It was all very interesting to Nayeon.

Here they were, three loners from three totally different lifestyles embarking on a rather impulsive mission to find an arcane entryway to a valley. There was no formal agreement to this expedition, and Jungyeon still hadn’t gone back home. Winter wasn’t getting any better so if they stick together, they would stand a higher chance of surviving. The valley—as Nayeon heard—had its own little ecosystem since the mountain range separated it from the rest of the Ivic Region. If they could infiltrate it as the only wolves there, they would have plenty of game for themselves. Nayeon personally had very high hopes for them. It was an odd thing for her—being the proud loner that she was—to admit that Jungyeon and Jihyo made her forget her old lifestyle. They were a pretty formidable trio. She had met a lot of wolves before but with Jihyo and Jungyeon, a powerful sense of strength stuck out to her.

Their route was set north towards the Beartooth mountain range where they would start the search. Since the late morning, the three of them had been covering a bit of distance before Jihyo spotted a snow hare ahead and halted them. The alpha suggested that they go after it, because opportunities like these were growing scarcer. And that led to where they were now, Jihyo and Jungyeon out tailing the hare while Nayeon watched from a small snow dome. When the sandy beige beta slid down from her shoulders, Jungyeon had jokingly said that they were going to abandon her forever, igniting a string of whining from the older that made her laugh. Nayeon sent them off with a stern: “I’ll be watching you.” and just like that, the hunt began.

The open field was a tricky place to hunt, mainly because the barren scenery provided little coverage for predators and prey alike. Out here, it was either speed or stamina that would really matter. Just by watching her clumsy movements, Nayeon could tell that Jungyeon wasn’t very used to this. She followed closely behind Jihyo with her belly close to the floor, a position that looked very out of place in their current setting. Nayeon didn’t blame her. Jungyeon relied so heavily on the art of ambushing that she was totally lost without the trees. Habits were hard to get rid of, and she guessed that went for lifelong hunting techniques as well. Under Jihyo’s guidance, the two kept a good distance away from the hare. They inched closer only when they saw the best opportunity to do so but even then, they were quick to be cautious of every move. The two also divided up directions so that Jungyeon was situated on one side of the hare and Jihyo the other. They travelled at an equivalent pace to prevent any gap in their formation. From afar, Nayeon was absolutely fascinated by their great teamwork. For strangers, they seemed to have understood each other by simply moving. This sort of collaboration would be very useful to them soon.

An unfortunate gust of wind swept their scents directly to the hare, alerting it and causing it to break into a panicked sprint. Jihyo immediately darted, throwing herself towards it in a speed so rapid Nayeon had to blink twice. Jungyeon followed at her heels, closing in on the hare with every stride. Nayeon watched with total anticipation, and there was a strange urge in her leg to sprint out to their aid. But knowing the risk, she simply dismissed it as another instinct and sat still. With her eyes sharp on the field, shifting between Jungyeon and Jihyo, the oldest of their trio awaited for the final outcome. The chase should be over soon.

The hare, like all animals in their dark wintry world, knew its chances. There was still a small gap between it and its pursuers that had not yet been overcome. If it did, the white hopper would be logged between the wolves, surrounded and corned for them to quickly close in for the kill. Perhaps there was a certain quickness—and undoubtedly a survival reflex—in the hare for it to realize this before all hopes were lost. For a brief millisecond it halted, then quickly bolted back around. It was a very well-timed and eloquently done motion that gave the hare the advantage of a few feet ahead. The wolves had expected it—or at least Nayeon did because it was the oldest trick in the prey survival book—but the suddenness of it surprised them, and they broke their pace. Nayeon could see them scrambling to regain the close distance afterwards, leaping desperately yet still far away from their original positions. As for the hare, the effectiveness of its tactic seemed to have boosted its hopes. There were a few more instances where their nimble quarry suddenly switched direction, all of which placed the wolves several aching paces behind. Nayeon did not blame them, in fact, she pitied them the more they fell in speed. There was a clear difference between the lithe, small body of a hare and that of their own. They could only do so much to match its agility but if the of luck had already decided their fate, they had no choice but to accept it. The hare was far ahead of them now, bouncing and relishing in its victory while the wolves slowed down. Jihyo watched until it disappeared into the frozen terrain then growling lowly, she walked back to Nayeon.

The two were panting heavily when they returned, tongues hung out and feet burning with every plodding step. Jihyo slumped messily down on her belly right next to Nayeon, her back leaning on the beta’s front leg but the older didn’t mind. She could feel Jihyo’s fast heartbeats vibrating through her body and again, she felt sorry for their wasted effort.

“I’m sorry.” Jungyeon suddenly apologized, walking towards them in a dreadfully slow manner. Jihyo frowned, and Nayeon saw her emerald optics softened.

“For what?” The alpha cocked her head. “We simply challenged the wrong hare.”

The younger beta laughed meekly in response, but there was still evident guilt on her face.

“I’m not too good with open chases.” Jungyeon pulled back her ears.

“You did wonderfully.” Jihyo assured.

And just like that, all talks about the hunt were dismissed as bad luck. It was fascinating, really—the way Jungyeon plainly accepted it without another word. Nayeon knew it was not obedience but rather an instinctive respect for the higher rank that had influenced her behavior. Sure Jihyo was younger and stood just at her shoulder, but she was still an alpha. And as wolves, the class distinctions were too firmly implanted in them by nature to leave any room for exceptions.

~~~***~~~

For two more days, they travelled onwards with nothing to fill their stomachs. The plains were endless and no matter how much Nayeon convinced them that they would be out of Jayrock soon, the empty miles still felt insipid. There was no game nor wolves in sight, just the three of them and the endless cold. At times, the three would take turns sharing stories just for kicks. The topics usually varied from Nayeon’s adventures, to Jihyo’s siblings, to Jungyeon’s hunting lessons with her father. It was a nice distraction from the constant weariness of their journey and placed them in a much lighter mood to cover the miles. As for the weather, they had been getting a lot of fog and no wind. Nayeon was thankful that there were no signs of a blizzard coming, but she hoped something would occur soon to take away this extensive grayness in their atmosphere. Suddenly, she was really thankful for Jihyo and Jungyeon’s existences.

On the third day of their venture, Nayeon saw some improvements on the condition of her leg. She didn’t need to be carried around anymore but instead of walking normally, she had to limp slightly to avoid putting too much pressure on the freshly healed tissues. Nayeon was pleased regardless and would have been well off if it wasn’t for Jungyeon’s keen eyes watching her every step. It was hard to concentrate on walking when her heartbeats refused to stop escalating.

About five hours after sunrise, a faint view of the mountain tops appeared to them. There was still a long journey ahead, but they were close, at least closer than before. The trio stopped for a quick rest—Nayeon and Jihyo curling up while Jungyeon decided to sniff around for mice burrows.

“She’s restless.” Jihyo laughed. “I told her the layer of snow was too thick for burrows.”

Nayeon followed Jungyeon with her eyes, mesmerized by her brisk movement whenever a new scent stole her attention. Her nose was close to the ground and her ears were alertly erected, giving her a rather austere complexion. If it wasn’t for the fact that Jungyeon saved her, Nayeon would have been extremely intimidated by her level of concentration. Jihyo was right—Jungyeon’s hunting skills were flawless. Her energy would be the saving grace of the team.

A half an hour went by and nothing changed. Jungyeon was still out searching with a determination that continued to impress her companions. Jihyo curled up in a ball and decided on a nap while Nayeon cleaned her paws idly. All around them, the silence dragged on. Any noise would mean life and aside from the three wolves, this winter had muted most of the life in the region. Most, because they were certainly not the only ones left.

A terrible shriek broke the still silence of the plains, alarming the wolves with its intensity. Nayeon jolted and Jihyo perked her head, meanwhile Jungyeon turned back towards them from afar. Another shriek sounded through the air, followed by a sharp yelp, and then a distressed yowl that only provoked the trio’s curiosity as to what was going on behind them. While it did sound like a fellow canine, a pitch that high could belong to anything. The only guaranteed answer would require them finding out for themselves, but there was uncertainty among the wolves as they exchanged questioning looks.

“Doesn’t sound very far away.” Jihyo mumbled, still holding eye contact with the two betas.

There was a series of frantic barking after her comment, and Nayeon lost it then. Her curiosity led her to step towards the direction of the noise, breaking the stare with the bewildered wolves behind her. She turned her ears to where she’d heard the sounds and with delicate footsteps, she followed it until something came within her sight. Behind her were her group mates, following with the same matching silence. Nayeon stopped, eyes narrowing when she spotted the battle that was unfolding in front of her.

A wolf and a juvenile grizzly bear were face to face, snarling viciously at each other. Between them laid a moose carcass, freshly killed judging by the smell of it. The wolf was about the same age as Jungyeon if not younger, and she appeared to be an omega. Her coat was mostly russet with a few well-blended sandy white patches here and there. Nayeon saw her legs quivering underneath the menacing front she was putting up through her snarl. There were blood stains on the back of her neck that seemed to have dripped down to her shoulders, and her back fur rose to a level that marked her tenseness. Nayeon her lips, turning to the other two behind her.

“A pack wolf?” Jihyo asked.

“Very unlikely. She would have gone back to her pack by now.” Nayeon shook her head.

“Odd for an omega to be wandering around like that.”

“Very odd. She got some wounds too, but I suppose the moose is very tempting.”

That was true. Even from afar, Nayeon’s mouth was watering for a taste of fresh meat. Had she been more desperate, she would have challenged a bear for it too.

“What are we going to do?” Jungyeon looked out at the scene.

“There’s meat.” Jihyo turned to Nayeon.

Nayeon gave her an uncertain look. “But do you think she’ll want to share?”

“She might if we help her out. You’re good at negotiating, aren’t you Nayeon?” Jungyeon suggested.

The older shrugged, and Jihyo stood up. “It’s worth a shot. Besides, Jungyeon here is literally the size of that grizzly.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Jungyeon snickered.

The trio made their way towards the standoff cautiously and intently. They walked side by side each other, attempting to intimidate the bear by their numbers. The omega scented them before they approached and instinctively drew herself back a couple of paces in their direction. There was a quick flash of fear in her eyes that replaced itself with astonishment when the wolves surrounded the bear instead. As expected by its young age, the grizzly was driven into a state of panic. Power was now in the hands of the trio, and their flashing fangs were making that fact very clear. The bear spun around frantically until it realized that there was no way out of such a circle. The wolves were very thankful for its lack of experience.

Jihyo was the first to break the foreboding silence that engulfed them for the first two minutes. She jumped forward, snapping her jaw at the bear and swiftly retreating the moment it lunged for her. It was a distraction that worked better than she’d hoped, because the grizzly continued to swing at her with its claws, completely ignoring her fellows who were taking full advantage of its anger. Nayeon and Jungyeon each dove in to pull at a shoulder, tearing whatever they could latch their fangs on. First some fur, then skin, then bits of muscle that had the grizzly staggering in pain. The wolves’ assaults increased in aggression as the bear struggled, but they still kept their distances to prevent any furious paws that might come hurling their way. At about six minutes in, the bear’s blood stained most of the snow around them, and it bellowed a deep cry of withdrawal. Jihyo ceased her snapping to allow it space to limp out of the circle. Its steps were slow, exhausted, and drained but not enough to put out the flames of its life. The bear glanced dourly at the carcass, then at the omega as it dragged onwards, leaving behind a small trail of crimson. Defeat in this cold frosty world was inevitable, even to the biggest of fine beasts.

“A of luck again?” Nayeon winked at Jihyo, the blood off her muzzle.

The alpha simply smiled and nodded, strolling towards the moose carcass not too far from where they were. Surprisingly, the omega was still there, chestnut eyes widened with her ears back and tail tucked between her legs. Jungyeon and Jihyo looked at Nayeon who stepped ahead to confront the wolf.

“We’ll offer you a piece of the kill. You’ve also endured for it after all.” The beta nudged at the carcass.

The omega remained still, unsure until Nayeon smiled to prove her sincerity. Jungyeon and Jihyo also sat down to appear a little less threatening. The omega shivered, yet she managed to inch a little closer. For a second, Nayeon thought she recognized her but couldn’t find much information in her brain to confirm it. The omega carved out a thin slice of the meat, eyes fixed on the three wolves ahead before sliding it into . She chewed, and they watched until it was swallowed.

“T-thank you.” The omega uttered abruptly.

Nayeon nodded, a little taken by surprised.

“U-Um...by any chance…” The omega tilted her head at Nayeon who waited uneasily under her gaze. “Are you Nayeon?”

Jungyeon and Jihyo’s eyes immediately turned to the beta, confused and puzzled.

Nayeon swallowed. “Yes…?”

“Ah, I knew it!” The omega’s face lit up, and a twinkle gleamed in her eyes. “You stayed at our pack one winter.”

“Did I?” Nayeon had a very long history with these type of sojourns, so it was no question she didn’t remember.

“Yeah. Your silver linings are unmissable.”

The beta laughed shortly, observing the blank faces of the wolves next to her. “Who are you, exactly?”

“Sana, but I think you would remember me better by my pack.”

“What pack is that?”

“The Black Creeks.”

“Ah, that pack to the far west?”

Sana nodded. “It’s quite far out of this region. I remembered hearing your stories from the younger pups.”

“Is that so?” The beta chuckled.

“I thought they were very fascinating and cool!” The omega exclaimed and a faint blush made its way across Nayeon’s face.

“Wow, I never thought you would have this big of a reputation.” Jihyo remarked.

“Neither did I.”

“Don’t lie. You were totally aiming for this.”

“I never!” Nayeon protested, obviously flustered.

“I saw the smugness on your face. It’s time to humbly accept your narcissism.”

“Anyways!” Nayeon turned away from her, and the alpha laughed satisfyingly. “Are your wounds severe?”

“I caught a few claws, but it's nothing too deep.” The omega at her shoulder.

“That’s good. Jungyeon, you know how to tr—”

A piercing snarl cut Nayeon off and before she could even grasp what was happening, she felt Jihyo’s side clashed roughly against hers. The alpha was thrown off her paws, yelping as a strange wolf seized her neck with its jaw. Nayeon froze, startled and baffled by the suddenness of the assault. The unknown wolf yanked at her neck, growling every time Jihyo resisted with a kick to its stomach. Luckily, Jungyeon was quick to react and broke the struggle by knocking over the alpha’s attacker with a powerful push from her broad shoulder. The strange wolf tumbled down but quickly jumped to its feet again, pearly white fangs aimed for Jihyo. Sana intervened this time, stepping in between them and shielding the tawny alpha behind her.

“Sana.” The aggressive wolf shot her a glare.

“I know them, Momo.” The omega firmly stood her ground.

“Who are they?!”

“My...friends...” Sana let herself slip and the Momo wolf caught it like a shark in bloody waters.

Momo was an alpha, and she looked nothing less like it. Even in her posture, a great sense of power flowed out from it in robust waves. Her features were sharp, defined, and muscular, flaunting the mastery of her rank above all. Her eyes were a striking ice blue, glowing impressively with a certain aloofness. Her coat was layered in a bluescale-like pattern with the darkest shade of navy on her back, a mild shade of blue in the middle, and a lighter whitish blue near her belly. To further enhance everything, three ragged scars ran across her left shoulder. She looked at Sana with a frown then turning away, she began walking.

“Come on.” Momo called, but the omega remained unmoved.

The bluescale alpha turned her head, eyes widening. Unlike before, they flickered with a faint forlornness.

“I don’t want to leave.” Sana stated, oddly assertive and stern for an omega in hard eye contact with an alpha.

Momo growled, not aggressively just frustratedly. She rounded back to Sana and whispered sharply, “Why?”

“Because they’re willing to share this kill.”

“I don’t want to eat their kill.”

“It wasn’t exactly their kill.”

“Still, I rather not.”

“Well, I want to.”

“Then, you can stay with them.” Momo huffed and spun on her heels again, trotting away from the omega.

Nayeon studied Sana’s expression, but she showed no signs of panic nor concern nor anything of that sort. She was rather calm, scarily so with this knowing look on her face. Momo was now a few feet away, occasionally glancing back to see if Sana was following her. The bluescale alpha walked for a bit more but stopped before she could go completely out of sight. She stared back, longer this time as if begging for Sana to change her mind. When she saw that the omega hadn’t shifted, Momo started to come back.

Sana didn’t say anything when the bluescale alpha returned. A plain smile spanned across her face and when Momo saw it, she simply rolled her eyes. The bluescale alpha flopped down on her belly about three inches away from Sana with her back to all of the wolves. She seemed to have shut them all out and busied herself with cleaning her fur. Sana only grinned.

Nayeon, Jungyeon, and Jihyo weren’t the only ones with an interesting dynamic around here.

AN: And here u have tsundere Momorin

it seems bit slow BUT WE R GETTING THERE FOLKS

as for mimo, do not worry! it will happen!