Krampus

Krampus moved silently through the snow-dusted streets, his hooves made only the faintest of whispers on the cobblestones despite his imposing size. The small, sleepy town lay still, its windows dark and its chimneys exhaling the last breaths of warmth for the night. He thrived in this silence, it stretched across the world like an invitation.

He was not a creature of chaos but of consequence, a shadow born to balance the season of joy with the sharp edge of justice. With every step, his eyes scanned the town from corner to roof, his occasional snort of approval when he spotted sleeping figures behind closed windows a subtle counterpoint to the biting winter wind.

Then he saw it, a lone figure, their silhouette faintly illuminated by the flicker of a distant streetlamp. They walked briskly, their breath misting in the air, unaware of the predator that now watched them. Krampus tilted his horned head, his yellow eyes narrowing with a gleam of cruel curiosity. Their hurried steps crunchined against the snow as if trying to outrun the chill of the night. But the chill was not the only thing pursuing them.

Krampus began to close the distance, his massive frame moving with an unnatural grace. The person hesitated, their head turning slightly, sensing the presence of something behind them. It was at that point that Krampus stepped into the glow of the nearest streetlamp, his towering silhouette casting a grotesque shadow across the snow. The figure froze, their breath catching in their throat as they turned fully to face him.

“You walk alone on a night such as this,” Krampus growled, his voice low and guttural, like the grinding of stone. “Do you know the dangers that linger in the dark?”

The figure stammered, their voice trembling, but Krampus raised a clawed hand to silence them. "I have come for answers, not excuses. Tell me, are you one deserving of reward... or punishment?”

The wind howled through the empty street, carrying the weight of his question. He wanted to give them a chance to explain their presence here. Lying would be futile. Krampus could sense if someone tried to conceal the truth to that question.