TBML 46

Inside the cramped room lay a tiger, a crow, and a human. Or rather, the human was lying down; the tiger was restlessly shifting his body back and forth in the confined space; and the crow was watching the scene from atop a stacked pile of books.

It was a bizarre sight.

The black tiger had left Young Master Seo, who had lost his arm and fainted, behind, and transformed into human form. He carefully picked up Yiyeon. Although he could climb mountains much faster in his tiger form, that would have required him to carry Yiyeon in his mouth or on his back, and the black tiger now knew that such treatment would not be good for the frail, battered Yiyeon.

Even when carrying Yiyeon down the mountain last time, despite being as careful as possible, he had groaned in pain every time his body swayed. The black tiger carried Yiyeon up the mountain with the utmost care, as if he were scooping up clear spring water.

This marked the second time he had taken human form to carry him in his arms up the mountain. Although Yiyeon had been seriously injured on both occasions, the first time had still held a certain thrill. Back then, he had reveled in the strange and fascinating sensation of holding a human in his arms – noting how much thinner the human’s bones were compared to his own, and how soft the flesh was, as if it might crumble if he dug his nails into it. This time, however, the more steps he took, the more gloomy and listless he felt.

He felt much lighter than when he’d last carried him on his back and set him down near the village. It seemed as though he could carry him now without anyone even noticing.

He’d sent him away because he had thought he’d die if left alone and that he had to return to the humans to survive, but the Yiyeon who’d come back seemed even closer to death than before he left. The black tiger glared at Zao with a look of resentment. Even the crow, who was always so noisy, seemed to sense the gravity of the situation; today, at least, he didn’t nag about why he was saving a human or scold him for entering his home without permission.

It had been a wise decision to rush Yiyeon – who was slowly losing body heat in the snow – to Zao’s house, but that’s where the trouble began. Blood kept flowing from the head wound he’d sustained from hitting a rock, and since Yiyeon was covered in blood, it was impossible to determine exactly where he was bleeding from, how much blood was lost, or how badly he was injured.

For the black tiger, a bleeding wound was simply something to lick until it stopped, and once it healed, that was the end of it. Thinking, “Would licking this small human heal him too?” he stuck out his tongue, but Zao recoiled in disgust and began pecking at the black tiger’s long, extended tongue. He’d been in this state ever since.

The black tiger couldn’t keep still in front of Yiyeon, who was lying down. He should have at least taken on a human form; as he moved his big body in the small room in the form of a tiger, objects were knocked around, turning the room into a complete mess.

After watching the scene for a while, Zao finally broke the long silence, spread his wings wide, and cawed. Zao still had no change in his belief that he did not want ​Read on​to get close to humans, that all humans were liars, and that they deserved to die. However, if left alone like this, it was clear that the tiger would become restless and smash the entire house to pieces.

So he changed his mind and decided to help. Just this once.

It felt like this happened every time, but even he couldn’t help it. Ever since the moment he couldn’t just walk past the motherless cub, this had been his fate. The crow let out a sigh.

–Take human form! Fetch some water and light a fire.

No sooner had Zao finished speaking than the black tiger, who had transformed back into a human, failed to understand the next command and asked back like a fool.

“Water? Fire?”

The black tiger had been observing Yiyeon closely all this time. But unless he actually went inside a house, there was no way he could know the ins and outs of how a human lived.

He had seen Yiyeon carry a bucket to fetch water a few times, but the fire was a bit of a dilemma. Where and how was he supposed to start a fire? Simply seeing something and actually learning, understanding, and putting it into practice were two entirely different matters. A more detailed and friendly explanation was needed, but the situation was urgent, and Zao found it difficult to give a lengthy explanation.

–Caw!

As the crow cawed loudly as if scolding the tiger, who was still tilting his head like a half-grown puppy and staring at him, the tiger ran out of the room on two legs. Naturally, having tossed aside his fur coat, the black tiger, now in his scholarly form, was naked.

A moment later, Hyunhak returned carrying a bucket full of water, his body covered in withered, brown leaves. It seemed as though he’d come and gone in the blink of an eye, but upon seeing the bucket he held out, the crow opened his beak and clicked his tongue in disgust.

–Now light the fire!

“Fire? Where?”

–Inside the hole! The hole!

“How do I light it?”

–You clueless fool! Stone! Clack! Stone! Clack!

Zhao scrutinized Hyunhak from head to toe with a look of utter contempt and nervously chattered his beak together. If he’d agreed to help, he should’ve been more considerate. This was just a big show. But now wasn’t the time for the black tiger to get into an argument with Zao. Before Zao could shout one more time, the black tiger – having only half-understood what he’d said – ran outside.

The word “hearth” certainly existed, but how was a tiger supposed to know how humans made it or what they called it? A memory flashed through the black tiger’s mind: the time he’d asked what this was, and Zao had replied that it was a hole where you put fire.

So what if he was a spirit? When it came to human life, he was no more than a child.

However, it was a stroke of luck that such things even came to mind in a situation like this. Hyunhak roughly tossed whatever was lying on the ground into the hearth and looked around for something to use as kindling.

–Stone! Clack!

He’d seen humans camping while hiking in groups and lighting fires, and Zao had even demonstrated it himself. The fire-starting stones that Zao had brought back then had to be somewhere.

After turning the area upside down and failing to find what he was looking for, Hyunhak turned over and ransacked Zao’s nest, tucked away in a corner under the eaves. All sorts of items he’d hidden ​stolen content​among the tangled branches fell haphazardly onto the floor.

All sorts of odds and ends were gathered there. There were even some mysterious jade orbs, but Hyunhak, who had no way of knowing their value, picked up a piece of jade and a crystal, clacked them together to make a sound, and when no sparks flew, he tossed them onto the floor.

After rummaging through the house for quite some time in search of flint, Hyunhak was ultimately unable to find Zao’s flint, so he took out Yiyeon’s matchlock, which he had kept safely stored away. As he unwrapped the tightly bound bundle, Yiyeon’s belongings, which had been tied together, came into view.

Among them, Hyunhak found the flint Yiyeon used when firing his matchlock, and he crouched in front of the hearth for a long time. Getting the fire going wasn’t as easy as he’d thought.

Only after quite a while did Hyunhak finally manage to light the hearth; he straightened his back with a sigh of relief. With a whoosh as the air escaped, he rubbed his face vigorously, and soot smeared his handsome features pitch black. The embers inside the hearth blazed fiercely, as if they were about to roast Yiyeon and Zao to a crisp any moment.

“I lit a fire.”

By the time Hyunhak had successfully completed the task Zao had assigned him and opened the creaking door once more, a few changes had taken place. For one thing, a faint warmth had begun to circulate through the room. In the meantime, Zao must have soaked a piece of cloth in the water he’d set aside and wiped Yiyeon’s face clean, for the blood had receded, revealing a pale face and visible wounds.

His jacket had been unbuttoned since he was brought in, and his pants were pulled down to his knees. His entire body was covered in wounds.

As he looked at that sight, Hyunhak felt his hair stand on end, and his chest tightened; he felt as gloomy as if he hadn’t eaten for days.

–…Just close the door. He will die if he gets even a little cold.

Zao spoke in a calm tone, a rare departure from his usual gruff manner. Hearing Zao’s subdued voice for the first time in quite a while, Hyunhak said nothing, quietly closed the rickety door, and stepped inside the room.

In truth, what good would closing it do? It was already as broken as it could be; even though Zao had tried to fix it, the gaps didn’t align properly, and the wind blew right through. But it was better than leaving it open. It was actually a blessing that he’d [visit our site]stoked the fire in the hearth so fiercely without knowing any better.

Inside the room, which felt like a freezing cave with the cold wind whistling through the gap in the door, the heat began to rise so intensely that the breeze seeping in actually felt refreshing.

–He’s hurt all over. His arms, his legs, here, there…”

“…….”

The crow hopped onto Yiyeon’s body and pecked at various parts of him with his beak. At this point, it would have been quicker to find the parts that weren’t injured. Even to Hyunhak, who knew nothing about such things, his condition looked terrible.

–This time, he’s really going to die.

“Then what should I do this time?”

–…….

Zao had no answer to Hyunhak’s question either. He’d sent him back to the village because he thought he’d survive there, only for him to return in a pitiful state. As he anxiously examined the small human who’d come back to him battered and bruised, his heart filled with despair, his thoughts turned to the fact that weak and unfit individuals were inevitably cast out of the group.

Tigers do not form prides, but black tigers hunt, and he had seen many animals lead their packs in that manner, a survival strategy where they drive out the older, sick, or injured individuals using them as bait.

If he sent Yiyeon back to the village this time, there might not be a next time. So Hyunhak was determined that, this time, he wouldn’t send him away, even if Zao threatened that he would die immediately.

Hyunhak was convinced that Zao knew a way out. He knew, but since visit our site it involved human affairs, he didn’t want to get involved.

Zao remained silent the whole time, offering no explanation as to how a mere crow could own a house like this deep in the mountains, read human writing, or why he cherished the items left behind in the house. But from his demeanor, Hyunhak could tell that Zao hadn’t simply observed and learned about human life from the sidelines, like Hyunhak had; he had once been intimately part of that life, even if only for a brief time.

–You’ll end up regretting it.

“Yes.”

The crow shook his head. The young tiger, perhaps not yet old enough to understand his words, answered very firmly without a moment’s hesitation.

If you get too close to humans, all that’s left in the end is regret. Zao offered Hyunhak advice born of his own experience, but the young tiger didn’t even seem to be pondering it. He clearly hadn’t understood a word. Stupid tiger. Zao shook his head even more vigorously and repeated the same words irritably.

–I’m telling you, you’ll regret it!

“Yes. I’ll regret it.”

But when he heard Hyunhak’s voice – which, despite clearly understanding everything, still replied that he would do it anyway – Zao reluctantly spread his wings. Any preparation for regret had long since ended the moment he rushed in to save Yiyeon. Hyunhak’s eyes sparkled in anticipation of what Zao would do next. But instead of speaking, Zao slapped Hyunhak’s face with the tip of his wing.

–How much branch did you burn! You dim-witted tiger! Are you planning to cook us all to death!