She may have no regrets in protecting her family, but she was starting to regret going alone deep in the forest. What was she thinking? Could she really find Himari before it's too late? Kasumi shook away the doubt and kept going onward. What was she trying to prove going out here? Kasumi stilled and looked upward as the snowflakes lightly fell on the forest floor. Soon it will be spring... She had seen spring only once before when she was younger. The pups younger than her thought of spring to be some sort of fairy tale. Another thought crossed her mind, Himari once said that she wished to see spring and to roll in the flowers until she was covered in dirt. Kasumi smiled at the memory, it almost made her tear up.

Then there was something else, an instinctive feeling that resonated in her. Yes, she was sure of it. She wanted to fulfill Himari's wishes to see those flowers. She vowed to save her, Himari would live another day to see spring.

Suddenly, she could scent a dog nearby, possibly female. As she crept closer, her heart stopped at the copper scent of blood. no... no, no! NO! She sprinted towards the scent that was now clouding her senses. It made her wild with rage and fear. as she leapt out of the bushes her whole being weighed down like stone. The sight made her nauseous and the smell of blood made her stomach tremble.

It was a dead female dog mangled and bloody. Her body was twisted and broken and her left eye was gouged out.

Kasumi's breathing stilled. Was this that bear's doing? Such damage on such a poor dog. Kasumi flinched as a scene in her head came back to her like a monster beckoning her to remember that horrid day. This awful act reminded her of something. A sudden whimper was heard in the nearby bush. It was a pup! "H-Himari?" Kasumi called out... there was no response. Kasumi lowered her head and crept closer to the sound. When she finally reached the bushes she pushed her head in to get a closer look. She widened her eyes. It was a spotted pup! But it wasn't Himari... Putting two and two together this must be the former female's pup. Strange... that such a pup could survive a bear attack. The mother must have tried to drive it away.

This pup is so young, it can't survive out here for long... Kasumi opened her jaws to pick it up. A small squeak from the pup issued and it let out a soft sigh. What will she do now? Should she continue to find Himari? The most logical choice would be to retaliate with Kyoushiro to get this pup some aid. I'm sorry Himari... I'll come back for you I promise... However, as she took a step forward, "AOI!" a voice howled in despair. Kasumi quickly turned her head to see a male trembling at the sight of his mate dead before his eyes. Kasumi couldn't believe it, this was the pup's father! She was saddened by the sight of this male losing his beloved. She almost forgot that she was holding his pup, but she then realized as the male let out a low growl. "What the hell are you doing with my son..." he snarled as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Um..." Kasumi didn't know what to say. Was he accusing her of something or was it blind rage clouding his mind? Kasumi quickly let the pup down as it curled up in the snow. Kasumi backed up as the male crept cautiously towards his son. He picked him up and glared at Kasumi for a good five minutes before turning back. "Wait!" Kasumi shouted. "You have to get away from these mountains, if you don't have a suitable pack, you won't stand a chance out here!" The male stilled, it was as if his emotions were shifted from sadness to rage and now it was indistinguishable. The male turned his head to her. "I don't need a female telling me how to run my life..." he said. Kasumi was taken aback my this male's behavior. "E-excuse me?!" she stuttered. The male grinned slyly at her words. "Why don't you go crawling back under whatever male you have and let him do the talking for you.?"

That was it for Kasumi... no one talks down to her like that. "Listen up asshole!" she shouted, "I don't know what kind of female would even dream of being with you! Right now I don't care! I don't need a male to tell me you have no moral obligations or brainpower to protect your own family!"

The male's eyes widened at the insult rage built within him. "Kasumi! is that you?!" A young frightened voice called out from above the cliffs. Kasumi knew that voice, "Himari?! She turned her head and looked upwards. "Himari, I'm here, where are y-"

The words were knocked off when the male suddenly ambushed her. He grabbed on the scruff of her neck, causing Kasumi to yelp. She franticly scratched his cheek and he let go of her causing her to collapse in the snow. "You little bitch!" the male howled. "Someone outa teach you some respect!" Kasumi looked up at the male who was towering over her. She didn't understand, were most males like this? This particular male was insane! One moment he's mourning over his mate then he's about to tear his throat out. She stared at the helpless pup in the distance yelping for his father's warmth. For the first time in a while she was scared... memories of her father beating her came back and she froze in utter fear of what could happen to her. "Consider yourself lucky, female..." What did he mean by that? He circled around her, licking his chops. "You know for a spiteful bitch, you got a hot bod."

Kasumi's heart froze, what was he about to do?... no... no... as his paws crept closer. She fought back tears as she remembered Kyoushiro and the rest of her pack... they were waiting for her. but why couldn't she move, why... why am I so weak... Kyoushiro was wrong... I'm not strong... I'm a... weakling...

...A sudden yelp was let out and the smell of blood was all around. but it wasn't her blood, and that was the yelp of a cowardly male.

She kept her eyes shut tight. unable to imagine what was going on. She didn't realize that the male was tackled off of her. "Kasumi!" ...Jiro, that's Jiro's voice... Kasumi thought. Another voice was more frantic and desperate. "KASUMI! Kasumi, wake up! Wake up dammit!

"Kyoushiro..." Kasumi slowly opened her eyes. Kyoushiro was... about to cry... but why? She had never seen Kyoushiro cry before. "Kasumi, What did he do to you? Did he touch you... did he-" the words that trailed off made his tears run down. Kyoushiro please don't cry... It was too much for her. "No...h-he didn't do anything... he didn't get to..." Kasumi shivered a bit. "Kyoushiro let out a relaxed sigh... "I-I'm glad. A pause in the air made everyone still. The pack was here, awaiting Kyoushiro's orders. Then Kasumi remembered. "Kyoushiro, Himari is up in the cliffs somewhere. I think she's still scared." Kyoushiro nodded. "Hachi, go fetch her out." he ordered calmly. "Of course." he took one long glare at the male cowering before them. then immediately ran off to look for a way to climb the cliffs.

"You shit eating bastard!" Jiro snarled out. "How dare you attack Kasumi?! I'll rip your balls out and feed them to the crows!" as Jiro lunged forward at the cowering male Kyoushiro headbutted him away.

"Kyoushiro-san?!" The males all questioned their leader's motive. Kasumi just stared at him. A long silence was drawn out until Kyoushiro turned his head slowly at the opposing male. "You..." Kyoushiro said in a sugar coated voice. "Now what to do with you..." The male cowered before Kyoushiro stature. "Please forgive me! I won't hurt anyone again I promise!"

"You pathetic piece of garbage..." Kyoushiro. leered down at him. "The look on your cowardly face, The scent of your fear and the thought you dominating Kasumi pisses me the hell off!"

The male let out a wheezing gasp at Kyoushiro. His eyes were as enraged and focused as a snake picking out his prey.

Kyoushiro let out a snarl "Killing you isn't enough... not even castrating you is enough! I'm gonna make you suffer until I'm satisfied with you screaming out for mercy as I tear your sorry carcass open!"

Kyoushiro lunged at the male and pinned him to the ground. The males around them barked and cheered in satisfaction. Kyoushiro threw him to a nearby tree, the bark on the tree scratched the male's back harshly. Kasumi was flabbergasted by everyone's behavior. Surely this wasn't the way to resolve things. She had never seen Kyoushiro so livid, no one was helping the cause by cheering and aiding the onslaught. She could do nothing but watch in horror. In the back of her mind she wanted this, she wanted this male to suffer for crossing her. But then she remembered as she saw the pup in custody in one of the males. "Kyoushiro.." She rasped out. "Kyoushiro!" Kyoushiro didn't hear her over the frantic cheering and mocking. Kyoushiro grabbed the male's leg and lifted him into the air and pinned him down with his fangs among the male's jugular. He started to bite down. Blood gushed out slowly and the male was coughing and screaming for help. Kasumi couldn't take it anymore, she wanted it to stop..."KYOUSHIROOOOOO!"

The cheers grew silent as they all looked at Kasumi with concern. Kyoushiro lifted his head and stared at her, his eyes still enraged of what happened. "Kyoushiro..." She started. "You can't do this... this isn't you! I know what he did was possibly vulgar, but he's still a father, just let them go! Let him be a father and live his life with his son!" The pack was confused and looked at each other as if she was speaking some foreign language. "Kasumi" Himari called out she took a side glance, Her and Hachi were looking at the scene before them. Kasumi was relieved she was all right but kept her gaze at Kyoushiro. Kyoushiro gave an unreadable glance and stepped closer to the male. He spoke out words so quiet that no one could hear then readied his fangs and gave the final blow. a scream was carried out so loud that the crows scattered away from the high branches. The male was dead. His throat was torn open. Kasumi stared blankly at the corpse, her mouth trying to convey words of what just happened. Kyoushiro muzzle was filled with red. It dripped onto the cold blanket of snow staining it like a rose.

"We're heading back for now! And we're taking the pup with us..." Kyoushiro announced in his usual commanding voice as if nothing happened. As the pack slowly walked away Hachi and Himari walked past Kasumi, she hesitated her steps and crept forward after them. It was if her mind was blank and she reacted on instinct to follow. The journey was long and tiring, but the end result was unexplainable.

Kyoushiro turned his head ever so slightly at Kasumi and set his gaze at her.. Kasumi was somewhat broken, he couldn't understand, and he probably never would, but he knew that choice just made everything complicated. He then repeated out the words that no one else could have heard, only to himself...

Forgive me... Kasumi...