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The main compound was unusually full of people, milling and gathering to participate. Or rather, observe the excitement. Wolves were social creatures after all; a gathering of this size was a curiosity and a calling even for those who would not be competing in the Hunt. Packs from near and far filled the courtyard. The air was sharp with anticipation.
From his position as a prize on the main deck of the courtyard, Mingi had a fair view of the sea of wolves. He recognized various packs from previous Hunts, clan meetings, and most recently fighting alongside them in the War. In any other circumstances, Mingi would love to be surrounded by dozens of people. He was always ready to meet someone new bound as he was by leading the main pack of the Southern clans. But now, he would have to marry one of them and that put quite a damper on things this time around.
He wished this gathering would never have happened at all, but if it had to happen, why did it have to happen on the hot hazy days of summer just before his birthday? Even though he was accustomed to the heat of his home, he felt a never-ending trail of sweat down his back. The heavy ceremonial robes clung to his skin and he didn’t expect much better from his hair. It seemed as if the presence of so many wolves had even blocked the occasional winds that passed through the courtyard.
He looked through the crowd of potential suitors with its exciting configuration of hair colors, statures, and features. Again, no one caught his eye. Frustrated, his attention drifted back to main deck where he caught Jongho pulling at his collar of his ceremonial dress and Yeosang making a poor attempt of righting it.
“It’s too hot for all that,” He groaned into their flirting. He was happy for them. He usually was, but right now, as he baked in the sun hoping for a worthy suitor, he couldn’t remember why. Why couldn’t he and Yeosang have worked out and saved him from this whole awful affair?
After all, Yeosang had come to their pack to be courted by him, but here he remained as Jongho's intended when it was clear Mingi and him would not work. With his heart shaped face and small mouth, Yeosang was beautiful, the embodiment of a golden flower. As a wolf, his golden fur shone in the sun. Beautiful and sharp edged. A flower with thorns that easily sliced through skin. Mingi had liked how he looked when he first arrived. Yet, Yeosang's comments could be as sharp as his beauty. The strike of his words were more capable of hurting him than his paws. And Mingi at heart, despite his appearance, was soft and it was immediately clear they would not last as a pair. But Yeosang has softened here under Jongho’s strong hands and he found himself spending as much time with them as his duty would allow when they weren’t distracted with each other.
“Behave,” a voice warned. He refused to turn, already knowing the pinched expression Seonghwa would be giving them. Advisor and minder both, the whispered words had Jongho and Yeosang shuffling into decorum.
As if they had sensed renewed focus, another entourage came forward bearing their chosen Hunter. He was of medium height and stocky build with brown hair that carefully curled onto his forehead. Mingi knew that the amalgamation of his features were handsome but could not feel more than a passing interest as the man, Youngjae, carefully scented his wrist.
No one had dared scent his wrist before he donned these bright robes and painted his face with makeup that sat heavy and unfamiliar on his face. Outside of the battlefield, most, with the exception of his packmates, kept a safe distance from him. Eyes quickly turned away even if he caught them staring. The gap between him and his clan became ever more apparent as he grew to be a head taller in wolf and human form.
He wanted to laugh. Mingi found the whole farce hilarious considering aside from his massive height, he was one of the Southern clan’s best warriors. He certainly wouldn’t be caught in the Hunt if he didn’t want to and had no need for a mate. Yet, no matter how he had protested, he could not escape his princely duties. He must be Hunted and he must be married by the summer eclipse. Wolves were creatures of habit; life began and ended with the Hunt.
Irritable, he fiddled with the belt at his waist as another suitor stated their name for the Hunt. They were all bland and predictable except for San's bold wink to a red faced Wooyoung who stood behind him. He was only competing in the Hunt to increase his favorability in his pack. He wanted to be allowed to Hunt for Wooyoung who would inevitably go through the same thing next year as another unmated future pack head. The afternoon seemed to drag through the balmy haze of summer.
He snapped to attention when an uncanny silence fell over the once loud courtyard. The hair on his arms rose as he heard low growls from the wolves below. He could hear his brother’s whispers behind him. A haze of aggression and defensiveness tickled his nose.
Before he could even crane his neck to see what had changed, the crowd parted for a small group. His heart stuttered when he saw the first man. He alone towered above the wolves who filled the courtyard. His short black hair clearly showed the rounded ears that marked him as a dog shifter. For Mingi, his ears weren't not a surprise, rather how his face had slimmed into adulthood.
The Great Dog-Wolf War had ended long before the start of the summer heat, but peace was a tenuous thing. Wolves and the dogs that had once lived under them had split and now occupied separate territories. With the war so fresh, visiting territories was allowed by the treaty at the risk of one's own life. Yunho, a dog demon who had shared his childhood with Mingi, was risking his life returning here. What was he thinking?
When Yunho finally reached him, he smiled an easy smile Mingi hadn’t seen in years, smoothing away the gnawing anxiety at his sudden appearance. It felt like it was just the two of them in the courtyard. He flushed when Yunho kissed his hand twice instead of doing the customary scenting of the wrist.
“May I compete for your hand in the Hunt?” he asked. His voice was deeper than he remembered, but just hearing it brought back memories of running through the woods with someone to match his strides, sparring with someone at his back, and of course, hearing what he thought was a final goodbye. A wave of conflicting emotions rocked through him.
Before he could think, Mingi breathed out a yes. Yunho’s smile grew even brighter and he looked away, unable to handle the sight of it. He heard a heavy sigh from Seonghwa and Wooyoung’s snickering. Permission received, Yunho and the two dog demons who accompanied him departed swiftly. The rest of the ceremony was a blur. He accepted the rest of the proposals distractedly, only aware of what felt like a brand of Yunho’s lips on the back of his hand.
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Later that night, after the moon rose, Mingi laid on his pallet, stiff and still, counting the minutes until it was safe to sneak out. He focused on the various scents of his packmates before slowly moving to unfamiliar scents of other packs who slept just outside the courtyard. Time moved slowly as he waited.
He heard the swift sound of running paws coming to a stop outside of the compound. Soon, the sound morphed into two feet walking and he could smell with certainty that Hongjoong had finally returned home. He had promised he would be back by the day of Mingi’s Hunt. The fact that he had come back proved there was nothing he could do to escape this tradition.
He only dared to move when he felt the brightness of moonlight moving over his face. Inside and outside, sleepy sounds filled the air: snuffling, shifting, and occasional snoring. He rose carefully. He exited his room, boldly walking in the center of the wood floors where he knew it creaked less.
He turned the corner. The sight of Yeosang laying on the ground in wolf form with his golden form shining in the dark was unsurprising. It was ironic that Yeosang, the only one who had never met Yunho, waited for him now. A flush of shame rose as he remembered Yeosang’s wide eyed surprise of catching him weeping over his lost friend when he thought he was alone after a battle. He rarely spoke of Yunho now, but he was unsure of how much Jongho had told Yeosang.
His blue wolf eyes watched Mingi silently move to the wall of the compound. He turned back when he dropped over the wall, but Yeosang merely turned away from him. Mingi took it as the quiet acquiescence it was.
Once outside the walls, he moved faster certain of his destination. A short run from home that had felt excitingly far when he had smaller paws, there was a tree with lightning scar that wound from top to bottom. It had been their spot growing up. Muted feelings of warmth, comfort, and playfulness passed through him; he remembered the joy of spending his days as a pup there more than he remembered anything else.
Now, his fond feelings of the place were murky with his recent memories of it. He used to wait for Yunho there once the war started. He didn’t know if he expected Yunho to come back, apologize, or kill him if he found him under that tree. He never came of course. Maybe, that was worse. He shook the feelings off as he followed the familiar path to the tree. The night was clear and bright like the moon herself was guiding him to his destination.
In a mockery of all the times he had imagined this over the years, Yunho was already there waiting for him. He turned at the sound of Mingi’s approach like he had been caught pacing. His long arms relaxed and he carefully held them open by his side like an offering of peace. He needn't have bothered. Mingi would have come here even if he knew Yunho was waiting with exposed canine teeth.
Now on the same level without the elevated dais, he could tell Yunho matched his towering height. They had always been the biggest of children together. At least that hadn’t changed. He had changed out of the gold trim tunic he had been wearing earlier into casual black clothes. Alone now with less people, he could scent him more clearly. Confirming the nervousness he expected but also excitement and new notes that must be his pack. The sharp pain of that realization was unexpected, but without the war, would Yunho’s scent still be as familiar to him as it was then? There would be no strange notes of the dogs who formed his new pack.
Yunho watched him silently as he stepped in a slow half circle. His palms remained still at his side, the expression on his face frozen in a small upturn in his mouth, a seriousness to his eyes and curve of his lips that Mingi had never known before.
“What are you doing back here, Yunho?” Mingi finally asked, realizing that Yunho would wait for him to speak.
His face crumpled in hurt and Mingi found himself taking an immediate step closer, still so reactive to his pain all these years later.
“That’s not fair, Yunho,” he said defensively, fighting the urge to wrap his arms around himself, “You chose your family over me. Over all of us.”
“I had to,” Yunho said calmly and that only made Mingi more upset.
“You had to go to war against us?!” he exclaimed, “We were your family. More than anyone else. You chose dog demons who didn’t even know you like we did.”
“Mingi, you were the only person who would even call me by my name here,” Yunho said, holding his gaze, large brown eyes full of pain. He wanted to immediately deny it, but he knew it was true. Even Jongho, who was still pup then, knew not to say Yunho’s name unless he was amongst the closest members of their pack.
The answering silence said it all, but that didn’t mean he was right to abandon him. Did it? Mingi had cared for him. Loved him the best way he could back then. Yunho sighed and raked a hand across his face. A habit that he had developed since he was gone. It made him look so tired.
“I came back because I want to try again,” he said.
“There’s nothing anymore. You ruined everything when you left and chose to fight against us, your family.” Mingi knew the words were cruel. Not at all what he had wanted to say to him when he had imagined this conversation over the years, but there was a heavy cloud in his mind and dark tar in his heart when he remembered being left alone to face the taunts of calling a dog demon a friend before he grew big enough to defend himself.
“Things are better now,” Yunho said, still so calm. His gaze was looking up at the dead branches of the tree that never bore leaves.
“You are making them worse by coming here!” Mingi shouted. His chest heaved. He wanted Yunho to look at him. To understand. He had always loved fighting, sparring, and testing his skill against his pack, but he had learned quickly that war was different. The years were dark, filled with bitter memories of claws drenched in blood, constant pain from still healing wounds, and bone-tired exhaustion of constantly being on the move.
He sighed now too, following his gaze to branch where a singular bud rose from the charred skeleton. “We went to war, Yunho and now you want to ask for my hand in marriage.”
“Yes,” they locked eyes. “Before we could never be together because I would always be your pet. I would stay by your side. Then, the war would end and we would be here again waiting for your Hunt and I would have to watch a wolf who could never know you like I did compete and win your hand. I would have to watch you mate with someone who wasn’t me…and I couldn’t do that, princess.”
“Don’t call me that,” Mingi whispered, pressing firm fists to his eyes. Princess rang in his head. Yunho had always called him that even with the other children and even older boys had called him scary for his long fangs and towering height. Yet, to Yunho then, he was always princess, someone he would protect. Then, war broke out and he woke up to find Yunho gone. He had told him that he would do anything for him.
He was here now. They could tie themselves together forever after the Hunt. And then what? Mingi stumbled out the first words that came to his head. Even if this worked, “You know I can’t submit to you.”
“Why not?” The hardness in his voice was back. They both knew why. Because they were wolf and dog and there had never been such a thing before. But, Mingi had never cared growing up. He had clung to Yunho as his equal, as a protector even though he had been raised to believe that as wolves, they were superior to dogs. He waited under this tree time after time instead of training hoping that Yunho would come back even if it was just to press claws to his neck.
“Mingi, don’t cry,” Yunho said quietly. He wanted to immediately deny it but as if saying the words made it true, Mingi could feel the hot tears pouring down his face and the slight burning of his eyes. He wanted Yunho to hold him so badly as he quietly shook with silent tears. He only smoothed a quick hand on his neck, barely a touch at all.
He fought the urge to keen but he made a sound anyway. Yunho’s eyes narrowed and his scent filled the air. His voice was deeper when he said, “I can’t touch you now. Everyone will know and I will be disqualified before I can ever touch you again.”
He had forgotten the strict rules of the Hunt. He took a moment to take a few stabilizing breaths as he wiped his face. “You’ll hunt me then?”
"If you'll have me," Yunho said, voice quiet. He ducked his head so their eyes met. His eyes were open and honest, so achingly soft but he could also see the determined set of his mouth.
Feeling calmer, “They'll want to kill you. All of them,” he said wryly, voice still thick from the tears he had shed.
“I’ll win,” Yunho said. He smiled, calm and easy and like that afternoon, he felt his concern melting away. He found himself smiling back.
"For you, I'll win," he repeated.
Embarrassed, he mumbled, “I have to go.”
Yunho merely nodded, sweeping his eyes up and down his form slowly. His eyes were hungry like this was the last time he would see him. Mingi turned away quickly, blushing as he put some distance between them. Before he took off, he looked back. Unlike when he turned to watch Yeosang, he found Yunho's eyes still on him. His ears were hot with embarrassment.
“Good night, princess,” Yunho called to his retreating back.
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He was dead to the world until a heavy weight pulled him out of sleep. “Up, Mangi. You’re getting hunted today.”
He woke to find a smirking Wooyoung sitting on his stomach. Teeth sharp, long black hair pulled into the low knot he preferred these days, it was obvious he had been awake for a while. When he merely yawned and closed his eyes again, Wooyoung continued on, “Where’s your enthusiasm? I thought you would be excited to have so many interested. Personally, I thought you would get none.”
The weight on his stomach was gone before he could even lunge for him. Course. Fully awake now, he followed Wooyoung to his inevitable spot at breakfast. The compound was loud even now and raised voices greeted him before he could even smell food.
Breakfast itself was a quick but rowdy affair. With Hongjoong back and Seonghwa’s easy relaxation in response, no one stopped Wooyoung from pestering the entire table or Jongho from attempting to lift both Yeosang and the low table all at once. Today, no one lingered in the room gnawing on the bones of their breakfast. They had to leave time for the grueling process of preparing him for the Hunt.
Mingi was grateful for his brothers as they made light of his beautification, cracking jokes as they bathed, combed, and pinched him to some semblance of a wolf worthy of being Hunted. The final step was the donning of a thin white robe that he worried would look silly on his massive body, but they assured him flattered him nicely.
Then, Wooyoung, Jongho, and Yeosang left him for the grounds. The quiet after their departure allowed the anxieties that had riddled him since the Hunt was announced to claw their way into the forefront of his mind. For the first time since he was a child, he would be prey.
In the mirror, he looked at a version of himself that more closely fit that description. His skin looked softer and milkier than it ever did. They had put some oil in his hair that made it shine and fall gently instead of the usual spikes he kept it in. It made his features look delicate rather than the lupine sharpness he normally carried.
He caught Seonghwa’s eyes in the mirror as he leaned forward to gently adjust the robes on his shoulder, careful not to touch so his scent wouldn’t cling to his skin no more than that of a close packmate. As emissary and advisor, it was Hongjoong and Seonghwa’s duty to escort him to the Hunting grounds. He turned away from his reflection to face them now, equally relieved to have them still at his side and apprehensive of what they would tell him now.
Unsurprisingly, Seonghwa started first, placing a quiet hand on Hongjoong’s knee. “We all love you. No matter what. If you don’t want any of them, don’t let them catch you.”
A pause. “Even if it is Yunho.”
Mingi looked up sharply at that, eyes wide with surprise. They hadn’t talked about Yunho even after they had left the gathered crowds. He hadn’t wanted to talk about him to be honest, caught in his own inner turmoil and partially ashamed of his inability to treat Yunho like an enemy. Seonghwa only smiled gently before nudging Hongjoong. He stretched forward to carefully pass him a waist pouch that hung on a gold belt that was wrapped in white cloth. “We support whatever decision you make. The war is over and we must move forward. Forgive."
That loosened the knot in his chest that he hadn’t even realized was there. The thought of Hongjoong exiling him had kept him up long after he had returned from the burnt tree. He knew he could forgive Yunho, but if his pack didn’t, he wasn’t sure what he would choose.
“Thank you,” he said, shy now. He quickly wrapped the belt around his waist.
He could hear the smile in Seonghwa’s voice when he said, “Remember we love you.”
“Always,” Hongjoong quietly added.
There was a new lightness in his step that even careful concealing of his emotions could not hide as they left the compound. They passed through the front gate unlike he did on his trip out last night. Hongjoong and Seonghwa flanked his steps in a reversal of the usual order of things. They made their way out to the forest where everyone waited silently. The ritual had already begun.
The tall trees stretched into the bright early morning sky and he could now pick out individual faces of the crowd that watched their approach. The Hunters stood further still, closer to the forest that would decide his fate. He thought of how meters away in the same forest, Yunho had briefly touched his neck. The scent of it was long gone, if it had even remained when he returned home, the touch so brief.
He looked for him in the group. He kept his face neutral and his gaze moving through quickly passing over familiar and much more recently acquainted faces. He couldn’t be seen as partial to anyone though he was sure word of Yunho’s return had passed from mouths to ears before the sun had even set yesterday. He found him easily. His rounded ears on his head above everyone’s made him easily stand out. Yunho was topless, displaying a breadth that was easy to miss under his clothes. Where wolves tended to lean and long, Yunho’s body carried a bulk that gave a force to his presence. He glanced away when he realized that Yunho was already watching him.
Focused on the larger group again, he noticed how Yunho stood slightly apart from everyone else. How long would it be before someone got bold enough to attack him in the cover of the forest? They might even surround him if they felt like the Hunt was outside of the laws of the treaty.
He didn’t have time to follow his train of thought as the shaman finally emerged from the forest. The silence held and congealed into a heavy tension as everyone turned to watch the spiritual leader of their people. Only then did he feel Yunho’s gaze leave him.
Though rarely seen, it was easy to guess who the shaman was. He was skinnier than most wolves, what would be considered the runt of the pack if he didn’t live so separately from them all. He wore black robes that looked like the complement to his own white one. He raised his skinny arms to the sun swaying, revealing rows of heavy bangles impractical for anyone who regularly shifted.
Seonghwa and Hongjoong quietly folded themselves into the crowd of watchers. He was alone now. He breathed in slowly, calming himself with the crispness of the forest breeze cutting through the early heat of the day.
He couldn’t help but take another glance toward Yunho now that he wouldn’t be caught. With his back to him, he only glimpsed the surprising sight of a large scar across his back before another Hunter blocked his view.
The shaman began speaking, voice raising steadily until his words filled the whole clearing. “Before the trees, the roots, the grass, the dirt, the rocks, the water, the ashes of those who have gone, we pray to the sun and the moon who will follow for their blessing in this Hunt.”
For the first time, the shaman opened his eyes and Mingi met yellow eyes sparking with a preternatural glow. Still, he felt compelled to approach him. One foot in front of the other, he found himself moving closer to the chanting shaman.
“Make your vessel's feet swift. Make your vessel's arms sure. If they are paws, even more swift. Make your vessel's nails sharp. If they are claws, even more sharp. Make your vessel's teeth fierce. If they are fangs, even more fierce.”
When Mingi was close enough, the shaman traced a hand from his brow to sternum. It was the first time he had been touched since he had begun the cleaning ritual. “Go with the blessing of your pack and the spirits who protect them.”
At the last words, he took off for the forest at run. He did not look back, letting his feet then paws hit the ground. The resounding words of the shaman followed him briefly before it was only the sound of his paws and the forest to keep him company.
He planned to make the best of use of his headstart. There were only minutes before the shaman called the final invocation, blessing the Hunters to pursue the chosen vessel. He found himself thinking of Yunho again. If his fears ended up being true, Yunho had to survive first before he could even hope to look for Mingi in this forest. As the vessel, there was little he could do to help except avoid getting caught stupidly. Though he moved fast, he was careful to double back ever so often to leave false trails. He was steadily heading to a small pool on the opposite side of the forest. Sheer distance should at least buy him time. Most wolves clung close to familiar territory when they hunted.
He took long strides across the dense forest floor. Confident though he was, he frequently stopped to listen and smell for any signs of the pursuit, but the forest around him was only filled with his heavy breathing, birds chirping, and the ever present rustling of leaves.
In the dead of the summer, the pool was smaller than he remembered it from his last journey out here. Still, he removed his robe after carefully placing his waist pouch some distance from the water. He dunked the robe into the water one, two, three times in quick succession. Corners of the thin fabric were now marred with dirt from the rushing stream. It didn’t bother him much as long as it removed some of the jasmine and whatever perfumed scents clung to it. He doesn’t bother wringing it out much before putting it back on. It would help beat off the heat that slowly rose with the climbing sun. He considered trying to leave something to mark the spot for whichever Hunter caught up here but between the robe and pouch, he had nothing to leave.
Before he took off again, he opened the pouch to see what Hongjoong had so carefully handed to him in the morning. When he caught sight of the smooth glass bottle, he hurriedly closed and tied it to his waist again. No wonder Hongjoong had a sour expression during the exchange. His older brother, bound by ritual, had handed him lubricant. Of course, Mingi knew that the Hunt would end with a consummation and a mating bite, but that was in the abstract. Now, with the conspicuous pouch hanging on his waist, he had to face the reality of his fate. If it was Yunho…it wouldn’t be so bad, he imagined. And imagined he had - alone in the woods where no one could pester any bodily reactions to the thought. Now, he had the real visual of what Yunho looked like as a full grown shifter. What was he thinking about now? He glanced at how the passing of the sun had changed the pattern of sun rays on the forest floor. He couldn’t afford to stand here daydreaming for too long.
From the stream, he traveled upwind, less careful about doubling back now. He slowed when something caught his eye. There was a neat space under an old fallen tree that had since grown over with moss. Easy to miss unless you approached it from just the right angle. He lingered stalking back and forth before the entrance. He even ducked into the space, finding it to be tight but cozy and cool.
He decided against it though. They would expect him to hide in a cave, camouflage into the bush and wait. So he would climb. A transformed wolf would never climb and if he was careful, would hardly bother to look up for him. Those on two legs might just miss him, unused to searching for prey from above. He traveled further before he found a suitable tree, stretching before scaling it. He tested his weight on a branch before going further.
He had picked up the skills in the war where the forest was a place of sanctuary or death depending on how well he could use her resources. He had quickly learned he was too tall to blend into the woods like his brothers. The caves that could fit his long limbs were too easy to spot. He easily pushed away the memories of dog teeth snapping closed mere inches from his neck that always accompanied the thought of hiding in the woods.
Now settled against a branch he thought high enough, he rested. Still he listened, attuning himself to the sounds of this pocket of the forest he found himself in. His sight would be less helpful now. The Hunter or whatever lurked below would be much too close for an easy escape by the time he spotted them.
As the sun crept to the highest point of the day and his robe quickly transitioned from being sticky with water to sticky with his own sweat, Mingi realized he was bored. He hadn’t heard or seen anything interesting after some deer had passed by. He had never been much of a hunter, more suited for fighting and sparring with his large frame so the growing length of the Hunt filled him with a mixture of pride and concern. He had expected at least someone, if not Yunho, to come sniffing around here after finding his trail.
A long, loud sound that he recognized as a howl pierced through his self-musings. He froze against the tree, straining to hear or even see a Hunter that would have howled after catching sight of him. More howls joined the call and they all sounded even further from his location. What could they be hunting if not him?
Ice ran through his veins. Yunho. He only hesitated for a moment before he burst into motion. The panic made his scramble down the tree inelegant; his claws grasped any purchase to use as a foothold. He brought down leaves and weaker branches indiscriminately in his hasty descent.
Once on the ground, he ran immediately toward the direction of the howls. It crossed his mind that he could run directly into a Hunter in his rush, but he couldn’t stand waiting in a tree if Yunho was in danger. Another howl echoed through the forest as he moved. He turned East when he realized they had moved again. Was Yunho running?
He had little prepared by way of a plan as he closed the distance between himself and the gathered wolves. He would only have seconds before they caught the scent of his arrival. He would fight tooth and claw to protect Yunho if he had to, but he hoped his appearance would be enough to distract them into a chase. He had to remind them of what they were supposed to be hunting today.
Wolves, about 5-6 he would guess, stood around a two-legged Yunho and San who looked like they had decided to make their last stand in a clearing. It would force the wolves to emerge from the forest cover to fight. It was a good plan, but even those two couldn’t take all of those full-blood wolves. He knew exactly when they noticed him. San looked up and a few of the wolves swung their heads toward him.
He growled when one of the wolves took a step towards Yunho and it swung its head towards his direction again. A step back had the closest wolves inching closer to him. Confident that he caught their attention, he shouted “Catch me if you can!” before whipping around to run back in the direction from which he came.
He tore through the woods, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He shifted quickly. Human legs would not serve him now. The sharper ears and sight were an added boost to his flight. He could now hear the sounds of hunting: heavy paws, panting breaths, and barking. He couldn’t let them surround him which would happen if just one outpaced him. From what he could hear, about four wolves followed him. Yunho would be fine now that the numbers were more even. He didn't allow the relief to slow him.
One of his pursuers closed in from his side. He didn’t know the Hunter from the black brown fur. It made it easier to close the distance and shove him away with a great push. The Hunter’s smaller build stood little chance against his weight with the added force of his run. He heard a yip as the Hunter slammed into one of the trees.
Three still followed. They hung further back after seeing what happened to their competitor. He would have to rely on his speed and knowledge of the forest to lose the remaining. A series of tight turns down a slope lost him another pursuer. Another began to flag in pursuit out of pure exhaustion. Mingi curled his lip when he realized. Did he expect hunting him to be easy?
The last wolf remained. Instead of slowing down or even letting him go now that he was alone, he pulled closer to Mingi’s side so he could see him in breaks of the trees. He showed no signs of tiring. He wanted Mingi to know he was quick enough to pace him. Mingi pushed himself harder than he had ever run through this forest. Yet, the wolf easily kept up.
From what he could glimpse in the rushing forest, the wolf had yellow brown fur that darkened to black on the top and lightened to white on the bottom. The wolf boldly locked gazes with him at a gap in the forest and Mingi finally recognized him. Youngjae, the handsome but boring suitor, who had scented his wrist just before Yunho’s arrival. As if he could sense his recognition, he slowed until Mingi was running alone in the forest. He kept moving in case it was simply a tactic to catch him, but when Mingi heard no sounds of pursuits for long minutes, he finally slowed then came to a stop.
The chase had left him winded and he dropped to the closest pile of moss he saw. He closed his eyes. The sun beamed uncomfortably bright on his fur, but he was too lazy to move. Maybe, it would feel better against his human skin. He stretched his newfound arms above his head, enjoying the creaking of joints he couldn’t stretch as a wolf. So much had changed in a moment.
Out in the middle of the forest now, he had lost his head start advantage. If someone caught his scent now, it would lead them directly to him. The thought forced him to roll to a crouch and then an unsteady stand. He ached everywhere, but he had to go now that he had bought Yunho more time.
He had no direction. Only away. He considered going back to the small pool. The cool water on his skin would be worth the risk. He would just move further downstream than where he had gone when the hunt first started. Washing off in the shallow pool felt like it could have been a whole different day. The white robe he wore had survived the multiple shifts but it was stained with sweat, dirt, and grass, dropping half off his shoulders now. He reflexively placed a hand on his waist. The shape of the glass tube under his hand relaxed him. It must be enchanted. He let out a breath of laughter at the thought of a magical bottle of lube being passed down Hunt after Hunt.
He inhaled and exhaled until his heartbeat slowed. He took another look at the sky. The sun shone bright through the trees. There were still many long hours before the sunset that would call an official end to the Hunt whether he was caught or not. With that in mind, he broke out into a slow jog, heading towards the stream that sectioned the forest.
In a matter of hours, this would be done. He couldn’t lie to himself anymore. He knew the outcome that he wanted: Yunho giving him a mating bite in the forest they had played in as kids. He would come back to their pack where he would be welcomed with open arms as his new mate. Then, they would relearn each other again. This time, as partners, he guessed. Then, there would be a time where they have been together longer than they had been apart and all would be well again.
Mingi jerked to the side at the sound of rustling. He had only just dodged the large blur that dove from the forest cover. He had been too distracted. He didn’t wait for another lunge; he immediately ran the other direction. He swallowed his pride at all the running he was doing today; it would be foolish to think he could survive the Hunt, facing every Hunter.
Now that he was paying attention. He could hear the sounds of pursuit. The telltale sound of quick paws tearing through the underbrush. It was only one. With his human nose, his sense of smell was diminished, but something niggled on his brain.
“You saved me earlier, princess.” Yunho called from behind. Then, everything made sense.
He didn’t slow, but he called back, “Oh, I did?”
It didn’t come out as indifferent as he had planned. The smile in his voice was clear.
“Just a little."
The way Yunho followed his run through the forest was different from the other wolves. He thought playful would be a more accurate description for it. He took bold lunges that would leave him crashing into the foliage and change his pace at a whim.
He laughed as he took another tight turn that left Yunho cursing as the branch he pulled back hit him. They weaved through the trees together. Once, Yunho’s lunge grazed his leg and he couldn’t help but tease him with “too slow”.
As a wolf, Mingi had endurance on his side, but he had been running for hours on end. Yunho was also unexpectedly quick, darting closer before stepping away when Mingi turned to him. The sight of his sweaty black hair plastered against his handsome face was new. The large grin that showed off the tips of his canines confirmed his feeling that they were playing, a strange mimicry of the days they had spent together play-hunting. He caught himself smiling back, joining Yunho in the game, brushing his side playfully. He hadn’t experienced this kind of freedom on a run in a long time.
It ended abruptly when a blur of brown fur tackled Yunho into one of the massive trees they had been circling around. Now, Mingi recognized Youngjae’s fur pattern immediately. He had to admire his persistence. He was the only Hunter who had consistently kept up with him. Yunho and Youngjae grappled briefly before creating some distance. They circled each other slowly, but Yunho made sure to always place himself before Mingi and the other Hunter. Was this what having a mate would be like?
“Go.” Yunho looked away from Youngjae to briefly meet his eyes. The crinkles of his joyful smile were gone like they were never there. His voice was low, almost a growl, when he said, “I’ll catch you again when I’m done here.”
Mingi didn’t argue for once. He backed away from the brewing fight, keeping an eye on Youngjae. He looked no worse for wear except for a shallow cut on the top of his shoulder. He swung his lupine head before diving at Yunho with a growl. Mingi fought the urge to jump in as well. Yunho didn’t need his help.
The thought of another run on this Hunt was unpleasant. He was tired. He had crossed this forest three times over since the Shaman had blessed him. His time with Yunho had taken him further away from the stream and the reappearance of Youngjae reminded him that he was very much still being hunted. It would make no sense to track his steps backwards.
He needed somewhere to recover and where he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage if another Hunter caught up to him. He wouldn't run anymore. With half the day gone, Mingi's patience had worn thin. He was a fighter more than anything. He resolved to wait where he knew Yunho would find him.
Even approaching from a different direction, his steps were sure as he picked his way to their spot. The burnt tree stood apart from the healthy foliage of the rest of the forest, making it easy to spot though he knew he was still far from its accompanying clearing. The sound of quick paws moving through the forest had him dropping to a crouch immediately. Tracking the sound through the forest, he waited for his pursuers to catch up.
He was ready when two wolves emerged from the dense foliage on his left and right side. He rolled forward to miss their tackle. He caught sight of wolves with matching tawny grey fur. He knew who they were immediately. Minhyuk and Soobin, the brothers from the Northern clan. Soobin, he guessed from the smaller build but longer length, recovered quickly, lunging for him. He growled, throwing him aside before diving to miss his brother's snapping jaws.
He was quickly put on the defensive. Though he could probably take them each individually, as a duo, they were a well-oiled machine that required his full attention to keep track of the two of them. He didn't know if it was coincidence or strategy, but the constant weaving and dodging he was doing to escape their grasp prevented him from shifting, leaving him fighting with less strength and agility.
One of their claws caught the belt around the waist and maybe a bit of skin from the way the pain bloomed at his side sent him stumbling to the ground. He was given no time to regain his height advantage. He scooted back to miss the stomp a set of paws, kicking a leg out to catch a brother under the chin. A deep bark and low long growl gave him a momentary reprieve from the onslaught. He went slack-jawed as he looked up to catch sight of a giant black dog the size of a fully grown wolf. He had never seen a shifted Yunho. Before the war, dogs were strictly banned from shifting around wolves. Most of all, the young wolf heir. Yunho was beautiful. His short glossy black fur seemed to shine in the sun. His limbs were strong and the brown of his eyes were just as captivating in his animal vessel as his human one.
The two wolves wisely retreated when he thundered into the glade where they had been grappling. The growling still hadn't stopped and the bared fangs promised sure violence. Soon, one great paw stepped over him, boxing him into the warmth of Yunho's dog form. The two wolves turned their heads to each other, consulting briefly before turning and disappearing back into the forest.
Yunho held the position even when the sound of their steps slipped beyond Mingi's limited hearing. Mingi didn't dare move. His mind was racing, overwhelmed at the sight and scent of Yunho shifted, but also wondering if Soobin and Minhyuk would return with more wolves or if they understood the Hunt was over. Was it over?
Suddenly, Yunho dropped his full weight onto Mingi's prone form. His heavy body was a long stripe of heat from his hip to chest. He squirmed. "You're surprisingly heavy."
Yunho did nothing but dig his wet nose into the juncture between his shoulder and neck, sending a pleasant shiver through his body. Then, all of sudden, he was staring up at a very human and naked Yunho. Though fully human now, Yunho only looked at him, his gaze was heavy with a hint of awe like he couldn't believe it was Mingi after all. Mingi could feel the flush crawling up his face at the situation. He felt caught. Physically in Yunho's arm, but also in the look in his eyes, and the gravity of the moment.
A drop of wetness pulled his attention to where Yunho's chest hovered over him. The calmness that had wrapped the two of them quickly vanished. "You're bleeding."
His hand reached up to the ragged tooth marks on his chest. Yunho flinched when his hand glanced over where blood was still steadily pooling at the wound. He wanted to know what happened. If it was Youngjae that did it. If he won. Of course, he did, he reprimanded himself, if he was here now. He wanted to know if he was hurt anywhere else. But, most of all, he wanted to know if he wanted this as badly as Mingi did.
However, in the face of Yunho's ironclad silence, he kept the questions to himself. He lifted both hands to pull Yunho down on top of him so he pressed against him the way he did in his canine form. He ignored the wetness of the blood. He could feel the wound healing under his hand. They breathed together and the tension melted out of Yunho's body. How long would they have to lie here to make up for all the time apart?
When he gave into the warmth and relaxation that seeped out of Yunho like a physical touch, he could finally understand why he had decided to freeze across him like a heavy pelt. He didn't know how long he lay there, breathing in Yunho and what smelled like home. When has he ever been so relaxed? Probably since before Yunho left him. The thought only made him hug Yunho all the more tighter and Yunho only let out a pleased sigh in response. He felt gratitude for the gods, for the Hunt, and for a crazy moment, even for the war that made it possible for him to have this with Yunho. They could be mates in this new world.
Still, Mingi had never been the most patient person. As they lay there, he contemplated grabbing the pouch of lube and handing it to him. He technically wouldn't be breaking their impromptu vow of silence then, right? Before he could so much as twitch, Yunho rose. The shock of his weight off of his had him squawking in surprise. Yunho only laughed before pulling him to his feet and lifting him with ease.
"What are you doing?" Mingi thumped a few weak fists across his chest. " You have to take me."
"Eager, princess?" Yunho said with a smirk, turning the full force of his handsome face on his.
He blushed deeply. This time, he was the one who ducked his face into Yunho's neck. He muttered, "No, just want to do it right."
"Patience," he responded as he started walking forward with Mingi in his arms. "I thought we should do...,” Here, he hesitated. "...this somewhere special."
And Mingi got it immediately. He threw his head back in laughter. They were the same after all. Soon, the split tree was visible in its clearing. In the dying light of the setting sun, it looked almost magical. Yunho gently laid him down on the grass in front of the tree. Calmer now under the familiar burnt branches, Mingi finally got to look his fill at Yunho as he laid his tattered pants on the ground. Upclose, he could see that scar on his back was well-healed but must have been gory when he got it. The wound from his fight earlier was only visible because of the dried blood. Mingi's gaze lingered on the round swell of his backside before getting sidetracked by the half-hardness between Yunho's thick legs when he turned to face him again. Yunho as a boy he knew, but this was Yunho as a man who would soon know him in all the ways that mattered.
His brain jumpstarted again when Yunho adjusted his ragged pants as best he could on the grass. "We can use my robe too."
He was already untying his belt and pulling off his robe to hand it to Yunho. He looked up to see his reverential gaze at his newly bared skin. He laughed again, happy to be so desired. "Like what you see?"
"Yes," Yunho breathed out and Mingi found himself aware again of how they both stood naked in a clearing. A clearing where Yunho would take him and give him a mating mark. As a shifter, he had never thought much about being naked, but this was different. Equally reverent now, he handed Yunho the glass bottle he had carried pressed to his side the whole day before guiding them both down to the little bed they had set up.
"What's this?" Yunho said, voice still quiet. His cheeks and ears were blazing red and a wave of fondness watched over him. He laughed, remembering Hongjoong's pinched face as he handed it to him like a bomb this morning. It allowed him to relax. This was Yunho. His first friend and his best one even after all the years between them.
"Hongjoong of all people had given it to me," he said. He could see on the immediate upturn of his eyebrows that Yunho had finally understood what it was.
"Ah Hongjoong," he echoed.
"I know they will be so excited to see you."
"Yes, but I don't want to think of your packmates right now," Yunho murmured, eyes full of heady desire. Mingi felt like he could burst out of his skin. They locked eyes and faster than he could prepare for, Yunho was knocking him down to his back. The first touch of his lips on his was hungry and hot and all too quickly, Mingi lost himself trying to get to know Yunho in this new way.
When they broke for air, Yunho pressed his thigh between his legs and Mingi found himself moaning and grasping for purchase in the grass. Mingi had done this before, but never like this where he was the one under. He had never felt what it was like to have someone bigger over him, box him in as they ground into his erection. It was surprisingly nice. More than nice, but he couldn't be bothered to think of better words now with Yunho rocking into him. He ran eager hands down Yunho's back feeling the knots of scar tissue under his finger and pulling him closer. He wanted to be one.
Yunho dipped his head down and nuzzled his neck inhaling his scent in a pantomime of his earlier actions before he had shifted back. Mingi keened, long and loud. Before he could even think to be ashamed, Yunho bit his neck. Color exploded into his vision followed by hot arousal that had him pressing against slick skin. Heat was within him, on him, and all around him.
.
.
.
.
When the sun had completely set and they had had their fill of each other, at least for now, they made their way through the forest back to where the Hunt had begun many hours ago. They emerged from the wood naked with matching bites on both their necks and hands clasped tightly together.
The entire clan including the defeated Hunters awaited them. Yunho, never one to be afraid, bowed. Mingi soon joined, casting his eyes to the ground, nervous for how their mating would be received. The first to return his bow were his pack of course. Then, everyone bowed and he knew all would be well. The howls followed soon after. The ritual was complete.
In the dying howls to the now blazing moon, they kissed again.
"My beautiful princess," Yunho whispered, only loud enough for Mingi to hear and the bite at his neck pulsed.