Gin and Yukitora returned to Gajou after about an hour of talking with each other. It had been a much needed thing for the two of them, especially for Yukitora.

"Are you hungry?" Gin asked his son. "The pack must still have food left over by this time."

Yukitora nodded, and looked upon Gin with enthusiasm: "Yeah. I am. It's been a long journey, and we didn't eat as much as we probably should have."

With that, the two made their way to the Pile where they saw the Ohu Pack feasting on the delicious, raw meat of the prey. The scent of prey and meat filled the air all around, and made the two Tora-ge Akitas' mouths water wildly. Gin went over to the boar that lay killed and ripped off a leg that had been saved for him, and he dropped it down at Yukitora's white paws. "Thank you, Father," Yukitora said with a warm heart, full of gratitude.

Gin padded over to a duck and grabbed it with his sharp teeth around the neck, and walked over to Yukitora, laid down and let the duck go limp. He ripped out the feathers first, so that the skin would be revealed; then, the silver Tora-ge sunk his fangs into the bird's flesh and began eating the tender, flavorful meat.

By this time, Weed had returned was already finishing up his own meal. He had returned just in time, right before Gin and Yukitora returned to camp. Weed admitted that he was touched deeply by his elder brother's story; that must have been terrible for Gin, to find his son missing and to never see him again. That was a decent answer to why Gin had never wanted to bring it up to anyone. Then again, if Gin and Sakura had had a puppy then why wouldn't the others know about it?

Weed had been spying on the two in the woods, just to make sure nothing bad happened... and fortunately, nothing had happened. Weed was much more at ease now that he had heard Yuki's story, but... he still carried a hint of distrust for the new male. Gin and Yukitora were a good distance away in the crowd of feasting dogs, talking to one another yet more. Weed was definitely out of earshot from where he was, so felt as if he could talk with Tesshin who was beside him.

Weed said to the Koga dog: "What do you think of him?"

Tesshin answered: "Yukitora? Well... he seems nice enough. I just find it hard to believe that the son of Gin would go so unnoticed. Wouldn't we have known about him?"

Weed dipped his head lightly: "I agree. But I guess he really is my Father's son... Father isn't denying it."

Kyoushiro walked up from behind them and sat down at the Leader's side. He scowled at Yukitora from where he was. "Heh! I don't know where he came from or why he has decided to return to Ohu, but there must be a reason that Gin-sama never mentioned him to any of us. We don't know anything about this male."

Weed said, with ears perked: "The two of them went for a walk before, to talk things out. I went to keep an eye on Yukitora, keeping hidden in the bushes. I overheard him saying that he was kidnapped from the Pack when he was less than a month old. That was 8 or 9 years ago."

Tesshin looked surprised: "How can that be? Gin certainly would have been enraged that his child was stolen from him. He would have sent us all out to search for Yukitora, and the abductor."

Weed couldn't disagree there; Tesshin was right. How could so many things go unnoticed by the Pack? Yukitora's very existence was a mystery as far as everyone else was concerned.

Kyoushiro lashed his tail with deep aggravation at the whole situation: "None of this makes any sense. KUSA! I wish we had answers!"

Tesshin chided the white Kishu-Ken: "I do too, but I suppose so long as Yukitora does not pose as a threat, it is not our business. Gin-sama must know the answers, and it all makes sense to him. I say we leave family matters to the family at hand."

Then, turning his head to face Weed, Tesshin said quietly: "If Yukitora is the son of Gin, then he is your brother. For right now, you won't have to be afraid of him, especially since Gin-sama seems to like him."

The Leader felt like he was torn; he knew by his instincts that there was something off about Yukitora, and he would never let his guard down around him, but for the meantime until Yukitora did something bad, Weed had no right to show disdain for his brother. Gin was very wise and smart, so if he trusted him then certainly Weed could to... for the most part anyway.

Weed glanced over at where his father and elder brother lay eating together: "You're right, Tesshin. If Father can trust him, then so can I."

Once the sun had set, the moon rose and brought with it a wonderful, shiny blanket of stars. A heavy, ice cold breeze picked up that night... and with it, came a harsh rain storm. Everyone slept soundly, though, inside Gajou. In Gajou, there were certain chambers for certain ranks. The Leader's chamber was the one that was deepest within the rock fortress, and it was where Weed slept, with Koyuki beside him of course. Then there was a chamber for the Healer; there were about five healers, with their apprentices, in the Ohu Pack who tended to wounds and sicknesses with herbs and such. Then there was a Nursery Chamber, where nursing females would nurse their pups and stay until their pups were old enough to begin training as a soldier. Then finally, there was the soldiers' chamber; it was a very large space. Gin slept at the center of the group. Yukitora was allowed to sleep between the soldiers and the rock wall of the cave. Jarl slept right beside him.

However, he could not fall asleep that night, for he was very excited about what the next day would bring. He completely expected his father Gin to replace Weed with him; why not? It was the birthright of the firstborn son; he was the heir, the leadership of Ohu completely belonged to Yukitora, if Gin no longer wished to lead. Up until now Weed was the only child Gin had, but now that Yukitora was here, things should roll differently.

Unknown to Yukitora, Gin was lying awake as well. He was very troubled; he was not dumb, he knew that his eldest son would most likely ask him that special question sooner or later. The problem was, he had no idea what he'd say. He wanted Weed to remain the Leader of Ohu, and his answer would surely break Yukitora's heart.

At dawn, when it was light out but still too dark for the world around to be illuminated beyond dim, black figures. It was still raining, but it was only sprinkling; the fall of the droplets were very gentle. The ground was full of puddles. Everything was so serene, and silent. Birds chirped their songs in the distance, and the air was crisp and refreshing, like a drink of cold water after being thirsty for a very long time.

Gin whispered over to Akame, who was nearby sleeping: "Akame! Akame, wake up."

Akame flickered open his eyes, yawned and replied in a groggy voice: "Yes, Gin?"

Gin shifted into a sitting position: "Let's go outside. I... need to speak with you."

Akame stood up and stretched: "Is something wrong?"

Gin shook his head and stood up: "No. I just need your advice on something."

So the two left the Soldiers' Chamber and went outside to the back of Gajou, the place where the cliff is... the same cliff that Weed and his friends had dragged Kaibutsu off of, into the river. Gin hung his head low.

"Gin, why are you downtrodden?" Akame asked, growing worried for his old friend. "Is it... Yukitora?"

Gin nodded slowly. "You are the only one who knows the truth about him. I thank you for keeping my secret. But now that he's returned... I don't know what to do."

Akame did in fact keep Gin's secret with all loyalty. He would never tell anyone, and would take the truth to the grave with him, so long as Gin chose to keep it hidden. "Yukitora should not be alive. But somehow, he is."

Gin looked up at Akame, who came to sit down beside him. Gin sat down as well. The silver Tora-ge was very stressed out. "I fear him. I fear what he could do to the Pack. There is a great darkness within him; perhaps that part of Yukitora hasn't awakened yet, but I know it will. My father warned me of it."

Akame breathed a deep breath: "I must be honest. I don't know what you should do... but it would be best if Yukitora were not in Ohu, or anywhere nearby for that matter. He can't stay here."

"But if I banish him," Gin fretted, "then he will for sure turn against me and the Pack. He'd be heart broken."

"There is not much you can do, Gin," Akame breathed, looking up at him seriously. "The only thing that can be done, if you wish to leave it on good terms with Yukitora, is figure out how to sneakily get to him to leave."

Gin perked up his ears: "You mean... give him a bad impression of us, so that he wouldn't want to be a part of the Pack to begin with? And then... maybe he'll leave."

Akame chuckled: "You were always good at coming up with ideas, Gin. I suppose that would work."

Gin smiled slightly, but then his face turned dark and gloomy. "That plan may very well work... but there is another problem, Akame."

The white Kishu narrowed his eyes at the former Leader. "Another problem?" he asked curiously. "What do you...? Oh... I get it." Akame's expression turned nearly as troubled looking as Gin's at the thought.

"Yukitora is my eldest son," Gin explained. "He, no doubt, will ask why I have not replaced Weed with him. Rightfully, the eldest son is the heir... but not according to my better judgment. I chose Weed because he was the one who outdid me at Hougen's defeat. He was the role model, he taught everyone to forgive their enemies... even to forgive Hougen! Weed is a perfect leader. My answer to Yukitora, if he asks me for Leadership, is 'No'. that's where the problem starts; I don't know how he'll react. He might be humble, but based on what I know of him he could resort to some rather nasty things."