It was already dark when I arrived home, but luckily I was able to make it back before dinner. Greeting my father with a hug and information on how I have been, we sat down for dinner.

The food was wonderful and eating together as a family after such a long time is refreshing to a traveller like me. But my mind keeps drift back to the fresh and vibrant memory of the Red Wolf.

How it’s cold radiant gray eyes glared at me not in caution or in aggression like how most animals would. But it just watched me calmly and boldly, like the luminous moon that lights up the sky, following behind you on your journey. With its brilliant red coat even more vivid red when the last of the suns light shone through the trees beaming on the wolf, creating a gentle glow around the wolf.

 But despites all it’s beauty, the blood keeps reappearing in my mind the most, from the amount of blood I saw I would swear it had been attacked by something and it was recent. Hoping that the blood trail, my only lead, hasn’t disappeared yet. I want to find it again and release me of it curiosity. But doubts about finding it again are also in my mind, like that old saying curiosity killed the cat, I just hope I’m not the like the cat.

I guess I was so engrossed in my thoughts I didn’t realize I sat there like a mannequin staring into space.

“Junhyung is something troubling you?” asked mother; all eyes were on me now.

I shook my head, “Nothing, I guess I’m just tired from a long day of travelling.”

“Well don’t let your food go cold, finish it. Then go to bed.”

The rest of dinner went by peacefully, when I getting ready for bed, I realized what I said was true. I was tired both mentally and physically, after my head hit the pillow I knocked out.

I woke up early next morning; I plan to hopefully track the Red Wolf down before 1pm when the parade starts. I walked downstairs trying not to disturb my sleeping family, when enter the kitchen I see my lovely mother stand in front of the stove making breakfast.

“Good morning mother.” I said as I hugged her from behind. 

“Good morning Junnie. What has gotten you so excited this morning, for waking up so early?” she said releasing herself from my hug to prepare the table.

“I just want to walk around town for a bit, you know visit past memories.”

“Ok but before you go, eat your breakfast.”

I obediently sat down and started eating. After finishing I grabbed some bread with strawberry jam and some dry venison for the Red Wolf to calm it down if it gets aggressive.

“Oh Junnie!” Mother called out to me before I left the house. “I forgot to give these to you yesterday, I didn’t know what size you are so I just bought what I thought would fit you.”

Mother held out a light blue long sleeved shirt with a large collar and a hood at the back, the shirt looked long enough to go past my waist. The material felt light but thick, perfect for fall and maybe early winter. Also a light plain brown belt and a pair of brown pants that was made with the same material as the shirt, they seemed to be a set. My mother held them in front of me.

“They seem to be a bit small for you thought.” She said with a frown

“Its ok mother, I’m sure they fit just fine.”

She handed them to me.

“Be safe remember to be back before the festival starts or else Doojoon will come looking for you.”

“Of course mother.” Giving her a kiss before leaving to get my horse.

Putting the clothe inside the traveling crate, I gave my horse some oatmeal and carrots then untied him from the post.

What I said to my mother wasn’t completely false I did ride through town to go to the forest making quick greeting to familiar faces. I snapped the reigns as soon as I was far enough from town, to let the horse gallop to the spot where Doojoon and I were yesterday.

Tying my horse under a tree, I start to walk to the forest carrying my bow and arrow and a new bag, I got from mother after showing her my ruined one without the strap telling her that the strap fell off.  Containing food, water and an injury kit I took without his mother noticing. 

Upon arriving at the same spot, to my wishes the trail of blood could still be seen if examined closely. I made my way over the river, jumping on rocks to get across. I start tracking; to my surprise the ground was moist. I guess it must have rained 2 days ago, because he could make out faint paw prints on the ground.

I start to follow my only lead; it was difficult because of the leaves falling from the wind, which might have covered up some tracks. After walking for sometime the tracks just ended. In front of a tree, I looked up, thinking there’s no way the wolf would have been able to climb it no matter how magical it might be.

So, at a lost I started to look around the area to see if there will be any more paw prints or blood trails. But sadly I found none, feeling dejected I took a break and just sat at on a flat rock near by, taking a sip of water.

My short break ended, I refuse to admit defeat. So I got up and explored the area some more, there’s no way it could have just disappeared like that.

Third person pov

Travelling further into the forest, Junhyung found a small cave entrance on the side of a small hill. The cave didn’t go that deep; Junhyung’s best guess was that this is a bears home, with all the leaves gathered on the ground. He let his eyes slowly adjusted to the dark, checking around.

He stopped in his track when he saw something curled up in a ball in the corner of the cave. Too small to be a bear, but too big to be a raccoon, Junhyung slowly and cautiously making his way to it, to see what it is. Just a few steps in front of it, the animal shifted in its sleep.

Junhyung held his breath, as the animal stirred more, before complete waking. At first Junhyung thought it didn’t notice him, but in a blink of an eye he felt the air getting pushed out of him. His back hit the solid ground harshly as the animal pounced at him while growling. 

Red

Now that he was pushed to the entrance of the cave, with the light shining on the animal revealing red fur.

Junhyung quickly recovered from the shock, pushing the angry wolf off him before it could bite his neck. Getting to his feet and backed up to keep a distance between them. With him standing at the entrance of the cave preventing the wolf from running away, while the wolf backed up into the shadow of the cave. He could see the wolf’s sharp fangs as it growled and barked at him. Like it was trying to chase Junhyung away. But Junhyung stood his ground, staring into the wolf’s eyes, waiting for it to calm down. The air became tense and heavy; Junhyung knew if the wolf wanted to attack it would done so long ago. They stood their positions, neither one backing down or attacking. Until the wolf stepped forward like it was going to charge again.

Junhyung then realize the wolf must be intimidate by his bow and arrows, he slowly grabbed for them. The wolf growling became louder and glared. Junhyung just calmly held the bow and arrow in separate hands and slowly kneeled down putting them on the ground and kicked them away.

After that action the wolf became visible more relaxed, but still held it’s guard up. The wolf seems baffled at the action as it looks at Junhyung with curious eyes, examining him.

Junhyung reaching into his bag and took out some bread with jam, slowly approaching the wolf. The wolf tensed up and started growling to keep Junhyung back. Seeing the sudden change Junhyung place the piece of bread, a few steps in front of the wolf. Then returned to his original position, watching the wolf walk out of the shadow sniffing the bread then eating it in big bite.

‘It must have been hungry.’ Thought Junhyung as he grabs another out of his bag.

But this time the wolf walked toward him and took the bread in it mouth out of Junhyung’s hand. Lying in front of Junhyung eating the bread, see how the wolf is slowly starting to trust him. Junhyung tries his luck and slowly sits down beside it; hesitatingly pat it’s back feeling the red silky fur. The wolf flinch, Junhyung quickly removed his hand, worry that the wolf will change its mind and attack him. But the wolf just continued eating. Junhyung decides that sitting next to the wolf is a good enough progress, concidering that earlier it was trying to kill him.

The wolf after finishing his bread looks at Junhyung with it’s big round grey eyes, like it is asking if Junhyung had any more food. Junhyung chuckled and gave the dry meat to it. If animals could smile, then it would look like how the wolf looks now.

Junhyung felt bliss that he could meet what others have only heard stories of. He also thought that this was all a dream but his senses don’t lie to him he can feel the warm heat emitted from the wolf, its velvet red fur under his hands and the earthy scent it got from always being in the forest.

But Junhyung starts to worry after seeing a big cut that runs down its hind legs, it stopped bleeding thankfully. But Junhyung was afraid that it would get infected if left untreated like this.

He grabs for the medical kit, aware that the wolf is watching him suspiciously.

“It’s ok, I just want to heal that wound on your leg,” he said softly.

As he put ointment on the bruise, the wolf pulls its injured leg away to get away from the stinging pain of the disinfectant. But Junhyung wants to make sure that the bruise wouldn’t get worse, so gently pulls the leg back to finish disinfecting it. The wolf would try to recoil its leg at times, but is cooperative. Then Junhyung wrap its leg with bandages he made sure that he didn’t wrap it to hard, so the wolf could still run and move without restrictions. After finishing the wolf got up shortly afterwards did a slow jog around Junhyung testing if it could still move its legs. Then nuzzles its snout against Junhyung’s back, to get his attention. Junhyung got the message and gathers his stuff, following the wolf out of the cave.

During the walk the wolf always looked back every few minutes to see if Junhyung is following. Junhyung had no idea where he was going, just obediently following the red animal in front of him. The wolf walks very elegantly, with its long tail flowing side to side with each step; distracting Junhyung, causing him to trip over roots and stones a few times.

Finally arriving to a big tree, in the middle of the forest unlike the other trees, the leaves are yellowish gold, with a thick twisted light brown trunk. Indicating that the tree has been around for thousands of year. But what made it special wasn’t its age or leaves, instead it’s on what grows on the tree.  

Apples that are pure gold shimmering under the sun light that leaked through the branches and leaves. Junhyung couldn’t believe his eyes golden apples, while he stood there in shock. The wolf just sat at the root of the tree looking at Junhyung then at the shining fruit on the tree.

“You want me to pick an apple.” Junhyung ask the pointing at the tree.

The wolf nods in a human manner, Junhyung walks toward the tree and looks up. The tree wasn’t particularly tall, but the retrieve the nearest apple he would have to climb up at least 3 branches.

Junhyung took a deep breath starts his way up, He had trouble getting to the first branch, there isn’t any nubs to grab or the place his foot. After a short struggle he is able to get to the get himself up and the rest is pretty easy. He reaches up to barely gripping the apple; he gently twists it and successful pulling it off the branch.

Smiling at his accomplishment, he stores it in his bag and he starts climbing down. When reaching the ground the wolf is gone, he wants to call out for it but he didn’t know what to call it, Red Wolf sounds awkward and wolf is too general. He looks around and finds a blue stone on the ground, picking it up and examine the rock closely his sees a mix of mostly grey mineral with small spots of blue here and there.

Junhyung realized this is where the stories comes from, he didn’t see how these stone are special you can find them easily in the coast. He looks in the direction of the rock, to find another just a few meters ahead. He follows the rock, taking only one of the rocks to remember today. To find it leads him out of the forest to the river, seeing Doojoon on the other side.

“Junhyung! Where did you go?! Quickly come over!”

Junhyung crosses the river, over to the irritated Doojoon.

“Do you know how long I looked for you? Clearly not since you were too busy playing in the forest!”

“Calm down Doojoon,” Junhyung said firmly, “I was bored so I want to explore the area more and just lose track of time.”

Doojoon took a deep breath, calming down and said, “Well it’s almost time for the parade to start. We need to hurry back before mother starts to worry.”

Doojoon starts to walk toward their horses; Junhyung took one last glance back across the river to see and signs of the Red Wolf. But he got nothing and follows his brother out.

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Hi again, sorry i couldn't update last week. Too much school ugh, so here a longish update. Hope you enjoy comments are loved. :)

Edit: So i made some same changes to the story but nothing drastic. Just wanted to add a bit more detail since it seems flat and bland.