Erdan 3: A Legend's Rebirth

by Jeffwolf21

Erdan, the young wolf boy, now has a happy life, with a loving family, a bright future, and prosperous living. But a series of events will lead him down a path that will determine not only the fate of himself and his family, but also the fate of an entire people. And after three years, an evil from his past emerges, as the boy embarks on the greatest adventure of his life.

7. Chapter 6: The coming of a clan

Chapter 6: The coming of the clan

The sun slowly fell beyond the horizon, leaving a temporary aura of mixed, soothing colors in the sky. As another day closed, the village streets now became quiet and empty. The people have returned to their homes, relaxing after a hard day's work. Enjoying the tenderly cooked suppers their wives prepared for the family. In this time of transition, a warm and easing vibe streamed into the air, signaling that the time of rest had finally arrived.

Walking down the stone village road, Master Tigress strolled through the town with a young boy by her side. After nearly an hour they at last reached the boy's family home, sitting humbly in the inner area of the small village. Tigress Stood five feet in front of the Hao's family home. She looked down at her paw, where the young rabbit boy was napping, asleep while leaning against her arm. The feline master nudged the boy's head gently with her free paw to wake him up.

"Fang, Fang wake up." Tigress said as the bunny's eyes opened.

Fang then gave a relaxed yawn before saying "Wh-why'd you wake me?"

"You're home." Tigress answered.

A moment later Fang became aware of where that they reached their destination, the small house that is his home. The bunny hopped off of Tigress' arm and landed onto the stone paved ground. Though he was dreading the moment he'd return to his parents, he began to second guess his words about preferring to be home rather than the Jade Palace. His lesson with Shifu may have been a complete disappointment when at the palace, but there at least were warriors and a clumsy panda to hang out with, instead of being stuck with a nagging mother and irritating father.

"You gonna be okay?" Tigress asked.

Fang was then brought out of his train of thought, taking a moment to processes the tiger's query.

"I guess, it's not like my lesson was any better." Fang said with a hint of regret.

"You know, reality doesn't really live up to expectation."

"Yeah well, my whole afternoon was a complete waste." Fang replied with aggravation.

"So that was all for nothing, huh?" Tigress said with a raised eyebrow.

Fang simply stayed quiet. His silent expression was enough of an answer he had to give.

"Well, just stay out of trouble… if that's even possible." Tigress said.

The feline master then dashed away on all fours, returning to the Jade Palace after her task was complete. Fang watched as she speeded away, almost becoming a small distant object in a matter of moments. But when she was away, Fang made a small smirk as he reached within his robe and pulled out a pair of training nunchucks. He looked at his prize with a face of excitement, thinking of how he'd show those pigs a thing or two soon.

"Well… it wasn't 'all' for nothing." Fang said as he held his new weapon.

The bunny then hid his score in his robe again and opened his home's front door. Immediately his mother and father came rushing towards him… much to the boy's dismay.

"Fang!" His mother shouted as she grabbed his boy.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Gerald said sternly, but with a hint of relief.

"I was at-"

"I don't want to hear any excuses from you young man, you're late to dinner, and you're grounded for two months!"

"What!? But mom I was-" Fang protested before being interrupted.

"Enough! Now come and eat your cold supper." Fang's mother shouted while dragging her son by his ear.

Fang then concluded that no matter what danger or bully he's encountered, nothing is more terrifying then an angry mother. The bunny boy was taking inside, and was bracing himself for the unbearable lecture he will have to endure. While Fang was 'surviving' his family drama, Tigress rushed through the village, in an attempt to return to the Jade Palace before dark. As she ran down the stone road, passing by the homes and stores of the small town, she noticed something ahead. Two things, both dark grew in color, and running as fast as her, but towards her instead. It only took her a second to realize that Erdan and Zhong were just now making their way to Shu's house. The tiger thought about having a quick word with them, but contemplated on the very real possibility that they were late for dinner themselves. In a matter of seconds the feline ran passed her wild canine friends. And though they weren't able to share a brief moment to talk, they were able to exchange a smile as they zoomed by each other.

Zhong and Erdan continued to hurry to home. The muscles in their bodies aching from stressful running, sweats of perspiration drenching their bare torsos, and exhausted lungs pushed air back and forth from their unplanned sprint. The hurry back home wasn't bad enough, but the summer heat still lingered in the air, making the two wolves exhausted, hot, and smelly. The fact that they both exhausted themselves from training earlier the same day only contributed to their fatigue. As they ran on all fours, their tongues dangled out of their mouths as they panted from tiredness. Although Erdan and Zhong would have normally enjoyed a chance to let loose like this, to let out their kind's craving for freedom and thrill, the moment was almost entirely ruined by their stress out minds, and summer's cruel rays of heat.

After a few minutes after entering the village, Zhong and Erdan finally reached their destination, Shu's pottery shop/house. As the large father wolf was a few yards from his girlfriend's residence, he couldn't take his fatigue anymore and plopped down onto his chest, resting on the stone ground. Erdan couldn't help but do the same, resting on his back right next to his old man. Both of them panting as their lungs grasped for as much air as they could get. Their torsos moved up and down rapidly in response to the physical train they just endured. Erdan reached into his backpack and pulled out a bag of water, and upon opening the cap and drinking some, his inner body felt like heaven once replenishing with the clear liquid. The wolf teen then held the containment by his dad next to him, and Zhong grabbed it without hesitation. The grown wolf simply poured the water on top of his head, then his back, and after rolling over onto his back, poured the water over his chest. The cool liquid aided in providing relief to his aching, tired body. Zhong then drank what was left in the container before falling back down on his back.

"W-w…we…m-ma…ade…it." Erdan gasped.

"Ye-…yea…yeah." Zhong replied.

A silent minute passed, where each second felt like an eternity. The two wolves continued to gasp and breath heavily, though as the moment went on, they both calmed down with their tired breathing. Erdan looked at Zhong, who then looked at his son. After a few seconds they both a smile started to tug at their lips, and soon they both begun to lightly laugh. Erdan wasn't sure why this would be his reaction, perhaps to find humor in their misery.

"I… gotta admit… it's been… awhile… since I've ran like… that." Erdan said

"Ye-yeah… I'd enjoyed it… if… it… wasn't so… damn… hot."

Immediately after saying those words, Zhong expressed a slightly concerned a look at his son, knowing that his choice wording could have been better. But Erdan simply made a zipping motion across his mouth followed by a smile. Zhong would have been relieved, but his exhaustion was so great he didn't even have the energy. For the next few minutes the two lay down on the ground, and afterwards gained to energy to get up and enter their family home. Zhong approached the door and went inside, while his boy stayed out a bit more to admire the sunset. Upon entering his girlfriend's shop, a sense of confusion stirred intrigue in his mind. He noticed a great number of changes with Shu's store. The pots, vases, and other home décors were rearranged in groups according to size and color. The whole room was organized and efficient with its wares. The floor was freshly swept, the desks and table were recently cleaned, and the overall appeal of the business was much more professional. Zhong walked around and inspected the shelves and merchandise that was for sale. Signs were re-posted detailing the prices and special offers available. For as long as he's known his she-wolf, Shu was always one to do things, whether small or big, differently than the average person. As the wolf continued his inspection, he couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't alone. His senses had kicked in, warning him that another was possibly nearby. He heard the subtle patting of soft feet slowly move after each other. He continued to overlook the vases, playing the unknowing tactic he's used countless times in his past. One after the other the feet continued to move ever closer. Zhong sniffed the air. A faint smell of wild trees and wilderness found its way into his nose. He braced himself. In a split-second he turned and tackled his assaulter to the floor. He was surprised to see it was another wolf, a middle aged man. His would be attacker tried to struggle his way out of the ex-general's hold, but was unable to free himself.

"Who are you? What are you doing?" Zhong said sternly.

"Let him go NOW!" Another voice shouted.

Zhong looked up and saw yet another lupine, this one a middle aged female. She held a kitchen knife out ready for self defense. Before Zhong could ask another question, two more wolves came quickly into the store, both young males.

"What's going on?" One of the men asked.

"Some… ruffian just barged in, and then attacked you're father." Jiao answered while still alerted.

Zhong slightly moved, placing the man under him in a hold with his knee, leaving his arms free for defense. He entered a stance suiting close quarters combat, ready for anything these mysterious lupines might try.

"Go lock the door. I don't want this cut-throat getting away with any money." Jiao ordered.

One of the younger men quickly walked to the door, but as he was about to lock it, the entrance burst open and only a moment later he was tackled and pinned down by someone. He lay on the floor, and when his mind could process the last few seconds, he saw a teenage boy, a young wolf on top of him. The teen lupine stood in a defensive stance as he looked out at the situation in the shop.

"What's going on here?" Erdan asked, seeing the number of unfamiliar faces.

He looked to his right and saw Zhong on-top of another wolf man, his foster father ready to face against the intruders.

"Dad, are you ok?" Erdan asked.

The middle aged she-wolf became puzzled for a moment, (wait… dad?) she thought in her mind.

"What is all that noise?" the shop's owner shouted.

In just a few short moments Shu entered her store, immediately shocked by the sight that awaited her. In front of her was her mother, holding a kitchen knife in her paws. A little further in front of Shu was her foster son, Erdan, tackling down one of her brothers. But the worst sight of all was to her left. Zhong, her boyfriend and her mate was holding down her father and ready to fight her family to the death. But a quick second after witnessing this everyone's attention was fixed on her.

"SHU!" almost everyone shouted, followed by "Shu!?" this time said in confusion.

(Fire Emblem Awakening ost – "Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!")… yes this is the actual name of the song.

But before the young she-wolf could respond, her third sibling came walking in the store. Actually he was more so waddling in blindness, what with the pot encasing his head. The young man bumped into a number of things, including the wall before tripping and falling down in front of Erdan. The teen boy sported a face of confusion, seeing such a bizarre sight, and not to mention a far from warm welcome.

"Um…Mom, why is there a pot head in our house?" Erdan asked.

Jiao looked at her daughter, asking "Mom? Wait is he?"

All Shu could do at the moment was put her paw to her face and sigh. All she could think was how this evening might be ruined before even starting. Out of all the ways this night could have begun, she never thought it would begin with a hostage crisis. The young she-wolf braced herself as she walked towards her mate.

"Zhong, please release my father." She sternly asked.

The one eyed wolf looked at her while asking "Wait… fa-"

"NOW!" she interrupted.

The burly wolf immediately got off of her father and simply stood in place while his captive walked over to his wife.

"Dad, are you ok?"

"I'll have to…" He answered in an aggravated tone.

Shu then walked to Erdan, asking "Erdan, please get off of my brother."

The teen boy did as his mother commanded and let his older captive go. As the boy's prisoner joined his parents and brothers, Zhong joined his mate and cub, desperate for some answers.

"Shu, what's going on?" He asked.

"Yeah, what's been happening mom?" Erdan asked in confusion.

Shu looked at her old family, her mother, father and brothers, and then her new family, her mate and their young. She simply sighed, taking a moment to calm and collect her-self.

"Well-" She said to herself. "It's finally come."

She then cleared her throat and begun the introductions.

First she looked at her birth family. "Mother, Father, Brothers, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Zhong. And our son, Erdan." Then she looked at her two boys. "Zhong, Erdan, I'd like you to meet my family. My mother, Jiao, my father, Renshu, and my three brothers,Gen, Ru, and pot head." She finished with a joking smirk.

"I heard that! I can't see but I can still hear!" Gin yelled from his ceramic prison.

Though the moment would normally call for a second of slight humor, the group of lupines stayed quiet. Shu then prepared herself once more. And awkward silence lingered as the two parties examined each other. Jiao walked forward and approached Erdan, eager to meet her new grandson, while Renshu met Zhong formally, the both of them taking a closer (and safer) look at their new pack-mates.

"Oh so your Erdan, I've been looking forward to meeting my new grandson." Jiao greeted.

"It's nice to… meet you…too." Erdan awkwardly replied as he shook her paw.

The lady-wolf examined the boy. He looked healthy and appropriately tall for his age, his face reaching the middle of his large father's chest. She noticed that Erdan was rather muscular for a teen, more than other boys in this period of growth. His arms had some size, his legs seemed slightly athletic, and he had a developing chest with visible lines and curves.

"Erdan, do you… compete in any games?" Jiao asked.

"Umm…" Erdan said as he felt being inspected.

Renshu was examining Zhong, the man whom tackled him down, and the same man who's been seeing his daughter. The father wolf scanned his eyes along the man. He was large, and built, much more than normal men and his body featured a few scars from past instances. Zhong was looking to his left, keeping an eye on his son, hiding the rest of face.

"Sir, look at me now." Renshu asked sternly.

Zhong slowly faced the middle-aged man, revealing his scarred face. Renshu simply looked at the skin covering spot where a left eye would normally be. Replacing half of his face with a large scar that would give anyone chills.

"Hmm…" Renshu muttered to himself.

As the parents were meeting the new members, Ru and Gen were discussing amongst each other, thinking of their new family as well.

"Ru, Look at his eye."

"You mean the lack of an eye?" Gen replied.

"He looks like some kind of cut-throat bandit." Ru whispered.

Gen walked by his sister's side asking "Shu, where did you find this guy?"

She looked back at her brother and answered "Here, at the valley."

"He looks like some kind of war criminal." Gen quietly spoke.

Shu sighed before replying "I know he's not what you'd… expect, but just give him a chance."

At the moment, Shu's mind was racing. All the fears and worries from the day finally manifested in an awkward air of judgment and anxious worries. She couldn't help but break apart inside from watching her parents inspect her own family.

Jiao noticed Erdan's stomach, thinner than most boys.

"Erdan, are you staying heathly?" She asked.

"Ye-yeah… I do my best." Erdan answered as Jiao placed her paw on his stomach.

"Are…are you eating enough?" She asked.

Her comment gained her daughters attention, coming to her son's side.

"Mother I feed him well." Shu defended.

Looking back, Jiao replied. "Oh, I'm sure you do honey… I'm sure."

She then looked at Erdan and said to him "Don't worry sweaty, I've made a big feast for you."

Her comment earned her an offended look from her daughter, but was too absorbed in her new grandchild to notice.

"Oh… uh… thanks…" Erdan replied awkwardly.

Finally Shu had had enough of the tension.

"Everyone," She announced. "Now that the introductions are done with, I think it's time we have dinner."

Renshu walked over to the dining area while saying "Very well, we can talk more then."

His wife begun to leave the room as well, but not before whispering into her daughter's ear.

"Shu, can we talk, privately?"

"Um… sure mother." Shu answered.

The two women left into the house, leaving the boys along with each other. Gin lay on the floor as he yelled "Are any of you jerks gonna help me?!"

With some instruction from his other brothers, Zhong got into position to pull the vase off of the wolf's head.

"Ok, on the count of three." Gen instructed, with him and Ru holding onto Gin's body, and Erdan and Zhong holding onto the vase.

"One… Two… THREE!"

The Zhong pulled the vase back with his strength as the two brothers pulled Gin's body in the opposite direction. Zhong's muscles rippled and in a few short moments the vase came off with a loud pop. Gin fell on his bottom in response, and Zhong stepped back a bit, taking a moment to regain his balance.

"Gin, you ok?" Ru asked.

"OOOOWWWW!" Gin yelled.

"You alright?" Gen asked.

"NO! I've been trapped in their all day, and now my whole face hurts." He stood up but noticed the large, buff and bare wolf just five feet away from him. "Um, who's the wild man?" He said, gaining a raised eyebrow from Zhong.

"That's… Zhong." Gen answered.

Gin looked at the large man and then back to his brother. "Wait, that's?" He asked in shock, only getting silent nods in response.

"Are you fine?" Zhong asked.

After a moment of awkward silence, Gin answered "Oh, yeah I'm… I'm fine, you know what they say… a little pain hurts no one, right?"

Zhong could only feel confused in response. "Are… you sure?"

"Yeah, just trying to get to your funny bone." Gin said as he lightly punched Zhong's stomach, only for his fist to be met with the solidness of the one eyed man's core.

Gin returned to his brothers.

"does he even have a funny bone?" Ru asked.

"I don't know? I couldn't feel it under all that muscle he's packing." Gin whispered.

As the three brothers were debating among themselves, they hear a voice say "Um, hi." They looked back and saw Erdan right by them.

"So… uh… you guys are my mom's brothers." Erdan greeted though unsure of what to do.

The three young men looked down at the teen who had joined them. Gin cleared his throat before greeting Erdan.

"Yep, we're your mom's brothers, which means you've got some cousins to hang with." Gin introduced the three of them. "The boring one is Gen, The lazy one is Ru, and I'm the funny one G-"

"Pot head?" Erdan jokingly said.

Gin paused in slight embarrassment as his two brothers chuckled at the teen's quip.

"I like him already." Ru commented.

Gin was about to correct his name, when the voice of their father came from further in the house.

"Boys, come help set the table!" Renshu lightly shouted.

The three young men all went to the kitchen to help, leaving Zhong and Erdan alone in the store. The atmosphere of confusion lingered still in the air. The father and son were left puzzled, even after the confusion was lifted just minutes ago.

"So… did you know anything about this?" Erdan asked, looking up at his old man.

"No, not one bit." Zhong replied.

("Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!" ends)… seriously, who hell named this song?

Despite the awkward and (one could call hectic) hasty introductions, the two lupines decided to get more answers from their mate/mother. As the two walked through the house, they noticed that the table in Shu's kitchen had another table placed right next to it, to create more room for a larger dinner. Ru, Gin, and Gen set the table ready, as Renshu prepared the food for the big event only moments away now. The smell of freshly cooked home meals floated it way into Erdan and Zhong's noses, created a flavor fantasy within their imaginations. The father and son left the kitchen to find Shu. They came to the hall way that lead to the bedrooms and as they walked down, Shu's door opened and out came Jiao. She walked down the hallway, confused with a slightly worried expression on her face. The feeling only intensified as she passed Zhong, giving him an inspecting glare at the one eyed man. After she left and joined her family, Shu came out of her room, dressing in a beautiful green robe with silver trims.

"Shu, what's going on here?" Zhong asked.

"Yeah, you never told us your family was coming?" Erdan added.

"I didn't know they'd be here today. They just showed up out of nowhere right after Erdan left for Mr. Pings this morning." Shu answered. "And why have you two been so late?"

Both father and son scratched the back of their heads, a habit the man gave to his son over time.

"We uh… kinda took a nap at the palace, and overslept." Erdan answered.

"But why did your family try to attack me in the shop?" Zhong asked.

"Yeah, you've told your family about us in letters, right mom?" Erdan questioned in a calm demeanor.

"I did, I did write to them about you two. I just… didn't mention some things about you boys." Shu answered with a hint of shame.

"What kind of stuff?" Zhong answered.

"The kind of stuff that makes a mother regret letting her daughter go into the world on her own."

With that one sentence, all was made clear. The pairing expression on her face told the sincerity of her actions. She looked conflicted with a mixture of confusion and guilt. Noticing this, Zhong wrapped his arms around her, giving a tender hug of support. She embraced it, and soon found their son joining in.

"Hey, look. We knew this day might come." Shu explained as her boyfriend and son listened. "This evening is something that's very important to me. It's a chance to prove my mother that I've made something on my own. Something she can proud of."

"Di-did I ruin it?" Zhong asked with a tone of worry.

"Well, the introductions could have played out better, but the evening can still be salvaged. Just please, promise me you two will be your best tonight, ok?" Shu asked.

"Sure mom. And who knows, maybe it'll turn out nice." Erdan said with a grin.

"I'm not sure how well it'll go with me, but I'll be the best man you could want." Zhong said with a small smile.

Shu smiled, sighed, and replied "Thanks, both of you." Then she kissed Zhong with tender love. Then continued, making Erdan detach from their hug with a face of… slight disturbance. After a few moments their kiss ended and Shu started to join her family.

Before leaving the hall, she turned back and said "I left some clothes for both of you in your rooms, change and come for dinner."

"Ok mom." Erdan replied.

But before they entered their rooms, Shu said "And this dinner… is NOT shirt optional."

"What? But-" Zhong said back before seeing a stern face on his girlfriend. "Uh, sure, we'll be… fine." He said back.

Shu then smiled and nodded. Zhong then sighed.

"Hey, it's only for one night, it can't be that hard." Erdan said to his father.

"Easy for you to say… you don't look like barbarian." Zhong replied.

The two then entered their rooms, where they found a set of clothes Shu had bought for them earlier the same day. Zhong found a fancy red robe, with silver trims. Erdan was given a nicely shaded blue garment with white trim and long pants. But to the two wolves' dismay these outfits were meant for fancy gatherings and events. So they featured warm insides and long sleeves. Fine if you were a pig or goat who could use the extra warmth. But to a wolf, with thick fur meant for harsh winters, these clothes could be seen as a form of torture. Despite this, the two changed according to Shu's request. Erdan fit nicely in his, and though he felt the warmness already trapping in, in intended to power through it. Zhong however didn't take to the new clothes well. Although it fit him ok, the warm evening trapped his already heated up body. And his broad build showed through the robe, still showing the large size of his torso and arms. The man looked at himself in the mirror. He suspected this day may come, but he never thought it'd be so soon. The man had faced wars small and big, hellish training, tireless efforts in earning trust, and the complications of parenthood. But now he is about to face a challenge the likes of which he's never braved before, meeting and impressing in-laws. The man walked to his door, took a deep breath, released, and then joined the dinner.

(Fire Emblem Awakening ost – "Such bonds are the strengths of this army")…the title is misleading, trust me.

In just a few minutes the whole pack was assembled and seated at the table in Shu's kitchen. Jiao and her husband sat next to each other, their three grown sons after him, and on the other side there was their grown daughter, her boyfriend, and their teenage boy. The whole table was featured with main courses and side dishes. At the center was a large fish dinner, and around it were sides such as vegetables, rice, dumplings, and noodle soup. After Shu and her family gave their gratitude for the meal, they all began to eat while making conversations.

"So… Shu… how did you and… Zhong… meet exactly?" Jiao asked while starting with some soup.

"Oh it was a month after I moved to the Valley of Peace. We met during the winter festival." Shu explained as she ate. "He and I first met while I was running errands at the market. We bumped into each other in the road, and we just sort of… drew attention to each other." The family continued to eat and feast as Shu continued her story. "Soon after that, he helped me with some supplies as I was returning home. We got to know each other more, and soon after that we started dating."

Jiao finished her soup and took a piece of the main course as Renshu took his turn to ask a question.

"So… Zhong, where are you and your son from?"

The one eyed wolf paused a moment before answering "Um, we're from the… the city, yeah, we came here a while back."

"What city?" Jiao questioned.

"South-" Shu interrupted. "A city that's south from the Valley."

Jiao took notice and mental note of her daughter's reply.

Gen was eating as he asked his new, younger cousin a question to break any ice.

"So, Erdan, I heard you got a job, what kind is it?" He asked before taking a sip of water.

"Oh, I work at a local noodle shop, but only part time." Erdan answered, then taking a bite out of his vegetables.

"You've got quite some responsibility for you age." Gen commented.

"I was pretty busy as a teen too, I was from one place to the another all day." Gin said with a cocky smile.

"Yeah, cause you were trying to woo every young lady in town." Gen objected.

"Well that's because women can't resist my charms, to me, they're easy to impress." Gin proudly said.

But as he looked at the end of the table, he saw his sister and mother staring at him with expressions one would consider slightly damning. The young man nervously gulped down his water and corrected himself, "Well… simple ladies, you know?"

Shu gave a slight sneer and replied "Oh yeah, cause any woman would be dying to go out with Mr. Pothead." She gave sneaky smirk afterwards.

Gin sported an annoyed face and replied "Well maybe I didn't get a vase on my head, if you hadn't shut me out."

"Well maybe you shouldn't have been a jerk like always!" Shu protested.

"Oh yeah-" Gin said loudly, almost yelling. "When have my jokes every caused trouble for you."

Shu placed her utensils down and faced her brother directly. "Well, what about the time when we were twelve, and we were helping those merchants?"

"That was once!" Gin protested.

"Or when I was five and lost my favorite scrolls cause of you?"

"That was twice."

"How about when dad needed help with lumber and you-"

"That was three times." Gin interrupted. "Those were three times only!"

Ru made a sly grin and commented "Well with today and the pot head thing, that makes it four."

Gen yelled in annoyance. "Well maybe you shouldn't have kept putting little bugs in my pillow at night back then!"

"Gin, we were just six years old, that was long ago!" Shu shouted.

Jiao raised up and yelled "BOTH OF YOU QUIET DOWN!"

The dinner then escalated into a large verbal battle, with Shu and Gin dishing out frustrations and their mother doing her best (if rather loudly) to calm them down. Zhong, Ru, and Gen simply sat still in the awkward and noisy scene, not even eating their food. Erdan sat by his quiet foster father, and thought about the right thing to say to settle the matter. After a minute of thought, he decided on what to do.

"MY NIPPLES ARE BROKEN!" Erdan yelled out loud.

Suddenly the whole room went quiet. Everyone deverted their looks at the teen who was simply eating his vegetables. Raised eyebrows and open mouths of puzzled minds was all the pack of wolves could make after such choice wording.

"A-are you ok son?" Zhong asked.

"Yeah, I'm just fine." Erdan simply answered.

"Then, wh-what was all the thing about the nipples was?" Gin asked.

"Nothing, but it got you all to stop fighting, isn't that's what matters?" Erdan explained.

The family then took a moment of silence and realized their actions within the last few minutes. Shu, Gin, and their mother sat back down with cooler heads.

Renshu, watching the whole thing, looked at the boy and proudly said "Heh, I like this boy."

Erdan smiled a bit, and the family resumed their dinner.

After the opening side dishes were eaten, Renshu took the main course, a large fish dinner. He took slices of the meat and gave them to each member of the family. While most were delighted by the sight of fresh meat, Erdan however slightly hesitated to eat it. Jiao noticed it, worrying if she did anything wrong.

"Are you ok Erdan?" She asked while eating her share of the fish.

"Um, yeah… May I, uh…" Erdan asked nervously.

"What dear?" Jiao asked.

"Can… I, um, have some more soup instead of fish." Erdan asked.

"Why? Is yours bad?" Jiao asked.

"No not at all, I just… don't … eat fish." Erdan slowly answered'

Shu's family then paused in surprised at what they heard.

Jiao turned to Shu and asked "You said you feed him well?"

"I do, he just… doesn't like meat." Shu protested.

"Is this true?" Renshu asked while taking a bite out of his main course.

"Yeah, I… never… liked fish, even when I was little." Erdan explained.

Jiao begun to spiral thoughts in her mind.

"Well that explains why your gut's so thin." Jiao said.

"Mother, he just doesn't like meat, that's nothing strange." Shu said back, defending her son.

"Honey a wolf who doesn't like meat has something seriously wrong with him." Jiao argued.

"There's nothing wrong with him, he's-" Shu yelled.

"It's ok mom, I'll… I'll eat it." Erdan interrupted.

"No Erdan, you don't ha-" Shu pleaded.

"It's ok mom, a meal isn't worth ruining this evening." Erdan argued.

Zhong looked to his son, worried about his boy. "I can eat it for you?" He offered.

Erdan sighed and replied "No, I'll eat it."

The teen then picked up the piece of fish with his chop sticks and prepared to consume. He took a moment to look at the wad of dark red food, almost hesitating. The boy then sighed again, then slowly placed the meat in his mouth. From the moment it contacted his tongue he sensed the texture and taste of the main course. His taste buds were telling him why he disliked the food so much, besides the fact that he didn't like that he's currently eating something that was once alive and had a life of its own. Erdan did his best to fight through the trial, making sure to keep himself from creating any negative expressions on his face. He chewed the meat, swallowed, then looked a Jiao and sheepishly gave a small grin.

"Well, that's much better." Jiao said before sitting back down and continuing her own meal, oblivious to the offended faces coming from her daughter.

As the evening continued, the family started to drift into their own talks and topics. Shu got into a debate with her parents, and her brothers begun a conversation of their own. Zhong looked at both groups, realizing this was a chance for a daring move. He nudged Erdan and his son looked at his dad. Zhong then placed a figure at his mouth, signaling to stay quiet. Erdan nodded and the man took a large amount of Erdan's meat and placed it in his mouth, earning him a pair of thumbs up and a smile from his boy.

"So, Zhong." Renshu said as the burly wolf swallowed and addressed him.

"Mind me asking of what happened to… well…" He said as he pointed his figure to his own left eye.

Zhong placed his paw over the left side of his face, the side scarred by the dark deeds of his past.

Shu knew how heavy a question like that is to an ex-con/general. She spoke up, saying "He's… very sensitive about it and-"

"No Shu, I can handle it." Zhong protested.

"Are you sure?" she asked replied by a nod.

The whole family listened in as Zhong explained. "It happened years ago, when I was young and for a moment, foolish. I… took a job for a, a friend. It didn't go as planned, and there was an… an emergency and… let's just say that, well, I'm very lucky to have lost JUST an eye."

Once finished Zhong took a bite out of his fish, avoiding he glares and suspicious gazes from Shu's family, especially her parents. The air was quiet, apart from the slight sounds of teeth munching on food.

"What kind of job was that?" Ru asked.

Zhong stayed quiet for a brief moment, then answered "Oh… um, I used to work in security… at the, the city I lived in before."

He tried to pass off his answer best to his abilities, though it didn't fully convince Jiao and Renshu, who were both still lingering onto a little suspicion for this mysterious man.

("Such bonds are the true strength of this army" ends)… see what I mean?

Gen finished his main course and decided to ask a question that had been puzzling at the back of his mind. He looked at Erdan and asked "So, Erdan, did you grow up with Zhong in the big city?"

"Um, kinda." Erdan answered before taking a sip of water.

"What do you mean 'kinda'?" Gin asked.

Erdan then sighed, thinking back on dark memories of past. Shu and Zhong knew well what they're boy was thinking, as well as the pain alongside him. Together, the mother and father placed their paws on Erdan's shoulders, giving him warm and supportive smiles. The teen felt assured and begun to explain his beginnings as the whole pack of wolves listened closely.

(Fire Emblem Echoes ost – "Parting")

"I wasn't born in the same city Zhong lived in, I didn't even know him until a couple years ago. I was born in a village of wolves in the Tavon Bodged Moutains, who were a tribe that were once nomads before settling in China's wild ranges."

Shu's family was shocked at this revelation, and they all could only hold their breath as he continued.

"My pack lived simple lives, supporting each other and striving to be one with nature. That's what our beliefs demanded us. My birth father was a builder, one of the best, if not THE best we had. My birth mother was a house wife, she made décor out of wood and leather. I remember that she made me little toys to play with when I was only a few years old."

"You have a lot of siblings?" Ru asked.

"No, I was an only child."

Immediately the family was shocked by this truth. "W-wait, how could that be?" Renshu asked.

"I didn't fully understand it at the time, but my mother couldn't have puppies. No matter how many times she and my father tried, she couldn't conceive. But then, one day she was very sick in the morning and after one of the tribe elders checked on her, she discovered she had a puppy growing in her belly." Erdan lightly chuckled before saying "She probably burst with joy when she was told that."

Shu's family looked at each other, puzzled greatly at the true story they were hearing with their own ears.

"Because of this, me and my parents were seen as a kind of… oddity. I grew up pretty lonely, all of the other kids thought I was a weird thing, and unnatural thing. There were times when I was bullied by them, all for something that wasn't normal, at least in their eyes. My mother and father did everything they could to make me happy, she would play with me, and tell me stories before bed. And my father often went camping in the woods nearby."

"This whole time you've been using the words like 'were' and ' was', does… that… mean…" Jiao asked.

Erdan nodded and continued.

"Just three years ago, there was this one night, where a group of mountain lion raiders came and attacked. I was awoken by my parents, and we tried to get out fast, but one of the wild cats was breaking down the door and there was almost no escape. In a desperate effort to protect me, my parents placed me in a large basket by the window. And they told me that if anything happened to them, I was to climb of that window and run… run as far and as fast as I could, and never look back."

Erdan began to tear up, and then both Zhong and Shu comforted him as he built up the strength to continue.

"My…my parents tried to fight them. But they didn't stand a chance… and… and… they… were…" Erdan couldn't take the pain anymore and hugged Zhong while crying into his chest. Shu wrapped her arms around the boy and for a few minutes, the only sound heard was Erdan's sorrows. Everyone felt a great deal for Erdan, and Jiao couldn't help but cry herself. After five minutes, Erdan calmed down, though staying in Zhong's arms for the rest of the telling of his story so far.

"How in the world did you survive?" Gen asked.

"After my parents were… there was this young mountain lion, who must have been some kind of apprentice for the leader. He was told to check the basket I was hiding in, and he opened to find me… crying and alone."

Everybody held their breath, listening in on the horrific and tragic story.

"In those moments, I thought I was next to die, so I just cried. But the young cat must have been different than the others. He didn't harm me, he just… stood there with a dagger in his paw. He then told me to get out, and how to avoid the raiders, and then he left me. I didn't know what to think of him, but I knew I needed to move quickly if I wanted to live. I climbed out of the window. I wanted to look back and say goodbye to my parents one last time, but I did as my mother told me… and never looked back."

"Oh my goodness!" Renshu said in shock.

"I hid in the woods, with nothing but pants, waist cloth, the fur on my back, and a terrified mind. I hid in a hollow log the rest of the night, afraid of falling asleep and getting killed while I was unaware. Morning came and I ran to my village, hoping anybody survived. But… I came to find my home, my tribe, completely gone. Our huts and houses were burned to ruins, out crops taken, and I found the remains of a mass grave. Nobody was sparred, the men, women, elderly… even the puppies. They were all killed and buried. Except for me, I'm the very last of my tribe, of my pack."

All of the wolves present at the table had their jaws hanging in almost disbelief, not even taking a bite out their meals for many minutes.

"I knew I couldn't stay, and I could never rebuild. My parents died, and I was all alone. There was still blood on the village entrance, and I remember the sound of a wooden wind charm my mother made that as I left my mountain home. I then made my way to the nearest city, and that's when I met Zhong. He saved me from some street goons, and after hearing of what happened to me, he took me in. He cared for me, gave me a warm bed, a cozy home, and best of all… a second father."

("Parting" ends)

Erdan finished and right after hugged Zhong. The one eyed wolf hugged back alongside Shu, and the family could only sit and be besides themselves at the story of their youngest, newest, and most tragic of pack members. With a few minutes passing, Erdan's mental state resumed and he returned to eating his dinner. Jiao was overcome with emotion, small tears dripping down her face as she was on the verge of breaking down herself. The she wolf decided she needed to do something… anything for this pour boy. She got up from her seat and brought out the desert that was being saved for later, a large moon cake. And in an act of charity, she cut the cake and gave two large, whole slices to Erdan. They nearly filled the whole plate the slices were cut so large. Erdan was surprised, to put it lightly. In the few times he's shared his painful past, people have given him support or comfort, but never before had a person given him large quantities of sweet food. Jiao then looked at the boy, sitting right by her after she served the cake to him.

"Oh, you pour thing!" She said as the middle aged she-wolf suddenly hugged him tightly, almost squeezing him to the point of losing air. After a moment she realized her actions and released her new grandson from her grip and sat back down on her chair.

"Wow" Ru said "Mother gave you two whole slices, she's never done that like… ever…"

Shu, seeing the large size of the slices asked her mother "Um… don't you think you gave him, a little too much?"

"After all that pour child has been through, you don't think that's NOT enough?" Jiao replied.

Erdan looked at the large pieces of cake on his plate. Lightly brown in color, with pieces of fruit within for flavor, and added sweet honey for extra kick. He'd eaten treats like this before, though on rare occasions such as holidays or birthdays. He didn't want to break the diet that helped him build his body into what it had become now, but at the same time he wished not to disrespect Jiao's charity.

"Um, thanks… a lot." Erdan thanked with a convincing grin.

He then took a few bites out of the cake, tasting the sweet yet thick flavor. Soon the whole family ate their shares of the finishing course, though some had less bountiful shares, due to Jiao's emotion driven choices just minutes ago. Erdan ate his cake, but after finishing the first slice, he developed a fullness in his gut, warning him that his limits have been met.

"I… I can't eat anymore…" Erdan said slowly.

"that's alright Erdan, you can finish it tomorrow." Shu said as she took the slice and stored it in one of the kitchen cabnets.

"Hmm, Jiao, you did a fine job with the dinner." Renshu complemented to his wife.

Jiao raised an eyebrow and said "That's all, JUST fine?" in a half serious/joking tone.

"I-I meant you did a-a fantastic job… one of your best!" He corrected himself.

"ONE… of my best?" Jiao asked jokingly.

"Y-your very best, indeed…" Renshu quickly replied.

Jiao just giggled slightly and gave a light kiss, showing that she was once again, only messing with her husband. She then turned to the whole family and said "Ru, Gin, Gen, why don't you three play with Erdan in the backyard, while us adults have some time for ourselves."

Gin got up out of his seat, along with his brothers while protesting "Mother, we're adults too, you know."

Jiao smirked and asked "Really. Well, would an adult get his head trapped in a vase for a whole day?"

Nearly everyone at the table lightly laughed, trying their best to keep their humor from being heard by Gin, although they weren't doing a very good job concealing their laughter. The grown young man just stayed quiet in annoyance as he walked to the backyard with his brothers.

Erdan got up from his chair and felt a little tired from all of the food he had eaten. It didn't help that he snack quite a bit while at the Jade Palace earlier the same day.

"You ok Erdan?" ZHong asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good, just, just gotta take it easy." The teen answered before leaving towards the backyard.

Shu and her mother cleaned the dishes, with the aid of Renshu and Zhong. Together the four cleaned after their family feast. Nearly everything was consumed, the only remains were crums and spare slices of cake. As the women were nearly done, Renshu tapped Zhong shoulder, gaining the one eyed wolf's attention.

"So, Zhong… may I have a word with you in private?"

"Um… ok." Zhong answered.

The two then walked to the living room, where the fire place was aflame, warm with the light of burning logs making slight crackling sounds as the evening continued. The two men sat down on wooden chairs and begun to converse with each other.

"So, Zhong… how has dating my daughter been for you?"

"Well…" Zhong said, trying to relax the best he could. "It's been nice."

"Nice? That all you have to say?"

"Well… she's nice, and kind, and creative with her work."

"Yes, yes she's always been the type to paint and make art in pottery, ever since she was young." Renshu reminisced.

"Yeah, she's told me that before, ever since she was little." Zhong replied

As the two men made conversation with each other. Shu and her mother were conversing themselves while finishing up cleaning after dinner.

"Shu"Jiao asked. "What has been your experience like, in a relationship with… Zhong?"

"Oh, he's very nice." Shu answered while washing a dish.

"Really, he seems so… well… gruff…"

"Well on the outside, sure. But when I got to know him, I found that he's very sweet, and gentle, and devoting, as well as a little… well… goofy sometimes." Shu answered with a giggle.

Jiao thought back to when she first laid eyes on Zhong, and thought to ask question that has been residing in the back of her mind al evening.

"How does he… dress daily?" Jiao asked.

Shu looked back at her mother and replied "He… dress's himself in pretty basic outfits, though I can never get him enthused about fashion."

"Then, why was he half naked upon returning home?" Jiao asked.

As the older mother continued her questioning, her husband continued his chat as well.

"I like to just, let loose, it's how I relax." Zhong answered. "Whenever I'm home I often fore go a shirt or vest, especially during these hot days."

Renshu chuckled lightly and replied "By all means, go for it. You've got no reason to feel any shame, what with the shape you're in."

"Well, to me there was never really anything much with shame about it." Zhong replied.

"Yeah well, enjoy it all you can. For me, time changed both my life, and my body. I used to be in quite tip top shape like you." Renshu said, remenising on his past glory days.

"Really, did you workout or do training?" Zhong asked.

"Didn't need to, what with all the wood work and building I did." Renshu then gave a slight smirk. "Heh… when I was young, I dressed like you, and I always drew some nice attention… heh, heh… hooo boy."

Zhong chuckled with him, understanding very well of the scenarios guys like him had. All the while, Jiao continued to question Zhong's… habits.

"You just let him, and your son, be half bare all day?" Jiao asked in slight shock.

"Well that's how they relax, if they put what I want in consideration, than it's only fair I do the same for them." Shi explained while finishing up a wash.

"Honey, there's a difference between rest and relaxation… and acting like a couple of wild men!"

"There's nothing wrong with what they do to unwind!" Shu protested

"Shu, the best thing you could do for your son is teach him to not act like a wild savage in the woods." Jiao sternly argued.

Shu paused a moment and then asked "What do you mean by that? Are… are you referring to Erdan's deceased people?"

All it took for Shu was the look upon her mother's face, with the squinted eyebrow and the judging eyes that gave her the answer. As Shu continued to defend her son, Zhong was enjoying his time with Renshu.

"So then, we had to pull the merchant out of the ravine." Zhong humorously explained.

"Wait wait-" Renshu added, trying to hold his laughter. "You guys found the merchant, and your friends found the statue?"

"No no, WE found the merchant, and my friends found the NECKLACE." Zhong corrected.

"Then who found the statue!?" Renshu asked with glee.

"NOBODY! It could be in Mongolia for all we know!" ZHong answered followed by hystic laughter from the two men.

Once the two calmed down, Renshu decided to ask another question regarding his daughter and ZHong.

"So… Zhong… what's would be the level of… intimacy you have with Shu?" He asked calmly.

"Well… we enjoy dates, and cuddling by the fire, and all sorts of stuff together." Zhong answered.

"That's… um… not what I mean…" Renshu corrected.

Zhong could guess the heavy subject intended, so he answered calmly and with certainty.

"We've never gone THAT far." Zhong explained as Renshu listened. "There was this one time, when we were starting to have issues, and maybe losing our spark. I wanted to keep what we had, so I set up a date one night. I courted her, and we were about to engage in… well… you know."

Despite the details, Renshu stayed quiet, letting Zhong continue.

"In those moments, I was about to start the act, and she was curious of that stuff so she followed along. But… a few minutes in, before we even took off our clothes, I had second thoughts… and I stopped."

"Why?" Renshu asked curiously.

"I believe that… an act like that… should be saved for the right time when you know without a doubt that you'll be together for life. And that the doing such a thing outside of it… just defeats it's whole purpose, I explained this to her, and she decided to respect my wish."

Renshu made a small smile upon hearing the result of that memory, especial of how his daughter acted In the end of that day. Thought his proud thoughts were far off from his wife's.

"You live with him and are raising a child, and you're not even married." Jiao questioned.

"Is that really a problem… mother?" Shu asked annoyingly as they sat at the now empty table drinking tea.

"Well just answer me this; have you been… sleeping with him?"

Shu almost gaged the tea in her mouth, though she swallowed and protested.

"NO MOTHER!" She said back.

"Is that the truth?" Jiao questioned with a glare unlike any other.

Shu couldn't resist and answered "Well, there was this one time. But before you say anything, let me say that; it only lasted a minute, it wasn't my idea, the only clothing removed was his vest, nothing on me, and HE'S the one who decided it wasn't the right time."

"Sweety-" Jiao said back. "You should never have been put in a situation like that… ever!"

"So you're saying I can't have puppies!?" Shu argued.

"Well… I'd feel a lot safer if you married a man from the village, someone I knew." Jiao said as she sipped her tea.

"Oh, I bet that's how it was with dad's parents." Shu asked sarcastically.

"Oh no, his mother and father hated me."

Shu immediately raised her head from her drink and asked "What!?"

"Yeah, I was young and in love with him, but his family couldn't stand me, thought their son was too much for a country girl. So we ran away together saying 'Screw the arrows and screw what they think'." She explained as she laughed, not realizing her own irony.

Shu was overcome with anger and yelled "YOU HYPOCRITE!"

As the adults were continuing their… um… talks… Erdan and the three brothers were getting to know each other out in the backyard. Shu set up some paper lanterns around her home's back area that helped light up the nightly scene. The air was slightly warm, though slowly becoming cold as the night progressed. Erdan and the three brothers saw on the soft silky grass near Shu's garden and small pond, sharing memories and opinions on various topics.

"And so I say to her 'baby, you and me, the lake, jus the two of us'." Gin said proudly.

"Yeah yeah, and how exactly did that date end again?" Ru asked teasingly.

Ru paused a moment before answering "Well… we ended up splitting afterwards. We just, didn't think it'd work out with us."

"You mean she dumped for some traveling merchant." Gen plainly said.

"W-well… that's one translation."

Erdan lightly laughed at the various stories of Gin's romances, but only when his two brothers shed light on his past failed relations with his lady friends, mostly at the expense of his own actions. Although he only knew them for a few short hours so far, the teen began to forge a sense of brotherhood with his new, older cousins.

"How about you Erdan, have you had nay girlfriends yet?" Ru asked casually.

The boy stopped his giggling and suddenly became aware of the older wolf's question. Feeling at ease (though maybe because he wasn't currently with his parents) Erdan answered to the best of his knowledge.

"I've… uh… never had a girlfriend."

"Do you want one?" Gen asked.

"Um" Erdan replied awkwardly. "Maybe someday, I mean, it may be nice, right?"

"Yeah, it's pretty great, especially if you ever get invited into her home." Gin added.

"You mean, for dinner?" Erdan asked.

"Yeah… th-that's what he means." Ru said awkwardly.

Doing his best to avoid any uneasy situations, Gin decided to slightly change the conversation.

"Erdan, you even know how to woo a girl?"

"I-I've… heard how… from a friend." Erdan replied, though he wouldn't admit that the advice from his simian friend was entirely reliable.

"Kid, have you even talked to a girl?" Gen asked.

"Yeah, I'm friends with quite a few." Erdan answered while smiling.

"We're not talking friendships, this is about dating." Gin added.

Erdan was about to respond, that is, until Gin entered himself in once again.

"Kid, you got looks, you got muscles, now all you need is the charm." Gin advised. Erdan stayed quiet, listening on the older wolf's advice. "You gotta sweep her off of her feet and impress her right off the bat. A wink of your eye, a smooth smile, and an upbeat attitude is always the way to go. Plus, some flexing could never hurt as well."

"Huh" Erdan pondered out loud. "Well… my mom says that being polite and kind is all it takes."

"Yeah, if you want to bore girls to death in the process. You gotta show her a good time, be out going, and a little cocky sometimes."

"Wasn't being cocky what cost you those girls?" Gen asked.

"More like thinking with his cocky." Ru teased.

"Maybe you two should shut up!" Gin said back.

Gen looked once again at the tree in Shu's backyard, and his eyes kept being drawn to something nailed to its trunk.

"Erdan, what is that thing on the tree?" Gen asked.

The teen looked the circular object and answered "Oh, that's just my target."

"Target?" Gin asked.

"Yeah, it's for when I practice archery here at home." Erdan answered.

"Wait wait, you can shoot a bow and arrow!?" Ru asked, followed by a simple nod from the teen. "Ok, you gotta show us right now!"

"Really?" Erdan asked.

"Yeah come on, show us." Gin said with excitement.

After a moment of thought, Erdan decided to agree and he went inside to fetch his bow and arrows from his room. When Zhong and Renshu noticed him carrying his things, the two decided to join him, along with Shu and Jiao. In a few short moments the whole family was in the backyard, waiting for Erdan's display of his skills in target and shot.

Jiao looked at the boy, with a wooden bow in his paws, and deadly arrows in at his side. She leaned at Shu and asked "You let him play with weapons?"

"He's very good, and he takes it very responsibly." Shu replied.

Erdan then picked up and arrow and proceeded to get ready. He placed the arrow's end at the bow's strong, pulled back, took aim, breathed in and out, and then released. Within a short second his arrow flew at blurring speed and stuck the target dead in center. Zhong and Shu cheered, Renshu applauded, the three brothers had their jaws dropped with impressments, and Jiao just watched silently. Erdan then took another arrow from his quiver, and readied himself again. This time, he focused, and released, and before anyone realized what happened, his arrow was shot right through the last one, completely splitting it down its center. Erdan himself was shocked, never before had he pulled a bulls-eye like this before. And the rest of the family was just in as must disbelief.

"Holy crap!" Zhong muttered.

Shu then smacked the back of his head and sternly said "Zhong!"

"I'm sorry but, look at what our son did!" He replied while rubbing the back of his head.

Everyone went over the target and got a closer look at Erdan's amazing shot. The teen himself was amazed by his performance.

"Wow, kid, you got real talent." Renshu complimented.

"Wow… just… wow." Was all Erdan could say upon seeing the arrow split the other down its center.

"I've seen a fair share of good archers before, but kid, you're something else." Zhong said proudly.

He then went to hug his son along with his mother all the while Jiao couldn't help but ponder on the one eyed wolf's comment just now. As the family was praising Erdan for his skills, Ru decided to try his hand and archery, seeing Erdan dropped his bow and quiver to quickly inspect his shot. He took hold of it, trying his best to mimic the boy's actions.

"Hey, you shouldn't try that." Gen said, noticing what his brother was attempting.

"Relax man, if a kid can do it I sure can." Ru said confidently.

As the family of wolves were enjoying their party, a different family had hit the beds now. In his bedroom, a middle aged goat father tossed and turned in his bed, trying his best to fall asleep, though the pressures and hardships of his business were denying him rest.

"Come on Jimbo, sleep." He muttered to himself.

He decided to try altering the atmosphere, to try to relax himself to try to get his slumber. He opened the window doors of his room, letting the light of the moon fill his sleeping space. He then went back to his bed and got under his blankets and sheets once again.

"Maybe this will help me be at ease." Jimbo said to himself.

Suddenly he heard something, a slight whistling sound, and then in a split second he saw something dart towards him at frightening speed. The goat only had a second to act and moved his head to the side. Miraculously the flying object missed him by an inch and the arrow just barely missed his head, driving itself into his wall. The goat looked at the arrow, shaking and quivering before passing out to shock, and ironically, found his slumber at last.

The wolf family stood in shock as Ru stood in silence, realizing what he just did, saying "Oops" before Erdan quickly grabbed the bow from his paws and gave a stern piece of his mind.

"Never do that again!" Erdan shouted.

"I-I just… wanted to try an-" Ru replied before Erdan interrupted.

"It takes months of training and practice just to do it right!" He spoke with a sense of anger towards his older cousin, leaving everyone in silence as he continued his lecture. "This isn't some toy or a way to impress girls, it's a weapon. A REAL WEAPON! I've legitimately used this on people in self-defence."

"Y-you've… actually shot PEOPLE with THAT!?" Gin asked.

"YEAH, I've shot bad guys. I didn't kill them, but I very much could have if I didn't have control and discipline!"

"O-ok, I-I'm sorry…" Ru apologized.

Erdan was about to give another shout when Shu placed her paw on the boy's shoulder, and shook her head slowly back and forth. Erdan then took his things and went to return them to his room, storming away in anger. Shu sighed at the result of her evening. She could only imagine the judgmental thoughts spiraling in her mother's mind. Renshu looked up at the sky, seeing the position of the moon. The evening grew late, and it seemed that the best course of action was the end this party for the night.

"Jiao" He said as he walked to his wife's side. "It's growing late, we should get back to the inn and rest."

The older she-wolf felt tired herself (especially her voice) and nodded in agreement. She then told her sons to get going to rest for the night.

"Shu" Jiao said while walking to her daughter. "We're going back to the inn."

"Fine" Shu replied with her paw over her face in disappointment.

Jiao then walked back through the house, knowing her daughter (as well as herself) was in no mood to talk anymore. Renshu then approached his only girl and hugged her. Zhong thought about giving her support the same way, but refrained himself, letting the father/daughter moment linger.

"You ok Shu?" Renshu asked upon finishing their hug.

With a sigh she answered "… yeah…"

"Ok" Her father said before nodding to Zhong and leaving himself.

The woman of the house entered her home again followed by Zhong, and the two sat together by the fire. They both stayed silent, not thinking of what to say or do. Then Erdan came in from his room, noticing the family was now gone.

"Where is everybody?" He asked.

"They went back to the inn for the night." Shu answered.

She just sighed and noticed both her man and their son scratching their arms and torso. The whole evening their outfits had been annoying them with constant itchiness and discomfort

"Alright, they're gone, you can take them off now." She said quietly.

Without hesitation Erdan and Zhong removed the itchy robes they had been wearing. The feeling of their now freed torsos was like heaven in comparison. However Shu held her face in her paws, ashamed at the outcome of their party.

"Mom…mom, are you alright?" Erdan asked, the light of the fire glowing on the fur of his now bare chest.

"No, no I'm not fine." Shu said while on the verge of breaking down. "Because of me, this night was ruined. I put so much pressure on you two, I made you both wear those uncomfortable outfits, and… and I made you, Erdan, relive your parents' deaths and eat something you hated, something you believed was wrong." Tears streamed down her face. "I…I…I…"

Suddenly she felt her son hug her and she embraced his act of comfort. Then both of them were wrapped in Zhong's large, strong arms. She cried a bit, saying "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry I-"

"Shhh…shhhh…" Zhong soothed her. "It's ok, it's alright."

"If I had told them the whole truth… maybe this night wouldn't have been so hard for us all." She said, starting to calm down.

Erdan, wanting to see his mother happy, said "Well… I at least had a nice time, getting to be in a wolf pack again, I mean."

Zhong joined in. "And I had a nice time with your father, at least he likes me, so, it wasn't all for nothing."

The family of three continued their hug and Shu began to calm down. Shu felt the warmness of her two boys sharing their love for her.

Erdan thought for a moment, then asked "Hey, how long is your family staying?"

As Zhong wiped away her tears, Shu answered "Only till late morning, they need to get back to the village after traveling so much."

"Well, good on the bright side; there's still time to make things right with them." Erdan said a optimism.

Shu nodded and began to calm down.

"I think we should all get some rest, we've had a long and heavy day." Zhong advised.

And with that, Shu agreed. After sharing goodnight kisses with her son and mate, she put out the lanterns out back, and any light around her house before getting ready for bed. After getting dress for bed, she looked at the wall of her room. There she had two paintings, one of her birth family, and the other, a portrait of her, Zhong, and Erdan. Once again she sighed, but was too tired to even think. She got in bed, reached for the lantern by her night stand, and blew it out for the night.