"Mumbo? MUMBO!" Grian called out into the forest, pushing past the bushes and brambles as he rushed deeper into the woods. He was running as fast as he could, desperate to reach the vampire's residence. He managed to stumble his way through the trees, reaching Mumbo's shack while breathlessly gasping for air.

Grian pounded his fist against the door, though he didn't wait for a response, as he forced himself inside. He rushed into the vampire's bedroom, finding Mumbo in bed. It was morning, so he was already asleep, though that didn't stop Grian from shaking him awake.

"Mumbo! Wake up! We gotta go! Now!" The human desperately urged.

"Huh?" Mumbo stirred, blinking slowly and looking around groggily. "Wha—? What's going on?" He asked, yawning as he was forcibly pulled out of bed.

"I—, t-the hunters! Coming—! Gonna trap you—," Grian huffed heavily. His words were barely coherent. As he struggled to catch his breath, he felt Mumbo hold onto his arms gently, trying to calm him down. After a few moments, however, Grian seemed to be able to steady his breathing enough to speak properly.

"The hunters are coming, Mumbo. They're after you. The king increased the reward for a vampire, a-and now they're coming to try and find you!" Grian explained, his voice still ragged but more steady than before.

Mumbo's eyes looked saddened, though he nodded. "Let me grab my things. Were you followed?" He asked, letting go of Grian's arms.

"... I dunno. Could've been, maybe. Maybe. I don't know. Probably not, though, because I saw one of those guards," Grian answered quickly, his thoughts moving as fast as he spoke. "W-we just need to get you out of here, b-before Iskall or Xisuma find you!"

He paused, Mumbo staring at Grian for a moment. "You..know them by name?" He asked, a hurt expression in his eyes.

"Wha—? Nono, Mumbo! I-it was before I met you, I promise! I would never be friends with them if I knew you before!" Grian said, taking the vampire's hands in his own. They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, before Mumbo glanced away and nodded.

"R-right, sorry. Let's just..go." He mumbled, the vampire grabbing a leather satchel and his dark cloak. He packed a few items, mostly bottles of blood, before pulling his hood over his head to protect him from the sunlight.

Pulling on his shoes, Mumbo walked out the door, with Grian following close behind. The sunlight that managed to slip through the canopy above fell onto the vampire's cloak, protecting him from burns. He glanced back at the hut he had built, the place he had called home, frowning as he stared with saddened eyes.

"Where..where am I supposed to go?" He asked Grian, eyes still focused on the wooden shack. "I don't have anywhere else."

"We'll find somewhere safe." The human said, taking Mumbo by the hand and pulling him into the forest.

"It's okay, I can go alone. If you're caught helping me—"

"Scar wouldn't hurt me." Grian spoke firmly, his gaze kept ahead as he squeezed the monster's wrist. "I'll explain everything if I'm caught. I'm not the one in danger; you are."

"But we don't even know where we're going, you could get lost, or—"

Grian shook his head. "It doesn't matter right now, okay? What matters is finding you a safe place where hunters won't find you."

"I-I don't know if there's a place like that.." The vampire muttered quietly, looking around nervously.

Freezing in place, Grian looked back at Mumbo. "What about with the other monsters? You said they lived somewhere around here, right?"

"Oh, uh, t-they aren't exactly the most w-welcoming.."

"We need to try!" Grian urged, his eyes almost watering. "Mumbo, I can't let you get caught. Please, we need to find them."

The vampire looked into Grian's pleading gaze, biting his lip before sighing reluctantly. "Okay." He muttered, squeezing the human's hand. "Follow me."

Mumbo took Grian along, heading deeper into the forest. The trees and plants grew more dense with every passing moment, as the sunlight began to fade the deeper they went. They wandered for what felt like hours, neither of the two speaking much, as they were afraid of the hunters or beasts that might hear them.

Even with how quiet they were, some branches would rustle and leaves snap and brush against their bodies as they moved, leaving little room between them to pass easily. The night was cold and the air felt crisp, the breeze picking up. It carried the scent of damp soil and pine needles mixed together.

As night began to fall, the forest only grew darker and thicker. The moon and stars seemed to glow brighter, the moonlight causing them to cast shadows on the ground and tree trunks. Soon, it became too dark to see anything beyond a few feet away. It felt eerily silent, aside from Grian and Mumbo breathing loudly. They continued walking for about an hour or two longer, holding each other by the hand to stay close.

Eventually they managed to reach a wall of trees, blocking the path forward. Looking to the left and right, Grian could see that the trees stretched onwards, as if they had specifically been planted as a sort of barricade. Mumbo let go of the human's hand as he approached the tree, placing his palm against the bark.

"Hello?" He called out, his voice causing birds to flee from the branches and treetops above. After waiting a few moments, there was no response.

Mumbo sighed, pressing his forehead against the tree. "Please, I—...I need help. Hunters are searching the forest for me, a-and I don't know how long I can evade them for. I need your help, please.."

By the end of his speech, Mumbo's eyes were filled with tears, his voice breaking slightly. There was another pause of silence, though this time, it was followed up by a deep rumble that shook the ground. Grian and Mumbo both stepped backwards, watching as a green aura surrounded two of the trees.

The trees moved on their own, bending to open a small gap between their trunks. There stood a girl, her lower half that of a centaur. Her orange hair was tied into a braid, with deer antlers on her head. She had her hands pointed at the trees, the same green magic surrounding them.

"Come on!" She said, Mumbo grabbing Grian by the hand as he rushed into the sanctuary.

The gap closed right as they made it through, just barely escaping the two trees from crushing them. On the other side was a village, filled with nature and trees. The land felt green and fresh, while the air was clean, and the river sparkled like sapphires. It felt enchanted with magic, something Grian had never felt before.

"How did you know we were there?" The human asked, amazing at the deer hybrid's power.

"I can hear through my plants. Once I heard you were in trouble with hunters, I came as quickly as I could." She explained, her hooves clicking against the dirt as she approached Mumbo. She gently took his hands in her own, staring into his red eyes. "What is your name, dear vampire?"

"Mumbo." He replied in awe.

"Mumbo.." She pondered on his name for a second, before smiling. "My name is Gem. Welcome to our little village."

She looked past the vampire, noticing Grian hiding behind the tall male. "And what is your name?" She smiled kindly.

Grian opened his mouth, but Mumbo held out his arm, causing the human's jaw to snap shut. "H-he's with me. Sorry."

Taking a closer look at Grian, the hybrid's eyes widened a bit. "Oh, a human..." She muttered, before glancing back at the vampire. "I suppose he's your slave?"

"Y-yes, yes!" Mumbo laughed awkwardly.

"Alright then. Another vampire just recently brought his human here. Still, the villagers aren't quite used to them. Please keep him close." Gem explained as she turned to the path, slowly beginning her walk to the town. "If you follow me this way, I'll bring you to our village chief. He'll decide if you stay or go."

Once she walked out of earshot, Grian stared at Mumbo. "Slave? I'm your slave!?" He whisper-yelled.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know if these people will kill you or not! You kept me safe from the hunters, so I'll keep you safe from them." The vampire whispered back, his eyes pleading for Grian to play along.

Gem looked over her shoulder, noticing the two weren't following. "Everything alright?" She asked, causing the vampire to snatch Grian's wrist and pull him along.

"Yes, we're fine. I just had to, uh..put him a bit further under my control."

She laughed a little. "Humans can be stubborn!" She grinned, shaking her head as she walked down the path.

They followed the deer into town, strange looks from other monsters and hybrids as they passed. Mumbo pulled his hood further over his head, trying to hide in shame, as Grian looked around in awe. The town was small enough that it only took a short walk to reach the end of the main path, which led to a cottage covered in moss.

"Inside." Gem said, opening the door. "He's waiting for you."

Mumbo and Grian shared a look of concern, though the two entered nonetheless. It was a quaint home, a fireplace made of cobble and rocks, shelves holding various knickknacks of all shapes and sizes, bookshelves lining the walls, a large, round table in the middle, with several chairs on either side of it. There were stairs that led to the second level, most likely leading to a bedroom.

"So you must be the vampire I've heard so much about." A voice chuckled, sitting in a rocking chair by the fireplace. He grabbed his cane from beside his seat, groaning as he managed to stand.

He was an old man, a full beard with gray hair. His eyes were crimson, his ears pointed as well. He wore a black cloak, though it couldn't hide his missing left leg. That had been replaced with a wooden prosthetic, which explained the cane that helped support his body weight.

"Who.." Mumbo swallowed the lump in his throat, clearly on edge as he squeezed Grian's hand. "W-Who are you?"

"I'm the leader of the monsters here in this little village. My name is TinFoilChef. You may call me TFC." He said, walking towards the duo and extending his good arm towards them. "It's nice to meet y'all. Now, please, make yourself comfortable. Let me take a look at you both."

"You're a vampire.." He said in wonder, causing TFC to laugh and slap Mumbo on the back.

"Well obviously! You ain't seen one before?" Tin joked, causing Mumbo to awkwardly laugh. "I'm just messing with ya, kid. What's wrong?"

"I-I just...wanted to see if I could stay here.." Mumbo asked, eyes on the wooden floor of the cabin.

"Well of course! Why wouldn't you be able to?"

"I was told I wasn't allowed!" Said the vampire, "They didn't want me since I was just turned from a human."

TFC glanced over to Gem, who was standing by the door. "Why did no one tell me about this? This young vampire has been living on his own for months! He probably has no grasp on his powers yet!"

"I didn't know, sir." The deer shook her head.

The elder vampire sighed, turning back to Mumbo. "I apologize. You are obviously welcome here. Some monsters are just rather...anxious around humans. Speaking of..." He looked past his fellow vampire, spotting the human.

"o-oh! T-that's just my slave!" Mumbo tried to laugh it off awkwardly, though TFC frowned as he saw through the lie.

He stepped forward, cane tapping against the floor. Grian felt like he shrunk in the vampire's presence, his eyes like cold daggers. TFC hummed and huffed, scratching his beard as he stared at the human. He poked Grian in the stomach with the end of his cane, before pointing the walking stick at Mumbo. "Keep him in line, ya hear? Or else he's gonna be my next meal."

Mumbo swallowed the lump in his throat, nodding as his normally-pale face drained of the bit of color it had left. Tin broke out laughing, slapping him on the back again.

"I'm kidding, boy! You need to lighten up! I ain't gonna hurt your human." TFC laughed, walking back to his rocking chair with a limp.

The vampire approached the elder man, his thumbs twiddling nervously as Tin sat down. "..D-does that mean we can stay? Both of us?" Mumbo asked hopefully.

"Of course you can." He huffed, beginning to rock slowly. "Stay as long as you like. Gem here will show ya to your home. You must be exhausted, kids. Get some rest."

"T-thank you!" Mumbo said, his eyes lighting up with joy like never before. Grian couldn't help but smile at the way his eyes glowed with joy, his cheeks slightly red as he nervously looked away.

Gem opened the cabin door, gesturing for the boys to follow. "Come on, you two." She smiled, "We've got a nice place for you to stay, and tomorrow you can meet everyone!"

Mumbo began to follow the deer, though he stopped in the doorway and looked back. "Thank you, sir!"

TFC huffed. "Don't call me sir. And come back when you've rested up! A fledgling like you needs help with those powers of yours!"

"O-of course!" He smiled excitedly, taking Grian by the hand as they left the cottage together.

Monsters had gathered outside TFC's home, all curious of the newcomers to the village. Some scurried away as they left the cabin, though others lingered to speak to the new vampire. One was a half-man half-goat sort of creature, a satyr if Grian remembered correctly, who was rather short in stature. He wore a brown sweater, with his messy blond curls complimented by the goat horns that poked through his hair.

"You're that vampire that was on his own, right?" The hybrid asked excitedly while taking Mumbo's hand. "Hi, I'm Zedaph! We don't get newcomers very often. It's impressive you were able to live so long on your own!"

"Oh, uh, thanks?" Mumbo chuckled awkwardly.

"This is Impulse!" Zedaph gestures towards a figure who, upon first glance, looked human.

Looking closer though, he had a pair of horns that blended into his skin at the top of his forehead, as well as a thin tail with a puff of yellow fire at the end. He had bat-like wings on his back that seemed to be damaged, holes and burns poking through the leathery skin.

Impulse didn't say much, just gave a slight wave, though his eyes were kept on the human beside Mumbo. "He's under your control, right?" The imp growled slightly, showing his sharp teeth.

Mumbo pulled Grian a bit closer to him, laughing nervously. "Yes, yes, he's completely harmless!"

"Good." A gruff voice scoffed, a centaur-like creature crossing his arms. He stared at the human with one eye, the other being covered by an eyepatch. "Because humans don't belong here. They're the reason we're here. And if I find any humans trying to harm this village..."

The creature scraped its hoof against the cobble road, spark flying off of the ground. He huffed with a glare and turned away, walking back into town.

"Sorry about him." Zedaph mumbled, "His kind was hunted to extinction by humans. He's the only creeper left."

"Creeper?" Mumbo tilted his head curiously.

"Oh yeah." Impulse chimed in, his arms crossed. "They were hunted 'cause of their horns and hooves. It can turn into gunpowder when ground up."

"That sounds...awful." Mumbo frowned, his gaze falling to the ground as he pulled his dark cloak around his body.

Gem frowned, stepping forward. "Come on you guys, Mumbo has had a long journey here. Let's give him some space and let him rest." She said, shooing away the other monsters.

"I-it was nice to meet you all!" Mumbo waved to the crowd as he followed Gem into town, Grian following close behind the vampire to try and stay out of sight.

The deer hybrid led the two to a large tree, steps leading down to the root system below. "You'll be staying here." She said, gesturing towards the door. "It's small, but quite nice. Make it your home."

"Thank you, Gem." Mumbo nodded, the vampire walking down the dirt steps and pushing open the wooden door.

It was a room that had been carved out underneath the tree, the roots like support beams against the dirt walls. It was mostly empty besides a table and a few chairs, as well as a few cupboards that had been carved out of large roots. The vampire and human walked into the bedroom, with only one bed and a closet.

"I'll, uh..sleep on the ground." Grian offered, though Mumbo shook his head.

"I don't want you to have to do that. The bed looks big enough, maybe we could share?" He offered, slightly blushing at the idea.

"Uh, s-sure, if it's okay with you." The human said, blushing as well.

"Of course." He nodded while pulling off his boots, tossing them, and his cloak, aside. "Come on, I feel like I need a whole week of sleep to make up for all that walking."

Grian nodded, slipping off his own shoes and climbing onto the bed. They kept their distance from one another, like there was an invisible barrier preventing the other from crossing over. Their backs faced one another, preventing the other male from seeing their blushing face.

"Oh, um..Goodnight Grian. Thank you for your help." Mumbo said sheepishly.

"Goodnight Mumbo. I'll see you in the morning."