Yuki Sohma quietly walked by himself in the woods. He breathed in the fresh forest air, it smelled of damp leaves and wood because of last night's rain. Scents of blooming flowers could also be smelled and Yuki could hear brown, red, and grey squirrels chattering their ears off while enjoying their plentiful amount of nuts for snacks. Being here, Yuki was in no hurry to return back to Shigure's house. He really didn't want to deal with Kyo, his annoying cousin, today so he finally just shrugged and walked deeper into the thick and dense woods.

He felt the cool shade of the trees hit him and he could here a creek in the distance. Nearby deer bounded away with their fawns as he walked by, not trusting him. Yuki soon decided to read and sought out a good tree. Soon he found a nice beech tree. The tree had white bark so smooth that if he had a knife, would be easy to carve something in it. It had a wide patch of green reindeer moss on it that was dry and soft, despite last night's heavy rain. He sat down on it and got out a book and his reading glasses and calmly listened to the chattering of squirrels and the now arriving songs of the nearby birds.

Everything was so peaceful until it happened. The attack. A large pack of wolves of all colors leaped out of the bushes so suddenly that, Yuki didn't even have time to jump in surprise. The wolf pack leapt up on him and started chewing on him. He screamed in agony as they chewed on his leg and arms and back. They were eating him alive.

The wolves, their lips stained with Yuki's dark red blood were snarling and whimpering and growling and even spitting as they decided which places to bite. Soon, Yuki's body couldn't take it anymore, the rat slowly faded away from life.

*Later*

Yuki groaned loudly as he awoke. Had it all been a dream…a devilish nightmare like the ones he had of Akito almost every night? But when he shakily got up and opened his violet eyes…he saw the wolves that had attacked him surrounding him. He yelped in surprise. He hurridley jumped over them and started to run when he realized something else…he had paws! Dark grey paws…just like his hair. He stopped running and he hurriedly went to the creek. The wolves had followed closely behind his heels and then waited for the new member of the pack to realize what has happened to him.

Yuki glanced at the slightly green water, though it was not a 100% clear image that shifted in the water. It was clear as day. He was a wolf. But then…after a few moments of shock…Yuki realized he wasn't a wolf…oh no he wasn't…he was a werewolf. He yelped in surprise and started to become over stressed…then he turned into a snow white rat. The wolves looked at him in surprise. Yuki sighed and said, "It's a long story." He was secretly excited though…in a few moments he would turn human! But no dear reader. When he turned back…he came back as a dark grey wolf yet again.

"I'm supposed to be a human!" snarled Yuki in surprise and frustration. What the heck was wrong here! Why him!

"Um…yeah…were a different species of werewolf." said a big huge yellow wolf who Yuki knew was the pack leader, "We never change back into humans. We stay like this forever."

Yuki doubled back…"What! So your saying I'm going to be like this forever!"

"Yup…you can't even make contact to the human world. You are not one of them now and anyway, they would never be able understand you. You will only talk like a dog to them. If you haven't already ate them or turned them into one of us. Now…tell us how you turned into a rat." asked the leader, looking at him like he was a freak.

"You see uh…Mr.…" started Yuki.

"Liko." answered Liko impatiently. He stared at Yuki with ocean blue eyes, making him nervous. Yuki knew one move from this old wolf and he would be dead in a second, neck broken probably.

"I'm a member of a human family called the Sohma's. We are possessed by the spirits of the Chinese zodiac…I'm the rat…" Yuki began, "Whenever we are hugged by the opposite gender or overstressed…we are turned into these animals for periods of time."

The other wolves started murmuring quietly, wondering what Liko would say. But Liko just nodded and said, "Well…rat boy…you are a official member of the wolf pack that we proudly call Sun Pack. Welcome." Then he walked away, the other wolves following behind him, close by his heels. Yuki's ears drooped. He knew he couldn't return back…he could never see Tohru again. Or Shigure….or even Kyo for that matter. Also…he didn't want to join this pack…but he knew he didn't even have a choice…he either did it…or get killed by the wolves…he sighed and slowly went to join them. He looked back and said quietly, "Goodbye old life."

*Later*

Yuki was sleeping in the den with his other pack mates. The den was actually comfortable. He also didn't think the wolves were that bad, he even made friends with 3 wolves named Finn, Mark, and Charlie. But he still missed his old life…and that was why he couldn't fall asleep. And that's how he realized…someone was hugging him because he turned into a rat yet again. Yuki was curious to see who turned him into a human and scurried quietly to see who was looking at his dead human body.

Then he saw it, Tohru was sobbing and holding him in a hug like motion. Shigure and Kyo were inspecting his body and then Yuki heard something that made his heart stop beating for at least 5 seconds. It was Shigure who uttered those words…"It's those dang wolves that live here. They killed him…and they killed some other people…some people in the past…and now…we are going to avenge their deaths…by killing those wolves."