3rd Person POV

"Your highness... Your highness. We have reached the palace," the commander said.

When Yunho opened his eyes, the sun dazzled him. He shaded his eyes against the bright sunlight and saw the familiar pale coloured walls. Then, he dismounted the horse. His eyes darted everywhere in search of the snow leopard.

"It's still there," Yunho checked.

"Omo! Yunho hyung, I thought I will never see you again!" Yoochun exclaimed and rushed to hug his brother.

"I will not die that easily," Yunho chuckled.

Inwardly, Yunho said that he would never ever tell his younger brother that the snow leopard scared him half dead. Yoochun pulled away and looked at Yunho from head to toe.

"Hyung, you are in a mess!" Yoochun said.

Yunho ruffled Yoochun's hair and told him that it was nothing to worry about.

"Wow! That's a beauty!" Yoochun blurted out, pointing at the sleeping snow leopard.

Yunho smiled. Then, he realised something.

"Please bring the snow leopard to my room," Yunho said to his men.

"But... But, Your Highness! It's dangerous!" one of the men exclaimed.

Yunho reassured that it was safe and the doubtful men told the burly man to carry the snow leopard there. Every breath they took as they spoke clouded around them. Then, they walked along the panelled corridor in silence, turning into a long hallway lined with hundreds of blue and white vases each as high as a man and entered Yunho's room. The burly man put the snow a leopard on the marble floor and left while Yunho took bathe. After he had changed into a suit, he went to the snow leopard and caressed its face. With that, he left to meet his parents.

He walked down the corridors and entered the main hall. There the king and queen was, sitting on the throne. Upon seeing their son, both of them rushed down the steps and hugged Yunho tightly.

"My boy is back!" the queen said and tears escaped her eyes.

"Where have been? We have been searching for you for two weeks!" the queen asked.

Before Yunho could answer, his stomach did. It rumbled.

"My poor boy! You must have been so hungry! Let's have an early dinner today!" the queen broke down.

The king had to coax her while Yunho smiled bitterly, guilty of not coming back home early because he was having too much fun in the forest with the snow leopard.

They all left for the dining room. Yoochun came in slightly later.

Plates, cutleries, wineglasses and napkins had been laid on the table. A procession of butlers and maids carried jellies, sweetmeats, cold capons, dainty pastries, salads, soups and a jug of iced punch on silver trays. They skillfully placed them on the table. However, Yunho only gobbled up everything except meat related food.

"Hyung, why aren't you eating meat?" Yoochun questioned.

Yunho tried to avert the question.

"Yeah... You should eat more meat to replenish your energy," the king said and placed a piece of pork in Yunho's bowl.

Yunho whimpered and took the piece of meat into his mouth. It could not be helped. The snow leopard had been been feeding him all kind of meat that he began to feel sick of it. They had a little chat and Yunho told them he brought home a snow leopard but, his parent were not that fond of animals so they would not care less about it. However, Yoochun was different. He kept asking about it..

Finally, they finished their meal. Yunho was more than happy to be able to retire to his room to see how the snow leopard was and to rest. He was tired.

The hinges of his door creaked as he entered his room. He saw that the snow leopard was awake. It was trying to get up. Yunho could see that it was frightened by the unknown surroundings. Yunho ran across his room and assisted it. At the same time, he hoped that he could ease its anxiety.


Snow leopard POV

"Where am I?" I asked myself.

I felt so confined. I was so scared. Where were all the green? This room had nothing. No trees. No grass. No sound of the river. It was barren. I tried to get up but I could not. My body felt numb. It was never like that. I panicked.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

This question seemed familiar. Of course, I asked him this before too. After knowing that his presence was here with me, I relaxed. After several trials, I managed to get up. I swayed a little but soon, I got my balance.

"Since you are better now, let me bring you back to the forest," the human said.

"No! I don't want to leave you!" I growled but he would not understand.

He just turned around and looked at me before he continued walking. Unwilling, I followed. This whole place was like a maze. We turned left, right and left again. Everything seemed the same. Once we walked out of it, I saw a ground that had nothing but a few shrubs lined at the sides. It was too little, compared to the forest. Then, we walked across this ground that I called barren again. I was overwhelmed by the number of humans. My ears drooped and I stopped moving. He noticed and came towards me.

"It's okay," he said and walked alongside with me.

I kept looking left and right. Many of the humans had this brown and long thing that they held beside them. It looked dangerous - more dangerous than the sharp object that he used to tear the meat. Then, he came to a stop. We were in between two other identical human. Both had the same cloths on them. He squatted down to me and pointed in the horizon.

"Just go in this direction. You will see the forest," he said and walked away.

I was stunned. I quickly snapped out of it and ran after him. I pounced on him and he fell, face flat, on the ground.

"Your highness! " one of the human shouted and pointed the brown and long thing at me.

I froze.

"Ouch...Chill! Put down the gun!" he yelled as he turned his head to the side.

"But... Your Highness!" the human said.

"It's ok," he said.

With that, the human put down the gun? So that was what that dangerous looking thing was called. Having the gun away, I started his face. I hoped he understood me.

"I will miss you too," he said.

He pulled out his hand from underneath and patted me on the head. I sighed. He still did not understand. I sat down on his back. I heard something cracked. Oops!

"Oww! My back! Ok, ok! I think I get it! You want to stay, right?" he said.

He him, indicating that he was correct.

"Oh...please! Get off my back!" he pleaded.

I did what I was told, satisfied that I got my message through.

The guards had never seen the prince like this before. They were are in shock. Prince Yunho had always had a being strong and firm image, but he had fallen to this state because of the snow leopard.


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The snow leopard gets its way! Lol! Wow...

my 1st long chap! Ahaha...