The morning after the snowfall, the forest was still and white, a world wrapped in silence. Even the wind seemed hesitant to disturb the thin blanket of snow that covered every branch and stone.
Silas stood at some distance from their cave, his silver-white scales catching the faint morning light. His emerald eyes narrowed, scanning the ground. Deep, misshapen prints led toward the western ridge — not from deer or wolves, but orcs. Unfamiliar ones.
He crouched, brushing the fresh snow aside to reveal the faint claw marks beneath. "These tracks don't belong to anyone from the valley," he murmured. His tail flicked once — sharp and tense.
Evan, holding a woven basket of dried herbs, frowned. "You're going after them?"
Silas nodded. "Just to see how close they've come. It could be nothing… but I don't like their smell."
He reached out and cupped Evan's cheek with his cool-scaled hand. "Stay in the cave. No matter what happens, don't come out. Keep Leo and Milo inside. I'll be back before sundown."
Evan tried to smile, though his chest felt heavy. "Be careful."
Silas gave a faint nod, then shifted partially into his beast form — his hair turning more vividly emerald, his pupils slitting sharply. He vanished into the white forest, silent as a shadow.
.....
Hours trickled by.
Evan tried to distract himself — checking the herbs in the new storage pots, retying dried taro bundles, and making sure the cubs ate their midday meal. But the cave felt colder, emptier without Silas's quiet, grounding presence.
Leo and Milo played near the fire pit, giggling softly, unaware of the tight knot forming in their mother's stomach.
He's been gone too long.
Snowflakes had begun to fall again when Evan froze — faint but sharp, a sound rolled across the forest: a growl, deep and guttural. Then another, followed by a dull crash.
His heart skipped. That came from the west… the direction Silas went.
Without thinking, he turned to the cubs. "Leo, Milo — stay here, alright? Don't go outside no matter what. Mama will just check something nearby."
Leo frowned. "But—"
"Stay," Evan said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Silas will scold us both if you follow."
He wrapped himself in a fur cloak and slipped out into the snow.
....
The forest was eerily quiet except for the whisper of wind and the crunch of his footsteps. The deeper he went, the stronger the stench of blood and musk became.
When he reached a small clearing, he froze.
Two massive figures were rolling in the snow, snarling — both orcs, but not like Silas. Their bodies were bulky, mottled with coarse fur, and their jaws were longer, teeth yellowed."Hyena orcs".
They fought viciously, biting and clawing until one staggered back, spitting blood and laughter.
Evan's breath caught. He wanted to run — to turn back and flee before they noticed. He took a single step—
"Where are you going, female?"
A deep, rasping voice froze him mid-step.
He turned sharply — another one had appeared behind him, his grin wide and cruel. The beastman's fur was patchy, and his eyes glowed with amusement.
"Don't try to run," the hyena said, circling closer. "You'll only make it fun for us."
The two who had been fighting stopped and turned toward him, smirking when they caught sight of Evan's pale face and trembling hands.
"Well, look at that," one snickered, licking his teeth. "How did that snake bastard get such a pretty little thing?"
"Probably stole her. Serpents don't deserve females like this."
"Then I suppose we'll borrow her for a while."
Evan's pulse thundered in his ears. He stumbled back, shaking his head. "S-stay away…"
One of them reached for him — a clawed hand catching his arm. Evan twisted, striking back with a small stone he'd been carrying, but it barely made the orc flinch.
"Feisty." The hyena chuckled darkly. "I like that."
He tried to pull away again, but their grip only tightened. Their leering gazes made his skin crawl — the way they looked at him like prey.
"Please… let me go…" His voice shook.
They only laughed. "The snake's gone. You're alone now."
Before he could react, one grabbed his wrists, another held his legs. The cold bite of rope burned his skin as they bound him roughly.
He thrashed, terrified — heart hammering as they gagged him with a strip of hide.
Silas… His mind screamed the name. Silas, please—
But no one came.
---
They dragged him through the forest, the snow beneath him streaked with dirt and blood from their boots. The trip felt endless, the forest growing darker, thicker.
By the time they reached their den, Evan's body trembled from exhaustion and cold.
The den was nothing like Silas's home — it was a pit of decay. Bones littered the ground; the air stank of rot, blood, and sweat. Smoke clung to the walls, and the floor was layered with filthy hides.
They threw him onto a pile of those hides, his breath catching in disgust. He looked around — three more rogue orcs lounged near the fire, their eyes gleaming with greed and hunger when they saw him.
One snorted. "Finally brought something useful, eh?"
Another grinned. "Pretty one, too. The snake'll come running if he finds out. Maybe we can bait him."
Evan pressed himself back against the cold wall, eyes wide. His hands trembled against the ropes. He wanted to cry, to disappear — but all he could do was stare as one of them approached him slowly.
The orc crouched down, reaching for the hide beside him. "You want to know what happens to disobedient pets here?"
He yanked the hide away.
Underneath was the body of a female beastman, her skin ashen and bruised, eyes blank. She was small, thin — barely recognizable as a person anymore.
Evan's breath hitched. His stomach lurched violently.
He turned away, tears stinging his eyes. The smell, the sight, the reality — it was too much.
He understood now what would happen to him. What they planned.
"Should we have some fun tonight?" one of the rogues at the entrance said, his tone half-laughing.
"Nah," another replied with a grunt. "Keep her fresh for a few days. The snake might still come looking."
Their laughter echoed through the filthy cave, mingling with the hiss and crackle of firewood.
Evan curled into himself, trembling.
Silas… please find me.