Disclaimer: I, the author, make no profits from the writing of this fan fiction, nor do I own or have legal rights to the Manga or Anime.
The forest parted around the four arriving inu's visiting the den. Asami glanced to her mate before calling the children in from the field, Masanori herded his younger brother and sister to their mother without question. The three year old Iwao folded his arms and whined before her, not liking to be taken from his playtime, while two year old Midoriko chewed on her sleeve as she curled up beside Asami's fanned kimono. Nori towered over them protectively as his sister and her family finally reached the den.
"It's a sad state that you live in dear brother." Chiharu* purred beside her mate. "Isn't it sad Tadao* that my family is living like savages?"
"Who are your friends sister?" The youkai kept his eyes trained on the two males with his sister, scenting them as they watched his sons and daughter. To any looking at the family, little Midoriko was the spitting image of her mother, dark coloring and gentle manner. "I do not like strangers knowing where my den is, so there must be a good reason for you coming here with them. Surely you would not anger me for no reason, you know better." The threat wrapped around Chiharu and sank into her skin as Nori's golden eyes focused on her once more.
"These strapping young inu have found themselves without homes, I was hoping that you would be kind enough to take them into your pack." Tadao spoke up for his mate. Much like Asami he was darker colored than his tiny mate, and no taller than her as well. "Our home is full up, we have no use for them. I figured you might."
"Does it look as though we run a home here? We live like our ancestors unlike you, who toss your lineage to the dirt for the sake of comfort." Nori bared his teeth at the male, causing him to jerk back and submit to the alpha. Chiharu growled at her weak mate, turning to her brother sharply as the two young males cowered behind them on the ground. "Get out of my sight Chiharu, and do not forget your simpering coward of a mate." He pinned the two boys to the ground with his eyes as the others fled.
"Please, we'll leave. We won't ever come back." The younger pleaded looking at his vigorously agreeing older brother. "I'm sorry they brought us here, please alpha, let us go." Nori approached, his shadow falling over the boys as he glared down his nose at them.
"Alright, that's enough." Asami huffed. The boys glanced at her as she shooed the children off to play again and stood from the ground. Walking up to her mate she touched his broad shoulder and smiled at the boys. "Chiharu and Tadao are gone sweetheart." Nori's glare melted away and he grinned at the boys warmly.
"I apologize for frightening you both, my sister and her mate often bring out the worst in me."
"Yeah, one time he even punished Midoriko for being bad because they were here." Masanori called from the stream. Midoriko glanced up at the mention of her name with her large brown eyes focusing on Nori. She grinned and stumbled for them, her tiny legs moving lower than her momentum to reach her father. His large hands wrapped around her tiny ribs and lifted her up above his head, she gurgled and yipped pathetically at him.
"Nori-sama, is she..." The elder stared curiously at the girl.
"She is the daughter to the former guardian of the forest, now she is my own." His hard eyes fell to the boys once more. "She will never know that we are not her parents, remember that if you wish to remain here."
"Of course, Nori-sama."
"Please, I am no lord. Call me Nori." Setting Midoriko back on her feet and watching her run off to join her brothers in 'battle' he focused his eyes on the young boys once more. "You must be a few summers over than my Masanori. What are your names?"
"Come, join us for tea." Asami waved them over to the small fire pit where she set about preparing tea and sewing kimono. "If you don't mind my asking, how were you orphaned?"
"Well you see ma'am, my brother Yuudai* and I were the sons of a general for Chiharu-sama." The younger brother stared down into his folded hands somberly.
"When our father failed to defeat their enemy in battle to the north Tadao wanted him to pack us up and leave, but Chiharu had our father killed. Tamotsu* and I were without a mother and Chiharu was going to have us killed too, until Tadao fed her ideas." Yuudai reached over and touched his brother's shoulder. "They wanted you to kill us, so they could say you want war with them."
"How horrible," Asami gasped. "Well, you have a home here boys, you never have to worry about them again if you swear loyalty to Nori." The boys beamed up at them happily.
"Yes ma'am, we will honor and serve you Nori-sama." Tamotsu nodded. "I would lay my life down for my alpha."
"Hai, I as well." Yuudai bowed beside his brother. Masanori herded his siblings up to the cave where they curled up around their mother's kimono once more. He stood beside his father and looked at the boys who were around his age and smiled.
"Now I have someone to practice katana with father." Masanori felt the large hand of his father settle on his head as the new comers sat up once more. "Welcome to the pack Yuudai, Tamotsu."
"There is no need for formality here boys, we are a family... pack. It is not an aristocracy where we look down our noses at you." Midoriko circled silently around the boys without notice, her tiny hands reaching out and grabbing onto Yuudai's thick silver hair and tugging. With a yelp he reached back and pulled the girl into his lap where he smiled and made faces with her.
"That is Midoriko, my youngest as of right now. Iwao then our eldest Masanori. I'm Asami, or kaa-san." The alpha female rubbed at Iwao's back as he lay curled in the pool of kimono around her on the ground. "Occasionally we head into the villages for fabrics, and other items. Tomorrow Nori and Masanori will take you in and pick up tatami mats for your bedding, and fabrics for new kimono the ones you have on look to barely fit."
"The seamstress cared little for us in your sister's estate." Nori rolled his eyes.
"My sister and her useless human lifestyle." He ground out. "Come on, let's get you settled in the den before we lose daylight."
Chiharu: "A thousand springs."
Tadao: "Loyal man."
Yuudai: "Big/large/great hero."
Tamotsu: "Defender, protector."
