Wow. . . People actually like it! I'm very happy to see that I've gotten
so many reviews. I personally didn't really expect any. To answer some of
your questions, yes, I will be getting into all of that fun darkness that
San inherits for human nature. And don't worry about sounding mature. I'm
hardly 14 and I think I'm a lot worse with it . And here is your update!
Overview: San isn't an ikkle baby any more. Be vewy vewy quiet. . . She's going hunting! However, the pack meets a little more than prey on their outing. Read to find out who!
Copy write: I don't own the thing. Hayao Miyazaki does. Don't watch Lupin III.
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The family of wolves raced along the forest floor, silent as owls and swifter than eagles. San followed her brothers, trying hard to keep up without making any noise. After finding that her arms were not helping her run any faster (And that it was hard to carry her spear on her back), she quickly stood up and instead ran on her two human legs. Her breathing, however, was perhaps the loudest noise of them all.
Moro led the small pack, smelling the fresh meat that lay ahead for them. Her two sons, running close behind her, had their tongues wavering in the wind. They too could smell what their mother had discovered. It was a small group of deer, very deeply packed together in their grazing, judging by the scent of so many being in a big clump. Deer was not commonly eaten by the Gods, never mind the Wolf Gods, for not only were the quick but also the Forest God watched over them closely. He sometimes even walked with them. It made sense, him resembling a deer so closely, but the fact that he was not merely one of them was obvious. And he was never willing to give up any deer just to give another taste to a wolf's mouth.
With all of the deer so close to each other, even if the Forest God was among them, there would be no way he could protect them all. Ah, such a fine meat. The Goddess could nearly taste it now, crunching it between her powerful jaws, those savory juices filling her mouth. A satisfying meal was only a muzzle away. She came to an abrupt stop in front of a large clearing, not even leaving a skid mark. The boys, however, were not as graceful. Not knowing of their mother's sudden stop, they had had to basically sit down to stop themselves from running into her, and even still their front paws moved!
San was far enough behind to actually stop correctly so that she could catch her breath. She had never run so much in her life. Moro could hear her from her position at the head of them and walked quietly back towards her, staring down her muzzle and into her eyes. "San, we are going to surprise attack this herd. When you have caught your breath, jump out and join us. Do not throw that thing though. You are not yet trained for that. Imagine what would happen if you slowed down one of us. Also, do not go into the middle of the group. Attack the sides. If you got run over by a stampede of cowardly deer, I may never eat them again."
The young girl nodded, still catching her breath. It wouldn't be good to waste her breath on speaking. At the glimpse of her nod, the giant white wolf took off, leading her two kin towards the clearing where dinner was. San didn't want to be totally left out though, so she peaked around a tree to see her family in action. No sooner had she first laid eyes on the large group of deer that she heard the snapping of one's neck. Moro had pounced and killed quickly, completely severing one's head with her mighty canines. The boys were running about and biting at the legs of the hundreds of deer, trying to slow them down. It didn't work out that way, however. Several times one of them tried snipping a hind leg clean off, and all he received was a kick in the face. The other had a little more luck though, managing to fell two of them with this technique.
San was over her run now, but she still was short on breath. The thrills of such an amazing battle stunned her with excitement and anxiety. There was surprisingly not a tingle of fear in her body. She wanted to join them in the slaughter. Her fingers clutched at the spear tightly, and she suddenly found herself rushing forward at the giant group.
Her spear struck out against a straggling deer who could not manage to escape with the rest. It sunk deep into its flesh, catching it in the side. There was still an urge to live in it however. Bucking about, the young stag tossed the spear around, San desperately trying to hold it in, as well as keeping to the ground. Her tight grip grew even stronger, and it soon felt like the tip would break right off. The spear suddenly came loose and she fell backward, holding the still intact weapon. Moro had pounced upon the feisty prey and had begun tearing it to shreds. She wouldn't let a single meal escape her, especially not one so close to her teeth.
San's well-developed ears picked up each and every crunch the wolf took as she thoroughly chewed on the deer who no longer struggled for life but lay silent in death. She dropped the blood-covered spear from her hands and ran over to the creature she had helped into the afterlife. Her head lay on its motionless body as if she was trying to find a heart beat. Moro stepped back, licking her lips, to watch in interest at what her daughter would do. It was the first time she had killed anything, at least to Moro's knowledge. For a human, that was quite a young age to kill at. But she was a wolf now. She would live by wolf laws or die by them.
She lifted her head, turning her face into the soft fuzzy side of the gentle creature. The sensation was warm, and somewhat comforting. The moment was ruined as her own mouth opened wide and bit into the thing's flesh, ripping the meat away and chewing it many times before swallowing. Well, at least it was ruined for most humans anyway. Moro's look was of pure joy.
At that moment, the boys came springing back into the clearing, each with a deer strung over they're back. They quickly yipped out a message to Moro, panicked and shaking. "Okkoto's coming! Okkoto's coming!"
Okkoto? That swine? What could he possibly want? The giant white wolf stepped forward a bit, staring into the area where her pups had emerged. She hadn't noticed it before, but the smell of boar pretty much was surrounding the area. How had she missed that? Bloody pig and his illusions. Did he have to come now? Right after San had made her first kill? But there was no more time to think. The giant boar God had entered the clearing.
His pelt shimmered in the sunlight that radiated through the trees, a slight breeze ruffling it. The giant tusks seemed to tower as high as the trees from San's height. They as well hit the sun light for an affective shine, an odd glow seeming to emanate from them. The air he snorted out from his massive nostrils was heavy, adding more to the light breeze. San had never seen anything like him. She cautiously walked up to him, curiosity quaking in every inch of her body. It was like she was a little toddler again, reaching out to examine a shiny stone or a blade of grass. She had never seen anything like this up close.
The giant old boar turned his head to face her body. His nose moved back and forth as it took in her scent fully, trying to pick out something different about her. Moro knew what he was doing and thought to interfere, but restrained herself. She had brought this upon herself by bringing San out of the cave. It had to be done sometime though. Now was as good a time as any.
With a final sniff, Okkoto reared back on his hind hooves, having found the tiny bit of scent that would always remain with her. The scent of a human. "Moro! How dare you bring a human into our forest? What are you trying to do? Attack us from the inside? You've joined with them, haven't you? You've joined this filthy slob! You're out to murder us all! But I won't let you get me or my brethren!"
The hog charged wildly towards Moro, jumping right over the human in his path. She would have been crushed if not for her brother, grabbing her by the pelt she always wore. He pulled her over to the other brother, both of them sitting beside her and watching their mother. San didn't want to sit and let anything bad happen though. She struggled against the tight hold her brother had on her pelt, but it was no use. She could not break free of his grasp. She instead watched in horror as the boar inched closer and closer to her mother. Why was this happening? Was it because of her? Her thoughts dissipated as she watched her mother, just standing there and waiting for the boar to strike her. She felt the need to call out, but managed to restrain her words in a single gasp.
What happened next San wasn't able to fully follow. Moro suddenly leapt into the air around her and Okkoto, landing firmly on his back to pounce of once again. The boar was sent crashing to the earth and the wolf left to land safely on the ground, giving Okkoto a look that could kill if he had been able to see it. "You're mistaken if you think I would ever sink to human level. There is absolutely nothing lower than that. War has driven you mad, Okkoto. And a further thing- You are positively blunt if it took you so long to realize I was raising one of the scums. She has been in my den and living off my care for 8 years now, and if you hadn't smelled her before then, you are not fit to be a God. However, this girl is training to be a wolf now. I won't let her reek with the stench of humans. So I suppose you have nothing to worry about. . ."
Shaking off the crash, he got to his hooves and turned to face Moro. A sort of anger was rising in him, but he would not attack again. The way he planted his hooves in the ground assured her of that. "Bringing up a human is a stupid idea. They are too incompetent to become anything but what they are. I thought you would know that, but perhaps I overestimated you. Taking to a filthy human like that. . . You have enough stupid children to last you your immortality! And now you want more? And outside your species!?"
"INSOLENT HELL INSECT!" Fire sprung to her eyes as she lunged at the boar. She showed no mercy as she swiped at his face, clawing with a vengeance. Not fast enough to block her assault, Okkoto was struck several times, his face covered with bleeding scars. A powerful battle cry escaped his throat and he charged for Moro. Head on. As fast as she was, she was not able to escape him this time, unaware that he would still blindly charge against an ally. She landed rather roughly at the base of a nearby tree, limp and on her back. The boar shook his face, trying to clear away as much blood from his eyes as possible.
"Let that be a lesson to you Moro, Leader of the Wolf Pack. I would kill the girl too, if not for the fact that I'd endangering your pups when their mother died in a blind battle when she was wounded. . . The next time I see this girl, if she is not as much a wolf as your kin by blood, I will kill her."
"I'd like to see you try. . ."
That was the last of words exchanged between them as Okkoto walked off. Stretching her paws, Moro got back on her feet. She did a quick check to make sure nothing had been broken, and then quickly trotted over to her children. She looked down at them with the caring eyes of a mother. It wasn't something they saw too often.
"He knows nothing. . . Nothing of my hate for humans! Nothing of my love for your father! Nothing of anything! He is the most ignorant of all beasts I have ever met! Joining the human side. Flea-ridden pile of dung! What does he take me for?" All three of the young ones, especially San, looked very confused. The two brothers had at least known about the war between humans (Though they did not understand what was wrong with raising one), but San knew absolutely nothing about what had just happened. The fiery eyes of Moro began to cool, and she gently nuzzled each of her three kin. "Let's go home."
The three wolves began tossing the dead deer back on their backs, taking in their mouths the delicate ones that had been crushed by Okkoto. However, San stood still, staring forward, trying to process what had happened. Moro figured better than to disturb the child's mind and continued picking up pieces of meat, swallowing most of it to regurgitate later. As she finished up this deed, little San ran over to her, carrying her spear and the head of the first kill she had ever made. Gently poking her with the butt of the spear pole, she asked a simple question to her mother.
"Mama, what's a human?"
Overview: San isn't an ikkle baby any more. Be vewy vewy quiet. . . She's going hunting! However, the pack meets a little more than prey on their outing. Read to find out who!
Copy write: I don't own the thing. Hayao Miyazaki does. Don't watch Lupin III.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The family of wolves raced along the forest floor, silent as owls and swifter than eagles. San followed her brothers, trying hard to keep up without making any noise. After finding that her arms were not helping her run any faster (And that it was hard to carry her spear on her back), she quickly stood up and instead ran on her two human legs. Her breathing, however, was perhaps the loudest noise of them all.
Moro led the small pack, smelling the fresh meat that lay ahead for them. Her two sons, running close behind her, had their tongues wavering in the wind. They too could smell what their mother had discovered. It was a small group of deer, very deeply packed together in their grazing, judging by the scent of so many being in a big clump. Deer was not commonly eaten by the Gods, never mind the Wolf Gods, for not only were the quick but also the Forest God watched over them closely. He sometimes even walked with them. It made sense, him resembling a deer so closely, but the fact that he was not merely one of them was obvious. And he was never willing to give up any deer just to give another taste to a wolf's mouth.
With all of the deer so close to each other, even if the Forest God was among them, there would be no way he could protect them all. Ah, such a fine meat. The Goddess could nearly taste it now, crunching it between her powerful jaws, those savory juices filling her mouth. A satisfying meal was only a muzzle away. She came to an abrupt stop in front of a large clearing, not even leaving a skid mark. The boys, however, were not as graceful. Not knowing of their mother's sudden stop, they had had to basically sit down to stop themselves from running into her, and even still their front paws moved!
San was far enough behind to actually stop correctly so that she could catch her breath. She had never run so much in her life. Moro could hear her from her position at the head of them and walked quietly back towards her, staring down her muzzle and into her eyes. "San, we are going to surprise attack this herd. When you have caught your breath, jump out and join us. Do not throw that thing though. You are not yet trained for that. Imagine what would happen if you slowed down one of us. Also, do not go into the middle of the group. Attack the sides. If you got run over by a stampede of cowardly deer, I may never eat them again."
The young girl nodded, still catching her breath. It wouldn't be good to waste her breath on speaking. At the glimpse of her nod, the giant white wolf took off, leading her two kin towards the clearing where dinner was. San didn't want to be totally left out though, so she peaked around a tree to see her family in action. No sooner had she first laid eyes on the large group of deer that she heard the snapping of one's neck. Moro had pounced and killed quickly, completely severing one's head with her mighty canines. The boys were running about and biting at the legs of the hundreds of deer, trying to slow them down. It didn't work out that way, however. Several times one of them tried snipping a hind leg clean off, and all he received was a kick in the face. The other had a little more luck though, managing to fell two of them with this technique.
San was over her run now, but she still was short on breath. The thrills of such an amazing battle stunned her with excitement and anxiety. There was surprisingly not a tingle of fear in her body. She wanted to join them in the slaughter. Her fingers clutched at the spear tightly, and she suddenly found herself rushing forward at the giant group.
Her spear struck out against a straggling deer who could not manage to escape with the rest. It sunk deep into its flesh, catching it in the side. There was still an urge to live in it however. Bucking about, the young stag tossed the spear around, San desperately trying to hold it in, as well as keeping to the ground. Her tight grip grew even stronger, and it soon felt like the tip would break right off. The spear suddenly came loose and she fell backward, holding the still intact weapon. Moro had pounced upon the feisty prey and had begun tearing it to shreds. She wouldn't let a single meal escape her, especially not one so close to her teeth.
San's well-developed ears picked up each and every crunch the wolf took as she thoroughly chewed on the deer who no longer struggled for life but lay silent in death. She dropped the blood-covered spear from her hands and ran over to the creature she had helped into the afterlife. Her head lay on its motionless body as if she was trying to find a heart beat. Moro stepped back, licking her lips, to watch in interest at what her daughter would do. It was the first time she had killed anything, at least to Moro's knowledge. For a human, that was quite a young age to kill at. But she was a wolf now. She would live by wolf laws or die by them.
She lifted her head, turning her face into the soft fuzzy side of the gentle creature. The sensation was warm, and somewhat comforting. The moment was ruined as her own mouth opened wide and bit into the thing's flesh, ripping the meat away and chewing it many times before swallowing. Well, at least it was ruined for most humans anyway. Moro's look was of pure joy.
At that moment, the boys came springing back into the clearing, each with a deer strung over they're back. They quickly yipped out a message to Moro, panicked and shaking. "Okkoto's coming! Okkoto's coming!"
Okkoto? That swine? What could he possibly want? The giant white wolf stepped forward a bit, staring into the area where her pups had emerged. She hadn't noticed it before, but the smell of boar pretty much was surrounding the area. How had she missed that? Bloody pig and his illusions. Did he have to come now? Right after San had made her first kill? But there was no more time to think. The giant boar God had entered the clearing.
His pelt shimmered in the sunlight that radiated through the trees, a slight breeze ruffling it. The giant tusks seemed to tower as high as the trees from San's height. They as well hit the sun light for an affective shine, an odd glow seeming to emanate from them. The air he snorted out from his massive nostrils was heavy, adding more to the light breeze. San had never seen anything like him. She cautiously walked up to him, curiosity quaking in every inch of her body. It was like she was a little toddler again, reaching out to examine a shiny stone or a blade of grass. She had never seen anything like this up close.
The giant old boar turned his head to face her body. His nose moved back and forth as it took in her scent fully, trying to pick out something different about her. Moro knew what he was doing and thought to interfere, but restrained herself. She had brought this upon herself by bringing San out of the cave. It had to be done sometime though. Now was as good a time as any.
With a final sniff, Okkoto reared back on his hind hooves, having found the tiny bit of scent that would always remain with her. The scent of a human. "Moro! How dare you bring a human into our forest? What are you trying to do? Attack us from the inside? You've joined with them, haven't you? You've joined this filthy slob! You're out to murder us all! But I won't let you get me or my brethren!"
The hog charged wildly towards Moro, jumping right over the human in his path. She would have been crushed if not for her brother, grabbing her by the pelt she always wore. He pulled her over to the other brother, both of them sitting beside her and watching their mother. San didn't want to sit and let anything bad happen though. She struggled against the tight hold her brother had on her pelt, but it was no use. She could not break free of his grasp. She instead watched in horror as the boar inched closer and closer to her mother. Why was this happening? Was it because of her? Her thoughts dissipated as she watched her mother, just standing there and waiting for the boar to strike her. She felt the need to call out, but managed to restrain her words in a single gasp.
What happened next San wasn't able to fully follow. Moro suddenly leapt into the air around her and Okkoto, landing firmly on his back to pounce of once again. The boar was sent crashing to the earth and the wolf left to land safely on the ground, giving Okkoto a look that could kill if he had been able to see it. "You're mistaken if you think I would ever sink to human level. There is absolutely nothing lower than that. War has driven you mad, Okkoto. And a further thing- You are positively blunt if it took you so long to realize I was raising one of the scums. She has been in my den and living off my care for 8 years now, and if you hadn't smelled her before then, you are not fit to be a God. However, this girl is training to be a wolf now. I won't let her reek with the stench of humans. So I suppose you have nothing to worry about. . ."
Shaking off the crash, he got to his hooves and turned to face Moro. A sort of anger was rising in him, but he would not attack again. The way he planted his hooves in the ground assured her of that. "Bringing up a human is a stupid idea. They are too incompetent to become anything but what they are. I thought you would know that, but perhaps I overestimated you. Taking to a filthy human like that. . . You have enough stupid children to last you your immortality! And now you want more? And outside your species!?"
"INSOLENT HELL INSECT!" Fire sprung to her eyes as she lunged at the boar. She showed no mercy as she swiped at his face, clawing with a vengeance. Not fast enough to block her assault, Okkoto was struck several times, his face covered with bleeding scars. A powerful battle cry escaped his throat and he charged for Moro. Head on. As fast as she was, she was not able to escape him this time, unaware that he would still blindly charge against an ally. She landed rather roughly at the base of a nearby tree, limp and on her back. The boar shook his face, trying to clear away as much blood from his eyes as possible.
"Let that be a lesson to you Moro, Leader of the Wolf Pack. I would kill the girl too, if not for the fact that I'd endangering your pups when their mother died in a blind battle when she was wounded. . . The next time I see this girl, if she is not as much a wolf as your kin by blood, I will kill her."
"I'd like to see you try. . ."
That was the last of words exchanged between them as Okkoto walked off. Stretching her paws, Moro got back on her feet. She did a quick check to make sure nothing had been broken, and then quickly trotted over to her children. She looked down at them with the caring eyes of a mother. It wasn't something they saw too often.
"He knows nothing. . . Nothing of my hate for humans! Nothing of my love for your father! Nothing of anything! He is the most ignorant of all beasts I have ever met! Joining the human side. Flea-ridden pile of dung! What does he take me for?" All three of the young ones, especially San, looked very confused. The two brothers had at least known about the war between humans (Though they did not understand what was wrong with raising one), but San knew absolutely nothing about what had just happened. The fiery eyes of Moro began to cool, and she gently nuzzled each of her three kin. "Let's go home."
The three wolves began tossing the dead deer back on their backs, taking in their mouths the delicate ones that had been crushed by Okkoto. However, San stood still, staring forward, trying to process what had happened. Moro figured better than to disturb the child's mind and continued picking up pieces of meat, swallowing most of it to regurgitate later. As she finished up this deed, little San ran over to her, carrying her spear and the head of the first kill she had ever made. Gently poking her with the butt of the spear pole, she asked a simple question to her mother.
"Mama, what's a human?"