3. Fruit

3. Fruit

The land of the north is harsh.

It’s terribly cold, there’s little to eat, and your feet sink deep into the snow, making even walking difficult.

However, these are problems only for outsiders who haven’t adapted to this place. For the suin who have lived in this cold land for hundreds of years, these are not obstacles at all.

Snow is my family, and the wind is my friend.

I recall the words written in the picture book. No matter how I thought about it, it was a magnificent sentence. It was a maxim more than enough to inspire pride as a wolf.

With every step, I hear a crunching sound. Tiny footprints leave their first mark on the pristine white snowfield, free of any speck of dirt. Then, as if to protect this snowfield, a snowstorm blows, pushing away the tiny me and making it difficult to open my eyes.

But who am I? I am a wolf suin who has even hunted. If I were easily defeated by the wind, I wouldn’t have been able to hunt a rabbit.

What’s needed in times like these is a tail.

My unique characteristic that sets me apart from other wolf suin. My tail, which is as large as my body!

My tail was so large that I could store precious items inside it. Naturally, I could fit my body inside too.

Like this, if I carefully burrow my head into the fur….

“Perfect!”

This is the power of experience from a reincarnator. None of the other wolf suin would have thought of hiding their bodies in their tails!

My abundant tail was a natural insulator. Inside it, I was enveloped in immense warmth and felt drowsy, melting away. It was so warm that it felt like I could sleep there without any problems.

My breathing became regular, my body rose and fell…

——

“Ungh.”

I actually fell asleep.

How much time has passed? Has it become night….

I hastily pulled my body out of my tail and looked up at the sky. The northern night is dark, long, cold, and scary, so if it had become night while I was outside, it would have been too dangerous for my young self.

However, fortunately, contrary to my worries, the sky was still white. Just like before, soft snowflakes were falling from the white clouds.

“Phew….”

A sigh of relief escaped me without my realizing it. Despite being a reincarnator, I sometimes did inexplicable things like this.

I suspect it’s because of my regressed body… but it’s not a problem that can be easily solved. I quickly got up.

A lot of time had passed. I had to hurry to tell everyone about my incredibly cool and amazing hunt.

Since the wind had died down, there were no longer any inconveniences in moving. I shook my body to shed the snow that had accumulated on me.

… I had to shed quite a bit.

“Let’s go!”

But misfortunes never come singly, as they say.

In addition to falling asleep, my stomach began to rumble loudly all around before I had even gone far. Clutching my stomach that was crying out in hunger, I thought urgently.

Did I eat after hunting?

If I had eaten, I wouldn’t be hungry.

This was as big a problem as the night falling while playing outside. This is because children need to eat a lot. In simple terms, it was a growth issue.

If I don’t eat, I won’t grow, and if I don’t grow, I’ll have to live as a small wolf like this forever. I won’t be able to become a big, strong, and cool wolf suin like my sister!

“No!”

Not only my sister, but I wouldn’t even be able to become like the other wolf suin. All wolf suin are incredibly tall, and to live as a tiny wolf among them…!

I didn’t want to be cute just because I was small. The slight remnant of my male self rejected that, and wolves, after all, are not cute creatures but scary and strong animals.

I had to eat quickly!

“There it is!”

Fortunately, my proud wolf ears and nose had excellent abilities for finding prey. As I sniffed around, I caught a delicious and sweet scent, and when I ran towards it, a plump, pure white fruit was peeking out from the snow.

It was Ice fruit, one of the few fruits of the north!

It’s incredibly sweet, my favorite snack.

“Chik!”

And next to it was a small white hamster. It seemed to have come here to eat Ice fruit, just like me.

“Heh heh….”

The hamster, about the size of my fist, looked at me as if startled. I smiled at the white furball.

Today was a very lucky day. After the rabbit, I found another prey. The startled hamster cried out at me, but I, who had even caught a monster rabbit, was not to be outdone. A North Pole hamster couldn’t defeat me.

I spread my arms wide and opened my mouth, letting out a terrifying growl. Like my family, it was a low, cool growl.

“Kkiiing!”

“Chik!”

“Kkang!!”

“Jjiiik!!”

A few rounds of psychological warfare. The hamster’s bright black eyes glared at me. I glared back at the hamster.

How about that.

Scary, right?

This is a wolf!

“Kkang!”

“Chik!”

A tense situation, as if something was about to explode.

Soft snowflakes fall.

I inhale, and exhale. The hamster’s body swells, then shrinks again. The moment a large snowflake landed on the ground, the battle began.

“Puh-huk!”

“Chik!”

I jumped high into the air and pounced on the hamster. But as if it had been waiting, the hamster darted out from beneath me. Seeing me face-plant in the snow, the hamster smirked, pulling up the corners of its mouth.

How dare you!

“Kuaang!”

“Chik chik.”

“Kang!!”

I let out a fierce roar and charged at the hamster on all fours. My excellent physical abilities as a wolf suin shone through, and just before my teeth could reach it, the hamster burrowed into the ground.

“Kkaegaeng?!”

Snow filled my mouth. The cold air that instantly numbed my lips made it impossible to regain my senses.

You hamster, you’re smart. As expected of a veteran animal that has survived in the north. I declare you my worthy opponent. You can be proud of that!

The hamster, which had been hiding in the ground, soon emerged near the Ice fruit and glared at me.

“Chik chik~♡”

… It must be my imagination that it’s mocking me as pathetic.

“Hmph!”

This is a blood feud. A bloody battle for ownership of Ice fruit. The victor gets the sweet Ice fruit and delicious prey, and the loser gets neither.

I looked at the hamster and puffed out my tail enormously.

However, the hamster, unfazed by my threat, grabbed the Ice fruit with both paws and fled into its burrow.

“Kkang?!”

Hey, where are you going! Are you running away from there?!

I’m flustered. This is beyond what I expected.

I spun my eyes around. My stomach was crying out in extreme hunger. I couldn’t afford to miss food in this situation. Even if I let the hamster go, I couldn’t let Ice fruit go! It’s so delicious!

I quickly put away my panic, perked up my ears, and concentrated. It was time to fully utilize my characteristic ability to find things hidden in the snow better than anyone else-my ears.

-Sashik.

-Sashasik.

I can hear it. I can hear the hamster’s movements.

This reckless hamster hasn’t left my vicinity yet. Perhaps it was difficult to dig tunnels while carrying Ice fruit, which was as big as its body.

Heh heh.

That will be your downfall.

I assume a stance. Prepare to jump. I bring my hands together. I stiffen my tail and wait for the moment.

One…

Two…

Now!

As I leaped into the air and my tail assisted with balance, my body dug precisely into the spot where the sound was coming from. White snow was dug up, and soon, the hamster and Ice fruit in the tunnel came clearly into my sight.

“Chik!!”

“Caught you!!!”

I immediately bit the hamster with my mouth and threw it high into the air. In my hand, the plump Ice fruit proudly displayed its pure white color.

Success in hunting!

I smiled foolishly, holding the Ice fruit in my hand. As the sweet scent filled my empty stomach, my spirits soared high into the sky.

“Kkaeaeng??!?!”

At that moment, my tail tingled, and electricity flowed through my spine. As I jumped high into the air in surprise, the hamster, which I had clearly thrown high into the air earlier, sprang out of my tail and cried out at me.

“Chik!”

-Loser.

The hamster spat out the white fur it had in its mouth. Then, it dug a tunnel and disappeared into the distance.

“What…!”

How dare you bite my tail. I was angry and tried to chase it, but I could no longer hear the hamster’s sounds. It seemed to have escaped properly.

Hmph, just you wait. Living like that, you won’t live long.

Although I lost the hamster, the hamster was so small that it was a “chicken and egg” situation, meaning there was no meat to eat. So, it didn’t matter if I lost it.

Since Ice fruit, my target, was now mine, the conclusion was that this battle was my great victory.

Hee hee.

Thinking of Ice fruit already makes my mouth water.

Whether it was the texture of biting into ice, the taste of drinking sweet juice, or the refreshing temperature, Ice fruit was a perfect fruit with nothing to dislike. It was so rare that I couldn’t eat it often, but….

It’s mine now!

I looked back at the Ice fruit I had dropped on the ground earlier.

“Huh?”

However, in front of my Ice fruit, for some reason, was a small Arctic fox I had never seen before.

And as I tilted my head, that fox bit my Ice fruit.

And then….

“Huh? Hey! That’s mine!! Where are you going!!!”

It ran away just like that!

I was surprised and ran after the fox.