Chapter Text
PLOP
The final piece of luggage hit the ground. Cozyshot let out a sigh and collapsed onto the nearest crate, grateful for the chance to rest. They had only just arrived in the tiny village, yet somehow they'd packed enough luggage for three people.
Technically, that wasn't entirely inaccurate. Vine Staff and Shuriken just hadn't made the trip from their old home yet. So for now, Cozyshot was all on their lonesome.
Once they caught their breath, they began bringing the crates into their small house. The area they had moved to was a far cry from Thieves Den. Snow blanketed practically every inch of the village, coating rooftops and winding paths alike.
There was one similarity, though—the forest. Towering cedar and pine trees surrounded the village, their branches heavy with snow. They crowded close enough to the houses that the forest seemed to loom over the village.
Others would have probably found it creepy, but Cozyshot thought it gave the place even more charm. There was something comforting about being surrounded by trees.
They were really excited for this move. Thieves Den just wasn't...
"Hello. Are you new here, perhaps?"
Cozyshot jolted at the sudden voice and quickly turned around.
An elderly Inphernal stood a short distance away, her horns a pale gray.
“Ah, sorry, did I startle you?” She gave a concerned look towards Cozyshot. “I'm Pumpkin Pie. I was just passing by and happened to see that the unoccupied house had finally been bought out.”
“Oh! No, you're alright.” Cozyshot quickly stood up from the crate. “Just wasn't expecting anyone.”
“Understandable.” Pumpkin Pie chuckled softly. “You must be the newcomer we've all been hearing about.”
We've?
Cozyshot wasn't aware that anyone had been hearing about them at all.
“Word travels quickly around here.” Pumpkin Pie seemed to notice their confusion. “Especially when something actually happens.”
That earned a small laugh. This village certainly didn't seem like the type of place where much happened.
Snow crunched beneath Pumpkin Pie's boots as she stepped closer. Her gaze drifted toward the scattered crates around the front of the house.
“My, that's quite a lot of luggage.”
“Yeah...” Cozyshot rubbed the back of their neck. “I may have overpacked a little.”
“A little…?”
“Okay, maybe a lot.”
Pumpkin Pie laughed.
It was a warm laugh. The kind that reminded Cozyshot of sitting by a fireplace while snow fell outside.
“Well, you'll fit right in then. Winters can be quite harsh around here.”
Her eyes wandered toward the tree line.
Only for a second.
Then they returned to Cozyshot.
“Did you move here all on your lonesome?”
“For now.” Cozyshot nodded. “My siblings are coming later. Vine Staff and Shuriken.”
“How lovely.”
The older Inphernal smiled.
“Family is very important.”
Something about the way she said it made Cozyshot think there was more behind those words than she was letting on.
Before they could ask, Pumpkin Pie gestured toward one of the crates.
“Would you like some help dearie?”
“Oh, you don't have to—”
“Nonsense!”
Before Cozyshot could protest further, she'd already grabbed one side of a crate. The two of them carried it inside.
The house itself was small. A fireplace sat against one wall. The furniture was old, though sturdy. A thin layer of dust coated most surfaces, evidence of just how long the place had sat empty.
Pumpkin Pie set the crate down with surprising ease.
“Well,” she said, brushing her hands together, “it certainly has potential.”
“I think so too.” They said.
Cozyshot glanced around the room. The house wasn't much to look at right now, but they could already picture it–Blankets draped across the couch, pictures on the walls.
Vine Staff complaining about the cold, Shuriken stealing snacks from the kitchen…
The thought had made them smile.
The older Inphernal busied herself with looking around, wandering towards the window.
Outside, snow drifted lazily through the air. The forest stood beyond the village, dark green against the stark white landscape.
Quiet.
Watching.
“It's beautiful here”, Cozyshot admitted.
Pumpkin Pie paused.
Most newcomers usually complained about the cold first.
“You think so?” She turned, smiling at them.
“Yeah!" Cozyshot said, enthusiasm written all over their face. They glanced at the window.
“The forest especially.”
For a brief moment, something unreadable crossed Pumpkin Pie's face.
Not fear, not quite.
Something closer to concern.
“The forest is certainly... memorable.”
That was an odd way to describe it. Cozyshot thought. Before Cozyshot could question her, a distant bell rang somewhere within the village.
Pumpkin Pie's expression immediately brightened.
“Oh dear me, look at the time!”
She moved toward the door.
“You should stop by the bakery tomorrow morning.”
“The bakery?”
“Mhm. Best bread you'll ever have”, she bragged lightly
Cozyshot laughed.
“I'll keep that in mind ma’am.”
“Good.”
Pumpkin Pie stepped outside.
Then stopped.
The smile she wore softened slightly.
“One more thing for you.”
“Hm?” Cozyshot gave a hesitant look.
The older Inphernal glanced toward the forest.
The smile disappeared.
“Try not to wander too close to the trees after dark.”
The sudden seriousness in her voice caught Cozyshot off guard.
They blinked.
“Why?”
Pumpkin Pie hesitated.
Only for a second, but it was enough to notice.
“It's much safer that way.”
And with that, she turned and continued down the snowy path, leaving Cozyshot alone once more.
The village seemed quieter now. The sky had begun shifting into shades of orange and violet as evening approached.
For a moment, they stood in the doorway, staring towards the forest. The wind stirred the branches, sending snow drifting from the pines
Cozyshot frowned.
Maybe it was just them, but they just couldn't understand what was supposedly so dangerous about it...
After another moment, they stepped back inside.
The cold immediately became more noticeable once the door shut behind them. Nowhere near freezing, but it was just enough to make them glad the house had a fireplace installed.
The rest of the evening was spent unpacking slowly and almost gruelingly. Whoever had convinced them to bring this much luggage deserved to be sat down and given a stern talking to.
It was unfortunate that person was them.
A crate was dragged across the floor, opened, and immediately abandoned. Another was opened.
Then another...
Soon enough, bits and pieces of their life had begun finding places around the house. Blankets were folded onto the couch, books were stacked neatly onto shelves, small decorations found homes atop dusty surfaces.
The house slowly began feeling less like an abandoned building and more like somewhere someone actually lived.
Somewhere they actually lived.
Cozyshot smiled to themselves.
It still felt a little strange.
But definitely not in a bad way, just different.
Their gaze drifted toward a small framed photograph.
Vine Staff stood in the center, looking vaguely annoyed about having her picture taken. Shuriken was grinning to the right of her.
Cozyshot had somehow managed to blink at the exact moment the picture was taken.
They sighed.
Some things never change.
The photograph was placed carefully atop the fireplace mantle.
"Hopefully you two get here soon."
The house, unsurprisingly, did not answer.
With the majority of the unpacking finished, Cozyshot stretched.
Their back immediately protested, practically screaming for them to sit down.
Dinner ended up being nothing particularly exciting. A simple bowl of soup and a slice of bread they'd picked up before arriving.
It was their comfort food. The kind that was warm enough to chase away the cold creeping in from outside in one way or another.
By the time they finished eating, the sky beyond the window had darkened considerably.
Night had arrived quicker than expected.
Cozyshot wandered over to the nearest window.
The village looked slightly different now.
Small lights glowed warmly from within houses.
Golden against the blue-white snow.
Pretty.
Peaceful.
Yet something felt... off.
Their eyes narrowed slightly.
One by one, villagers disappeared indoors.
Doors shut.
Curtains closed.
Shutters locked.
An inphernal across the street stepped outside briefly, only to double-check the lock on his front door before quickly heading back inside.
Then he checked it again.
And then a third time.
Cozyshot blinked.
"Okay...?"
That was a little strange.
Maybe Pumpkin Pie hadn't been exaggerating.
Though if there really was something dangerous lurking around, surely somebody would've told them what it was.
Right?
The village gradually fell silent.
Though, not completely.
The wind still whispered through the trees.
Snow still drifted from rooftops.
But it felt quieter than before.
As though everyone was waiting for something.
Cozyshot found themself glancing toward the forest again.
Moonlight filtered through the branches.
Silver against dark green.
It looked beautiful.
The warning from earlier echoed through their mind.
Try not to wander too close to the trees after dark. They still didn't understand?
The forest didn't look threatening, if anything, it looked practically inviting.
The sort of place someone could spend hours exploring.
A sudden yawn interrupted their thoughts.
Perhaps that was enough wondering about mysterious forests for one day.
Tomorrow they could visit the bakery.
Meet more villagers.
Maybe get a proper explanation out of someone.
With that decided, Cozyshot returned to the kitchen.
Only to discover they had made far more soup than one person could reasonably eat.
"...Oops."
They stared at the remaining portion. There wasn't quite enough to save.
Way too much to finish, and wasting food felt wrong.
After a moment of consideration, they grabbed a wooden bowl. A few minutes later, Cozyshot stepped onto the porch.
The cold bit at their cheeks.
The village remained quiet.
They set the bowl near the steps. Maybe a stray animal would find it, they had hoped.
At the very least, it wouldn't go to waste.
Content with their solution, they headed back inside.
The door clicked shut behind them.
The lights were extinguished one by one.
Eventually, silence settled over the little house.
Outside, snow continued to fall.
The bowl remained where Cozyshot had left it.
The forest swayed gently in the distance.
Watching.
Waiting.
And sometime during the night, something emerged from between the trees.