"Does something trouble you, Ma Cherie?"

Amaterasu perked up suddenly, her gleaming yellow gaze lifting up to Waka- who had paused just a few feet in front of her. She blinked a few times, then cast a glance down at her paws.

They were still. Apparently, she had stopped.

"Ma Cherie?"

Amaterasu let out a loud bark and bounced to Waka's side, head lifted high as Waka brushed his hand against her forehead and over her ears. Her ink dipped tail wagged from side to side as they strolled along, back to the other gods and goddesses…

Night had fallen in the Celestial Plain- Yumigami had taken over. The crescent moon lingered high in the starry sky; a peaceful scene, Amaterasu hoped, for her companions below her.

The goddess of the sun, mother of all that was good, lay snuggled comfortably next to Waka, who was pretty much out cold. But sadly, sleep could not overcome her.

Her mind whirled. The 'bad news' apparently hadn't been the cursed zone, Yumigami had revealed when she had returned. The white wolf hefted a sigh and squinted her eyes shut.

"It's not over! The Dark Lord has not been defeated, Amaterasu!" Yumigami hissed, but Amaterasu shook her head wildly- denying it. She had seen the beast fall before her very eyes! Of course he was dead!

The rabbit stomped a foot furiously, "Listen to me! I can feel it in the air! Something is coming! A great evil is coming!" Amaterasu eyed the moon goddess with a blank expression.

They had never quite gotten along- they were opposites, really. Yumigami, the moon goddess- Amaterasu, the sun goddess; arguments were usual. "Don't look at me like that, Amaterasu. You know it to be true. Did you not feel it while you were near the cursed zone?"

Amaterasu's muscles tensed at the mention. The wolf's mind flashed back to the moment she had seen the cursed zone. Anxiety, worry, fear; a sense of dread. She didn't want to admit it, but… Maybe Yumigami was right.

The white wolf blinked and cast her gaze back to Yumigami, a frown upon her snow white maw. Yumigami breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm herself. "I know you don't want to believe it, Amaterasu, but… We are all still in danger." her voice gentled to a soft tone. "Your friends are still in danger… Even now, I can feel their pain."

Amaterasu's yellow eyes widened.

"Amaterasu, you have to go back to the Mortal's World."

Amaterasu's eyes flashed open; and she looked about without raising her head from Waka's leg. He was still asleep; looking peaceful, despite the bandages around his forearm and left cheek.

She groaned, a whimper emitting from her slightly parted jaws as she hefted herself to her slender white paws, shaking her fur of the dew that had collected upon it. Swiping her pink tongue over her lower jaws, she slipped away from the Moon Tribe man, Waka.

The Celestial Plains were silent; she could only guess that the gods and goddesses were performing their works. Amaterasu sighed, lifting her head to stare at the heavens. For once, she almost wished she could pray to something- and yet, she was a god. Mortals were to pray to her, but, who did she herself pray too?

Amaterasu blinked, not wishing to delve into this mystery- one she believed should remain unsolved. As she closed her eyes- a sudden chill washed over her. A bone-chilling wind- it swept over the ground, ruffling her white coat and filling her heart with dread.

Eyes snapping open, Amaterasu whipped around, back flipping out of harm's way. A shadow swept over where she had been standing, she saw, as she was upside down, in mid-air.

Thunk!

When her paws touched ground, she had dropped into her fighting poise, lips drawn back in a snarl, eyes a blaze, and growls rumbling in her throat.

You.

(( WELL HEY GUYS. DID YOU MISS ME?

of course you did. sorry for the incredibly long wait if any of you actually cared what happened to this story. xDDD

i lost muse and inspiration for it. than i played okami again and got all these ideas and shnap like that. yay. So yeah. Expect more chapters in the future. ( The excitement's almost here, bear wif meh. ) ))