A/N: Oh, geez... Thanks for the review guys! And I didn't realize that I was giving some of you doubts over the ending from the last entry. I thought it had a very obvious ending, huh...

Also, I just realized that I've been using the wrong family name for Bryan for so long... I don't even know where Kustenov came from, jeezas. Sorry, Bry!

The next request was made by Superrbia. I hope you like your furry buddies because this is a Wolf AU where everybody are walking on four legs. This is as fluffy as caramel popcorn.

...I felt like writing The Legend of the White Wolf or something equally as pretentious when I was doing this. And this doesn't have much Tala and Kai interactions with it (what the heck?!). And... and... er. I didn't know what happen there but here's to hoping?

Uhm, fluff yeah... yeah. u.u;

Pre-Notes: Kinda gruesome in the beginning but you guys will live.

Wolves grow rapidly so by about six to seven months they're already in their adult size. Reason why the puppy here is so young in comparison to your domesticated dog. Wild wolves live for about 7 years, 15 if their under care.

Only female alphas can breed, but let's suspend reality and say no... actually there's a huge, like elephant huge, suspending of reality going on here—oops. *whistles

I didn't use the characters' actual names because it'd be mighty weird for a wild wolf to be named, like say, Brooklyn, unless they're from the zoo or animal shelter or something with a human keeper. Names and their corresponding characters are listed at the end.

Wolf Taming

The many disjointed, unrelated, prompts for Tala and Kai across multiple AUs and canon.

Episode 3

Something Equally as Pretentious

"He stinks of them, leave him."

"He is a pup."

"Not ours. Now come, ice is coming."

He wanted Yuriy. No, he needed Yuriy. Yuriy who always carried him, rub him behind the ears and put him to sleep by the tamed flames. Yuriy who was home.

But Yuriy wasn't here. He was snatched away from Yuriy.

The muscles of his back leg spasmed and kindled the fire from it anew, the metal teeth burying deeper into his flesh and shattered bone. His spine curved into a slight bow, his body wanting to curl into itself but wouldn't move over the unforgiving cold, white dirt and only shuddered against the sharp wind slicing across him.

"He is dead. Scavenger food. Leave him."

"He is a pup, Swift Wind."

"He is also dead. Now, come. The others are waiting."

"No, you go ahead."

Something nudged his head. He couldn't summon the energy to look what it was but could feel its warm breath fanning over his face. He squirmed, wheezing. PredatorPredatorPredator.

"Feral Shadow."

"Go, we will catch up."

"I will have to care for the rest if you do not."

"As you should. Go."

He whined thinly, trying to get away from the tongue licking his muzzle and eye. Save me. Yuriy.

"This will grieve you greatly, pup. Brace yourself."

A loud cry rushed out his mouth and he was blinded by hot streaks of white pain as a large jaw clamped down on his trapped leg, sharp teeth tearing and gnawing into his meat. His muscles angrily stretched and tore as the vice grip pulled at it, bone crunching and fully separating from his trapped limb.

He was dragged across the dirt and then something picked him up from the scruff of his neck. The last thing he saw was the thick trail of red leading up to his severed, mutilated leg clamped securely in the metal jaw.

:::

The howling wind made his ears flatten themselves on his head. There was a dull throb coming from his hind leg. He wanted to go home.

Something licked him across his muzzle and a large body curled around him. He buried himself deeper to the furry chest, seeking warmth.

"Sleep, pup. We will be home soon."

He was wary but trusted the faraway, soothing deep voice and closed his eyes again.

:::

"He will not last a fortnight. He is too young."

"He will. Just do what you can, Thunderclap."

"If the Spirits take him..."

"Then they will and I will be proven mistaken."

"All right. Fine hunting, father."

:::

Arctic wind rushed into his lungs as he gasped for air, then his throat seized up as he was forced to cough out unwanted frigid water that he managed to swallow. His teeth chattered and rigidness settled deeply into his bones. He fought it and grabbed hold of the thin ice nearby and set his mind into swimming ashore. It was the longest and most painstaking thing he did his entire life.

:::

"Are you awake?"

He looked around, only jagged stone walls surrounded him. Something licked him on top of his head and he only belatedly realize that he was sitting between two brown front paws. He lifted his muzzle up and bumped his nose to the chin of a pretty wolf. She was staring him down with kind brown eyes and he found himself canting his ears back. She gave him another lick across his eyes.

"Can you try and stand up?" she asked.

He clamped his mouth close and tried to do what she asked. He pushed his front paws against the stone floor and slowly lifted his body up only to fall with a sharp yelp and curl into himself when something raw from his hind leg scrapped against the stone, black and white spots blinding him. He turned his head to the side wanting to see what was wrong. He saw one of his legs mangled and missing almost half of it, from his paw up to a good chunk of his thigh, a jagged bone jutted out from where it was bitten off. The older wolf whined in sympathy and licked his leg delicately.

"I will get you something to eat. Stay here and do not move," she said, standing up.

She came back a short while after and dropped a slab of roughly cut meat that smelled pungent right at his nose. He moved his head away. He was always fed with hot, ground meat and tasty, crunchy pebbles.

"Eat," the older wolf prodded, nudging his belly with her muzzle. "You need something more than milk and you bite too hard for me to give it willingly."

"Where is Yuriy?" he asked instead.

"Yuriy? What an odd name," she mumbled. "Was she your mother, pup?"

"No but he takes care of me."

"Your pack leader?"

"He is not like you and me but he let me live in his den," he explained, taking in deep breaths. Talking kept his mind off the pain. "It has a tamed flame and—"

A low growl reverberated from the older wolf's throat as she bared her teeth into a snarl. "We do not speak of the Blight Bringers here, pup. Best to remember that, especially around Swift Wind."

He made a keening sound and his tail folded between his legs.

"Now eat. Feral Shadow will be wanting to see you soon."

Soon didn't mean in a day or two and he ended up getting fed by the older brown wolf, Thunderclap. He didn't like what she gave him but he had no choice but to chew and swallow the dirt crusted, slimy meat she brought him. He would sometimes attempt to crawl towards her belly to suck her milk but the she would always notice and growl at him. She did let him sleep beside her. It reminded him a bit of what Yuriy would usually do for him and he took comfort in that.

He met other wolves, the ones that were only as big as him. They were wary around him but Thunderclap ushered them to play with a warning that they do not try to bite at his amputated leg or no supper. They all groaned and he would have found it funny hadn't his leg been acting up because of the cold. A pup ventured into his space and regarded him with suspicious gold eyes.

"You have a snow pelt," the pup accused. "Why does he have a snow pelt? We only have dirt color and stone color."

"It is because he is born from snow, pup," Thunderclap explained.

"Who ate your paw? Does it hurt?" another pup asked, blue eyes round with awe. "Did the Blight Bringers ate it? Bone Crusher said those monsters will—"

Thunderclap barked loudly worthy of her namesake. "We do not speak of them. Now go, play."

All the pups scampered and did as they were told.

The only adult he ever saw other than Thunderclap was Razor Teeth. She was another female wolf with a pretty pelt of varying shades of brown like Thunderclap. She always brought back long eared rodents for them to eat, the other pups would yip excitedly around her. She would throw him one with her mouth and he would limp beside Thunderclap to share it with her. He learned to eat their kind of food eventually.

Much later, he met another wolf, Cliffside. However, unlike Thunderclap and Razor Teeth, Cliffside was already old and half blind and always rested on the highest shelf in the cave. One night, the grizzled old gray wolf had gotten down from his perch and curled around him when Thunderclap took the oldest wolf pups with her. Moments later, his head perked up upon hearing a long, deep and low howl, several others following it in a short while in a chorus. Cliffside nudged him with his nose. "Sleep. It is only Feral Shadow."

"What are they doing?"

"They are naming new hunters, now sleep, pup."

"Will I ever only be called pup here? I have a name. Yuriy gave me one."

Cliffside swept him in a dull blue eyed gaze. "You will have your chance."

He didn't know how to feel about that. How will he get his chance? He couldn't even run let alone hunt like Razor Teeth. And what would that mean if he did get a chance? Would that make him one of them? What about Yuriy? He had already lost track of how long he had stayed here and Yuriy still hadn't found him.

Was Yuriy even looking for him?

A comforting growl rumbled deep in Cliffside's chest. "We are your pack now, pup. Sleep."

:::

He pulled himself up to the snow covered ground and crawled away from the water, body shivering under his water logged clothes. A dry laugh escaped his lips that turned into a weak coughing fit. It wasn't the longest nor the most painstaking thing he did, no.

Waking Tala every morning was.

He stared ahead, not really seeing anything, eyes burning, cursing himself for just laying face down on the snow and not moving his ass, what would Tala say?

"Idiot..."

He and Tala did not part in good terms.

:::

Days came and went and he felt his body grow and his remaining limbs strengthened. He often found himself seeking Cliffside and the older wolf would often ask him to do errands for him, making him run and hop all the way up to his perch every time. One day, Razor Teeth was in a good enough mood to tease him that Cliffside was weaning him off from Thunderclap. Thunderclap only sniffed moodily at the comment. It was also around that time when Razor Teeth took him out of the den for the first time. They came back with four dead long eared rodents, three from the female wolf and one from him. Thunderclap licked him across the face for a job well done.

The cold season passed and it was before daybreak when Lightning Claw, the golden eyed pup before, nudged him awake. He cracked one eye open, not lifting his head from Thunderclap's torso. The normally docile young wolf had taken a shining to him along with some others, Rock Pelt and Gray Storm.

"Come," the other wolf said, his excitement brimming. "Feral Shadow said you can come with us."

"I'll only slow you down," he answered, blinking awake, knowing what getting summoned meant.

Thunderclap stretched under him. "Go, pup. Feral Shadow will take offense."

"Swift Wind would, surely," Lightning Claw said, tilting his head to side. He stood up, bushy tail wagging. "Come on, it will be fun."

He brought himself up to his feet easily. Thunderclap bump foreheads with him and gave him a lick. "Fine hunting, pup."

When they arrived at the clearing there were only three wolves he knew: Lightning Claw, Rock Pelt and Gray Storm.

The two other young wolves wagged their tail at him, happy he was there. He gave them a slight wag of his tai in response but kept his head down, feeling conscious with the quiet, demeaning snarls from the older wolves, especially from the one that had light colored pelt that was more silver than gray. He lifted his eyes and found himself pinned under a gaze made of ice. His tail drooped and folded between his legs, instantly knowing who the wolf with fur the color of red leaves was. Feral Shadow.

"You will hunt with me, pup," the pack leader announced. "Try not to fall behind."

The end of the day found the silver wolf, Swift Wind, snarling at him and branding him a burden. His first hunting trip was not so much as hunting than having Feral Shadow looking after him like a new born pup. The pack leader took it in a stride, however, and he wondered what the large wolf saw in a disability like him.

"There is time to learn and grow," Feral Shadow simply said.

He took the words into heart and promised himself he'd try harder tomorrow. That night he limped onto the flat surface of a rock to sleep outside the den like the rest of the male wolves. He circled his space and laid down, squashing the hallowing feeling of not curling up to Thunderclap. It was about time he stop depending on her.

The next day, Feral Shadow took a route that would force them to scale a cliff. The older wolf climbed it with ease, nimbly jumping from rock to rock. Feral Shadow looked down from above, signalling him to follow. He measured the climb with uncertainty but steeled himself to the task. With effort, he pulled himself with his front legs and began climbing. Feral Shadow laid down on his perch and watched him struggle.

They weren't able to hunt that day or the many days following after that. However, no amount of growls or debasing sneers from Swift Wind could discourage him when they returned. The pride reverberating in his chest and Feral Shadow's approval when he reached the top was more important than anything Swift Wind can snarl at him.

Another season passed and he could now scale the cliff with ease. He weren't as swift as the others but that was expected and his strength more than made up for his shortcomings. He was also grouped with Lightning Claw, Rock Pelt and Gray Storm to hunt for the females and the elderly back in the den. Now that Thunderclap and Razor Teeth were heavy with pups, they would be needing more food.

"When do you think Feral Shadow would give you a name?" Lightning Claw asked during one of their hunts.

Rock Pelt wagged his tail, tongue hanging from his mouth. "I wager you when the Silver Lady next comes out."

"Ha! I wager later tonight!" Gray Storm announced.

"Well? What say you?

"He will give me a name when he gives me a name," he answered without glancing at Lightning Claw, keeping his eyes on the female four legged grass eater. "Now be quiet, we promised Thunderclap a feast."

He signalled the three wolves to move. The three followed without word and quietly surrounded their prey. The grass eater lifted her head from the ground, ear twitching and turning her head sharply from side to side. He bared his teeth and lowered his torso, getting ready to pounce. Rock Pelt jumped from his hiding spot, driving the prey to Gray Storm's direction. The grass eater caught sight of the wolf's silhouette and turned sharply away, fleeing straight to him. He flexed his paws, the tips of his claw showing. The grass eater made a distressed sound, closing in. Lightning Claw barked at him to jump, but not yet. He'll miss and it will get away. Rock Pelt and Gray Storm joined Lightning Claw's prodding but not yet. Not yet. Not—

His front leg shoved him up from the ground, his mouth gaping wide, baring rows of sharp teeth. The grass eater's lightless eyes widened in fear as it tried to evade his attack but it was already too late. His lower jaw hooked itself deep into its neck and he snapped his mouth close, tearing into muscles and sinews, blood washing over his tongue. His weight pulled them down with him on top of the grass eater, his mouth still having a vice grip on its neck. He tightened his bite and shook his head from side to side rapidly, breaking its bone and killing her instantly. The other wolves approached him.

"You always know when to strike, I wager Feral Shadow thought you that," Gray Storm grumbled.

He opened and closed his mouth, swallowing the blood remaining in it. "All the others know when, you all are only too impatient."

"Untrue. Only the best hunter know when and that is only Feral Shadow, but that is untrue now, also, because you know."

He let the words pass over his head. All the older wolves were a better hunter than him and Swift Wind would lose his rodents, worst eat him for supper, if he hears of such accusations. He led the others back to the den, dragging their prize by its leg with ease. Thunderclap welcomed them warmly and licked him across the face affectionately for a fine hunt.

:::

They fought over something stupid again, he can't even remember what it was exactly, but they ended up punching each other and yelling things that they didn't mean, or at least he knew he didn't. He didn't want Tala jumping any bridges or replacing him with some random fan he picked up from a bar. Then his grandfather called, asking him to come back, inheriting the company didn't matter just come back. He took it as a chance to clear his head and to mend the rift with him and his only living family.

He just didn't expect Voltaire to put him under house arrest the moment he step foot home, shuffling him to some remote location and forcing him to breakout from his prison there only to end up swimming in a river in the middle of winter, in the middle of nowhere.

A sharp breeze caressed his cheeks, making his body shudder all the more. It was odd, though. He knew he was suppose to be in more pain than this, numb, at the very least, but he only felt comfortably sleepy. The feeling reminded him of the times he and Tala would just lie down beside each other on their old apartment roof at night, fingers brushing, talking about everything and nothing, and he would remember why he said yes all those years back.

:::

The Silver Lady waned and waxed and Feral Shadow took him more and more to the challenging hunts. He liked their hunt. They ventured and spread out more in their territory. He would stumble over an obstacle or two but he didn't let it weigh him down. Like when they crossed the river, he fell down and was washed downstream more than a handful of times but he learned how to cope and do it properly. The others had accepted his handicap and would often be patient with his blunders. All except Swift Wind, that was. The silver wolf had nothing good to say despite any of his efforts.

"It is his way of showing affection," Feral Shadow barked humorously.

He only briefly believed Feral Shadow's words because his pack leader would never, ever lead him astray. However, when they were traversing a log bridge and he was the last one to cross it again then Swift Wind bit on a branch and offered him the other end all the while growling for him to take it and hurry crossing already, he knew for certain that the red wolf was, quite surely, jesting him.

The cold season had returned and it found him and the pack huddled inside the den most of the time. He licked the stump that one of his legs was reduced to, it was throbbing some but not as painful as when it was still fresh. He turned his head to the side and watched the thick white storm ravaged the outside world, crying and wailing in anger. He flattened his ears on his head. Someone licked his muzzle and then he made room for Thunderclap to curl up to him.

"It will be all right, pup."

He couldn't reign in the small whine that escaped his throat. They had been trapped in the den for days.

"I will take some with me in the morrow."

He and Thunderclap looked up to see Feral Shadow beside them. The older wolf was calm but he could still hear the worry inflicting his words.

"And if the storm does not quiet by then?" Thunderclap asked.

"We need food. Your pups need food."

"But father..."

"I will not let my daughter or my pack starve."

He heard enough and stood up on his three paws. "I will go with you," he announced.

Feral Shadow regarded him silently. "No."

"But—"

"No. You will stay here and be responsible for your brothers and sisters."

In the morning, the rage of the storm was as furious as it was yesterday. However, it did not deter Feral Shadow and the other veteran wolves from their hunt. He watched them go and bid them with a long, low howl. They looked back at him and answered with howls promising their success before marching outside. They didn't return that day.

A long while passed since Feral Shadow and the others went out. He sighed resting his head between his stretched legs. The storm was still running its course but, fortunately, its rage had dwindled some. It will only be a matter of time before it clears up and when it does he will take Lightning Claw and the others to hunt nearby. Thunderclap and the other females need their food to feed their young.

Snap.

His ears perked up in attention as he lifted his head. He quickly got up on his paws, alert. He stared long and hard at the white blanket of snow and wind that blocked his view of outside. Rock Pelt came bouncing at him and almost ran outside if he hadn't blocked his way. He kept his attention to the mouth of the den.

"Feral Shadow and the others—"

"No," he interrupted sharply. "Something does not feel right."

"But..."

He narrowed his eyes at the entrance. Was it, trul—he bared his teeth into a snarl, the fur of his back bristling, catching the sharp, acidic smell of threat. That was definitely not Feral Shadow and the others. He snarled and barked at their invisible intruder.

He turned his head back to the pack and snarled. "Everyone, back!"

He was only about to turn his attention back to the threat when a massive, jet black thing slammed him to the wall. The thing above him growled and he only had a second to move his legs and miss the large, clawed paw swinging down for his head. He dug his front paws against the stone floor, skidding to a stop and gaining his ground. The black furred thing's back was hunched and bounced up and down as it breathed heavily.

"Pup!" Thunderclap barked in distress.

"No! Stay back!" he growled, this was not something to be trifle with. He had only seen the monster once a long time ago. It was hunting for scaled water dwellers down river. It looked docile while it pawed at its prey hiding underwater. He wasn't fooled. Not when it rivalled the size of a boulder and surely weighed as one, too. Feral Shadow called it the Black Demon and ordered them to steer clear. "Lightning Claw, Rock Pelt, Gray Storm! With me!"

The Black Demon turned around and faced him while the others moved. He barked at it in warning. It stood in its hind legs, dwarfing them with its sheer size. He didn't wait for it to roar before he lunged for its neck.

:::

Black spots ate away his vision slowly and eroded precious memories replaying before him. Somewhere in the remaining working parts of his mind he knew he was crying. That the last time he will see Tala was just the one from his memories. Tala wouldn't be here. Couldn't be here. But this was for the best, right? He wouldn't be weighing Tala down now, right?

"He'll be just okay, right?"

:::

Fire Heart woke up with a start, the remnants of his dream dissipating like fog before he could sink his claws into it.

"What is it?" Lightning Claw asked, cracking an eye open from where he was draped over his young mate.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep, brother. It is still too early."

The other wolf regarded him for a second longer before stretching and making himself comfortable again. Satisfied, Fire Heart nimbly padded across the den, careful not to disturb the others.

He shuddered against the pre-dawn breeze that swept across him when he stepped out of the den. He shook the cold away and began his trek to the southernmost part of their territory. It did not take him long to arrive at his usual perch on the edge of their border. He had found the spot at the wake of one of those dreams that left him restless. Like the one he had earlier.

He crossed his legs in front of him and used it to cushion his chin from the snow covered rock surface. He waited for the usual visitor to appear below.

It only took a few moments before a graying old man entered his line of sight. Fire Heart only watched him through half lidded eyes, already knowing that he would only stand there and look over at the wide frozen river as if searching for something. Someone. It strike him as strange when he didn't chased away the demon the first he saw him. However, he had already long since realize why it was so.

The sound of footfalls made his ear perked up but he didn't feel the need to get up from his perch.

"Feral Shadow," he greeted, not taking his eyes off the man.

"A Blight Bringer?" the old wolf questioned.

"Yuriy, not Blight Bringer."

"Ah." Feral Shadow sat beside him. "You still remember it."

"You say that as if I had forgotten him."

"Why not approach it, then?"

Fire Heart had entertained the notion before and almost did. Amidst all the whiteness that surrounded him, Yuriy seemed so small and alone. He banished the thought shortly afterwards. He may had recognized Yuriy but Yuriy surely wouldn't. He was no longer the obedient little pup Yuriy cared for a long time ago. He would only scare the man if he showed himself now.

They watched Yuriy as he walked alongside the river and then stand stock still again. The motions repeated for a few time more before Yuriy returned to the Blight Bringer's territory.

"It always made me wonder why you still have not chosen a mate," Feral Shadow said.

His ears canted at the remark. He had already grown weary of such old past time gossips.

"Perhaps, I now have the answer."

Though, that was certainly new.

"Oh?" he prodded, careful not to show interest.

"Perhaps your Yuriy was your mate from a lifetime ago."

Fire Heart sighed. "And your old age has addled your mind and made you whimsical."

He stood up and made his way back to the den. That was the last time he will hear out what Feral Shadow had to say. His mate from a past life?

Absurd.

:::

His own dark red eyes stared right into him and Kai knew it was time to go.

END

End Notes: Yeah. I'm a (proverbial) dick, and so is Tala. Where do you think he gets it from?

Kai Hiwatari .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. main POV/Fire Heart/Kai

Tala Ivanov .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Feral Shadow/Yuriy/Tala

Bryan Kuznetsov .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Swift Wind

Hilary Tachibana .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .Thunderclap

Mariam .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Razor Teeth

Rei Kon .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... wolf pup 1/Lightning Claw

Max Tate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... wolf pup 2/Rock Pelt

Spencer Petrov .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Cliffside

Tyson Kinomiya .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Gray Storm

Gary Tan .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... Bone Crusher

Long eared rodents - rabbits/hares

Four legged grass eaters - deer

Black Demon - bear

Blight Bringers - humans

Silver Lady - the moon