Today was finally the day! He would leave home and go find his mate! Han was so excited he couldn't sleep all night. But, he was also nervous, what if his mate wasn't old enough to go out to find a mate this year? Then he would be wandering around aimlessly, with false hope, for the entire spring. And if his mate is actually younger than him, how much younger is she than him? In how many years would he be able to find her?

These thoughts made Han all the more determined. Once he finds his mate, he will make sure to shower her with love. He will make sure to show in every way he can, that he loves her to the bottom of his heart. Han already felt the bond, with his mate. He knew she was out there somewhere, waiting to meet and be with him.

Han's mother and father hugged him before he left.

"It's okay if you return without your mate. I had to go out to find my mate -- which is your mama of course, three times, before I found her." Han's father reassures him.

Han relaxed a bit, if it happened to his father, he shouldn't worry too much. He will find her no matter what, one way or the other.

"Thanks baba." Han smiles at his father and mother, before looking up at the sky. "I should be leaving now, I was supposed to leave at dawn."

Wiping away tears, Han's mother hugged him and he departed, on his quest to find his beloved mate.

Walking through the woods, Han began to think about his mate again. Will she be kind? Will she accept him as her mate? Han knew he had some flaws, but he was a pretty decent guy. A lot of the doe fawned (it's supposed to be a pun :D lol sorry it was a bad pun wasn't it?) over him, but he didn't take advantage of them. Even though he didn't know his mate, Han remained faithful to her. And he didn't like men who took women for granted.

"Anyeonghasaeyo Han." a voice greets Han, as he walks deeper into the forest. He turns to see a pretty woman a few feet away.

"Anyeonghasaeyo, Taeyeon-noona." If he remembered correctly, she was a bird. Han didn't remember the name of the type of bird that she was. But when she shifted, Taeyeon was a cute, tiny bird that was gray-ish, with yellow on her head and feathers.

"Are you out mating?" She asks walking closer to him. "You can keep walking, I'm going the same way."

Han continues to walk, with Taeyeon beside him. "Ne, I'm out to find my mate. Are you?"

"Ne, I am. This is my second year. I didn't find my mate last year."

"You didn't?" Han asks surprised.

She smiles softly and shakes her head. "I was thinking, maybe my mate is younger than me."

"He probably couldn't go last year, or chose not to. But whatever the reason I hope you find your mate successfully."

Taeyeon gives Han a smile, "Gamsahabnida, Han. I hope you find your mate with success."

Birds went out to look for a mate when they are 24, and deer when they are 26.

The two come onto a fork in the road. "I'm going this way." Taeyeon points to the path on the right. "I just feel like it's the right way, for me."

Han nods, understanding completely. It was the bond they shared with their mate on mating season. These feelings they had, will lead them to their fate. To their other half. "See you around then."

"Anyeongi gaseyo Han. It was nice talking to you." Taeyeon waves at Han, before walking down her chosen path.

"Anyeongi gaseyo, noona."

Han's "feeling" told him to go to the path on the left. And so he did just that. This part of Han Forest had a lot more trees. The forest floor still had snow, due to the lack of sun.

Thoughts of his mate crept into Han's mind again. Immersed in his thoughts, Han almost didn't notice the two wolves. A black wolf and a white one, both male.

Rouges.

Han stopped in his tracks. How had he not noticed them? Did his senses go hay-wire because it was spring?

"Looks like he noticed us Taemin." the black wolf says to the white wolf, whom Han assumed, was Taemin.

"You were so loud, of course he noticed us." Taemin replies.

"No I wasn't. You were the one that stepped on the twig."

"What twig? I was behind you, I stepped where you did. I couldn't have stepped on the twig without you stepping on it first."

Han watched as the two bickered. Slowly, he scooted himself away from them. It would be considered cannibalism if the two wolves killed him and then ate him. Since they were able to shift. In any other world, wolves may be able to eat deer, but not in this one.

"Hey!" The two wolves yelled, once they realized that he had escaped. They quickly surrounded him. One in front and one in back. "Where do you think you're going?" The black wolf snarls.

"To find my mate." Han declares. He needed to find his mate, and they were preventing him from doing so.

The black wolf laughs, "Your mate? You're already 26? You look no younger than 18"

"Yes I am 26. Shouldn't you be finding your mate too? You look like you're about 21."

Wolves were able to start finding their mate at 18. But apparently, these two had decided to not go out to find a mate 3 years in a row.

"I don't need a mate." Snarls the black wolf. "They would just be considered my weakness. I have more than enough enemies."

"Then maybe," A man appears out from between the trees. "You shouldn't make anymore enemies. Instead of showing and feeling hatred, you should reveal and feel love. Everything is better when you have no grudge held against a person. Heal your scars, sometimes it is better to just forgive and forget."

Something about the man had Han entranced. Maybe it was his handsome looks or his beautifully sculpted cheekbones, his kind, gentle knowing eyes or his pink lips. The bottom lip fuller than the top. 

"Who are you?" The black wolf asks, quite rudely.

"I am Zhang Yixing. Just a visitor, passing by to find my mate." Yixing replies kindly.

Han stared at the man and their eyes made contact. He quickly looked away, feeling his cheeks grow hot. Oh god, what was happening to him?

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A/N: Han is Chinese but speaks Korean to Taeyeon since she is Korean.