For the longest time, Kyungsoo had no idea what his name was. To his parents, he was my son or some similar variation; to the staff and public, he was Your Highness. It’s only at official events he ever hears his name, and the one person to use it simply calls him Soo, although they know him the least amount of time.

Jongin is introduced to Kyungsoo, second prince born to the royal family, on Kyungsoo’s eleventh birthday, after years of persistent whining and bargaining with the king and the king’s companion, Insung. He pesters Insung almost daily about when he'll find his own companion. When you're ready, is the usual response, but Kyungsoo thinks he's ready now, and has pretty much since he could aim and shoot. With each passing year, he wonders if he's missing something important. Some skill or training that aids his ability to mentor and foster trust in a companion.

He’s finally taken to a ranch outside of town where hunting companions are raised and trained. He had visited a couple of times, with his older brother and cousins, and he did befriend a couple of the prized hound dogs.

Staff lives at the ranch, working full time. The youngest, Joonmyun, is only a couple years older than Kyungsoo and became a trainer after an accident left one of his legs lame. He can walk and run just fine, but the days spent in the rough wilderness take their toll quickly, and he prefers staying home with a comfortable bed and running water.

He greets Kyungsoo at the front gates with a warm smile. There’s a pup in his arms, kicking and whining softly in his sleep. "Today's the day, Highness?"

"Yes." He can't resist tacking on a begrudging Finally., directed at his memories of Insung and the king denying his repeated attempts to convince them to let him choose a companion. He nuzzles the pup’s cheek with his fingers, and it settles down.

"Are you tired at all?” Joonmyun gestures to the main house. “I can prepare lunch, if you want to eat first."

"No, thank you. I'm too excited to eat. Just...show me the way, please."

The companions eat, sleep, and train together, living in a barracks style of housing. It's noisy inside, a merry atmosphere that dulls a little when the prince is recognized.

Kyungsoo is used to stares and attention, but he'd rather be ignored right now, so he can find a companion that suits him and not one that can mimic perfection by acting how a royal companion ideally should act.

A couple of young dogs bound up to him, eagerly introducing themselves and investigating Kyungsoo when given permission, tails wagging. They're nice and friendly and have promising builds, but Kyungsoo doesn't feel either is the one. Older dogs are more professional, bowing and standing at attention for directions.

They just feel...stiff. Kyungsoo thinks they’re more likely to lecture him and make him work to train them. That’s too much work.

Joonmyun pats a few heads and scratches behind some ears and guides Kyungsoo through the barracks. Behind it is a cleared area set up with dummies and scent tools. Horses stomp along a fence, for trainers to lead or follow a training pack.

A whistle pierces the air, and Joonmyun quickly soothes the squirming pup. "There is a training simulation in the yard, if you'd like to watch."

That could be interesting. Kyungsoo nods. "Please."

A trainer in heavy leather parries attacks from a small, clawed cat, jabbing and dodging and finally knocking them onto their back. A whistle blows, and the cat is immediately on their feet, tail lashing with adrenaline. "Always keep your feet under you!" the trainer chastises. He waves towards himself. "Now, again."

This time, the cat remains on their feet the entire time, only falling to their knees when they knock the trainer onto their back to pin them and arch back with an arm raised.

The whistle blows, and the cat takes a few moments to stand again. Their claws remain out, relaxing only when the trainer claps and praises them. They leave the ring with flushed cheeks and hunched shoulders. Their tail weaves behind them, obviously pleased.

"Wow," Kyungsoo says. Cats aren’t as common or desirable as dogs, particularly in the royal family. The palace cats are pampered society companions. Kyungsoo gets along with most of them. He points to the cat, now sitting beneath a tree and drink from a waterskin. "Who is he?"

Joonmyun watches with barely concealed surprise. "His name is Jongin, and he is a year younger than you, but... My prince, are you sure? Hounds have been in your family for generations..." Joonmyun has been clawed by more than one temperamental cat. He’s a little wary.

"I know. I’m just curious. I also know I'm not my family, and maybe I want to change things up a bit." Truthfully, he fell in awe of the cat the moment he had slashed the man with his claws, ears flat and snarl feral. He was beautiful.

"Well, I’ll introduce you.” The pup wakes up while they’re approaching the resting cat and starts wiggling restlessly. When set on his feet, he toddles off to where Jongin’s lounging in the shade. Joonmyun waves. “Jongin! You have a visitor.”

Standing is a struggle, it seems. Jongin sits up, leaning on a hand. He only moves fast after the pup trips over himself, gathering him onto his lap and brushing the dirt off his knees.

“You did well, Jongin; you’re improving fast.”

“Thank you.”

Kyungsoo settles down in a crouch. Joonmyun remains standing and pets Jongin’s ears. “This is Prince Kyungsoo. He’s touring the barracks.”

“Looking for a hunting dog, Highness?” Even so young, Kyungsoo catches onto the hope underlying the curiosity. He can’t imagine the life of the cats and dogs is easy, training daily and acknowledging the real possibility they may never serve. Those who aren’t chosen as personal companions, he knows, join the packs around the kingdom or are sent to neighboring kingdoms as gifts of goodwill. Those who fail out of training are simply released. Even in town, Kyungsoo has seen the strays lurking in alleys and scavenging to survive.

“Or cat, if I like them.” The cat’s ears waver, falling to the sides shyly. He watches the pup play with his fingers and keeps his tail out of reach.

They chat for a while, until the sun begins to set, sitting comfortably in the dirt and watching other hopefuls in the training circle. Joonmyun leaves them after a while, and even the pup goes back to sleep, fully trusting the cat and prince.

Safe as the people of the kingdom are, there are still dangers at night, and Kyungsoo discovers he’s really hungry. He skipped lunch to meet the hunting companions, and he regrets it as hunger pangs rumble through his gut.

They’re both hesitant to say goodbye, but Kyungsoo had made his choice and wants to tell the king as soon as possible. Jongin’s shy at first, but he opened up pretty quick and expressed quick wits and humor and knowledge. He didn’t once try to impress Kyungsoo with his skills or training. The prince has seen a fair share of companions peacocking their position, and it reminds him too much of the politicians he’s forced to greet and pretend to listen to at official events.

The hardest thing he’s ever had to do, even as an adult, was leave Jongin behind that day and knowing he wouldn’t see him for another long time. They train separately, and over the years, updates are fewer and express less impressive progress, commenting more on praising consistency and maintained strengths. Nothing about how Jongin is feeling or if he’s eating enough or if he’s getting along with other trainees. The cat held no prejudices, but that can’t be said for everyone, and cats are a rarity in royal hunting packs.

The day they finally reunited was wet and foggy, slowing their progress and dampening Kyungsoo’s excitement. He can’t even pass the time by watching the scenery, because it’s all murky gray, but he’s grown up more in the sprawling wilderness, hunting and trapping and learning every plant and creature. He spends more time outside than within the castle walls. The people are used to seeing the young prince running among them, pushing into crowds to watch bar brawls and smiths and riding demonstrations. It’s safe; there’s no animosity towards the royal family, and they all love the youngest in particular.

Their kingdom is a safe and prosperous one, and he is grateful. Plentiful trees provide timber and wild game and seemingly infinite resources for the hardy subjects. Hunting is a way of life, and there’s rarely a house without some game hanging from hooks outside. Mountains along the north and east protect them from too harsh winters and contain valuable ores in its depths, and they’re usually the reason for the dense fog and mist.

The ranch he’s lead to is set up similarly to the one where he met Jongin. No one is training outside; they’ve been told of the prince’s arrival, and everyone has been instructed to stay away. He’s only there for one person, and the sooner they retrieve him, the sooner they can return home.

The cat lays on his back, eyes closed and hands folded like a corpse awaiting burial. His tail flicks, the only indication of life. Forcing himself to not blink, Kyungsoo can barely see the other's chest rising and falling.

"You breathe much too loudly."

"What?" Kyungsoo blinks and stands straight. Since when was that an appropriate greeting? "Excuse me?"

"I said you breathe too loud, reek of cologne, and should not yet be walking on that left leg." He sits up, focusing copper eyes on the young prince. "A sprain takes longer than a fracture to heal. You're hurting yourself, Highness." The title, while proper, didn't carry the tone of respect Kyungsoo’s accustomed to.

"It's fine. The doctor said so." The doctor also said to get plenty of rest, but Kyungsoo’s so rested he’s restless.

"Yeah, well," he groans as he rolled over, settling onto his front with a sigh, "your doctor's a putz."

"He's been my family's physician for years."

"Still a putz!" He turned his head away from the prince, ears relaxed and lazily shifting to the sounds of the other pens and winds outside.

Kyungsoo scowls a little, pulling his lips to the side and narrowing his eyes. It doesn’t last, and he begins to laugh quietly. “If Doctor Kim heard you call him a putz, he’d have your tail bobbed.”

Jongin grabs his tail protectively, blasé facade broken. “He sounds awful!”

“So awful you won’t come back with me?”

With the speed and grace of a cat, Jongin’s at the door and clutching Kyungsoo’s sleeve. “I didn’t say that! After how long I’ve waited?”

It’s easy to reach up—up, because Jongin’s grown and is already a bit taller than Kyungsoo—and ruffle between his ears. The cat even bows his head a little and allows himself a soft purr.

Within minutes, they’re like close friends. The weather clears for the ride back to the castle, and Jongin charms the king and queen effortlessly with his calm demeanor and soft smiles.

It's easy to fall into familiarity and routine, like Jongin was always a part of his life as a beloved—although sometimes annoying—little brother.

On one such day of his companion being a nuisance, Kyungsoo drops his pen onto the loose papers and leaves his desk, walks a few steps to his bed, and drops onto the plush blankets. He doesn't hear his door open or close but feels the added presence of Jongin before he crawls onto the bed beside him. "Studying hard, Soo?"

"Mm-hm."

"It's nice to know the country is in such dedicated hands, our beloved prince studying hard to take over the monarchy for the benefit and well-being of us the people."

"Shut up, Jongin. Studying is boring." His teachers have nothing but praise for him—although they all wish he’d study more seriously; Kyungsoo is notorious for climbing out the window when left to his books alone, and since bringing Jongin to the castle, he’s got an accomplice to vouch for him.

"Maybe, but at least you're allowed to study."

"What?"

Jongin shifts to sit cross-legged and crosses his arms as well. He looks smaller, almost shy. "We're not allowed to. All we learn is how to hunt, track, kill, skin, obey..."

"Do you want to learn?"

He shrugs. “I don’t know what it is.”

Kyungsoo waves a hand to his desk. “Feel free to look at it. I can teach you to read, at least. That would give you something to do when I’m busy.”

Tail weaving, Jongin scoots off of the bed and looks over the books and pages. “I really can’t even describe what it looks like, except it looks boring.” He replaces the items the way they were and grins at Kyungsoo. “We should go outside.”

“I need to finish that.”

“You will.” Jongin takes his hands and pulls him towards the edge of the bed. “After we go outside. Let’s go for a walk.”

“You sound like a dog.”

“Cats like to walk, too. I feel cramped in here, and it’s nice outside. I heard pheasants this morning, too.” Jongin eagerly pulls the prince to his feet, tail up and quivering. He looks more like an eager puppy than a cat, and it’s the image Kyungsoo has in mind when he’s asked what it’s like having such a composed cat for a companion.

Like always, he relents fast and leads the way out of his room and down a set of servants’ stairs. They only meet one other person and mime silence with a finger to their lips. The old woman just chuckles and waves them on their way.

With heavy outerclothes, a bow, quiver of arrows, and a couple of traps, they head outside. Winter has settled heavily over the kingdom once again. Jongin runs joyfully into the snow and circles around Kyungsoo, scaring the songbirds searching for food among the bare tree branches. Regardless of the weather, Jongin finds enjoyment in it, and it amazes Kyungsoo. Rain depresses him; he hates the heat and humidity of summer; winter is just plain cold, but it’s all bearable with Jongin’s company. He had an ideal in mind of the companion, as a child, and Jongin exceeds it.

“Soo, you frozen?” the cat calls. He’s waiting, traps on his back clacking together as he dances in place. “It’ll be dark before we even get anywhere!” As safe as the kingdom is, nighttime always has dangers from wild creatures and avalanches, in winter. Kyungsoo can handle either, in theory, and he’s more confident with Jongin, as well, but he would rather not have to practice what they’ve learned, if they can avoid it.

In a clearing, Jongin starts picking whatever berries he finds. Kyungsoo takes the traps from his back—leftover from previous trapping excursions—and sets one up near the edge of the clearing. The other is set nearby, both baited with bright berries that should attract any hungry bird. As he ties the fruit to the end of the stick mechanism, Jongin hovers behind him and watches over his shoulder.

“Am I doing something wrong?”

“No…” The cat straightens and looks around, ears swiveling. “I just have a funny feeling.”

“Maybe it’s guilt for making me abandon my studying.”

“You abandoned it all on your own!” He returns to his hovering. “I just made a simple suggestion. You didn’t have to come along.”

“You would’ve gone without me?”

Jongin pouts and stomps snow off of his boots. “Maybe.”

Kyungsoo snorts. In all their time together, they’ve rarely been apart. Different rooms of the castle, maybe, but never one inside while the other is outside. Even Insung leaves the king’s side to do things for himself; Jongin is more like Kyungsoo’s clingy, whiny, giggly shadow.

Traps set, they trek back into the trees a short distance. Jongin will be able to hear if the traps are sprung. He climbs a tree and makes himself comfortable on a bare branch while Kyungsoo kicks aside some snow and sits the tails of his long coat. He unloads the bow and quiver from his back and the hatchet he keeps in his belt. It’s not comfortable, sitting in the snow, but it’s less uncomfortable without the additional bruises from carved handles in his sides.

“Ach!” Snow falls down his neck. He scowls into the tree and hisses at Jongin. All he can see is the long tail curling back and forth, bouncing as the cat laughs.

With the blanket of winter, it’s quiet. Warmer seasons has birdsong and chirping bugs and rustling leaves on a light breeze. With the trees bare and snow piled over the ground, wind whistles and dry twigs snap, suggesting rather than supporting life.

All is silent, which Kyungsoo doesn’t immediately realize, amusing himself with a small snowman between his feet. Above him, Jongin sits up silently, ears tall and alert. He knows he heard something, and it wasn’t a bird in a trap. His tail fur is standing on end, pointing in all directions.

Kyungsoo grunts when he's jumped on and has some choice words in mind when the cat wraps a hand over his mouth and glares into the trees. He removes Jongin's hand and whispers, "What is it?"

"I don't know..." A low growl rumbles at the back of his throat. He tackles Kyungsoo to the ground. An arrow shivers in the tree where Kyungsoo's head had just been. "Hide," Jongin hisses. He takes off, leaving Kyungsoo to scramble around the trunk.

Even trying to track Jongin when the cat's walking normal is a task; he's lighter on his feet than any dancer. When he's hunting, he demonstrates the purest stalking technique that makes his species so deadly. Kyungsoo has an edge to the average person, at least, having worked with Jongin for a while, but it's the sudden grunt that draws him into the trees as fast as the snow-laden branches allow.

"Jongin! Hold!" The cat's still, arm raised and claws ready bore into the man he's holding by the back of the neck.

Kyungsoo holds his hatchet easily in his hand, loose but ready to throw if the man tries to run. "Who are you?" The man is silent, glaring at Kyungsoo and pulling subtly against Jongin."Why did you attack me?"

Kyungsoo sighs and crouches down, resting the hatchet on its head and stacking his hands one over the other on the of the handle. "You're not getting out of this without talking. Tell me now, or this little panther is going to start dividing your face." Jongin flexes his fingers, making the claws catch the light and shine with lethal promise.

“A prince is a prize on any hunting trip.” Kyungsoo doesn’t recognize him from town, but he could be from outside or a foreigner. The attack has adrenaline thriving through his veins, and he takes the man’s quiver and bow before motioning to Jongin to walk with their prisoner.

“Let’s cut this short, Jongin. The mood’s been spoiled; I’m hungry, it’s cold, and I have to finish my homework.” He picks up his own bow and arrows as they walk back the way they came, and he kicks over their traps, freeing the pheasant and grouse. “We’d’ve been really successful, too, if not for this deadweight.” He sighs.

Throughout the walk to the castle, the stranger is quiet and sullen. Jongin maintains his vigilance until they pass the man to stunned guards inside the castle, then he takes Kyungsoo aside and nervously looks him over for injuries.

“Jongin,” the prince says patiently, “I’m fine. Truly.” He has to grab Jongin’s hands when he starts to part his hair like a monkey looking for lice. “Jongin.” He smiles, and the cat’s ears sit up a little from his hair. “You did really good. I’m not at all hurt. How are you?” Jongin’s hands are shaking. He frees them from Kyungsoo’s hold and wraps his arms around the prince instead. They’ve hugged before, but it feels different.

“I’m okay, if you are,” he says. There’s a soft purr in his chest, to comfort himself or the prince or maybe them both.

“Thanks to you, I’m perfect.” Jongin is someone Kyungsoo can rely on. He trusts him with his life, and he knows it’s safe in his hands. The wait has been worth it.

---

a/n: Written as my official Kaisoommer 2017 fic.

“There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.” - Ernest Hemingway, "On the Blue Water,"Esquire, April 1936

The title isn't really related all that closely to the fic here but it is to the Ideal Fic in my head. It was a ride trying to submit this. Technology is awful. I finally made it, though, and I hope my recipient enjoys this, lacking as it is. jwj I enjoyed the prompts and wish I had something greater to show for it, because they were all really fun.

Because I overthink things, Jongin is basically a Bombay. They look like little panthers and are generally calm and affectionate, even around other cats and animals, and love to learn tricks and play. They're muscular and medium-sized, usually. Super handsome~