A/N: This is my entry to the Makorra Winter Project. It's a fantasy AU based on the 2001 film Shrek. Happy New Year and Long live Makorra!

(~)

"Okay, remember what we practiced, bro."

"I know, I know." the younger brother rolled his emerald green eyes. He knew the plan by memory. After all, they had done it hundreds of times before.

The two brothers crunched down behind the bushes, keeping a sharp eye on the campers setting up their picnic. The younger brother licked his lips at the mouth watering food the humans were setting up; potato salad, salami, and beef chicken. Nothing tasted better for them than meat. After all, it was part of their diet, but in these hard times they would also settle for potato salad and bread. Anything to fill their stomachs.

The younger brother swiftly made his way across the forest floor, moving silently like a serpent until he reached the opposite side of the campsite. The older brother smirked, the pupils of his amber eyes morphing into slits and his sharp teeth bare.

The young child turned her head, "Mommy, daddy, I think I hear something." she said.

"It was just a squirrel, dear." said her mother, "This is the safest place in the forest. Nothing to be afraid of."

Mako had to suppress the chuckle that threatened to slip from his mouth. Humans could be so naive sometimes. Which made it easier for him and his brother to swindle them. Seeing his chance, he leaped forward, standing on his two legs starring directly at the family, who quivered in fear.

Before them stood a man, but not just any man. He was tall, muscular and his amber eyes glowed with a burning hunger like flames. His skin was partly pale, but had various red scales across his forehead, cheeks, and arms. He had spiky jet black hair with scarlet spikes running down across his back, and a pair of gigantic bat-like crimson wings that practically blocked out the sun, along with a long reptilian tail that moved elegantly across the forest grounds. His forearms had both scales and spikes sticking out, that appeared to rise up and down with his breathing. His fingernails were sharp like claws, despite having human hands, and had bat-like ears instead of human ones. He wore a ragged gray shirt with short sleeves and long dark pants and was barefoot. His legs looked like that of a human, but his feet instead were sharp reptilian talons. He opened his mouth, revealing his sharp inhuman-like fangs and let out a mighty roar!

His brother also leaped from the opposite side of the camp. He had the exact same characteristics of his brother, only instead of read his scales, wings, eyes, feet and tail were green. He was only a few inches shorter than his brother with his dark hair styled back instead with a small cuff resting just above his forehead. None the less, he was just as intimidating, though not at the exact same level as his brother.

Both brothers roared at the frightened humans, snarling and spreading out their wings ready to attack. The family quickly ran for their lives, leaving everything behind but each other. Once they knew they were gone the brothers reeled back, tucking their wings back and smiling in triumph. Their slits reverting back to normal before gorging down the food the family had left behind. They didn't even bother with the forks and knives, or the napkins for that matter, they just went on and at with their hands, not caring about the food that got on their faces. They were hungry enough as it is.

The younger brother swallowed the load of bread he had taken a bite out off before speaking, "This is even better than what we ate yesterday!"

"We didn't eat yesterday." said the older brother before taking another large bite onto the salami.

"Still, so much better. Hey, Mako, you don't think we overdid it, do you?"

"What, they're still alive, aren't they?"

"Yeah, but we're not really helping much by acting all scary and mean. Don't faeries have enough trouble as it is with that Lord Amon guy in charge?"

As many of you could most likely tell at this point, the two brothers were not entirely human. They were faeries. Magical humanoid creatures with the physical traits of animals. The brothers were known as the most ferocious kind of faeries there were: Dragon Faeries.

For centuries, faeries and humans have lived side by side, but as time went one and humans evolved, creating technology and building cities of cement and stone, the faeries had a hard time adapting. They were mot meant for life in a big loud city, they were creatures of nature. Granted, they could manage to survive in a city, they just didn't feel at home. Plus, the toxic fumes of cars and factories made them nauseous enough, and the fact humans kept animals locked up in cages in these places called "zoos". Humans and faeries eventually drifted away, but things became even worse for the faeries of the kingdom of Navelon, which consisted of both the kingdom as well as various valleys, rivers and mountains, so faeries were just as affected by the new laws as any of the humans living within the confinements of the kingdom's walls. Unfortunately, the new laws spelled trouble for the faeries of the land.

Ever since King Bumi had passed away, leaving no heir to inherit the throne, his loyal advisor Amon became the new regent, as Bumi had requested of him before his passing. Amon vowed to protect the city for all its inhabitants. But, he had a hatred towards faeries. After several reports of rouge faeries terrorizing people, and this was long before the two brothers were even born, Amon had made it his sole mission to make sure the faerie folks stayed in line, or else face the consequences.

The oldest brother, Mako, knew all too well of Lord Amon's recent attempts to relocate faeries he found within the boarders of the kingdom, thankfully they lived in an isolated location where Amon's men wouldn't find them.

"Bolin, Amon's the whole reason we're stuck hustling humans for their food. Because of him we have to live in that slimy swamp for the rest of our lives."

"But maybe we don't have to. Maybe we can find a better place to call home."

"No matter where we go humans will hunt us down. The world isn't like it used to be. Even if we do find a better place who's to say they won't kick us out just like they always have?" Mako sighed bitterly, "Just eat up. You never know when we'll get another chance to eat a meal like this again." he said right before taking a large bite off the chicken.

It was a hard life for the boys, but Mako knew that life was no fairytale, despite the popular belief some cultures had about faeries. In this life it's hunt or be hunted, that was his motto. Sadly, his naive brother didn't get the message just yet, but one day he would learn.

(~)

After eating the picnic food, Mako and Bolin flew back to their swamp. It wasn't exactly the best place to live, but they managed to make the most out of it. Using their incredible strength they cut down the trees and used the wood to create a cottage, big enough for both of them. The interior was mainly made of furniture the boys had managed to get out of various dumping sites and used to their advantage. They build their own sofas, wooden tables, cabinets and even a fireplace to keep warm during the long winter nights.

Mako placed the firewood into the fireplace, inhaled deeply and breathed fire to create the warmth for the night. Bolin, sadly, had a birth defect that prevented him from breathing fire, but he wasn't bothered by it. What he lacked in fire, he made up for in strength. He was amazingly strong, being able to lift up a boulder with little to no effort whatsoever. He was the strongest dragon faerie Mako had ever known. Granted, aside from his parents, he was the only other dragon faerie he knew.

Mako sat on the cabin floor, gazing into the dancing flames before him. His mind began to wander off into the distant past, where his father would breathed fire to warm the family during the winter. His father was a strong and courageous dragon. He protected their home with all of his might. His mother was, at least in his eyes, the fairest of them all. She was wise, caring and protective. Her ruby red scaled shimmered in the light like precious gemstones. Even now as a young adult he could feel her embrace, hear her voice, feet her lips brush against his forehead to kiss him goodnight. Bolin was so young when their parents died that Mako was practically the only parent he had.

As he watched his little brother curl up into his corner for the night, Mako smiled. He gently covered Bolin's upper torso with a worn out blanket before turning in for the night as well. The fire didn't stop them from drifting off to sleep. If anything, without it they probably wouldn't even be able to sleep and dream of happier times and a possible happier future.

But Mako was a realist. He wasn't about to be swept up by fairytales and false promises. He just wasn't that kind of Faerie.

(~)

I know it's short but there will be more to come, just you wait and see. Let me know what you think, I hope you guys like it. Happy Makorra!