Chapter Text
Spring arrived. A young wolf, Caitlyn, decided that day to leave her original pack. She would go in search of her own territory. If all went well, this year, she might find a mate on this lush, green land, reproduce, and establish her own pack.
Her coat was deep, like the blue of the night sea, shimmering faintly. Compared to wolves her age, her build was taller and more muscular. Dirt and grass clung to her paws; every step carried the weight of separation. When she felt she had walked far enough, she stopped and looked back at the familiar valley. That was where she grew up—where her parents, siblings, and others still remained. She lifted her head and let out a long, drawn-out howl. A few minutes later, a response came from the distant mountains. It was her parents saying goodbye to her. The wind blew from behind, and her ears twitched slightly. Caitlyn turned and walked deeper into the forest.
She had grown up.
The forest was her familiar world. Caitlyn moved lightly through the trees, leaping over several glittering streams, passing under mottled tree shadows. She skirted the scent boundaries of the bear tribe, her paws almost silent, until she came to a lakeside. She lowered her head and drank a few mouthfuls of the cool lake water. The ripples spread slightly, and her reflection trembled on the surface. What should she do next? Perhaps, she should fill her stomach first.
She sniffed the air. ...The scent of rabbit. She lifted her head and crept forward silently, every step hidden in the shadows. Her deep blue coat almost merged with the darkness of the dense woods. Whoosh. She leaped out of the grass, clamping her jaws on the rabbit. After a brief struggle, the forest fell silent again. The rabbit was small but enough to sustain her for the day. For Caitlyn, this was a good omen for her new life.
She lowered her head, biting through the soft fur and muscle, tearing at the warm flesh. Just as she was engrossed in eating— Rustle, rustle. A subtle sound came from the woods. Her ears twitched, and she lifted her head alertly, trying to locate the direction— Swoosh! A blur flashed by, and her prey was snatched away. A low growl rose from her throat.
Caitlyn immediately chased after it, her paws flying over wet leaves until she broke through the edge of the woods. As sunlight poured down, she finally saw the shadow—a wolf with dark red fur, holding her rabbit in its jaws, baring its teeth at her. It was a warning. But Caitlyn did not retreat. She tilted her head, licked a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth, and her ear twitched slightly. Was this wolf also alone? They stared at each other for a long time.
Until the red-furred wolf—VI—held the rabbit, lifted her head, and let out a howl. A few pups ran out of the bushes and gathered at her paws, happily sharing the prey. Caitlyn watched the scene quietly. She lowered her tail, her gaze soft and somewhat disappointed. She wasn't alone, after all. She did not approach any closer, but instead turned and quietly walked back into the depths of the forest. The sunlight flickered on her fur, and the wind blew from afar—she continued her journey.
Evening. Twilight descended like water. Caitlyn walked alone under the night sky, the cool breeze gently caressing her fur. A hollow sound came from her stomach—she was hungry, especially since her rabbit meal had been stolen earlier. She lowered her head, her nose close to the ground, continuously sniffing for scent trails, looking for her next prey. Clatter, clatter. There was a sound. She immediately raised her head, her ears perked up.
A familiar figure walked out in front of her—the wolf with dark red fur. VI's muzzle was stained with blood, and she held a deer leg in her jaws, her gray eyes glinting in the moonlight. Thud—she released her jaws, and the deer leg fell heavily to the ground with a muffled sound.
Caitlyn paused, lowered her head to sniff the fresh blood, then slightly licked her lips. VI looked at her, saying nothing, only nudging the deer leg with her nose, then turned and quietly walked back into the woods.
-This was an apology. An apology earned through hunting.
Caitlyn lowered her head, bit into the deer leg, and began to chew with satisfaction. She thought: trading one rabbit for one deer leg was actually quite a bargain.
A few days later, she saw VI's pack in the distance again. There were a few lively pups, but no other adult wolves. This confused Caitlyn. She had never seen such an isolated small group. She watched, trying to discern VI's mate. Perhaps, she thought secretly, she doesn't have one.
However, soon after, a massive dark gray male wolf ran from a distance. The pups excitedly rushed towards him, surrounding him, wagging their tails, nipping at his fur and ears. It was a welcoming ritual. Caitlyn lifted her head and sniffed the air.
It was the scent of a leader wolf.
She watched him quietly. When the giant wolf howled, VI lifted her head and answered, and the few pups joined the chorus. It was the call of family. Not a mate's.
Caitlyn slightly lowered her tail, a flicker of hope in her heart. Perhaps... the red-furred female wolf would accept her and mate with her. She carefully took a few steps forward, but as the distance lessened, she gradually lowered her ears. The leader wolf was strong as a mountain, while she was slender and lean. A female wolf living in a pack like VI's probably wouldn't look twice at her.
The leader wolf looked at the strange blue-furred wolf, first sniffing the air, then glancing at his red-furred daughter. He let out a low exhale. There was no hostility in the scent, but no invitation either. Thus, Caitlyn chose to silently follow VI. She carried no hostility and did not try to approach the pack's pups. She simply kept watch from a distance—when VI got up, she got up. When VI hunted, she followed behind.
Until one night, the dark red wolf finally approached her, licked her deep blue fur, then nestled by her side. The time was right. VI had finally accepted her pursuit. Under the pale moonlight, the two intertwined, a mating howl rising. It was like the forest's echo, and a mark of destiny.
May they find a new territory for the two of them before the winter snow falls.