What sets a human apart from a monster, aside from genetics? Aside from the terrible truth? We walk the same streets. We wear the same clothes. You take a breath, and there we are, gulping the same air. We're walking in your footsteps. And even a monster can possess that most dominant of human emotion... fear. We know enough to remember what we once were. We know enough to fear what we can now do. And, like a human, we obsess over love, over life, over every lost cause. We have the same weaknesses as you. But even this doesn't make us normal. But it does make us... unforgettable.

- Being Human

After much searching, they were finally on his trail. Elsa couldn't answer why she felt the need to go with the search party, besides that she felt somewhat responsible for it all. No, she hadn't been in control of Hans' actions, but she had started blizzard that set the whole chain of events in motion. On top of that, the ugly scratches they had found on the rock walls of his empty cell after he had escaped disturbed her more than she could describe. That and the iron bars that had been ripped out like they were toothpicks.

It was something inhuman, and only she had the strength to match that much power. Yet as they drew closer, she tried to convince herself it was all just a trick. A hoax meant to rattle them. The smears of blood on the trail they were following did little to reassure her. Then they found it. A man's barefoot tracks leading into the mouth of a dark cave in the side of the mountain. They all paused, merely staring. It felt as though the cave was the face of darkness itself, emitting the kind of silence that got into your bones.

The captain of her guard nodded, then pointed at another man. "You, come with me. Everyone else wait out here. We'll call if help is needed." He instructed, leaving no room for argument. Even Elsa was rather glad to not go inside the cave if she didn't have to. She could hope that the two of them would return with Hans bound and harmless, but a knotted sort of feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that wouldn't be the case.

She watched with dreadful anticipation as the two of them lit lanterns and unsheathed their swords, before silently entering the cave. Their lanterns illuminated the rock walls for a few moments, before the darkness swallowed them. Elsa drew in a shaky breath.

"Ready more lanterns, in case we have to follow." The remaining six men snapped to do her bidding and soon four similar lanterns were lit, as they all strained to hear what was going on inside the cave. Nothing but a thick silence met them, and within a few moments, she realized some of them were shivering. Night had fallen and the moon was beginning to rise in the distance, big and full. Just enough chill in the air to couple with the uneasy feeling and send even the strongest-willed men to goosebumps.

The silence though, that was nothing. Not once a scream came echoing out of the cave. The desperate sound had them reeling in shock before Elsa rocking into action. She grabbed one of the lanterns and strode forward in determination.

"I believe that would be a call for help." She said grimly as she took her first step into the darkness. The men behind her came to life once more and flanked her. Inside, the darkness was cut with light, but stretched ahead of them without much hope for an end. Elsa pushed on faster, worry growing for the two men inside. She thought silence had fallen after the scream, but now she could make out faint whimpers in the distance. She went a little faster, catching the faint glow of lanterns in front of them.

Almost unexpectedly, the broke into a cavern and all the lanterns together cast an eerie glow on the scene. One of the first two lanterns set harmlessly on the floor, while the other had been knocked over and the glass around it had shattered. A few feet away, laid the captain. He was motionless, besides a slight rise and fall of his chest assuring that he was still alive.

And on the far wall, was Hans. He had his back to them, his hand around the second guard's neck, holding him up against the wall so his feet dangled. The man clawed at Hans' hand, his eyes wide while his mouth gaped and searched uselessly for air. Desperation clung to the air like a tangible thing.

"Hans!" Elsa called, searching her mind for something to say. What could she say? "You don't have to be a monster." She finally said, grabbing hold of the only thing that came to mind. His grip didn't move, but he turned to look at her. She took a sudden step back, stumbling against on the guards.

Hans' eyes were yellow. Green flickered in them for a moment, like a hint of human inside the unnatural, demonic yellow. They were wide and he was panting, his muscles tense. It took a moment for his eyes to focus on her, and the green flickered again. He dropped the man suddenly, and the guard crawled away, gasping for air. One of the men behind her fired a crossbow, but Hans dodged it. He took a step to the side like it was the most natural thing to do, like the arrow was nothing but a nuisance. Lips curling up, he let loose a snarl of a growl at their group.

"Get out." His voice was gravelly and angry, and nothing like the charming prince she had met during her coronation. Yet as his eyes flickered with green again, she saw what had been bothering her. Fear. The same trapped feeling she had felt once. He took a step forward and his eyes stayed completely yellow.

"I said GET OUT!" The thundering roar shook the cave around them. Elsa turned on her heel and urged the men out. They needed little encouragement from her, turning and racing out alongside her. It didn't matter that they were many and Hans was only one; something about him had chilled them all to the bone. Elsa could even feel a cold setting in that was far from natural.

As they all flew into the open air once more, she could see that the moon had fully risen now. Another blood-curdling scream came from inside the cave, and all of them turned to watch in morbid horror. There was still nothing but black. A few moments later, a howl rose up and they all took a step back. One of the men raised his still burning lantern in a trembling hand and stepped up to the mouth of the cave once more.

He hardly had a chance to peer inside, as a beast jumped out. He shot out of the cave, a blur of fur, teeth, and claws, and the next thing she knew, the man was on his back, his screams competing with the snarls from the wolf. The screams were cut off suddenly, and red blood spilled across the snow. She recoiled in horror and dimly noticed those around her dropping their lanterns and running.

Few of them made it far. It was a wolf, she made out after a moment. Much bigger than most wolves and bright red in color. Just a flash, here and there, ripping into those that ran with angry snarls and dripping fangs. As far as she knew, she saw two men make it far enough away that he didn't go after them. Then it's yellow eyes turned on her. Elsa swallowed, feeling her hands start to shake. She could use her magic. Strike it and kill it, even. But something stopped her. She wasn't sure what it was, that tug on on her gut, but she couldn't do it.

She wasn't a killer, even when it came to monsters. The multitude of books she had read kicked in, and she found herself kneeling instead. Her braid fell to the side and she bared her neck to the beast. Submission, to a wolf, was one of the easiest ways to assure that one wasn't a threat. She had read everything that was in their library during all her time alone. A lonely interest perhaps, but one that was paying off.

He approached her, and her head dropped further. Something warm and wet dripped onto the back of her neck, and she felt a hot breath panting against it. Fear had her muscles clenching and she found herself holding her breath. A few horrid moments later, the sickly sweet smell of blood faded away and she could hear the sound of paws loping away into the distance. Moments of tense silence later, another howl split the air, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. Elsa collapsed on the ground in relief.

"Your Majesty?" It was the shaken voice of one of her guards, returning. She didn't know how much time had passed that she had laid there thanking her lucky stars, but it came as a second wave of relief to know that not all her men were dead. She pushed herself up, wincing back at the sight of the bloodbath in the circle of trees.

"I'm alright." Her voice came out as a whisper. Ice crackled beneath her, and snow flurried above her, which she did her best to will away. It lessened, but didn't disappear.

"What was that?" The guard asked, sounding no better than her. He took her by the elbow and lifted her to her feet.

"I don't know." Elsa replied. The man beside her shivered.

"Do you think it killed Hans?" He asked next, looking towards the cave. Elsa looked there as well, then up along the path it had taken towards the North Mountain.

"I believe whatever that was destroyed the Prince." She said.

A/N: Okay guys! This fic will be posted as I write it, so I make no promises. I do actually have a plan for it, and figure it'll be around eight chapters or so? I know it's not any of the fics I've been promising people, but I started watching Being Human again and I just had to write this. So, everyone enjoy a werewolf fic full of angst.