I apologize for the disappearance. My mother is having a tough time with chemo, and school is throwing everything at me. This chapter is a glimpse into Mori's life when she was a pup. Enjoy!

Dawn came with the sound of birds chirping loudly, singing their morning songs to each other. The sun peaked over the horizon, and stretched her fingers of orange and red into the sky to chase the deep blues of night away.

Mori cracked one eye open as a sparrow fluttered by, a worm dangling from its beak. Watching the small bird with its meal made Mori's stomach churn from hunger. Getting slowly to her feet, Mori stretched languorously as the sun continued its vertical trek. Today she would help Kakashi and his new team with missions, and help them she would.

Padding down the rocks, she took a quick lap at the river, and went in search of breakfast. That meal came in the form of a fat unsuspecting rabbit that was caught mid-chew beside a low hanging bush. Within minutes Mori had finished her meal, leaving only gleaming bones. She lifted her head to the ever-brightening sky and howled.

She howled about her successful hunt, the way her parents had taught her when she was a pup. They always howled after a hunt. They howled to proclaim how successful they were at hunting, how strong the pack was and also thanking their prey for giving their life for the pack.

One life ends to sustain another.

Shaking out her fur, Mori began her journey to where the team would meet that very morning. As she padded through the underbrush, her mind began to wander.

In her minds eye, she was a young pup again.

Her coat was snow white, and her tail constantly wagged as she played with some of the pack members. Her mother and father, the alpha pair, led a pack of 10 wolves strong and to Mori, they were the strongest wolves ever. She always regarded them with wide, red eyes as they came back from a hunt, howling and yipping with happiness. Her older brother, Hideo, contrasted his sibling in that his coat was a deep blueish black.

With black eyes always twinkling, Hideo always pushed his sister around. If it wasn't biting her ears or tail it was wrestling and proving to her how much stronger and heavier he was. Mori hated him, and was sure he hated her...until that day.

That day, Mori knew Hideo cared for his younger sibling.

It started off as a day unlike any other: calm, sunny and warm. Mori's mother was napping at the edge of the den, a hole in the soil with an upturned tree to give further protection. Mori poked her head out of the den, tongue lolling out happily.

Today would be the day! She would finally explore and be a true alpha bitch!

She wasn't some blind, pathetic and defenceless pup; she was the daughter of the alpha pair!

Mori quietly padded by her snoozing mother, a gorgeous white wolf with grey patches throughout her fur. Looking back to make sure her mother was still asleep, Mori then sprang into action, running through the trees as fast as her overly large paws would take her.

She had come this way many times with her parents, but as soon as she started to investigate a different scent or try and explore, her mother would grab her by the scruff of the neck and bring her back to the den.

Zipping through the trees, Mori soon got lost, and halted in her tracks. Panting, she tried to find something familiar but found nothing. Sitting on her haunches, Mori let out a pathetic whimper that tapered into a howl, hoping someone would hear her.

A twig snapped behind her, and Mori whirled around. Her tail began to wag until an unknown scent hit her, causing her nose to scrunch. A deep laughter resonated through the trees, and Mori bared her teeth, trying to growl ferociously but only succeeding to give a squeak.

A man, a giant to Miro, thundered out of the bush and towards the still growling Miro.

"Dog! Haven't had me some dog in a long time! Ah well, even if it's just a wee thing" the man laughed, and faster then Mori anticipated, grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.

Mori let out a loud and terrifying squeal as the man shook her, her tail tucking itself between her legs in fear. The man laughed again and brought his free hand up to her neck.

Mori's eyes widened in fear and realization: he was going to snap her neck! She was going to die here!

A deep growl sounded from beside the man and a dark shape jumped at the two, snarls echoing from its jaws as it latched onto the man's free hand. Letting out a yell, the man dropped Mori, and the young pup scrambled to hide behind a tree root.

Howls sounded from all around them as she watched Hideo, the brother she thought hated her, tear through the man's hand. A loud snarl echoed through the trees as the alpha pair came.

One look at the man with Hideo hanging off his hand and the alpha bitch launched herself at the man, biting deep into his throat.

You never got between a mother and her pups, and this man did just that.

The man's scream ended suddenly as his blood spilled on the forest floor as the alpha male went for the man's leg. The rest of the pack came seconds after, and soon all that was left of the man was shreds of clothes, blood and an unrecognizable body left to rot. The alpha pair lifted their heads and howled into the sky with the pack following, telling the world of their victory.

'Don't touch our pups or we will kill you' the howl said.

Hideo, blood splattered on his fur, padded over to his shivering sister and nuzzled her cheek. Their mother finally spotted her pups and walked over, chuffing affectionately in her daughters ear.

Gently, she picked up Mori by the scruff of the neck and began the venture home, the pack and her mate and son following behind. Finally they had reached the den, and as soon as Mori's mother put her down Mori curled into a ball, resembling a snowball in a way. Her mother laid down beside her daughter, and Mori inched her way to her mother's warm side. Her mother's rough tongue combed through her daughter's fur, until each strand of white fur was sticking up.

Hideo came padding in just as the sun began to set, and settled in beside his sister. He gave his sister's side a few reassuring licks, causing Mori's eyes to widen.

He did care about her!

Mori's tail wagged slightly as her brother rested his chin on her back. Looking down, the alpha bitch made sure her two pups were safe and snuggled down in the throes of sleep as her mate, the alpha male, stretched his body along the edge of the den.

Her mate was a handsome and strong wolf, with brown fur with strips of gold and black racing through his fur. Sighing, the alpha female laid her head down on her paws while looking at her handsome mate.

"Katsu, we have to move the den" the alpha female murmured quietly as she lifted her head to gaze lovingly at her sleeping pups.

A deep sigh echoed through the small den as her mate turned his black eyes on his mate.

"I am aware of this, Akemi" her mate rumbled, his black eyes meeting the red eyes of his mate.

"We will speak of this in the morning" Katsu stated as he rested his head on his paws, closing his eyes for the night.

Akemi as well rested her head on her paws, but not before giving one last lick on both her pup's heads.