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The End of Hard Times
Chapter 4
Wind howled against her ears catching her red hair and blowing it across her face. Her nose twitched as she caught the scent of the deer before it even came into view. Her green eyes scanned the trees and brush moving back and forth until she caught sight of the deer. Flattening herself against the ground she began moving slowly toward her prey. She was down wind and the deer would not be able to pick up her scent. But she could smell the blood before she even took the animal down with one powerful plow to the neck. Jumping back Ayame watched the blood flow from the wound and soak into the ground. Her stomach rumbled but she kept herself from eating. After the blood stopped its flow to a steady drip she gutted it and hefted the animal across her shoulders grabbing the front and back legs. Food was scarce and the hunters had to go way out of the packs territory to obtain meat of any kind. The monsters had scared all the food away or slaughtered it all. Ayame gave a visible shudder as she remembered coming across 40 or more deer slaughtered because a careless demon had swung a powerful arm just for fun. Walking into the dens she made her way to the food storage. She dropped the meat. Sitting down Ayame watched Mist and Fleet Foot start skinning the animal.
Fleet Foot was a healer also of the White Wolves and had grown up with Ayame. Her long blond hair and blue eyes were nothing special to the males of their pack every female had a shade of blond or the color of blue eyes. However Hakaku had his eyes on her for a while and when mating season came he asked Ayame's permission to take her as his wife. Ayame hated to think that when Kouga came back that Fleet Foot would have to leave with her mate. Kouga, it had been a year and half since he left she began to think he might never come back but that would be a good thing she argued with herself, even though one part of her worried. Winter was almost to an end and she just prayed to the older and wiser wolves before her that their meat would last another month or two before spring came.
"Have the others returned from the hunt?" Ayame asked breaking the silence and trying to settle her stomach from rumbling.
"Ayame take a slice of meat, your thinner and growing weaker." Fleet Foot said handing a thin slice to Ayame.
"No, I'll eat after the women, children, and men have." Ayame said shaking her head.
"Ginta returned with some rabbit meat. He is resting his right leg is in bad shape. The muscles must have time to knit back together or he'll go lame." Mist said as she stretched the hide and began scraping bits of meat off of it.
"I don't need your advice Mist on the well fare or my pack. I need every able-bodied male out there hunting for food. So don't question my authority." Ayame rebuked her voice had a cold bit to it.
Mist bowed her head in shame. Fleet Foot had a troubled look on her face. And Ayame could not deal with it any more she had to get away from people who constantly judged her ruling methods.
"She is under a lot of stress Mist. She means nothing by it." Fleet Foot said trying to make things right.
"I should learn to keep my mouth shut. My mate and I had many arguments because I could not leave well enough alone." A single tear fell down her pale cheek as she remembered her mate and child.
"Oh Mist you'll find some one. Look at me I did." Fleet Foot said patting Mist on the back.
"I am happy for you Mist. Hakaku is a strong wolf he will be good to you."
"I was surprised when he asked me to be his mate." Fleet Foot gently touched her neck where she bore Hakaku's love bite. "I'm just scared that if Kouga comes back that I'll have to leave."
"Why are you sad about that?" Mist questioned.
"I grew up with Ayame and Kiro I just can't leave." Fleet Foot said softly as she began laying strips of meat out to dry. Even thinking of leaving her two friends hurt making it hard for her to draw a breath.
"Kiro." Mist mumbled a dreamy look coming on her face.
"I knew it Mist. Your sweet on him aren't you?" Fleet Foot said excitement coming into her eyes.
"No. Kiro loves Ayame. I see it in the way he looks at her." Mist voice began to tremble into a sob.
"Oh Mist. He may love her but he can never have her. Ayama is promised to Kouga and until he takes a different mate she is not to either." Fleet Foot wrapped her arms around Mists shaking shoulders.
"It…hurts…to love someone…that does not love you back." Mist cried.
Fleet Foot just stroked Mists black hair and let her cry. She knew what Mist meant. While Kiro was sick it was Mist that spent all day trying to keep him from death or worse going crazy with the poison that the demon had scratched him with. But Kiro was Kiro. Kind to every one, and only loving one wolf that even he knew, he could never have.
"Its ok to cry. You let it all out Mist."
Guards on dutyHakaku and Kiro were on guard duty on the out skirts of the wolves' territory.
"Have you noticed how quiet it has been the last couple of days?" Hakaku said leaning against a tree.
"Now that you mention in it we have had no sighing of demons of any kind. Strange." Kiro replied scanning the valley below them. His keen eyes caught the movement of a seeker wolf coming back.
"I don't know if that is a good thing or bad. Maybe Kouga really did defeat Naraku." Hakaku said with hope in his voice.
"That's just great. Then he will come back for Ayame." Kiro said anger rising up in him.
"Kiro, she was given to Kouga it is just a matter of him taking her." Hakaku argued back. Then his eyes spotted the wolf coming. "Mmm hopefully Jass brings good news. She was been gone for nearly four days."
"Yeah Ayame was getting worried she even threatened to go out after her."
Finally Jass loped up the rise and sat down in front of the two guards her tongue hanging out panting.
"Good to see you Jass. What's the news?" Kiro said as he tossed her a piece of dried jerky.
Taking the dried meat Jass chewed it thoughtfully before she answered them. He has been defeated. The shards of glass have been taken from the monsters. We finally will have peace.
"Thank the wolf gods this is great news. Wait! Have you heard anything on Kouga?" Hakaku asked.
No I have not seen him but he is alive. He and Inuyashia took Naraku down together.
"Did he take Kagome as his mate?" Kiro asked with hope.
No last I heard she returned to her world.
"It is good that you are back. Ayame has refused to eat anything after you left. With out you there to force her to eat she gives it all away to the women and children even the men before she takes some for herself." Kiro said shaking his head.
I will have a talk with her. Prepare yourself Kiro. Kouga will be back and I assume it will be to take Ayame as his. You knew she could never be yours.
"I know Jass. But can you blame a man for having his silly dreams?" Kiro said trying to make a joke out of it. Deep inside he felt himself get angry than sad and then finally despair. His love could never be his instead he would watch another take her. Kouga he doesn't deserve you Ayame.
At a nearby streamAyame was splashing in the cool stream washing away the dried blood of the deer on her shoulders and under her nails. If anything she hated looking like a bloodthirsty wolf it scared her pack. The sounds of shouting and rejoicing could be heard from the dens. Quickly getting out of the water she dried herself and got dressed. Walking into camp she heard Hakaku talking excitedly to Ginta and Fleet Foot.
"Naraku is dead. Kouga will return."
Ayame sat down next to them and put a smile on trying to look happy for the good news. Inside she was scared. Kouga would return please let him have a mate please. Jass sat down next to Ayame.
Kouga did not take Kagome as a mate. Jass whispered to Ayame.
Sadness washed over her. Taking a glance she looked over at Kiro. Their eyes meet and even though he had a smile on she saw the hurt and pain in his eyes. He quickly adverted his eyes from her to laugh at Ginta's joke. He knows and he has accepted it now I must also. Staring at her hands she felt alone she had nothing to love. Kiro and her love was dead and she knew that deep inside she would never let herself love another.
"A toast to Ayame. With out you the wolves would not have survived these hard times." Ginta toasted to Ayama.
Putting a smile on Ayame held up her glass and threw back her head howling to the sky in thanks. The others did the same. Live for to day because who knows what tomorrow will bring. Ayame thought as she ordered more meat to be cooked.
