Story of Shirawawa

Chapter 1 - Red Moon

As an icy breeze ran through the cave, Jetta opened his eyes to see nothing but the pale moonlight glinting off wet wolf noses. Outside, it was the darkest Jetta had ever seen it. There were no stars, and the moon was only a small sliver of what it should be. And, strangest of all, it was an odd red colour; a sign that something bad was going to happen, soon.

Jetta knew a lot of bad things had happened recently: Makori and Keshiro had been killed, Kyuukaku had been captured by humans and used as a common hunting dog and Kuroanei had been pretty much outcast from the pack – although Jetta failed to see how the last one was bad.

He slowly sat up, putting all of his weight on his left side. Cool air blew against his body, feeling cold through his thick fur where he has been curled up against Valkiria and Perisuu. Jetta was curious about the moon. He had seen it red before, but never like this.

As he walked towards the cave opening, Jetta caught the faint smell of something musky. Something bloody. His fur stood when the deadly scent reached his nose. It scared and excited him, although, he couldn't explain the second feeling, it just felt like… Fire through his blood; a rush of adrenaline.


Kuroanei watched the haunted night sky from a tall, snow covered rock he'd found. From where he sat the moon was a colour very similar to dry blood. He quietly laughed his hyena-like cackle, but settled down again after thirty seconds, or so. He knew that he was what the moon was warning every one of. He knew he shouldn't go back to the pack that threw him out into the snow. But since his exile, all he has ever thought of was his pup, Riley, who he shared with his ex-mate Akairikka.

Kuroanei remembered Riley's black and crimson fur. His blood red eyes. His raccoon-striped tail. He remembered when he and Riley would play together, when they would joke and laugh about nothing at all. All the fun times. But then, he also remembered when he and Akairikka would fight and then Riley would be mad at him, when he accidentally got angry because Riley had wanted to play and threw his son against a wall. All the bad times. The pain of these memories was agonizing. The black and silver wolf felt like he was being bound tighter and tighter by invisible ties. Then he remembered when Riley has yelled at him, 'I hate you, Dad! I never, ever want to see you again!" It had been so random and unexpected. The pain of his worst memory stabbed into him, feeling disturbingly similar to a razor-sharp knife.

He lowered his body, lying unevenly on the rock, the top gently jabbing into him. The snow on the rock numbed his body a little, relieving some of the pain.


Jetta wandered just out of the mouth of the cave, spotting the recognizable golden fur of the pack's caracal, Hiretsukan. He was supposed to be on guard, but must have fallen asleep, not noticing the moon.

Jetta prodded the cat's ribs with his nose, but Hiretsukan looked as if he couldn't feel it. The wolf pup groaned in his mind, before lifting his front paws onto Hiretsukan's shoulder and gently pushed. The caracal stirred slightly.

Jetta knew nothing was working yet, so he grabbed hold of one of Hiretsukan's sensitive ears and pulled. Hiretsukan jumped, giving off a quiet yelp.

'Jetta… You know better than that…' He sighed tiredly.

'S-sorry, Hiretsukan…' Jetta murmured. He looked up, the deadly scent still in his nostrils. 'Do you

smell that?'

Hiretsukan smelled the air around him. His sense of smell wasn't as strong as any of the wolves, but he did faintly smell something, like new flesh. He licked his lips, the scent almost irresistible to the hungry feline.

'No,' he lied to the pup. 'I don't smell anything. Why?'

'Oh…' Jetta sounded disappointed. 'I thought I smelled something like blood. But it didn't smell friendly…'

'Heh… Sorry kiddo…' Hiretsukan said, sitting up. He put a big paw on top of Jetta's head and ruffled his fur a little.

'Hmmm…' Jetta groaned. Then he remembered… 'Look! Look at the moon! It isn't its normal silver colour, is it? It's red!'

Hiretsukan looked up to where Jetta was pointing his nose. The reflection of the snow made his green eyes glitter. 'Yes. It is red, isn't it…?' He looked back at Jetta.

'But… What does it mean, Hiretsukan?' Jetta asked, hoping Hiretsukan knew the answer.

'Hmmm…' Hiretsukan hummed to himself, out loud. 'I'm not sure. But, if I remember correctly, wasn't the moon the same as this before-' He stopped. He knew not to bring up the death of Makori, Jetta's father, when around the pups.

Jetta had only met his father once, and it wasn't technically his father. He saw Makori's spirit. Although Jetta didn't recognise him, Makori knew who Jetta was. Makori knew pretty much everything about him.


(Hiretsukan's P.O.V) Before I realized exactly what I was saying, I could already see the tears in Jetta's eyes. He knew what I was going to say even before I did. The words just came flooding out. But, just as I was about to say 'Makori', I knew to stop myself. I quickly bit my tongue, with sharp canine teeth… --

Why they are called 'canine teeth', I wonder… I am a caracal, a kind of cat -- Anyway, I getting off track… If I had said Makori's name, I wonder what Valkiria would do to me? Probably throw me out of the pack. She probably could… With the help of Chii and Yasashii of course. Even though one wolf is taller than me, that doesn't make them stronger. If Yasashii was Alpha, he could take me on, on his own. He wouldn't need anyone else's help. He's strong enough. But what about Valkiria? She'd exiled her older brother from the pack, so why not me? I'm the most different one here… I'm just going to hope that I can stay with them a little longer. But, I'll have to watch what I say. (End of P.O.V)


(Jetta's P.O.V) I wonder what Hiretsukan was going to say? 'Wasn't the moon the same as this before-' that's what he'd said. Before what? It most likely had something to do with my Dad. It'd have to. Why else would he have just stopped like that? He never just stops talking, unless he says something he shouldn't have. I want to know what he was going to say, but if he tells me and my Mum finds out, she'll throw him out, just like Kuroanei… Only this time, I'll care! I don't want that… (End of P.O.V)