The soft sound of snow crunching under military style boots echos through the serene forest. Winter has come, covering the beautiful landscape in untouched white splendor. A shape, dark in contrast, moves through the underbrush. It’s harder to find food in the cold months, critters preferring to stay in their warm burrows.
Amber eye catch the sight of freshly spilled blood. The archer lowers himself to the ground to further inspect the red, stark against white. It must have been from an animal. A large one at that. Cautiously, he follows the tracks, the blood becoming more frequent of a sight. He makes out some paw prints, something a kin to a wolf but... bigger.
Finally, the man comes to a small clearing and takes a sharp breath. The creature is huge and furry. As he slowly moves around it’s form, he’s convinced it’s a wolf that has a mutation, making it enormous. Such enough, it’s wounded, an entire front paw missing. Though, that one seems a bit old. The blood is coming from a bullet wound in the other shoulder.
Hanzo lifts his bow, arrow pointed between it’s eyes. The fur could be used to keep him warm and he could eat the meat. Besides, it wasn’t likely to make it. He would be putting the beast out of it’s misery. He draws back, ready to fire. However, just then, the animal weakly looks up at him and whimpers.
He grumbles to himself and lowers his weapon. He puts the arrow back in his quiver and clips his bow in place behind him. He delicately steps forward, shushing the creature. ❝Be still and I will help you.❞ Daft fingers soothe the wolf with a ginger stroke. With a huff, he hoists the mammal over his shoulders and starts the trek back to his cabin.
Upon arrival, he opens the door with his foot and carefully sets the wolf down on a pile of blankets. He sets to work on removing the bullet and patching up the hole. The Japanese man starts up a fire in the fireplace. The heater busted a few days ago and he just hasn’t made the trip into town. He hates having to go in, avoiding it at all costs.
After changing out of blood stained clothes, the archer takes a seat on the floor in front of the fire. With a blanket wrapped tight around his shoulders, all there was to do wait. Leaving the wolf by itself in his home was too much of a risk.
