I was padding through the storm with Reika(a year old female red Akita), Hiro(a Great Pyrenees Saint Bernard mix) and three dogs who'd helped me escape Hougen's little shack.

"The snow has stopped falling," I heard the cream Kishu warn. "They'll be able to find out footprints from here."

I stopped. To go further was suicide and cowardly. I made every intent of keeping Reika safe from the paws of the fat mutt of a dog.

"John, what's wrong?" Hiro wondered.

"We have to split up," I answered. "You go west with Reika. I'll keep going north."

"But that's where Ohu is," Hiro suggested. "Let me come to."

"No," I commanded. "Don't you remember what Gin said? I have to protect you and Reika. Even if I die trying."

A pain stung my left flank and I grunted, but held my ground.

"John!" Reika cried out.

"Can you walk?" Hiro wondered.

Despite my pain, I managed to growl,"I'd rather bite than walk."

Hiro's single blue eye widened. He knew what my intention was and so did everyone else. "No, I won't let you do this."

"I'm one of those who threw down Akakabuto," I reminded him. "You'll think that I'll die by a mutt like Hougen?"

"John, make me a promise," Hiro ordered softly.

I couldn't help but laugh. Our lives were in danger and Hiro wanted to make a promise. "A promise? At a time like this? Please," I chuckled.

"This is serious, John! Listen!" He commanded, irritated at my humor.

I lowered my head a bit.

His single blue eye stared at me with hope and confidence. "You have to promise me . . . . that you . . . . willl not die!"

"Alright!" I cried out. "It's a promise! I'm not going to die! A man to man promise!" My icy blue eyes softened. "But for your half of the promise, you must save Reika, alright?"

Hiro nodded and started to head off. "Let's go, miss."

"But John . . . " Reika was worried. She didn't want to leave me behind. However, this was for her safety.

"Go with them, miss," I answered. "If I didn't save you, I wouldn't be able to face Gin in the eye if I lived."

"I'll be waiting for you, John-sama," Reika then took off with Hiro.

Everything went well. Except for . . .

"What are you waiting for? You go with them," I commaded.

"No, John-sama," the black lab pleaded.

The Dalmation spoke up. "Let us stay and fight."

I couldn't believe it. These guys . . .

"You came here knowing what it would mean?" I questioned, surprised at their actions. They weren't going to run. They were going to stay and fight.

"Yes." Their heads nodded.

"Are you ready for this?" I questioned.

Their voices spoke with true courage. "Yes!"

"You haven't told me your names, yet," I said.

"I'm Lefty," the lab nodded.

The cream kishu smiled. "Tomi."

"Roshi, at your service," said the Dalmation.

"I was glad I was able to meet a bunch of selfless guys like you," I honored them.

"Hey! There!"

My eyes widened in shock. Hougen's pack of mutts had found us! This was it. No turning back! We were going to fight!

I yelled out, ready for a fight. "Alright, everyone! We're not going to regret anything! Show them what you can do! Let's go!"

I sliced off a dog's ear with my wonderful fangs.

Finally! To fight! To have my enemies blood on the ground! To yell like wild animal! This was my destiny! This was my life!

Three more dogs came at me.

"Arrrrraaaahhh!" My fangs cut through them like they were nothing, killing them in an instant.

A black dog came charging at me. I dodged to the side and plunged my sharp fangs into his neck. Blood sprayed from his wound and I threw him to the ground, yelling out a war cry.

My comrades looked up at me as if I were some type of god. Indeed I felt like it!

Panting hard, I planted a paw into the snow, tring to keep myself steady.

"John, hang in there!" I heard Roshi encourage me.

"He's weak! Get him!" The dog whose ear I sliced off cried out furiously.

Dozens of dogs were charging at me. But I kept fighting! I wouldn't give in! Never!

I bit deep into ones throat and slammed him into another dog. My fangs bit into another dog's skull. I grabbed one in my jaws and slammed him down on another dog. My paw had struck a powerful blow to the spine of Hougen's minion, paralyzing him. With my brute strength, I shook off three dogs there were trying to gang up on me. One landed into a tree with a loud SNAP! The other's eyes had been gouged out. There was a huge gash where the dog's clean throat had once been. I felt so powerful, but slowly my strength was fading.

This can't end!

"Yaaaaaah!"

"Lefty!" I cried out, seeing that the one eared dog has bit into his throat. Suddenly, my world went red with pain. My flank had been damaged, but I kept hold. "This isn't a fair fight at all! You bunch of mutts!"

I focused my attention on the one eared dog that gripped Lefty's throat tightly in his jaws. "You were one Hougen's side before," he growled. "You kept switching sides."

"I haven't changed!" Lefty growled back. "Our souls will always belong to the real Leader!"

My eyes widened in surpise. "He said it."

Roshi congratulated with a shout. "Well done Lefty!"

Lefty growled. "So go ahead! Just try and change my mind! You - and all those other pups - will never have a good soul like ours!"

The one eared dog squeezed until blood came from Lefty's neck. He spat out a chunk of meat and scoffed. "How retarded. Trying to talk bravely while dying."

I growled. How dare he?! "You're the retarded one."

He turned to face me. "What?"

I glared death at him. "I'll send you straight to the underworld. Who ever wants to die, bring it on!"

A dozen of dogs charged but my fangs were doing pretty heavy damage to them. One had his eye ripped out. Another was fallen on two legs. A third was coughing up blood while a huge gash lay in his throat. One dog had his intestine ripped out.

Then, I looked up from the fight to see Roshi pinned down.

"Roshi!" I cried out.

A brown dog took the opportunity to grab my throat, but I spun around and made him let go. I had just begun to pant, but another dog clamped his fangs around my already wounded flank, causing me to cry out in pain. Another grabbed the pack of my neck and pinned-

PINNED?! NO! I WAS NOT GOING OUT LIKE THIS! NOT LIKE THIS!

Yet, as I tried to move, it was futile.

"John!" Tomi yelled.

The one eared dog cackled. "Yes! Now kill them all!"

I watched in horror as my comrades were being mercilessly torn apart.

"We're sorry John," Roshi chocked. "We've reached our limit."

I couldn't believe my ears! "Don't give up!"

"All we asked for was the honor of fighting alongside you," Tomi croaked.

Tears poured from my eyes as I knew they'd met their fate.

"Jo-John-"

Tomi couldn't finish because a huge paw slammed down on his head, killing him instantly. My eyes widened in rage as I saw who his killer was.

A Harlequin Great Dane with a spotted pelt, scars on his cheek and neck, short ears, and malicious yellowish eyes laughed at Tomi. "How beautiful," he mocked. "A death lecture? Numbskulls! With that much energy left to talk, you should've just torn your enemies to pieces!"

"Hougen!" I cried out, glaring at the huge brute with pure hatred.

My hatred grew as I saw him sit on top of a now dead Roshi! "Ah, much better," he snickered. "I couldn't care less about an old guy like you. By the way, would you mind telling me where Reika is?"

"What are you doing here?!" I roared, beyond ready to tear this sick little mutt to pieces.

He leered at me with those mocking yellow eyes. "Wow, you're not dead. Surprisingly." He grinned down at Roshi's corpse. "I'm sitting on top of him while he's still warm." His eyes lifted back up to me and he chuckled. "After I'm done with him, I'll be sitting on top of you."

"I'm not going to die the way you want me to," I growled. "Reika could never love a lazy, fat mutt like you!"

That got his attention. With a glare, he turned in my direction. "I'll make sure you die slowly, fool."

I chuckled a bit. How he'd love to try!

I moved with quickness even though I was still wounded aiming straight for my target. However, he jumped over me and I spun around to face him.

"Hurry up and die! You'll be ripped apart soon!" he cackled.

"Fight me like a real dog!" I roared, tired of the fact that this mutt was too cowardly to fight me himself.

With a flick of his ear, he motioned to his pack. "Kill the fool."

I was being tossed, torn, and bloodied. Had I'd been younger! This would've been no problem for me! I could've killed these mutts like they were rabbits!

Pain erupted from my head, back, and neck. Then, I knew I wasn't going to survive. Gin, I thought as I was thrown to the ground, It is time for us to go our separate ways.

My eyes flickered, but I could see that huge fat butt jerk laughing. I can't die without lending my soul.

I struggled to get up and the Great Dane looked at me with a smirk. "Are you ready to surrender, John?"

"In your dreams, you fat mutt," I growled, my legs shaking beneath me.

"Torture him!" Hougen roared.

Two dogs had pinned me down and one of them clamped his fangs around my right eye and yanked it out. The pain was horrible! With my single eye, I saw the other one had grabbed my hind leg and I kicked him in the face, throwing him into a tree.

"Is that the best you pathetic mutts can do?!" The Dane roared. "I said kill him!"

This time, at least four dogs had started tearing into me like knives, causing me to bleed and pant heavily.

"Gin's friend is nothing more than a pathetic mutt?!" Hougen taunted. "Beg! Beg for your life!"

Chocking on air, I finally wheezed out, "You'd like that wouldn't you. There's no way I'd beg to a thick head like you!"

His rage grew. "Kill him!"

Pain after pain. But I wouldn't give in!

I heard a low grunt from somewhere. The voice belonged to Hook! I couldn't let him . . .

"Don't come here! In this world, there are more important things than my life!" I commanded. "Resist it! You'll still have your own life!"

I was finally tossed to the snowy forest floor, glaring up at a towering Hougen. "Had enough? I'm Hougen of the Alps. Now, plead!"

"There's . . . no such Ohu soldier . . . who would . . . beg to you," I spat at him.

He scoffed. "Very clever."

"Hougen, I want you to hear this," I growled. "Sooner or later . . . . you'll regret you ever set your paws . . . on Ohu. My friends . . . will make sure of that."

"Shut your mouth!" Hougen yelled, clamping his fangs down on my neck and smashing my head into the ground, knocking out a fang.

The pain in my head was throbbing! But, I couldn't give in! I was going to die a true warrior!

"If you beg, I'll put you out of your misery, quicker," Hougen yelled.

"Nobody . . . would beg to the likes of you! Neither will I!" I defied him.

He grabbed me in his mouth, and racing towards a tree, swerved to the side and impaled me on a branch! My flank was badly wounded and my breathing became labored.

However, with the amount of strength I had, I pulled myself away from the tree with half of the branch in me.

"Wuh-What?!" The Dane's eyes widened in horror.

He should be scared! He'd never known a dog with true courage! He'd never known anything! That mutt would show me fear! Soon he would be begging for his life! I'll make sure of that! I'll make sure that fear strikes deep into this jerk's heart!

"Hougen," I breathed with rage, "if you think anyone will bow down to you, you're so wrong!" I bit into the branch and yanked it out. "Even though I've lost my body, my soul will still live on. It will go straight to my friends. A pitiful mutt like you will never destroy that in anyway!"

With my last ounce of strength, I tossed the branch into Hougen's face with a loud crack. Then, slowly, my legs gave in and I crumpled to the ground.

"Pathetic," I heard Hougen spat. "You! Let's go!"

"But, shouldn't we go after Reika?" another dog questioned.

"I don't care about that brat! Move it!" I heard Hougen's rage before he moved on.