The morning was arriving quickly, hiding the familiar scent of the night. Fresh morning air replaced the groggy scent of yesterday. Women who had woken early were scuffling all around my tent, preparing for their busy day.
    I opened my eyes and looked around the tent. My surroundings were still the same. A relieved sigh slipped from my mouth as I thought about how I didn't wake up to a change of scenery.
    Mother entered my tent and peeked over at me, noticing that I was awake. "You look a lot better." She said with a smile on her wrinkled face. The bandage on my head was unwrapped, revealing the nearly healed gash. Just yesterday, it had been a horrible mishap. But this morning was a completely different story. "The Shaman's medicines seem to be working very well!"
    She sat down next to me and ran her fragile fingers through my hair. Every single strand twisting around and engangling themselves with each other while her hands ran through it like river water.
    "What's this?" She suddenly asked me as she sifted something out of my coarse hair. Mother held up a small comb, carved out of the finest black wood. "I've never seen such a beautiful hair piece... Nou, whose is this?"
    I was surprised myself, unsure of how I had retreived it in the first place. "I'm not sure..." She slowly handed it to me while we both looked at the detailed carvings at the top.
    In between four mountains, a wolf's head was placed. It had been carefully carved for days, specifically detailed with the finest edged knife. I turned it around in my hands to see an unknown language engraved on the back. What was this?
    Mother and I were so entranced in depicting the words that our heads began to feel a muscled pain. The two of us were unsure of what it meant, but we were positive that it was a gift to me from an unknown man. Underneath the words, my name was thickly embedded. Who was this?
    "There is a man who is fascinated by you?" Mother chortled lightly at her own remark. She was glad that someone was finally beginning to show me some affection, for I had been uninterested in boys my whole life. "There should be no worries, my daughter. I am happy that someone is finding you to their interest- whether they are from our clan or not."
    "Yes, mother." I nodded in agreement, although my mind was in denial.
    Outside the tent, another woman called for my mother to assist her in preparing a large breakfast for our families. Before leaving me to care for myself, she planted a small kiss on my forehead, a sign of care.
    "I hope whoever this man of interest is talks to you today!" With those last words, she slipped out of the tent flaps and submerged herself in a days' worth of chores. Although it was also a responsibility for me as a girl, I would avoid it as much as I could by going hunting with father and his men.
    Today, I would also do so. The slash on my head was nearly gone, so I was sure I would be well enough for a hunt.
    Quickly, I dressed myself into a huntress outfit my father had made for me, composed of thick bear skin to keep me warm and a fox pelt around my waist for luck. Father told me once that a fox was every man's pot of gold; that by wearing it, we would become just as sly and persuasive as they were. I fixed it so that the tail would be hanging behind me like a real animal. This would help me to blend into the other forest creatures.
    I picked up my satchel and slung it around my shoulder, only to realize how useless it had become. I had nothing left in there ever since a two nights ago when I lost it all to the wolf men and the river current.
    Angrily, I tossed it behind me and walked out of the tent to the morning sun. Its rays slightly touching the ground like the Gods were descending upon Earth. I inhaled a large amount of the chilly air. The smell of food wafted into my nose, making my stomach growl like a wolf.
    The smell of the food came from the main bonfire, located in the middle of our clan's small village. I peeked from behind a tent to see deer meat from yesterday's hunt being skewered onto sticks and engulfed in the flames.
    I my lips to the sight. A sight that was good enough to lure a pack of wolves... Wait. Why was I thinking this way?
    I lingered away from the main bonfire in search of my father. Surely, he would still be dreaming.
    My parents' tent was built in between my siblings' tents; this would make it easy to find us if any raids or panic ever happened in our village. My father was a very timid man. He was easily provoked whenever the Shaman had her visions. Although most of them never came true.
    To my expectation, father was still fast asleep. A few feet away from the tent, I could hear his snoring. The sound was similar to that of a bear when it was wailing. At my own remark, I giggled.
    "What are you laughing about?"
    A voice from behind made me flinch. I turned around to a see a young face peering over my shoulder to see what I was giggling at. He looked familiar- his height, his face, his clothes. I had a strange feeling I had seen him before.
    "Who are you?" I asked without hesitation. "Are you from another clan?"
    "Who, me?" He pointed at himself like a fool. "Oh! I'm Chanyeol!"
    "Chan... Yeol...?" I repeated his name. The tip of my tongue felt strange. A strange deja vu struck me and I had a feeling I had said his name many times before. Feelings inside of my heart began to muster up like a tornado... "Give me your clan name and state why you are here." I felt that I needed to know everything about this strange man like he mattered to me.
    "Don't fret about that. My name is all that is important." A big grin grew across his face quickly, trying to cover up the fact that he was hiding his identity. Surely, it was for his own safety? He seemed very strange.
    "I guess... But I will still hold my doubts." I sighed with a frown. This man would bother me all day.
    "Do as you please!" He piped happily. Chanyeol seemed like a early bird rather than a sleepy bear in the morning. Is he always this energetic?
    "Well, it would be nice to continue conversing with you, but I have things I would rather be doing." Sure, it sounded mean, but I hardly cared. His feelings did not matter to me. "I will see you around." With those last words, I left him standing in front of my father's tent.
    "You shall..." He muttered underneath his breath. I ignored what he said, positive that he would be in our village awhile. Maybe he was visiting with his clan? It sounded strange though. This early in the morning, most men would be sleeping or out on a morning skim through the woods.
    Maybe he was a traveler? Many travelers would come and pass through our village at any time of day, hoping for a day's rest for their next trip or a woman to pass the night with.
    Whatever he was, I wanted nothing to do with it. All I wanted to know was who these man wolves were- and whatever it took to know, I would try. However, I was unsure of where to start my search.
    Leaving Chanyeol behind at the village, I hiked my way into the depths of the forest. This was extremely dangerous, but the knowledge seemed to be the most important thing in the world to me. If I could figure out why they kept choosing me for game, then my mind would be content.
    Just like I wanted, I spotted a wolf a short distance away. My clothing hid my human scent very well, so it would be difficult to sniff me out. I climbed up into a tree, while keeping my eyes on it, and set up a spot for me there. Inside of my head, I made a detailed description of it.
    It beared an unusual thick, black stripe on its forehead. This one had pure, white fur that reminded me of the snow. Its golden eyes looking in various directions for something to hunt down.
    Was this what I was looking for?
    Suddenly, I heard a howl far in the darkness of the woods. The white wolf looked in the same direction and began to follow. No! I was about to lose him!
    I was starting to climb down the tree, but then I remembered the last time I climbed down the tree. A pack of man wolves had been waiting for me underneath. And the blood haired man was the one chasing me down.
    Was I so obvious? I looked around to see nothing in sight, yet I was still too afraid to try anything.
    Pure luck had struck me as a group of four young men walked close. They stuck together but left plenty of space for each other to reach their elbows. Quickly, I climbed down the tree and shouted at them.
    "Hey!" The four of them looked at me, startled by my surprise shout. I walked over to them and greeted them with seriousness. "What are you doing in this part of the woods?"
    One of them, with moon colored hair, stared at me with his small eyes. A smile reached itself across his face and he spoke to me. "We're hunting."
    By the names of the Gods and Goddesses, his voice was the sweetest. It was light and played softly in your ear like a drop of water in a cup.
    "Who are you?" Another one asked with a forceful tone. His small eyes focused on my own. This was pure realization- all of their eyes were gold.
    I looked away and cleared my throat. "My name is Nou of the Unity clan." I pursed my lips. Were these the man wolves I had been searching for? Without any more hesitation, my gaze averted back to them. "May I have your names as well?"
    The moon colored hair man went first. "My name is Luhan."
    Second, the small eyed man spoke, his tone a little more relaxed. "Chen..."
    The third man bowed his head slightly. "My name is Lay."
    And the fourth man introduced himself emotionlessly. "Kai..."
    Together, the four of them made quite the hunting pair. Luhan and Lay carried a tightly wound bow and a container filled with arrows to the brim on their backs. Chen's weapon was a giant dagger, detailed with the same strange language I had seen earlier this morning. Kai didn't seem to have a weapon, but I was sure he had it hidden away.
    "You seem like you're hunting too." Lay smiled politely as he talked with me. "It is not normal for people like you to hunt."
    People like me? "Did you mean women?" I corrected him. Or did I?
    "Women..." The four of them looked at each other, baffled. Chen looked back at me with confusion written plainly on his face. "What is 'women'?"
    Instantly, I bursted into laughter. These boys were hilarious! "You don't know what women are?" Every inch of their faces inched into even more confusion. Although they didn't seem to have the knowledge, I didn't bother to explain anything to them. "You'll find out one day."
    "Do they all look like you?" Kai said with a smirk. His offensive behavior didn't bother me too much. He looked at the other men and noticed that they weren't as amused either. His smirk faded into seriousness again.
    "Well, I must get going now. I'm sure my parents are beginning to worry." I looked at the four of them and bowed my head slightly. "Good bye."
    I turned around and began to walk back the way I had come before. Although, the silence that followed me afterwards sent chills down my spine. I turned around again to take a look at the four of them, only to see that they were nowhere in sight. My eyes desperately searched for a sign, but there was absolutely no disturbance.
    Now I was sure of it. These were definitely man wolves.
    I remembered back to what my father had told me when I was younger. The Wolves. Were these the men I had heard of?

    Twelve boys who had sworn themselves to MAMA only. Twelve boys who had never seen their human opposites. Twelve boys that could turn into wolves.

    Suddenly disturbing me from my thoughts, two hands grabbed my shoulders from behind, sending a scared shiver down my spine. As a natural reaction, I reached over and grabbed the hands that were grasping my shoulders. With all my strength, I pushed myself back against their chest and grabbed them, pulling them over my back in a bear grappling position.
    Releasing my hold, I backed away and gasped loudly. "Chanyeol!"
    He pushed himself off the ground and brushed the dirt off of his clothes. "The way you greet others is quite aggressive." He smirked. "You are quite the little wolf."
    I stood quietly. Did he just call me a little wolf?
    "I just wanted to surprise you, but I guess you don't like surprises." He crossed his arms slightly and looked away.
    "Did you follow me here?" I found it strange that he had found me so randomly in the middle of the forest. I didn't remember anyone following me from behind at all.
    His eyes, which were looking away, locked with mine.
    A circulating rim of gold luminated brightly under the darkening sky. He was definitely a man wolf, but he somehow knew a lot more about women than the others I had met.
    "Who are you, really?" I focused my eyes on his. I gave him a deep, courageous glare. I gulped down a wad of saliva as his lips twitched.
    "I am a wolf."