"Ayame! Ayame!" Aki, Ayame's younger brother exclaimed.
"What is it Aki?" Ayame asked. turning away from her oldest, younger brother to dunk her youngest brother Sho into the water, cleaning the puppy who just splashed in the water and smiled back at her.
"Yoshi wandered into the forest!" he yelled. Ayame turned to Aki almost dropping Sho into the water, quickly pulling him out and placing him on the ground where he shook out, spraying them with water.
"Aki you were suppose to be watching him!" Ayame exclaimed.
"I'm sorry." Aki said, his tail slowly waving and twirling between his legs. "I went to get some water and when i came back he was gone." Ayame sighed and nodded knowing she couldn't blame him. he was only a few years older than Yoshi.
"It's alright Aki, i understand, why don't you go get mom to watch Sho while we go look for him." Aki nodded, running out of sight and returning a few moments later with their mother and father. "Come on Aki, lets go." Ayame said, turning to lead the way.
"Thank you Ayame, Aki. good luck, please be safe." their mother, Rika, said.
"And you young man are in for a serious talk when you get back." their father, an old grey wolf named Akira, said to Aki. Aki lowered his head and stepped back shyly before following Ayame into the forest. the forest was dark and strange compared to their territory in the plains and Aki kept turning and bumping into Ayame, relying on her to get him through the forest. Ayame rolled her eyes and continued down the trail when she heard a rustle from the bushes.
"Yoshi?" She asked a little shaken as another bush rustled. "Yoshi if thats you come out." Ayame and Aki didn't move for a moment until a small little brown puppy stepped out of the bushes.
"A-Ayame?" Yoshi asked nervously before seeing Ayame and running to her. "Ayame!" he ran into her, rubbing against her in a wolf form of a hug.
"Hey Yoshi, it's ok lets go home." Ayame said. Yoshi nodded and turned around to head back home when something rustled in the bushes. the three of them froze. Ayame tensing protectively, shielding her brothers by standing over them.
"Who is there?" Ayame called out demandingly.
"I should be the one asking that." a smooth voice said from somewhere nearby. "You are on my turf now." then a few seconds later the same voice added from behind her. "And you shouldn't be here."
"Who is there?" Ayame asked again a little frightened, concealing it from her voice. "Show yourself." she demanded glancing around the shadows, seeing nothing. a white paw stepped forward one in front of the other as a beautiful white wolf emerged from the bushes. Ayame stared at the wolf taken back by his perfect looks. quickly regaining her senses as she watched the wolf carefully circling her as she shielded her brothers with her body. she didn't trust this wolf.
"My name is Toro." the white wolf said. "My pack rules the forest." the bushes all around them rustled
"We are just passing through." Ayame said, watching him examine her. sending chills through her fur.
"You can't expect to just walk through another's turf do you?" Toro said coming to a stop after making a full circle. Ayame turned to her brothers, flashing Toro a distrustful look before telling her brothers.
"Run back to mom and dad." she ordered, the two pups running off disappearing into the woods. Ayame turned back to Toro, ready to fight him if he attacked her. "We didn't mean any harm." she said. Toro nodded, watching her carefully. Ayame glanced back to make sure her brothers got through the ring of trees away from Toro's pack.
"I never said you did." Toro watched her nervously glancing after her brothers and added. "Don't worry about them, we won't attack pups, i wouldn't stand for it. So who exactly are you?" Ayame held her head high.
"I am the alpha of my pack." Toro looked at her a little surprised.
"A female alpha?" he laughed. "Interesting." he said growing even more intrigued. "who are you?"
"My name is Ayame." she stated watching Toro carefully. Toro smiled a brilliant smile making Ayame's heart flutter until she grabbed it, slamming herself back into reality.
"Iris flower." Toro muttered admiringly more to himself than to Ayame.
"Yes, well I really should be getting back to my pack." Ayame said, trying to step back up into the forest to head back to her pack, but Toro just circled around into her path, blocking her exit. Ayame looked around, seeing the pack's eyes, glowing in the darkness.
"You can't just waltz through my forest." Toro said. "Normally there is a toll."
"What kind of toll?" Ayame asked, growing fidgety. Toro just shrugged.
"Food, service, favors etc." he said uncaringly, suddenly growing more interested as he looked her up and down. "For you however i have something else in mind."
"What kind of toll?" Ayame repeated. Toro smiled and nodded.
"For a toll, i want you." Ayame snarled at him stepping away from his as he moved towards her.
"I'm sorry but that's not a price we are going to pay."
"It will be worthwhile." he said flashing her a smile. "you see, if you come to my pack then we will not only protect your pack but you will be considered honorary pack members."
"And if i refuse." Ayame snapped.
"Then your pack is going to need protecting." Toro said, lowering his voice to a growl. Neither of them moved for a moment as they glared at each other in the eyes. a gentle breeze blowing the trees and bushes around them. suddenly there was a growl and Akira, Ayame's old father jumped over the bushes landing between Ayame and Toro staring angrily at Toro.
"What do you think you are doing holding back my daughter." he growled protectively.
"Dad it's fine." Ayame muttered, ready to handle the situation alone, he was in no condition for a fight.
"Yea old man, everything is fine." Toro said with a smug smile.
"My daughter isn't some pawn for you to have." Akira growled. "And i won't have you talking to or about her as if she is an object you can take." Toro's smile vanished and he said.
"If you want it that way then so be it. but your pack is still passing through MY turf and thus you do have a fee to pay, and i will get my pay, i always get what i want, she will be mine, as a perfect wolf should be." Toro said seriously.
"Over my dead body." Akira said.
"So be it." Toro dived at Akira, sending them both rolling across the ground. The old wolf didn't stand a chance against the young agile white wolf..
"STOP IT!" Ayame demanded diving onto Toro, pushing him off of her father and flinging him into a tree. every hair of hers stood on end as she stood tensed like a cat growling at him. "Leave. him. ALONE!" Ayame snarled pronouncing each word clearly, screaming the last part at him. Akira laid on the ground bleeding a little. "Daddy you are going to be alright." she told him gently, lowering herself beside him, gently licking his wounds. he smiled at her meekly.
"Thank you Ayame, i am going to be fine, don't worry about me my brave little flower." he said caringly. Toro regained his footing and stepped towards them. Ayame rose to her feet and spun to face him in an instant she was face to face with him.
"Get away from us." She growled threateningly. Toro stepped back slightly stunned by her ferocity. Ayame stepped towards him a low growl emanating from her throat. Toro stepped back, unable to pull his eyes away from her strict, demanding gaze. her eyes shining brilliantly. finally she planted his feet on the ground and said sternly.
"I'm not going to kill an old wolf. nor will i injure a beautiful wolf such as yourself. however i suggest you all watch your backs i may not be so kind next time we meet. now get out of my territory and expect a visit from us soon. i will collect what is due to me." Toro said his eyes burning into Ayame's. Ayame quickly spun around helping her dad to his feet, allowing him to lean on her as they made their way back to their pack. "I'll see you soon." Toro called after them.
"My flower."
-
a few weeks later.
Ayame's pack and found a comfy little area atop a waterfall and decided to make that their turf, they had unlimited water and food was good. but it didn't take long for Toro's pack to catch up with them. Toro leading the group. Ayame rose to her feet to meet him.
"You've returned." she growled eyeing him carefully.
"Have you thought about my offer?" Toro asked her.
"I have, and the answer is still no." Ayame said, her family huddled behind her, her father glaring at Toro.
"Fine, so be it. but if i win this fight will you come with me?" Ayame hesitated before nodding, knowing if she didn't and they did win, she would be forced to anyway. Toro nodded then as one his entire pack lurched forward. attacking. Ayame was overwhelmed with wolves, commotion and confusion, there were too many wolves and the realization they were going to lose crossed her. her heart sank as she sank her teeth into the neck of one of the wolves. before getting shoved back by another a sharp nailed paw running across her chest slicing into her skin. Ayame gasped in pain and stumbled back, away from the fight towards the waterfall. trying to regain her breath. she looked at her family. it was more a massacre than fight. her pack was far too weak, filled with the young and elderly.
Ayame was just about to stop the fight and surrender herself to Toro when a wolf flew at her tackling her, they both rolled across the ground Ayame kicked him off and rose to her feet stumbling attempting to clear her mind and regain her balance however she was too close to the edge and her vision began to fade to black. Ayame tried to move towards her family but her paw was on the edge. the edge, her family, the fight. it was all too much and Ayame fell tumbling off of the waterfall. Toro rushed to the side and tried to grab her but was too slow. his shrinking figure was the last thing she saw before she blacked out.
