Work Text:
There once was a wolf. He was a large wolf, with dark fur and powerful muscles. This wolf was well-fed, due to the fact that all of the other wolves respected him, and his treachery put fear into every animal in the forest's heart. When he hunted, he was always the first to eat and fought off anyone who came near him. That's just how it was.
One day, in the heart of winter, the wolf was stalking a fine, plump caribou. Suddenly, one of his back paws was caught in a hunter's trap, and he struggled vainly to escape. Alas, his plan failed and he was stuck there for a day and a half. The wolf's stomach growled loudly, as he was terribly hungry.
As the second day rolled to a close, the bushes rustled and a low growl radiated from them. The wolf closed his eyes, and waited for something to finish him off. He could not tell what was lurking, for his sense of smell was ruined by the fiercely cold temperatures. To the wolf's surprise, the growl was cut off, ending in a shrill, questioning whine.
Grey eyes snapped open in surprise, only to find... Curious... A small, wiry coyote stood just beyond the elderberry thicket. His fur was matted and his eyes were dull and brown, though they shone with an undeniable warmth, breaking through the frosty evening. His ribs were clearly visible through his grimy pelt. The trapped wolf tilted his head in confusion. This coyote didn't seem threatening by any means. He was about half as tall as the wolf, and not very muscular at that.
There was a slight gap of silence, save for a beautiful yet lonely howl off to the north. Then, the coyote noticed the wolf's hind paw. Giving a start of surprise, the nimble coyote leaped over the small snowdrift that was separating them and sniffed at the injured paw. Every now and then, he prodded at the cold, silver metal, also known as the trap, glinting evilly in the dying light. Now, taking a good look at the scene, the coyote could see that the sharp jaws of the trap were lodged firmly in the wolf's paw. The coyote, rather wise, snagged a fallen branch and pushed it in between the paw and the trap. With the steel hinges creaking and groaning, the trap snapped open. If canines could smile, one would be on both of the mammals' snouts. A bond had formed between the two.
The wolf blinked in gratitude, but when he returned his gaze back to the spot where the coyote had just been, he found that there was empty air. Thinking nothing of it, the wolf feebly attempted to stand up. Turning tail and wandering through the gently falling snow, he limped off.
As the chilly season came to an abrupt halt, the prey were out of their homes. The wolf had grown healthy and was now just as well-fed and sleek as he was before the accident. His sense of smell had returned, as well.
The wolf was feasting on a bull caribou he had caught by himself, when the coyote who had helped him slunk into the clearing. Being used to all of the respect he was shown, the wolf became angry and fought off the scrawny canine. There was a scratch on the coyote's muzzle after he lashed out, and the poor coyote's eyes were pleading and melancholy. To no avail, the wolf showed no mercy. The coyote left the clearing, tail dragging and head low. His ears were back and his eyes were filled with emotion.
The wolf continued on with his feast, unfazed, when an ugly howl of pain ricocheted through the valley, weaving its way through the trees and mountains. By this time, the wolf had finished with the caribou, leaving nothing but the bones. Burying a particularly milky section of bone beneath a tree, he curiously went to go investigate. After a few paw-steps, the trees decreased.
To the wolf's absolute horror, the pitiful coyote lay in the middle of the clearing, dead. He appeared to have suffered of extreme malnutrition, and the shock and abuse of being rejected by a friend had increased the risk of death for the coyote.
A strangled noise that sounded like a mix between a whine and a moaning bark escaped the wolf's throat. The silence seemed deafening, a heavy sheet of pressure bearing down on him. The wolf vowed never again to make the same mistake in life.
~Life is too short to live alone; friendship is more important than one may think.~