Hobbling down a mountain path, Amaterasu finally reached her destination: a cherry blossom tree that has yet to bloom for centuries. She slowly took a seat under the shade and barked. The white wolf realized no one could hear her and she gave a slight whimper. She has forgotten that Issun was not by her side anymore.
Looking down from the great mountain, the great view she once knew of rolling green hills and small villages were now towering cities cluttered together. The place she once loved to run and jump was now choking and disorderly. The people would fear to suddenly see a wolf in the city. They would try to hurt her if she was seen.
Amaterasu looked up; the sky was clouded in murky colors of grey. She howled to the heavens, in which the land above slowly rained down upon her. Not what she expected, but it calmed down her sorrow. As she watched over the land, she heard someone call out to her.
"Whitey!"
Mr. Orange? The white wolf quickly turned to the sound of the voice, but she saw nothing. Shaking her head vigorously, Amaterasu whimpered from the thought that she was going insane. She heard more voices, but she tried to pay no attention to them. She thought she heard Waka or Oki calling out to her, but she knew they were gone. All her friends were gone and she may join them soon.
It is said that a god never dies unless they are fully forgotten. Amaterasu already lost most of her powers due to the bustling cities where her people do not have the time to praise her. Yet, she cannot hate them; there was no reason to. The rain droplets hit her fur, calming her down every time she tensed up at the thought of no one being with her right now.
"Ammy!"
Issun? Ishaku? No, the tone of the voice she heard was more caring than demanding. It was familiar, but she couldn't put a name to the voice. She growled and buried her snout into her paw. Suddenly, Amaterasu felt someone brush her back. She jolted up and looked around once again. The wind was blowing quiet heavily and the cherry blossom tree's branches brushed her back. She thought someone was there…she felt someone was there beside her…
Amaterasu barked again, hoping she would get a reply from somewhere. She barked again and again…what was the reason for hearing all the voices anyways? She wasn't crazy; the white wolf whimpered and huddled by the tree, scared that she was overreacting.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm here for ya."
The same voice again, speaking to her. The voice was calming and she finally realized who it was: Dante. She huffed at the thought that she forgot. He was a half-demon, but he had a good heart. He wasn't from her land, but she would happily invite him if he ever came by. When she wasn't busy watching over her people, he would always play with her in the fields. She could tell that he was a busy man in his world, but he would always make time to see her.
Amaterasu remembered again when they first met. Sakuya grew a cherry blossom tree to award a new guest into her world, and that's where she met the man with the red coat. Even if he didn't visit every day, the white wolf has made the spot under the cherry tree a place for relax and a place where she would wait for the white-haired man.
Because he was a demon, he stayed by her side longer than many of the people she knew. But because he was human as well, he couldn't live forever. Amaterasu barked, apologizing that she forgot the poor guy's name. A chime of laughter was faintly heard throughout the rain. Was he laughing at her? Her heart felt heavy. As little water droplets rolled down her cheeks, the goddess of the sun rested her head on her arms. She wondered if she may see the young man with white hair again.
"Hey, Ammy! There you are, girl! Let's have a party!"
Amaterasu looked up and barked. Dante knelt down and held his arms out. She playfully jumped up and ran towards the man in the red coat. She missed the warmth of his body, the soft grasp from his fingers, the loving kiss from his lips to her forehead…
The white wolf lied quietly under the tree, never to have moved again. A single blossom floated down, resting on her head; the tree was in full bloom once again.
