Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft, though I wish I do. I also don't own Hermitcraft or it's members, no one does and it's illegal to own real people.

Notes:

1) This is Hermitcraft

2) They're part of some AUs on my AO3 account: Glitched Editions, Signs in the Sea, and These Blind Eyes.

3) None of the stories are in order, I write them as soon as I come up with the idea.

Description of this Story:

Pre-Hermitcraft, Ren has been hiding for years. Well, up until he found a server filled with those that'll help keep him safe.

** Side story of the Signs in the Sea AU, the Glitched Editions series, and These Blind Eyes series. Set before Heroes of Old and Foreign Solstice, and after Reflection.

Ren's been running for a while now. For how long, he doesn't know. It's been long enough that he's gotten good at carving out sort-of dens into mountain sides. The reindeer he sees, ones he knows that have been long dead, suggest that it's been nearly three years. The simple suggestion has him whimpering where he's curled up.

Three years since his small hometown has been raided. It's been three years since he saw his parents lying dead in their home, blood pooling around the feet of the monster hunters. Three years since he and his brother separated to lower the risk of being found. The thought breaks his heart every time.

He curls up even tighter where he lays, ears flicking up towards the roof of his den. Somewhere above him, the sound of feet hitting grass moves around. Ren can hear several human voices alongside the footsteps, though he can't hear what they're saying.

The sound of hoofs hitting cold stone soon reaches his ears, and he looks up. A reindeer phases through the wall, eyes unmoving from where he lays. It huffs down at him, russet fur waving in unfelt wind, leaning down to nudge the living being into standing up. He frowns, doing as the being asks. Ren stands unsteadily on his hoofs, turning to the other.

Safety. The reindeer mutters, several others echoing from beyond the walls of stone. Shift. Now.

With a frown, Ren shifts back into human form. He quickly wraps his arms around his chest, shivering without the warmth his fur gave him. What now? He silently asks, flinching a bit when the footsteps head down towards his den's entrance.

Wait. Comes the answer, and he huffs in annoyance. Wait for what? For the hunters to find and kill him? He can't have that!

Ren shakes his head, running to a chest. Pulling out some sticks and cobblestone, he crafts a sword and turns towards the entrance. He does so in quick time, spotting two beings coming into view at the entrance. Turning, he finds that the reindeer is gone, disappearing with its suggestions.

"What do you want?" He hisses out, facing the newcomers. "I've done nothing wrong!"

The one on his right sighs as they shake their head, looking much like a creeper but red in color. They're wearing a black suit underneath the iron armor, nicely pressed despite what's thrown over them. Next to the maybe-creeper is an elf, ears long and pointed with green tips. Their left eye is gone, instead replaced with a diamond-based cybernetic. The clothes underneath the iron armor are more casual, a green sweater and pants. The elf gives him a soft smile, raising empty hands to show no threat.

"We mean no harm." The elf says, lowering their hands. "We want to give you an invite."

"To what?"

"Kindomcraft."