A carnivore.

A predator.

An animal that was able to save Tao’s life.

That’s what Kris saw in the wildling that was laying on the ground. It was a white wolf, the size of a bigger dog. The fur was clean except for that on the muzzle that was red with fresh blood.

“It’s still breathing,” Sehun said after seeing the moving chest of the animal. “What are you doing?!” He shot up in front of Kris when he saw the gun aimed at the poor animal.

“I’m making sure it’s dead. Get out of my way!” Kris pushed him out of the gun’s shooting rage.

“It will die anyway! We need fresh blood, not the one of a dead body,” Sehun stood still in front of the gun. “Geez! Since when are you so violent anyway! We can take the wolf to Lay, take the blood from it and then release it back in the nature.”

“Since when do you care so deeply for animals?” Kris couldn’t help but chuckle at the stubborn expression written all over the younger’s face.

“Since wearing a gun is something normal, I guess,” Sehun relaxed visibly. “Anyway, we should hurry and tie it’s muzzle with something,” he pondered while looking at the white wolf. “I don’t want to bite on my on our way back.”

“We can use this,” Kris pulled out his belt and wrapped it around the animal’s muzzle. “But to be sincere, I don’t think it will ever wake up actually.”

“Whatever! What about the deer? Do we leave it here or what?”

Kris pondered about it for a second. They were almost out of food and the deer meant a night with some warm food and not only crackers and water. “We’ll come back for it. Let’s cover it with that branch just in case he has a buddy around here,” he said while pointing at the branch.

“Right, wolves walk is packs. It’s strange that this one is here all alone, don’t you think?” Sehun hurried to help out with the branch.

“I don’t know. I was supposed to major in Botany, not Biology. You should ask Lay,” Kris shrugged while he made sure the deer was covered thoughtfully.

“With that violent attitude of yours?! Better majoring in forensics or something,” Sehun laughed at him while they picked up the wolf. “Man, he’s heavy!”

But somehow they managed to carry the animal and find their way back at the same time. The silence between them was awkward taking that Sehun had his eyes fixed on the gun hidden by the edge of the hoodie and Kris had his thoughts concentrating on the younger’s pain. They weren’t that close to ask questions and even if they were, they weren’t sure it was alright to ask something like that.

“You’re fine! Thank you, Lord!” Lay looked at the sky above for a second before frowning at them. “Is that a wolf?”

“Yes,” Kris answered as they placed the wolf on the ground. “It’s not dead. Sehun here thought it would be better if the blood would be fresh. What?”

“How on Earth did you manage to kill it?” Lay hurried to check the wolf. “You shot it,” he answered his own question after seeing the bloody wound on the wolf’s chest. “We need to hurry and take the blood we need. Chanyeol!”

The tall one turned around, leaving Tao’s side for a minute.

“Bring me my rucksack, please. We need a syringe. And hurry please,” Lay ordered simply while stirring the fire with a long stick. “Thanks,” he smiled for a second when Chanyeol passed him the black rucksack. Sehun and Kris looked at their friend with wide opened eyes, impressed by his clean and quick movements. His hand didn’t tremble when he pushed the needle through the wolf’s wound, piercing the wounded whole without remorse. “Kris, can you please make sure Tao swallows this?” Lay then turned to them, with a full syringe of blood. “I’d like to save this poor animal if I can. It’s too beautiful to die for such a selfish purpose,” he confessed with a shy smile. “Sehun, would you like to help?”

The younger looked at him surprised. “Y-Yeah, sure. What do I need to do?”

“Put these on,” the elder handed him a pair of surgical gloves. “What?”

“Why would you have something like this with you?” Sehun’s brow show up in amusement.

Lay shrugged. “I like to be prepared for anything and everything. I also have a lot of medicine and some surgical equipment I managed to sneak out of the hospital where I was resident. What?”

“China’s First Son, a thief! I like it!” Sehun’s grin showed that Lay had earned his respect. “So, what do you plan to do with the wolf?”

“I need to stop the bleeding and see if there’s an exit wound. If there is none… I’ll have to go in,” Lay frowned while he put on his own gloves. “But the most difficult part will be checking the wound. I don’t have anything that could anesthetize and I’ll have to do everything with him awake.”

“And there’s a high possibility to get bitten,” Sehun nodded, understanding Lay’s thoughts for the first time. “Chanyeol! Lend us a helping hand here.”

“Sure! What do I do?” The tall one approached and squatted to their level.

“Make sure the wolf doesn’t move his head while Lay checks the wound,” Sehun instructed. “I’ll hold his legs.”

“Her.”

“Sorry?”

Lay smiled at him. “It’s a she wolf.”

☾ ♅ ☽

On the other side of the camp, close to the fire, Kris was holding Tao’s head with one hand, while slowly dripping the beast’s blood inside his mouth with the syringe.

“Come on, buddy, hang in there,” Kris hear himself whispering as he forced the boy in his arms to swallow the red li