The blizzards died down in a few months allowing Winter to explore the woods with Luca when Mason left to work or hunt or whatever it was he claimed to do.

On a rare day you can see the cardinals which were specks of red along the forest.

However, on this day, it was more foreboding.

Winter sat down on a log and looked up at the mountains. There wasn't much wind but a soft flurry that dusted Winter's eyelashes and hair.

"Want would a fair maiden such as yourself be doing in this forest?" Someone asked.

Winter jumped off her log. Next to her Luca growled above her at the black figure that sat amongst the trees.

"I think the better question is what is a suspicious person like you doing in the forests?" Winter asked. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you, Luca won't hesitate to tear you to shreds."

The figure jumped down from the tree and landed in front of Winter. He kicked up clumps of snow as he landed.

She heard him chuckle as he looked up at her.

This person was very peculiar, wearing all black. His hood covered his eyes, not allowing her to see his entire face. All she could see was a sharp jawline and a smirk.

"Quite some strong words for such a small girl," he chucked as he walked towards her.

Winter didn't take a step back, with Luca by her side she felt safe. Especially from strange men with hoods over their head.

Luca's fur bristled as she growled but the man kept walking towards Winter. The man took out a piece of meet from his cloak and waved it around the wolf's hungry eyes. Luca stopped growling and looked at him curiously. He threw the piece if meat into the forest, hoping that the beast would leave him and the young maiden alone.

Luca, however, didn't care for a piece of meet. The she wolf preferred to hunt for her own food than to just have it given to her by some stranger.

"I wasn't expecting that," the man said as he glared at the wolf. "I suppose I'll have to introduce myself." He bowed to Winter. "My name is Blackbird and I am the leader of the Thieves Guild. Would you be the Miss Winter I've been hearing so much about from the Northern Villages?"

"Why do you need to find Miss Winter?" Winter asked cautiously.

"I have business to settle with her."

"What type of business?"

"Why are you so interested?" He fired back.

"Maybe because I don't trust you. What if you do something to Miss Winter. You don't look very trustworthy," she said. She marched up to him and poked him in the chest for each word.

"Trustworthy? I'm a thief, my dear. I'm the most trustworthy person there is. Haven't you heard the phrase, 'Honor among thieves?'"

"So you're a thief with honor then? Like Robin Hood?" Winter asked with her arms crossed not even buying what this guy was trying to sell her.

"Robin Hood has nothing on me, dearest," Blackbird said. "The Thieves Guild is a guild made of honor, trust, and justice. If you are so worried about me doing anything to Miss Winter, then I give you my word that I will not harm a single hair on her head. I'll make a blood oath if I must."

"Blood Oath?"

"It's simple," Blackbird took out a small, thin knife. "I means the most serious of oaths," he pulled off his leather glove and sliced it across his finger.

"What are you doing?!" Winter exclaimed as she grabbed his hand. She hurriedly pulled out a small handkerchief and wrapped it around his hand. The blood bled through the cloth, staining it a dark red. "Are you mad?!"

"This is what a blood oath is. We bleed to show our dedication to our promise," he said. Winter glared at him, she didn't want anyone to bleed for her regardless if they were a thief or a citizen.

"That's stupid, you know. I think it's unnecessary, some trust is enough in my opinion."

"Well, nobody asked for your opinion."

"You're right but if I never say my opinion, I will just be talked over."

Winter looked down at their hands, noticing that there was a small trace of blood on her hands as well. She pulled away from him, keeping her hands back inside of her cloak so she didn't freeze her fingers off.

"Keep the handkerchief," she said, bitterly. Winter back away and walked towards the Northern Village, leaving the irritating and idiotic thief behind her.

"Is that a yes or a no?" He called out.

Winter turned back around and smirked. "Come here tomorrow at this exact spot. Same time as today and if you try anything on her, I'll have Luca rip your throat out."

"That's a very big threat, Miss."

"I know," she chirped.

Them she and Luca disappeared, leaving Blackbird in the forest.

Blackbird looked down at his still bleeding hand, noticing how the blood had seeped into the cloth.

He let out an idiotic grin as he looked down at the initials sown into the handkerchief. A small and barely visible W that was placed in the far corner of it.

"Until then, Miss Winter," he nodded at where Winter had disappeared before he turned around and disappeared back into the woods from which he came from.