X(six days later)

Gintaro shivered, rubbing his arms with his hands. "Did it just get really cold, Hakuo?"

His friend nodded. "Yeah. That's strange, isn't it? It was pretty warm a minute ago."

Gintaro looked down at the ground, scratching in a little smiley face. "You think it's going to snow again?" he asked.

"It hasn't snowed for weeks, stupid. It's spring."

"I know, but it wouldn't surprise me. Things haven't exactly been too good since we took up in these mountains. There isn't much food, and we can't exactly say we're welcome."

"Unless you count the Birds Of Paradse. They'd prolly make a nice meal. That is if Kaji ever gets around to organizing a hunt." Hakuo suddenly shivered. "Dammit! Why is it so co-..."

The two quite suddenly abandened there conversation as they turned around. Standing calmly, not ten feet away, was a seven foot inui youkai. He had long silver hair pulled away from his face, bulky armor, and a white and blue kimono. Despite his beautiful face and sun colored eyes, he struck pure terror into the hearts of the two wolves. Power practically radiated from his body, enough so that their hair stood on end.

"I-i-i-inutaisho!" stuttered Hakuo as his friend took cover behind him. "W-w-w-wha...?"

Inutaisho cocked an elegant brow at his odd greeting. Though he didn't let it show on his face, he took great pleasure in his ability to terrify people by doing nothing more than standing. "Where," he spoke clearly, excentuating his meager faithy in their intelligence,"Is the one called Kaji?"

"O-our alpha?" sqeaked Gintaro. "H-he's in the den. I-it's up by- -"

"I am aware of where you keep you 'den'." he said, allowing his voice to show just how unimpressed by it he was. Without even a glance their way, he walked steadily up his mountain towards the largest concentration of youkai power in the area. It was an uneventful walk, but not lonely by far. On the way up he must have seen more than twenty wolves and wolf men, most of whichh avoiding him like the plague, and a scarce few following him like their savior. This didn't mater to him. He only wanted to see Kaji and collect what was owed to him.

After a long time, when even the sun had begun its long and lazy treck towards the earth, he finally exited the trees into a large clearing. On the right side roared a large, clear waterfall, and on the right was a series of smooth boulders leading up to a large cave. The scene might have been beautiful if it weren't for the dozens of wolves littering the clearing. He looked almost lazily around until his attention was drawn by a small noise a little to his left. He looked to see a boy, still a pup really, making tiny whimpering noises as he looked up at him. Inutaisho may have been a sadistic bastard, but he didn't like the idea of a child fearing him.

He strode over, looking down at him with what he hoped was a soft expression. "Do you know where I can find your alpha, Kaji?"

The pup nodded. "Yes sir." he said, bobbing his little head up and down. "My daddy is in the den. Do you want me to go and get him?"

He forced a smile onto his lips. "I would appreciate that." he said.

The pup nodded and ran up the stone 'steps' to get the alpha. Moments later Kaji came loping up to him, a wide, rather disconcerting smile on his face. "Hello Inutaisho! I didn't expect to see you so soon!"

How could he take such a light hearted tone with him? Children were one thing, but hundred year old demons? Nuh-uh. There was something wrong with him. "Kaji." he said by way of greeting.

"So you came all theway here to get your payment?" he asked, before breaking down into, strangely enough, giggles. "You'd think that a big, bad demon lord like you would have to. Hehehe... did you walk? Hehe... Probably wore silk slippers to protect your paws. Wouldn't want blisters."

Inutaisho was practically in shock. This was unbelievable! What was wrong with him? Whats worse, how was he supposed to talk to him now? How did one speak with a crazy person? "I heard that you were recently blessed with a litter." he said, hoping to change the subject.

Kaji's wide smile got even wider and even creepier."Oh yes!" he said, the giggle subsiding. "A beautiful daughter! She looks just like her mother, you know. White skin, grey hair. Pale as a little skull !" he cocked his head to the side. "Do you want to see her?" without giving him a chance to answer, the man ran into the den, coming out with a tiny bundle in his arms. "Here she is! Isn't she beautiful?"

Inutaisho, out of sheer curiosity, looked in at the little face. He couldn't very well help it. All Inu youkai loved children, especially new borns, and he was no different. But he was shocked by what he found. Instead of a happy, chubby infant, he was staring with shock at a malnourished, sick looking pup. He reached out a paw, placing it on her forehead. She was burning up. "Has her mother been nursing her?" he asked urgently.

"Nope!" he chirped cheerfully. "She isn't here! Yuri has been feeding her!"

"Why isn't her mother doing it?"

"I already said, she isn't here!"

One of the men came over, placing a paw on Kaji's shoulder. "Kaji, you go show her the stream okay? I'll talk to Inutaisho."

Kaji nodded. "Eagerly. "All right."

The two watched him go. "What is wrong with him?" Inutaisho demanded once he deamed him far enough away.

"His mate died in birth." said the man "He hasn't been the same since. He lost his mind."

"And the pup?"

"We managed to convince another tribe to lend us a female, but she isn't producing much milk. There really isn't much we can do."

Inutaisho's mind flew through all this information. Yes. He had noticed the obcene lack of females on the way up. Without their alpha's mate, there weren't any left. If Kaji had lost his mind this pack, not to mention the pup, would likely die out. "As you know, I've come to collect payment for you to stay here."

The man sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yes. Kaji mentioned it not long ago. But I can honestly say that I don't know what that was, nor if we can pay."

Inutaisho wavedhis hand in a 'it doesn't matter' sort of way. "I've changed my mind." he said. "I don't honestly give a damn if you stay in this area or not. Just give me the pup and I'll leave."

"The pup? Why?"

Inutaisho sighed. "One of my servants gave birth recently. She'll take care of her until she is old enough to eat solid food."

"And then?" he demanded. "How do I know you wont just eat her!"

Inutaisho raised an eyebow. Eat her? What was he? Some sort of barbarian? "I can assure you, she shall not be consumed while in my care. She will last a lot longer with me than here. At least she'll be fed."

The man nodded unhappily. "Yes. You're right. An even if you were to kill her it would be better than a slow death by starvation." he walked purposefully over to Kaji. "Kaji, give her to me."

Kaji looked up at him blankly. "Why, Paramesh?"

"She's going to see her mother." Paramesh lied easily. "She sent a message that she wants her there."

"Oh, okay." Kaji agreed, holding her up to his packmate.Paramesh took her, handing her to Inutaisho.

Without a word, the demon turned and started on his way to his home.