We were in a forest.

Why would I ever think otherwise?

Alice caught my disappointed look. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing… it's just I expected something cool, not, you know, more trees."

She shook her head and began walking deeper into the trees. I followed, stowing away my disappointment. Nothing I'd seen so far suggested anything magically awesome, not the kind that would make my eyebrows recede into my hairline.

For all that I knew about Grimms—and it wasn't much—I expected to find we lived on some hidden island or valley where we hid away in our sanctuary.

Yet here we were, hiking through a forest.

I kept my sigh internal and continued the hike. The trees were dense, but there was enough space for us to walk without having to squeeze between anything. Strangely, I noticed the ground curving into an incline downwards as we moved.

"How far are we going?" I called out.

"Two more minutes. Just wait."

"Okay."

As we continued deeper to wherever she wanted to show me, the trees began to thicken. The incline down continued until it leveled out right about where we stopped. There was a final wall of trees and foliage so thick it made it impossible to see through to the other side.

Alice turned and smiled. "Come on, it's through there."

She didn't wait for my reply and rushed through the greenery, her arms parting the thick flora before she disappeared, leaving me standing alone.

Why does nobody like to explain things first? It's not that hard.

I pushed through at a slower pace, forcing aside the thick branches. One tried to scrape at my underarm and snag my cloak, but I felt it ripple and glide through.

Thanks, buddy.

When my fingers parted through the darkness, I used both hands to pull apart the vines and pass through. I came to a stop next to Alice as she stared down. With slow movements, I crept closer until I stood beside her. Together, we looked down the steep cliff and between the mountains.

"It's breathtaking," I whispered.

Below us, next to the edge of a long shore, sat a beautiful medieval town. Thick stone buildings stood tall among the wooden houses. Chimney smoke wafted from several roofs, but the breeze from the nearby shoreline carried it high into the sky. A large town square held a beautiful fountain that stood as tall as any building. Even from here, I could make out the water bubbling in the basin as people, young and old, relaxed.

And towards the coast in the east, little boats floated in the water, and the waves bobbed up and down with the calm tide. I inhaled deeply, and I smelled the salt through the dense vegetation that permeated the forest.

For all the gloom and mystery I'd seen in the last few days, this place looked cozy. Peaceful, despite hosting a mountain full of werewolves.

"I used to come here every day before I became a Grimm. Eli showed me this spot, and we'd sit here for hours," Alice spoke.

The confession stung, and I felt my stomach sink. I... didn't know what to say.

I cleared my throat. "He sounded like an amazing big brother. I'm sorry."

Her leather gloves crinkled as she balled her hands into fists. She sighed and faced me. "I… I don't blame you. I'm livid, angry, and want to punch something, but it's not you. I need you to know that."

I… yeah.

I nodded instead of replying. Her fist relaxed, but just enough that the leather stopped creaking. "Come on, let's go."

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

The trip down the mountain was awkward. I kept silent, and so did she. Thankfully, the journey itself was short. The forest lacked roads or paths, but Alice guided us down an unofficial one with wider spacing between the trees. It cut straight through to the edge of the town, saving us a lot of time spent navigating the terrain.

As we neared, there was a lack of walls or guards near the outskirts. The laxity on security surprised me. A few people spotted us approaching, but they waved with bright smiles and then returned to their conversation.

"Okay, this is weird. Weirder than the last village. Those two smiled and waved."

"Not everyone hates Grimms. Some of the folks living here are family members of other hunters," Alice replied.

"Fair, but everything looks so nice for once. No snarling, growls, mean looks; literally, it's a peaceful atmosphere. I think I'm feeling whiplash."

"Whiplash?"

I shook my head. "Never mind, uh, is that person approaching us?"

"Yes." Alice walked ahead and embraced the small woman dressed in a white blouse and a green shawl around her shoulders. "Hello, Maggie. It's nice to see you."

"And it's nice to see you, too!" Maggie said as she rested her chin on Alice's shoulder. "I heard the news, Firebrand. I'm so sorry."

Maggie squeezed tighter and rubbed at Alice's back. Sad eyes met mine, and Maggie spotted me standing around. Her gaze roamed up and down my body before she lifted her head and held Alice at arm's length.

"Is there anything I can do for you? I know you're as sturdy as steel, but that doesn't mean you need to stay strong right now. I'm here for you, whatever you need, okay?"

"Thank you, Mags. I'm fine. I'll handle it as I always do. I'm a Grimm, after all."

"And a fine one you'll continue to be. Now, enough of that. How about you introduce me to your friend over there? I don't think I've seen him in town before."

Maggie hooked her arm into Alice's and practically dragged the huntress along. She came to a stop within polite distance and looked at Alice expectantly.

Alice smiled, and she gestured to me with her free hand. "He's our newest member, joined only a few days ago. Cain, this is Maggie, an amazing woman who has watched over me since I came to this place. And Mags, this is Cain."

I held out my hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Maggie unhooked her arm and grasped my wrist while forming an 'O' with her mouth. "My, how formal."

She stopped shaking my hand and plastered on a dazzling smile. "Well, I wish you safety on your hunts, sir Grimm."

She's nice. Overly so. I feel like an ass for feeling awkward about this.

"Thank you."

Maggie turned to Alice. "So, what brings you to town? You usually don't come down for another three days. Are you looking for something in particular?"

Alice shook her head. "Not for myself, but I wanted to try some sweets. I know with the fall festival coming soon, there are bound to be some pastries being made."

"Oh, you and your sweet tooth. You didn't hear this from me, but Balen just got a fresh shipment of squash he's making into his famous sweet pies. Maybe if you go bat an eyelash or two, he'll cook some special for yah," Maggie whispered conspiratorially.

"Mags. No." Alice said firmly.

"Oh, don't be tense; you know he has a soft spot for yah. Just throw some coin his way and get some pie."

Maggie was like a whirlwind and swept Alice away. Alice had enough time to look back in my direction before Maggie dragged her further into town, chatting her head off.

I just stood and watched. With my guide lost to the wind, I looked around awkwardly as people kept waving hello after passing by.

So that just happened. Right, okay, town exploration time.

I popped up my hood and felt a small boop along my arms.

The hood and cloak made me feel safer, and I relied on that to continue smiling at the townsfolk. Nobody questioned my iron axe or bright red apparel.

My feet took me down the road. I had no destination in mind and didn't feel like stopping a random passerby for directions. Eventually, my nose picked up a delightful scent that made me turn down a new path.

A few market stalls lined the side, each one manned by a person hawking some wares. They each had signs, and I could read all but one. The last sign had handwriting so awful it took me over a minute of staring to figure out it spelled 'Body Scentorizer.'

Based on the fact that the stall stood by its lonesome, separated by a few dozen feet from anyone else, the sprays must have been strong.

As I made my way between the stalls, the scent intensified.

Must have!

I stopped.

That was a strong reaction; the thoughts spilled into the forefront of my mind with the grace of a charging bull. It smelled savory and sweet. The aroma was indescribable yet enticing.

That was enough for me.

I acknowledged a beautiful lady selling hand-painted pottery art before I took another turn down a row of houses. The houses looked older; the boards on the sides had splinters sticking up. They didn't look rundown by any means, but they could use some repair work.

The scent nearly blinded my other senses to the point where I tasted it on my tongue.

Want!

Sliding sideways to make it through the end, I anticipated a road or maybe some trees. Instead, I stumbled upon a cart overflowing with peculiar trinkets and baubles. Glistening crystals and vibrant strings covered its surface while various items and bundles of dried herbs dangled from rustic metal chains on its top bar.

Standing atop the cart behind the counter, an older woman with wrinkly skin slowly ground something with a mortar and pestle. The colorful liquid inside reminded me of rust; the orange-red paste caught the sunlight and reflected an almost metallic sheen.

The old lady looked up, her eyes pure black, the color of the void. "So a new pup has come to visit Old Hildegrim, hmm? Have you come to trade, dearest Cain?"