IV

Mom and Dad

In the deep forests of northern California a lone demoness searched the night for the one person who could help save her life. Growing up in the mountains Natsumi's pack had told wonderful stories of life beyond the simplicity of the mountains.

One particular story had caught her interest. Her older brother, leader of their pack, had gone to a strange town called Salyer. On his way home he met a seer who lived in the forest at the edge of their home mountain, her name was Aniki the forest seer.

Recently Natsumi had gotten in to some major trouble. It was a tradition going back hundreds of years for wolf demons, that if a woman had not found her mate within the tribe by her nineteenth birthday she must leave to search for him somewhere else. She didn't want to go. But she knew if she didn't leave within the week her brother would be forced to banish her from the pack. Natsumi's only hope was that the seer could some how help her.

As Natsumi came closer to the cave that the seer was rumored to live in, a feeling of unease began to tug at her senses. Her breath came harder and faster as she began to "see" creatures running through the dark. Her world began to spin as beady red eyes swirled around her. From within the cave a frightening voice yelled, "Enough!"

Just as quickly as they had appeared the creatures were gone. Natsumi looked towards the mouth of the cave, there in the center stood a young girl. She looked to be about ten years old, but if you looked in to her eyes you could see the wisdom of ages locked behind her swirling gray orbs. Draped around her shoulders was a sheer satin robe and under it a midnight blue gown. On her head a small vine-like tiara sat atop her onyx hair.

She stood there feeling as if that young girl could see directly through her soul. She extended her hand and beckoned Natsumi forward. She fallowed into the cave.

"Are you the seer?"

The girl gave no answer but continued towards the stone altar in the center of the cave.

She shrugged off her outer robe and placed it under the alter. From beneath it she pulled out a stone bowl, and with a childish glimmer held it out to her and said," Would you like some candy Natsumi, its' delicious!"

Natsumi had been holding her breath, waiting for the girl to do something, anything. But offering candy was not what she had expected. Natsumi fell to the floor anime-style.

She lay there thinking to herself, 'This cant be the great forest seer! My brother said she was noble and wise!! This girl is anything but wise and noble! I'm leaving, I can't waste my time with this child.'

"I know you wish to leave Natsumi but you can't. I haven't saved you yet. "

She stood to face the girl.

"How did you know my name. I never told you?"

The girl stood there smiling and said," I know a lot about you Natsumi, tenth daughter of Koga and Ayame. I know your in need of a mate, and before you speak allow me to introduce myself. I am Aniki the Forest Seer."

Aniki stood there smiling at Natsumi. Various thoughts raced through Natsumi's head as she tried to understand how such a weird little kid could be the great forest seer.

"Alright. One question, if you're the forest seer why are you still a little kid?"

Natsumi stood there dumbfounded as the little girl began to roll on the floor with laughter. Wiping the tears from her eyes she answered," Well you see being the seer is more of a family thing. Every so often we trade places with another female seer in the family. My sister and I have just recently switched places about two days ago. And man is my sister such a stick in the mud, always so proper and "noble"."

Natsumi tuned out the blabbering little girl and thought about what might happen when she returned home.

She'll never be able to help me. I'm as good as dead, this Aniki is only a child! Her powers probably aren't even mature enough to see past her bed time! I should have just accepted my brothers decree and left when I turned 19.

If Natsumi had looked down at that moment she most likely would have fainted, her bracelet was glowing a bright green.

Change

A man about twenty years old walked towards Aniki's cave with a small pack of wolves at his side. His hair was exactly like Aniki's but ended in the middle of his back in silver tips. Like all the males in his pack his eyes were a deep honey color, but two main things that separated him and them were his 20th century clothing and that cobalt blue swirl around his pupils.

Stupid, sisters! I can't believe she would drag me out of bed in the middle of the night to help her with some hair-brained scheme! Oh gods why can't she be like normal little sisters! I'm going to kill Ani when I see her!!!

He stopped outside of the cave, almost right in front of him stood a fiery young demoness. He hadn't seen her face yet but a part of him felt a strange need to hold her. His thoughts were beginning to turn towards the gutters with no chance of returning until a voice from the cave called him.

"Kuro, stop drooling and come inside!"

From inside the cave, Natsumi turned to see a man staring straight at her. Her heart began to pound as he came to stand right in front of her.

"Hey Red."

On the other side of the cave Aniki began to dance. Bouncing around she thought , Kuro might hate me now for waking him up but after I tell him what it was for him and Natsumi are going to be dancing just like me

Aniki turned to speak with her brother and Natsumi but instead burst out laughing when she caught site of them. They were standing just inches apart noses just barely touching seemingly in a daze.

Natsumi heard the laughter and was shaken out of her daze. She began blushing madly when she realized how close she was to this complete stranger. This very attractive but still complete stranger. About two seconds later Kuro noticed their strange 'embrace'. Slowly they released their grip on one another.

Aniki, or Ani as Kuro liked to call her, had stopped laughing and now stared at them smiling.

"Alright children! If you are all done fawning over each other, now that Kuro is here I have the answer to your problem Natsumi!"

Natsumi stared at her in disbelief and asked," How could you solve my problem? You're just a child."

"She might look like a kid but in fact my little sister is the most powerful seer in our clan."

The man now known as Kuro was leaning against the mouth of the cave. He slowly pushed himself off the wall and walked past Aniki slowly continuing towards Natsumi. He stopped in front of her and asked, "Ani, please tell me that this is her."

Natsumi stood there looking into Kuro's honey colored eyes. Not knowing the future she would create with this one man. (demon technically)