Potato Pup

Origins Part 2

Gijoo took up residence in an abandoned building. Although the place was far from clean, littered with several cigarette butts and empty booze bottles, and there were old bloodstains in certain places, it kept Gijoo protected from the wind and rain.

He settled into a routine. During the day, when humans were most active, he would sleep. Once the sun had set, he would wander around the Mapo area, stretching his legs and hunting. Most of the time, his preys consisted of fish he caught in the Han River, but sometimes he succeeded in hunting rats and birds.

Occasionally, he would encounter humans. Most of them would be startled by the sight of a wolf in the middle of the city, and run in the opposite direction, but there were still idiots who stupidly tried to get closer to him. Gijoo always growled if they got too close, which successfully scared them away.

Gijoo began to feel lonely. Wolves were pack animals—highly social animals—but he no longer had a pack. As he went about his night, he sometimes reminisced about his time with them. He missed the times he and his pack hunted together, bringing down large prey such as deer. In the winter, the pack would huddle close together to keep each other warm. During times of relaxation, he played with them.

I want to go back, he thought, but I can't.

On the way back to his shelter one night, he passed by a box. If it was any other box, he would have ignored it, but he heard sounds of distress. Padding over to the cardboard box, he peered inside and was met with a shocking sight.

A young pup, one not even old enough to open his eyes, was in the box and crying on for his mother. His fur was dark brown and curled slightly at the ends, indicating that despite his wolfish features, he was not a purebred wolf, and had inherited traits of a dog.

"Where's your mother?" Gijoo asked, but he knew that he wouldn't be getting a clear answer from the pup.

The pup whimpered and shivered, the box doing nothing to shield him from the cold night temperatures. The thick dark clouds looming above the city indicated that heavy rain would soon be upon them.

Gijoo sniffed the pup, but there was no scent of his mother. The pup's mother's scent had long faded away, indicating that it's been a while since she had last been with him. If left alone, the pup would most likely perish. Gently picking up the pup, Gijoo continued towards his shelter.

~🥔Potato Pup🐶~

Gijoo cuddled close to the pup, attempting to use his own fur and body heat to warm the poor pup up. The pup's trembling slightly lessened, but was still very noticeable to the wolf.

I don't think he's only shivering from the cold. "It's alright," he gently nuzzled the pup, "because you're not alone now. I don't know where your mother is, but I'll be here for you."

Gijoo's comforting words seemed to reduce the pup's trembling a bit more, and the pup buried himself closer to the warm wolf.

He's going to need a name. Gijoo stared at the now sleeping pup. I'd call him Gijoo Junior, but I don't think it's a name that suits him. Gijoo rested his head on his paws. I want to leave my past behind, but I still want to cling to parts of my past. I don't want to completely forget about them. They are—were—my pack.

Gijoo closed his eyes and recalled the memories he had with three of his closest packmates: Jay, Rye, and Young. "I've decided," he whispered to the dozing pup, "that I'll name you after them. Your name will be Jaeryeong."

~🥔Potato Pup🐶~

Jaeryeong was too young to be eating any solid foods, but Gijoo did not have any milk. Instead, Gijoo had Jaeryeong drink some blood from freshly killed prey. Although it did not have enough nutrients that a pup Jaeryeong's age would need, it was enough to keep him alive.