Even when racing back to the village while smelling burnt wood in the air, Jimin's brain didn't completely process what exactly was happening.
The pups might've lit a campfire when they weren't supposed to, he thought. Or, maybe, someone burnt their food.
It's possible, right? It had to be because if it wasn't, it meant that…
As soon as he stood in front of the wooden village walls, Jimin's lungs collapsed, his heart rate rose until it physically hurt his ribs whenever he tried to inhale.
He saw the fire, saw deceivingly beautiful flames twitch towards the still rather dark early morning sky, like dying snakes fighting for freedom. The painful feeling of choking desperation hung heavy in the smoke filled air.
Very slowly, as if he hoped things would just go back to normal as long as he didn't saw what the hell was going on, Jimin walked through the gate before collapsing to his knees, paralyzed from the horror he saw unfold in front of his blurring eyes.
His home, his whole life, was on fire.
It was such a small hut that it didn't take much time until it was completely falling apart but Haru, who stood dangerously close to the flames, still tried to save it by chugging water on the inferno. Some of the other foxes carried it from the lake to him, all of them trying hard to move as fast as they could.
Jimin should help them, he knew that, but somehow his body simply wouldn't obey. Not a single thought or command reached his brain, ears filled with nothing but screaming white noise as his whole life came to a sudden, screeching halt.
His world used to be a house of cards but now it collapsed. Even in his shocked state, Jimin knew there was no saving it.
"We found Sana! She's alive!"
As soon as those words hit his twitching fox ears, Jimin's head whipped around in an instant.
Hidden behind a few bushes, with a safe amount of distance between her and the all destroying flames, was his beloved sister curled up in the dirt.
Her eyes were tightly shut, skin covered in the charcoal black of the smoke.
How the hell she made it out of the burning house when she had clearly been in there at some point was hard to say but Jimin didn't care either way.
All he cared about was that she was here.
She was alive.
Only when he crawled closer, the people around him seemed to notice his presence and stepped to the side.
The looks they gave him were pitiful, some straight out miserable. Everyone could see how out of it the pink fox was, how his body trembled, the way his glistening eyes filled with tears, though they weren't ready to fall quite yet.
"Sana…" he whispered, a hand on her shoulder.
"Sana, wake up!"
When he started to shake the unconscious girl harder, Haru stepped in and dragged him away while gesturing for someone else to take the injured female away.
When Jimin started to scream for his Mom and Dad, the older pressed him against his chest as hard as he could in an attempt to stop him, to calm him maybe, but Jimin only felt more panicked and struggled even harder to free himself.
"I want my Mom! Take me to my Mom!" He continued to screech, feeling completely out of his mind, he almost wished he had indeed lost it because this couldn't possibly be real. It must be a dream. A delusion.
"I'm so sorry, Jimin." Haru whispered close to his ear, holding him tighter, fingers digging painfully into Jimin's skin. "You'll be okay, I promise."
But none of it truly reached Jimin's ears. The only thing resonating in his mind was the need to see his Mom, his Dad, his other siblings. He needed to see them smile, needed to feel their hugs and kisses. He needed it so badly, it hurt to the point of him breaking down screaming, crying for his family, for anyone to make it all better, to take the pain away.
Yet, nobody came.
They found the bodies of Jimin's remaining family not much later but the young fox dissociated from the situation during most of it.
He stayed by his surviving sister's side, held her hand for the whole day while watching her go in and out of consciousness several times.
Towards the evening, things were looking grim. During one of those short moments when Sana was awake, Jimin forced some food and water down her throat before asking her what happened, how she made it to the bushes or why she was hiding in the first place. The only thing she uttered was, "Wolf… Black wolf…" over and over again.
It brought Jimin even more to tears, made his world collapse even further, turned it into ruins, because there was only one black wolf who had the habit of straying into fox territory and tended to sneak around the village.
Jimin only ever saw or smelled Jungkook close to him.
Was it really him, though? Was he responsible for his family's fate? It seemed like the most obvious conclusion, yet it was so hard to believe and even more painful because if this was true, Jimin was partially responsible for what happened since he knew there was a wolf in fox territory… He knew it but said nothing.
Now he had to pay the price.
Although they had completely different clues and pieces of the puzzle, the rest of the village seemed to come to very similar conclusions.
Jimin heard their doctor and pack leader talk when he was on his way to get some water from the lake for his sister and him to drink. The two older males stood close to Jimin's destroyed family home, their scents still filled with pain and despair.
The hut had been intentionally set on fire, that much was clear. Not only did they find that it had originated from one of the outside walls, but it was also very obvious that none of Jimin's family members was awake at the time. Every single one of them was found to have slept soundly in their beds when they died.
"How's Sana doing?" Their pack leader asked while shaking his head as if he still couldn't believe this was happening. The doctor sighed heavily but replied, albeit with none of the usual enthusiasm he was usually known for.
"I don't think she'll make it through another day or two…"
He paused before admitting reluctantly, "To be completely honest, I'd much rather put her out of her misery soon instead of watching her slowly waste away in agony."
"I can't believe this." The other growled. "Nobody from our pack would ever commit a crime so brutal."
The healer agreed, voice still a bit shaky after having to see such an unusual amount of dead pack members in one day.
"I have a feeling it could've been the wolves. Strange things started happening ever since Jimin came in contact with one of them. All those destroyed fields, the unusual scent close to the village, damaged trees and houses. I know Jimin didn't have any physical marks when he came home but wolves are known to not let it go once they sunk their fangs into an Omega they decided to mate. They do whatever it takes to get them. If Jimin caught the eye of one but got away, it would make sense why they try to scare him into coming to them and why they would take away whatever might keep him from leaving the pack."
"So… that Alpha wolf will continue to do things as horrible as this until they get Jimin?"
"That's my theory… Yes."
"So what should we do to protect everyone?"
Neither of the two truly wanted to think or talk about any of this. It was obvious from the way they hesitated, the way they paused between words as if to stretch it out just a little more, avoid the unavoidable.
But, eventually, the healer spoke.
"The only thing I can think of is to exile Jimin from the pack. If we don't… more people might get hurt. Besides, we still don't know whether Jimin lied about being connected to the wolves in some way. I'm sure he didn't plan for his family to get hurt but it's still strange how close he got to the wolves without getting even the tiniest scratch or mark. Something about this isn't sitting right with me. It's suspicious."
Jimin wasn't sure if the shock still held him tightly in its unforgiving grip or if he simply lost all emotions after letting them pour out and fall to the ground together with his long dried tears.
Either way, he didn't feel much besides an all swallowing emptiness when turning on his heels and returning to the hut where his sister was still fighting for her life, even if she was only hanging on by a thread.
Jimin wouldn't let anyone take her from him, not if there was even if it would take a miracle for her to survive. He refused to give up on her.
If they really thought he was such a huge danger to the pack, he'd leave together with her.
Back in their temporary room, Jimin looked around for things to take with him but didn't find much. Everything he used to own burnt in the fire, he realized now.
There was really nothing that kept him here besides his sister and maybe his friends. But… when they wanted to let Sana die and even his friends looked at him with distrust, why should he stay?
And yes, maybe it would've been better to rest and think about it a bit more before making any rash decisions. Even Jimin himself knew that he wasn't in the best headspace, wasn't the most rational with his emotions being all over the place while, at the same time, being too overwhelmed to feel.
However, it simply didn't seem like he had the time to wait it out until he felt better. There was too much at stake… whether it was his sister's life, his pack's safety, or the pure fact that he wouldn't be able to bear it when his former friends and all the people he loved so much would tell him to leave. One tragedy was already too much. He wouldn't survive another blow.
He'd rather be the one to leave first.
And so, with his sister on his back and a leather water bottle strapped around his waist, he took off towards the unknown.
Where he wanted to go, he wasn't sure and neither had he a true plan as to how he would survive by himself which was a thought that came to haunt him hours later when he collapsed under the rising sun, lost in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by an endless ocean of trees.
He had completely lost track as to where he was going and, although she was a small, slender girl, Sana seemed to suddenly weigh a million pounds, gaining more with every step he took.
Obviously, it was really just his body that's growing weaker after being on his feet all day without rest, without food or drinks to keep him going but knowing that didn't help much when he eventually fell to the ground.
He watched his sister fall, watched her hit the ground, roll through the grass until she finally stopped and was just lying there, lifelessly.
Is this it? Will it really end so quickly?
It's definitely not how he planned this journey to go but then again, he didn't plan very far ahead to begin with.
Still, looking at his pale sister now, watching her slowly die right in front of him, made tears well up in his eyes, made him choke on his stuttering breath as the reality of it all finally hit.
Until now, it had seemed like a dream. Like a game he had lost due to some bad luck but he'd still be able to start over once this round came to an end, making it easy for him to take risks he usually wouldn't.
But that's not how it works. Life isn't a game and there's no turning back time, no second chances.
His family was gone forever, they won't come back, and his sister was about to slip through his fingers like sand, like time, ticking away without any way of stopping it. All he could do was curl up in the dirt, crying in deadly silence, waiting for it all to end.
"Found you."
Out of nowhere, two feet suddenly entered Jimin's already darkening vision.
Someone crouched down, looked at him for a long moment before grabbing the pink fox by his arms, attempting to lift him from the ground.
Before the person could do so, though, Jimin instinctively sunk his sharp fangs into the other's arms, tasting blood, smelling wolf. Smelling him.
Jungkook.
The sound of his voice was enough to make Jimin growl aggressively.
In his head, the realization that he might be the one responsible for his family's death still continued to echo endlessly.
He couldn't possibly let this monster take advantage of his sister or him without at least putting up a fight.
"You sure are a feisty little fighter. Even when being close to drowning, you still bite the hand that could save you. It's pretty impressive, really, but I suggest you calm your temper, at least for a while, if you don't want your sister to die right here."
When Jimin still refused to let go, Jungkook dug his fingers into the side of the fox Omega's jaw, easily popping his mouth open as if he was a goddamn pup that was refusing to eat.
He threw Jimin over his one shoulder, Sana over the other, and the pink fox could only watch the world move around him as he gave up to his unavoidable fate and was carried away.
Tears once again filled his eyes, fell on his cheeks before dripping towards the ground. Jimin watched them fall, hands curling into Jungkook's black linen shirt, almost ripping it apart while he sobbed silently under the almost full moon.
At that moment, all he wanted to do was to scream, to yell at the wolf who utterly destroyed his life, his future. But even when he tried, not a single word would leave his quivering lips, no sound could be heard.
It felt as if he was choking on his own voice, as if he was drowning in a sea of shattered emotions with no way for him to return to his old, cheerful self.
Slowly but surely, those small hands grabbing Jungkook's shirt would loosen. Instead, Jimin's shaky fingers wrote onto his skin, over and over again.
Home. Home. Home.
I want to go home.
Eventually, the fox's senses slipped. Just like his heart, the world was drowned in charcoal black.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
The next time Jimin opened his eyes, he found himself in complete and utter darkness which almost threw him into another wave of panic before he realized the reason for his lack of vision.
This was a cave, he noted while feeling his way around, feeling the cold stone texture beneath his freezing fingertips tips. It must be in the middle of the night, judging from how dark and cold it was.
Not too far away from him, wrapped in several sheep wool blankets, Jimin found his still lifeless sister. She was breathing weakly but at least she was alive.
That's really all he could ask for when everything else was lost.
A sudden sound in the dark made Jimin flinch, made him hiss and growl as he stood protectively in front of Sana.
It was a shadow he saw first, one that slowly crept closer, hesitant almost.
Only when they almost stood in front of each other did Jimin realize that it was a person who had his hands lifted as if to appease him, as if to show he's not a threat.
However, that gesture was completely lost on the Omega as soon as he was able to make out Jungkook's familiar features.
His growls instantly intensified.
"Calm down. I'm here to help you." The wolf promised but, of course, Jimin didn't believe a single word he said. He'd be stupid to do so after everything that happened.
Unfortunately, Jungkook didn't seem to get the message.
Step by step, he moved in on the sibling pair. As he came closer, Jimin noticed something else in those hands that seemed so just bigger than his own. So much scarier.
Berries and herbs?
The whole situation was confusing to say the least.
Jimin didn't understand what the wolf could possibly want from him.
Was this a trick to confuse him? To make him think the wolf wasn't at fault for the fire or make him feel like Jungkook was some kind of savior?
Whatever his plan was, it successfully made Jimin's head spin. The urge to give in was strong. If he just believed that Jungkook was innocent, maybe it would be okay for Jimin to let his guard down for at least a second.
Maybe, it would be okay to lean on his shoulder, to ask for a hug, for any kind of physical closeness and affection to comfort his broken heart.
No. For his sister, he had to stay strong.
If she woke up and found her own brother being friendly with the person who hurt her, she'd never forgive him.
Hell, Jimin wouldn't fucking forgive himself.
While he still struggled with himself, Jungkook had placed two weirdly shaped stones in the ground. Before Jimin's suspicious eyes, he started grinding the berries and leafs between them until they turned into a paste similar to what the fox knew from his own healers at home.
"We use this to help heal any kinds burns." The wolf explained in the meantime, causing Jimin's head to whip up again, eyes widening in disbelief.
Was he really trying to help them…?
Only begrudgingly did he eventually step aside, knowing he himself wouldn't be able to do much for his beloved sister. Not when he didn't even know where he was and felt like he himself was about to collapse at any second.
Instead, he watched like a hawk while Jungkook applied the strange mixture on her wounds, followed by cloth patches, before putting the blankets back on her.
While he was doing all that, Jimin instantly noticed the injuries the wolf had on his own arms. It looked like burns, just like hers.
Pointing at it, Jimin opened his mouth but started shaking violently before he could say a single word, gaining him a frown from Jungkook who grabbed the Omega by the chin, tipping his head up.
"Why aren't you speaking? You're not an animal, are you? Talk to me if you have something to say."
Opening his mouth again, Jimin tried to do just that.
He tried to scream, to yell, tried to ask him why. Why did you do it? Why did you have to hurt me so much?
Yet, he failed miserably. A whimper was the only thing that made it out of his throat, followed by a choked breath and more tears as he grabbed Jungkook's arms, trying to push him away.
When Jungkook wouldn't let go, Jimin's heart started to beat harder in his chest, panic once again started to rise.
Go away, he thought desperately, hands forming fists, hitting Jungkook's chest harder with every new blow.
Don't you dare touch me, you monster!
When Jungkook still wouldn't let go but only stared at him in confusion, Jimin followed his first instinct by lifting a hand, forming a claw, and slapping Jungkook across the face.
Frozen in fear, he watched the young wolf's eyes grow huge, watched how ruby red traces appeared on his nose, then his cheeks, before blood started running down to his chin where it gathered and, drop by drop, dripped to the floor of the cave.
He'd never forget the sound of those droplets hitting the ground, would never forget the utter terror he felt. That feeling as if he was going to die with adrenaline pumping through his veins while he still tried his hardest to stop his damn body from shaking.
"I think… I should leave for now." Jungkook said very slowly, still completely stunned by the unexpected attack.
"I'll be back with food soon. Try to calm down and check the girl's temperature and her injuries from time to time to make sure she won't get an infection. This cave used to belong to my family. Nobody is allowed to come here, so you won't have to worry about anyone finding you. Just relax for a while. Try to recover."
And so, just like that, Jungkook left.
Jimin watched him leave, watched him disappear in the dark while his body was still quivering like a fucking blade of grass caught in a storm. Even his thoughts were still racing and stumbling all over each other.
He had no idea what he should do, couldn't tell who to trust, who to turn to. All he knew was that he felt completely alone and it terrified him more than anything else he had experienced in his young, sheltered life.