Chapter 1: Loss

"Ayame, be on your guard many things can happen in the middle of the night." Her grandfather said kissing her forehead. "Ayame, your mother left somethings for when you came of age, as did your father." The pain was still hard to hide. It hurt her to think of her parents. "Really? What id they leave behind?" Ayame was almost sure that she didn't wanna know, but seemed that it needed to be asked. At 16 a lot had been pushed on her with the coming battle she was afraid that she would be pushed to take the throne and marry Koga all in one month.

"Come with me, dear." His smile was truly loving. Ayame walked the rather rocky path to their house. "Let's go up to their room, hm?" Her Grandfather sid breaking the silence of their decently short walk. Ayame sighed pushing a red lock behind her ear as she walked up the wooden stephs to the third floor, her parents' suite. No one had been in there since they perished sometime ago. "Grandfather, we should not be sitting around waiting for death. We should send out the strongest and be done with them." Ayame said slightly annoyed and some what aggrivated.
Her grandfather sighed heavily and looked at her sadly. "My dear, we are stonger here. We must wait for them to come to us. We know these mountains and forests better than anyone." Ayame opened her mouth to speak and was stopped by her grandfather's hand. "Ayame! Trust me. Now, this room has many of your parent's things. Your mother had specifically made sure that her wedding gown was adjusted to fit you. Your father left you a sword of extremely high value. This sword has been passed down for many generations in his family." He said sitting down in one of the chairs. "Grandfather, I could not wear momma's wedding gown even if she she herself told me. Father's blade is well known. Most of the pack has comne to believe that the killer took the gemmed blade." Ayame replied as she sat on the edge of her parents' bed. "Ayame, Koga will come back to marry you and you will wear the gown, your father's sword by your side. Their killer took a fake back to their master. I have the sword in a rather hidden area. Go to your room and get some sleep. The day is done." Her grandfather smiled as he kissed her forehead. "I love you, Ayame." She smiled hugging her grandfather. "I love you too, Grandfather. I am going to take momma's gown to my room. Try to get use to the idea." She smiled as she picked up the gown. "Okay, Ayame."

Ayame took her time going down the stairs. "Something is wrong." She thought as she reached her door. "why would he be doing this now? What's going on?" She hung the gown upp and sat on the bed. "Somethings not right here." She murmured to herself.
The building filled with the sound of alarms. Ayame sat bolt up in bed with fear written on her face and her breathing as fast as her heart. Her fear clouded her rationality as she ran into the hallway of her home and saw the flames of a fire. "NO!" Ayame said as she ran down the hall looking for her grandfather, Yōrōzoku. "Grandfather! Grandfather!" Her heart pounded when she didn't hear him reply to her calls. Ayame took a step back from his door, dangerous as it was with the fire and put all her weight into kicking down his bedroom door. Her foot met the door and broke it in half. Her heart pounded away in her chest as she took a step forward into her grandfather's room. Thankfully the room was untouched by the flames. In the middle of the floor was a chest with a rather large lock and an interesting design to unlock it. On top of the chest was a folded piece of paper.
"Oh no. Please, you cannot have died on me. Please. Please." She thought to herself as tears ran down her cheeks. It was done the same as when her parents had died. Her hand trembled as she picked up the folded piece of paper. It read:

"Ayame,
Don't be sad. I knew that this was coming for a long time now. My time has come. Cry only a little my dear. Then you must take the chest and the pack to the forest across the Southern river. There you will find Koga. Hand him the letter from inside the chest and have him read it. The letter is my asking him to take you in and wed you earlier. I know that you are scared, but remember your lineage. Remember me and your parents. There is nothing to fear in life not even death.
I love you, Ayame. Be safe and travel fast. Leave at first light and no later.

Ayame dropped to her knees. She knew what she had to do and yet felt that she couldn't do it. "Damn it, Grandfather." She murmured as the tears ran down her cheeks as her emotions and her mind registered that he had died. As she sat there she felt a mass amount of stength come over her as she remember her family. Without a second thought Ayame grabbed the key from under her grandfather's pillow and took the chest with her to begin her walk to the center of their home.

"Ayame, the demon army. Th-they came." A fellow member spoke to her in slight fear. "I know, brother. When the fight is done we will take our things and go beyond the Southern river near the Wolf Cavern and there we will make our new home." Her voice was firm and she showed no emotion. "They need me." She thought to herself. "Yes, ma'am. I will get those who are not able to fight to begin packing things up, but there is one question." The man she reffered to as brother asked. "What about Yōrōzoku? Won't he be coming to?" Ayame stared at the man trying to hold everything back. "No. He won't be coming. He has left this world, leaving me in charge. Go."

She stood near the cliff watching the sunsise as the people of her pack finished off the demon army and began to pack their things to leave their home. It was going to be a long journey and they were going to have to trust her. Would they trust her or would they leave her high and dry when she needed them as much as they needed her?