Years back inside the Lycan Kingdom, there used to be a thick book of myths that Laris had cherished secretly in the study of the twins' confined home. In it, one myth held Laris' attention more than the others.
Unlike the well-known fact that all races held power, this myth describes one race that had none. It foretold the story of the powerless race of human-kind that lived among the lands sparsely. They had no power, therefore, no free will as they forever bowed and revered the strength of those above them.
Day by day, the envy in their hearts grew and grew.
They envied the Lycan-kind that was the strongest so they killed them by poisoning their source of water.
Dying and getting hurt so easily every time they were oppressed, gradually, they too envied the Healer-kind for being able to heal themselves of illnesses.
Thus, one day, they tricked them, serving them food that made them sleep, and in their sleep, they were murdered by them.
Full of envy, these weak race thought that they'd be invincible after twistedly consuming the flesh of those they envied the most and drinking their blood-
Finally! Finally…they'd obtained the same flesh and blood! Their powers can now be theirs!
But unfortunately, that wasn't how it was.
God was angered. He revoked what pitiful knowledge they had, turning them into almost the same as beasts that lived only by instinct and sexual desire.
Such was the fitting punishment for those that schemed.
Perhaps it was because the Lycan-kind was mentioned to have the victim in the story that the young Laris had been captivated to read-a first after all the glorious stories and history books about Lycan supremacy. But surely, he didn't know back then, that he'd be seeing the myth with his own eyes now.
Tall.
That was the first thing that came to mind when Laris' eyes landed on 'it'. 'It' was almost seven feet-a wolf with lesser fur that stood upright.
Back at their small, just a little earlier upon 'its' arrival; Laris found an excuse to take out the crates of potions and stalks. He wanted them to act as proxy tables and chairs while temporarily planning the path back to Barred Forest.
However, the truth was that he couldn't bear to sit on the ground and then stand up. If he did so, he'd have to put pressure on his foot or at least tense it. He feels like his smiling exterior would break if he did, and without care for face, he'd yell in pain.
Throb, throb, throb-
He didn't have the heart to make his little brother feel guilty for the limp he had gotten upon escaping. His ankle had hit a thick branch quite hard upon falling. He was a tad bit scared to know whether it was broken or just a sprain.
On worst case scenario, a part of the bone would be shattered. This type was a very painful fracture and hard to heal. He could ask for help, but a wound this bad would need higher level magic at least. Sadly, none of them had this level. There were no Sorcerer-kind in their camp as well, for fear of gaining a spy.
Placing his celare stone on top of a crate, Laris tried to distract himself by taking note of the utensils they have. There was only one pot among their belongings. It's good that it was with them. Unfortunately, they didn't even have a ladle, not even a spatula.
Should we just use our spoons to cook then?
Laris felt it was fine. He sat on a crate and looked at his foot, contemplating what to do.
Unfortunately, it was all useless thinking in the end.
Laris stilled. The hairs on his arms and neck stood on end. There was someone staring at him hard. That person felt extremely dangerous and powerful. His wolf was howling in excitement at having found this person.
He couldn't surmise the exact reason which, but he guessed that it might've been all of it.
Thinking fast, Laris opened his mouth to scream and alert his fellows, but a hand grabbed his mouth from the back, the sharp claws long enough to reach his ears. The heavy breathing behind him made his whole body shivered-something he never experienced. Even when his mother died, he never trembled this bad.
The person growled lowly. Looking slightly behind him, Laris found the looming figure that looked like a mix of a human and wolf.
Before Laris could answer with a grunt, he was pulled back, flying through the air. The person used his hand to grab Laris by the face and run. The strength was unparalleled! Its speed, fast.
Laris desperately grabbed the hand that held almost his whole face. One, to support his body and his neck that felt like it would break any second. And two, because he wanted to raise his foot that ached so bad at being hit and dragged over rocks and bush branches. Every so often, it would snag at something and Laris could no longer take it-he screamed.
He kept screaming in muffled pain but the other person was indifferent.
Very soon, the surroundings became undistinguishable. Laris couldn't remember which way they came from. Just the fact that he hadn't fainted yet after being roughly dragged like that was already a testament to the racial strength of the Lycan-kind.
At this time, Laris was released, and the tears and saliva stretched like silver threads from the person's hand. But Laris couldn't care. If he could run, he would run. His human instinct told him to flee. However, if he really did so, his wolf would surely manipulate him into running into this person's arms.
As this particular person pulled Laris by the collar of his clothes into his lair inside a shallow cave, the white fur on his body receded until the naked flesh was exposed.
It was a man. A man that was unbelievably muscular, with fair golden skin, and strikingly cerulean blue eyes. He wasn't even cold in the snow.
A Wendigo-kind.
Laris couldn't believe their luck at having encountered such a race that all people try to evade. He watched the person alertly despite the burning pain on his foot.
The Wendigo lived in a simple cave with a big soft nest on one side, where he put Laris down. Laris didn't know what to do.
Life has always been unfair, but it seemed to be particularly cruel today, Laris felt. He wasn't sure until the Wendigo grabbed him when everybody wasn't present, and Laris was able to make contact with him-
This was his mate.
For once in his life, he couldn't use his greatest weapon; he couldn't smile. What use was smiling in front of a human-kind that was ruled by instinct?!
Just when Laris thought things couldn't get scarier-
"Mate."
One word scared Laris into forgetting how to breathe.
He watched the person lean closer and closer. Suddenly, he realized he was being forced to lie down on the 'bed'.
"Mine."
Another word, Laris nearly fainted.
Ah. He's done. This Wendigo knew who he was! He knew that he was his mate! How can he escape?! If he escaped, what are the chances he'll even survive?! With a limp as a handicap, and his wolf being an active traitor, will he even get to take a step out of this damnatus cave?!