The sun was hot on his bare back as he began to gather all his inner strength pulling himself weakly up from the rough, harsh terrain and rubble that made up the ground. His icy blue eyes were fixed on his opponent's who's mouth began to slowly form a fanged smirk. A smirk in which enraged him only more.

"You little shit...you finally decided to get up, huh? Well then, putting you back on the ground will be even more fun! Won't it, Kouga?"

His opponent was fast as he came rushing toward him, delivering a painful blow to Kouga's bare torso.

Kouga stumbled back, falling flat on his back. He gazed up upon the light blue sky and didn't move an inch which confirmed his submissive defeat.

"Your weak! And your suppose to be Hayate's boy? Your a disgrace to your father. If I were him I'd start looking for someone else to rule our tribe when the time comes and kick you out on your sorry ass."

Kouga disregarded the other youkai's blabber as he continued to stare into the radiant glow of the clear, blue sky. This had been the fifth time his opponent, Katsuo, had single handedly beaten him. Luckily for him his father wasn't there to witness such disgrace.

"Get up! You make me sick, laying there like a small minded fool...Oh Wait, How could I ever forger? You are!"

Kouga growled, slowly raising to his sore feet. That did it...

"Struck a nerve have I? Alright then, bring it on! But prepare yourself to lose again!"

Katsuo stood battle ready as Kouga scanned his body for a point of weakness.

"Children please!" A soft voice chimed in which brought Kouga back from his biserck state to reality.

He looked over his shoulder toward where the voice came from.

"Mom? What are you doing here?!" Kouga whined as his mother approached and kneeled down In front of him in what seemed like one graceful movement.

"Look at you! Your filthy. Your covered In dirt and blood!"

Kouga looked down, unable to look his mother in the eyes. He couldn't believe It. Was he that lousy? He kept disappointing people left and right.

"Go to the river and get cleaned up!" His mother scolded.

"But-"

"Now!"

Katsuo smirked, making a derisive sound from the back of his throat followed by a swarm of giggles.

Kouga lifted his head to see where the other voices came from and grew aware of the other surrounding wolf youkai children. Had they been there the whole time? Had they witnessed his defeat?

Kouga flinched as his mother pointed sharply toward the lake.

"Go! Now...Get cleaned up for the reunion feast tonight. Do you want to give our elders and fellow tribes a bad impression on your leadership skills so soon?"

He lowered his head again as he slowly began to make his lonely, embarrassing , crusade to the lake.

Damn that Katsuo! Ever since I met him that day he's been bitching me. Then mom comes along to make things worse!

"Stupid Mom! Stupid Katsuo! Stupid Wolf Demon Tribe! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!"

Kouga fussed as he gazed upon the smooth, blue waters of the lake. His face twisted in disgust as he viewed his battered reflection.

"Damn it!"

He smacked the water sharply with a clawed hand. His utter disdain in himself loomed In his clouded blue eyes as the relection In the water pieced back together.

'Some leader I'm going to turn out...'

Laughter and on going conversations filled the night air as the reunion feast went on. Wolf-youkai from far and wide came together on this one night each year and shared stories of their travels, tribes and ancestors over a freshly prepared meal butchered and prepared by the finest female wolf-youkai in the tribe. This was the night of the wolf moon. There were precisely three more wolf moons before Kouga had to take his father's place as the leader of the tribe.

Kouga thought hard on this as he gazed upon the bon-fire in the center of the meet. In three more wolf moons he would be sixteen, a deemed 'man' or 'adult' upon their kind. If he could survive his first year leading he would be the youngest surviving leader there ever was.

Kouga disregarded all the on going conversations around him, his gazed intensely fixed upon the roaring and crackling bon-fire. He didn't even touch his meal and it just happen be his favorite, yet he showed no interest in it.

"Is everything alright, Kouga?"

His silver and grey, spiky haired friend asked as he patted his shoulder.

"Oh, Ginta...Yeah, everything's just terrific..."

"Hakkaku and I heard about what happened earlier...we Think your going to be a fine leader, don't worry. You just haven't found your calling yet..."

"My...calling?" His gaze was now fixed on Ginta as he pondered briefly on his words.

"Yeah...My old man says that your calling can come In all forms...but mainly, a challenge, a death of a loved one or love."

"Love? Feh!"

"I know! That's what I said!"

They both bursted into uncontrollable fits of hysterical laughter.

"I plan on having plenty of 'loves' and I won't even love them...How can I love anybody after being treated like shit for thirteen years of my life...?"

Kouga's tone was now serious as he looked over the other members of the tribe in which whom laughed and shared their life stories with one another. Fools.

"Well, you love me and Hakkaku right?"

Kouga didn't bother to turn to face his friend. He simply nodded his answer.

"Of course, you guys are like my bestfriends..."

Ginta smiled, giving his friend a firm pat on the shoulder before getting up and walking away.

"Take care, Kouga."

Kouga scoffed as his gaze zeroed in on his father who sat across the bon-fire talking to another wolf-youkai...wait, not just any wolf-youkai...It was Katsuo's father!

Kouga tensed as he listened closely on the conversation.

"You heard, Hayate? Your boy and my boy fought each other earlier on today..."

"Did they?"

Kouga noticed his father shoot him a look which could be described as fascination and pride.

"Yeah...my boy won...five times."

Both youkai began to chuckle hysterically at the thought. But soon, Kouga found his father staring back at him. His pale blue eyes and his stone, frowning facial features illuminated by the orange light the bonfire casted on his face. His look said it all. He was not only disdained by his son's defeat, but he was also completely embarrassed and extremely pissed off.

Kouga could no longer hold his gaze as he looked away. He hated disappointing his parents. He honestly did try to, but maybe he wasn't as strong as the put him out to be? If only he could prove himself some how?

Kouga looked out onto the forest. He could see the smoke from another bonfire not to far from where they were. The humans were having their festivities also. He shook his head-humans- such weak, miserable, creatures. He could defeat thirty of them at once, easily. That's when it hit him. That's how he would prove himself to his father and his tribe! He would slay the humans who neighbored their territory in the process winning more territory for the tribe to expand.

Kouga smirked as he swiftly slinked down the mountain and out out into the forest. His mind was made as he set out toward the human village. Completely forgetting what his mom use to tell him about the neighboring humans...they were not just any ordinary humans.