while Jongho was hunting.
After about thirty minutes of walking, Jongho had expected that he at least was somewhat deeper in the forest. He frowned softly, and finally let go off his horse. "Jocelyn, stay." He murmured to her, and finally revealed his bow and arrow case.
He was a skilled hunter, he was almost certain he was able to bag some animals today.
He slid one arrow out of the case, and placed it on the string and wood of his bow.
The could tell, there was a pond nearby, and he carefully approached it. Ducks. Well, he didn't know anyone who didn't like duck meat.
He pulled back the string, shutting one eye to focus on making the shot count. Cause that was all which mattered.
He just had to make the shot.
Let go, shoot the duck.
His hands instead started to tremble, and Jongho dropped his weapon on the grass, causing the ducks to quickly swim away and spread it's wings to make it's way into the forest.
Jongho felt like someone was here.
The monsters?
No, couldn't be. Jongho refuses to believe in supernatural creatures. It was probably just an annoying bug that stinged him earlier and was making him tweak out.
It was... Nothing.
Until he slowly moved to turn around.
His brain couldn't even comprehend what his eyes were witnessing. There stood a... Man deer? Elk man????
Whatever it was, Jongho dropped his weapons and quickly wanted to run away.
But the man took a step (or a hoove? The fuck?) forward his direction, his antlers catching in the soft glow of the warm sunlight.
"Do not fright. I'm not here to hurt you. As long as you don't hurt mother nature. All animals here live in peace and harmony." He spoke, his eyes finally opening. They were a fine silver, his hands folded together before it's chest.
Jongho stepped back, his hands trembling as his boot crushed a purple flower. Something about him told him this was one of the mythical beings they were talking about around the campfire.
He unclasped his hands, and reached out to Jongho, having a rather pleading look in his eyes as he spread his palms and fingers fully. "Take my hand, human from afar. I shall promise you won't be harmed."
Jongho felt whispers around him, and they started getting louder the more steps he took backwards. The cervitaur's eyes turned dull, and.... He finally gave in. He took steps forward now, until he shut his eyes, held his breath and placed his hand in Yeosang's palm.
They were surprisingly small and soft in his own calloused hands. Pale as well. From where Jongho's skin was honey toned, and slightly dirty with mud and old leather, his hands were delicate, and as pale as snow.
"My name is Kang Yeosang." He spoke, finally, his eyes clear again as he looked down on Jongho. "Are you comfortable in this form, or would you rather have me go into my... More human form?"
Jongho was actually too stunned to answer, and just stared at the other.
Yeosang took that answer as a yes, and turned around. His form was a bit too bright for Jongho to look at, so Jongho turned around, trying to shield his vision. Once he turned around, Yeosang stood in front of him. Muscular, but like a forest fairy, still.
And as nude as what.
Jongho immediately took off his coat, and wrapped it around Yeosang's body, now looking down on him, their faces being close. "You're going to catch a cold like that." He spoke, his soft brown eyes meeting Yeosang's silver ones.
He gratefully accepted it, despite cold being a mere illusion for Yeosang. He didn't....Feel, so.
Jongho, despite it all, was still trying to look anywhere Yeosang. He felt like a blush creeped over his apples, but he refuse to drop his stoic expressions. Yeosang wasn't a human, he should be on his guard no matter what. He could not just simply turst the other cause he had pretty privilege, could he?
''Come with me.'' Yeosang's voice was melidous, as he pulled him with him. with his intentions to lead him deeper into the forest, along with him. Jongho didn't feel the power to pull back, and let himself get swayed deeper into the forest. They passed squirrels, birds flying up from brushes and the grass felt soft and pleasant to walk on. Yeosang's feet looked neatly clean despite being on his bare feet.
They stopped where ahead deer were grazing peacefully in the thick grass. Yeosang gently beckoned Jongho, and kneeled down with him in the high grasses.
"That one." He suddenly lifted his right hand, and points into the direction of a large buck.
"He's been killing other young animals. You're allowed to take it down."
Jongho paused his movements, and eyed Yeosang. Why would a herbivore purposely hurt other animals? Didn't Yeosang just mention that all animals and mythicals lived in peace and harmony? Apparently not.
He didn't feel like asking, so he readied his weapon, taking out a new arrow and getting it in place.
"Don't worry, it won't see you, " Yeosang said, and nudged Jongho to stand. He helped Jongho lift his arms, and right when he was about to complain about being able to do it himself and not needing help, his hands trembled and turned sweaty.
"This happens. It won't take a normal arrow to kill it."
Yeosang slid his hand over Jongho's stretched underarm, and pushed it up straight, his chest slightly pressed against the broader man's back.
The wind rustles around them, a leaf slowly fluttering making it's way down. The second it hit the ground, Jongho fired the shot.
It struck the deer right in it's heart, and cried out. More from shock then out of pain, though. Jongho never wished living beings to suffer, after all.
Birds flew up from the sounds, and Jongho quickly moved to bag the deer, but Yeosang was quicker then the hunter.
He kneeled down again, sitting on his calves as he pressed his hands over the animal.
It started to fade away.
Jongho must've hit his head, and he was sure he had, now. He rubbed his temples, and narrowed his eyes, since he couldn't trust his vision anymore, that was clear at least.
"Now it's soul will be resting with their further ancestors. May he be freed from the demons clouding it's mind." The certivaur spoke, his voice soft and melodic. It was beautiful and soothing to listen to. Like Yeosang was humming a lullaby, and not just resting his bare palms onto the forest soil, where a bleeding buck was supposed to lay.
But it wasn't there, except a few drops of blood.
The crimson red was standing out on the green leaves, and slowly dripped down. It was as if Jongho finally snapped out of a trance as he made eye contact with Yeosang, who stood up, and took a step towards Jongho.
He took the hunter's calloused hand, and rubbed his thumbs over the back of his hand, his silver eyes never leaving Jongho's.
"Thank you, kind hunter. You're free to leave now." His voice was soft, almost regretful. And neither did Jongho want to pull away.
When neither of them moved, Jongho pulled his hand out of Yeosang's, and lifted it up, pressing the palm over Yeosang's lips. He shut his eyes, and leaned in, kissing the back of his hand where Yeosang had just massaged the skin.
It was weirdly intimate, and Yeosang's beautiful, shining eyes were big and bright. His lips were parted in a shocked O, but he gave Jongho a soft, hesitant nod, and stepped back.
The coat fell to the ground, and Yeosang turned around. Before Jongho could even say anything, Yeosang had turned back into his cervitaur form, and disappeared back into the sacred forest, his hooves not even leaving a trace.
Jongho just stood there for a second, and then let out a shaky sigh.
He survived the sacred forest. He was sure. Without bagging any prey, but it was fine. He saw the mythical beings with his own eyes, but knew one thing for sure. He wouldn't utter a word about it to anyone. What he saw and experienced would stay between him and Yeosang. He made that silent promise to himself, and turned around. It was as if the forest had changed. It was way more bright, and a clear path was formed, the way to the exit of the place.
Jongho walked with steady strides, and eventually found his horse again.
His eyes were soft, and slowly mounted her, only digged his heel merely against her to get her moving.
He wouldn't turn back.
Maybe, after some time, he told himself.
Just to see those beautiful pearl like eyes once more.