Wild

☽ 12 ☾

"A what?" Jimin asked once again just to make sure he wasn't hearing things. 

"An obstacle race." Jungkook repeated, "Even though we're mostly humans, but deep down we're still animals. Even more so, because of our spirits. So, in order to keep their powers in check, we train ourselves weekly by a three-course obstacle race."

"It's fun! No on dies or gets hurt badly... usually." Taehyung cheerfully added from the sidelines. Though the maniac glint in his eyes said otherwise. The mysterious and uncomfortable had returned and it contrasted heavily with the innoccent expression and flower crown on his head. 

"But why am I taking part in it?" Jimin asked, moving aside when Jungkook came back carrying a huge wooden dummy.

"Because like us or not, you still have to train. It's compulsory, no exception" Jungkook replied. 

Jimin clicked his tongue at that, "And what happens during the race?"

"Oh, it's easy. Three different obstacles. First, dominion." Taehyung counted, "Second, hunting..."

"And third, fight for power." Jungkook finished and Taehyung cheered loudly from the side, "But first, let's start with the basics... defense. Something that you'll need in every round no matter the challenge."

Jimin licked his lips and nodded. The challenges sounded anything but easy and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to compete against the others. There was no comparison. No match. No balance. 

"Okay, try to hit me." Jungkook said, standing in front of Jimin, "Then we'll see if I have to start from the basics or not."

Jimin bit the inside of his cheeks. He felt awkward. No on just says 'hit me' out of the blue and expects the other person to actually do it right away. He glanced over to his side to see Taehyung grinning as motioning him to continue. 

"Come on, hit me" Jungkook repeated, patting on his abdomen. 

He sighed when Jimin didn't do anything for a while. And instead attacked first. Jimin's eys grew a little wider at the sudden charge. He was barely able to dodge the punch. Jungkook tilted his head at him before moving once again. 

Jimin gasped, bending out to avoid getting hit. He noticed that Jungkook's stomach was exposed and quickly elbowed the other. Jungkook coughed as he stumbled back. His hand placed over the point where Jimin had hit him. 

"Okay... now try hitting that." Jungkook said, pointing towards the dummy. 

Jimin bit his lips seeing the inanimate object. He knew how those worked. The bars on the them weren't fixed in one place. Each other them rotated when it. He tired it once our of curiosity and it didn't end well for him. 

"I'll show you once." said Jungkook. 

Jimin watched with shock as the other smoothly landed so many punches and blocked the bars that approached out of reaction of his attacks. 

"Alright, now your turn."

⇼⇼⇼⇼

Jimin didn't need a soft bed, neither a pillow. All he needed was to lay on the ground for the rest of the day. If someone tried to move him, he was pretty sure he was either going to lash out or start crying. 

"I'm sorry..." Jungkook apologized, crouching down next to him.

Jimin panted and rolled over to his side. He waved his hand dismissively in the hand to air to say it was okay, but it actually wasn't. He was so exhausted, he had no sense of where he was. He can feel the tiredness inside him like a worm, slowly but deliberately draining his life. He knew he was alive, but not really living. He could hear, but not really listen. Everything seems to move in a dragged pace, all submerged into a hazy fuzz that was his vision.

"Kookie... if he dies, Yoongi hyung will kill you." Taehyung's voice was barely proccessed by him, "And I love you but I can't be of much help against Yoongi hyung."

"I didn't mean to..." Jungkook mumbled. His voice dropping with each syllable.

Jimin wanted to say that it was okay, but the exhaustion didn't let him. He heard Taehyung and Jungkook gasp together. 

"What happened to him?"

Jimin recognized the gruff voice. Yoongi. 

"We were tra-training and I-I think we practiced a little too much."

"A little too much? He can barely breathe, Jungkook!"

Jimin coughed. He coudln't see what was happening. But from the sound of it, Yoongi sounded furious. He tried to move to but his body wasn't cooperating. All he heard was mix of several sounds. Low growls, whines, and hissing. 

"Can you stand up?" Yoongi asked. 

Jimin's head lolled to the side. He wanted so say yes, or nod but he couldn't. However, he didn't want to give. So, with much effort, he pushed his body off the ground and shifted his weight on his lower part of the body. 

"I'll carry him to your house." 

Was it Jungkook? Jimin wasn't sure. Everyone's voice started to get muddled up. 

"No! I don't want your scent in there. It can be dangerous." Yoongi replied. 

Everything went quiet for a while before Taehyung and Jungkook gasped again. He leard low growls and recognized it to be that of a leopard. Taehyung was hissing threateningly at something. 

"Get him on my back." Jimin heard. But he wasn't to be to recognize the voice. It was similar to Yoongi's but more deeper and hoarse. 

Jimin let out a shaky breath when he felt himself being picked up and placed on to something else. He recognized it. Soft but strong. The fur coat. Orange.

It was Yoongi. In his tiger form. 

"You better not get used to this." Jimin heard him say as they started moving. 

Jimin couldn't help the tired smile on his face. He shifted a little so that he didn't slip off anytime soon. This was more comfortable than he thought. The fur made him feel warm. It relaxed his muscles. 

"Don't fall asleep." Yoongi voice came. 

Jimin hummed and tried to utter a few words, "I-I won't."

"If fall asleep, you'll fall down and then I'm not picking you up." 

Jimin smiled a little more. He knew that the elder was just trying to keep awake, "Okay."

The elder didn't say anything in return and quietly continued walked. Sometimes, the blades of the tall grasses, the ferns, or branches would graze past Jimin's body uncomfortably, but he didn't say anything about it. He wasn't bothered much. 

"Thank you." Jimin murmured.