Very brief gore towards the very end of the chapter! But it's mild in comparison to what we had before.

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The walk through the forest was healing. Yeosang plucked berries for them to share on the path, thanking every bush he took from. When he handed some to Aodhán, he received a just as grateful thanks back.

Mulberry and Buddy dashed through the forest, rolling in the soft mosses and picking up sticks that ended up getting stuck in nearby trees, causing a ruckus. For a while, Morana played with them, climbing through the trees with her elven grace or sailing overhead on Obsidian's back. When she ran out of energy, she walked with Thistle and Wooyoung or Mingi, laughing about her adventures or plotting pranks to play once she had the time.

Seonghwa relished the fresh air. He checked in with Hongjoong, asking him how his condition was doing, but the mage was stronger than ever.

"A grim reminder. But I hate to imagine you in their grasp most. Thank you for your worry, Damiana, but I had my revenge. I will be fine," he assured Seonghwa, and the elf grazed his fingers over the back of Hongjoong's hand, feeling his fingers twitch in response. Hongjoong didn't shy away from the touch, interlacing their fingers and after a tense moment, he exhaled.

"Yes, I'm sure. This is fine."

"I'm glad," Seonghwa smiled. He wasn't there to catch Hongjoong's aftermath, but he hadn't shied away from touch or intimacy with the people he loved after. When the coldness of his magic crept over Seonghwa's nape to kiss at his cheeks and caress its fingers through his hair, his caution was silently appreciated.

They walked together for a while, watched Wooyoung chase Morana through the treetops over something she said. His talons shook some leaves off their branches and Yeosang yelled at him to be nice to the trees.

Hongjoong soon took off to discuss the dwarves with Jongho, trying to figure out a way to avoid their magic-binding runes in case the dwarves turned on them. The golem told him about the stories of the stone, of reflecting crystals and how they sent Hongjoong's magic back at him. For a while, Seonghwa walked in peace by himself, relishing the feeling of the forest below his bare feet.

Mingi was ahead of him, walking by himself since Morana had taken off. Yunho had been with him earlier, but he marched by Yeosang's side now, so Seonghwa used the opportunity to catch up with his love. His presence startled Mingi out of his thoughts. He had lowered his head, following the noises of Jongho's heavy steps ahead of them, and Seonghwa smiled when the demon's focus turned in his direction.

Heat wavered off him. Though his general temperature had risen with the added mass of his body, running hotter than anyone else, Seonghwa rarely felt it without pressing close to him. Did his dread linger? Or was he sick?

"You feel hot, darling. Are you distressed?" Seonghwa checked in with him, and the twinge of worry in his voice already unravelled Mingi's strain. A smile dashed over his lips, exposing sharp canines. The sight of them was attractive to Seonghwa in a way that might never make sense to him.

"Restless from your mission, I think... It will pass. I feel calmer now," Mingi promised, running his fingers over his arm. After his transformation, Yunho started filing down his claws like he did for Buddy, so the demon wouldn't hurt himself on them. They were long again. Sharp.

"You can rest soon. I will be by your side," Seonghwa promised. He looked forward to taking a long bath with his family. To hug his twins and curl up with his husbands to listen to their worries before falling asleep.

"Thank you. I don't know what's wrong, but I know I can trust you," Mingi winced, and Seonghwa had to smile wistfully. He was flattered by Mingi's trust, but he understood why the uncertainty lingered. Mingi couldn't see him. Couldn't tell when Seonghwa was by his side and when he was far. He had been hurt too often, left alone too often.

Seonghwa never should have left his side. But Mingi tapped in the dark just like back then. Praying to hear his voice again.

Seonghwa owed him any reassurance he might need.

"You lost me once and your pain yet lingers. It's natural to be nervous. But I won't leave again. Not for anything in the world," Seonghwa whispered, feeling Mingi's tail brush his back where it flicked behind the demon.

"You say that, but then you go into caves full of orcs to save your people... You are courageous as much as you are beautiful." Mingi sighed, but it wasn't a frustrated sound. Pride swung in the rumble of his voice, giving away his admiration for Seonghwa.

An elf wasn't what demons typically admired. Only Mingi thought like that.

And Seonghwa admired him right back, for all his strength despite his trials. For staying strong until now.

"Thank you, hawthorn, for trusting me. You did well," the elf replied and Mingi smiled to himself. He lifted his head when he heard Morana coming closer, a babbling Wooyoung by her side. They were discussing dinner plans, and bickering who had the better ideas.

"Once we get back, I want to eat that boar we once had! Oh, and the berries from the funny-looking bushes. We could make some mead and then-"

But Mingi's serene smile at the giggles of his imp suddenly fell. His head jerked around, nostrils flaring, and Wooyoung immediately responded, wings opening defensively. The group came to a standstill and San's eyes searched the forest, hand on the hilt of his blade.

"I smell something," Mingi muttered, voice low as everyone held their breaths to try to pick up on it.

Seonghwa's gaze skimmed through the trees. Their whispers had fallen silent, as if in fear. No bird sung and the fairies that accompanied their march and rode along on Jongho's shoulders had disappeared.

It was too quiet.

"Describe it," Yunho prompted Mingi, and the demon's brows drew together. Morana also sniffed the air, but she couldn't place the scent.

"It's foul and musky... Like it smelled in the orc lands."

Mingi just finished what he was saying when the thicket before them suddenly broke out of the soil, upheaved from below. Clumps of earth tangled with stubborn bramble when massive bodies emerged from the depths in a circle around them.

"An ambush!" Wooyoung cried out and Mulberry cawed, wings rising to scare their attackers away.

But their nightmare had haunted them beyond the borders.

Almost two dozen orcs had fled Hlin's hunting party by hiding in the earth. They crawled from the dirt accompanied by a handful of goblins, each holding crudely shaped weapons in heavy fists. The orcs' bulging muscles towered over the travellers, blocking out the light and merry frolicking of the forest. Protruding tusks added to crooked smirks.

"Claws out, chick!" Hongjoong yelled a warning and Wooyoung swirled around when they were surrounded. Heavy feet shuffled across the loose ground to corner them in, but Jongho stood firm, keeping their circle big.

Seonghwa grabbed the spear off his back. The metal was cold in his hands as he calculated the moment of their attack. San was ready to attack, sword poised, but the orcs chuckled first. Immediately, Seonghwa lifted his hand.

"Wait!"

Everyone paused, waiting for Seonghwa's command. The orc closest to him wore some head-dress of bones that made him stand out among the others. A chieftain returning from a hunt while their lands were destroyed?

Indeed, he could talk. His words were rough and sounded foreign to his teeth and tongue, but he had bothered to learn them.

"Look who it is," he barked, making his group chortle and snicker meanly. Hunger made their eyes glint, a greed much more dangerous than that of the dwarves. Seonghwa stood firm before his family, not allowing anyone to get hurt.

Thistle had crawled onto Mulberry's back, holding on for dear life. Aodhán crowded into his father, who kept his blade pointed at the orcs. Magic crackled through the air.

"You're too late," Seonghwa warned them. His fury at the smugness of these creatures was cold. They wouldn't mourn their people. Already, they sought more battle, more loot to ravish. "There is nothing left for you to take."

The orc cocked a mocking brow. He was four times Seonghwa's mass and his mace rested heavily against his shoulder. When he scoffed, he saw no threat in their group, even after everything they did.

Seonghwa stood still, his free hand hovering over Mingi's to yank the demon out of harm's way if need be. His heat burnt hot, as if boiling under his skin. Fear had widened his eyes, but he listened closely, felt the sneaky slither of Yeosang's roots in the earth, spreading out all around them without any hint showing on the dryad.

"The elven whore came to free his people. What rare and surprising strength. We thought you dead. But here you are, doing what none other of your people could. Finally learned how to kill thanks to the men ravaging your body?" The orc mocked Seonghwa and San gritted his teeth. He was about to open his mouth, but Seonghwa's dear daughter, whom he loved more than anything else in the world, opened her mouth first.

"And you cowards waited nicely until your kin suffocated to come out. What makes you better than him?" She scoffed, loud and bold and with the axe Hlin gifted her resting loosely in her hand. Her gaze was ever-challenging and this time, Seonghwa didn't laud her strength. His fingers tensed around the spear when the orcs laughed throatily, not perceiving them as a threat.

They had come to hunt them down.

The chieftain directed dark eyes at Morana, staring at her with that disgusting, lecherous gaze that made Seonghwa's skin crawl. The princess was unimpressed, showing her horns in a blatant challenge.

"We will rip you apart, princess. Right in front of your creator. Time for our revenge. We can take your family to create a new breeding heaven for us orcs. Never tried a dryad before," the orc whispered cruelly and Seonghwa's body tensed, all the signal they needed.

Hongjoong took one glance at the sudden movement of the orc horde coming their way before he hooked his arm around Aodhán's and grabbed Morana by a horn she was about to poise stubbornly at the orcs. His other hand snatched the scruff of Buddy's nape, tugging the terrified dog close. Morana's protesting yell was swallowed by the portal when he teleported them out of there within seconds.

San hacked at the first hand coming their way and Yeosang's roots shot out of the ground, wrapping around the feet of some orcs like a vise to hold them back, even if just for a moment. They had to stay defensive, only for a few seconds, until Hongjoong would be back.

Seonghwa thought his spear would suffice to keep them at a distance, even if one spear wound wouldn't hold back so many orcs.

He didn't take the heat by his side suddenly boiling over into account.

The rumble from Mingi's throat barely formed words. It was deep and abyssal, the growl of a beast more than a proper voice.

"Don't touch them," he gagged out and Seonghwa reached out to push him back, too worried to watch the orcs for just a moment.

But Mingi wasn't entirely himself. He had ducked his head as if the weight of his horns wore on it. His muscles bulged with effort, tail flicking behind him. Seonghwa tried to catch sight of his eyes, startled by the sudden change in behaviour when his demon was usually so timid.

He didn't find his beloved in those pools of black.

Mingi fell to all fours, his large body trembling and convulsing. Saliva dripped from his lips when his teeth bared in a snarl. He shuddered, as if fighting back against whatever was happening, but he didn't hear Seonghwa crying out his name.

The next moment, he leapt forward, towards the source of the scent and their threat. Seonghwa lunged after him, confused and scared when Mingi pounced on the first orc he could reach without hesitation.

"Mingi?!" Yunho called out, and they lost formation when everything happened all at once. Tripping orcs, weapons coming their way, Hongjoong materialising in their midst. Desperately, Seonghwa flung himself into battle.

"Quick! He needs help!"

He caught sight of Mingi digging his teeth into the orc's jugular, yanking and pulling until he suddenly ripped out a whole chunk of flesh along with a windpipe and Seonghwa knew something was wrong.

But he wouldn't leave Mingi's side.