Disclaimer:I own nothing but the plot. :[


"When a Mother has a child cursed by the Zodiac she will either feel overly protective of it or reject it completely.."

I sighed quietly, running a hand through my hair. It was always the same, getting up, making enough breakfast for Hatsuharu and herself, and if their mother was in a good mood, some for her. Then Haru and herself would go get ready for school, walk by Akito's house to get to the front gate.

And as always, Akito would be there, at his window, giving us that disgusted look. Mostly aimed at myself.

Slowly, I trailed my gaze over my shoulders, up to my face. Because of the Zodiac curse, those of the Zodiac animals were cursed to look different even in our human forms. Always, we would look unnatural.

Icy blue eyes like a Siberian husky stared back, the darkness of my hair contrasting greatly even against itself. Black, with under tones of grey and an even softer shade of grey. It marked Haru and I as siblings, and at the same time cursed.

Gripping the counter momentarily, I pushed off and walked down the hall, downstairs only to pause at our Mothers door. Biting my lip, I softly knocked. "Mom?"

She knew I knew she was awake and staring at the door. Sighing, resting my head on the wall beside the sliding, paper door.

"Just.. leave."

Wincing, I did as she asked and was out the front door, with Haru at my side. Casting him a glance, a sweet smile running up my lips, I dropped him off at the Sohmas family school before heading to my own.


Makoto Takei.. Is an idiot. I mean, jeez. But, I smiled lightly, he had a few redeeming qualities. I mean, he looked after us right? He helped plan all the fun trips we got to do, and we wouldn't have got to do them if he hadn't of got permission.

He was the in between for the students and teachers. The person who, if students were too afraid to speak to teachers about their problems, then they could go to him and he would use his power to help. So anyone who willingly tries to do that every year has to be good, right?

I mean, a good person at least. I mean sure, that yelling problem of his was annoying to a lot of students. Especially, cousin Yuki, since it was usually used to fawn over him. Oh the love stories that spews from teenage girls hearts whenever Yuki is around.

I guess your kind of wondering what kind of Zodiac animal I am, huh? I mean sense everyone in the Zodiac is accounted for.

Kureno – The Rooster

Shigure – The Dog

Ayame – The Snake

Hatori – The Dragon

Ritsu – The Monkey

Yuki – The Rat

Hatsuharu – The Ox

Rin – The Horse

Momiji – The Rabbit

Hiro – The Sheep

Kisa – The Tiger

And finally:

Kyo – The Cat

After all, all the positions are filled and no one is dead, so I couldn't possibly be any of them. One of the forgotten animals is what I am. You see, humans have this peculiar ability to make things easier on themselves. So back when this all happened there were actually more then thirteen animals.

In fact, some of the forgotten animals were just cousins to the true Zodiac animals. Sad isn't it? That we as humans, have the need to make everything easier on ourselves, when in actuality if we had things a bit harder, we would live longer, stronger and such?

But I'm getting a little off topic. As we go through the years, many of the forgotten animals are not being reborn. Maybe it's finally ending for us? Should I be happy or very sad? That we are dying before the curse is actually broken..

Anyway, I am the forgotten animal, the cousin of the dog. The Wolf. The leader beneath our God, Akito. But, that doesn't correspond well with my personality. In fact, the Wolves before me hated the Rat.

Why?

Because he stole our shinning light from God, and seemed to have forgotten the other animals. Either that or there wasn't enough time to travel, so he simply left it with the twelve main Zodiac members. But then.. Why did he get the Dragon?

It's sad.. how we get rid of things to make it easier on ourselves.

"Miss. Sohma I would like to speak to you about those skirts yourself, Ms. Hanajimia and Ms. Uotani are so destined to wear!"

Speaking of our earlier topic. Makoto. 'Silly goose.'


I walked through Sohma houses main gate, today would be my last day in the estate. I had asked Akito two weeks ago if I could go live with Shigure and Yuki, with Hatsuharu of course. He had went ballistic.

"Do I not give you enough?"

CRASH

"Do you not love me?"

Akito was like this after Yuki had left, he had made it a point to hurt all the remaining Zodiac members, until I stepped in. Yuki was Akito's favorite to torture. But like in the story, I was God's second, I was his most cherished. Always loyal to him and him alone.

But as the generations went along for the Non-main Zodiac members, our ties lessened just as much as our numbers.

I winced softly, a self conscious move on my part as I walked toward the path, directly across from Akito's window. He was looking out again, lazily watching the goings on about the estate. And as the only moving thing, his gaze was drawn to me like a moth to flame.

Head tilted down, teeth digging into my lip, I set out to go past that window. Sensing his heated look, if I had all but glanced up, maybe I would have seen that slight flicker of regret before it was pushed behind his dark glare.

CRASH!

A jump and wince, a hand gently touching the sore spot on my thigh. Rememberance.

His chuckle was dark and delightful, obviously enjoying my fear.

I escaped his gaze when I finally made it inside my house.


His hand was hard, nails digging into my thigh in a death grip. "Am I not enough?"

One hand slid up in a lovers caress up my arm, over my shoulder, under my chin and finally behind my neck. Fingers rubbed softly, but his other hand still dug painfully into my thigh. "Don't you want to please your God? To stay close and in his favor?"

That lovers hold became a jealous husbands anger, pulling my hair and neck painfully at an odd angle. Just one wrong move and I would be dead. No matter if I am one of his favorites.

Slowly peeling the dirty clothes from my body, I went about getting in the shower, trying to remain oblivious to the tension in my muscles. I would be leaving..

"Do you hate me now, my wolf?" His voice was blank, head tilted down for the darkness of his room to cover his body in shadows. His grip had not lessened on my hair, but his arm weighed in tiredness where it rested on my shoulder. Those digging nails had stopped.

"I.. Do not hate you Akito-sama." His grip lessened considerably, "But I do fear you.."

But, I would be..

He had thrown me across the room. For such a frail man, a sickly man, he had the strength of a boar. There was no shock of why he did it. Only pain in my heart that he had in fact done it. Even though the ties were lessening, they still made their occasional come back with force.

I should be begging our God for forgiveness. I should be on my knees, praising him for everything he has done for us. He has allowed us roof over our head. Food to eat. He even allowed the Cat to try and be accepted into the Zodiac. I should be on my back in submissiveness.

"Leave. You will no longer be allowed to stay within Sohma estate. You have two weeks to say your good byes." His voice was that same blank as before. "You will not show up for any and all Sohma related events except those I personally ask you for."

He had turned around and slowly put out the only candle in the room, and now only moonlight slipped through. "You may visit once a week. But I expect you to come to me three times a week, to keep me updated on your situation."

Slowly I slid up from my position on my side, eyes down, head in submission. Very quietly, I slid down into a bow, stretching the muscles of now bruised skin and tissue. Pain. But respect first. "Thank you Aki—"

Leaving..

"It seems though, you only gain so much more. You may be a favorite my favorite Tamayo, but even you can and will be punished." My head lowered even more against the floor.

"Hatsuharu will be staying here with his Mother."

Eyes looked up in alarm at where our God was. "Pl-Please Akito-sama reconsider! She does not love him, nor treat him as he should be treated!"

"Love? What can love do to matter? I've done well all this time." His smile was cold, and secretive.

My little brother here.. Alone. With that woman and that man.

'I'm so sorry Haru..'