Chapter 11: The Home Village

(Fire Emblem Echoes ost – "An Ordinary Day")

Shortly after their departure from the small campground, the lupine family trekked down the dirt paved road as the hours of the morning came and went. The sun hung up high in the middle of the day, when all is brightest and warmest. The pack of wolves slowly walked together back to the hidden lupine village within the forest. Zhong pulled the rickshaw and carried Jiao and Renshu, taking his second turn after Gin's shift ended just ten minutes ago. Shu walked by her parent's side near the pulled cart. Nearly all day she imagined in her mind how her childhood home has fared since leaving for her life in the Valley of Peace. Will it look the same? How has the people been since she left? And how much did the local children grow in just a couple years? Anticipation continued to captivate her mind as the journey was almost reaching its end. Behind her, Gin and Ru discussed with Erdan, in regards to his recent awakening in a more romantic element of the teen's growing life. The two older wolves walked next to Erdan, each one on an opposite sides of the young lupine as they were told all about his first date with a noble girl.

"Wait, THAT's how you ended the date!?" Gin questioned with surprise in his voice and impression in his tone.

"Yep, I really did all that." Erdan answered with a smile, his confidence building a bit.

"You legitimately just took off your shirt, held her and kissed a princess right there and then?" Ru asked with eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Heh,heh… yeah, I kinda did, though she's not exactly a princess." Erdan replied while scratching the back of his head.

Gin smiled and felt proud of his new nephew. "Ah you see kid, you took my advice; swept her off her feet and you scored yourself a sweet slice of love."

"I admit, you did really good Erdan, you gave that royal girl a memory she won't forget." Ru complimented.

Out of Erdan's backpack, Fang popped out from the closing flap, bearing an annoyed expression with a hint of disgust. "Can you guys talk about something that won't make me feel queasy!?"

Gin laughed at the bunny kid's suggestion, which Fang didn't take well, causing his tone to go from annoyed to sour in an instant. Erdan gave a small smile as well, lucky that his little friend was unable to visually see his face, lest the young rabbit become even more disgusted.

"Fang, you don't have much interest in girls, do you?" Ru asked.

"Please, all girls do is make fun of you and complain." Fang answered as he crossed his arms.

"So you don't want to go on dates with any of them?" Gin teased.

Fang shot Gin a grumpy expression as he refused to reply verbally.

"Well, you might change your opinion on girls soon, when you reach Erdan's age and-"

"I'm only a year younger than him!" Fang interrupted Ru in anger.

Both grown wolves paused a moment, never thinking of the age of Erdan's best friend. But being part of one of the smallest of species in this world undoubtedly comes with pre-conceived perceptions, especially from those much taller and stronger than most of your kind. Realizing the effect their teasing caused on the bunny boy's nerve, Ru decided to take it upon himself to assure Fang they meant no ill intent.

"Hey, we didn't mean it kid… we just didn't know."

Fang stayed quiet, turning away from the two wolves and looked backwards as the group continued forward.

"You know we didn't mean it, right?" Gin asked, only to be met with more silence treatment. "Hey, look on the bright side; since you're hanging with Erdan, maybe he could teach you a thing or two about getting a girl someday."

Turning his head back towards the grown man, Fang replied in an angry yet controlled tone. "First off; I won't EVER have interest in girls. And second; Erdan's got buff and guts, while I'm just… little me."

Ru rubbed the rabbit's head, even if Fang found it rude as the young man gave his own opinion. "That's fine kid. Erdan's Erdan, and your Fang. You just gotta find what makes YOU a better YOU… you get me?"

"No, I don't!" Fang said back.

Ru's words only proved Fang's point more. He was himself, the troublemaker, the bratty kid, the one boy every man, woman and child in the whole village believed to be good for nothing but causing mischief. As he stayed silent, letting the lupines continue walking, Fang hated the way Ru tried to cheer him up. It was no different than everyone else's advice for improvement. Even guys who are mistaken for villainous criminals show little dignity for the boy.

"Hey Fang?" Erdan asked, slowing down to get away from Gin and Ru a bit.

After a pause of silence, Fang decided to at least give his best friend a response. "What?"

"Do you feel… inferior next to me?"

Another pause came and went as hesitation was sensible and a desire to withhold could be deduced on Fang's expression and body language. His ears lingered low, his gaze continued to veer away from his friend.

"Fang, whatever it is that's bothering you, you can tell me. I promise I won't get mad at you again, and I won't judge either."

Fang remained quiet, still not replying as Erdan slowly walked.

"I only want to help, you know." Erdan reassured.

After a long sigh, the smaller boy decided to let out his inner thoughts, realizing the intention of his closest confidant.

"Everybody loves you, Erdan." Fang started as his lupine buddy walked silently. "Everyone is always proud of you, or impressed, or even honored. All while… while I'm just some… troublemaker that everyone pegs for a few mistakes. Everyone in the village either takes advantage of me or expects me to cause mayhem. While you… you get into trouble and fights all the time, and yet, everyone treats you like a hero."

Erdan took a moment to process the reveling insight he was just given. And after his moment of thought, gave his reply in a calm manor.

"I had it really rough too before. I know what you feel like."

"How's that?" Fang protested.

"When I was traveling the country, back when I believed Zhong was dead, I was mistreated almost every step of my way to the Valley. Every village thought I was going to steal their possessions or eat their kids. Almost every town wouldn't even let me enter, just because I'm a wolf. I actually dreaded buying new food and supplies, since it would mean another day or two of harsh persecution from people who never even took a chance to know me first." Erdan's voice bared a regretful tone with a hint of sorrow.

"But weren't there people who did treat you fairly?" Fang protested while climbing around and sitting on Erdan's shoulder, allowing the two boys to talk face-to-face.

"Yeah, there were, like Shang the store owner who gave me a job for a month, or Kaijin who introduced me to archery." He answered while a small ounce of sorrow settled in for a moment, wishing that the former was still alive. "But other than them, and a few folks in Hong Wolf City, the entire country hated and reviled me for just being… me."

Fang paused, beginning to understand a new point of view on the argument, as well as a better knowing of the trials Erdan struggled through just a couple years ago.

"So yeah… I understand what you're feeling. But believe me… you have it much better than many other people in this world." Erdan finished.

Fang became quiet, thinking about his habits and the pre-conceived expectations of the adults in his town. But something was still burning within the young rabbit. A desire that deep down he wished was his reality.

"Erdan?"

"Yeah?" The lupine replied.

"How do you get people to respect you?" Fang asked with an urging for truth.

Erdan paused and thought to himself for a second before answering. "You don't get it, you earn it. And you earn it, by giving it."

"But what if people already think you're no good, when everybody sees you as nothing much?" Fang questioned.

"Well, you can do what I did, prove them wrong. Show all those adults you're willing to change and better yourself in any way." Erdan answered.

Unlike his lesson with Shifu, the wisdom that his lupine friend provided settled differently than from the old master. A voice of logic that sounded from someone who was once, and still is, a troubled soul in similar scenarios. Seeing that his feedback might have made an impact on Fang, even if it was small, Erdan could sense that perhaps what his friend needed was not a great master or a shouting parent, but someone who fully comprehended the young rabbit's emotional dilemma. Choosing to let Fang sort out his thoughts, Erdan and the pack continued the trip, as they would soon approach the forest that was home to the hidden lupine village. The summer heat settled as sweat from the wolves' brows streamed down their faces and heads.

("An Ordinary Day" ends)

Soon the pack reached the forest that kept their destination hidden from the rest of the world, secluded and tucked away from the outside. Shu and her family stood just ten feet away from the wood's entrance, outlined by large trees with such a vast amount of branches and leaves high above, that very little sunlight peered through, resulting in patches of light beaming down onto the earthy ground. Little was made to make a path towards the almost isolated wolven village. Barren, untapped wilderness would be the first impression by any and every passerby. Just enough room was made for a cart or rickshaw to navigate through, but so little traveling was made that barely any impression of people traveling into the thick wood would be almost nonexistent. But then again, that was the intention. When a people are judged or persecuted for the actions of those with a relation as little as being of the same race, and when their greatest wish is to hide away from the world, they find that secrecy can be the greatest of shields.

Fang looked into the dense woods, unsure of whether to feel brave or confused. "I don't get it? Why don't you guys just live in some place far away from China?"

"Because we're tied to our land." Jiao answered. "Our family has lived in this forest for generations, long before horrific events like Gongmen became common knowledge."

Erdan looked to his best friend, commenting "She's right. My tribe lived for many years in the Tavon Bodged Mountains. After being nomads for so long, they felt that they finally found the right place to call home. They made a connection with those mountains."

"Well, if I lived in a place that hated my guts, I'd just move." Fang replied, giving his own broad opinion.

Jiao simply and slightly shook his head, scoffing off the small boy's limited point of view. Shu took a few steps towards the entrance, and breathed in and out, basking in the moment. When she was last in this very spot, between two large trees that gave shade from the sun, she faced herself away from that forest rather than towards it today. From what memory was stored in her mental reserves, the wooded path hadn't changed one bit. Every tree, branch and stump stayed the same just a couple years ago.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Shu asked, turning back to her family.

"Let's get going already, I'm dying to rest again." Ru complained in his usually lazy-brained manor.

Shu, with a roll of her eyes, replied "We just took a rest an hour ago, you know."

"Yeah, one hour too long without another." Her brother protested.

"Relax son" Renshu intervened. "We're just about there."

Gin took his next turn to pull the rickshaw carrying his parents, giving Zhong a break from holding up and dragging the mother and father of his girlfriend across country. Once the transition of carriers was finished, the one eyed wolf felt a tap on his shoulder, turning to acknowledge Renshu and Jiao.

"Zhong, I have to say; You did a well done job helping us during the trip. Didn't he Jiao?" The middle aged father commended before nudging his wife.

Jiao paused a moment, taking another leer at Zhong's scarred face before giving her own thoughts on the man's work. "You… you did fine."

With praise from both parents heard and received, the large lupine gave a respectful nod of his head. He then walked over to his son, to check on his boy after the short yet tiring journey. Erdan was currently in the middle of conversation with Fang when his foster father approached him.

"How are you holding up, son?" Zhong asked with a warm grin.

"I'm alright, just a little hot."

The warmth of summer still showed no mercy, even with the shade of the large trees, heat still crept on the thick furred travelers.

"You can say that again. Be thankful you weren't hulling a heavy cart half the time." Zhong replied with a thankful smile.

"Well right now I'm carrying fang, so-"

Right on cue the small rabbit popped out of Erdan's back pack only to protest "Hey, are you saying I'm heavy!?"

"Oh no, no, no… not at all." Erdan answered.

Fang may be reckless, but the bunny boy wasn't a simpleton. Upon a squint of his eyes revealed smirks tugging at the lips of both father and son, which did little to ease his mood.

"Yeah, yeah… laugh it up now."

"Oh come on Fang, you know we're just kidding." Zhong corrected.

"Sure you are." Fang replied sarcastically.

But their little jester was ended quickly as Gen stood in front of the group at the forest's entrance. He raised his voice for all to hear. "Alright everybody, let head in now. Remember to watch your step, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah… we'll be careful." Gin replied in a nonchalant tone.

As the group prepared to venture into the woods, Gen looked out at the way ahead that lead to his home, their home. A sense of uncertainty crept into his mind. Would this plan he and his brothers concocted truly work? He well understood the risks relating to the family, especially the relationship between Jiao and Shu. For a brief moment, these thoughts ruled Gen's judgment. For a single moment he contemplated turning back, canceling the entire family affair for the greater good of their pack. A small, tense feeling of dread settled within his inners, accompanied by a moral infliction of-

"Hey, Gen, are you ok?" Shu's voice sounded, almost loudly.

In a split second the oldest sibling (by a few minutes) was brought back to his current reality by his sister. She stood closely and showed a face of concern.

"Are you alright Gen?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"Really… you kind of stared off into empty space for a while just now, you ok?" Shu asked with a raised eyebrow.

After breathing in and out for a second, her brother answered her question in a focused and mild mannered tone. "I'm fine… just looking forward to finally getting back home. Let's get going."

Gen walked forward, followed by Gin, who pulled the rickshaw carrying the wolf siblings' parents. Ru, Zhong and Erdan (who had Fang on his shoulder) proceeded themselves. Not wanting to be left behind, Shu continued herself. As the family of wolves traversed through the forest, as they navigated the almost untamed wild woods, the young she-wolf kept watchful eyes on her brother at front, leading the pack. Gen almost seemed completely quiet. Apart from a few times when he warned everybody else to watch their step when passing a specific area, he seemed almost… nervous. It wasn't unlike him to act in an odd behavior. Choosing to leave her brother's worries to himself (At least for now) Shu placed her current focus on following the pack and making her way back to her childhood home town.

((()-()))

At a distance far from the lupine family, pacing down at the other end of the same forest, a lone warrior walked slowly and calmly through the trees and by the bushes. His armor made padding sounds and his swords lightly tapped against his protective uniform as he traversed along his way. When stopping for a brief rest, he looked down at the dirt beneath him and through the open spaces in his battle mask, he spotted something peculiar; a shape made into the dirt. Bending down and inspecting the imprint, he realized that his discovery was the remains of a footprint, one that was toiled with by the wind and other forces of nature. The swordsman reached down with his paw, and grasped a handful of dirt with his paw. Bringing the soil to his face, he smelled the dirt through the holes in his mask, and with a moment of concentration, detected a strange scent. The aroma felt almost metallic, like a forged iron.

Standing back up, a feeling of fatigue overcame the warrior. Most likely the result of his long pursuit the previous night, of which yielded little results, ending with him losing track and trace of his target. The weeks of chasing, following and tracking finally took a small toll on his mortal body. His eyes became tired and his legs demanding rest. Understanding his own limits, the armored swordsman decided to hold off his mission for awhile, and begun to make a small camp underneath the massive forest. He sat down and laid his back against the trunk of the large tree, and allowed rest to give embrace just for now.

((()-()))

Tired feet carried the lupine family as they navigated through the thick woods, until at last their long awaited destination was within sight. Amongst the trees and wild land was a large wooden wall that encased the village, protecting its inhabitants from outside dangers or threats. The pack of wolves stopped to get a look at the long lasting town.

"There it is!" Shu exclaimed while pointing to her old home.

"So this is where you grew up, huh?" Zhong commented.

"Yep, my and I brothers used to play in these woods all the time."

"What kind of games?" Erdan asked his foster mother.

"Oh the usual; hide and seek, tag and wrestling."

"Naturally I won most of the time." Gin proclaimed as he flexed his biceps.

His sister rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrow at her brother's claim. Some may call it being boastful… but she simply knew it as lying.

"Oh really" Shu replied. "Then why did I win most of the time?"

"B-because… I went easy on you." Gin answered, desperately trying to hide any embarrassment.

Ru, feeling mischievous, butted in. "She kicked his ass seventy percent of those times."

"You can shut up!" Gin said back in an annoyed tone.

Erdan took a nice look at the wooden town. From a glance it seemed to be no different than his own native village. People willingly separated from the outside world, using the land and resources of nature to care, harvest and live. A sense of nostalgia washed over him, as thoughts of his early childhood came flooding back; the days when he lived in a small mountain town, desperate to get out and see what the world had to offer.

"Hey, Erdan?"

The wolf teen looked to his shoulder, seeing Fang had took him out of his small voyage of thought. The rabbit boy bared a slightly uncomfortable expression.

"What's wrong Fang?"

"I, uh… gotta go use a bush."

"Oh… ok."

The young wolf set his bunny friend down onto the grassy ground. Immediately Fang rushed to the nearest bush and prepared to release his bladder, despite the fact that he was only five feet away from the group and clearly visible. Jiao and Renshu gave faces of disgust, the fact that this boy would simply defecate right before them was appalling.

"Kid… just, NO!" Gin scolded.

"But I need to… NOW!" Fang protested.

"Go deeper into the woods to do that, alright!" Renshu ordered.

Fang refastened his pants around his waist before Erdan stood by him and looked to the group. "I'll go with him and we'll catch up with you guys."

"Fine, fine, just have it done with." Jiao replied.

With affirmative nods from the grown siblings and both his parents, Erdan turned back to his best friend. Only to find the little bunny rush off into the woods, hurrying to relieve himself in time. Quickly rushing off as well, Erdan followed Fang as the adults readied themselves to finish the trip.

Gen, having stared at the village walls the whole time, felt that same sense of dread settle in his mind. Only this time, he had rightful reason to be worried. For the past five minutes the entire forest was silent. Unusual, because nearing a town, one would hear the sounds of villagers living their daily lives. Men working or children playing would be within even slight ear range from their distance, but nothing.

(Fire Emblem Echoes ost – "Disquiet")

Zhong, stepping up, asked "Um… is your home usually this quiet?"

Renshu and Jiao got off of their rickshaw, joining their oldest son's side. "No… no its not… we'd hear our folks about now."

"Why is it so quiet all of a sudden?" Jiao asked.

Shu, stepped forward, wanting to find the cause for the foreboding lack of noise. Approaching the village gates, Zhong and Gin opened the front entrance, pushing the large doors to reveal the wooden town. Once sight was made within the walls, shock and bafflement washed over the group at what they saw, or rather what they didn't see. The village was empty. Houses were still standing, tools lying around, but no people. Silence lingered on the abandoned town. All that the ears could detect was the slight whistling of the wind brushing through the tree branches. Shu and her family walked into the village in horror, unknowing of what happened to their home. Just less than a week ago this housing area was filled with the sounds of pups playing, men working and house wives sharing gossip. Jiao walked down the main path when she noticed the home of a good friend of hers. Choosing to check on the home, she knocked on the door, but received no response.

"Hello, Linju… are you home?" But no one replied.

Jiao opened her neighbor's door, only to find the house left in a ravaged state. Possessions of varying kinds; kitchen tools, children's toys, decorative hangings and house cleaning instruments were scattered and spread, as if a wild wind burst into the small home and laid wreckage to everything in its path. Finding no one in the empty home, Jiao returned to her husband, confused and scared beyond belief. Zhong inspected the village himself, finding only quiet buildings with no signs of recent life. There were no signs of a battle or an invasion, otherwise there would have been destruction. Everything within the walls, be it a large house or a small toy, was left undamaged. Shu stood by her boyfriend, as worry filled her mind with horrifying ideas of what transpired at her old home.

"I, I can't believe this… where did everyone go?" Shu asked herself.

"Has something like this every happened before?" Zhong questioned.

"No… over there was Mr. Tian and his forge. And there, that's Mrs. Yang's house, she baked wonderful treats for the pups. Wh-what… what happened?"

Gen stood in the middle of the village, his face shown with shock and worry, greatly fearing that the worst had come to fruition. Gin and Ru ran to join their brother after searching the whole town.

"We looked everywhere, but no one's home!" Gin said urgently.

"What happened? Did we do something wrong?" Ru asked in worry.

Gen, attempting to calm his brothers answered to them, though he too was worrying his mind off himself. "Look, maybe this doesn't mean they're really gone… maybe they'll be let go once we-"

"Look around Gen!" Gin interrupted. "We messed up! We got too involved with the warriors of the Jade Palace and the Royal Family. THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!"

"You don't think I know that!" Gen shouted back.

Ru stepped in, trying to bring some sense to the tree of them. "Ok… so things didn't turn out like we expected, but that's what life goes… or something like that?"

Gen and Gin simply stared in worry at their youngest brother. His comment didn't exactly encourage reassurance. Realizing his tone and mistake, Ru corrected himself. "Maybe everybody is just being held hostage until we pull off our end of the bargain."

Gen, in a worried and (somewhat) controlled attitude replied "And what then… after we complete our part for that woman, what do we do after!?"

Shu, Zhong, Jiao and Renshu all overheard Gen's conversation, sparking suspicion from his family. Shu approached her brothers, curious as to the nature of their worried bickering.

"Gen, what are you talking about?" The young she-wolf asked in a serious tone.

"Wh-what Shu?" Gen replied.

"What are you three talking about?" She demanded.

Gin rubbed the back of his head, nervous as he replied "We're just wondering what happened and-"

"I'm not stupid!" Shu shouted. "You three know something, so what is it?"

Renshu, with a burning suspicion just as hot as his daughter's, questioned "Boys, what is it you're not telling us?"

"If you three know why our home is empty, than spill it!" Jiao shouted, her nervousness only escalating.

Gen looked at his brothers, each of them expressing great debate over their next course of action.

"We need to tell them." Gen suggested.

"But what if we mess this up?" Ru argued.

"WE'VE ALREADY MESSED THIS UP!" Gin shouted in panic.

Zhong, wanting to clear confusion up, stood up to the three younger men and in a stern voice asked "What did you mess up? What were you –AAHHGG!" Out of nowhere, a sharp, sudden pain pierced Zhong in his neck.

"What happened?" Shu asked in worry.

The one eyed wolf pulled something out of his neck, as he held it in his paw, he realized it was some kind of dart with a sharp needle at its point. But just then, the vision of his one good eye became hazy. His mind felt it turned to mush and his energy seemingly vanished. Then the large wolf collapsed onto the ground and became unconscious.

"Zhong what's wrong, ZHONG!?" Shu shouted. "AGGH!"

Almost instantly Shu collapsed and became out cold as well. Gen looked around, seeing the same repeated for his brothers and their parents. Darts struck their necks and one by one and in a matter of seconds they all passed out.

"Oh no… oh no… oh gods… oh gods!" Gen panicked.

The same sharp pain was instantly felt in his neck and the young man fell on his side. Before his vision blackened, he made out a few shapes that were similar to large oxen before he blacked out and lost all consciousness.

((()-()))

Resting his back against a sturdy tree, Erdan waited for Fang to finish with relieving himself. For the past few minutes the teenage wolf looked around at the large forest. The sights and smells triggered something deep instilled within his very being, an instinct woven into the simple pedigree of being a wild canine. Just as birds find solace in the sky or rodents in holes, lupines have always had a distinct nature with wooded lands. But even with this sense of native belonging, the almost perfect silence of this dense forest held an almost chilling atmosphere. Erdan's senses tugged on his mind, giving him the notion that not all was correct with this place. Something was happening here, something unusual. He felt it in his bones as while waiting for his friend to finish up. Suddenly, the teen lupine's ears perked up as he heard the sounds of shouting coming from the village. It wasn't much, but he was able to make out Gin's voice, which pierced through the silence like a hot knife through bread. At the moment he only wished to investigate, but he knew to let Fang finish up his own business first. Thinking back at just a little while ago, Erdan remembered that Gen was acting a little strange. Upon arriving at the woods, the grown wolf stared out into space, and did the same when the village was in sight, as if his mind was in another state of being. Before Erdan could ponder some more, Fang finally showed up, having finished and cleaned him-self after releasing his bladder.

"You ok now?" Erdan asked, looking down at the smaller boy.

"Yep, let's get going already."

Fang then hopped onto Erdan's shoulder and was helped with gaining his balance before the two boys proceeded to the town just ahead. Noticing that the large gates were opened, Erdan made his way through, only to find a chilling sight. The town was empty, barren even. Worse was that Zhong, Shu and her family seemingly disappeared.

"Where'd everyone go?" Fang pondered out loud.

Erdan investigated the scene. He found the family's rickshaw, still filled with its food and equipment. But in front of it were multiple paths made in the dirt road. Deciding to follow them, Erdan cautiously and quietly followed the trails. With Fang remaining silent as well, the two boys went in search of their pack, unsure of what danger or threat may be lying ahead.

("Disquiet" ends)

((()-()))

"HEY, WAKE UP ALREADY!" A low, gruff voice shouted.

Suddenly the dark, empty blackness of unconsciousness was broken when Gen's eyes opened. His eyes adjusted to the rapid brightness of the sun before he looked around and realized the situation he and his family had fallen into. He felt his wrist behind his back, tightly fastened together by sturdy rope and the same for his ankles. Looking to his left he saw his parents, Shu and Zhong, and over on his right sat Gin and Ru, all of whom were confined in the same method as Gen. Some of his family stayed still, while other members tried desperately to free themselves, but to no avail.

"Finally awake, aren't ya?" That same gruff voice sounded.

Turning towards the direction that his ears detected, Gen spotted a large, fat boar standing only ten feet away from the restrained wolves. He was a large, barbaric looking character. Clothes that weren't kept in well care, a belly that protruded his gut and teeth that had been yellowed and worn from lack of proper care. Holding an iron club, the boar turned to his comrades, a band of various crooks, ranging from goats to crocs and even oxen, all who shared similar fashion with the large pig.

"Wh-what's going on here? Who are you people?" Gen demanded.

"Now now" The boar replied in a sarcastic tone. "Do you really think you're in a place to make demands?"

Renshu, in a fit of anger, shouted "What have you ruffians done? Do you hear me? What have-"

But the middle wolf's questioning was quickly ended when the boar slammed his club down by the lupine father, just barely missing by an inch. The almost instant shock was enough to make the man's life flash before his eyes and pass out altogether.

"What have you lot done to our villagers!?" Shu questioned herself.

The large boar walked to the young woman to reply with a back-hand slap to her face. "Ah shut up ya bitch!" He shouted.

Furious, Zhong, in a state of anger yelled "Leave her alone you bastard!"

"Oh ho… looks like this one wants to die first." The large Boar exclaimed.

The brute dragged his club towards the immobile prisoner, readying himself for another kill. Zhong struggled to get free, but the ropes around his wrists and ankles constrained him too much. The boar smiled darkly, and then raised his club in the air, ready to bring it down.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Renzha!" A female voice ordered.

Setting down his club, and looking behind him, the boar noticed the gang's accomplice who had interrupted him. She was a panther woman, attractive, and featuring dark fur and a leather outfit. Along her belt featured an arsenal of holstered knives of various types. She walked as the other bandits stared intently at her figure. But all she focused on was the prisoners these brain-dead bandits brought in. She looked at the lupine pack. Not much, just some young men, a couple women and a passed out father. But what caught the feline's eyes was the large, built canine.

"Wh-who are you?" Jiao dared to shout.

But the panther woman ignored the most recent question, diverting all her attention on Zhong. She approached him, taking a close look at his face.

"Hmm… you're a strong one, aren't you?" She said in seductively sadistic tone.

Zhong remained quiet, doing his best to get a read on this mysterious yet undeniably deadly woman. She then grabbed his snout with one of her paws and examined his face. The most noticeable detail was the empty space where he lost his left eye, leaving a nasty scar over its place. Various other battle markings were visible on his body, but that one eye was enough to make the panther satisfied with her findings.

"Hey!" Gen yelled at the panther. "You broke our deal!"

Zhong looked to the young man in shock, shouting "What deal?"

Jiao, sacred and worried beyond mortal comprehension, asked "What are you talking about!?"

Shu, in a tone of anger, questioned "Boys, what have you not been telling us!?"

The panther woman made her way to the other members of the pack, addressing the young men who questioned the legitimacy of their bargain. Gen stared up in fury alongside Gin and Ru. Her face shown with a smirk as they demanded explanations.

"You said, that if we bring him to you, you'd leave our village alone. THAT WAS THE DEAL!" Gen yelled.

"And I did honor our agreement." She replied, still smirking.

"LIAR!" Gin shouted.

"Where's our people!?" Ru questioned.

She gave a chilling glare before answering. Her voice gave a sinister air that made even grown men shake their bones.

"I did honor our deal. I said 'I' wouldn't harm your village… I didn't say anything about… those." She explained, ending in a disgusted tone when referring to Renzha and his band of oafs.

"So where are they all?" Gen asked, almost afraid to even mutter the words.

The panther simply looked towards a large patch of dirt that was freshly filled. It only took Gen a moment to realize that the neighbors they knew for years were now slaughtered and buried. The very sight, or even the thought of the horrific revelation shattered the hearts of the family.

Jiao looked at the patch, the mass grave before them, unable to contain her shock. "Oh gods… oh gods no… no… no…" She then leaned on Shu and began to sob.

"Did you kill all of them?" Gin questioned in anger.

Renzha approached, answering, "Each and every one… including those annoying little shits."

"No" Gen muttered in disbelief.

Jiao continued to cry uncontrollably as her daughter shed tears as well, now knowing what befelled her childhood home.

"So, what do we do?" Renzha asked "Do we kill 'em like the rest?"

Zhong, attempting to be a protective as he could, shouted "If you harm them I'll-"

"Enough!" The panther interrupted, stopping the idiotic boar from raising his club again. "All I really need is the large one, but if the rest are his new pack… they may be of use."

"So?" the boar asked.

The panther sighed as she drew out a dagger and pointed the short blade at the big oaf's throat. "So… bring them onto the ship… but don't harm them."

Renzha looked at the point of the dagger, merely an inch away from his skin. Had she been a regular bandit he'd bash her skull in half by now. Instead, all the boar could do is follow her instruction, despite his irritation.

"Fine" Renzha said in acknowledgment.

"Good boy" The panther said with a smirk.

She sheaved her blade back into its slot attached to her belt, where many like it resided. The deadly dame got close to Zhong again, stroking his muzzle in a teasing manor. The ex-soldier continued to remain silent, but did his best to act strong in the face of adversity. She was no different than numerous other women, beautifully bloodthirsty. She played with the fur on his head, which held up seemingly like a Mohawk.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, General Yu." The panther said pleasingly.

Jiao perked up, overhearing the panther's words. "G-General… General Yu?"

Suddenly one of the ruffians grabbed the middle aged mother by her fur and begun to drag her away. She screamed in pain while being hulled away like a disposable tool. One by one each member of the pack was dragged off towards the nearby river, each in pain from the cruel manor that they were treated, and in sorrow, for the village they left that was massacred while they were gone. Two men dragged Zhong off, with a couple of bandits needed to drag the one eyed wolf's body that was heavy with pounds of built muscle. Renzha and the panther woman joined them, as their prisoners were taken to their ship.

Little did the raiders know that in a bush nearby, a pair of eyes watched as the last ten minutes unfolded before them. Erdan and Fang watched cautiously and silently, seeing the horrible situation they found themselves and their family in now.

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap… this is bad, very bad." Erdan muttered in fear.

"Who were those guys?" Fang wondered.

"I don't know?" Erdan replied "But we need to get a closer look."

Quickly and quietly the two boys followed the group of raiders, keeping to the shadows and within the bushes for cover. After following for a few minutes, Erdan found them again, now at a large river where a big, wooden boat was docked. With his sharp eyes, the wolf teen scanned the raiders and their ship. About twenty were visible, either on land or on the boat. The ship itself was large, with wide sails and a giant lower deck. But on the upper deck, Erdan could barely make out boxes of what appeared to be produce and fruit, an odd detail, but a noteworthy one. The boarding ramp to the ship lowered and each of the lupine family was brought in before the ramp and doors closed. Guards strolled around the area, keeping vigilant watch.

In his mind, Erdan processed on what to do, or what plan to concoct? But then he noticed Fang about to head forward and out of the bush. Quickly Erdan grabbed the rabbit in time before he left entirely. But the sound of quick rustling of leaves was enough to get a guard to glance in the sudden sound's direction.

"What are you thinking?" Erdan scolded.

"Isn't if obvious? We need to rescue them!" Fang replied quietly.

"I know… but we need a plan, we can't just rush in blindly."

"But what if they need us now or…" The rabbit's large ears detected something approaching, the patting of footsteps.

"Get down and be silent!" Erdan whispered.

The teenage wolf held his friend's mouth closed as two guards, both leopards, stood just in front of the bush the two boys concealed themselves in. Erdan remained quiet and listened as the two raiders conversed with each other.

"I can't believe we're working with those… those… scumbags."

"Yeah well, what can you do? It's the chief's orders."

"Speaking of the Chief, when's he meeting up with us? It feels like ages since we've arrived."

"He's probably rendezvousing with another ship, should only take a few days."

"I don't understand why we didn't burn the town down like the others?"

Erdan muttered a silent gasp and his heart almost stopped as he listened more.

"I mean, we've done it over and over again, so why not this time?"

"Think idiot! This place is full of dense wilderness. If we burned the village we'd be setting the whole forest in flames. You'd see it from miles away. Plus, the scouts reported a royal caravan or sorts that passed by just a couple days ago. The last thing we need is a royal army hunting us down."

"Yeah yeah… but if it were my decision, I'd just kill that family of wolves that wandered back here right away."

"You got no objection here."

SLANT! A sudden sound was heard from behind. Erdan didn't realize it, but his left hind foot was standing on lose dirt, and inevitably it slid down the ground. The two guards took a closer look, and seemingly out of nowhere, another wolf rushed from the bush and ran into the woods.

"HEY!" One of the guards yelled.

"AFTER HIM, NO WHITNESSES!" The second raider shouted to his fellow wild cat.

Erdan ran as fast as he could, hurrying through the trees and plant life. Inside his back pack, holding onto his friend's clothes, fang kept his head popped out. He looked behind and saw the two wild cats chasing after them.

"ERDAN, THEY'RE CATCHING UP TO US!" Fang shouted.

Erdan didn't even bother to look behind as he hurried to out run his older pursuers. He ran on all fours, dashing and navigating the dense and wild woods, his heart pulsing rapidly and his mind in overdrive and making dozens of small decisions on where to go next. The wild cats chased with murderous intent.

"THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER!" Fang yelled in alertness.

Erdan, in desperation, pushed his body past its limits, and increased his speed. Already his muscles and limbs ached, but it was either this or potential death for him and his best friend. He could fight and take on the men, but he knew that'd be a great risk. Erdan was capable, but Fang wasn't. These are trained killers, not small town bullies. Besides, the men likely alerted their fellow raiders, so one way or another, Erdan couldn't fight an army, not alone he could. Right now, he knew his best chance was the run and get help.

As the wild cats begun to lose their gain, Erdan made a quick turn around a massive tree. But almost instantly upon reaching around the curve, he felt the ground beneath him weaken and give way. And in a single second both boys found themselves falling down into a dark, underground abyss. Only moments later they made impact on hard ground and rolled further downwards until reaching the bottom. Erdan laid on his stomach, and his vision became hazy, until it went dark and silent.