Chapter 14

"Huff… huff… hngh!"

Back in the den, I kept leaping at Mr. Wolf’s still-swaying tail—only to be swatted away every time.

But let’s be clear—I wasn’t just playing around like before. This had a purpose.
It was training. Endurance training.

When the snowstorm had raged, I couldn’t go outside. But now that the weather had cleared, maybe I could make a quick trip back to the village.
The problem was… for the past few days, I’d barely moved, lazing around the narrow den doing nothing. Honestly, I’d been more active when I was stuck indoors back home, doing chores and whatnot.

On top of that, I’d been pampered endlessly by Wolf Mom. I was becoming a useless creature—something that had no right to call itself a beast of nature.
Even earlier, just running and jumping around in the snow (memory of the “happy accident” deleted) had drained me completely.

This wouldn’t do. If I kept this up, I’d collapse long before even reaching the village.
And so, here I was—training. Or at least trying to.

"Hahh… hahh… hahh…"

Before Mr. Wolf’s tail could even swing back and forth ten times, I was out of breath.
Unable to move another inch, I flopped to the ground, tongue lolling pitifully.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me, so strong it made my eyes water.

Mr. Wolf, who’d been keeping his back turned while fending me off with his tail, noticed that I’d stopped pouncing. He glanced back, puzzled.

When he saw me sprawled out, he stood and came over, gently licking my nose as if to soothe me.

My nose had gotten dry and sore from the cold—thank you, Mom Wolf…

He stopped sooner than usual, gazing at me quietly for a moment before stepping out of the den.

Something about his movement said, Be a good girl and wait here until I come back, okay?

Yeah, Mom. I won’t open the door for scary wolves. I’ll be a good girl and wait.

Still lying there, too tired to lift my head, I answered her in my heart, even though she was already gone.
Somehow, I had the faint feeling that something about that didn’t sound quite right… but with my oxygen-starved brain, I decided not to care.

After lying still for a while, I began to recover and looked around the den.

"Whiiine…"

Without Mr. Wolf, the den felt much larger—and emptier. Cold, even.

I wanted to bury my face in that black fur again, to be wrapped in it, to breathe in that comforting scent, to be licked by that warm, rough tongue.

I missed her.

As that thought filled me, my already drooping ears pressed even flatter against my head, and my tail went limp with dejection.

Unable to sit still, I dragged myself toward the tunnel and climbed outside.

The weather was still calm and sunny. The air was crisp, and the wind had quieted. Perfect.

Not far from the den were several small holes punched into the snow. My eyes flicked toward them.

Please, sun, I begged silently. Melt away all traces of my… happy accident as soon as possible!

After that silent prayer, I made a quick marking near the den—just in case I got lost while looking for Mr. Wolf. That way, I’d be able to find my way back.

…Of course, I’d already scattered “markers” all over the place earlier, but let’s not talk about that. Let’s just… not.

Lifting my head, I sniffed the air.

Only after becoming a dog did I realize—snow has a strong scent of its own. It masks everything else.

I sniffed and sniffed, trying to trace Mr. Wolf’s scent, but the smell of snow kept blocking me.

"Gruuuh…"

Frustrated, I let out a growl—then spotted something on the snow.

…Mr. Wolf’s pawprints. Clear as day.

Trying to play it cool, as if I hadn’t just been hopelessly sniffing around, I followed the tracks and dashed forward.

I found her not far from the den.

Even that short distance had pushed me to my limit—I was panting hard, body slumped in the snow, trying to catch my breath.

Just a little more… and I’d reach her…

When I finally looked up again, I realized something was off.

Even from afar, Mr. Wolf’s demeanor was… different.
There was an intense tension radiating from her.

I watched, confused and curious, as she lowered her head and began to inch forward.

Ah—she’s hunting!

Following her gaze, I spotted a white rabbit, busily grooming itself, completely unaware of the danger.

My heart pounded as I watched.

"…!"

In one swift, explosive leap, Mr. Wolf closed the distance and caught the rabbit perfectly.

The rabbit’s sharp scream pierced the air, making my tail instinctively tuck between my legs.

I couldn’t look away. Right before my eyes, Mr. Wolf began to eat—biting and tearing into her prey without hesitation.

Red droplets spattered across the pristine white snow, searing themselves into my memory.

When I stood there frozen in shock, Mr. Wolf finished her meal in no time and briskly walked away from me.

“Ah, wait!”

Still reeling from the shocking sight, I scolded my trembling legs and hurried after him. I lost sight of him once—but soon found him again, in the most unexpected place.

He was standing in an icy river, where the snowmelt flowed like blades of cold water. Mr. Wolf splashed about, dousing his head and bathing vigorously. Even with his thick fur, soaking himself like that had to be painful, not merely cold.

As I stared in disbelief, he climbed out of the river and shook himself dry, sending droplets flying across the snow. Then he sniffed his body several times before, without hesitation, plunging straight back into the river.

He’s… trying to wash off the smell of blood…

Realizing that, I gasped. He was enduring that freezing water—for my sake.

Watching him continue to bathe, tears welled up and streamed down my face. It was true that seeing him eat that rabbit had shocked me—but that was nature’s way. Yet he’d gone so far as to deny that nature, just to be kind to me.

That selfless kindness—hurting himself for my sake—overlapped with Huey’s image in my mind, and suddenly I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“That’s enough! You don’t have to do that anymore! I’ll accept you as you are, Mr. Wolf! You don’t have to hurt yourself just to be kind to me!!”

Unable to bear it, I barked frantically toward him as he stood in the river. Mr. Wolf froze, startled, and looked up at me.

All I wanted was for him to come out of that river, so I barked again and ran right up to the edge.

Then—crunch!—the snow beneath my feet gave way. For an instant, I didn’t understand what had happened. It wasn’t solid ground I’d been standing on, but a mound of snow jutting over the river—and by the time I realized, I was already plunging down with it.

“Gyah—!”

I hit the water hard and sank completely into the icy current. The freezing river sucked the warmth out of me, and when water flooded into my mouth, panic set in. My head broke the surface for a heartbeat before the current dragged me under again.

I was drowning.

It hurts—so cold! Wait… if I turn human, my feet might reach the bottom!

Desperate, I transformed underwater.

“Eeeek!”

A shock ran through me as I realized I was completely naked in the freezing water. There was no time for embarrassment—my bare skin was directly exposed to the current. My temperature plummeted, my chest seized painfully, and my limbs stiffened until I couldn’t even move.

Oh no! I was better off as a dog!

I couldn’t even scream before sinking again. Humans really can drown even in shallow water, huh… I must’ve turned human right in front of Mr. Wolf. He’s probably so startled he ran off. After all the kindness everyone’s shown me, now I’ve gone and hurt him too… I really am hopeless…

My thoughts blurred together like fragments of a fading dream.

I’m sorry, everyone…

That was when—

“Mimosaaaa!!”

A powerful force yanked me upward, hauling me out of the water in one swift motion. My face broke the surface and I gasped for air.

“Guh—! Cough! Khh—gahh—!”

I choked and sputtered, my lungs burning as I coughed up the water, desperate for breath. Then I was dragged onto the riverbank and collapsed onto the snow.

“Cough! S-so cold!!”

My bare skin touched the piled snow—it stung sharply, almost like electricity.

“Mimosa, transform back into a beast!”

“Huh?”

Before I could react, a large hand suddenly covered my eyes.

“Idiot! Don’t look this way! Just hurry up and change back!”

Wait… that voice—Huey!?