Just a scratch. Not life threatening. Everything will be alright.

His fingers reach up to his shoulder, a tentative touch that comes back red.

Death sentence. All over. Going to die.

"Mako… Mako tell me that's just a scratch. Tell me you fell against something." Korra's voice was hollow, barely reaching above a whisper. She was in just as much denial as he was, if not more. They knew the beast left its mark minutes ago in the fight, a final act to spread its curse to the unfortunate bastard that happened to be in its way. Of course it had to be Mako that got in the way.

How long ago did it happen? How much time did he have left? Was it already starting? His thoughts were sluggish, and he hoped it was due to the shock rather than the process starting. Korra crossed the small shack after securing the door, her hands already working on pulling the clothes back from his injury. Her touch was so cold against his skin, but then again it always felt like that to the hunter.

Mako felt her tense when she examined his wound, blue eyes growing wide in fear. She shook her head, chest rising and falling in rapid succession.

"How did this happen? You were careful. You're always careful!" Her hands moved to grip the front of his shirt in her hands and she shook him, her voice rising. "Why the fuck weren't you careful!?"

He wrapped his hands over hers, holding them tightly. This was going to be the last time he would be able to hold her like this, the last time he would feel her against him. It was already hard to focus without the room spinning around them, his skin feverish and his head feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton. He eased his shirt out of her grip and brought their hands up to his lips, placing a tender kiss to her palms. He could feel her start to tremble, knowing she was on the verge of tears.

"You know what you're going to have to do-"

"I'm not going to. I won't." She argued, her voice thick with emotions.

"Korra, I don't want to become one of those… thing. You have to do this. For me." He said firmly, his thumbs rubbing tight circles on the back of her hands. They locked eyes, trying to say what they never had the chance to before. You mean everything to me. I'm sorry. You're amazing. I love you. If he could go back before the events of tonight, Mako would tell her this and more, but it was long past the time for if's. He let her hands go and cupped her face, tilting his head down to give her a final kiss as he tried not to react to the soft click of her pouch opening. It was only a matter of seconds.

"Don't you dare miss." He ordered, squeezing his eyes shut. One… two… three…

Her aim was just as accurate as it always was, the tip of the blade slicing through him with relative ease. He had hoped it would have been painless- an absurd thought to have after handling the same weapons for years- but the instant the weapon went through him there was nothing but blinding pain. His mouth snapped opened but he couldn't tell if he had yelled out or was left in silence from the fatal blow. The ground came up to meet him in a blur of colors, Korra following suit as she tried to hold on to what life he had left in him. She was crying by now. He hated it when she cried. Mako tried to tell her this but couldn't manage to form words. He would tell her-

No. No, there would be no telling her anything. He was dying in a hell hole of a shack in some Godforsaken forest. A simple mission to hunt down a monster had cost them one of their own.

At least it wasn't Korra.

He relaxed in his arms, dark brown eyes fixed on the night sky that was visible through a hole in the ceiling with an unfocused stare. At least he had this much in his last moments.

FOUR YEARS LATER

It was just meant to be a routine mission. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just an in-and-out hunt that shouldn't have taken more than a few hours, but this?

This was a game changer.

Korra stood rooted to the spot, unable to tear her eyes from what she was seeing just feet away. There was a chill that made her blood run cold, and she wasn't sure it was because of the night air. This was the monster that had been killing the residents of the village. The one that her group had been hunting for months. This was the damn beast that had been rumored to have been seeing during all hours of the night and day.

This was the bastard that was currently tearing into the neck of another victim as she stood by in shock.

It wasn't her first hunt. She quickly became acquainted to the sight and smell of blood and carnage, investigating gruesome murders a walk in the park, but nothing could have readied the young huntress for this moment.

"Korra! Korra, do you read me? Dammit, report!"

The crackle of her radio nearly gave her a heart attack, the restless tech on the other line sounding too nervous. Her hand fumbled with the device, eyes watching the monster in front of her tense at the sudden let the body of its recent victim drop to the ground, a feral growl coming from its direction. Korra's heart hammered against her chest, her voice caught in her throat as the figure turned towards her, blood staining its mouth and tattered shirt.

"Korra! Do you copy!?"

The monster growled again, dropping into a crouch. She couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. She killed him. She watched him die. She buried his fucking body by that fucking shack. This couldn't be him.

Bright amber eyes glared at her in the dark, the moon peeking through the thick clouds and causing the monster's eyes to reflect an eerie green glow. Neither of them moved. Neither of them tried to make a sound. Korra licked her lips nervously and whispered in a quiet voice.

"Mako?"

The monster's face contorted in a snarl, upper lip drawn back to flash the elongated canines that were tinted with blood before it lunged towards her.