Sorry about the wait, life is kind of taking a toll on me.

Anywho, if you haven't already please check out the playlist I created for this story: HERE.

Hope you enjoy!

Each of the dukun clans had their own sources. They believed that healing took a great amount of power, and power had to come from a source. A source from which they obtained their magic and power. It was what fed their energy, what gave them power to heal and protect.

Some clans wielded the power of the mountains, some the trees and the earth. One even held the source of song and beauty.

The Kimdukun clan, the most powerful clan in the Moon tribe, held the power of the sky.

This included the moon and her constellations, the sun and its clouds.

Every sunrise and sunset the mature members of the clan, those that had finished enough training to heal others, were expected to pray outside. In this prayer they thanked the sky for its power, they asked for guidance and hoped for the perseverance of their clan. This was considered the gift to the sky, the prayer would be answered and Kimdukuns were given more power.

As young dukun trained throughout their lives, their aim was to receive a mark or transcendence. The marks corresponded with their source of power. Some dukuns had long trees sprouting from the base of their spines, others had snakes creeping down their necks. The marks of transcendence were very sacred to the dukun, it meant your trainer believed in you and that you were ascending towards becoming a great healer. One did not reveal their marks of transcendence to just anyone. Most were covered by clothing and jewelry.

Black ink was stabbed into the skin on their back, and each mark meant they could move up to the next level of study.

A master dukun like Ketua, had a back full of marks. Everyone knew she had them, but not many had seen them. But they could imagine. And Sehun’s imagination had not prepared him for the sight before him.

Sehun has to stop himself from ogling.

The moon and the sun were planted opposite on her shoulders. The left half was the night sky, the right the day. Following the moon was a series of constellations and of shooting stars. Under the sun was a elegant weave of clouds and winds, currents that flowed through rainbows.

“Ketua?” He whispered in awe. Was he worthy of such a sight?

And then he realized why she had bared her back in this new hut. The chief had been draped in a long fox cape, thin knitted dress hugging her hips as she went. But the second she had entered the new hut, she had shed it. Her dress was backless and loosely tied around her neck. In fact the dress left little to the imagination.

Minseok of the Kimdukun clan welcomed her with open arms. The two cousins embraced warmly and shared kisses on their foreheads. It was an intimate yet friendly gesture. He was the reason Ketua showed her back. He was one of her own, a Kimdukun clan member.

“You bring company?” Minseok’s eyes quickly flew over to the young induk standing awkwardly at the entrance of his grand hut.

“A young caregiver wishing to be shielded from the hungry wolves.” Ketua smiles. Minseok smiles gently at that and turns away from them, headed over to a wide flat oak stump holding candles and papers galore.

Minseok’s back is almost fully packed. A woman draped in stars danced over his shoulder blades, the halo of the sun shining from her hair. She walks on clouds and is caressing a wall that shows each phase of the moon. But its more than that marks that hold Sehun’s eyes. It’s the smooth planes of skin and muscle that move under them. Minseok is defined, he’s slim and Sehun wonders if he has a mate who receives the privilege of caressing such a beautiful masterpiece.

A smug smile peeks over Minseok’s shoulder as looks directly at Sehun, “Do you like what you see?”

Sehun swallows and immediately lowers his eyes.

“I saved him from the wolves in the village Minseok, I didn’t bring him here to be eyed as bait once again.” Chief sighs with a hint of a smile.

“I am no wolf.” Minseok pouts, striding back with a small glass vial and a long metal stick, “But I am up for a chase.”

Sehun doesn’t miss these words and bites back his scoff. Was this the hopeful mate the Chief had in mind for him? He was handsome but already seemed cocky like the rest.

The vial and rod are handed to the Chief and Sehun watches curiously as Minseok strides, he seems too relaxed to be walking, over to his full pile of animal hides and lays down on his stomach. Ketua follows, kneeling beside him. Her gentle eyes fall on Sehun as she offers,

“Minseok will need someone to hold his hand. The process for the mark of transcendence is painful. This is why I have brought you along. But only if you want to.”

The younger dukun makes no move to say if he wishes Sehun to hold his hand or not. All the induk sees is the expanse of relaxed back and the head of rich dark hair resting on strong arms. The decision is clearly up to Sehun. He can do this or he cannot. It’s up to him. And although he is not appreciating the smug attitude of the healer, he eyes the sharp tip of the rod and sense the dukun will be in need of comfort.

Its bear fur he sits in. The thick black hair is coarse and warm. And so is Minseok’s hand. His skin is dry and rough but extremely warm.

“You’ve never seen a mark made before?” The dukun glances up at him. Sehun shakes his head.

“Well, be glad those in your trade do not practice it.” Minseok’s smooth voice jumps. The metal rod holds a thinner piece of metal at the end. Something Sehun’s only seen tukang work with. It’s coated in the black ink from the vial and its being stabbed into Minseok’s skin repeatedly. Quickly and quietly, almost as if it’s gliding. But the blood pools. It creeps forward as little droplets that begin to connect as one. And soon they form as a steady river. Although Chief wipes them away with a thin cloth, they always bead up again.

A squeeze to his hand makes Sehun look down at the dukun. Minseok’s handsome face is propped on his free fist, intense eyes staring the induk down.

“Are you alright?” The healer checks. That comment was not expected, Sehun can’t help but smile. It had been sincere.

“Such a dukun, checking on me when you’re the one in pain.” Sehun chuckles. That earns him a dazzling smile.

“It’s in my nature to care after others…” Minseok bites his bottom lip, “Especially those that catch my eye.”

Heat envelops Sehun’s cheeks. When the healer hisses he grips the other’s hand tighter, hoping to offer the healer his strength.

Minseok tries to bite back the pain, but a sharp cry leaves him and is followed by a child like whine, “Miyoung ease off!”

Sehun cannot hold back his laughter, and he laughs harder when the healer curses at his older cousin for driving the thin metal in a little too deep.

“It’s a mark! Stop trying to fatally wound me!” Minseok growls against Sehun’s knuckles. His cheeks turn red as sweat collects on his brow. The induk doesn’t hesitate to wipe at the damp forehead, to smooth back the thick hair in a comforting manner. And he doesn’t hesitate to stare right back when dark eyes meet his.

“Thank you for this.” Minseok whispers against Sehun’s hand. His breath is warm, his hand is warm, and Sehun’s cheeks feel so hot.

When it’s over Ketua carefully wipes at the new mark to remove all traces of blood. The new mark is red and puffy, but it’s clearly the newest phase of the moon. It’s round and pitch black.

“A new moon.” Sehun realizes.

“When the moon hides her face from us, renewing herself and readying to return to us stronger than ever.” Minseok adds.

“The night when the rakasa serigala is the weakest.” Ketua murmurs.

Minseok sits up abruptly, his warm hand leaving Sehun’s and his eyes now trained on the Chief. They share a silent word through their gazes. Ketua’s is bordering on excitement, Minseok’s filled with worry.

“Before I ask you to leave, would you be willing to lend me your name and clan? This way the I may find you again, and learn more about you.” Minseok ask of Sehun, though he continues to look at the Chief.

Sehun frowns at this but finds he hopes the healer does finds him later, wants the healer to chase him, and maybe he is the potential mate the Chief had promised him.

“Sehun of the Ohinduk clan.” He informs.

“Sehun,” the dukun glances at him with such warmth it makes the induk’s knees weak, “I will enjoy finding you later Sehun. But for now, I ask that you leave me and my cousin alone. We have important matters to discuss.”

The caregiver gives his Chief a wary look before rising from the bear hide and exiting. He does catch one sentence before he gets too far though. It makes him curious. It makes the hairs on his neck stand just slightly.

“We were successful cousin.” Ketua giggles.

Successful?

Kyungsoo wakes with a start. His heart is racing, blood pumping loudly in his ear drums. The caregiver’s eyes search the darkness.

It hadn’t been a bad dream that had startled him into consciousness. Not a noise or a voice, or even a touch.

But something had. It was a feeling, a foreboding. And it had him on edge. Kyungsoo’s eyes searched the darkness in front of him and then he abruptly turned around and searched some more. All he could hear was his heart pounding. All he could feel was the cold prick of the early morning air. His body trembled violently, his hair was still wet from the rain and his skin ice cold. The feeling didn’t leave him though. It grew. And Kyungsoo gulped in fear. He wanted to run, to hide, but he was paralyzed.

This wasn’t like the night he’d met the wolf. It was far different. Something was watching him, hunting him, and Kyungsoo didn’t know what was coming but he feared it already.

A gentle lap of water broke up the darkness for a moment, the surface reflecting the moonlight. It came again a few seconds later, and again. Kyungsoo felt his muscles loosen slowly after a while. Nothing broke out from the shadows. No monster or beast, no creature came at him to kill. It took a long while, so long the light of day began to peak at the horizon, but he finally relaxed as he searched the forest edge. Nothing came. He was alone.

For good measure, the induk snagged a formidable rock and held it close to his chest when he laid his head back down. His eyelids grew heavy and his breath evened.

“Hello there.” The deep voice whispered in his ear.

Kyungsoo’s eyes snapped open, a scream ripped from his throat and his rock was thrown at full force. The stone made contact and a loud hiss was heard.

A large shadow moved around him, too fast for Kyungsoo to follow. It circled him quickly, it growled and hissed at Kyungsoo. The sound vibrates in Kyungsoo’s chest, makes his heartbeat quicken. By the time he realizes the shadow is moving in closer it is too late.

Sharp claws and a strong paw snap out and swipe. Kyungsoo is shoved into the damp earth with a loud slap. A string of stinging on his chest register at the back of his mind, but the forefront tells him to run away as fast as he can.

Being a strong prajurit would come in handy right about now, he thinks bitterly.

He’s dragged violently from the lake’s edge, terrified eyes watching the shimmering water become smaller as the mud covers his front. Like a straw doll Kyungsoo is tossed near a tree. He lands with a cough. There is no time to try and fight, to run, to scream anymore.

A prick to the back of his neck. It’s sharp and quick, like a thin thorn he’d accidentally run his fingers over. The pain is quick as the blink of an eye.

And suddenly the world faded out ten times faster than sleep.

Yellow eyes glared down at him.

The world faded, and Kyungsoo wished the eyes had been blue. Neon blue.

The air is thick and suffocating. With each inhale a new wave of scents invaded his nose. Water from the lake that was miles ahead. A wild boar and her three piglets grazing to the east. Damp soil beneath his feet and all the tiny insects who crawled beneath his feet. And that persistent parrot cawing his ears off.

But none of these scents were of his mate. And this was his problem now. He’d lost the scent. At the opening of the cave it had been easy to follow. Down the thin mountain edge it was plain as day. What with blood specks here and there, and his mate’s sweat hovering on every branch Yifan passed, it was easy to follow it all.

And then Yifan had journeyed deeper. It wasn’t like he hadn’t expected the forest to become thicker, heavier, he’d lived here a very long time. Although the land was massive, he knew it well enough. He knew how close the trees got and how deep the ground became. And judging by the terrible debris of uprooted plants and kicked soil, it was evident his mate had found it difficult to navigate through the dangerous path.

And when he’d finally reached the lake, the clear and expansive lake, he’d held on to hope that his mate had been smart enough to rest by a body of water. And that hope had told him he’d find the small and beautiful man alive.

But it was here that he’d lost it. It was at the lake that the scent of Kyungsoo had vanished. Yifan’s eyes blazed with fury, frustration turning his gut.

He’d ran around the lake, end to end, the trees surrounding it, and nothing. Not a whiff of air, no scent of Kyungsoo.

With each passing moment he feels the frustration bubbling under his skin. It’s thick and starts to make his lungs heave in and out more, makes it hard to breath. Guild beings to eat him up from the inside.

He shouldn’t have yelled, he shouldn’t have screamed. He should have been kind. Then his mate wouldn’t hate him and wouldn’t call him a monster.

Then his mate wouldn’t have ran away on a dark and stormy night in an effort to escape from him. His mate wouldn’t be out in the forest filled with dark creatures that could harm him or reclaim him as their own.

Yifan feels the pain as it simmers in his heart. It is so hot and strings through his chest.

He wants his mate back in his arms. He chose him for a reason. He chose Kyungsoo. He wants Kyungsoo.

Yifan!

His neon eyes glow a brilliant blue, his canines extend and sharpen as the air around him shimmers. The pain in his chest intensifies, because Kyungsoo’s scream sounded terrified. But as his pain grows, so does his rage.

The air shimmers around him quietly.

The monster wolf howls to the sky before running at full speed into the forest.

But will he get to Kyungsoo in time? Hm.

Anywho, thank you for reading and supporting! Feel free to comment, I read them all!

Also! I created a little map of the forest that this story takes place in. It's an overall look at the land. You can check it out  HERE.

Next up I'm going to work on mapping out the village in detail and also the cave!