Had an idea and I'm just gonna roll with it. Let me know what you think, yeah? I rewatched Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and one random part of an idea lead down a rabbit hole and... well, here we are. I'm gonna try to make it better and mesh this crossover together. It's past 1 here so if there's any mistakes, I'll fix it later. Before you immediately ask me to update, I have an idea on where to go with this - not sure the finer details. You can request something to go on with this story or any of my other... and that would kinda help actually.

I like this idea already and am sorry to the people that are just dropping in/discovering this. I can promise I'm not gonna wait to update once every three months and that counts for something. LOL Anyway, moving on...

Story: Tinted Red

M rated.

Hansel (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters) x Ruby/Red Riding Hood (Once Upon a time)

Hansel seemed fine, with Gretel by his side and his weapon clutched tightly in hand... how could he not be? However, something - someone - was missing. His soulmark could silently attest to that. Turns out? She was undoubtedly beautiful, with her bright eyes that shone like a thousand stars… too bad she shifted into one of the things that many felt should be hunted... the wild animal she was.

Hunger.

That was the only thing that registered beyond the cold as he clutched at his sister, trying to thaw himself with the body heat she provided. It seemed that the betrayal of being left in the forest by their father numbed as hunger clawed at his stomach... the fidget air making each inhale almost burn. He was certain that he, they, were going to die out here. With no food or water, they were sure to not last long... but it would be with their luck that they get eaten by rabid animal long before their deaths. Hansel gulped in desperation, his dark eyes shifting around the night air that surrounded them and clutched at his sister tighter. Their clothes provided close to no warmth.

How could he just leave us? Was a thought that ran rampant in his brain, one that he just couldn't shake. Where do we go from here? Gretel was younger than he, making it his responsibility to take care of her when their parents were… elsewhere. He pulled Gretel to lay under the underbrush, something telling him that they needed to hide further from what could be lurking within the darkness. Coupled with that, an unknown emotion stirred within his gut; telling without words that something was wrong. Very, very wrong. He wished he knew what it was so he could shake the feeling of preservation pulsing through his veins. He stared upward, a prayer for survival on his insolent mind as he gazed upon moonlit sky above, which vaguely shone on the leaves that provided another layer of camouflage for them. The sound of crickets and the squawking of ravens reached their ears, penetrating the near silence, before a rustle of movement reached their ears.

At first, Hansel knew naught what it was; a fragmentation of his hope or was it their father, come to bring them back to the warmth of their home? Gretel picked up her head and it was only because Hansel was so close that he heard the murmured, "Da?" Hope surged within him, along with something that was almost dread, as she voiced the question a little louder. Before he could bare to utter her name, his dear little sister pulled herself out of his arms and with a hand reaching to push the overhead leaves aside, she moved forward as quietly as she could. With a gulp, he followed her lead for whatever was out there, hidden within the darkness… Hansel knew that he wouldn't let his sister face it alone. He watched silently as she stepped forward once more, the distance between them slowly growing. Slowly, a silhouette pulled from the gloom around them, only it wasn't who they had hoped for. For one, he stood straighter than their father ever did and then… they saw it. The being pulled the surrounding shadows with it, and if it wasn't for soft light that shone down on them… they would have been crept upon by whom they saw.

It was undoubtedly one of the dark knights of the Queen. Questioned to be even human by some, a shell that was commanded by her evil sorcery. We need to go… now. Something within Hansel's mind hissed in awareness but he couldn't get the terror out of his bloodstream long enough to do something about it. They were going to die or worse, become one of her puppets as well. No… No…. Gretel!

With his sister's life on the line, something awakened within him and it made him dart forward and pull her back to her. The movement got the knight's full attention, and Hansel knew not about Gretel but he was sure he could feel the full weight of the man's stare. Gretel let out a whimper, sounding wet with the tears that was sure to be streaming down her face by now and Hansel struggled to pull her away as the man seemed to swiftly close the distance.

"No." The word fell from his lips in an almost growl as the boy pulled her further into the darkness. He had to hand it to her though, even though Gretel was out of her mind with worry… she still sought to keep up, stumbling with him through the fallen branches of the Enchanted Forest. The only reason he wasn't was because of her, because if he lost it… who would Gretel look around to depend on. He could panic later, if he did it now then there would be no telling just when he would be able to resume movement. Then where would Gretel be? In the hands of some… some witch? No… Not now… for Gretel…

After urging himself to think quickly, he directed her further into the darkness before sinking down deeply onto the slope while hoping that the heavy darkness shrouding them would be the perfect cover. A rustle of movement was the only warning that they had before the knight frantically searched for her in the brush, probably thinking of what could happen to them if his Queen found out that he was incompetent enough to lose two children. His death would follow, surely. Perhaps the knight wasn't a puppet, maybe he was just cursed with a warped sense of duty and a whole lot of greed. Gretel struggled to breath normally, her heart pounding against her rib cage; Hansel knew only because he was sure that she could hear his. He only prayed that the black knight couldn't hear as Hansel held his breath.

After a few minutes of frantic rustling of the leaves around them, a male voice spoke up telling the knight in a stoic, emotionless voice that their Queen needed him. Hansel had a moment to worry for the knight, whom of which would have some explaining to do, but then quickly dismissed it. He had already made his choice, whomever he was behind the helmet; better the knight than the two of them. They were naught but children, after all. All the same, he didn't dare breathe too loudly until a while after the near silence settled upon them once more. A pained breath was released from his lips once more, heavy as it was, and Hansel almost welcomed the pain… because that meant that he was alive. They were still alive and as long as they were still alive, there was also still a flicker of hope on their horizon.

The squawking and crickets pierced their way past the numbness of his ears, and he gazed down at Gretel in relief… only to wonder what she was eyeing past his form with such astonishment. Slowly, he turned his head and he himself wondered if the hunger was making him hallucinate. It's not real… it can't be, right? Hansel wondered with a mixture of shock and childish glee as he too moved and stared side by side with Gretel at the house seemed to be constructed of cake, candy, and many more treats than what was even imaginable. He turned his head to her; looking into her wide brown eyes that darkened with the night to match her hair, a cut somehow having gotten on her right cheek and leaking her life essence.

Turning back to look at the house, they moved slowly toward it with hunger gnawing at their insides and pooling saliva in their mouths. Gretel looked upward at the last second, catching sight of a towering tree before shifting her gaze back to the bright, glossy frosting that covered roof of the house. Frozen in time as it dropped from the edges like icicles, Gretel's innocent eyes zoned in on it - with the earthy tones around it was near impossible to not do so - immediately before she scanned for any life on the grounds. Hansel's eyes glossed over at the smells that assaulted his senses but after sharing a look with Gretel, forced himself back. They ran at the door, yelling for help with abandon for their minds were focused on the mere promise of warmth.

And after a few long minutes past by with no answer to their screams for help, they reckoned that no one was home and their hunger finally consumed them. They ate off the house, and when they swallowed the double doors somehow opened… beckoning them into the revealed void and away from the cool temperatures. And like idiots, the pair of them stepped inside… unaware until the doors shut that they probably would have had better chances with Queen.

For one by one, candles were set aflame and as they watched with amazement and curiosity, they were unaware that they were being watched until minutes later. A shadow caught their eye then, directly in front of them, and surprise made them jump backwards until their backs hit the door. They were trapped within a candy house, underneath wide… hungry… orbs that looked at them like prey. Like how Hansel looked at meat, and the comparison was lost to him as fright took over him. The woman stepped forward, with graying hair and wrinkly skin that merely hinted at how long she walked this earth. She smiled at them, displaying her full sharpened teeth that looked too canine to be normal and it was when she darted forward with purpose that the fright became too much.

Hansel's world swiftly darkened, and before he slumped over… he could have sworn he felt Gretel touch his side as she too fell under.

No one will come for them, that much was clear even with their impending doom looming over them. From the cage that she held him in, Hansel locked his fearful eyes with Gretel's before he winced at the smack that the being landed on her cheek. She fell from the force of the blow but didn't go far due to the heavy chain that nearly kept her in place and he had barely a moment's notice to back away from the webbed face of the cage as she lunged hungrily for him. A snarl released from the… witch's mouth, displaying rotten teeth and gum disease, and he felt the shiver crawl down his spine. "EAT!" She demanded of him, a giant cookie with pale blue icing in her hand and when he didn't take it, she threw it in his lap and raced for her knife.

The long blade was quickly placed at Gretel's neck as the witch forced her body up, a challenge in her eye that said she would have no problems slicking the younger girl's untouched neck should he not follow her demands. "...Eat." He took one long look at his sister, terrified for her and not understanding why this was happening after all the attempts to protect her… and forced himself to take a bite. The witch growled in approval this time and roughly forced her captive to help bring firewood to what looked to a huge oven, when the younger girl wasn't looking Hansel saw the witch look at her passing reflection in the one mirror hanging up on the wall with something like… dismay. He realized then, she was cursed and hungry… what if, eating children was how she could look… well, not old? She's gonna cook us… Hansel acknowledged with shock, dismay and growing survival instincts.

"It's still not hot enough?!" She screeched incredulously before turning her full body to Gretel and demanding more wood in that rough tone of hers. He didn't have anywhere to go but with her as she threw open the cage and dragged him out in the direction of the heat. All he could account was the struggle, the tight grasp she held his forearms in as she pulled him forward like a rag doll… and she threw him down and opened the door to the open. He remembers the squeaking sound that it made even into his adult years; and when he could see past the pain from hitting his head hard, his sister stood over him with a bloody sword. With heavy breaths from her lips, Gretel reached down and cut the rope that bound his hands and once again, Hansel felt like he missed something. Something important… though he was just thankful that the both of them were still alive.

Together… he thought with near astonishment as she helped him up. He spent so much time trying to protect Gretel that Hansel didn't even entertain the fact that he could rely on her as well. So… Together they worked as a team: him hitting her with a huge wooden meat cleaver to knock her onto the heavy and steel platform and the both of them pulling the chain to close it, her helplessly rolling into the flames.

There they stood in front of the tinted glass, watching side by side as the witch screamed as fire licked at her flesh… her body burning alongside the bones of her victims.

Hatred glared through Gretel's orbs as she stared daggers into the dirty glass, and she called in her soft accent, "Is it hot enough for you now, bitch?" And even though Hansel was shocked at her language, because he knew their parents would never allow her to talk like that, he thought that after all of that… she earned the right. Besides, it wasn't like their parents cared about them anyway. And as they both watched, heaving from adrenaline as it coursed through their systems… they realized that this witch couldn't possibly be the only witch in existence or the only one that preyed on humans.

They shared a look, for tonight was their victory… and maybe not tomorrow or anytime soon, but both made a pact that they were going to take a stand. They straightened up, tall in their accomplishment, and grabbed at the other's hand in unison.

Side by side, as always.

My sister and I? Never saw our parents again after that fateful night.

It was just the two of us… we leaned on each other, supported one another throughout the years that had come to pass.

But we learned a couple of things whilst locked inside that witch house, after barely walking away with our lives:

Never, ever, walk into a house that's made of candy.

And if you are gonna to kill a witch? Make sure that you set her ass on fire.

But that past made us stronger. We'd gotten the taste of blood, witch blood. And we haven't stopped since.

It wasn't long though before we also realized that there were other things that preyed on humans. Otherworldly beings: The werewolves, such a violent, mindless breed. Reckless instincts all wrapped up into a snarling, furry package. We stand for the justice of the already decayed, we stand for taken… and they will all know our names, fear will course through them at the mere mention, by the time that we are through.

I highly doubt that time will ever come, but it will be one hell of a ride to get there.

I could only hope that the red tinted moon soul mark that showed up when I was a reckless sixteen year old has nothing to do with what I think it pertains to.

...Because that would definitely be my luck.

Elsewhere… a young woman with bright hazel eyes and dark brown curly hair walked past the newest group of hunters that was set to go out… and when she was sure that no one would see, she reached a right hand underneath her left, red cloaked arm in worry. She tried in vain to search for it and Red prayed all the way to her grandmother's cottage that wherever her mate was, he or she was safe.

Little did he know, she worried her lip that precise moment that it was him that was the werewolf. Worried that he wouldn't want her when she found out his secret. Worried that one day, he would kill her. Worried that he wasn't safe and that she couldn't help him because she didn't even know what he looked like… let alone if their mark was even enough. Frustration grasped at her heart and seemed unable to release.

Little did she know? He was getting closer than she ever would have thought.

Soo….? What do you think so far?