Final Chapter! Enjoy!

I sighed, walking out of school.

There were two reasons behind this.

One: after my battle with Ryuumaru three months ago, school had become a mere time-killer in my day. A very boring one, at that.

And two: this was the last time that I would be walking out of that particular school building. I would be moving tonight.

"Why're you leaving anyway?" Hasume asked. "You don't live with your parents, right?"

I nodded.

"Right." I said. "I'm moving in with my grandfather in the next town. He's blind, and his assistant retired a while ago. I'm gonna help him out, he's gonna let me stay with him... I kinda wish I didn't have to go, though. I've never had... normal friends before."

"Can't he hire someone else?" Hasume asked.

"Maybe, but, I've already made plans to take the job, so, it has to be me." I said.

Hasume sighed, and turned to me.

"You'll still call, right?" She asked.

I smiled, although sad on the inside.

"Sure." I said. "I'll call you."

"Great!" Hasume said. "Maybe we can visit each other, too?"

I shrugged.

"We'll see about that!" I said.

We reached the gate, and I was shocked to find Koga standing at the gate, waiting on me.

"K-Koga!" I said.

He smirked at me.

"Yo! Howler! You ready to go?" Koga asked.

I sighed, and nodded.

"Don't call me 'Howler'." I said.

I turned to Hasume.

"Mata ne?" I said.

Hasume turned away from Koga, a light blush on her face, and looked at me.

"A-ah, yeah! M-mata!" Hasume said.

I smiled, went to Koga, and took his hand.

"Shall we go, then, Koi-chan?" I asked him.

Koga turned bright red.

"Sure..." He said quietly.

We started back to my place.

"I'm gonna miss this place." I said. "If those bastards hadn't harassed me last month, I could've stayed another year. Hasu-chan... I'll miss her most of all."

"You can come back, ya know?" Koga said. "I'm not gonna keep ya from your friends... long as they're not guys."

I smiled.

"'Course not." I said. "You're the only guy I'll ever need!"

As we approached my house for the last time, I caught two familiar scents.

My heart began to ache a bit.

"Want me to scare 'em off?" Koga asked.

I shook my head slowly.

"Let's hear them out." I said. "Three months is a pretty long time to hold a grudge. Maybe I can let it go today."

We reached the house.

Ryo and Tarou were on the porch, watching me in disbelief.

Ryo's POV:

I could smell her approaching the house... and some guy was with her, by the smell of it.

It's been three months since Onee-chan risked her life, and faced her fear to save our lives from Ryuumaru, lord of the dragons.

We hadn't been very nice to her before that, so, it was strange that she risked so much for us.

Afterwards, however... Chichiue hasn't smiled even once since that day. He's been meaner. Harsher. Almost cruel to everyone around him.

I have a feeling that he needs to speak to Onee-chan.

No one else would come see her, leaving me and Tarou to come see her.

She seemed to be well off on her own... better than she ever was with us.

Her grades were higher, she got to work earlier, the house was cleaner... she had free time to do what she wanted.

We could not ask for her forgiveness. We had kept her from too much, and done so much to hurt her when she had been nothing short of kind to us. And she still saved our lives.

No. We were in no place to ask for forgiveness. We were here to ask for her to meet Chichiue, and that was all.

She walked up in front of the house, holding the hand of the wolf youkai she had hated so much.

Onee-chan frowned as she looked at us.

I heard Tarou beginning to sniffle. He had been very weepy about Onee-chan, since she saved us. I would've been the same way, were it not for my pride.

"Ryo. Tarou." Onee-chan said.

I lowered my head.

"We won't be long." I said. "But... we need your help, O-... Mori-san."

She nodded.

"It's Chichiue." Ryo said. "If nothing else, please go see him. I think... he wants to see you."

Onee-chan frowned, sadly.

"That's all?" She asked.

A deafening silence fell between us.

All of a sudden, Tarou burst out crying, and ran to her, hugging her leg tightly.

"Gomen ne, Onee-chan!" He cried out. "Hounto ni gomen ne!"

The rest was garbbled in his uncontrolable sobs.

To my surprise, Onee-chan's expression softened as she knelt down, and wrapped her arms around Tarou.

"There, there!" Onee-chan said. "Everything's alright! Onee-chan's here now!"

Tarou cried over her shoulder, and she knelt there, comforting him.

She forgave him so easily? I had a feeling that she was babying him before, but...

Onee-chan looked over at me.

"Ryo, I'm sick of being angry." Onee-chan said. "It makes it hard for me to sleep at night, and tears harder to fight... So, what do you say? Can we pretend nothing ever changed?"

I stared at her.

This was far from what I had expected her to do. Not to say that I had any idea what to expect.

Onee-chan lifted Tarou up, as she got to her feet.

My foot inched toward her, as I began to lean toward going back to her.

Mori's POV:

Ryo's foot inched toward the first step.

"Please?" I asked. "Can we be a family again?"

Right then, I spotted a rare thing.

Ryo's eyes began to well up with tears.

I heard a light sob in his throat. What on earth had I said?

He ran to me, and hugged me, as Tarou had just done.

"Ryo?" I said.

"Hahaue used to say that too... when I threw fits, and ran off..." Ryo sobbed. "She would always find me... and ask if we could be a family again..."

I placed my free hand on his back, tears coming to my eyes as well.

Koga put his hand on my shoulder.

I looked at him, and he kissed my forehead.

"It'll be okay." Koga said. "Y'all are back together again. I think your Hahaue is happy to know that much."

I smiled at him, and nodded.

"Onee-chan." Tarou said.

I turned to him.

"Chichiue is upset. He needs to talk to you." Tarou said. "Please. Go see him."

I nodded slowly, and set him down.

"Let's go then." I said.

We took off into the mountains, and ran into the Ao no Inu territory.

I quickly sniffed out Chichiue, and headed into the hut, where he sat, staring at a fire.

He growled low.

I slowly entered the hut, and seated myself in seiza right behind him.

He sat up a little straighter.

Did he know I was here?

I reached up, and gently eased my arms over his shoulders, and around his neck.

Chichiue tensed up at first, and let out an audible gasp through his nose.

But, with that gasp, he caught my scent, and relaxed slightly.

He placed his hands over the spot where my arms over-lapped over his chest.

"Why are you here?" Chichiue asked.

I leaned my head against his back.

"I would've come by anyway... but, Ryo and Tarou came to tell me you were hurting about something." I said. "I came to find out what."

He stroked my hands gently.

"I... I'm sorry." Chichiue said. "You knew what you were talking about, when you asked me to run. I should've listened to you... or asked for your help..."

I nodded against his back.

"It's alright." I said. "You were feeling competitive. I know the feeling. I wouldn't have wanted you to get in the way if it were my fight."

Chichiue gripped my hands firmly.

"You're forgiving me this easily?" He asked.

"Yeah. Hahaue would've wanted me to..." I said. "And... I suppose I need to talk to you, too."

I released his neck as he turned toward me.

"Chichiue, I'm getting married, tonight." I said. "To Koga of the wolves."

Chichiue nodded, looking sad.

"I'm about to become the Alpha female of the wolf pack." I said. "And, as you saw, I have the Diamond Claws."

Chichiue sighed.

"Oh, yes... I must admit, I'm very proud of you, and the way you used those claws like a pro." Chichiue said. "You will make an excellent pack leader... However, about this marriage."

I gave him a funny look, and finally noticed the slight jealousy in his eyes.

"Chichiue, you were so eager to get me married before? What changed your mind?" I asked.

He sighed. "I expected you to marry someone in this pack, but, after all that has happened, I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do..." Chichiue said. "That and... Why Koga? He's such an animal."

I laughed.

"Sometimes, yes!" I said. "But, Koga's a good man! Sensitive, and strong. He's all I could want in a mate... He won't replace you, though. You are my Chichiue, for the rest of eternity!"

I got him and Koga to meet, and talk, and, somehow, Koga earned Chichiue's blessing.

The two packs were very cautious about each other, even while celebrating our union.

Eventually, though, they got over it, and Koga and I managed to sneak away for some alone time.

Koga held me close to his chest, where I was drawing hearts with my fingers.

"Let's see, our packs have united. Your family is back together again. We rule over the new pack. We beat Ryuumaru, making us the most powerful warriors in the area. And we're both so deeply in love that we would die for one another." Koga said. "Can life get any better?"

I smirked, knowing just how to answer his question.

I leaned up, and kissed his lips.

"Well... I've always wanted children of my own." I said.

Koga stared at me.

"You sure don't waste any time." Koga said.

"You know it!" I said. "Don't tell me you're about to back out now? Not when we're about to start the battle for the title of 'best parent'?"

He gave me a cocky smirk. "Whoever said I was backin' out?" Koga asked.

Before I could say anything else, he locked his lips with mine, and I could no longer think.

We had seven children, and they helped us get rid of the rest of Chichiue's enemies.

Chichiue passed on, five hundred years later, in peace.

Hakkaimaru went off and started his own pack.

Koga and I passed leadership on to our oldest son, not because he bore the Diamond Claws, all of our children did, but, because he was strong, smart, and kind. Everything we wanted for the next pack leader.

All in all, in all the sadness and pain, happiness and comfort, everyone was content.

No one, however many centuries they lived, ever passed on with regret in their heart again...

Mata ne - Later.

Onee-chan - Older sister.

Honto ni gomen ne - I'm really, truly sorry.

Chichiue - Father.

Hahaue - Mother.

Seiza - A formal sitting position.

Koi - Love.

Well, I planned on going on hiatus after this story, due to not having any story ideas, but, I just got a new idea for a story, so, keep checking in, and I'll see what I can do about putting that story up soon! Please review this story!