In the hollow silence following their brother's death, the wolves were galvanized by an eldritch sound from outside the den. It was unlike anything they had ever heard, an eerie sound that grew closer, petrifying them to the bone. Their ancestry howled at them, warning that this approaching creature was their absolute predator, a being that made the white tiger and green mountain lion seem like benign pups. Even as fearless demonic beasts, the pack were devoured by a terror so unfathomable it froze them in place. Even as fearless demonic beasts, the pack was consumed by a terror so profound it froze them in place.
The white wolf, the weakest of the pack, was the first to break free from the paralyzing fear. He let out a sharp howl, snapping his mother and sister out of their stupor. They had only one choice left: to run. They burst from the den at top speed, but as they did, a brown net fell from the sky, trapping all three of them. The white wolf thrashed against the strange material, unwilling to let his pack's story end here, not so soon after his vow. They bit and clawed with all their might, but the net held fast.
After hours of struggling, exhausted, they finally saw their captors. The creatures were like nothing they had ever seen. Bipedal monstrosities, they stood naked of fur, claws, wings, or horns. They were draped in the "dead skin of various mighty beasts." To the pack's utter stupefaction, these creatures, who appeared to be evolution's rejects, had brought them to heel with indifferent ease.
Overcome with terror, the wolves watched as one of the creatures threw a small, round ball into the net. It burst, releasing fumes that the wolves instinctively inhaled. Within minutes, all three fell unconscious. The creatures then hoisted the wolves onto their shoulders and walked away from the den.
On a muddy forest trail, they met with more of their kind. These beings had a wagon with cages of various sizes, already filled with a menagerie of demonic beasts: white tigers, mountain lions, white-backed gorillas, and more. The wolves were thrown into three separate, adjacent cages. The doors were locked, and the wagon, pulled by two horses, began its journey.