Being an adult is hard.

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The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is light. Blinding and beautiful light. It stings for a moment, and his pupils have to adjust. But nevertheless it is light and it is shining down on him.

Kyungsoo stretched out his arms freely, groaning as his muscles creak and moan. He lets his limbs fall flat and a relieved exhale leave his lungs. He had slept well, he felt rested.

“Stop moving so much.”

The induk jumps at the deep voice right at his ear. Breath tickles his neck now that he’s fully awake and aware. Not only is the sunlight above him keeping him warm, a very warm body wrapped around him is as well.

Kyungsoo sits up slowly, despite the order from the wolf, and looks about.

They are laying on a rock. A very large and wide rock. It’s smooth and gray. And it’s in the middle of a river. He glances over the edge and sees the clear but dark water rushing by.

“Why...what...when did we…” he whispers.

“Is this not what you wanted? To be outside?” the lazy voice is deep and still half asleep. Kyungsoo squeaks in surprise as a large hand tugs him back into a warm embrace, “You threw a tantrum like a child because you wished to be outside, yes?”

Kyungsoo scoffs and rolls his eyes. Tantrum? Child? The induk sits up abruptly and shoves the arm laying over him away. He’s given an annoyed glare, the blue eyes seem to shine, but the caregiver glares right back.

“You made ridiculous rules about keeping me prisoner, of course I was upset.” Kyungsoo huffs. He scoots as far as the flat rock will allow him, tucking his knees under his chin and staring down at the flowing water. How they had gotten to the middle of a river without him waking up was amazing. And if it wasn’t for the sour wolf behind him Kyungsoo would be rather thankful and happy that he’d been brought outside.

“I just wanted you to treat me like I’m your mate.” he sighs.

“I brought you outside because you injured yourself over it. I shall not be kind like this again.” the wolf’s voice is muffled and final.

Kyungsoo pouts. The wolf claimed he would never be kind again, did that mean Kyungsoo would never see the light of day again?

The induk closes his eyes and does his best to enjoy the heat of the sun shining down on his skin. Each trickle of water and small splash against the boulder is calming. It’s peaceful and beautiful out here. The light reflects off the river’s surface and when he stares hard he can see schools of fish scurrying about.

“Do you need it that much?” comes the question. The voice is closer than it was before. Kyungsoo glanced behind him and finds the wolf is sitting up and leaning towards the caregiver. His blue eyes are widened, waiting earnestly.

“Need what?” Kyungsoo asks.

“To be outside. Is it that important to you? Will you hurt yourself again if you cannot leave my cave?” the beast’s voice is soft. It reminds Kyungsoo of their first meeting. How deep and rich the wolf’s voice is, close to gravel but smooth like honey.

Kyungsoo bites onto his bottom lip, “I grew up in the forest, I love the trees, the river, the animals. I love nature, it is extremely important to me.”

Everything is alive and everything can be loved. Kyungsoo loves the earth, he always has despite being taught to defeat it since he was young. The induk knew from a tender age that he adored everything the earth offered him, that he cherished it unlike his father.

“Once a day.” the wolf announces.

His mate gives him a dubious look.

“I shall accompany you outside once a day. Do not hurt yourself anymore.” a warm hand cups the side of Kyungsoo’s face. It’s a gentle gesture, almost loving. Kyungsoo’s breath gets caught at the back of his throat. His heart seems to jump a bit at the kind words and the rough palm pressing against his cheek. The wolf seems to notice how the induk is looking at him, with a small smile and fluttering eyelashes.

“Bring injury to yourself once more...and...and I’ll kill you.”

Kyungsoo does not stop the grin that spreads across his lips.

Blue eyes scowl at him. The wolf turns over and continues to sleep on the stone.

Chanyeol is pale and frail looking. A few days sitting beside his hut without moving and with little food and water, has somehow taken the bright energy that use to consume the pencari.

Ketua gives a soft nod to Sehun, the induk shuffles quickly to her side and remains quiet.

The Parkpencari were not as strict a clan as the Doprajurit. Unlike the clan that was known for ostracizing any who didn’t meet certain standards, the Parkpencari were a more forgiving of a family. Luna of the Parkpencari clan was evidence of that.

But it hadn’t taken long for them to notice the lead hunter’s son was falling behind. If he was deemed to be weak they would eventually do away with him, either by the harvest moon or by ostracising him from the group. It was up to Chief to resurrect him.

“You have not hunted in days. Have you lost your skill? Confidence perhaps?” she asks softly.

Chanyeol’s eyes have sunken in. His lips are the same color as his skin. His hair looks stringy and dry. He won’t meet her gaze as he kneels in the dirt.

“No Ketua. I still have the skill of pencari.” his voice is hoarse.

Ketua’s head tilts to the side, her silver clips twinkling against the sunlight.

“Then what is it young hunter? Why have you portrayed yourself as weak? You know the consequences of failing at your trade.” her tone is a bit sharper, but not meant to be mean. She needs to wake him up, before his clan tosses him out.

“He was supposed to be mine. He was mine. I...cannot have him.” the hunter whispers. His eyes become moist, his lips are trembling.

“Who?” Mayoung asks.

“Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol wipes his eyes.

And Mayoung remembers the image of the new induk kneeling before the wide open cave. He had always been beautiful, always been flawless in appearance yet lacking in skill. She remembers how unafraid he’d looked, and how pride had swelled in her chest at seeing that young moon tribe member kneel with determination on his features.

She had known he was doomed to be called on as the pure gift. The Doprajurit were too strict as a clan, one mistake and you were no longer apart of them. And even if you weren’t voted on as the next suci kado, you were treated with disrespect. It wasn’t something Ketua had taken action on. The Doprajurit were a much older clan, much more powerful and influential than hers.

“I hear from your clan that you did not travel with us on the night of the Flower moon to bid the pure gift farewell.” Mayoung sighs. Dealing with a broken heart isn’t unusual. Many moon tribe members have come to her, upset that their chosen mate had become suci kado, or that another hunter or medicine man had mated with the one they loved first.

“I went. On my own.” Chanyeol admits, “And I stayed behind. Even after the tribe left Kyungsoo by himself.”

Ketua clenches her teeth. He’d watched it, the wolf eat Kyungsoo. That’s why he was so broken. It must have been terrifying, horrible, to watch the one he held affection for be ripped in half. Mayoung knows all too well that feeling.

“I understand that you feel loss, the sight of your loved one being eaten by rakasa serigala can be...painful.” she swallows. Mayoung knows. She knows and she has felt this before.

“But I ask that you be understanding that Kyungsoo’s death will keep this tribe safe until the Harvest moon.” she nods her head firmly. The hunter seems to be glaring at the floor. His shoulder are tense. If he becomes...violent...she will have to take action.

Chanyeol frowns.

“I am sorry that you had to witness that, the blood and gore must have been-”

“There was no blood.” the hunter cuts in. Mayoung’s eyes pierce, did she hear that correctly?

Ketua’s eyebrows fly up in surprise, “Excuse me?”

And she feels her heart drop, her insides freeze. The earth is singing, the birds are flying and the moon must be calling her. Chanyeol speaks slowly, as if he is unsure if he saw what he saw, but Ketua knows what he says is true. It must be. The time has finally come.

“There was no blood. The wolf did not, eat Kyungsoo, at first. I watched them, they did strange things before the wolf took Kyungsoo into the cave. He must have killed him there instead.” the hunter concludes on his own. But the chief knows better. She knows so much better.

Ketua urges him to go on, she must know if it true, “Strange? Strange how?”

Chanyeol’s brow scrunches as he thinks back to that time, a look of disgust registering across his lips.

“They acted as lovers would, Ketua, they acted as if there were a newly mated pair.”

Her heart is beating wildly. They will be free. The time has come.

“Pencari, go back to your clan and please rise back to your feet. You are very precious to this tribe. I know your heart ache will subside with time.” she rushes. The hunter bows deeply and makes a sincere promise that he will do his best to achieve being the best hunter in the moon tribe. And he is dismissed quickly afterward.

Ketua is her lips, eyes searching the open air around her. It must be true. All the others that had come to her before had cried and sobbed about seeing their loved one torn apart, that it wasn’t fair and all that nonsense.

“I’ve done it”, she laughs to herself.

The excitement is eating at her stomach and making her knees shake. Should she stay seated on her throne or get up and jump with shout of joy?

“Done what?” Sehun asks.

Mayoung wipes the smile from her face immediately and glances to her left. The young induk looks at her curiously. She’d forgotten he was there.

Instead of answering his question she changes the subject.

“How would you like to meet a potential mate Sehun?” she asks. A bright smile appears on Sehun’s face as he nods quickly.

“Good,” Ketua smiles back, “Tomorrow we meet someone who I have been meaning to talk to for a long time. I think you shall find him quite...respectful.”

With a happy Sehun at her side, and good news given to her, Ketua Mayoung leans back into her throne and lets the thought wash over her again and again. Like rain giving life to a dry tree.

I’ve done it. I have set my people free.

There’s a whisper. It’s calm, gentle, and continuous as it rushes through the trees. Like a secret being told through the heat of the soil, the firm trunks of the trees, and the strong calls of the birds. Kyungsoo hums to himself, ear pressed against the tall tree that towers far above. He can hear it, the heart. It’s alive and it sings its own song. That was what his mother had told him when he was a boy.

Everything is alive and everything serves a purpose.

“Can you hear it Kyungsoo? Listen!” she’d smiled down at him, “Can you hear the earth telling you it’s secret?”

The forest was breathing, it was filled with life and magic. Who else gave the pencari eyesight to spot elk miles away? Who else gave such powerful nutrients to dukun to heal their people?

Everything served a purpose. He closes his eyes and enjoys the smooth tree, he lets his mind go for a moment and gets lost in the nature that surrounds him.

“Come now. Quickly.” the wolf barks. Kyungsoo’s eyes snap open and he scowls over at the tall man beckoning him.

The day before had only been momentarily sweet. After the wolf had made Kyungsoo promise to never hurt himself again, he’d been bombarded with insults.

Humans were too emotional, like children all the time.

Humans would go to extraordinary measures to gain attention.

Humans were unnecessarily weak. Kyungsoo needed to toughen up.

Kyungsoo had snapped on the wolf, asking him to keep his barbaric opinions to himself. And the beast had snapped right back, with harsh words about the induk only being of reproduction value. He was to give the wolf a few pups and keep his mouth shut.

“Why do you act like you care one moment and the next you tell me I’m basically worthless?” Kyungsoo had screamed, despite neon blue eyes daring him to say one more word.

“I simply told you not to bring harm to yourself. I need a mate fully intact. I don’t care.” the wolf had snarled.

Kyungsoo had more or so been dragged back to the cave kicking and screaming. There had been no food that night, the wolf had kept a close watch on him. The moon tribe member fell asleep with an angry stomach and an angry mind.

Surprisingly, the promise of going out once a day had been kept. With a stone face the wolf had pointed towards the left tunnel and Kyungsoo had almost starting running at full speed. They’d only wandered a bit down the mountain, to about mid-level, and Kyungsoo was more than happy to bask in the sunshine and green plants. But they had just got there, he had just started to immerse himself in nature and...

“It has only been a few moments.” he pouts. On instinct his arms try to encircle the massive trunk he’s leaning on. Rough hands grab said arms and yank the induk away. Kyungsoo yells with irritation, “This is unfair!”

“I promised you to go outside once a day. I never said how long that time would be.” the beast chuckles. Much to the young mate’s surprise, Kyungsoo is tossed into the air, his body leaving the ground and flying high into the sky. When he lands though, with a high pitched scream, he feels a solid and soft form beneath him.

His fingers curl into thick and silky white fur. The bear-sized wolf ignores Kyungsoo’s protests to be put down and begins to make the trip back to the cave. He is left helpless on the back of the wolf and sits with his arms cross over his chest as the animal climbs the terrain easily.

By the time they arrive, Kyungsoo is close to screaming. His anger is bubbling inside and he grips the white fur tightly.

He’s let down eventually, after the beast shifts back into a man and Kyungsoo is carried like a bride. The induk kicks until he is let down, smacking and hitting a firm chest before he storms down the cave tunnels and deeper into the mountain, cursing as he goes.

The wolf watches the smaller man march away. A small smirk emerges at the corner of his lips.

I ask for everyone's patience, I'm trying to get my adult life set up right now: getting a driver's license, getting a stable marketing job and currently working in a kitchen while saving so I can pay back my student loans. I might now be updating as quickly as before. But I hope you'll stick with the story and as always I hope you enjoy!

btw what's up with Yifan? Is he mood or what.

I know I've failed the last couple of times on replying to comments, I'm sorry about that. But I swear I read every single one and I'm going to do my best to reply to as many questions and comments as possible. Thank you for the support!

Much love doves,

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