Embrace Of The Wolf And Fox [Taejin]

2 | Cedarwood Encounter

Centuries passed, and the hope for the return of Taehyung gradually faded, swallowed by the relentless passage of time. King Jangmu, once a beacon of strength and dominance, now bore the weight of despair like a heavy cloak. His heart had grown hollow as the years dragged on without a trace of his son.

Queen Yuhwa, however, remained steadfast, her faith unwavering. Though her husband's spirit darkened, she clung to the belief that Taehyung would one day return home. Every sunrise rekindled the small glimmer of hope she carried, even as it seemed the rest of the kingdom had moved on.

The Wolfian Kingdom itself had undergone significant changes over the centuries, yet King Jangmu remained in power, his reign sustained by the unwavering support of Queen Yuhwa. As new challenges arose, rulers from neighboring lands came and went, alliances shifted, and policies adapted to the changing times.

The once modest realm had grown in size and strength, expanding its borders and influence across the region. Advancements in trade and military might have fortified the kingdom's stability, but the void left by the crown prince's disappearance lingered. His vanishing had transformed into legend, whispered among the people, though none had forgotten the prince who disappeared without a trace.

The incident left scars not only on the kingdom but on those directly involved. Mira, the nanny who had once been responsible for the young prince, could not bear the weight of her guilt. Tormented by her failure, she ended her own life while imprisoned. The gardener, unable to cope with the loss of his beloved, followed soon after. Their deaths were tragedies that rippled through the royal court, reminders of the heavy burden Taehyung's disappearance had left behind.

Yet, while the kingdom grieved and moved forward, Taehyung's life remained stagnant. No search party came, and no familiar faces sought him out. As the centuries passed, the child who once wandered the royal gardens slowly forgot the world he had left behind.

Now, after living for 300 years—an age that would be considered the early years of adolescence by human standards—Taehyung no longer remembered his royal lineage, his parents, or his rightful place as crown prince. The life beyond the forest had faded into distant, unreachable dreams, swallowed by the relentless passage of time.

By now, Taehyung had fully integrated into the lives of the wild wolves. He had abandoned all traces of his human nature, living, breathing, and surviving as a wolf. He moved with the pack on all fours, communicated in their language of growls and howls, and tore into raw meat with as much ease as the wild creatures around him.

Over time, he had even mastered the art of climbing trees, a skill unique to him within the pack, using it to hunt for birds or creatures hiding in the branches. He was no longer a prince but a creature of the wild, indistinguishable from the wolves who raised him.

His once regal and clean appearance had long since withered away, replaced by the grime and harshness of the forest. His body, lean and hardened by survival, bore the signs of a life spent in the wilderness. His skin was darkened by the sun, rough from exposure to the elements, and his long, tangled hair framed his face in wild, unkempt locks.

Through countless seasons, Taehyung had witnessed the cycle of life and death among his wolf family. Generations of wolves were born, lived, and died, leaving behind a trail of memories. He grieved over the loss of old wolves, rejoiced at the birth of new cubs, and repeated this cycle countless times.

Yet amid this ever-turning wheel of nature, a lingering question had begun to gnaw at his mind: why did he not age as the others did? Why had death not yet claimed him?

Though his memories of human life were gone, he could not shake the feeling that he was different. Whenever he gazed at his reflection in the still waters of the river, he could not help but wonder—was he an anomaly?