Within you I found home

four

༓･*˚*･༓☾ NOW ☽༓･*˚*･༓

        THE BIGGEST HURDLE IN FINDING OUT WHERE MITHUN CAME FROM was the actual finding part.

        You didn't believe his pack was still around. They would have come for him a long time ago if that was the case.

        Your biggest worry was running into the pack which attacked his.

        Of course, that was just one of many explanations for Mithun being left behind but you and Jessa – Gods, Jessa, your heart ached – both agreed it was the most plausible.

        Your books told you there were multiple Shifter packs and that they lived somewhere deep in the forest. You couldn't imagine it was anywhere close by considering you didn't know anyone who had ever run into one. You also spent a lot of your time in those woods, tracking down injured wildlife and releasing them.

        Not once did you find anything out of the ordinary.

        Well. . .

        Until Mithun, of course.

        "We keep moving forward. Away from anything we recognise," you told him, testing the amount of pressure you could put on your leg.

          It hurt more than yesterday but that was most likely because you had disturbed the wound.

         "Keep your nose on the ground, Mith. Look for a scent which – which-" you pursed your lips, unable to tell him exactly what to look for because you didn't even know yourself. "-isn't like any kind of animal you've come across before."

         Mithun nodded his head and then you set off, him remaining close to your side as you limped through the trees and wrapped your arms around yourself.

          Luckily, your tunic was long sleeved but the autumn air was crisp with a bite which left your cheeks stinging.

         You walked for days, eating wild berries, drinking water from flowing streams, seeking shelter under trees and cuddling your pup for warmth.

༓･*˚*･༓☾ THEN ☽༓･*˚*･༓

        Shifters were fascinating, you thought.

        In wolf form, he moved about like he'd been doing it since the day he was born. Running, leaping, and skidding - he did it all with an air of confidence about him. The skin side of him, however, opted for bum-shuffling along the ground instead of walking or crawling.

        Lack of practice, if you had to guess. The muscles and strength were there but they lacked knowledge.

         Still.

         You wrote it in Mithun's journal. Took notes. Stored memories. Little and big things you didn't want to forget or wanted to track the progress of.

        The pup had quickly become your entire world. Everything you did revolved around him.

         Eight months now he was yours.

         His kind hadn't come back for him.

        "Gods, he's just so cute," Jessabelle commented, disbelief in her voice.

        You both sat on cushions on the ground in front of the fireplace, the material patched up with your soddy sewing. Your seater was long gone thanks to the biter who lived with you.