Danger. A Closed Forest | Stray Kids

37. MOOSE

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/~*~\\ MOOSE //~*~\

The screeching of frosted grass beneath heavy paws matched the chirping of birds that winter afternoon. For several days they had been constantly accompanied by the sun, the warm rays of which melted the cool snow, as if it wanted to melt the sorrows of the hungry pack. Skin and bones. Minho was getting internal bleeding at the sight. Everyone was barely on their feet, and there was no food in sight. The hunters successfully scared away even the smallest herd of deer or stupid hares.

"Hyunjin, focus. I can feel your anxiety from kilometre". Minho's voice was calm, and he might have seemed dispassionate, but Changbin was able to sense this small, intensely masked hint of concern for the younger beta.

"I'm focused, just-" Hyunjin hooked a protruding root with his paw, landing with a soft squeal in the mud left over from the melted snow. Despite the frost that hardened everything within its reach, the layer of ice on the little pool was too thin to prevent him from getting dirty.

"You're just worried, I know." Changbin sighed with a sad smile, looking quite comical in the wolf's face, then trotted to the younger's side and began to lick his face and fur, which had suffered from the meeting with the mud. "It will be okay, they are strong. When Chan comes back- "

"Chan won't come back, Changbin". Minho boomed, a noticeable hurt in his voice. He was tired of pretending that everything was alright, that Chan was alive and would come back to them with the good news that they would all survive... "Felix and Jeongin can't even stand on their feet, and Hwanwoong still hasn't woken up. Nothing is or will be okay, Changbin. We are not even able to feed them..."

"Minho ... We have to believe. The moon goddess wouldn't leave us for death". Changbin felt like someone was tearing him alive. Lee's whimpering and Hwang's horror made him want to burst into tears himself.

"I stopped believing that she exists long ago". Minho replied, in the corner of his green eyes one could see a single tear wanting to see the light of day. The black onay raised his head to the sky as clear as ever, closing his eyes as the strong sunlight hit his pupils, sending a little warmth onto the dark fur.

"Minho, Changbin, there is something a bit from here to the right". Hyunjin whispered through the bond, although no one but them would hear him, his nose moved significantly, absorbing the smells from the air that the elders were unable to pick up through their discussion and a spark of hope fired in him the need to rise from the cold ground.

"Moose. Minho, it's a moose! " Changbin jumped several times in one place, a wave of happiness moved his ears and he immediately licked the neck of his leader, then nudged Hyunjin's side with his side. "Well done Jinnie".

Were it not for the amount of hair and wolf form, Hyunjin would fear the red that would appear on his face. However, Seo did not miss how timidly and contentedly the beta wagged his tail after hearing praise from his alpha.

Less than five hundred metres away, they saw a proud, large moose with antlers the size of a wild, ordinary wolf, which grazed the bark of the pine, leaving a bright, fresh trail as individual splinters fell off the trunk. They had to play it wisely if they wanted to get food for the entire pack without unnecessarily injuring themselves.

"He's busy with the tree, so we have to be quiet. Hyunjin, grab the rear left leg, I'll take the front, Changbin-"

"Throat. I know". Changbin replied, focus intertwined between his teeth and coloured his dark eyes with red paint. He was an alpha, so his jaws usually gripped tighter than the ones of a beta or an omega, and his small body increased agility and speed.

"Hyunjin, focus on the leg and avoid the antlers. It's like a deer, just a little bigger". Changbin said softly, sending the tense beta a comforting look from his position as he kept low on his bent legs. Hyunjin merely swallowed nervously and nodded hesitantly, focusing on the thin limb. He was not very experienced in hunting, and he saw a moose for the first time. At least alive moose.

"Hyunjin, if anything goes wrong, you have to withdraw. Ready?" Minho nudged his neck with his nose, trying to keep his mind clear and not make any sound.

"Yes, let's bring some dinner to our pack"

After these words, the grey onay waited for a sign from the leader, which fell in a split second. They always watched for the movement of his ears, which curled backward before attacking and lay flat against his skull. Weakened paws bounced with a slight difference in time, surprisingly hard, showing their determination, and with a low snarl they sank their fangs into the most delicate parts of the two legs, knocking the animal out of position. With a roar he hit the ground with his belly and at the same moment Changbin stuck his teeth into the neck, claws catching in the thick skin on the shoulder blades. The moment of advantage did not last long, however, when, despite the load, the moose rose on its healthy limbs and waved its head chaotically, at the same time making wobbly, weak steps in a circle, twirling with the wolves in place.

Changbin risked a lot by moving his jaw down to his throat. But the moose made a sudden spurt and a loud screech sounded through the forest, scaring the birds off the branches.

Hyunjin fearfully released the animal's leg as the smaller warm-grey body was pinned against the tree by its massive torso.

„Changbin!"

„Don't let go of the leg!" the flash of pain visible in his red eyes was perfectly masked with firmness, and beta immediately shifted his gaze to the struggling Minho, with which the moose was hurling in all directions. Hwang immediately cursed in his mind, under the impression that the leader's neck would soon break from such sudden twists, then resumed his efforts to knock the animal off its feet.

However, their target fell into fury, and the ballast on his legs did not prevent him from throwing his antlers at the side of the alpha. A loud grating of broken bones mingled with a tearful howl, and emerald green embraced the terrified betas' eyes. Hyunjin, noticing how powerless Seo was and how the moose swings his horns again, didn't take a second to think. He released the victim's limb from his teeth and, with an agile bounce, sank his fangs into his throat, hitting the knees several times with his hind legs. A strange rush of adrenaline gave him strength, and the last kick broke the moose's legs, knocking the joints the other way. The beast, with a terrifying roar, tumbled forward, pinning the grey onay to the ground. Hwang felt like vomiting from the pain that pierced his whole body. All the bones felt as if they had been crushed. A sharp inhalation accompanied a brief snarl.

Minho, not wasting a second longer, grabbed the same spot as Hyunjin and with a quick, vigorous tug ripped the artery and skin apart. Blood adorned their mouths and fur in some places, and the liquid gushing from the hole in the moose's throat formed large puddles and soaked into the fur of the barely conscious Hyunjin, whose whine was slowly like a choked grunt.

"Changbin, can you help me? Hyunjin, hold on a moment longer, we'll pull you out in a minute". Minho pushed back with all his might, tugging on the neck of the dead animal, barely moving the huge body. As he pulled him a little off the younger one, a wave of relief ran through his heart as Hwang finally managed to catch his breath.

"Jinnie, hold on, we'll get you out soon". Changbin whimpered weakly, digging his teeth into the skin and the muscles between the shoulder blades, feeling all the broken bones move through the effort he put into pulling. It wasn't until he dropped the moose off Hyunjin that the three of them fell by his side on the ground, panting heavily and licking the blood from their mouths and colourful coats. Joy broke through the fatigue and pain that accompanied them. At last, their pack will eat a decent meal and regain strength.