After being able to briefly pull her husband away from his new friends, (aka the Naito Police Hounds) Mikoto told him what he could, no, what he just had to do!

"And I would do this because why?" he asked his arms crossed, he was more than happy to see the mutt taken back to its rightful owner- err, family.

"But Fugaku, she doesn't want to go back, and just think of how depressed our Sasuke will be when they take her……" she started, trying to appeal to his non-existent soft spot for his kids.

"He'll just have to learn to get over it" he stated before turning to walk away, but he didn't get far before he was grabbed from behind and dragged into a more secluded area by an angry sharp-nailed female Uchiha…………………….

[ Meanwhile……..

"Here, you hold the reins like this………" Ika instructed, his larger hands guiding little Sasuke's to hold onto the thin strip of leather tightly, he was going to teach this child how to ride a wolf properly, and to tell the truth, so far he was catching on better than any of his own clan had at this age.

"I don't know….Mr.Ookami sir…….I'm used to only riding Ammy…….….this one's so much….…..bigger……….." he stuttered out, it was true, this brown furred beast under him was twice the height and nearly triple the mass of his dear pet, how would he ever control it?

"This is Rackem, I've used him myself to teach my own children to ride for years now, he won't do anything you don't tell him to" Ika comforted him with a laugh before walking to the front of the creature and grabbing its mouthpiece, making it slowly walk forward.

Amaris, on the other hand, had her head on her large paws, letting out long and pitiful sighs in wolf language.

She loved her family, but, she just couldn't go back. Not now. Not ever.

"Looks like Dads teaching your human to ride, this oughta be fun" a deeper voice joked as a large human sat down cross-legged next to Ammy, offering a chunk of bread with a special meat sauce spread on it to her, but she didn't even look at her favorite snack. She was too depressed.

"Oh cheer up, going home isn't THAT bad" he said with his mouth full. Oh Tyre, he never really had manners, was probably what made him one of her closest brothers, both in age and behavior.

-moan-

Was the only response he could get from her, giving up he scratched the fur behind her ears and stood to his feet, stretching before going to check up on his younger siblings.

The red-eyed female looked around, all she could see was what she both hated and loved about her family, what she loved was that they were all one big social group, all acting as one, all happy and affable, what she hated was that the guys were having all the fun while the girls weren't allowed, it was tradition that the only things females were good for were cooking, cleaning, and reproduction.

Mentally shaking her head in disgust she stood on three legs, her back one had developed a limp and while she had been favoring it, the darned limb had managed to 'fall asleep' on her.

Sigh.

Seeing Sasuke having finished his lesson she awkwardly made her way over to his side, not removing herself from his presence for as long as she could manage.

[Back to poor Fugaku…….

His pride injured more than anything else the elder Uchiha left the quietness of the forest and went back out into the open where the villagers and Ookami mingled, Mikoto had just spent the last half-hour……………….convincing him to go and challenge Ika for the rights to one of his offspring.

Man this was bound to be awkward.

Resting his hand on the larger mans shoulder he got his attention and took him somewhere a bit less populated, where he proposed his offer.

"Ika,………...I wish to challenge you……..…..for Amaris"

(A/N: Muhahaha! Cliffie!

……

….

(A/N: lol…..j/k j/k…….let's continue………

"You…….you what?" Ika asked, his posture and voice suddenly becoming more defensive.

"Now don't take this the wrong way, but it seems that there are several people who believe that she would be happier if she were left to live in Kohona"

"By several people who mean my mate, Hoshi, don't you?" he demanded, his fists clenched.

"Well……yes……..but as much has I hate to do so, I must agree, against my free will of course but I really must agree"

Ika was silent for a moment before he began to chuckle, and soon, the chuckle turned to a laugh as he took a few steps back, the shadows of the trees and the lack of sunlight engulfing him in pitch-blackness.

"You want a battle Uchiha?"

Ika's voice echoed around Fugaku, who glanced around himself, turning when he saw two terrible dark orbs piercing him from his left side, his breath catching as he backed up, a huge wolf-like monster slowly coming out of the darkness that had hidden him, he stood 8 ft tall at the shoulder, its long black and silver fur waving in the wind, its fangs which were longer than a grown mans hand dripping with saliva, and much to the head of the clan's surprise, when its mouth moved, it talked, in a faintly familiar voice.

"Bring it on"