In the forest, the change is season was upon the land. The autumn leaves falling as the coming winter approaches, the clouds high.
As a breeze stirred up the leaves, Yuliy shivers, slightly cold. Then, he hears something approaching him.
He sees a black wolf with blue eyes. They stare at each other for a minute. As the wolf steps closer, Yuliy stays perfectly still, watching for any sudden movements.
The wolf sniffs Yuliy then pets him, the wolf's head against Yuliy's hand. Yuliy stares in surprise before smiling.
Then, the wolf jumps back a bit, and howls. Then, Yuliy hears more howls. As the wolf walks, he turns his head to Yuliy.
Yuliy blinks, "Want me to follow you?"
The wolf blinks then turns its head forward and starts running, Yuliy chasing after him.
Eventually, the wolf stops at a rock formation in a clearing. Yuliy stops as well, and looks, "This is your pack, huh…"
There was before a pack of wolves, of different sizes, ages, and colors. The little pups from the den approached Yuliy curiously, tilting their heads.
Yuliy smiles at how cute they are before one of the older wolves, a brown one with brown eyes, approaches him, sniffs him, and pets him.
Yuliy chuckles, then the pups start playing with him. "Hey, hey!" They bite and climb on top of him, licking his face. Laughing, Yuliy hugs the pups.
'This reminds me…of what used to be…' Yuliy sighs as he gently gets the pups off him.
Meanwhile…
Mikhail was wandering through the forest when he hears a howl. Curiosity piqued, he runs towards the sound.
Then…he finds a white wolf with silver eyes, a scar across one of them, in a bear trap. 'He's…like me…' They stare at each other for a minute, trying to see if the other is a threat.
When Mikhail approaches, the wolf growls. "Hey…I'm just trying to help…" Mikhail says as he slowly takes a few more steps.
The wolf seems to have understood him as he calmed down. Mikhail got to close enough to pry the trap open long enough for the wolf's leg to get free. After letting go, the trap shut closed, and the wolf was free.
Mikhail looks at the wolf as it walked around in a circle, testing to see if its leg was OK. The wolf then went right over to Mikhail, sniffed him, and pet him. Blinking, Mikhail smiles, "You're welcome."
Then the wolf uses its teeth to pull at his clothes. "What? You want to show me something?" Mikhail asks, wondering what this wolf would want to show him.
The wolf only looks at him before running off, Mikhail deciding to follow after him.
After a while, they reach a clearing with a rock formation…and the wolf's pack.
The white wolf with the scar rubbed its head against the black wolf with blue eyes, seeming to greet each other.
Then,… "Nii-san?"
Mikhail sees Yuliy with the pack. "Yuliy…did the wolves lead you here too?"
"Yeah…" Yuliy blinks, surprised to his brother of all people out here, "What're you doing here?"
"Wandering…you?"
"Same…"
They both are silent…until the pups decide to play with Mikhail next. "Wah!" he yells as he's tackled to the ground by very energetic pups.
Yuliy couldn't help but laugh. After the pups are shaken off, Mikhail glares playfully, "You think that's funny huh…?"
"Eh? Wait…Nii-san!" Yuliy yells as he's tackled to the ground by his brother.
They stare at each other for a moment before they both burst into laughter. Putting their foreheads against each other, they relish in each other's scent and warmth before Mikhail gets off his little brother.
They both decide to hang out with the wolves until they had to go their separate ways again.
As time passed, they played with each other like the good old days, and with the little pups as well.
Eventually, night comes, and so does the cold. Yuliy shivers, wrapping his arms around himself.
Mikhail smiles, 'He hasn't changed…he's still so sensitive to the cold.'
Then…it starts snowing.
They both stare at the sky as the snow continues to fall…and the clouds part, revealing a full moon and a few twinkling stars.
As their eyes sparkle, they both smile at the beauty of the night sky combined with the first snow.
One of the wolves start howling, and the others follow suit. Looking at each other before smiling, they both howl as well.
After a good howl, they end the night with some goodbyes…to both the wolf pack and to each other.
"Nii-san!" Yuliy calls as Mikhail looks in his direction.
"We'll see each other again…?" Yuliy asks, eyes bright and pleading.
Mikhail can't say no to that look…so he smiles, "Yeah…'til we meet again, Yuliy."
And so, they went their separate ways…until they next see each other.