A/N: Hello dear readers. How is everyone as we wind down the summer and start getting into autumn?

As always thank you for the reviews, follows, and favs. It is much appreciated as well as anyone who is enjoying and reading this story. I love the feedback so keep it coming.

Enjoy!

After a day of helping the others Hikari made her way back to her hut. Emi and Mitsuo had been more than generous in sharing their bounty even though she really didn't know what to do with most of it.

Placing the basket down on the wooden floor by her hearth she picked up one of the rounded berries and examined it. Smiling softly to herself she felt content and overly happy that they had thought to include her and give her a gift also.

The compound was not entirely dissimilar to her own pack she had grown up in with everyone working together as a group for the betterment of all. Placing it back down she sensed Iku by her doorway.

"Come in my lady." She called out. Watching as Iku entered she straightened herself out to better present herself in a proper kneeling position.

"I do not mean to intrude Hikari…" Iku began.

"You are not." She replied instantly holding her tongue at interrupting her.

"I want to apologize for earlier." Iku said quickly.

"You did nothing wrong." Hikari furrowed her brow with nothing coming to mind.

"Yes, I did. I snapped at you again and I am sorry." Iku shook her head and sighed. "I have become accustomed to being so cruel to you that I cannot seem to stop myself."

Sighing Hikaris shoulders relaxed a bit. "I did not expect everything to be as they once were between us nor did I think that what happened in the past would be fixed overnight."

"You do not deserve it. None of it. I let all of the hatred and the bitterness consume me. It made me into something I despised." Iku whispered out. "You were an easy target to lash out at and I made you up to be this…terrible thing in my head."

"You watched the one you loved the most be tormented and tortured. Iku, I cannot even begin to fathom what that was like. I just wish you had let me share your pain and continue to assist you in helping Lady Mizuki. The moment you shut me out was the day you let Akio win." Hikari said shakily.

"You are right, absolutely right." Iku agreed. "And it cost me dearly. When you were with Orla I was ashamed of myself for how I treated you, to the point where you didn't seek help and whelped alone."

Closing her eyes and looking away Hikari sniffled. "You called me stupid for doing that, an imbecile…"

"It was not meant for you. It was my own self loathing that I put onto you."

"We can never change what has happened. It was sad and hard but the path it led you down is so much more beautiful and bright."

Hikari reopened her eyes and smiled softly at her. "Iku, if you need forgiveness then know that I never blamed you for any of it but I will say it.; I forgive you and I care for you. You are my friend and have always been very dear to me."

Closing her eyes Iku found herself suddenly blinded by tears. Choking out a sob she brought a hand to her face. Feeling Hikaris arm around her shoulders she led her to where she had been sitting and guided her down.

Laying her head down in her lap Hikari held her running her claws through her hair to soothe her. "This has been a long time coming. You're safe here. You're protected. Let it out."

Sobbing Iku did just that until her face hurt and she was certain no more tears could come even as they cascaded down.