Chapter Text
Shin ju felt like he had been crying for days. It was fitting of course. He didn’t understand how humans could be so cruel. And to a child no less.
They had been hiding in a cave for the past few days. He had grabbed some of the supplies the trappers had with them, after all they would no longer need it. Sighing, he hoped that in the midst of all the turmoil from Yeon’s abdication that his actions might go unnoticed. He couldn’t stop himself.
Not only did the memories of his sisters haunt him, but the horrible sight of that man on top of Rang plagued his dreams. If he had known, had seen what happened before, he might not have made their deaths so quick. It was only once they had gotten to their sanctuary that Shin ju found out the full extent of the damage.
With a fire warming the space, he laid his small charge down. Rang had not woken up yet. Worried, he began his examination. Initial glance, there were some bruises and rough lines around his wrists from the rope. His clothes we rumpled and scuffed, and he noted some rips and tears that were tinged with red. Carefully, he began to peel back the material.
He gasped, taking it all in. There were long welts marring the boy’s chest. But when he turned Rang over his heart sank. He could tell by the patterning that Rang had been mostly on his stomach with his hands bound behind his back, his left side angled down. Because all along the back, arm and leg of the right side was a multitude of abrasions, cuts and bruises from some sort of rod, layered upon each other. Some spots had been struck so many times that blood was still oozing from the overlapping lacerations.
There were so many wounds, red and swollen. There were some in other places, from where the boy struggled and squirmed to try and protect his battered side. Knowing that someone had hurt this beautiful child with such vehemence, churned the man’s stomach. Anger flooded him and he wanted to find those trappers and kill them again and again. But he dismissed them because they were no longer important. Only this young child mattered.
“Rang-ah,” his voice broke, tears streaming down his face. He couldn’t speak another word due to the lump in his throat, the aching of his heart, the love he felt. Silently, he set about treating each and every mark on Rang’s body.
The tears that fell over the past few days may have started because of the guilt he felt for failing his master, but now they were all for Rang. No one deserved this suffering, especially a child. He vowed to protect and love the boy from now on, even after Lee Yeon’s return. What began as a duty soon transformed into a labor of love.
A soft moan drew him from his thoughts, cutting him to the core. He grabbed the towel and dunked it in the water bowl nearby. Carefully, he placed it on the boy’s head. Some of the deeper cuts had gotten infected and he was sporting a mean fever. Shin ju didn’t sleep, working diligently to keep it down.
He brushed those sweeping bangs back. “I’ve got you Rang-ah. You’re safe,” he tried to reassure him. When Rang first woke up, he fought Shin ju, the fever muddling his thoughts, taking him back to the pain. It took effort to bring him out of the haze and know he was safe.
Those deep mocha eyes cracked open. “Ahjusshi,” the gravelly voice asked, “Where is hyung?”
This wasn’t the first time Rang had asked, and each time had ripped Shin ju’s heart out. He repeated the only answer he could offer. “Away. Rest now.”
The child blinked slowly, when his eyes reopened he noted the fear there. “The trappers?”
“Gone,” he said with pride. “They will never hurt you again.” The tear that slipped out, tore a hole right through his soul. In an instant, he pulled the boy into his arms, holding him, protecting him. He could feel the moisture soaking through his shirt, and he didn’t care. He just held the child tighter. Allowed Rang to release anything and everything that he held inside, until he fell asleep once more.
Two days later the fever finally broke, Rang was awake more and Shin ju managed to get him to eat a little. He could see the question on the tip of his tongue, but it took another day before Rang asked again, “Where is hyung?”
“Away.” He replied, keeping his focus on making food.
“When will he be back?”
“I don’t know.”
Silence reigned for a few minutes. “What are we supposed to do now?”
At the sound of uncertainty, the older fox stopped and looked the boy in the eye. “Lee Yeon-nim asked me to take care of you until he returns. So we will wait. Together.”
Rang nodded, arms wrapping his knees tighter, and resting his chin on top. The boy looked so young, innocent and sweet, it was no wonder that Yeon had guarded his little brother so carefully from the world. And after what happened on the mountain, even Shin ju trusted humans less. They were spiteful, hurtful creatures. And they called them monsters?
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Shin ju was hurrying back to the cave. He had gone to the nearby village to get some supplies. There he heard some men talking about some foxes in a nearby cave that they feared would eat their livers. So they were planning on taking care of them. What that meant exactly didn’t matter. He had to get back to Rang. It was time to leave.
He suspected that they would need to keep hidden and move around a lot. This only proved it. He was just hoping they had a little more time before they had to move. While Rang had gotten over the hump and was healing, he could see the boy favor his right side still. He didn’t want to push him before he was better. Unfortunately, their luck had run out.
Up ahead he could see the opening of the cave. “Rang-nim! Rang-nim!” He rushed inside, pausing to catch his breath.
Rang sat up when he heard Shin ju’s panicked cry. Worried, he started to make his way out when Shin ju arrived. “Ahjusshi, are you ok?”
Gasping, he instructed, “Gather only what’s important. We need to leave.”
“Why? What’s happened?”
“Nothing yet. But it’s no longer safe here.”
“But if we leave, how will hyung find us?”
“Don’t you worry about that.” Shin ju placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Lee Yeon-nim will find us no matter what. He loves us and won’t stop until we are reunited. For now, we need to stay alive and stay together. So please hurry. I don’t know how long we have.”
Nodding, Rang went to do as instructed. Shin ju watched him move away with a slight limp, one arm tucked against his side. He fought the familiar sting in his eyes. Whispering, he said, “I’m sorry, Rang-ah. I’m sorry, we didn’t have more time.”
Together, they worked swiftly to gather their things and pack it all up. It wasn’t much. There was satchel with herbs, medicines and things to eat. The other was a pack of things that would fit on their back. Shin ju took up the pack and handed the lighter satchel to Rang.
“Let’s go. If we hurry we may be able to reach the next village before nightfall.” Not that they would stay there. They would find something in the area that they could hole up in. The town would just be a place to resupply before they continue on. Now that they were on the move, he wanted to put distance between them and their mountain. There was something itching in his gut that told him he needed to get Rang away, that his relation to Yeon might be discovered and exploited.
Without another word, Rang threw the strap over his good shoulder and took Shin ju’s hand in his own. He smiled up at the man, letting him know he was ready. Shin ju returned the gesture, awed by that child like trust. No wonder Yeon had brought him home so quickly. “Let’s go, samchon.”
Shin ju practically preened at the new honorific. His smile broadened. “Let’s go.”
The pair hurried from the cave, Shin ju lead them further away from their home. They hadn’t been traveling for more than ten or so minutes when they heard some voices in the distance.
“Hey!” “Isn’t that them?” “They’re getting away!” “Hey, stop!” “We need to get rid of those foxes!”
Gripping Rang’s hand tighter, he told him to run. They dashed away as fast as they could. However, they were unfamiliar with this area. And Rang was tiring quickly, still not fully recovered. They soon found themselves blocked by a ridge of rock at least twelve feet tall. There was no turning back. Their pursuers were hot on their heels.
Glancing around frantically, Shin ju sought an escape route. It was too late. Automatically, he pushed the boy behind him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” One of the group demanded.
“We’re leaving. Just let us go.”
“So you can raid and kill some other village? Take their livers?”
Shin ju denied, “We never did that! We protected the mountain!” Their eyes bouncing around as the group gathered and each spoke in turn.
“You call what that ruthless mountain god did protection?”
“Are you related to that bastard? He abandoned his post.”
“Yeah, some of the creatures on the mountain came down and were killing people!”
“I heard that bastard had a kid brother. Is that him?” The man pointed behind Shin ju with his club. Panicked now, Shin ju practically screamed at Rang with eyes to stay quiet.
“Didn’t that kid take out a group of hunters?”
“Shredded them to pieces, I heard.”
“He should pay for what he did!”
Desperate, the older fox confessed, “No, I took out those hunters, leave the boy alone!”
“Oh, so you admit to the crime?” “Punish them!” “May as well kill the brat too. Before he grows up to be a bastard like his brother!”
For the first time in his life Shin ju felt true fear. He may have been scared of his mountain god, but it was nothing compared to this. They were surrounded by angry, uncompromising men with their backs literally up against a wall. And he knew with absolute certainty that there would be no rescue from Lee Yeon. They were on their own.
He looked down at his ward, saw both the fear and rage on his young face. For a moment, his thoughts traveled down a frightful path. What if he had never found Rang? What if the boy had been on his own? Would those trappers have taken him and sold him? Abused him? Killed him? Destroyed that beautiful soul before he even got a chance to live? Just the thought of any of those fates enraged him.
Turning back to the mob, he allowed that rage to fill him. He would not permit anything to happen to his child. Releasing a guttural cry, filled with all the anger and hate he had, Shin ju dropped the pack, ready to fight. The sound alone made their pursuers falter for a moment.
There was a collective breath held by the group. Stillness, apart from a slight breeze that ruffled the leaves high above. Then chaos erupted. Snarling, Shin ju attacked. For the most part he was knocking them out, punching and kicking, bearing his claws. There were a few that actually seemed skilled, brandishing weapons of pitchforks and walking sticks. Fortunately, it appeared that none of them carried a sword. There was hope that they could win this fight.
A pained yelp tore his attention away. Unbeknownst to him, Rang had followed Shin ju’s example and joined the fight. He wielded his axes and managed to take several down on his own. At least until a man with a staff entered the fray. Now the boy was lying on the ground clutching his right arm. The staff swung down, striking the child across his right thigh.
“No!” The older fox cried. Now utterly distracted, he forgot about his own opponent. He felt something slice across his ribs. The sting brought him into hyperfocus. Turning back to the human before him, Shin ju fought ferociously. Within seconds the man was dead and the blade he had was now in his possession. Another thud and yelp had him spinning and throwing his newly claimed knife into the chest of the offender.
The last few humans saw the crazy fox for what he was and decided it wasn’t worth it. They ran away. Shin ju paid them no mind, his eyes locked on to only one thing. He darted to his ward’s side and scooped him up. “Rang-ah! Rang-ah! I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”
“Samchon! Samchon, are you ok?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Are you hurt?”
“I’ll be ok.” Rang attempted to smile and reassure the man.
And as much as Shin ju knew his child was in pain, he was thankful to see that his light was still there. He pulled him close, hugging with all his heart, satisfied. He heard the moans of the men still alive around them and felt the urgency return. If they wanted to get away, they needed to leave now.
“Let’s go.” He didn’t relinquish his charge though, only grabbed the satchel with the medicines and food. He repositioned the boy onto his back and started to run along the ridge. Up ahead he noticed that the rock line lowered to a point he felt they could get up. So he ran faster, leapt, bouncing off some tree trunks and landing comfortably at the top.
Knowing that the humans would not be able to follow so easily, Shin ju slowed his pace, hoping it would be easier on Rang. “We need to lay low for a while. You need time to heal.”
“Where will we go?”
“North for now. We may need to keep moving but as long as we are together, we will be safe.”
“Ok, samchon. Together then.” Once again that bright smile lit up the boy’s face. With such love, trust and joy despite the odds, Shin ju felt he could take on the world and win as long as Rang was by his side.