One year later…

Okami flicked her wolfish ears irritably. Hunters were coming into the woods again, so she would have to find a different place to live. She did not fancy the thought of being speared and skinned, and she didn't think they would be any nicer if she just strolled out there in human form. Nope. She was leaving a home for the fifth time. And it probably would be this way until she found a secluded forest.

Padding along the edge of the forest and keeping an eye out for other people, Okami was not exactly surprised to see a village looming from the horizon. She quickened her pace slightly, but suddenly froze. She couldn't just trot into the village in wolf form. That would scare the villagers. Okami dove into the bushes and transformed before walking back out and through the village gates.

There were shops on both sides of the street, and the streets were crowded! Shoppers bustled around, carrying bags laden with food and clothes. Okami quietly snuck an apple out of a passing woman's bag. She didn't have any money and survived by raiding villages for food.

Suddenly, screams came from farther up the street. The crowd started to press against Okami, making her stumble backwards. For a split second, the people parted slightly to reveal two people dressed in black cloaks heading Okami's way. Uttering a tiny gasp, Okami turned and began to flee with the crowd, but she didn't get very far when there was a loud explosion.

Okami was sent flying through the air and landed on the hard ground, winded and stunned. Unluckily, she landed next to a building, which came crashing down around her, burying her in wood and dust. Luckily, though, Okami had thrown up her arms to protect her head so she wasn't killed, or even knocked out.

She lay underneath the rubble, listening with fear and apprehension as the sounds of explosions and the screams of the rest of the villagers slowly died away, leaving an eerie silence behind. Working her sensitive ears to the bone, Okami listened for any sounds of the attackers.

After hearing nothing, she crawled out from under the rubble, shaking her head to get rid of the dust and wincing as she realized that there were splinters digging deep into her palms. Pulling herself free of the fallen building, she came face-to-face with a corpse.

She stared for a few seconds before letting out an ear-splitting scream. The dead man was covered in blood. His eyes were wide and staring, his mouth gaping in a silent howl of pain. Okami tried to scramble away, but didn't get very far until she backed into someone's legs.

The wolf-girl froze, and slowly tilted her head up to see a young man staring down at her. His long yellow hair covered half of his face, and his mouth was curled upward in a smirk.

"Look who we have here, un."


Sorry about the shortness of this chapter. I didn't really have any fluff to put in it.

Okami is now six years old. I thought I should clarify that since age is important in this story.

R & R!