Thanks so much for the nice feedback! I hope you enjoy this chapter- It's a bit long I got too caught up writing it!

"Oh for fuck's sake." Hansel grunted when his boot got stuck in the deep mud which smelled disgusting because of the mold surrounding the swamp.

She smiled, he could almost hear as her lips curled into a laugh.

"You should watch where you step."

His sister's words caused him to stop and turn to glare at her, "You will be polishing up my boots later as usual so I wouldn't get too cocky sis."

She rolled her eyes and walked closer, "I wouldn't have to do that if you focused and stopped thinking about the saloon girl's breasts from last night." There was a fierce scowl on her face as she walked past him, completely ignoring his escapade with the boot.

His eyes darkened and her smile widened as she took the lead.

Ben stopped and gave him a helping hand while Edward carried their weaponry. Hesitating slightly, he opened his mouth to ask, "You two never stop do you?"

Hansel just grunted in response and didn't bother to go in detail about the dynamic they shared. It was stupid teasing and bickering, but they didn't do it because they couldn't stand each other- they did it for the pure fun of it. They could drive each other crazy with such simple things and over the years it served as a sort of a comic relief while hunting.

He could always rely on calling her out about being a girl, a woman- it drove Gretel on the edge whenever he would minimize her role as a talented hunter because of her gender. In reality she was better than him. He was maybe stronger and better shot in his opinion, but she could coordinate better, she was quicker and more into it so to speak. She could think of the most creative ways to bash someone's head in and the blood never bothered her. Hansel just never told her that. It was much more fun to hold it against her.

She was like no one else in this world. Gretel never stood for his crap. Gretel was the one who would kick him out of bed if he hogged the blankets and she would make him go out to explore the town even with the worst hangover.

It was sometimes a balancing act, but in the end they would always find the perfect way to come together as a team.

They walked on for another twenty minutes, his sister constantly reminding them to be quiet, and to keep their eyes open for any suspicious signs. It felt like an eternity and all they found was broken twigs, fallen trees, footprints, or puddles of dirty water.

Ben yawned beside Hansel, stretching out his hands tensely before falling back into his previously relaxed state, "So what's new?"

His sister and Edward were walking in front of them and he couldn't believe he was stuck with the curious young man for small talk.

Yet again.

"The same old." Hansel replied without much of an expression.

"Well that's good to know." He nodded to himself as he carried his weapon over his shoulder. They walked in silence for a split second, but he kept talking with the hope of making more of a connection with Hansel. Even when they would hunt he was more distant than Gretel which made Ben question why since he was more outgoing and relaxed out of the siblings. He knew Hansel liked to shoot things, blow up things, various types of women, the alcohol and good food, but he didn't know anything deeper than that. He couldn't pin point when he was angry, happy or anything between of those emotions. It was unlikely for him to understand Hansel the way Gretel did, but it was frustrating whenever he showed any kind of grander emotion- Gretel would know what do or say. He was left wondering what caused his outburst or what made him have such a good day.

Ben was jealous of Gretel. He was jealous that he would never have anything that special with his non-existent family. He wanted to know what it was like to have brother even if it was a jackass like Hansel.

"Where are we going next?" The boy inquired dryly.

"That's a stupid question," Hansel replied curtly, "We both know I'm not the one who decides where to head out next. She gets to decide and I get my boots cleaned, that's all I have to know."

Yes, he was in control.

Yes, he was unbeatable.

Yes, he was nobody's bitch… scratch that- except Gretel's.

Gretel stopped, the mossy ground under her feet was damp as cold wind pierced through her body. She tried to ignore the chills that raced up her spine, from the cold or from the first sparks of fear, "We should split up from here," She turned to Hansel and Ben, "The witch's lair is near. We can't walk around like this or it will notice and get away."

Hansel's jaw tightened, "We can find it together."

"We can't," She replied in a curt tone, "We need to surround the place. You know that."

He blew out a breath of air, and kept his feet sturdy. He didn't know how to respond. "What do you want me to say? I don't like this."

"The longer we stand here the more time we lose." Gretel bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes cold and teeth gritted with tension.

Hansel stared at her for a moment before turning his head away and focusing on shallow woods and thinking about how badly this could turn out to be. They didn't know much about their threat, less than usual and it made him uneasy. The ones who seemed just regular hunting jobs always ended up being a little more.

"Alright then," He finally agreed, and looked at Ben, "You two go east and continue until you reach the lake- Me and Edward go around the path one mile back and will meet up with you. Ready to go Eddy?"

Edward growled softly as a yes and handed Gretel her crossbow he had been carrying for her.

Gretel eyed her brother suspiciously for a second before she smacked him on the arm, "Don't get killed."

"Same goes for you."

His sister and Ben took off.

"Don't worry Hansel, I'll look after her!"

He wanted to burst into laughter. What a crazy thought- Ben saving his sister. Hansel could imagine it going the other way around. Ben was good as air next to Gretel. The kid had proved to be a good hunter and help, but still it was not like he had been doing this his entire life like them.

Edward raised an eyebrow and watched attentively as Hansel once again looked Gretel's way with an odd expression on his face.

"What?" He raised his brows, getting defensive.

"Envy… very destructive emotion..." The troll mumbled in nonchalant voice and got ahead of him, leaving him to wonder what he meant by his words.

He was bit more reserved than usual. Gretel didn't pay much attention to the boy, but she had noticed how he wouldn't really make eye contact when they were walking side by side deep in the woods.

Ben looked at her now, kicking at the gravel, "Do you think you will do this forever? Like till the day you die?"

She cringed and wished he had just stayed quiet.

"I don't know."

It was an honest answer. In her mind they were a rare breed- always moving, never knowing what will happen, but oddly Gretel would never have it any other way, not without Hansel.

There are no second chances, no security, no promises that everything will be alright. There had never been any hope in the darkness to ease their fears, their nightmares away when they were children and dreamt of being in the warmth of their old home.

They couldn't predict that it would be worth it in the end… that they would win.

There were pieces of ragged hope here and there, but not much else besides the belief that no matter what, they would be together.

Gretel believed that even if one of them fell, the spirit, the essence would still be there – not in the flesh, but there in the heart, in their battle; burning away the smell of blood and death.

"I wouldn't mind it myself," He sent her a charming smile, " I've never felt more alive."

"Good for you." Gretel said disinterestedly, thoughts fogging her mind as they found themselves in a tree-lined clearing with a suspicious shack out there in the open. It was a shabby little thing, with a small porch and rickety old steps leading to a wooden front door.

She clutched her crossbow stronger and looked at Ben who did the same with his gun. Fiercely, adrenaline rushing in her veins she walked the stairs, to the door, but it was locked.

Glancing to her right she grinned, "Ready for another one?"

He nodded, "As ready as I can be."

Her feet slammed into the wood before them, causing the door jam to creak, but not break all the way. Not even waiting for his help, Gretel placed a second fierce kick against the wood and the door suddenly gave, the frame cracking and spitting wood fragments into the air.

The element of surprise was the most important thing when it came down to hunting down a witch and even though she knew that she has just totally ignored it- she did not like to put herself at risk. She was not afraid to get hurt, but she knew that if she got hurt, her brother would have a stroke.

She is the first one to barge in without hesitation. The fear is gone completely. Her senses were on overload, heart pounding in her chest as she tried to see around the darkness. The stench of something rotting was the first clue- this was definitely where their target was living.

Their eyes try to settle into the darkness as they look for any movement, but find none.

"Fuck," Gretel cursed, "The witch is not here."

They searched the disgusting shack, finding useless pieces of papers with writing on them, crystals, pots and pans- nothing major.

She was royally pissed off. Unconsciously she gnawed her lip raw and curled her hand into a fist, ready to attack.

Ben was more thorough with his searching and while doing so he picked his souvenirs. He liked to collect odd objects from the witch lairs they would raid before burning them down.

Gretel stepped outside and exhaled a deep breath. She took a second to close her eyes out of exhaustion and it hit her, penetrated the hazy fog of hopelessness that surrounded her like a hurricane- Her body hit a tree trunk with a cold, hard thud.

"Ben!" She screamed loud as she could, her throat scratchy from pain. Blood was seeping from one of her temples and her hair was a disheveled mess. Gretel stood up from the ground, panic written across her face. Soon as she caught a glimpse of the witch moving in the speed of light, she ran as fast as she could while loading an arrow into the cartridge of her weapon with one hand. She aimed and shot towards the witch, missing every single time. The arrows flew swiftly through the air and Gretel screamed again for help, but this time for her brother, "Hansel!"

The witch was on its broom, laughing like a serious mental case - she threw long deadly daggers towards Gretel, but failing, hitting trees in distance instead. Gretel kept shooting at the bloody witch and with every step she was getting closer. The witch was too busy watching and dodging her arrows so it slammed right into a tree giving Gretel the chance she needed. She leaped towards the hag and the moment her booted feet touched the ground, she aimed a nice kick at its ugly face.

She felt the kick connect, but the witch captured her leg twisting it painfully, throwing her on the ground. With her injured leg she got up as fast as she could and started punching right across the witches face, black blood and rotten teeth flying everywhere. The witch drew out one more dagger, slicing Gretel's upper arm multiple times, blood was maybe gushing, but she was nowhere near done. In pain, she screamed, agony filling her voice, "Hansel!"

She drew her knife out, into, and through the witch's stomach, screaming. Gretel screamed with raw blood lust and pain. She screamed more in anger as the black sticky hot blood ran over her arms and down over her feet. Still even with so much damage done, the witch managed to struggle itself out of her grasp and attacked Gretel with so much force it blindsided her. In a flash she was on the ground, the disgusting yellow skinned, badly deformed witch stood over her with a steel dagger on hand ready to pierce her lungs.

She had closed her eyes, waiting the blade to dig into her skin when the witch seethed in surprise as Hansel locked his hands around the witch's neck with rage throwing the creature across and attacking it ruthlessly, "Not on my watch!"

Gretel's head was pounding, but she got up not giving herself an excuse to stay on the ground.

The witch kept seething, spewing blood out of its mouth when Hansel started bashing the witches face into the nearest tree. Losing consciousness and control the witch was completely at Hansel mercy.

Gretel ran to his aid with a rope and while her brother kept the witch still while abusing it with his fists she tied the witches legs and hands, tossing the rope over the trees biggest branch. Together they pulled the hag up. It hang upside down like a bat, struggling with its last strengths and screaming without getting anywhere.

Gretel held her forehead as the pain kicked in again, "Remind me not to pair up with Ben again."

Hansel could have laughed at the comment, but only felt concern as he examined his sister's wounds. Her face was dirty and under the dirt her temple was bleeding as well as her nose, her right arm was the worst- bleeding like a fountain from the wounds. Her favorite leather jacket was covered in blood and torn. He helped her sit down on the nearest rock, "He couldn't have helped you either way- We found him unconscious at the lair. Edward is helping him over there."

"Fucker must have knocked him out when he stayed inside." She winced as he dabbed her wound with a piece of fabric he had torn from his own shirt. Gretel captured his hazy blue eyes and felt the need to pull Hansel to her, so she did and he held her, her head burying itself in the crook of his neck, "I knew you would be there."

Their moment was brief when the witch, who hang near them, started to mumble. The words didn't make any sense from the distance and Hansel got up, frustrated, facing the ugly thing, "Shut the fuck up! Be thankful I haven't ripped your tongue out you disgusting fucking excuse of a living creature!"

"Too bad we can't blow the brains out." Gretel muttered. The Mayor himself had demanded that the witch would be burned at the stake alive and because he was the one paying- he would get what he wanted.

Meanwhile the witch's eyes turned from the dull black to golden, "When the moon rises… The future opens."

Hansel and Gretel listened the mumbo jumbo voodoo the witch kept going on about, "Each time they turn out to be more and more of a headache."

"Tell me about it." Her brother agreed and took the bloody fabric he had been using to tend Gretel's wounds and stuck it in the witch's mouth, "That should keep it quiet."

She was feeling really weak as the bleeding seemed to be getting worse. He made sure to put pressure on her arm where it was deeply slashed open. Once again his hands were tinted with Gretel's blood and he hated it.

They fought, they killed…and the only thing that kept them going, that kept them sane was each other, and the knowledge that even though they knew there would never be a definite victory and wounds like these would happen- still as her blood covered his hands he knew they wouldn't stop. There would be another injury and more blood on their hands.

"It's not as bad as it looks." Gretel whispered smiling a little, trying to bring him some comfort.

She didn't want see him like this. He was quiet and anxious.

"Can I disagree?" His face was hard, but his voice crumbled into a broken whisper, "We need to get you sewn back together and cleaned up." Hansel picked his sister up and made sure to carry her even if she nagged the rest of the day.

Gretel cursed louder and louder the whole time the doctor was closing up her wounds. She had tolerated a lot of pain before, but this was surprisingly painful. The alcohol burned her skin as the doctor cleaned her wounds as best as he could to avoid infection.

Hansel cringed by her side, just hurting from watching her skin being tugged and pulled by the thread, closing the open areas.

"It is imperative you keep this area clean Miss Gretel," The man lectured, "You wouldn't want to die from an arm wound would you?"

"With all due respect- I've done this before," Gretel pulled her sleeve down, "We do appreciate your work- not many villages have the same hospitality."

"The pleasure is all mine," The man chuckled while gathering his equipment, "Not every day famous witch hunters come to me for help."

"We really appreciate it." Hansel shook the doctor's hand before directing him out of the door. Thankfully the Mayor had been so grateful that they were given a day more to relax in their inn before moving on again.

She sat on the little bed, eyes struggling to stay open after the long day, "Did he pay?"

He made his way to her and sat next to her, her brother swayed the full money bag in front of her and laughed, "Of course he did and a little extra."

"And the witch?"

"Being burned as we speak." Hansel murmured.

Gretel leaned against him, dropping her head on his shoulder.

They leaned closer to each other, barely aware that they were doing so-being drawn towards each other as usual.

Her face was pale white, her fingers tangling in the hem of her nightshirt, and clutching it in her fists, "I'll be good as new tomorrow."

Hearing her say so didn't mean that this would be a night Hansel felt secure enough to sleep with both eyes closed.

"I know you will."

There was a knock on the door.

They looked at each other and said in unison, "Come in Ben."

He peeked his head in. He seemed relaxed - usually he was bouncing off the walls whenever something like this happened. In no way was today his fault, but the boy was too young to understand that these things just happened and if they happened they would have to move on without over analyzing every detail.

"I just wanted to see if you were both okay before I went to sleep."

"We are just fine and dandy," Gretel smiled softly and lifted her bare leg in her brother's lap, "Hansel here has promised to rub my feet through the whole night."

He gave her an Are-You-Kidding-Me look and crossed his arms in front of his chest, "My sister here seemed to suffer a bigger blow to the head than suspected… maybe we should call the doctor in for another checkup."

Awkwardly he pushed her leg down. Ben was seeing far too much skin for his liking.

"Did Edward make it into the woods safely?" Hansel changed the subject knowingly.

"Yeah, he is staying closer by," Ben was silent, suddenly very quiet, and he went on gently, "I think he is worried about Gretel and wants to be closer… I mean today was pretty bad."

She blinked and swallowed, her face still impassive, "None of us could have seen it coming. Don't drown yourself in self-pity because of a lousy witch who managed to cut me up."

"I- I just wish I could have helped."

"You did." Hansel agreed with his sister, "As long as you're breathing even if you're helplessly unconscious- you're helping."

"I promise to be awake the next time this happens."

"Don't worry about it Ben," Gretel smiled, "Go to sleep. We need to be up early."

He did as she asked and left to bed with a huge weight lifted off his shoulders as it was comforting to know the siblings didn't hold a grudge over something that he had no control over.

"You will sleep next to me tonight won't you?" She asked softly, caressing the side of his face.

"If that's what you want." He murmured into her hand, kissing the palm.

"Thank you." Gretel whispered to the empty room and was at peace for once.

Hope ya'll liked this long ass chapter lol!

I don't have a lot of experience writing action- so hopefully it wasn't painful to read.

Thanks again for the reviews and keep em coming!

You can only imagine whats to come...