A/N: This is part of the "these pawprints overlap" universe.

The Kamakura period, dating from 1185 to 1333, was when the war between the Iga and the Koga originated. The war would go on to devastate both clans, humans and dogs alike. Families would be torn apart: mothers, children, females, males and puppies killed.

Two particular Koga are the first focus.

"Sis, I don't think I belong here at all…" Raiju muttered in a plaintive tone to his sister Kaguya. His green eyes looked miserable as he wallowed in doubt and grief. As the older sibling, he still couldn't forgive himself for what had happened to the Koga puppies they had been raised alongside.

He'd felt like this for a while, ever since the older females of the clan rejected them as their offspring. Even now, Raiju didn't believe they had Koga parents.

Kaguya knew every attempt by her to tell him otherwise fell on deaf ears, but that didn't matter to her. They were both strong in their own right but, when her brother felt like this, she had to be even stronger. However, she accepted she couldn't carry his burden all the time.

"Raiju, I understand how you feel, but I can't change what happened." She began to explain, voice low and sympathetic. The black-furred female sat for a moment and used a hind leg to scratch herself. Rising to her paws, Kaguya padded over and nuzzled her brother, letting him know she was there for him.

"I know it's hard, brother, but the Koga are true fighters."

Raiju was a dog haunted by his past and motivated by the present. The dark grey-coloured male stood swiftly, surprising his sister. "Thank you, for always being there for me." He replied to Kaguya, before turning to pad away.

"Raiju?"

"We're going back to camp to talk with our leader."

Iga humans came thundering past, shouts rippling through the air announcing the birth of a brand new litter. Dogs and humans alike gathered, each individual fighting to catch a glimpse of the newborns.

Tora stayed well out of the way. The young grey dog huddled atop a nearby pile of timber, where she had no risk of being stepped on and had a good view of the building in which her siblings were being born.

Her father, a well-muscled male shouldered his way through the bodies, and the crowd parted as he approached the mother and her four pups. White-furred Hakutaka stood before his mate and lowered his head to nuzzle her, murmuring words of encouragement as she recovered from the birthing of her children.

Behind him, the crowd of dogs began to grow impatient. As the humans fussed over the pups, ensuring they were born healthy, murmurs swept through the gathered dogs. One finally stepped forward, head bowed as he approached his leader.

"Sir? The pups. Are they…"

Hakutaka answered the question that had been lingering on every dog's mind. "Four females."

A dissatisfied mutter arose in the pack. "Another litter and still no heir." One dog grumbled. "Akira's getting too old to have any more pups…"

Another nodded. "Looks like that first-born of his is finally going to have to make herself useful."

Tora's ears flattened against her head and she clambered down from her perch to slink away into the forest before she could hear any more. This litter was supposed to finally hold the heir to her father's bloodline and her parents' ageing meant the responsibility for bearing a son lay on her shoulders.

The problem was, she didn't love any of the male ganin here. Therefore, would she have to extend her search radius elsewhere?