Ok New CHapter! Woohooo!

Chapter 5

"Where am I?." Ritsu breathed as he stood in the center of a clearing. Tree's surrounded him. Thick and imposing. There was an ominus feeling weaved with in them; one that kept him on edge. He felt confused. Where did the wolf go, and how had he escaped? Where was he? There was no paths or foot prints anywhere. He was completely alone, so how?

A strong wind picked up and whipped his hair around. His eyes began to sting and when he blinked to clear them, a hunched figure appeared before him, wearing a long velvet cloak. The figure's face completely obscured by the deep hood. A cackling laugh rang around the clearing, as though it bounced off the tree's. "Why did you try to run Little red?" a raspy feminine voice called, "That's not how the story goes!"

"Who are you?" Ritsu asked, his voice shaking slighty "How do you know that name?"

"I know you Little red," the figure chuckled out, "I know you very well."

"That doesn't answer who you are," he replied feeling a little braver.

He couldn't see it, but he had the strangest feeling the figure was smiling beneath the cloak."Perhaps, If you'll be a good little boy, and listen to hat i have to say, I'll tell you."

Ritsu thought for a moment before he gave a small nod. "You have met the wolf." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

His eye's widened."But how did you-" His voice was cut off as soon as the figure raised a single dark gnarled hand.

"I know many thing's Little Red," the figure replied, 'Thing of the past, and the present, and even...the future." That got his attention. "You will not escape him. You can not. You are his mate, as he is yours." Ritsu tried to argue but once again he found no voice. Could it be that this person was a...Witch? "Do not deny him, You can not escape your fate." The figures hand lowered and Ritsu finally found hs voice.

"Why are you telling me this?' he asked his voice cracking. "What do you gain? What do you want from me?"

"I gain nothing," the figure replied, "And I do not want anything. I have simple come to warn you as is my responsibility to do."

"Warn me? About what?" Ritsu asked his eye's narrowing.

The figure did not answer right away, as if collecting it's thoughts. After a moment it finally spoke. "You are in danger, Little red. Some one is not what they claim to be. They will try to harm your mate. You must protect him, just as he will protect you."

""He isn't my mate!" Ritsu snapped, and as soon as he did the hand rose and he was once again unable to speak.

""In do time Little red," the voice replied, "You will understand." The figure lowered it's hand and turned away.

"Wait!" Ritsu called and the figure stopped and turned back to the boy, "I did as you asked, now who are you?"

When the figure next spoke it's voice was different, kinder, and unhoarse. "We'll meet again, Rii-chan. Very soon."

Ritsu's eye's widened as the figure's posture straightened and the darkness under the cloak faded. It was then that he saw a very familiar face. "Grandma?" He gasped but the figure turned away and began to walk towards the tree's. "Grandma! Wait please!" He began to run. "Grandma!" Then she was gone, and he was staring into concerned golden brown eyes.

"Ritsu." It was that man. Tears sprang to his eyes and before he could stop himself they began to flow. He felt warm strong arms wrap around him and it only made him cry harder. A soothing hand rubbed his back as he cried and after a few moments his tears stopped. He took deep breaths trying to soothe his rattled nerves, while resting his head on the man's bare shoulder.

"Are you ok?" The man asked his hand still rubbing soothing circles on his back.

" ," he replied moving away. He glanced around him. They where back in his grandmothers cottage again, and he was sitting on what appeared to be a bed made out of old tattered blankets next to a well lit fire. Right next to the fire hung two sets of clothes and shoes drying. It seemed everything was still just as destroyed as before...wait...two pairs of...

Ritsu's head whipped around and he stared at the man before him...the neud man, before slowly looking down at his own neud body...

The villagers on the out skirts of town jolted out of bed as a high pitched scream of, "PERVERT!" disturbed their dreams.

"Daddy? What was that?" Hiyori asked glancing up from the scroll she had been reading.

"Nothing, I'm sure," Zen replied disinterested, "Why don't you go get ready for bed? It's getting late."

"Kay daddy!" She replied standing up from the table and running out the room. Zen smiled at the child before glancing at his mysterious visitor staring out the opened shoji door into the garden, or more accurately the sky. He was wearing a dark blue Haori and hakuma pants, that seemed almost a tad big on his hips. Zen frowned at the look on his face. "Is something wrong Yokozawa-san?"

Deep blue eyes turned to him. "No nothing," Yokozawa replied turning from the garden shaking his head.

Back at the cottage, a very irked Ritsu was frantically pulling on his clothes. Takano was glaring at the onodera heir while nursing a newly forming bruise in the shape of a handprint on his cheek."Why do you keep hitting me?!" He barked.

"Because you deserve it!" Ritsu replied throwing on the tunic and quickly buttonning the thread buttons. "How could you take advantage of someone like that! Pervert!" Takano tried to speak but Ritsu was off on a rant. "How can I ever face my parents again, or An! I mean i was never thrilled with marrying her in the first place but this would break her heart!"

At the word "marrying" Takano's head snapped up. "Who is this An?" He asked his eye's narrowed.

Ritsu, not even really processing the question, answered. "She's my fiance!" He yelled before continuing his rant. "But that's probably not gonna happen now because someone had to resort to rape!"

Takano froze. "Do you love her?" he asked after a moment. Ritsu stopped walking and turned to the man. Takano's bangs were covering his eyes and for a moment Ritsu felt a twinge of guilt.

"No," He said after a moment, then quickly added, " but that doesn't change anything. You raped me!"

Takano was infront of the Onodera heir in seconds and pinned him. Ritsu paniced as he found himself in between the wall and Takano. "I didn't rape you." the raven haired wolf said his eye's staring straight into Ritsu's, "You were exposed to the snow for too long and got hypothermic. I warmed you with my body heat. If I had't you would have died."

Ritsu stared at the man before him shocked. Was that true? He remembered being extremely cold and then slowly getting warm. Before he could ponder this for another second Takano continue speaking. "Now, Why are you getting married? Your my mate!"

"My parents arranged the marriage. I have no say in it," Ritsu said sensing a large amount of jealousy coming from the wolf.

You do have a say in it." the wolf man growled. "I'll be your choice, I can take you away from here, you'll be happy with me. I'll keep you save." Ritsu stared at the man, his heart beating faster. Takano continued, "I'll give you everything you've ever wanted. All you have to do is ask."

Takano stared down at Ritsu with intese eyes. There was something about this that Ritsu craved. He could feel the heat from Takano's body as it radiated from his skin. He could feel...power, like he had never known in his life. Power that quite frankly terrified, but thrilled him.

Takano leaned into Ritsu, "Just say the word." he whispered before his lips connected with Ritsu's. For the first time a fire burned through Ritsu as Takano kissed him. he didn't understand it but he felt weak. His knees buckled and Takano swung him on to the make shift bed. A strange trace like state fell over Ritsu as Takano kissed him. His mind felt foggy, and he could feel every feather like kiss and touch Takano bestowed upon him.

Then Takano stopped and stared down at him, "What is your answer?"

Ritsu opened his mouth to reply but before words could form a coherent sentence a shout from the distance shot his mind back to reality. "What was that?"

Takano was staring at the door an annoyed look on his face, but before he could answer the door to the cottage banged open and a man stood in the entrance. Ritsu instantely recognized him as his father. "Ritsu!" The man cried, crossing the distance to his son. Ritsu turned to Takano and blinked. The wolf was gone.

His father bent to his level, "What have I told you about coming to this place!" the man yelled placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, "It isn't safe, why can't you undestand that!"

Ritsu blinked, slightly confused at the appearance of his father. "I-Im sorry father."

"Get up and get dressed we're leaving!" the elder Onodera yelled standing up, "Your mother and An are worried sick! What were you thinking?!"

Ritsu hadn't noticed his shirt was off and quickly replaced it. He was practically dragged out of the cottage by his father and as he walked out the door he was met with the sight of a small search party gathered in the clearing. His father was ranting about how irresponsible it was to disobey him, and all ritsu could say was , "Yes sir." and I'm sorry."

"You're going to be! I'm putting a stop to this." His father said turning away. Ritsu looked up at that and watched his father turn to a man carrying a torch. "Burn it."

"What?" Ritsu shouted as the man nodded, he blocked the man's path "You cant do that!"

"Ritsu get out of the way!" The Onodera head yelled at his son, but when Ritsu refused to move he turned to the other men, "Restrain him."

The men nodded and quickly attached themselves to the young heir. Ritsu struggled against the men as he watched the torch weilder approach the cottage. He turned to the Onodera head who nodded his approval before the man held the torch out to the old wood. It caught fire in seconds, "NO!" Ritsu screamed as he tried get out of the others grip. "Please." His father had had enough. Walking over to his son he brought his hand down across Ritsu's face. Everything froze.

"You are the heir to my house hold." His father said his stare icy, "I will not stand for your disobedience. Is that understood?"

Ritsu stared at his father,"Yes sir."

"Good." his father replied, before looking at the men, "Take him home, and be sure he stays there."

The men nodded and began to obey. They lead Ritsu to the path and just before they left, Ritsu stole a final glance back at the burning cottage. Where had Takano gone? Why hadn't he helped him? Wasn't that what he was just promising to do? Ritsu lowered his head and stopped struggling. It was all over anyway.

When he got home Ritsu was met by his mother and fiance who hugged the young heir tightly, before he was lead to his room and locked in. Ritsu threw himself down on the tatami floor, no pillows, no blankets and began to cry. he felt betrayed, and alone. He didn't know how long he cried for but after a while he fell into a restless sleep.

Ok ha next chapter and it hasnt't been over a month! Whoo hoo. Thank you weekends! So I got a review asking what had happened to the grandmother, well unfortunately she is dead, but alas that will not be the last of her! Also about the ageing of werewolves...Lets just say Takano is really old...Don't know when i'll be updating next...Cross your fingers if you like this story. I'll try to update soon. R&R Please!