Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf Children. Just this short story
It had been about 2 years since that fateful day. Since the day she and her brother made their choice and went their separate ways. Ever since then neither of them had ever spoken, or even seen each other.
Yuki sighed as she looked out the window of the bus. It was school break, and she was on her way back to the countryside to spend time with her mother, Hana. The sight of the mountains and the countryside where she grew up brought back memories, and she smiled as she remembered the good times...but her frown returned as she once again felt a pang of guilt when she remembered one particular memory that probably would never leave her…
[hr]
Deep in the mountains, another person was having similar thoughts. Walking through the forest, the wolf stopped as he reached a cliff edge, one overlooking the town at the base of the mountain. Ame sighed as he looked over his forest. It had been about 2 years since he made his choice to leave his family and become guardian of the mountain in place of his departed sensei. Yet despite that, he never fully abandoned his old life...how could he? It was still a part of what made him what he was, even if the most he did was come and visit his mother from time to time, even shifting back to human form every now and then just so he wouldn't completely forget what it felt like.
As his gaze wandered over the landscape, his mind once again wandered to the past, of memories of days spent playing in the snow, or exploring the forest with his sister. At that he felt a pang of regret, as he remembered that day again, particularly the last time he had really spoken with his sister before he made his choice…
[hr]
"I'm home!" Yuki called out as she stepped into the old house she grew up in, and where her mother still lived.
"Welcome home!" Hana smiled as she hugged her daughter.
Yuki smiled at the hug, before glancing over at the shelf where an old driver's license sat, the picture of a man with black hair on it. "I'm home, dad," she thought.
The day went by quickly, Yuki having spent the time telling Hana about how things had been at school, while Hana told her of how things had been lately. She was a little surprised when she heard that Ame had visited their mother every now and then, but the surprise quickly turned into a small smile, a part of her glad that her brother hadn't completely left it all behind.
[hr]
Ame padded towards the edge of the forest, looking towards his old home. When he got close, he hesitated when he smelt a familiar scent. "Yuki…" he thought, recognizing her scent. The moment he did, he hesitated. He remembered how it was when they went their separate ways, his sister choosing to follow her human side, while he had chosen to follow his wolf side. Even if he didn't regret his choice, he always did regret HOW it was that they went their separate paths, as memories of how close they had once been resurfaced. However, before he could think further of it, he was greeted with the sight of her standing on the terrace, and for the first time in 2 years, the two siblings met each other again.
Yuki couldn't believe it. He was here. Her brother was here. She had thought she saw something amongst the trees behind the house, and on impulse, went to check. So here she was, face to face with her brother for the first time in 2 years. In a split second, so many thoughts ran through her mind, and from the look in Ame's eyes, the same was happening to him, yet she couldn't find her voice. Despite there being so much she wanted to say, she just...couldn't.
Likewise, Ame was having the same problem. Just like her, there were so many things he wanted to say, yet despite it all, he couldn't muster up the courage to say anything.
Hana watched from the living room, not sure what to do. She could tell that they wanted to say something, yet for some reason they didn't say anything. As a mother, she wanted to do something, anything to help her children, yet she knew that as much as it pained her, this was something they had to deal with amongst themselves.
The two siblings continued to stare at each other for a few moments, before they finally broke eye contact. Ame sighed, realizing that neither he nor his sister were able to say anything at the moment, and with a slightly lowered head, he turned and slinked back into the woods.
As he left, Yuki's legs gave out as she sank to her knees. Why? Why couldn't they say anything. Even after 2 years, she still knew her brother enough to tell that there was so much they both wanted to say, yet why was it that when it mattered, they couldn't. At that moment, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and the gentle smile of her mother on her. No words were necessary. She knew her children well enough to know what they needed to do, and with a nod, she said, "Yuki, go. I think you both need this more than anything."
Her mother's words had an effect on her. "Mom...thank you. For everything," Yuki smiled gratefully, and for the first time she realized that she had never really thanked her mother for everything she had done for her...for the both of them. However, that could wait for now. Turning towards the forest, she quickly ran towards it.
As she ran through the woods, the memories of her younger days came rushing back, and without her realizing it, her feet had become paws, her body changing to that of a wolf. Yes, even after she had chosen to be a human, like her brother, she could never truly let go of the side of her that was a wolf, just as he couldn't truly let go of the side of him that was a human.
It wasn't long before she came upon a clearing, and walking in that clearing was her brother. "Ame!" she quickly called, catching his attention.
"Yuki?" he asked in surprise, turning around to see his sister as a wolf, just as she shifted back to her human form.
Once again the two siblings stared at each other, but unlike last time, neither of them wanted to waste this chance. The two walked closer to each other, before Yuki kneeled down and hugged her brother. "Ame...I...I…" Yuki started, yet Ame gently placed a paw on her shoulder.
"I know," he smiled, as tears streamed down both their eyes. The two remained like this for a while, before they looked each other in the eye, a gentle smile on both their faces.
"I'm sorry," they both said together, and for the first time in two years, they felt all the pain and guilt that that single night on that fateful day had caused wash away. It didn't matter anymore to them. Whether she chose to be a human, or he chose to be a wolf. All that mattered was that no matter what, their bond never changed. They were siblings. They were family.
[hr]
Several hours later, night had fallen. Hana smiled as she looked into the room, before going out the back and sitting on the terrace. As she gazed up at the moon, she smiled and looked to the side. Even if she couldn't see him, she knew her husband was watching. And turning back towards the bedroom, a few tears fell from her eyes at the sight of her children together again. "Welcome home…" she said quietly.
Author's note:
I'm back. After so long, I'm finally back. Now, I apologize to my readers who have waited for so long for me to do...anything really. had been blocked by my internet providers for a while, and with all the work I had to take care of, not to mention my own writers block, I had lost interest after a while. Now I won't promise any fast updates or anything for my other stories, but I think I'm finally ready to start again.
In the meantime, I present this little story. A small addition to the ending of the movie.