A quiet afternoon.
After a delicious lunch, Sohwa sat on the veranda, sipping ginseng and date tea brewed by Dohvi, when she suddenly looked up.
"What...?"
White dust drifted across the silent courtyard, where only bare fruit trees remained. Sohwa extended her hand, and a single delicate snowflake landed on her palm. The first snow had fallen.
"Doh—"
A joyful Sohwa was about to call for Dohvi, but stopped herself mid-syllable. He had just left—something about needing to meet someone.
_What a pity, having to admire this magical snow alone._
It fell so softly, like flower pollen scattering on a spring breeze.
_I wish Dohvi were here..._
Leaving her regrets behind, Sohwa decided to take a walk alone for the first time in ages.
After the death of the tiger hunters, the villagers at the foot of the mountain had abandoned their homes. Ikhwan was now shrouded in a silence so deep it bordered on tedium.
"Quiet," Sohwa murmured to herself, her breath misting in the cold air. "Very quiet."
She wandered along a mountain path, enjoying this leisurely, solitary stroll. It felt almost foreign to her now.
Even though the days were growing colder, every morning Sohwa woke drenched in sweat, as if a fire were blooming within her chest. She suffered through the heat, tossing off blankets only to shiver moments later. It seemed the longer she sat confined to her room, the worse the strange fever became.
Her feet carried her, almost of their own accord, toward the place where the hawthorn grew.
_Maybe there are still some fruits left?_
Before meeting Dohvi, Sohwa had practically lived near that hawthorn tree in her fox form, scraping by on whatever she could find. As a human, she needed three meals a day, but as a fox, one was enough to sustain her.
Winter, however, made even that difficult. The streams froze solid to their beds, making fish impossible to catch. Frogs and snakes had long since burrowed into the earth to hibernate. In those lean years, Sohwa couldn't even dream of cooking at home.
_How lucky I was to meet Dohvi._
---
"Who's there?!"
A sharp cry cut through the stillness. Sohwa carefully parted the frost-bitten bushes and spotted a young, slender man standing beneath the hawthorn. She tilted her head in surprise.
_Who is this?_ His face was completely unfamiliar.
"This is a sacred mountain, where the Lord of the Mountain himself resides!" the stranger bellowed. "Haven't you seen the rope with talismans at the entrance to the village? People are forbidden to enter here!"
His voice was so loud it made her ears ring. Frightened, Sohwa covered them with her palms, then pushed aside the remaining branches and revealed herself.
"How did you end up here? I'm no guest—I've been living in these parts for a long time."
The young man's eyes widened when he saw her. He had light brown irises and fair skin—features that gave him a particularly fresh, almost innocent appearance.
He hesitated, then pointed in bewilderment toward the top of the hawthorn tree.
"I-is it possible that these claw marks belong to you?"
_Claw marks?_
Sohwa looked up where the stranger was pointing and saw them: a multitude of terrifying gouges carved deep into the bark. Tiger claw marks—massive and unmistakable.
_Dohvi._
It was clearly his work. Sohwa was surprised but, pretending to be calm, decided to deny nothing.
Before she could speak, the young man suddenly dropped to his knees before her.
"I beg your pardon! Forgive this insignificant soul!"
He pressed his forehead toward the frozen ground.
"Seeing such huge and majestic claw marks, I assumed they were left by a male tiger. That's why I allowed myself such a stupid thought—please, forgive me!"
Sohwa swallowed.
_That fool has clearly smelled Dohvi on me. He thinks the claw marks are mine. He's mistaken me for a fearsome tigress._
"Have mercy and forgive me, Mistress of the Mountain!"
_No, no! I'm just a red fox!_ The words caught in her throat. She should have corrected him, but instead, Sohwa simply bit her lip.
The stranger noticed her hesitation and raised his head to steal a glance at her face. But upon meeting her gaze, he immediately recoiled in horror and bowed again, pressing himself even lower.
The frightened expression, the way he avoided her eyes—it awakened something in Sohwa. A tingling excitement. Her heart fluttered with unexpected delight.
_This is what it means to be a tiger._
King of beasts! Ruler of the mountains! A fearsome tigress, rushing through the winds, conquering mountain ranges with her roar!
"Raise your head," Sohwa said coldly, lifting her chin with regal pride. "Yes. I am the owner of these claws."
"Thank you! Thank you, Mistress of the Mountain!"
The young man bowed several more times, then glanced at her uncertainly before rising to his feet. Sohwa thought she had never felt such **respect** in her entire life.
_Since I'm sleeping in the same bed as a tiger, why shouldn't I take advantage of it? I'll brag a little, then calmly send him on his way._
Wasn't this what every fox dreamed of—to shine by borrowing someone else's power?
_(Note: "호가호위" is an idiom meaning "a fox using a tiger's power"—referring to someone who appears more influential by leveraging another's authority.)_
"I'm often mistaken for a male," Sohwa continued airily. "My claws are large, and my body is just as massive. It's not surprising."
She stretched out her hands—barely larger than fern leaves—and clenched and unclenched her fingers several times, as if demonstrating deadly weapons.
"Everyone who sees these tracks assumes I'm male."
"How could it be otherwise?" the young man said earnestly. "I've encountered plenty of tigers in my time, but I've never seen such impressive claw marks."
Sohwa froze.
_If he's encountered other tigers and survived... then he's probably a tiger himself._
"Are you a tiger too?"
"Yes, Madam. If I had known this was your territory, I would never have come anywhere near it."
She sniffed the air carefully but couldn't detect any scent from him. Apparently, her sense of smell had dulled again.
After too many nights under the same blanket with Dohvi—nights that had turned into a series of wet sheets and muffled moans—Sohwa couldn't take it anymore. She had brought that damn buttercup into the room, hoping that dulling her animal senses would make her feel a little less... **overwhelmed**.
But the young man must have misunderstood her scrutinizing gaze, because he suddenly blushed and waved his hands frantically.
"Oh, no, no! Even though I look beautiful, I'm not worthy of such a great lady..."
_In winter, tigers mated._
Only now did Sohwa understand what he was implying. She frowned deeply, mimicking Dohvi's stern expression.
"How **dare** you think of me in such a light!"
Terrified, the stranger fell to his knees again.
"F-forgive me! This insignificant soul misunderstood your intentions! Forgive me!"
Watching him slam his forehead against the frozen ground, begging for her forgiveness, Sohwa quickly softened. He was quite good at flattery, this one.
_How stupid is this tiger, to be so afraid of me?_
"What is your name?"
"Daebom, Madam."
_Daebom._ Quite an appropriate name for a tiger.
"Don't make a noise and get up, Daebom."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Sohwa pointed her eyes arrogantly toward the bag slung over Daebom's shoulder.
"What do you have in there?"
"Huh? This..." He glanced down at it nervously. "I took some food to have a snack on the way."
"Give it here."
Daebom bowed deeply and looked at her with hesitation.
"Madam, you probably won't like this. I'm quite the picky eater," he muttered sheepishly.
"Don't make me repeat myself!"
Startled, the young man quickly pulled out the pouch and handed it over. Sohwa snatched it from his hands and peered inside.
Dried frogs. Chestnuts. Boiled eggs. Millet cakes. And—her heart leaped—**fresh hawthorn berries**.
Sohwa's face immediately brightened, but she caught herself and returned to her stern demeanor.
"What kind of pathetic scraps are these? Daebom, don't you have any **pride**? We're tigers—wild beasts! And you're collecting this small change... Ugh!"
"I beg your pardon, Madam..."
"This is degrading to a tiger's dignity, so I'm confiscating everything. By the way, I know a fox here who would definitely appreciate this."
Daebom sighed heavily and bowed his head.
"I simply took the path of Buddha and decided not to kill. And then there was a long journey ahead, so I had to take this kind of food with me..."
_Ah. So he has his reasons._
When Sohwa learned that Daebom didn't kill, she felt something like sympathy stir within her.
_If he suddenly realized I was a fox, he probably wouldn't eat me._
"Hmm, so be it. I'm returning your bag to you."
"Thank you! Thank you, Madam!"
"Just eat somewhere private so you don't feel ashamed." She waved her hand dismissively. "Where are you from, by the way?"
"I am from Heavenly Gate Mountain."
"You've come a long way. And what brought you here?"
Daebom bowed again and sighed, a sound heavy with exhaustion.
"What else could have happened? They drove me away."
"Chased away? By whom?"
"A young tiger." Daebom's voice dropped. "So bloodthirsty that even the Ruler of the Underworld would give him a wide berth."
_A scary tiger!_
Sohwa's eyes widened. She had never been to that glorious mountain—rumored to be home to all sorts of vicious creatures—but she had heard of the legendary tiger from Heavenly Gate. He was said to be a demigod with unimaginable strength.
"As far as I know," Daebom continued, "twenty years ago he fell off a cliff while pursuing an Imoogi on its way to heaven. They both died. But now the tiger has appeared again." He shook his head grimly. "Apparently, even in the afterlife they no longer tolerated his vile behavior."
"So... he was reborn?"
"Who knows? But he's already driven all the foxes and bears off that mountain and is now committing his atrocities freely."
Sohwa stiffened. "What do you mean, **foxes**?!"
"I have no idea why he targets them specifically. He's completely unbearable—thinks he's a king and a spirit. And if anything doesn't suit him, he just kills. Tears them apart. Hangs the body parts all over the mountain." Daebom shuddered. "He doesn't even **eat** them."
"What a horror!"
"The tigers that were hiding there all ran away too. No one can handle him." Daebom shrugged wearily. "I never intended to fight anyone, so I left calmly."
Then, as if by chance, he glanced at Sohwa with a calculating expression.
"Maybe he's so cruel because he's unmated? Madam, you already have a partner, don't you?"
"I do."
"Yes, I knew right away—the scent coming from you is quite distinct." He nodded thoughtfully. "But I still advise you to visit Heavenly Gate Mountain. I **promise** you won't see such a beast anywhere else."
_He just wants to kick me out so he can settle here on Ikhwan himself._
Sohwa snorted internally. And, of course, Daebom immediately pointed to the gloomy sky above them.
"We shouldn't linger here. You see how bad the weather is? The spirits are angry—I can feel it. Any longer and there will be trouble."
_You think I don't see what you're up to?_
"No way," Sohwa declared firmly. "No one will push me out of here. And anyway, I love handsome and **gentle** men. I have a keen eye, so it's not easy to please me."
"But that beast—he's like a **house**!" Daebom's eyes went wide as he gestured wildly. "With huge paws and terrible claws! So massive that he doesn't even bite most of his victims. Just paws—**splat**—and that's it!"
He waved his arms, demonstrating the tiger's lethal power. Such a vivid description made Sohwa gasp despite herself.
"And his **gaze**! His eyes glow so brightly you don't need any lights at night."
"What nonsense!" Sohwa scoffed. "You're like a raccoon, not a tiger!"
"What? Oh, no, no..." Daebom burst out laughing, then quickly switched to a conspiratorial whisper. "And besides... he's **handsome**."
"Is that true?"
"A friend of mine saw him in human form. He said his gaze is deep, his nose straight as the ridge of Mount Kunlun, and his lips..." Daebom trailed off dreamily. "So inviting."
Sohwa raised an eyebrow. "Your friend seems to be partial to this tiger."
"What are you saying, Madam? If he were a female, then I might even consider it... Although, I must admit, whatever one may say, this vicious tiger is a beauty the likes of which you won't find anywhere." Daebom's gaze suddenly shifted past her shoulder. "Just look at **that** young man."
Sohwa turned.
There, beneath the gnarled branches of the old hawthorn tree, stood a figure like a painting come to life.
A handsome young man.
Watching them.
---