Sorry for the wait my amazing reviewers. I was busy. So on with the story!
Chapter2. The Hunt
Ocean's huge black paws skidded to a halt as she entered the clearing. The small wolf hanging from the scruff of her neck between her massive jaws was set gently on the ground. Immediately their pack began to surround the two wolves. Nao's mentor, Nina, limped over to her distraught apprentice and began sniffing her for injuries. The usually snarky attitude was long gone and replaced with sorrow.
Youko, a lithe adult wolf with purple fur and brown eyes, weaved her way through the murmuring crowd. She waved her tail in greeting to her alpha. Ocean's snow white muzzle was high in the air, signaling that she had something to say. The wolves' of the Otome Clan grew quiet immediately. They shuffled closer to the alpha, all except one. Her fur was a dark grey, neatly groomed and everything. Her eyes were identical to Ocean's, but they were not friendly.
The grey wolf looked on with interest in her amber eyes. For once she wasn't with that idiot of a fur ball, Natsuki. How she hated that little wench! She hopes something bad happened to her. "What's the meaning of this, Ocean?" She growled, mock concern etched across her fox like features.
Ocean's tail lashed in anticipation. "There's been an accident. Natsuki has fallen."
The gasps and murmurs were immediate. The orange wolf with blue eyes nearly collapsed with anguish. Her friends, a dark grey wolf, a chocolate brown wolf, and a little black wolf huddled together. Natsuki was their best friends. Natsuki is dead? This can't be!
"Natsuki is dead?" Orange fur asked with a shaky voice. If wolves could cry she'd make a new river. Ocean shook her head slightly. "I meant she literally has fallen. She fell off the ledge, into the river."
The orange furred wolf howled in despair. Her motherly instincts had taken over. It was like losing a pup. "She can't be dead Ocean! This is Natsuki we're talking about! We have to find her!"
Ocean wagged her tail slightly at the wolf's persistence. She knows her apprentice's friends would not give up on her so easily. "We will Mai. Midori, come forth."
A pretty she wolf with messy red fur and dark green eyes weaved her way through the crowd. She bowed her head respectfully to her alpha. "Midori, take a patrol and search at the end of the river. She may have washed up on shore." Ocean instructed.
Midori nodded. "Right, Nao, Chie, and Aoi come with me." She instructed, taking the adolescents.
Nao was on her paws in an instant, her usually fire returning to her neon eyes. "When we find that stupid mutt, I'll rip her fur off for making us worry!" Midori didn't waste any time. She took the young wolves and bolted out of the clearing. Mai was appalled! She should have gone with them. Ocean flicked an ear.
"Mikoto, you're the best tracker. You, Mai, and Kenshin will accompany me to the end of our territory."
The dark grey wolf rolled her eyes. "Oh goody." She murmured, stalking forth.
"What about the rest of us?" Youko asked, her eyes locked on the place the red wolf had been standing heartbeats before. Midori was her mate; she was worried for her safety. Ocean saw the concern in her brown eyes. Youko was also a healer. A healer was a specific wolf in a clan that was trained to provide medical help. She had a necklace made of bear claws, wolf teeth, and owl feathers around her neck. It was a pendant that all healers wore. It was believed to be constructed by Okami, the wolf goddess herself.
"I have killed a caribou by the stream. Send a party to retrieve it. Also send out more hunters, we need all the food we can get." Ocean said. "You're in charge Youko. We shall return before sunrise."
With that the huge black wolf and her chosen members raced off into the night. Youko raised her head to the sky.
Oh Saeko, look at what your precious pup has gotten herself into now.
Emerald eyes locked with burning crimson. Natsuki had fallen after her attempt to sink her jaws into Shizuru's soft fur. Her legs had given out just before she could make the killing blow. Her head felt like it had been stuck by a branch. Her chest also burned with every breath she took. Shizuru, Kai, and Jin had all leapt back in fright.
Kai was hiding behind Jin, who was hiding behind Shizuru. Shizuru shook her head at her master's antics. Honestly she thought Mia was the bravest one of them all. Kai cleared his throat. "No, bad wolf." He said in that deep voice of his. "You don't hurt Shi-chan."
Natsuki bared her teeth at him. How dare this no furred, flat faced, animal or whatever the hell he was treat her like some dog? She should rip his face off. If only she had the energy though. She brought her eyes back to Shizuru, getting a better look.
Wow. Is what she thought. Her ears unconsciously flattened against her head. It is a form of showing surprise or shock. This golden creature was stunning. Her fur was long and shined like the sun. It was bathed to perfection, not a single knot in sight! She smelled wonderful also. She didn't smell like the wolves in the clan, who usually smelled of nature. She smelled like a newborn pup.
Natsuki stared into her eyes. They were the prettiest eyes she had ever seen in all 17 summers she had lived. This creature was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Now, Natsuki knew this was no wolf, but she could pass for one.
Shizuru stared back at Natsuki. When Natsuki stood up, the wolf was quite a bit bigger than her. She had to raise her head to meet her eyes. She couldn't take her eyes off of those emerald orbs. They seemed to glow. It was such a lovely contrast. Her dark fur and glowing eyes was absolutely stunning.
Natsuki quickly gained her composure back. No, this was the enemy, no matter how beautiful she was. She lashed her tail back and forth; her claws were digging in the snow. Shizuru frowned; the wolf was looking at her like her enemy again.
Kai jumped back in fright. He hid behind his best friend again. Jin was also scared shitless. Natsuki looked back up the river. She had floated quite far from home. She could see the cliff far in the distance. She couldn't smell a thing.
The river had chilled her to the bone. All she could smell was ice and water. She began shivering, the adrenaline was wearing off. Shizuru could see that this wolf was freezing. Very carefully she stalked forward. She ignored Natsuki's growl of warning. Kai and Jin both gasped in fear. "No Shi-chan, she could hurt you!"
Jin nodded. He didn't want this dog to be killed! It would ruin everything! Surely this dog had a brain! Why would she go near a vicious wolf? She suddenly stopped in front of the big wolf. Natsuki was curious to why this animal would want to be so close to her. She was a wolf!
Shizuru got low on her tummy, wincing as the cold snow came in contact with her belly fur and all that was under. She flicked her tail slightly, hanging the long appendage low to the ground, but not letting it touch. She barked softly and wagged her tail like a pup.
Natsuki's eyes were wide. This animal was telling her that she meant no harm. She was very curious, but weary at the same time. She flicked her ears back against her head again. She didn't know why she was letting creature get so close to her! She was a dog at that!
She's heard stories from Ocean about these animals. Dogs were kin to wolves, but tamed by man. She couldn't understand why they would let themselves be controlled by man. She despised them, but here she is letting one get closer to her body than any wolf other than Ocean and her friends since her mother and brother's deaths.
Shizuru was basically crawling on her belly. She was now lying down in front of the blue wolf. She then completely surprised Natsuki. She rolled on her back and tenderly placed a soft paw on Natsuki's chest. Natsuki was shocked to say the least, but more so at herself. She didn't growl or anything. She just stared deep into Shizuru's eyes.
She suddenly found herself leaning down very slowly. She brushed her cold nose against Shizuru's muzzle very slightly. She then felt a warm tongue licking the blood away from her muzzle. She was frozen. She hadn't been licked by another wolf in so long she's forgotten what it felt like.
Kai and Jin were staring at the two females with amazement in their eyes. Kai was being held bridal style by Jin. They quickly glared at each other before separating. Wow, Shizuru was simply amazing. This made Jin want her even more. He licked his lips; she would be his no matter what.
Kai was standing proudly. His chest was puffed out in pride at his dog. Leave it to his Shi-chan to find a vicious animal and then lick it without getting her fur ripped off. He wiped a tear from his eye. This was the proudest moment of his life. Well, next to Riku's birth.
Natsuki closed her eyes as Shizuru got braver. She was now on her paws. She gently licked over Natsuki's muzzle and eyes. Her sweet scent invaded Natsuki's senses until she felt like she would drown in s sea of Shizuru.
Once the licking stopped the wolf found herself staring into those crimson eyes once more. For the first time, she spoke. "Are you not afraid of me, dog?" She asked. Her voice was deep and husky, but also very feminine. Shizuru felt chills attack her body, and it wasn't from the cold. She did not back away from the wolf.
"No, I don't see why I should be." She said bravely. Natsuki noticed something. Her voice was like the other world. It was soft and had a sort of pitch to it. Natsuki was very curious.
"I am a vicious creature who could kill you were you stand. Why do you not fear me?" Natsuki asked, lashing her tail in challenge. Shizuru merely flicked her tail.
"If you were going to kill me, you would have done so the moment I was on my back." Shizuru shot back. Her crimson eyes were sparkling with something that Natsuki did not recognize.
Natsuki was speechless. This dog had a point. Why didn't she kill her? She had the perfect chance to do so. "It wouldn't be fair to kill someone who was not prepared."
Shizuru's eye brightened. "Oh, so I was prepared when you tried to kill me the first time?" Her voice was light and airy. By the wolf gods is she teasing me? Natsuki thought with her jaws hanging wide open.
Soft fur brushed her muzzle as Shizuru used her tail to close Natsuki's mouth. That heavenly sent invaded her nostrils once again. Kai and Jin were watching them like an American Wrestling match. Their eyes never blinking as if they were afraid to miss something.
"What is your name wolf?" Shizuru whispered, letting her tail brush the wolf's chest. Natsuki watched at the furry appendage trailed across her strong muscles. She felt the urge to take it gently between her jaws, like a new born pup. She wanted to chase it around.
"I am Natsuki of the Otome Clan." Natsuki said proudly.
"Natsuki." Shizuru let the name roll off of her tongue. She liked it; somehow it suited the young wolf. "My name is Shizuru. That long haired man is my master and the other is his friend."
Natsuki growled at the word master. "Why do you insist on being controlled by this human? You could be free like me."
Shizuru sighed. She's often wondered how life was like beyond that fence. She's always wanted to go out far and explore. Kai and Mia never let her go further than the old oak tree, they said it was dangerous for ones like her. She wandered what it was like to be free.
"Ara, what is it like to be a wolf." She found herself asking. Her curiosity got the better of her.
"It's the best thing ever. There's no one to tell you what to do." Natsuki said. "Well except your mentor."
"Mentor?"
"Yes, in the Clans we have mentors. They are our teachers. They teach you to hunt and survive." Natsuki explained. She didn't know why she was sharing this information with some house pet. But it was just like she wanted to talk to her.
"Ara, so does Natsuki have a mentor?" Shizuru asked. She knows that the blue wolf probably drives her mentor crazy. She seemed like a disobedient, headstrong, loner type wolf.
"Yes I do. Ocean is my mentor and she is the King of the Forest." Natsuki said proudly. She felt a bit sick that her mentor was probably worried sick about her. She could only imagine what Mai and the others were feeling.
"The king of the forest?" Shizuru asked, growing more and more interested. Natsuki nodded. "She is the strongest wolf in all of the clans." She said proudly.
"There is more than one clan?" Shizuru said.
Once again Natsuki nodded. "There are four clans in Windbloom forest. I am from the Fuuka clan. Our enemies are the Gaderobe clan, the Aswald, the Hime, and the Orphan." She growled the last name with such hatred Shizuru took a step back.
"In the stories my mother told me that you lived in packs, not clans." Shizuru pointed out.
"A pack is a group of wolves from one family. All clans are made up various packs. For instance, I am from the Kruger pack. We all share different mothers, but we are all sisters."
"There are no males in the clans?" Shizuru asked. Then how do they have pups? She decided not to ask that though
Natsuki shook her head. "No, males are not born in the Otome or the Hime. The Oprhan and Aswald clans have maybe 2 males in between them, but they are nothing but slaves."
All this information, was starting to seep into Shizuru's brain, it was dripping out of her ears. Her mind imagined a group of female wolves all howling at the moon. They were all one family.
"Shi-chan, its time to go inside. It's getting really cold." Kai whined. Shizuru glared at him for interrupting her time with Natsuki. "Are you going home?" She asked reluctantly.
Natsuki's eyes darkened. "I can't make the journey with these wounds. I shall sleep here until I am ready to move on."
"Come inside." Shizuru urged. Suddenly, those walls were back in place. Natsuki's eyes blazed in fury. "I am no house pet!" She growled, taking a step away from Shizuru. Frightened at the other animals sudden change in attitude she flicked her tail.
It is much too cold to stay outside, the winds have picked up as they speak. Suddenly an idea popped into Shizuru's head. She suddenly turned her furry body to the left. There, in the far side of the backyard was a big shed. There was a hole big enough for Natsuki to fit in and it was warm and close enough to the river if she were to get thirsty.
"Why don't you stay in there until your strength is up?" Shizuru wandered hoping the wolf would say yes. Natsuki stared at the shed so hard Shizuru was sure it would burst into flames. Natsuki without another word stalked off into the shed. She easily slinked into the hole.
Shizuru could easily see those glowing emerald eyes watching her intently. Kai and Jin had long since abandoned the two wolves and were walking back to the house yelling about how amazing Shizuru was. "Please Kai! I'll give you my house, my dog, fuck I'll give you my wife! Just let me have that dog!" Jin begged.
Kai shook his head with a hearty laugh, thinking his friend was joking. "No, she's my pride and joy lass." Jin's eyes turned murderous for a few seconds as they stepped back into the house.
He would get that dog.
Shizuru, with one last look at a now curled up Natsuki began her journey back into the house. Natsuki snorted and wrapped her tail around her nose. She can't believe she just told Shizuru about all the Clans. The Otome clan was with no doubt the strongest clan, but the Orphan clan had was close by. The Orphan clan had taken many lives of the Otome clan during the great battle. Her mother, her brother, Mai's brother, Ocean's mate, Nao's mother, and many more lives.
Natsuki had sworn revenge on them.
But her mind was currently stuck on a certain crimson eyed dog.
Shizuru
I know I'm a bad write. Maybe I'll go kill myself. lol
