Steel Fang
Chapter Six

Kouga felt petrified. His body wouldn't move. He felt his mother pull him close as his father stood. Without even asking, he knew what he was going to do. Kouga quickly detached himself from his mother's protective arms and dashed in front of his father.

"No," he whispered. "I'll go."

"You will not!" Hakutou said in a stern but still quiet voice. "Kouga, you're our only heir. If you die, our family line will go out!"

Kouga swallowed looking back at the Gokurakuchou that was now behind their hut. "I'm the faster runner. I can distract it while you two get away from here." Hakutou opened his mouth to argue, but no words escaped his lips. Slowly, he nodded.

"Iie..." Saikoubi shook her head violently as she clasped her hands over her mouth. "IIE!!"

Kouga darted out of the house. "Yo! You stupid bird! Want a piece of me? Come and get it!!"

The Gokurakuchou quickly began chasing after Kouga, not noticing the two forms still in the hut. Hakutou gathered Saikoubi into his arms.

"No!" she objected reaching over his shoulders. "No! Kouga, don't!!"

Hakutou ignored her screaming and hurried out of the hut towards the mountains.

Kouga looked over his shoulder. A small trail of dust was behind him. He slowed to a stop, not spotting the Gokurakuchou. He chuckled with a grin thinking he'd outran it. He could still hear his mother screaming. He'd need to get back soon, just as soon as he had made sure no demons would follow him.

A hot white pain shot through his leg suddenly. He found himself lying onto the ground, face pressed deep into the dirt. He gritted his teeth screaming through them. Painful tears flooded down his face soaking the ground.

"Get OFF him!!" a strong, feminine voice screamed out. Kouga's head swam as he was suddenly thrown back and the Gokurakuchou was kicked away from him. Kouga let out a strangled cry as his back hit a tree. His vision blurred for a moment but quickly cleared. He stared at the tall figure standing before the Gokurakuchou. She had a tall but thin frame. Her bangs hung wildly in front of her face while a graceful red topknot flowed down her back and laid only inches from the ground. She held a long spear in her arms.

The Gokurakuchou retreated. Kouga lied still, motionless on the ground. The woman walked to him, pulling him up. It was then Kouga realized she was carrying a pup. Who was she?

"Hold on, kid," her voice was arrogant but strong. His vision blurred slightly as she carried him. He let out a soft cry as she set him down onto soft, a straw bed. His leg was throbbing slightly, enough to make tears edge his eyes. He shut his eyes tightly; resisting the urge to cry out as she gently massaged his leg, feeling the pulled muscles and broken bones.

His vision returned slowly, and he became conscious of his surroundings. He was in a cave, and there were others around him. Wolves... hundreds of them. He saw his parents, his mother passed out against his father, who was staring at him with worry.

"Father..." he whispered, trying to reach out. The woman grabbed his wrist making him wince.

"You can see the others when you're healing, lie still."

He looked up at the woman, staring at the smooth skin on her face...

"What're you staring at?" she barked, making him jump slightly. He blushed, turning away. She sighed softly, grabbing one of the staffs about the length of his leg. "You are Kouga, correct?"

"Hai, I am."

Kouga glanced up at her as she began wrapping a bandage around the wood and his leg.

"Well, at least you're not obnoxious like South's heir."

"Huh?"

The woman laughed again. "You're the Western Prince, ne? The Prince of the Wolves. You're parents are the ookami taiyoukai. They chose to live away from the packs. The Southern Wolf Prince was a stuck-up brat, he was killed."

Kouga frowned. "Why are the packs gathering now?"

"Don't you know? Your father called a meeting. I'm the leader of the Northern Wolves."

Kouga glanced around. "Do you have... a mate?"

The woman frowned, tying his bandage and looking away.

"He was... killed. A few days ago, on our way here he was attacked by the Gokurakuchou. I'm Shijin, and I carry our pup."

Kouga lied his head back down, staring at the wall. "Shijin... heh, kind of strange."

"Na wo kiite, mata minaosu ya, kusa no hana."

"What the hell?" he muttered, trying to sit up. Shijin chuckled softly, helping him up.

"It's haiku I made up."Hearing it's name, I looked at it anew, this flowering weed." It means when you learn someone's name you may look at them differently, even if... they're ugly."

"I don't think you're ugly, you're beautiful," Kouga blurted out... a blush slowly rising to his cheeks. Shijin laughed again.

"Arigato Kouga..." she whispered, pressing him down onto the bed. She pulled a blanket over him, bending down to kiss his forehead lightly. Kouga blushed again but was quickly over-taken by exhaustion.

"Shijin-sama!" a rather deep voice rumbled. Shijin looked up, spotting a large group of black wolves entering.

"So the Koi Yoroujoku arrive..."

Well, I got an E-mail complaining about Japanese translations, so here are the translations for all the Japanese words from chapter one to now. I will put the translations up in each chapter, sorry guys.

Names in Italics:

Saikoubi - most lovely
Hakutou - white island
Kouga - steel fang
Chichiue - [honored] father
Hahaue - [honored] mother
Haha - a childish way of saying mother, similar to "Mommy"
Hai - yes
Obayo - good evening
Gokurakuchou - Birds of Paradise
Onegai - please
Iie - no
Ookami taiyoukai - wolf demon lords
Shijin - poet
Haiku - Japanese poetry
Arigato - thank you
Koi Yoroujoku - Dark Wolf Tribe

Note: Once again, I'm partially combining stories. To find out what the Koi tribe is fully, read "Growing Bonds"