Chapter 5: Stranger's Footsteps
After finding out Shizuru was an avid lover of tea through small talk at the door, Gouu immediately gathered pots and cups and stoked the fire. He began to brew some for her and the two girls following behind before they settled down on the mats around the pit. He had long since reverted back to his human skin—a handsome man with graying black hair pulled in a short ponytail. His eyes were a deep green and an eternally carefree smile crossed his face.
Gouu sat across from Shizuru and twirled a little twig in his hand. As the tea brewed, they managed some talk for a few minutes, speaking of Shizuru's experience with the Orphan and the setting of the village. "We should take a look at your wrists in case it's serious. My mate possesses the healing Gift so she could be of assistance," He told the knight, randomly poking at the fire in front of him with the stick in his hand.
"Who's this I smell?" A soft voice sounded and another woman entered the room. Shizuru was completely baffled. She had to glance over her shoulder to check if Natsuki was still there because the older woman that entered looked strikingly similar to her—even more so than Gouu. Her skin was a milky white and long hair the same shade of blue and style as Natsuki. Her eyes were a soft green and, unlike Natsuki, bode hospitality and kindness as she looked over the guest. But soon her eyes were only on the young woman behind Shizuru, "Natsuki!" The woman was behind Shizuru in a flash, kneeling before Natsuki and embracing her, rubbing her face into the pup's shoulder.
"Mother, stop…" Natsuki mumbled, but her arms, too, were around her mother. A smile crept on her face.
"Ara, mother? I was right," Shizuru pressed her hands together. She had a feeling the striking similarity was more than a mere coincidence.
Gouu's face lit up seeing her enter the room and embrace their daughter. "Great resemblance, isn't there? This is the other Guide of this pack, Saeko. Otherwise known as my mate." He introduced her with enthusiasm and smiled broadly.
Saeko suddenly turned to face Shizuru and smiled, "I'm sorry for this. It's just been so long… Natsuki never visits anymore and we miss her," She looked over her shoulder to Natsuki, making an expression similar to a pout.
A flustered sound came from Natsuki and she sighed, "I'm sorry, mother, I've just been so busy as of late…. I've been meaning to visit, I really have!" she exclaimed, knowing the lack of visits had really been saddening her mother. She did feel extremely guilty.
"I'm just happy to finally see you, Natsuki... Don't feel bad." Saeko gave her hand a squeeze before taking a seat next to her mate, while Natsuki nodded. "Like Gouu said, I am Saeko. It's very nice to meet you." She bowed her head.
Shizuru smiled and could feel the love the small family clearly had for each other. Gouu obviously adored Saeko and the way Saeko smiled at Natsuki spoke unconditional love and care. Natsuki, too, could not hide from it and any attempts to appear hardened in front of the knight just failed. The wolves valued family and Shizuru respected it. She bowed her head towards Saeko, "It's a pleasure. I am Shizuru Fujino."
"So I heard of healing? Are you injured?" Saeko asked after pouring some tea and handing it to everyone in the room.
Shizuru graciously accepted the drink and took a sip before answering, "Oh, it's just my wrists. With the orphan attack yesterday I blocked it and I suppose the shock has caused it some pain."
"Do you want me to look at it for you? I happen to be a healer." Saeko offered, but Shizuru shook her head.
"Thank you, but it's fine, it's fine. I'm sure there's nothing wrong." Shizuru waved it off. Before Saeko could ask if she was sure, Shizuru opened the parchment tube in her bag and pulled out the letter. She handed it to Saeko across the way, "I'm only here to deliver this message. I am not sure what happened over sixty years ago and I honestly would like to know, but this is a proposition of peace from our King."
Both Guides leaned closer to each other, reading over the letter's contents and sighed, "It's very complicated. We really can't do this for you." Said Saeko.
Gouu then spoke in his mate's stead, "We know about this proposition, Shizuru, and we alone can't decide something for millions living in this forest." He put the parchment down, "We have something called a Tribunal. A collection of leaders from different packs, different species of shifters here. The Tribunal is where decisions regarding us as a whole is discussed. What your king is asking for would be one of those decision. Saeko and I are a part of it, but we alone cannot decide without their agreement."
The knight listened carefully and her hands balled up in her lap, inducing the pain in her wrists. "I see, then is there any way I can meet the Tribunal…?" She asked.
"The night of your arrival caused quite a bit of ruckus." Gouu grinned, "We already knew the nature of your visit even without an explanation from Takeda. We gathered that night and they refuse to meet you right now."
"Ara, why is that?"
"How much do you know about us, Shizuru?" Saeko jumped in. Her voice let Shizuru know she was about to continue, not allowing her to answer just yet, "You were sent here with no knowledge of us, our culture, or workings, nor the few tribes your king knows of from the time he ruled. Knowledge that could have helped you. They did not give you the satisfaction of having a choice coming here, right? So your only intention was simply doing as you were told, hope for a quick answer, and return home."
"We are the Kuga Family, one of the largest in the Kagean. Dozens of families and individuals brought into one. Other tribes have hundreds more that would feel threatened by the proposition of reconnecting once more, others supportive. It's delicate." Gouu stated, leaning forward to stare straight into crimson eyes that watched intently, "There is much history here between us and Artai. Throughout the generations your side has shown little to no interest in learning, understanding, and walking our footsteps when we have done so much to understand them. All Artai has ever shown interest in is personal gain."
"You are completely ignorant about us." Saeko's gentle tone turned low.
Shizuru did not know why she took the last comment personally. She wanted to prove she knew something about the wolves, prove she was not completely ignorant, but she recognized it was all true. Suddenly she understood her original intentions weren't what they should have been. She was bringing a message of peace and wanting to achieve it in all the wrong ways and intent. In a way, it was just convenient for Artai and considering nothing for the Kageans.
"She's right about that." Natsuki said behind her with a scoff. The young wolf was leaned back on her hands, listening closely, and suddenly feeling the urge to comment at least once.
Aoi averted her gaze from the conversation, but not her attention. A small shine shown in her eyes as they spoke which just grew as the time passed. She agreed it was true, but she did not believe things would stay that way. The young brunette had always been supportive of the peace and spoke, "It's never too late to learn. For both sides." Her voice was barely audible, "It takes effort, an open mind, and time. It's difficult, but I believe it will be worth it in the end if she is given a chance. It just has to start with one."
The words were optimistic and heartfelt, but sad accompanied with nothing more than a pained smile. Shizuru saw the shine in her eyes grow to tears being held desperately at bay. The younger brunette suddenly stood to leave the room. "Aoi!" Natsuki jumped to her feet to start after her. Footsteps went past the room, they heard the door open, and then close.
Shizuru's eyes lowered, both worried and curious about Aoi's sudden episode, but needed to finish her business with the Guides. Shizuru's hand came to her chest and she said to them, "Please, allow me learn. I'm willing to try and I want to understand. Everything." She sincerely did. She no longer wanted to be ignorant and wished to learn everything she possible could. It was an effort to just speak to the Tribunal, but another personal motive emerged in the wake of Aoi's words.
Gouu's toothy grin grew larger and Saeko placed her cup down. He said, "And you will. We were going to say the Tribunal only wishes to speak to you after you've spent some time with us. Six months. The day before the autumn equinox festival they will meet with you."
Shizuru gave a relieved sigh and bowed from her seat, pressing her hands, almost forehead, to the ground, "Thank you so much." She sat up with a broad smile, finally feeling she was going somewhere. Slowly, but step by step. "Thank you so much for this chance."
"Let's hope this works out." Gouu said, standing up. He made his way towards the hut's exit and turned slightly before leaving, "I'm going to check on the pups. I think you should allow Saeko to tend to your injuries for now, Shizuru. You cannot work if you cannot use your hands." With that, he disappeared past the door.
Saeko had inched closer and taken Shizuru's hand, "He's right. Let me look." Lightly gripping it, she blinked, "They're fractured. This will only take a moment, then."
Gouu stepped out onto the deck and closed the door behind him. On the edge of the deck Natsuki sat alone, just peering down to the agora below. The bodies walking around below looked like ants scurrying about, a perspective that amused her. Just like looking down into the valley from the mountain trail. It was just something about being so high up that Natsuki loved. Gouu made his way towards his daughter and perched himself at the edge by her side. She never noticed him coming until he sat, "Is Aoi alright? She seemed very upset."
"With good reason. She was crying and left to calm down." Natsuki looked at him with a scowl. She loved her parents to death and she would do anything for them, but her softness was only with her mother. She was hard on her father, mostly for no reason. They did not always see eye to eye and as Natsuki grew up they argued quite a bit. The old fashioned folk of the village always saw Natsuki as a troublemaker for always acting out against her parents, Guides no less, "She's also like this because of the Tribunal, you know? You were a part of it, too, and you could have helped."
"Natsuki, that's not fair," Gouu said quietly when she placed some of the blame on him, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I was in the minority and I tried. It wasn't my decision in the end to forbid her from interacting with them. But she does have a chance again, now."
"Well, not the chances she's been wanting." Natsuki said loosely, but he knew what she meant.
"That'll work itself out." Gouu sighed and looked around, rubbing the sides of his trousers before talking again, "Listen, I wanted to talk about a few things,"
"What is it?"
"Your lack of visits for one. Your mother and I are worried… You've been so detached and what we hear about your anger lately worries us more."
Natsuki looked away, arms crossed, "I've just been busy, father. Really. Stress can do that. I'll be fine." She shrugged.
"Will you? Regardless, your parents are here to talk to you if you need us. You need to trust us a little more." He felt he was losing Natsuki the longer he talked and sighed. He went back to business since business was all she was willing to discuss, "Listen, we are putting you in charge of Shizuru's care. Teach and mentor her."
"Why me?" Natsuki asked calmly. She brought her knees to her chest and hugged them.
"You found her first. You know when we find wolves without a pack, they're given an accepting home. The first to have found them must care for them until they, too, understand the pack and can support themselves. We'll treat her like that." Gouu looked up at the clear sky past the branches for a moment and leaned back. There was a pause before he turned his attention back to his daughter, "And two, I think she would be good for you, Natsuki. Give this person a chance and become her friend. It won't kill you to try, in fact it'll open doors for the both of you."
Silence filled the deck for a very long time before Natsuki let out a frustrated sigh, ruffling her own hair, "Fine. I'll do as you ask. I guess she's not that bad." She looked away, "She's actually been pretty… nice."
Speaking of Shizuru, she and Saeko finally exited the hut. "Natsuki, where's Aoi?" her mother asked.
"She went home. Needed to calm down."
The female Guide sighed and place a hand on her hip, "Well, it is understandable. Give her time." She placed the other hand on Shizuru's arm, "Thank you for meeting with us. Natsuki's going to teach and care of you while you are here. And Natsuki?"
Natsuki rose to her feet, looking at her mother quizzically, "Yes?"
"Come visit again soon." Her mother smiled, looking at her with a face much like her own. Gouu nodded in agreement. "Now, go have some fun and get along." With that they bade their farewell to both Natsuki and Shizuru and returned to their hut.
They were left there alone on the deck as the blue-haired beauty looked off the deck, seeming to be lost in thought. It was that far-off look that Shizuru loved seeing again. What are you thinking, Natsuki? She thought.
Shizuru place a hand on her arm and stepped closer, "Natsuki? Is everything alright?"
Green eyes turned to her and the young wolf pulled out of her thoughts, "A—Ah yeah, it's nothing. Just a bit worried about Aoi… It's not my place to say, but she's been through a lot with humans. Maybe you should ask her one day." Natsuki rubbed the back of her neck. She then held out her hand, her expression soft this time, "Anyways, let's go home."
"So did my mother heal you?" Natsuki asked, brushing away the cloth at her home's entrance. Upon returning, Shizuru was met with Diana flying overhead and George grazing about Natsuki's turf. Someone had cared for them the other night and finally returned them. The bird was able to enter Natsuki's home through the skylight and perched herself at the opening, staring down at the pair speaking below.
Shizuru rolled her wrists with a smile, "Good as new!" she said with energy, "Both had fractures, it's an amazing gift. She told me she's had to use it a lot on you," She gave a short laugh, seeing Natsuki's expression.
"W—What? She told you that did she…" she looked away.
"It sounds like you were quite the troublemaker,"
Natsuki crossed her arms, "Eh, I was." She coughed and walked towards the wall adorned with weapons, "Anyways, we're going to hunt for dinner. Show me what you've got." She grabbed a standard longbow, strung it, and handed it and an arrow quiver to Shizuru. After Shizuru accepted the gear into her hands, Natsuki took her own bow and quiver from the wall. The bow had carvings etched around the handle. She paused for a second and pointed at her bow, "Don't ever touch this. It's mine." She walked out the den.
"Hai, hai," Shizuru smiled and followed after, pulling the bow quiver over her head. Stepping outside, the brunette had to stop her for a moment, "Just so you know, Natsuki, I'm not a strong hunter. I was taught to fight and ride. I can track people, but that is about it."
Natsuki's eyes went to the side for a second and then shrugged, "It's fine. Just try your best and you'll get better in time. I'll help you." She took a few steps from Shizuru and held out a hand to stop her, "One moment." The wolf closed her eyes and as she opened them, Shizuru noticed they were radiating a soft green.
The hairs on Shizuru's arms and neck stood on end and she tried not to look so surprised watching the girl change before her eyes. Natsuki let out a breath, the sounds of bones cracking, shifting, and reforming just filling the air. The pain was nothing to Natsuki anymore, but Shizuru could only imagine what it must have felt like. Natsuki's body temperature was searing hot as the fur grew and her mouth sprouted to a muzzle, a tail following all at the same time. It was all a process that took just a few seconds. The noises ended and the results, to Shizuru, were beautiful.
Natsuki, although not as tall as the males in her beast skin, was close to a foot and a half taller than Shizuru. Her fur had grown darker to the point it appeared black, still showing hints of dark blue in the sunlight. The back of her mane still had long luscious locks flowing down and over her shoulders. Looking into the wolf's eyes Shizuru could still see the werewolf as the Natsuki she met. The eyes were still a forest green—distant, but beautiful.
Shizuru's first thought was to touch Natsuki's mane, see if it were as soft as it looked, but she stopped. She knew better than that. Instead she shot her the usual friendly smile and said, "Ara, Natsuki is just as beautiful like this."
Ears perked at the compliment and her tail gave a slight sway. However, Natsuki's words only contradicted her clear and happy body language, "Stop saying weird things, weirdo," the wolf mumbled. The same husky voice was there, only slightly lower in tone. She waved for Shizuru to follow with a stuttering cough, "Come on, do you want to eat tonight or not?"
The hunt for Shizuru was extremely handicapped. Natsuki, able to see the world in a way much different from the knight, could point out every sign and scent of a creature. Shizuru could not and struggled seeing the things Natsuki would point out to her. Watching, for Natsuki, was not as unbearable as she had thought it would be. She could tell Shizuru truly put an effort to implement what knowledge she had of tracking, attempting to tie in between the similarities and differences of human and animal. Her only struggle was the lack of knowledge on the animal she tracked—their structure, their footprints, the type of marks they leave as they move through certain terrain, and their droppings. Shizuru knew man had two legs and arms, their footprints distinguishable, and way of navigating often unflattering, leaving behind all sorts of clues to be found. Without knowing a thing about the creature you follow, you cannot possibly hope to know what to look for to begin with.
Shizuru was thankful Natsuki was being patient. She was surprised, actually, by the lack of smart comments and the fact she had not been called an idiot or weirdo for the past few hours. Natsuki said they were following rabbits. Fast little critters. She was not entirely confident she could hit one—if they ever found them. The wolf, however, helped and pointed out the details she missed and Shizuru brought them closer. "There we go…" Natsuki whispered, seeing the small game in front of them, "Take the shot."
Pulling an arrow with a broadhead out of her quiver, Shizuru mounted it and drew back the bowstring. Natsuki watched as she did so, mentally complimenting her excellent posture. The knight aimed and released the string, the rabbit giving out a squeaking cry as the arrow hit, scaring off the others.
Shizuru's face lit up, proud of her first accomplishment since arriving at the Kuga's village. They approached the kill and Natsuki removed the arrow. She took the rabbit and held it in her hands, pointing at its side, "You missed the kill spot though so it didn't kill it right away. Not bad, though, Shizuru. It's a good start. A small miss on a tiny target like this is a good hit when you hunt larger game." Natsuki took her own bow in hand and began to walk again, "I'll take the next one,"
"Natsuki, why do you hunt with a weapon when you have the form you're in now?" Shizuru suddenly asked. It was true that their beastly skin provided great speed and strength.
"Because it's difficult alone. We hunt without weapons when we have others to help. We may be fast, but they can be faster as well." She answered Shizuru's question and a twinkle came to her eyes as she had an idea, "Want to try though?"
Shizuru's brow raised, "Try what?"
Natsuki began to move, sniffing the air and looking about for something to follow. She spoke quietly as they moved, Shizuru pushing low branches away from her face as the terrain became dense. "We'll work together on the next one. You spook it and give chase towards me and I'll take care of it." The dark-furred wolf smiled.
When they found the prey they were looking for, Shizuru did as Natsuki said. The wolf separated herself from the brunette, quietly prowling a distance to the other side. She was no longer visible, too far away to notice in the cover of the woods, but Shizuru had an idea where. Standing from her crouched position, Shizuru drew her bow and released an arrow, deliberately missing, and the rabbits scattered.
The brunette just selected the creature running conveniently in the right direction and ran after it, grabbing the arrow pinned to the ground as she passed. Such tiny animals, but so nimble, she thought, maintaining the ground she had between her and the rabbit. She tried not to take her eyes off it, but she wondered if she led it in the correct direction. Peering around, she thought, This should be it.
Natsuki leapt from the side and grabbed the rabbit in between her jaws. It didn't give so much as a cry or shriek. Stringing it to her belt, Natsuki stood from her crouched position, "That's how it usually works in a group. Chase it, tired it out, and lead it to someone who's waiting. You didn't do bad." Satisfied with her efforts hunting with Natsuki, Shizuru smiled as she caught her breath. She could get used to this.
Only an hour passed as they put their hunt to a close. Four rabbits to Natsuki was enough to suffice for dinner and breakfast. They begin to head home, following an old beaten path the hunters used. The post-hunting hype had led to a silent walk, as Natsuki had nothing to talk about other than hunting. After some time, the wolf thought about the guest she would be having for the next few months. She thought about her father's words. It is true Natsuki thought the knight was kind. Maybe too kind, but Natsuki attempted to show hospitality towards her host. She figured it would be best to know Shizuru rather than live with a complete stranger. She cleared her throat, "So… what did you do as a knight, exactly?"
"I'm a lieutenant, so mostly assisting my superior, Captain Yuuichi, with watching and training soldiers, leading in his absence." Shizuru answered her, fiddling with the bow in her hand. She wondered where they placed her naginata when they took it. Thankfully it was generic and not the specially forged one still lying in her quarters, "He's always gone and so naturally I have to do everything for him while he's away."
"That sounds like a pain." Natsuki scoffed, "More trouble than you really need."
"I'm overworked, but that's to be expected. They like to do it to lieutenants, especially before a promotion," Shizuru rolled her shoulders, generally more relaxed with the wolves than back at the palace, "What about you, Natsuki?"
"Me? I'm just a hunter." As if guessing Shizuru's next question, she answered, "My parents have been Guides for decades and everyone's content about them having it. I don't even want to take their job, I'm also content where I am." Natsuki scratched her head, unable see herself giving guidance to anyone about anything.
They kept walking and Natsuki recalled some things Shizuru had said in past conversations. "Say," she started. Shizuru tilted her head, picking up her pace slightly so they walked beside each other, "This morning you said you wished you knew what a family was like. You don't have one?" Natsuki turned to her, hoping to find out and just deathly curious to know for some reason.
Shizuru faced forward and smiled, face thoughtful and somewhat dejected, "I don't. I've been orphaned so young I don't even remember my parents' faces anymore." She sighed, "I have some memory of them, their voices, but that's it. A Captain of the royal knights took me in and I spent all my life with her. I think it was at twelve they let me start training."
"She may have not been blood, but surely the two of you thought of each other as family?"
Shizuru brought a hand to her chin, "I'd like to think so but… She was always gone. Me, I was always alone taking care of the house. And it was a big house." She smiled, spreading her arms as an exaggeration, "I still wanted to return the favor and be a knight she could be proud of," the brunette continued to look forward. Natsuki felt the change, knowing the older woman always kept eye contact while speaking. Speaking of the memory was obviously hurting her. Shizuru then let her hand drop to her side with a smile, "Ara, but what little time we spent together was always nice so there is that! She was very kind. Selfless. Very high-spirited. One day, I believe I was sixteen, she just went on a campaign to the north and never came back…."
The wolf's ears folded back against her head. The idea of Gouu and Saeko nonexistent in her life was an upsetting and frightening thought. She loved them to death and despite her troublesomeness over the years, they provided her everything she needed. Natsuki felt bad for Shizuru, having no parents and losing her new mother over ten years ago. Natsuki just looked at her with a soft and saddened expression that surprised the knight, "I'm sorry, Shizuru. It must have been lonely. I can't even imagine life without my family."
"Natsuki, it's fine. I had some friends so I was not too lonely!" Shizuru waved it off, not wanting to see the sad expression in Natsuki's eyes any longer. She slowed to a stop and Natsuki noticed, stopping herself, "Natsuki, you're helping me so I may know the answer, but do you honestly believe in peace?"
The wolf nodded, "Ah, I do. I've always wondered what's out there… I actually always wanted to go past this forest and see for myself the different worlds past my own, but I'm also afraid of what could go wrong." Natsuki looked up, as if trying to see past the forest canopy, "But if we do decide to open up I have no choice but to trust others are as good as you. I trust you're a good person, Shizuru, and I'm sorry for hurting you yesterday. I want to give you a chance, I mean we're stuck together right now." The wolf said wholeheartedly, her words almost unconsciously spilling from her.
Without a word, Shizuru wrapped her arms around Natsuki, her form too tall to wrap around her neck, "It is okay, Natsuki. Thank you for trusting me." The words overjoyed the knight and fur against Shizuru's face was softer than she imagined. Warm.
A blush could not appear on the wolf's face, but Natsuki felt it warm up nonetheless. Natsuki was easily flustered by this woman, but this time she did not mind. There was no backlash or aggression, no calling the brunette an idiot or weirdo. Shizuru smiled as large arms wrap around her. Those arms could easily crush her, but they felt so gentle. "You're welcome," Natsuki said. A new question came to mind as they pulled away from each other, "What do you want to know by the time you leave here?"
The knight peered into the forest green eyes and smiled, bringing a hand to her chin pretending to give her answer some thought, "Let's see, I want to know your culture and history, become a great hunter, meet the other species, and…" she let her hand drop from her chin and her smile broadened looking at the wolf, bringing about another flustered expression, "… and I want to know Natsuki."