My Master Is Not a Wolf (BL)

3 - Last day at home

"Mighty King!" I loudly yelled out from the corner of the cave. The voice was a little rough on the ears since I still wasn't used to speaking and my pronunciation was off. At least that's what Mighty King had said one too many times. 

"What?" Mighty King asked lazily. He didn't even bother to open his eyes to look my way as he lay resting on the makeshift hay bed.

"Mighty King."

"What?"

"Mighty Kin-"

"Xiao Lang!" He finally snapped.

I quietly giggled. It was really nice to hear my name. Unfortunately, Mighty King didn't like talking all that much and so it would always take a little bit of coaxing to make him call out my name. Over the past few months, we'd gone over the basics of speaking and reading. I had also learned how to write our names. I could now understand half of what Mighty King said and the times when he would have to talk to me in my head had naturally decreased.

"It's about time I go back." He announced on one rainy day. "I'm getting tired of this weather." He added nonchalantly. He didn't seem to notice my stupefied face that had appeared the moment he uttered those words. Either that or he didn't care.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked hastily. His cold eyes quickly swept over my face before he turned his attention back to his book. "Home. Or did you honestly think I lived here?"

I honestly thought he lived here. When I came to this place half a year ago, he was already living here. It never crossed my mind that he might not stay in this cave with me forever. 

Seeming to know what was going through my mind, he casually announced, "You'll be coming with me."

My eyes widened. "Eh.. where?"

He looked at me as if I were a complete twit. "You're coming home with me." He explained patiently.

It took me a moment before my mind registered the words. I'm coming with him. My lips slowly cracked into a grin as I could not contain the joy that was bubbling in me. For a moment there, I'd thought this was the end of our cohabitation. At the very beginning of it, I didn't think very highly of him but slowly, as we'd spent more time together, I'd come to realize that he was actually useful. Without my brothers, I would have starved to death. Now, that they were gone, I had to depend on Mighty King to scavenge some food for me.

I coughed a couple of times to cover up my rapture and instead, I answered with a slight bow of my head. "If you insist."

"You seem to be misunderstanding something. I wasn't asking for your permission. It's only natural for you to come back with me to repay the debt that you owe." I stared at him in awe. I wondered when I'd be able to talk like that. He was using difficult words again and I only managed to catch half of what was said.

I didn't want to look more illiterate than I already was and so I did what I did.

"I understand." I lied.

***

Today was the day. A week ago, Mighty King had announced that we would be going 'home'. I still wasn't sure where 'home' was, though. On the few occasions when I'd asked about it, he had dodged the question.

The sun was up, hidden in the shrouded, murky sky. Days were getting shorter and colder at this time of the year. The wind was blowing heavily, ruffling up the leaves and lifting them into a swirling dance in the air. 

I was standing in front of the cave. The cave I had lived in my whole life. For over half a year, I'd been painstakingly avoiding the place out of fear of triggering the old memories that I was still not ready to revisit. Although I wasn't ready, I felt that I once I leave with Mighty King, I won't be able to come back for some time. Hence, here I was. 

I took a deep breath and bracing myself, one step after another, I falteringly made my way inside. Upon entering, a cold breeze whiffed into my face and with it came a strong musty smell. It looked exactly the same as how I'd left it months ago only with a slight difference; the amount of dust collected had increased over time. It seemed like no one had stepped inside since that day. All the belongings were still there, intact.

I headed to the very corner, where First brother used to spend most of his time. With my front paws, I dug into the ground. And I kept digging. Not long after, I found what I had been looking for. A bone.

Just a glimpse of it and my mind instantly transported into the past. I'd been a mere whelp at that time and hadn't known any better. So I'd done the most foolish thing possible. I'd tried to steal my First brother's bone.

A low guttural growl resounded behind me. "What are you doing?" 

I flinched at the animosity that oozed out of First brother, immediately dropping the bone in my mouth. This was the first time seeing him that mad. I trembled as I furtively backed away, ready to hightail it out of there. First brother looked like he was about to tackle me down and rip a few holes into my body. I sweated profusely as his eyes landed on me. He took a step toward me, baring his fangs in a threatening way. Before he got a chance to make another step, though, Second brother appeared out of nowhere and pounced on First brother, stopping him from attacking and possibly mauling me.

The two of them struggled on the ground, battling to get the upper hand. "Snap out of it!" Growled Second brother as he scratched First brother across the chest with his sharp claws. First brother was stunned for a moment. He lay under Second brother motionless, with his eyes turned to Second brother, yet his mind seemed to be miles away. 

A day had gone by, when all of the sudden, he jolted into consciousness. As if he'd realized what he'd done, he swiftly pushed Second brother out of his way and ran to my side. 

"Are you hurt?" He checked me for injuries. When he didn't find any, he breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry. When I saw the bone in your paws, I lost it." 

I gave him a confused look, not understanding why the bone was so important. He didn't leave me hanging for long before he answered my unvoiced question.

"Third brother, do you understand what a son means?" He asked nonchalantly, not expecting a positive answer. "I and another wolf had mated and the result was our son."

I wasn't sure what mated meant but that sure didn't stop me from saying: "I understand."

----------

For more chapters visit Radish app.

https://www.radishfiction.com/stories/ry4mRhjQW