Chapter Text
No one told Jimin that the Trip to the South was going to be easy. There were a lot of problems one does and doesn’t expect to happen. How could he guess when the weather was going to be better, that wet wood only makes smoke? All he really knew was to follow the big Nam River. At the end of the Nam River, there were many packs, friendly packs, that could help him.
He kept walking, day and night, barely stopping, only when his backing was truly hurting did he stop and rest for the night. He didn’t have any furs packed nor any other clothes outside of the one he was dressing, but his back would hurt after days and days of carrying his sleeping pups on his back and arms. Not wanting to let them out of his hold.
While, yes the pups were old enough to walk on their own, young kids tend to be unpredictable, so he always kept holding their hands when they were awake, and on their arms and back at night. His oldest pup is only seven and extremely curious about every single bug and plant that they pass by. Jimin has to keep warming him so that he can’t walk away from him, but it doesn’t mean much to Jihu, he was tired of walking every day for three weeks and not ever being able to play and explore the forest around him.
“Appa…I’m hungry” Jihu whispers, he knows he ate a couple of hours ago and that his appa struggled to find food in the middle of nowhere but he couldn’t stop his poor stomach from hurting from hunger. Jimin looks around, surely there must be something he can give his darling pup. He grabs his walking stick, hoping that he get something, he takes a deep breath and puts his two other pups on the floor next to him. One step closer to the river and quietly he takes a big swing. He finally got the hang of this hunting/fishing thing.
“Jihu-ah, appa can’t make a fire right now, do you mind eating while shifted?” Jihu, overtaken by excitement about how cool his sweet appa looked, smiles and shifts, eating while wagging his little tail. “Aegi, we are just about one more day of walking! Then we can all have a true meal, okay? Just one more day” Jimin tries to speak as excited as he can.
He’s quite aware that he’s most likely going to have to work day and night to get his meals, but he would do any work, any work, to give his pups a warm meal, a bed, and best of all an education. Yi's pack wasn’t known to his scholars, mostly because only a couple of wolves were allowed to study. Sure parents would teach pups to read but how would far that take him? However packs of the south were known for their scholars, even if his pups don’t become writers, healers, or politics, they would know so much more than he knows, and that all he wants.
They keep walking, the two younger now wanting to walk and the oldest not wanting he shift back, holding both his tiny pups, Hajoon and Hanuel, in his hands and Jihu Walking in front of his Appa. Walking with the twins means one thing, at night he’s going to hurry, three-year-olds can run fast if they want to, trip tired pups can’t. They walk for hours on end, the pups long asleep in his arms, Jimin is running he can see smoke and light. He’s so close and he wants to study the pack to see if it is safe or if he has to walk more until the next pack.
But before he could hide and study, a wolf stopped in front of him. Jimin freezes, he plans could keep all his pups safe. He takes a step back, unsure really as to what to do, the wolf must notice as he takes some steps back and tries not to look intimidating. Jimin decides to talk, he hears that they don’t hurt pups. “G-good evening, I’m looking for a place for my pups to stay the night, until I figure a pack that can take us in. I’ll do whatever work you can give me just-…Just let me take my pups out of the cold”.
The wolf nods, turning around and moving his head to instruct Jimin in the direction. Jimin sighed relieved that the wolf was willing to hear him out. They walk through town, and a couple of wolves are outside, keeping guard, jimin suppose. The wolf guides Jimin to the…healer hunt and while he is confused, he knocks on the door. A minute goes by and a smiling fella opens the door before he can get the word out, he sees what’s in front of him a young omega and three sleeping pups. He nods and opens the door for him.
“Welcome to the South Kim Pack, are you where to stay or passing by?” The probably healer asks and Jimin gives a small unsure smile. “I understand, it’s quite late maybe tomorrow you’ll know. I’m Healer Hoseok, how long have you been waking?” he, Hoseok, talked in such a kind and bright way. Quite comforting actually. “Hum about 23 days, I think…Oh I’m Jimin by the way”. Hoseok guides him to a room, “Do you want me to give you or your pups a little check-up? Just to check if everything is okay?”.Jimin bites his lips nervously. For 23 days his pups ate so poorly and had little to know peaceful sleep, he’s nervous about what the healer is going to take, and he starts to shake.
“Jimin-ssi, please relax… I’m not going to take your pups away I just want to tell you the best way to take care of them. Maybe they need more water, maybe just be closer to the fire. You are going to be there don’t worry” Jimin takes a deep breath, apparently loud enough for Jihu to wake up and start to hug Jimin tightly “Appa…where are we?” Jimin relaxes, puts Jihu on top of the bed in the room, and smiles. “We are in a new pack lands like Appa said, on the healer hunt. Do you want to say hi to Hoseok Healer-min” Jihu looks behind his appa, an Alfa is looking at him with a big heart-shaped smile, he looks back at his appa “No, I want to go home.”
Hoseok takes a step closer. “Hello there! Are you a big boy?” Jihu looks smuggli at Hoseok “I am. Alfa of the house actually!”. He truly embellishes the aura of his daddy…Jimin worries about that.“Well, since you're a big boy you can take a quick check-up, can’t he Jimin-ssi?” Jimin nods and Jihu gets a check by Hoseok, nothing serious truly he’s mostly looking for injuries. Luckily there was only a bruise on his knee most likely from a fall during playtime.
“Well you are in great shape, little Alfa” He smiles at Jimin “Has Taehyung shown you around?” Jimin looks at Hoseok confused, yet again not sure what his talking about “The wolf that took you here” Jimin explains what happened and how the wolf, Taehyung only took him here. Luckily no wolf required Hoseok's services so he takes the little family on a tiny tour. Guiding him to the hunt near the packs' Hall. “This is a…R-E-F-U-G-E-E hunt, rest for today and when you wake up go to that building on your right. They’ll give you more orientation for your plans and a nice cup of tea. I’ll leave a note reporting how you enter here. Can you give me your name and born pack name, please?” jimin gulps.
“Y-… Park. Park Jimin of Northen Yi Pack”.