The only thing the hybrid fox was able to see was darkness, until the clothes he had on his eyes was savagely removed. The only thing he could see was a big white flash, until his eyes were able to adjust to the sudden light, meeting up with a disfigured man in front of him crouching in front of him, since he was sitting on his knees. The first thought that came to his mind was how ugly he was to his taste. The stranger had many huge scars running across his face. But even with his wounds, he could tell he looked actually quite young, his clothes were also giving him a savage aspect. He looked down from the man, dodging his fire-colored eyes, and gulped as he noticed the big axe that was strapped to his belt.
-Stay still if you don’t want to get hurt.’’ A, strangely enough, calm voice says coming out of nowhere. -We don’t want to ruin that beautiful face of yours. Your owner has spent a lot of money on you. Which breed of fox are you exactly?’’
Questioned the new man that had appeared into his vision, walking out of the darkness.
-Just an ordinary one.”
-If you say so.”
The fox growled a little when he looked down at the floor, he didn’t want to tell them the truth since his breed was endangered. His value was way bigger than others, and that could be way more dangerous for him or even his family, if he just tells everyone. His parents always told him to keep it a secret, he needed to keep his mouth shut.
The new man gets out of the room, taking his massive battle axe with him, that was laying against the wall. He could still see him in the doorframe and he was talking with a tall man that was wearing a long cape with a dark pelt around his neck... The pelt smelled like a wolf. Like a real one. That man was wearing a pelt of his people around his neck like a trophy...
To avoid any eye contact with the man he was left with, he started to look around his environment. He was in a small wooden cabin, the light that had blinded him some minutes later was coming from some windows that were close to the ceiling. The room was quite dark other than that, there was nothing really into the room. Excepted him, and the man he was left with. He tried to move is arms, that were going numb, but a sharp pain hit him. He tried to look over his shoulder the best he could but couldn’t see the state of his wrists were in. He guessed that they were in bad shape probably because of the rough rope that was tie around them. As he moved his head to look on top of his shoulder, he felt also something around his neck. He followed the rope with his eyes slowly, to see that the man in front of him was the one holding it while smirking at him.
Yeosang sighed loudly, he could try to run away from this dirty place, but he wouldn’t. He needed to stay. Why? Why didn’t he just run away like everybody else would do in a situation like that one? It’s not like he didn’t want to. That’s because it was his own choice. His family couldn’t pay the huge taxes of the state, they were full of debt and even borrowed money from a group that had set up randomly in their village not too long before. It wasn’t the first time they were setting up close, but this time his family was hit by it. They thought they were safe back then, but they were wrong.
One day when the group came for their money, which they didn’t have yet, the group had beaten up his father to rush him to pay the fastest way possible. He still remembered it, the face of his father was
puffy, full of blood and bruises. That sight broke his heart completely. But they still couldn’t pay them back. After they had beating his father, the group came every day to threaten them. Day after day.
But one day, the group proposed an idea to his parents, like that they could pay them back. The idea was to sell his older sister, who was pregnant of her first child, to them. Of course, his parents declined the offer with rage, they would never accept to that such things. The group even proposed to sell him, and they still continued to decline their offer kicking them out of the house. Which the group did but with a strange look on their face every time. Almost looking like they were planning something horrible.
Yeosang understood that directly, if he didn’t do the first move, the group would. Because the next time they would come, his father wouldn’t only been beaten this time. All of his family would probably die in the most horrible way, and only God knew was they were capable of. They could burn them alive, mutilated them, or some atrocity in the same genre. He didn’t want to lose his family like that. He already had lost his only childhood friend, he didn’t want to lose nothing else. So when his family was out for the day, he decided to leave before they would be back. He left them a little painting of a ‘hehetmon’, it was the name he gave to them, it was waving a goodbye since he couldn’t read or write. After doing that, he walked to the group and proposed to sell himself to pay the debt of his family. And they gladly accepted the offer. Even though he didn’t know what he was getting himself into.
His thoughts were cut when the two other men finished their talking and walked in front of him. The fox looked up to face the man he talked to earlier, the taller one looked more imposing, but he didn’t radiate the leader energy like that one. He then suddenly noticed the wolf ears of the caped one, and looked at the others to finally realised they all had their ears and tails out.
That was unusual for people there to let their animal parts out, it was considerate inappropriate. They were that barbarian? Why was he asking himself that question as the wolf was wearing an actual pelt of his own kind? The actual leader, who looked like a bear if you look at the round ears, ordered with his hand the other man that was crouching beside the fox to lift him up. Which he did with another smirk, and with strong force, he pulled the cord to get him up on his feet almost making him choke on his way there.
The wolf went to take a paper, that was randomly on the floor close to the door, with some random writing on it. He got behind Yeosang and took one of his hands that was behind his back, and grabbed his thumb.
-W... what are you doing?” Said the fox, panicking.
The three of them ignored him not giving any attention like he was nothing. The wolf continued his business and took a red stamp who was in his belt and put the fox thumb in it. He stamped his thumb on the paper at a random place and he finally let go of his hand to join the bear.
-At last you could answer me, that’s kind of rude you know.”
-If I was you I would shut up, or you rather end up beaten up like your father?” The disfigured man said, without any type of emotions.
-I rather die than looking like an old shit raccoon like you. Me at least I have a father.”
A long silence followed right after, until the wolf suddenly burst out laughing. He walked, while holding his stomach, to the man that had just been insulted and started to tap his shoulder laughing like no end.
-Ohhh, that was a good one! I love this slave ahah!”
But the other man didn’t find it funny. At all. Out of anger, he pulled the cord the fox had tied around his neck, towards him and punched him strongly directly in the stomach. Yeosang got his air cut for an almost a good minute, having a really hard time breathing. He didn’t go easy on that punch. When he was able to breathe again, he started coughing really hard. The man in front of him could destroy all of his bones if he really wanted to.
-Listen little shit-” He couldn’t finish his sentence that the leader cut him off.
-That’s enough. We don’t have more time we need to escort him to his new master. Hanbyeol will guide us since it’s him wo made the deal.” The bear said before walking to stand in front of the fox, not even a foot away from his face. -And listen fox, next time, I won’t say anything you will get what you deserve. You’re lucky to be simply alive right now. People died for less than that. That scary man doesn’t care about the money you’re giving us. Understand?”
Yeosang simply nodded his head, gulping hard. This man was a mystery to him. He was calm, very calm. But also, very scary his own way. The smell that the man give off was telling the fox to be careful around him. Without asking, the leader took the cord from the other’s hand to take the slave before he could kill him when he wasn’t watching. He then shoved his nose suddenly on the back of the fox’s neck and took a good sniff. Yeosang back off suddenly at the sudden action, completely disturb but the feeling of the breathing of the older man on his neck. The bear then looked at the wolf with a smile.
-He’s one of them.”
Yeosang didn’t dare to ask what they were talking about just in case he would be punched again.
With that, the trio get out of the room to go each on their respective horses. The leader was still holding the rope of the fox, who didn’t have the honor to sit on one with them. He could only walk beside him. It would be a long and silence walk.
They walked for hours until they arrived at the domain. They could see it in the distance getting closer and closer by the minutes. To say that Yeosang was tired and very scared was an understatement. His wrists were hurting him so bad, and also his stomach. Each move he was making were hurting him. Walking with his straw shoes didn’t help at all, it was very uncomfortable.
When they arrived at the entrance, the wolf gets off his horse to go in front of the big gates where two guard were standing. He searched something in his belt and handed them a small brown bag with the paper yeosang stamped before.
-Give this to your master. Tell him he should gave me a favor instead and take his money back. You better not take it for yourself.”
-I will tell him. We are not barbarian as you guys are. Now get away you have nothing to do more here.”
The wolf ignored him not giving a shit, since he had other things to do, and walked to his leader to grabbed the cord. He wasn’t that rough with the cord as the other two but still, Yeosang didn’t wanted to test their limit even more, so he followed calmly. The man gave the cord to one of the guards and he was finally free from the three barbarians. But God knew what was waiting for him there. Was it worst?
The guard sigh and walked with the fox behind him, escorting him inside, as the other guard stayed in front just in case. Yeosang growled, tired of being treated like a stupid dog, he then looked everywhere. His master was for sure a very rich noble. The mansion was huge and very beautiful. At least, he would serve in a beautiful place.
He sighed in silence, thinking about his family he left behind. They probably know at this very moment that he was gone. They were probably heart broken, but they were safe. That was the most important part. Knowing his family was out of danger, he just wanted to live until tomorrow at least. Each day was a fight to simply live for the day after. But he will face it. With all he got.