*cracks back and knuckles* Okay, I have just possibly broken a record or something. Seriously this chapter is THIRTY-NINE pages! That's something, isn't it?
Kuro: Damn~! That much?
Youko: *whistles in amazement*
Me: My thoughts exactly, boys.

Okay, before we get started there is something I must confess - there are new faces and names coming into play that I do not own. As we all know I do NOT own Youko Kurama, Kuronue, and Yomi. Aside from them there are others that I do NOT own: Takashi, Ayame, Makoto, Syon (sadly), Goro, and Kamine. All of these characters belong to the lovely and talented DarkFoxGirl13, who DID give me permission to use them. And helped me in some cases on what they might have done and said. I DO own Mika, Mika's pack, Lord Satoru, the deadly young man mentioned, and the hooded figure.
Also, FoxGirl, I must apologize ahead of time for actions that will happen later on in this chapter. I know we've spoken of such a thing, but I needed a "plot" for this chapter. Luckily, I think, the chain of events went well. Thus making the actions that will occur believable. Again, I am sorry if it is something you do not entirely like. But please take into consider what I have said about the chain of events. ^^

Anyway, I hope all of enjoy this chapter and leave a review for me! ^^
Here's the Key, incase you forgot somethings:
'...' = is in a separate paragraph that means it's a tiny time jump
'!' = same day, different POV
When that LONG line goes across the screen that is either a MASSIVE or small time jump

blah, blah, blah = thinking
'blah, blah, blah' = telepath talk
"blah, blah, blah" = talking normally
blah, blah, blah = animal instinct, Beast

Happy delaid Birthday, Onee-chan~!

Ch. 2: Some Memories are Best Forgotten

One human year had passed in Maki; barely aging any of the demons. During that short time Kam trained Mika; not wanting anything like THAT to happen to her again. But, not wanting to push her to the brink, Kam took it easy on her. She mainly taught her in the element of water; that being Kam's strongest element. But, Mika needed to hone in all of hers.

Kam watched with an eagle's eye, trying to catch anything wrong with Mika's slow battle movements. The pup was currently training in the shallow end of the lake. She made a ball out of the crystal clear water, it slowly turned black – like it normally had done before – and she whipped it out. This was one of the more difficult tasks.
"Way to go, Imouto-chan!" Kam applauded from the shoreline. The water whip fell back into the lake as Mika clapped and jumped up and down. Her tail wagged so fast it seemed like she had four tails – her ears simply wiggled with glee.
"I did it, I did it!" she giggled. Kam jumped behind her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.
"Way to go!"
"Squee!" she turned around and hugged her sister.
"I say it's high time you got a treat; you were training since the sun rose." Kam patted Mika's shoulder.
"Really?" stars exploded from her eyes.
"Hai," Kam smiled. "How about something sweet?"
"You bet!" Kam laughed at Mika's enthusiasm.
"Okay, okay," she said, nodding. "Let's go to the marketplace." Mika let out a whoop and skipped toward the village. Her hyper self never failed to surprise Kam. After the worst possible situation Mika could always put on smile. Such a happy pup.

...

Mika bit into one of her wagashi – she had five sticks of them. She instantly squealed with delight; her ears and tail wiggled with glee. "So good~!" she sung. Kam bit into her pocky stick and giggled at the sweet, chocolate taste. She laughed and nodded in agreement.
"Onee-chan," Mika looked into her sister's box of sweets. Her bright eyes shone with over excitement.
"Hai?" Kam said, with a stick of pocky in between her teeth.
Mika rolled her teeth over her bottom lip. "Can I have one?" a slim finger pointed into the box. Kam smiled at her sister's shyness. She nodded with a content smile on her lips, and offered one of her sweets. She began to eye Mika's.
"Mika-chan?"
"Yush?" Mika chewed on a pocky stick, her tail swished.
"I'm allowed to have one, correct?" she pointed a finger at the wagashi. Mika nodded her head eagerly and shoved the four in Kam's face – she kept the one she ate off of close to her chest.
"Hai, hai, hai," her long tail was wagging, so rapidly that it looked as if she had five of them.
"Arigatou, Imouto-chan," Kam took the one on the furthest end. Mika's heart flew at her title. When her pack was alive she was the only one without a brother or a sister. She always watched them rough-house with each other with seldom eyes. What could she have done? Ruin the atmosphere with her greedy needs? No, she loved to see them smile and have fun – especially her older cousin Taro. That young beta always made her join in the fun, despite her thinking. But he couldn't call her 'Imouto-chan' like Kam did.
"No problem!" she gave Kam a thumbs up and a wink. Kam laughed and began to walk away; Mika followed without being told to do so.

"Where are we going, Onee-chan?" Mika gazed up at her sister, with undeniable cute curiosity and a smile.
Kam bent down to whisper in Mika's ear, "We have to make plans, ya' know?"
"Right, right!" Mika nodded.
Slowly their speed increased to a fast walk, to a jog, to a full on sprint. A trail of dirt was kicked up, left behind them.

...

The full moon shone brightly in the dark velvet sky. The far away white stars winked down at the demons below. The land was silent, almost at peace. Though, in secret, other demons plotted.

The candle light came from the low table; it dully lit the cave. The two females' faces were darkened and, on some features, highlighted. Kam ran a quill over a cream colored parchment. The black ink cut through a drawing of a thick forest and, just beyond that, she drew a large 'X' on top of a European castle. Their eyes shone with a thieves' greed and their smiles were positively demonic.

!

Youko Kurama, Kuronue, Yomi, and a bunch of unimportant demons stalked through a tightly packed forest. There was only one thing on their minds: Get their treasure before the Sisters do. But, what will they do if – or when – they run into them? Surely their three leaders, mostly Youko, would like to torture them.

There it is, Youko thought. He and Kuronue were up in a tree; its leaves barley left their silhouettes on their faces. He blinked and focused on the demons below at the castle gates.
They're fighting one another, He noted.
Their blades clashed and profanities echoed off the barren land. Youko glared; he realized that THEY must be here.
"Damn!" he harshly whispered. If there was one thing he couldn't stand it was these 'Sisters.' For years they have been stealing what he, oh, so desired.
He quickly recovered himself. He won't let these… these… LOW CLASS demons out do him again!

Youko motioned for the first squad to move forward, which included Kuronue and a few chosen followers. Kuronue, and others that could fly or glide, quickly took to the sky. Youko watched his dear friend fly around the castle and get into the highest tower and waited.

!

Kuronue's feet barely made a sound as he entered the room. He pinched his nose at the over powering scent of blood and decaying, burning bodies. There were swords, daggers, ninja stars – basically anything with a pointed edge – embedded in their bodies. The weapons were surrounded in a black flame.
The center of the fire was a dark purple and faded into black. It crackled and crawled down from the weapons and onto the men's bodies. It almost looked like it had a mind of its own. An involuntary shutter runs down his spine; having a flashback all those years ago. If what that kitsune did that long time ago with light fire, he imagined what this dark fire could do. Though, Kuronue rather not find out in person.

He looked out the window and gave the single; Yomi's group circled the gates and Youko's went to the grand doors. Kuronue let out a sigh, slowly closing his eyes. Through the scent of decaying bodies in the room he got a whiff of a scent that smelled awfully familiar, and another that smelled like right after it rains. He chose to ignore it.
Kuronue carefully side stepped across the room; avoiding the fire.

!

Kam had a grin on her face.
"Way to go, Mika-chan!" she whispered, giving her sister a high five. "Your new technique came in handy!"
Mika's tail wagged and her ears wiggled. "Arigatou, Onee-chan," she scratched underneath her right eye, with a sheepish look. "It's just something I thought of – I didn't know it would work."
Kam chuckled. "Either way, it's awesome!"
The new ability that they were talking about was, what Mika called, 'Shadow Possession.' Thanks to the high, full moon outside the soldiers' shadows stretched and Mika bent the darkness in them. What Mika willed their shadows to do, they did – much to their misfortune. And now that they were inside, where the candles and chandeliers were, Mika could step on a nearby shadow and transport themselves to wherever, but where's the fun in that?
This was also a sign of her becoming stronger.
"Thanks, Onee-chan." Mika's cheeks enflamed at the compliment.

They crept along the dully lit halls, their ears twitched at every sound within the castle. They eyed at the large portraits of past rulers. Mika tensed as one ruler's ice blue eyes kept their lock on her and seemed to follow her down the hall – an optical illusion. She stayed close to Kam.
Once in a while they would encounter other soldiers – they heard the commotion outside the gates – the Sisters attacked with brutal force, and, judging by their outfits, they ran into Youko Kurama's guild.
"Feh," Kam recalled her ice whip, a flexible hard-cold water. "You'd think they'd be more of a challenge."
Mika panted by her sister's side, with her tongue rolled out. "I… don't know…, Onee-chan…, they were… kinda hard… to keep… at bay."
Kam smiled at the ookami's choice of words, and ruffled her black mane. "MY energetic, playful pup sister tired?" She raised a brow at her panting younger sister, a playful smile and amusement danced in her eyes. "From a bunch of girly, weak, armature thieves?"
She sighed dramatically. "Seems like we need to fuel you with more sugar before we go on heists if your energy has dropped this low." Kam chuckled softly as she teased the young wolf.
"I like the sound of that!" Mika's tail wagged at the thought of more sugar. The kitsune chuckled at her hyper-ness. She pressed an index finger to her lips; silencing Mika.

After numerous mini fights the Sisters came to a dark hallway that split two ways.
"Which way do we go?" Mika looked at the different ways. Kam hummed, gazing down the halls. She closed her eyes and focused. All she could see was darkness, but bits of light from candles, and closed doors from both ways. No sign of a treasure room; she couldn't enter any of the rooms. She swore at the thought of leaving her younger sister.
"Onee-chan," Mika gazed up at her older sister. Her ears wiggled at Kam's cuss.
Kam let out a sigh and ruffled her hair. "GAH!" her hands slammed down on her mouth. Her echo bounced off the walls.
Mika's tail wagged at the discovery. "Cool!" she yelled. "ECHO!"
"Mika-chan," Kam whispered harshly, slamming one of her hands down on Mika's mouth. The ookami squeaked in surprise. "Sh…. We gotta keep quiet." Mika nodded in understanding.
Kam slowly detached her hand, looking back the way they came.
"Alright," she whispered. "We're safe."

She walked toward the hall on the left; Mika followed.
"We're going down this one?" she asked. Not hearing a response, the pup blinked up at her sister. "Onee-chan?"
"Mika," said ookami straightened up. Kam's tone was laced with concern and seriousness.
"H-Hai?"
I can't believe I'm about to say this. Kam thought to herself. "We're going to have to split up."
"Nani?" Mika's eyes widen with fright. What if she runs into trouble? She's only starting to get her second tail!
"Mika-chan," Kam placed both of her hands on Mika's shoulders; gazing into her goldening eyes. "Don't worry – everything's gonna be alright. As soon as you run into trouble I'll be right by your side." She pulls the frightened pup into a warm embrace. "Besides you're a strong fighter, teach some of these boys what we can do!" she pulls away and give her an encouraging wink.
"O-Okay, Onee-chan." Mika wrung her hands together nervously. Kam brought her into a warm hug.
"Everything's going to be fine, Mika-chan. Don't worry." She slowly pulls away and smiles down at her sister. "If you're in trouble just go into the shadows, okay?"
Mika nodded. "H-Hai." She whispered. She never did like the idea of being separated from Kam – her sister.
"Very good," Kam patted her shoulder. "Now, let's make this quick. Okay?"

Despite her cheery expression it kills her to leave Mika. Kam told her that she'll never leave, many years ago. She promised to protect her. How could she do that if they're in complete different rooms? Kam could just blow something up….
That's a tempting thought. Her mind hummed.

Mika's ears were pinned back, her tail was close to her legs, and her hands were folded closely to her chest. Her eyes shone brightly in the dark room. Very light whimpers escaped her from time to time. Her steps were soft and somewhat quick.
Even though she was a demon, she prayed to find the treasure and leave safely with her sister.

"OI!" a man's voice echoed down the hallway. Mika stopped right where she stood. There were multiple footsteps. She ran, not bothering to hide her presence.
"This might be the way to the treasure!"
They're coming!
"Look up ahead!" Mika could feel their youki spike; a burst of adrenalin filled her veins. There's sudden heat on her back. She twirls to her right; her back collides with the cold stone wall. Her breathing is uneven and rapid. A series of light fireballs zipped past and exploded at force that stopped them.
I'm close to the door. Mika noticed. She rolled her teeth over her lower lip. Her ears twitched at the sound of someone ordering a command. Her left arm lashed upwards, leaving a black streak, a force field of sorts.
As they were on the offensive, she was on the defensive.

Kam quietly walked down the hall. Her steps were confident and quick. Like Mika, she wanted to get out there safely with her sister. Her dark sea-colored eyes were glowing a dark green color. She could see that she's getting closer to the door.

The tiny hairs on her neck stand on end.
Something isn't right. Her beast purred. Kam shook it off.
I have to find that treasure. Then, I'll go to Mika. She wrapped her fingers around a cold metal handle. Having not been used in centuries, the door screeched in protest.
"Damn," she whispered harshly. There was nothing but a single window high up the wall. Kam walked in the circular room searching for something that would possibly lead to a secret room.
There were none; she swore.

Her head snapped over her shoulder. She quickly jumped into the air; avoiding a lightning bolt. Her body twisted in mid air; avoiding fire blasts. She swung her right hand in front of her, leaving a trail of water behind it.
Landing on the balls of her feet, she connected her index finger and thumb. She lightly blew; a blizzard flew toward the enemy demons. A few were frozen in their place, others went at her. Water formed in the palm of her hand and slithered in a thick whip around her. It hardened into ice. The remaining of Kurama's guild attacked with their elements and weapons. Kam cracked her whip; destroying the bows and arrows and the incoming katanas. She jumped in the air and twisted her body; avoiding the elements that were helped by hers.

There are too many of them! she thought to herself. But, at least Mika-chan is safe. So long as she's alright, I don't care. Kam's breathing came out ragged. No matter how many she killed or frozen or crippled they still came. She was strong, but they had numbers. Hurting her.

She landed on the feet, but fell to her right knee. Her whip diminished into water around her. Blood was pouring from her left side, right arm, and there was a wound on her head. She swiped her arms forward, a blast of water shot out of nowhere. The demons collided with the stone wall. The injury on her arm worsened. She quickly froze the demons with thick ice.
More demons attacked her, and she fought back.
There was one demon that caught her attention. The demon was a female ookami, with black pixie-like hair and sharp features. Like everyone else she wore a white outfit, but had beige arm bands. The ookami shot a lightning bolt at her. Kam ran out of the way; more demons took their chance.

"Onee-chan!" Everything slowed, than stopped. Mika stood in the threshold holding up a diamond sphere trapped in a golden cage. She had blood stains on her tattered clothes and minor gashes. "I found it!"
"Mika!" It was only than that she realized the scene before her, the demons turned their attention to the pup. "Run!" everything slowly sped up. The remaining guild members charged up or readied their weapons.
Mika's eyes widened. "But-"
"Just go," Kam cut her off. She snapped the lightning ookami in half. She turned back to her, with a gentle smile. "Everything's gonna be okay. Now go!"
Against her will, she turned around and began to run. As she yelped in surprise, Kam yelled her name.
Youko Kurama grabbed Mika's biceps. His cold, golden eyes glared down into her frightened ones. Other demons surrounded Kam, who was lashing at them with her whip.
"GO!" Kam screamed. Before Youko Kurama could do anything Mika's body evaporated in a black mist, heading toward the only window.
"Stop her!" he ordered. Arrows, daggers, fire, water, lightning, blades of wind, vines trying to grasp her shot up at the mist. It easily made the escape.

"Please be safe." Kam whispered to her.
Kurama's guild turned their attention to her; Kam closed her eyes and raised her arms in surrender. She knew she was outnumbered.

A black mist entered the mouth of a cave. It solidified into Mika. She was on her hands and knees crying. Her right hand held the item she stole. Tears hid in the dark blades of grass. A sob racked through her. She sat back on her legs looking at the caged diamond. Her jaw tightened at her broken reflection, and she chucked it at a wall. It bounced off the dirt wall unharmed.
Mika crumbled to the ground, her shoulders shook with sobs.
"Onee-chan!" she cried. "Onee-chan!"
She isn't coming; you left her behind.
She told me to. Mika sniffled. She slowly crawled over to the fireplace.
What kind of ookami are you? First, it's your father—
I don't even know him!
Still, maybe if you weren't so WEAK he would've stayed.
I was a newborn!
Then, it's your aunts and uncles. Oh! And let's not forget Taro-san!
Shut up…. A dark fire sparked to life.
It's your fault your family is dead!
Shut up…. Mika curled up in a ball.
And now you left Kamine for dead!
Shut up….
Who knows what they're going to do to her! It's your fault! All of it!
"SHUT UP!" Mika's hands clamped down over her ears and the fire exploded; wrapping around her and the furniture. Burning everything, but her. It recoiled back; bringing the flames that were on the furniture. Mika covered face; ashamed.

"Onee-chan…. Gomen nasai!"
That night Mika slept by the fireplace, guilt heavy on her heart, with an ice cold feeling of loneliness wrapped around her. No one was there to tell her that everything would be okay, to wipe away her tears, brush her hair, or to sooth her to sleep.


Gold irises stared blankly at the rushing water. The cold air bit at her face and arms and whipped her dark hair around. Mika's hands clenched and unclenched. Her tail twitched.
Kamine was always there to save her, so maybe if Mika put her life at risk Kam would come and rescue her. But her instincts were screaming at her that this was an idiotic idea; don't do it!
Their 'words' had no affect on her.

Mika hovered her left foot above the cold, rapid water. She let all of her weight off of her right; her body plummeted into the river. Her body screamed at the sudden freezing temperature. Her face scrunched up and her hands flew up to her mouth and nose. The rapid river carried her down.
Her body began to go limp from the intensity around and filling her.

The water tossed and turned around her; flooding her lungs, burning them. Her limp body twisted and rammed into large rocks. Mika made no move to try and swim to the surface.
Onee-chan... she thought. An image of her beloved, kitsune sister flashed through her mind's eye. She was smiling and her eyes were filled with joy. Onee-chan...! her thought was more urgent. Mika opened her eyes, her eyes shone with desperation. You're not... you're not coming.
What a childish thought. Thinking that if she put her life at risk Kam would come and save her, again. It was those demon thieves' fault. No. It was her fault for listening to Kam and running.

Her instincts yelled at her to rise to the surface. Mika gazed up at the surface – the night sky, everything, blurred by the rushing water and bubbles. She realized her mistake of doing this; Kamine would want her to live not do something as stupid as this. But Mika's body was so weak and sore that she could not move. She was going to die without getting that last breath of air.

The water's brutal speed slowed down. Mika narrowly missed boulders and fallen trees under the river. Onee-chan... The river brought her flush form to the shore line. Mika didn't move. Her sensitive nose caught whiff of a kitsune, but it wasn't the one she craves for. Onee...-chan... she thoughts were slowing. She was dying, drowning.
Large hands turn her over to her back.
"C'mon," the male kitsune said. His fists pound on her stomach three times. Before the male actually did the mouth-to-mouth action Mika coughed up the water. Her large lupine ears wiggled and that was it – she dared not let that male see her eyes.
"You okay?" his youki was surrounding her, choking her.
Maybe if I play dead, he'll go away. she thought. She held her breath.
"Oi," he shouted. "Don't do that! You'll die!" he shook her.
Why does he care? Her beast began to snarl and snap its fangs at him. The right corner of her lips twitched. She was tempted to bare her enlarging fangs at him.
"Careful, little brother." another voice sounded. This one was a kitsune, only HIS youki was much stronger. The shaking stopped. "You're making her angry."
"Hm?" Mika could only picture the one holding her blink in confusion. He placed her to the ground gingerly, but didn't move. Her ears and tail twitched, showing her annoyance to the men. "Aw~," the first one cooed. "So kawaii!" He thought she was cute? A kitsune thought an ookami was... cute?
What a freak. Mika thought.

Her beast began to fight against its chains – eyes ablaze, fangs enlarging, wanting blood. So much had happened to her in such a short course of time. How long had it been? A week? A month? Two? Everything seemed to slow down for her.
Now she was with the strange male kitsunes! The White Wolf knew what they would do to her.

A hand – though seemingly comforting – reached out for Mika. Her eyes snapped out, red with specks of gold, and clawed at the weaker kitsune. She snarled and jumped away.
"Syon!" the stronger one yelled. He ran towards his brother.
Syon had his hand covering his bleeding face. Strands of his silver hair were becoming tinted red. "I'm alright, Mako." He chuckled at his idiocy. He stared at the growling and soaked ookami. "How foolish of me not to notice how scared you are…." He whispered.
Mako – formally known as Makoto – glanced at the female through his midnight blue bangs. Her body was rigid and tense and her eyes gave away her fearfulness and fatigue. Her snarling was becoming airy, her hackles were lightening, and her muscles were relaxing. The twin brothers noticed that.

Mika's vision was fading in and out. The two kitsunes were sharp, and then they were blurry. She took a step. Her foot felt as if she was wearing lead shoes. Her beast suddenly collapsed in its cage. Mika's eyes went back to gold, but they quickly rolled back into her head.
One of the brothers gasped and rushed for her. When she fell into his arms she got a whiff of his scent – airy, fresh and crisp, the ocean with a bit of an earthy background.
Everything then went dark for the young ookami.

The brothers stared down at the passed out female. She was small, they guessed no older than 1,650 years, at most, maybe a hundred years less. Her thick, black hair fell over Syon's arm to his mid-thigh, and her bangs clung to her child-like face, which was starting to mature. She looked peaceful, however, they both sensed something troubling her, even in her sleep.
Syon stood up with her safely secured in his arms, "What should we do with her, Nii-san?" he turned to face the older twin with questioning and concerned eyes.
Mako's violet eyes scanned the surroundings, then he glanced at the river. "She'll most likely be rapped and die if she stays out here."
"I know that!" Syon snapped, then calmed himself before his yelling wakes her; he sighed and looked westward. "Can't we just drop her off with a wolf pack or something?"
"Do you wish to fight a pack of wolves just so we don't become dinner?" Makoto dully looked at his brother, then looked down at the pup. "Besides, you know as well as I do that wolves don't usually take outsiders when they're this old into their pack. She'll be killed for sure."

Syon's ears flattened at that. For some strange reason, despite her clawing him, he felt an attachment to the wolf girl. Maybe because when he looked in her eyes, he saw a bit of himself in them: hurt, lost, alone, afraid. His hold on her tightened as he thought on how badly his life had been.

His bangs shaded his eyes as he spoke softly. "We'll take her home, then."

"Sy," Mako used his nickname and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I want to help her, too. But you know the clan will be on edge having an ookami around, even if it is a young one. The best thing to do for her would be to…" But he trailed off when he saw his brother's determination and the mindset he was in.

He sighed mentally and stared down at the girl in his twin's arms. Something drew himself towards her, even if he is supposed to be emotionless, he somehow… cares about her. He could sense her torment and her pain, relating to those feelings himself from all these years of torture and training to become a clan leader by his grandfather. And despite her fear and pain, he saw somewhere deep inside her eyes, she is a happy and carefree ookami. Maybe… she could brighten Syon's and his mother's lives if she finds that side of her again.

"To what, Nii-san?" Syon asked after a period of silence.
Mako met his eyes with Syon's crimson ones. "To leave her in Mom's and your care." The silver kitsune smiled and Mako gently petted her hair. "Mom always had a way with kids, perhaps the pup will feel more relaxed and safer when there's an older female present. We just can't let anyone else see her on our way in, lest people start to panic."
"You worry too much, Nii-san. We'll be fine and I'll look after her, keep her outta trouble," Syon grinned wider and started heading back to the village they and they're clan called home, "So, let's head home and tell Mom and Dad! I'm sure they won't mind her staying, especially after we explain what happened."
"Nn," Makoto nodded once in agreement, following close behind. "Though, you might want to wash off the blood and heal the marks on your face before we get back."
"Yeah, yeah," he would've waved him off if he wasn't carrying the girl.

A stream of water floated to Syon's face from the river, then covered the side, glowed faintly for a half-a-minute before all the water retreated and fell to the ground, along with the bit of dried blood from his previous wound and silver hair. His wound was now completely gone, without a trace.

"Hey," he looked down at Mika. "I wonder what her name is."
Makoto closed his eyes for a moment, his stoic face and tone always remaining put, "Mika."
"Ne?" Syon's white fox ears wiggled, "And how do you– …Ohh, right~ your telepathy. Lucky bastard." He pouts and began to grumble on how it's unfair the older twin got to have darkness as one of his elements and how he can read minds whenever he wants to with it and Syon is stuck with finding things out the old fashioned way.
Mako refused the urge of rubbing his temple in slight annoyance. He loved his younger brother dearly and respected him – despite what the elders and other clan members do and say – but he could be so childish at times. Though he had to admit, he liked that about him. But still…. This is going to be a long walk home.

!

Kam's eyelid peeled back – her other one swollen shut. The wounds on her form showed the mistreatment she'd been through – her tanned skin was red with blood, purple and blue with bruises, and swollen from the broken bones inside her.
She could barely raise her gaze as someone entered the cold, dank cell. The silhouette of the male was rather tall, well-built, long pointed ears, and the ends of long horns on his forehead. Kamine learned his name was Yomi.

The reckless demon glowered at her, grasping the hilt of his sword.
"I still don't see why you're alive," He growled at her. "You haven't told us anything."
She let out an airy chuckle. That was all she could do; her binds held her still – bounding her wrists behind her back and ankles together. Otherwise she'd flip him off.
The sound of a blade being taken out of its sheath rung throughout the basement. The tip of the weapon nicks under her chin. "But you still can. Now, why don't you tell me where that lil' pup went?"
Like I'd ever tell you!Her beast roared. The safety of her sister mattered above all else. She knew that Mika was safe.
"Go fuck yourself." Her voice came out raspy, strained.
"You bitch!" instead of slashing the sword on her, the tip of his foot collided with her gut. Blood spewed from her mouth as she skidded across the floor. Yomi grabbed a fist full of her stained silver locks and pulled her upward – the sword was replaced by a dagger. He placed it lightly against her neck; a twisted grin was on his lips.
"Now," despite his whisper; his voice ran past her ringing ears. "You can tell me where that damned ookami is and I won't slit your throat, or don't and die. Your choice."
Kam was panted from the pain; she lost the ability to hide the pain a long time ago. "You won't… you won't kill me." She grinned at his shocked, enraged expression. "Not without Youko Kurama's consent – and seeing how valuable that necklace is to him – I highly doubt he would want to… to lose the only person that knows where it's at."
Yomi let go of her and quickly slashed her cheek; sending blood flying between the duo and her falling a ways off. He continued to beat her; wanting the answers out of her so badly, before anyone else.
"Yomi!" a masculine voice boomed. The young, male demon looked up at the cell's door. Kuronue's indigo blue eyes glowed in the darkness. Yomi could tell his 'partner' wasn't happy with the way he was treating their prisoner.
"We want her alive! Not beaten half to death!" Kuronue yelled.
"Tch," Yomi dropped Kam to the floor; a sickening splatter sounded once her body met the floor. "Not my fault she isn't giving us answers! For all we know that damned pup could find out something useful and destroy us all!"
Kuronue rolled his eyes at Yomi's mindset. The winged demon could tell that she wasn't even old enough to understand that there were more valuable, and equally powerful, treasures inside the vault. So, how could she even know how to operate the Caged Memories of Akiyama?
"Kurama wants you in the training grounds." Kuronue informed Yomi.
The horned demon's shoulders tensed and glared at him. His hackles slowly rose – Kam could sense his anger and fear. Yomi grumbled something that she couldn't pick up, because of the ringing in her ears, and left, slamming the door behind him.

Kuronue sighed at how immature Yomi acted. The koumori gazed down at the beaten kitsune. Even though he remembered that she gave him the scar on his leg he knew why; she wanted to protect that wolf pup. As strange as it was – kitsunes and ookami are suppose to be enemies, wanting to kill each other – he felt something he couldn't identify. It didn't warm his chest or any of that crazy feelings, it was just there… bugging him.

"You're not gonna tell us, are you?" he asked. His voice was cool and dead, completely void of any emotions.
Kam let out a raspy chuckle; blood trickled out of the corners of her mouth. She glared up at him with her better eye. "What do you think, baka?"
Kuronue resisted hitting her; she being too much of value. If they continued to beat her the more likely she'll keep her mouth shut. He turned on his heel and stepped out of her cell. He shut the cell door while staring at her.
She'll never leave here – she'll most likely die of starvation or of an infection if her body stays like this. He thought as he locked the barred door.
Patting the key on his hip, he left.

Once she heard the door shut again Kam began to pant, the pain she felt was becoming too much. Though she wouldn't show it to the ones here. She flinched as she rolled onto her back; her broken ribs poked her insides. Her eye stared out at the one, tiny window in her cell.
Her lips cracked as she smiled at the pleasant memories of her and Mika.
It hurt to speak, so she thought, Please be safe.


Takashi pinched the bridge of his nose and his ears – which are on the side of his head as oppose to being on top like most kitsunes – twitched every few seconds. The smell of the young ookami, Mika, still lingered in the room he was in. He and his sons, Makoto and Syon, had agreed that she can stay but in one of the guest rooms that was hardly ever used. (Though, because of Makoto having to stay on Goro's training grounds, Makoto informed him telepathically.)
He informed his mate, Ayame, last night about the pup and watched as her eyes sparkled. Delighted with the idea of possibly having a "daughter".

He sighed and placed his elbows on the low table, staring blankly at the beige and black papers, trying to focus on the task at hand. Takashi heard rumors about the lands in the west: the Lady and Lord's son was very cunning and bloodthirsty. He was a year older than his sons and already killed so many. Takashi had to make numerous town meetings to calm the villagers down about that.
He began to run his hand through his hair. His gut was telling him that this young boy was something to reckon with; to be on his guard. He sighed again and massaged his temples.

Takashi's focus shifted back to the ookami pup. Him being a nine-tailed kitsune with heightened powers and senses, he could sense that she was of no threat to him or the clan. But it was better to lock her away where no servant, soldier, and/or other family member could see, hear, or smell her than to have havoc running a mock – at least for now anyways.
Ookami normally travel in packs, He thought. Why isn't this pup part of one? But, then again, maybe something happened to her family. He remembered a dark blaze wildfire that happened over a thousand years ago. They could have gotten caught in it and she, somehow, managed to escape it. Her home must have been fairly close to that.
His thoughts continued. More importantly how did she end up in the river?
Takashi recalled a memory of when Syon said that most ookami don't like swimming.
Perhaps she was trying to catch a fish and slipped in the rapids?

He ran his hand down his face and exhaled through his nose, hand resting on his mouth. His pale lavender eyes focused on the sliding door where Syon – with Mika still passed out in his arms – entered and exited earlier. The room they were placing her in is rarely used, far away from the busiest part of the temple.
That should create some form of comfort, but that won't do. Ayame, Syon, and I will have to make sure that none of the servants disturb her. We'll have to be patient with her.

!

Ayame stopped just outside a sliding door, it acted as a feeble barrier considering it was paper thin, where the poor ookami pup was in. She had heard frightening stories of these creatures when she was younger, but seeing one so young and weak looking in her son's arm, the memories quickly went away. Not that she really ever believed in those stories.
She slowly slid door open and peeked in. Her celestial blue eyes shone with joy, but they had a look of despair underneath them, as she stared at the young ookami. Mika was under numerous blankets, the thickest one on top of them all. Ayame could smell a slight fever that was coming over her and her heart went out to her.
Ayame's ears perked up and her eyes widened at the sound of a whimper. Her motherly instincts took over. Sliding the door open and shutting it when she entered, she slowly made her way to the sleeping pup. She sat less than a foot away from her – looking over Mika's face. Her face shined with sweat, making her dark strands stick to her face, and her cheeks were pink. There was the occasional whimper from her and she shook her head.
Ayame gently brushed Mika's bangs away and placed the back of her fingers on the slick forehead. The older female's eyes widened and her ears and tail twitched in surprise when Mika moved her head and sniffed at her wrist. Mika let out a pleased whine and calmed down.

!

The field was breath-taking; a wide open space where the swishing green grass seemed to go on forever and met with the clear blue sky in a thin line on the horizon, the single towering tree gave a reasonable amount of shade, and the grass was speckled with various light colored flowers that smelled beautifully.
A tall and gorgeous ookami stood a ways beyond the tree just staring up at the sky. Her long hair blew in the peaceful breeze; it made her smile. She could smell her pack mates' scents on the wind.
She knew that her pup was close by and didn't worry all that much.
"Mama~!" a tiny pup bounced to the silver haired ookami with dark colored flowers in her tiny hands."Mama~!"
The older ookami looked over her shoulder, a gentle smile on her lips. "What is it, Mika-chan?"
Mika placed her hands on her knees, panting. After she caught her breath, she beamed up at Gin. She stood up straight and held out her right hand. "Look it! Aren't they pretty?"
Gin crouched down to her daughter's level. She took the blossoms out of her hands and let them hover under her nose; getting their individual scents. Her hazel eyes stared into Mika's bright brown ones. "They're absolutely wonderful – I love them," the mother's hand went to the back of her daughter's head and kissed her forehead, "But I still love you more." She whispered against the skin.
Mika's tail swished and she giggled behind her hands. "I love you, too, Mama!" she kissed her mother's cheek.
However, Mika glared down at the sight of the dark flowers. "They were bright and very colorful, like Mama's hair, but when I picked 'em they weren't like that anymore." She gazed up at Gin with innocent eyes. "How come everything I touch goes dark, Mama?"'
Gin's eyes filled up with tears and she bit the inside of her lower lip. "Oh," she pulled her young and only pup in her arms. "Mika-chan…." she buried her nose in Mika's hair.
The scene shifted slightly. The grass changed from green to gold and the tree's leaves had fallen onto the ground. The sky was still clear and blue and Gin still stood a ways from the towering tree. Mika was playing in the pile of leaves, acting just like a puppy her age would do. But she stopped and her ears wiggled at the sound of a distant howl, that single call was followed by others.
"Taro-kun~!" she hollered gleefully. She balloted out of the leaves and sprinted past her overprotective mother.
"Mika! No!" Gin called after her, ears straight up and body rigid. The pup paid no mind; the excitement of seeing her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents too much for her tiny body to bear.
Mika went on all fours and transformed into her chubby, black, furry wolf cub form and ran awkwardly toward the large pack.
The pack came over a hill – their speed increased at the sight a wobbling pup coming towards them. A gray wolf sprinted past the aging alpha and headed towards his beloved cousin.
"Mika-chan~!" he howled.
"Taro-kun~!" Mika howled back.
Taro transformed into his humanoid self – knowing that it would bring less pain to Mika's sensitive feet – and Mika quickly followed. Once close enough, Mika jumped up in the air and toward Taro's open arms. He caught her and spun her around, enjoying the sound of her pleased squeals. He slowly stopped twirling her and brought her in a warm embrace.
Soon the rest of her pack joined in the hug, even Gin.

There was a familiar, peaceful tune in the air. Something Mika realized Taro use to play for her on his flute.
He called it: Sleeping Wolves. (1)

The area changed drastically in a dark blaze. Mika's pack completely vanished; leaving her alone in a world of darkness. She hugged herself as she looked around, whimpering. The feeling of loneliness crept up on her, the sensation was like ice stabbing up her spine and her gut; unwanted shivers traveled throughout her body. Without a pack to protect her she was as good as dead, and she knew that.
"Taro-kun?" her voice echoed around her.
No one answered.
"Kaiya-chan? Uncle Takai? Aunt Kin? …. Mama?" her voice grew weaker and weaker with each person she called for, and tears filled her eyes.
She lifted her head and yelled into the nothingness, "SOMEBODY!" the tears began to freefall down her chubby cheeks.
There was a sudden dark chuckle from behind her. Mika whimpered as she looked over her shoulder. There was a tall, bulky person shrouded in a long black cloak. He was far away from her, but she could still see him.
Gin's voice rang through her mind. "Mika-chan," she said, "Stay away from a man in a black cloak; he'll try to kill you."
Mika broke out into a run. The man chuckled and walked toward her, somehow getting closer and closer. She was sobbing; her breathing was uneasy. As she was running, her body began to change, mature. And the dark man got closer and closer.
"ONEE-CHAN!" Mika screamed at the top of her lungs. She yelped as strong arms wrapped around her torso; she kicked and screamed in protest. "No!"
"Calm down, Mika-chan…." the voice was rough and sultry, but soothing.
She continued to whimper, the adrenalin still pumping through her veins, and she kept her eyes shut with the thought of if she opened her eyes Taro will go away. "Taro-kun…." She whispered.
The arms around morphed, they became slimmer but were still strong around her. A lock of silver-light sky blue hair fell over her shoulder. The scent of an older kitsune filled Mika's nostrils.
"I promise to always protect you…." Kam's voice whispered in her ear. There was an echo in the depths of the pup's mind. Someone very dear to her made a similar promise to her long ago.
She hugged the arms around her and let out a pleased whine, despite the tears running down her face.

Ayame stared in surprise when Mika's eyes fluttered open half away, she was still tired and sick, and saw the hazed over golden irises. Her heart began to beat harshly under her breast. In spite of that, she didn't remove her hand just yet.
Mika saw a white ceiling and sensed an older kitsune – older than Kamine. Without moving her head, she gazed up at the woman. The woman had a loving smile on her lips and kind celestial blue eyes.
"Hello," her voice was soft, "I'm Ayame. What's your name?"
Mika remembered the very first time she met Kam – this situation was very similar.
She stared up at the woman with blank eyes. She was rather disappointed when Ayame took her hand off of her heated forehead.
"Mika…." Her voice was weak. Sweat traveled down her temple and she shivered under the many blankets.
"Mika," Ayame whispered, "That's a beautiful name."
"Thank you…."
The pup stared up at Ayame's ears once they wiggled. She let her eyes obviously roam over Ayame's form. She had light, beautiful tanned skin draped over her features. Her hair was black that melted into a deep purple at the tips (Mika couldn't tell how long it was, but knew it was a past her shoulders). By the color and sparkle of Ayame's eyes, Mika could tell that she was caring and motherly.
Mika's nostrils flared at the scent of a male kitsune – the one who she slashed at. What was his name? Syon? Her ears were too weak to even twitch.

"How are you feeling?" Ayame asked pulling away strands of Mika's hair from her face.
"Like crap…." She groaned.
Ayame lightly chuckled at Mika's answer; finding her choice of words amusing.
"Do you need anything?"
Mika stared up at the kitsune. Why is she being so kind? she wondered. She knew that she shouldn't confide in strangers so easily, but there was something about this kitsune that she could just trust. Perhaps it was the fact that Ayame reminded her of Kam or even her own mother.
"Water would be nice…." Mika gave Ayame a weak smile.
If it smells funky I won't drink it, she thought, being glad her sense of smell was super sensitive.
Ayame smiled down at the pup. "Alright, one cup of water coming right up!" she slowly got up, not wanting to frighten Mika, and walked to the door.

Syon stopped in his tracks as his mother emerged from the guest room, the room where Mika was in.
"Mom?" he blinked in confusion.
Ayame turned around, with a twinkle in her eye, and pressed her index against her lips; signaling him to be quiet. He blinked again, but his ears twitched at the low, warning growl inside the room. His red eyes saddened and his shoulders slacked at the sound. He so wanted to be friends with her; even if it defied the law of nature. But, if having to take it slow is what it would take to gain her trust he'll gladly wait.
Having a friend would mean the world to him, not that his mother and twin brother weren't good enough, it's just in his clan, he's considered the weakling and a piece of trash, just because he was the younger twin and youngest son of his father, who's the leader of the clan. His grandfather, Goro, was responsible for that view he forced the clan to believe, because he was a village Elder and viewed younger twins to be worthless and that they are just all the bad parts that left the older, perfect twin in the womb.
However, Syon made the best of things. Like how he was determined to befriend a wolf pup that was weary of him and his family, but inside his heart, there was something about her that told him they'd get along. If she would be his friend, he was sure he'd be the happiest kitsune in the universe, and he'd make sure that Goro or anyone else would never hurt her.
'Syon,'
The young male's ears twitched at the sound of his mother's voice in his head. He looked up at her. She motioned to walk with her. He slowly, cautiously walked past the paper door; sensing the anger slowly rise.
Once mother and child were out of Mika's hearing range they began to engross in conversion.
"You did a great thing, Syon." Ayame told him, she brushed her hand through his hair.
"Thank you, Mother," he smiled up at her; his pride swelling a bit in having his mother approve at his actions.

They continued to walk down the open hallway, their footsteps were dulled by their white tabi socks, as they were heading towards the kitchen.

"Mom," Syon looked up at Ayame, "What are you doing?"
She walked into the clean kitchen and got out a large brown tea cup, then went over to the pitcher of water.
"I'm getting water for Mika," she said as she filled up the cylinder cup.
Syon's ears perked up, "Can I help?" He exclaimed, his tail swished with apprehension.
Ayame's actions paused. What could Syon do that won't alarm the stressed-out, sickly pup? she wondered; thoughts began to turn around her mind, then she came to a conclusion.
"You can make the ice." She smiled sweetly at her younger son.
She held out the cup, to which Syon grinned broadly and his tail wagged. He went between the container of water and Ayame, holding out his hand. A stream of the clean liquid lifted out of the steel pitcher, three blotches of the water detached from the stream, and he morphed the blotches of water into cubes. The air in the middle of his cupped hand began to freeze, solidifying the clear blue-ish cubes. Syon carefully dumped the three cubes into the mug.
He smiled up at Ayame and she smiled back.

As mother and son walked back to the room they mulled over some things. Wondering how long Mika was going to stay with them, where her pack was, and more importantly, how they could they make her more comfortable.
"When Mako and I found her she was in the river," Syon told Ayame again, sort of thinking about the facts out loud to help get ideas, "We didn't see any wounds on her, as you and Dad saw too, but she could've been pushed from behind. But, then again, she could of sensed him."
Ayame smiled down at her son, Syon's knowledge on wolves – a species that could possibly kill him – was spectacular. Knowing that they don't feel comfortable swimming, relying more on their sense of smell, how they hunt, and how they track was amazing to her. No kitsune – that she knew of – had such a vast knowledge about them, except for her son.
"She could have been chased into a lake," Syon continued, "fell down a waterfall, and end up where I and Mako found her.
"But," he went on, "The question I'd like to know, and what is important now, is: how can we make her feel more comfortable."
Ayame wrapped her arm around him, "I think we all want to know that, Syon." She kissed his temple.
Once they arrived back at the room, Ayame slowly opened the door. Mika looked up at the older kitsune with cautious, curious eyes. Ayame purposely left the door slightly askew. To prove that she wasn't weak, Mika slowly lifted herself up – even though the strain was extricating to her muscles; much to the kitsunes' displeasure, she shouldn't be hurting herself further.
"You should rest," Ayame whispered as she crouched down next to the sick pup.
Mika's expression was laced with obvious discomfort, "I'm fine. Really."
Syon watched as his mother arranged the large, numerous pillows behind Mika and persuaded her to sit down. The pup took the cup in both her hands and drank the cool beverage. A small smile slowly tugged at the corners of his lips.

!

"ONEE-CHAN~!" Kamine opened her eyes at the sound of Mika's childish, young voice.
The pup came bounding up the hill. Her eyes glowed in the dark night and her dark hair seemed blend into the black velvet sky. The young kitsune could clearly see the excitement in her eyes. Mika began to tug on Kam's right arm.
"C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" she chanted. "There's something you gotta see! Gotta see!"
Kam smiled at her sister's eagerness. She let her lead the way to where Mika wanted to go – silently laughing.

"Mika-chan," she began, "Where are we going?"
"To go see! Go see!"
Mika was never one for words when she was this excited.
"See what?"
"Something amazing!"
Kam laughed whole heartily.
They ran down the grassy hill and into the forest. They dodged the trees with ease, jumped over logs, and stayed clear of stronger demons.
The duo came to a sudden stop.
"Okay, stop." Mika's voice was soft and commanding. She let go of her sister's hand and army crawled to the bushes. She looked over her shoulder and motioned Kam to do the same.
She had done so.
"What are we looking at, Mika-chan?" Kam's voice was barely a whisper.
"This," the dark haired pup slowly and quietly parted the bushes, "Look at them." she pointed the small orange, black, and white bugs flying around numerous flowers.
Kam stopped breathing, her eyes widened in shock.
Monarch Butterflies. She thought.
"What do you think they are?" Mika's tail swished with curiosity.
"They're monarch butterflies – from Ningenkai."
"Ningenkai?"
The tanned skinned kitsune nodded at the ookami's confused look. Her father's words floated back to her; she voiced them. "Ningenkai is a world unlike ours; it's filled with humans."
"Humans? What are they?"
Kam gave a half smile. "They're not like you and me. They don't have our type of ears, they don't have a tail, they can't control elements, or have any powers. Basically they're… physically weak. A wide majority of them are caring and compassionate."
Tears gather in her eyes; remembering the night her parents were ripped away from her. She quickly blinked them away.
"Onee-chan," Mika whispered, "You okay?"
She shook her head. "Fine."
Both sisters looked back at the butterflies floated around the bioluminescent blossoms. They're night vision gave them the ability to watch them.
"If these things are from Ningenkai," Mika softly spoke, "How did they get here?"
"There are portals littered across Makai," Kam responded. "They could've entered through that and ended up here. Unfortunately, portals in general are rare."
Mika's tail and ears twitched. "Pity, I wanna see a human."

The pup slowly got up on her hands and the balls of her feet; her rear in the spring air. She zipped through the bushes and, while she transformed into her Spirit Wolf form, landed on the large flowers. There was a burst of light blue petals and butterflies. Kam laughed merrily at her sister's antics. She watched her try to grasp one with her teeth; snapping at them; not knowing how delicate they are.
"Careful, Mika-chan," Kam walked through the scrubs, "They're extremely sensitive to our touch."
Mika stopped trying to catch a butterfly. She tilted her head and her tail thumped against the damp grass. A wolfish grin went across her lips, showing her white fangs, and she snickered. Shortly after, she was rolling on the ground laughing to the best of her abilities in her wolf form.
"Nani?" Kam blinked.
The tiny wolf transformed back into her demon form and pointed to the top of Kam's head, giggling with glee. Kam felt the top of her head but felt nothing. She looked up. One brave monarch floated above her nose, before it gingerly placed itself on the tip. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips; remembering all the times her parents gave her "butterfly kisses."

"Onee-chan?"
"Hai?" Kam looked back at Mika, sensing the seriousness in her tone. Several butterflies placed themselves on her.
"We're always gonna be together, right?"
Her eyes widened in shock at the sudden question. "Of course we are," she walked over to her younger, teary eyed sister. Kneeling down, Kam placed her hands on Mika's shoulders; some of the butterflies flew away. "Why would you ask something like that?"
"Because I'm afraid we'll be separated and will never see each other again." The pup muttered mournfully. A tear ran down her cheek; Kam quickly swiped it away, not liking to see her sister cry.
"That will never happen," Kam reassured her, "I'll always be here for you, Imouto-chan."
Mika sniffled and wrapped her arms around Kam's neck. "Arigatou, Onee-chan."
Kam enveloped her arms around Mika. "No problem."

The silver haired kitsune's eye peeled back less than half way.
"Crap," she whispered her voice hoarse and weak from the recent events. Kam had realized that her childhood promise might be broken.

Her form had worsened in the course of her stay; her once beautiful, healthy skin had become unbelievably swollen and bruised.
She lost count of all the times she just wanted to bite her tongue off, to keep herself from telling Youko Kurama and his guild where her hideout resided. Mika's health and life surpassed her own; she wanted her to live. For the both of them if she were to die there in the dark, lonely cell.
Kam silently cried numerous times during her stay; she worried on how Mika would survive without her. Her thoughts plagued her while she slept. The most previous one, was more pleasant than nightmare.
Yet, what could she do? No matter how hard she fought against the bindings, they only seemed to get worse. She could not fight back.

Tears gathered in Kam's better eye at the thought of never seeing her younger sister again.
"ONEE-CHAN~!" Mika's childish voice and happy face haunted her.
Kam buried her face into the cell floor; her blood stained hair fell over her eyes. "Gomen nasai, Imouto-chan…." she whispered.


Syon jumped high onto a tree's thick branch to over look the entire village; the high wall that encloses around it surrounded by the forest on the west, mountains to the north, and the barren area on the east. He narrowed his eyes; hoping that he'll see any sign of his new friend.
He cupped his right hand around his mouth and shouted, "Mika-hime! Where are~ you~?" He was searching everywhere for the young ookami – in the woods, temple, and training grounds – but found nothing; all the while, being cautious so that the villagers don't hear him. His mother and father have to found the right opportunity to tell everyone about the pup.
Worry was beginning to creep up on him. If Goro, or someone else from the village, found her there would be no telling what would happen!
Where is she? he gracefully fell from a tree branch. His eyes widened at the sight of a black rose that was suddenly blooming before him. Lifting his gaze, he found a trail of them. "Mika-chan?" Wondering if this was some sort of way of non-verbally telling him to search this way, he followed.

The thick forest slowly became less dense and Mika's scent began to reach his nose. He sped walked toward the sweet-wintery smell. He could hear the gentle rushing of the river by Makoto's training area and a where the warriors lived.
"Mika-!" He stopped at the sight of a small clear pond. But as he walked toward the edge his breath caught in throat.
Mika looked up at the relatively young kitsune staring down at her. She lifted her head slightly. "Hai?" She remained indifferent.
Syon shook his head and looked at her emotionless golden eyes – other than her wet breasts and panties. "What are you doing out here?" he walked into the ankle deep water. "Uh, dressed like that." He crouched down next to her, away from her fanned out black mane, and began to play with a black string around her arm. He quickly looked over the white and black, Lolita-like dress. The white dress was an off the shoulder, with long sleeves that went well past her fingertips, there were black ribbons wrapped around her elbows; leaving a definite poof. It was frilled at the top and tight around her trimmed waist and fell down from her hips to her knees, but the top part folded over; revealing to him her panties, though Syon really didn't seem to notice that or the fact that her dress was a bit see through. A matching white choker was around her neck, a black leather band held it in place. Black stockings ran up her toned creamy legs. Long black strands criss-crossed on both her forearms.
"I'm thinking... on how I can get Onee-chan back." She pulled back her tresses, so that he could lay down next to her. He did so. "And... Ayame-san gave this to me. She said I looked cute." A pink hue dusted across her face; remembering the woman's joyous expression. "She... seemed happy."
Syon hummed, a soft smile came to his lips. "You do look cute, Princess." he chuckled at the sound of her heart rate jump and flushed face. Kawaii, Syon pictures himself picking her up and twirling her around. But he resisted the temptation.
Mika looked back up at the red, orange, yellow, and pink sky through the treetops; hoping that her embarrassment would go away. The cool, silver water began to calm her jumpy nerves
A flash of her eldest cousin Taro and "sister" Kamine came to her mind, both were smiling down at her. Taro is dead, but Kam-chan is still alive. I just need to think of plan to get her back!

"Did you think of a way to get her back yet?" Syon asked. In the course of her stay that was all she could talk about – getting her Onee-chan back. She never said her name.
Mika shook her head mournfully. "No," she whimpered, "But I'm determined to do so."
Syon gingerly placed that back of his fingers on her cheek; she looked at him. "Just remember that I'm here to help, Mika-chan. Me, Makoto, Ayame, and Takashi – we're all here to help."
Mika smiled up at him. "I'll keep that in mind."

The young duo laid in gentle river until the sky went black with tiny diamond-like stars. The moon was just a thin curved line of white in the sky.
"We better get going," Syon voiced.
Mika groaned childishly; he chuckled.
Once he was up, he outstretched his hand toward her. Mika took it; trusting him. As Syon pulled her up he used his water to pull the liquid out of Mika's hair and clothes and off of her body; he did the same with himself. Yet, she still went done on all fours and shook herself like she had normally done in the past.
Mika blinked when she didn't feel the water leaving her like it had normally done. Her ears folded back as she bashfully looked up at the chuckling Syon. As he grinned he held out his hand for her again; she took it.
The two young demons walked hand-in-hand, wanting to be sure that the other is by their side, through the forest. They kept from homes and warrior stations; Syon knew something really bad was going on and Takashi and Ayame weren't telling him. So if they ran into anyone and they saw Mika it would only escalate.

With Mika's free hand she played with the silver charm Syon made for her. It was a wolf's face in the frontal position that hung from a series of silver beads, loosely around her neck. Its topaz eyes were bright despite the darkness around them.

!

A blood curdling scream ripped from somewhere deep in a cement basement. A female kitsune, with thick evergreen hair, covered her mouth and turned away; burying her tear stained face into one of the warrior's chest. The warrior absentmindedly wrapped his arms around her, staring down at the body on the cold steel slab.
She nodded. "It's him! That's him!" she cried over her mate's dead body.
Disgusted by her tears, Goro's cold ember eyes went away from the crying female and onto the dead male before him. The man's skin was deathly pale and his closed eyelids and lips were grayish blue. But, what caught everyone's eye was the dark red emptiness on his throat; his trachea was missing. The missing cartilaginous rings barely revealed the soft esophagus, which was missing a bit too. Blood was splattered along the sides of his neck and ran down past his collarbone. The blanket went only to the dead man's shoulders – that being as far as they dared to show the weeping female.
The smell of tears, blood, and death wafted around everyone.

Goro turned away, more disgusted by the woman's tears than by the villager's still form, and began to walk back up the steps. His skin was tanned and wrinkled with age. His hair was shoulder blade length and a dull gray, along with his brows and thin mustache and soul patch.
His heavy, demanding footsteps echoed around him; overpowering the sound of weakness behind him.

!

I'm going to go bald at an early age. Takashi thought mournfully. For the umpteenth time he ran his hand through his pale blonde hair as he stared down at the newest report.
How many deaths has it been? He asked himself. For the past three months, since Mika got there, there had been far too many killings. But, he knew that she couldn't have done them. From what he and Ayame gathered she lost her pack before she learned how to hunt and track properly.

"Takashi-sama," sounded a deep voice.
The kitsune Lord looked up at the doorway. There was a warrior kneeling in front of him.
"Hai," An unsettling feeling wormed into his gut.
"I am sorry to announce the death of Hokkaido Kou, mate of Hokkaido Nobuko." The soldier's tone sounded so rehearsed, normal that it practically sickened Takashi. Then again, this had happened numerous times before.
The grip around the wooden brush tightened at the announcement of any other death.
"We suspect that it is the same creature that has been killing the others. His death marks the twentieth death."
So it's been twenty. Takashi thought grimly.
"Do you have any idea what this 'creature' is?" he asked.
"Not entirely yet, Milord, but we are led to believe it three to four times larger than a kitsune – when we're in our Spirit animal form."
A wolf?
Takashi himself had not yet seen the damage done to the deceased villagers. But if what he said was true, then it just might be a rogue wolf.
He remembered all the past reports. There was a mauled six hundred year old boy, a young teenage girl, a mangled three thousand seven fifty year old warrior, a pregnant woman with her unborn cub missing from her dead body and nowhere to be seen or found, and more shockingly an Elder – along with much more disturbing deaths. What this supposed ookami was showing was that it could take down anyone no matter how old or strong. It was a cold-hearted beast.
Takashi held back a shiver when he envisions his mate and two sons on the cold slab of steel covered in their own blood.

"Takashi!" a demanding, elderly deep voice boomed from the threshold.
The kitsune's attention snapped upward; his brows furrowed the tiniest bit at the sight of his father. "Goro," his tone suddenly went dark, stern, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
The Elder kitsune went straight to the point, "What do you plan on doing with this serial killer on the loose?" he walked into the room, his back straight and footsteps confident.
Takashi bit his tongue to keep himself from saying something disrespectful to his elderly father. "There isn't much we can do, Goro. Until we are a hundred percent sure that it is actually an ookami."
"'A hundred percent?'" Goro spat. "What else do you need? The locations of the wounds, how the death site looked, or the fact that there was a bit of fur caught on a tree!
"Hell," the older kitsune continued waving his hand around, "For all we know it could be that Satoru you're sons see as an uncle."
Takashi, Lord of the East, bolted straight up; knocking over a bottle of ink on the low table. His youki spiked to its highest limit; the plants in and out of the room pulsated and grew from the amount, touching the floor and slithered to the source. His eyes began to glow a bright dark purple – showing his enrage. Satoru, Lord of the North, wolf demon, was a highly respected man and, more importantly, Takashi's best friend. No one – not even his own father – would speak of him like that.

Several plants that entered the room formed mouths filled with razor sharp teeth, surrounding the two as Takashi pins his father to the wall with a snarl, the plants joined in with their own hissing and sounds of their acidic venom burning through other plants. Taka's claws wrapped dangerously close around Goro's neck, blocking the airway just a tad, watching his father's eyes fill with fear and his ears fold back and tail tuck between his legs in fear and submission.
"You," Takashi's voice was dark and dripping with venom, "have NO right to talk about Satoru-san that way. You may think you are a god here cause you managed to be an Elder, but I will not let you, or anyone else, judge or disrespect my friend. He's more of a man than you'll ever be. The only reason you are not screaming in pain right now is because you are my father, and only," his grip tightens to where his claws puncture Goro's skin slightly, for added emphasis, "for that reason."
Goro choked out a reply of "understood," his hands clapped around Takashi's wrists as he fruitlessly tried to pry the death grip off his airway.
"Now…" Takashi slowly released him and the plants slithered and morphed back into their original forms as Takashi regained his composure, "I think it's time I escort you back home."
Goro made no move to retort just gave a nod of his head; not daring to enrage or provoke his son more, for he is much stronger than Goro could ever dream of. He rubs his neck as he follows Takashi out.

Takashi, his eyes still glowing, was at the threshold; waiting for Goro. The Elder walked briskly past the young looking Lord. Takashi walked beside his father being sure that he wouldn't harm his younger son, Syon, or Ayame.
No words were spoken between them. The only sounds that were heard were their dulled footsteps, the demonic maids rustling about, several of the cooks in the kitchen, and crickets chirping.
Suddenly, a familiar scent reached Takashi's nose. The smell of winter, nightfall, carnations, cinnamon, and vanilla – Mika's scent; his eyes widened in surprise. But they quickly relaxed, before Goro noticed.
The Elder's nostrils flared. "What is that smell?" he asked, sniffing the air.
"Don't worry about it." Takashi told him, but his mind spoke out to Syon.
'Syon!' Takashi's voice was filled with urgency. 'Hide Mika, quick!'
'Hai!' Syon replied.

Syon's moves were fast and fluid. He grabbed onto Mika's wrist and pulled her into a storage room. The young pup yelped in surprise. Syon covered her body with his; he looked down at her and pressed his finger to his lips. She nodded in understanding. There was someone there that shouldn't know of her existence.
Goro and Takashi stopped in front of the paper door.
The Elder stopped and sniffed the air. His ears and tail twitched at the smell.
"What is this stench?" he asked.
Syon slowly leaned closer to Mika, placing his hand over her mouth; hoping she wouldn't whimper. The pup was shaking so bad that he was surprised the objects on the wall didn't fall.
"It's nothing, Goro." Takashi replied coolly. He, too, hoped that his father didn't know the scent of a wolf.
'Syon….' Mika tugged on his shoulder.
Syon looked down at her, eyes questioning what she needed to say. 'Hm?'
'I'm gonna go into the shadows; my scent should diminish that way.' As she spoke with her mind, ink colored wisps traveled up her arms and legs – everywhere, until her body seemed to melt into the wall.
A second later, Goro slides the door; Syon stands up, lightly glaring over his shoulder to his grandfather. Fear seeped into his heart and he did his best to conceal it from the world.
Goro's eyes scanned the small dark room, searching, waiting for something to happen out of the norm. Nothing did, though he knew something-someone was in there with them. He laid his cold eyes on Syon and said nothing, but it was clear to Syon that Goro wanted to say something to hurt him. But the Elder refrained from doing so; remembering what had just recently transpired with his son.

Goro simply smirked smugly and left. Syon bit on his tongue to stop himself from saying anything disrespectful; no matter how much he wanted to. Takashi looked at his younger son mournfully, apologetically before he led Goro out.

Once the two were out of sight, Mika's upper body came out of the wall. She looked down the hall and blinked.
"That was Goro, wasn't it?" she asked.
Syon watched her slowly walk out of the wall. His answer was dull, "Hai."
Her face scrunched up and her ears folded back. "He smells bad." Her tail twitched.
He let out a hearty laugh, agreeing with her. He nodded as he took her hand. "You can say that again, Mika-chan!"
"Okay!" she smiled up at him, "He smells bad."
The two laughed, but kept in mind that others were sleeping.

Syon and Mika were under a large, thick blanket. They were talking quietly to the other, waiting for sleep to claim them.
"I can't believe that you know Satoru-sama, Lord of the North!" Mika silently exclaimed in astonishment.
Syon chuckled. "Yup, he's my Uncle. You got to see that place, Mika-chan. His castle isn't like this – he got his kingdom's palace outlay from Europe. It's breathtaking. Makoto and I went there when we were little."
He remembered all the times Satoru convinced his father to let them come over and visit. The atmosphere of that place was just filled with so much love and affection and music that Syon could still hear, smell, and see it all. They were such pleasant memories for such a dark time in his life.
Mika blinked at Syon's faraway expression; she poked his chest. "I do hope to see it. My Mama use to tell me stories of that place." She couldn't remember exactly what she said, Gin's words were but an annoying buzz in her skull, but she knew that she heard stories of the Dragon Wolf.
"You will," Syon spoke, "sooner or later – but hopefully sooner, with your Onee-chan."
Mika smiled at the thought. "Yeah…."
Sleep slowly began to consume the duo, pleasant memories were floating around their mind's eye. Hazy plans sluggishly began to crawl into Mika's mind; overpowering her memories. Her large ears twitched.
Suddenly she bolted up, ears perked up and forward, eyes wide. "I just thought of the most brilliant idea ever!"
Syon, who bolted up with her, stared at her in shock. "Wh-What?"
The sudden rush of adrenaline was coursing through both of them. Mika kicked off the covers and began to walk up and down the length of the room. "I thought of an idea to get Kam back." Her mind was abuzz with the idea that she didn't realize she used her sister's name.
Syon slowly got up. "What is it? What's your plan?"
Mika stopped walking and looked up at him. "Tonight, the moon is practically new, so my shadow abilities are at their finest. I could go into the shadows and follow Kam's youki, somehow, and save it!" With each word that left her mouth, it got louder and louder. She was excited; she thought her plan full proof. What demon could go into the darkest shadows and travel with someone that way?
"Mika-chan," he stood where he was at, a grin slowly came to his lips, "You'll need help getting her back."
Her ears wiggled at his words. "'Help?' Syon, are you gonna help me?" her tail began to wag.
He nodded, his grin widened. "Yup!"
She squealed, before wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Okay!" she let go of him and began to tug on his wrist. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
Syon lightly laughed as he walked with her.

The two stepped out into the garden, under a large cherry tree. Syon tensed as black wisps traveled up his legs. He looked at Mika, but saw that her eyes were closed; she was completely calm. It wasn't until the shadows were up to his shoulders that he began to squirm. Mika squeezed his hand in reassurance. He calmed down a bit, but the fact that there would be no light and he didn't know what would happen. He just had to trust Mika, like he had been doing for the past three months.
They both were completely overtaken in darkness; they faded into the shadows. As they were traveling through the dark abyss, Mika sought out her sister's energy.
Somewhere in that deep abyss of nothingness her sister is there.
After what felt like a life time, Mika sensed some familiar to her. Kamine's youki! The pull on their bodies increases; the wind pushed back their hair and beat at their clothes. They could smell blood, hear soft whimpers of pain, and feel the pain of someone.
Onee-chan…. Mika's thought echoed around them.
Syon felt the temperature slowly rising, until there was an explosion of heat followed by the dampness of something dark and cool. Like a cell.
"Onee-chan!" Mika exclaimed, not caring who heard.
Kam let out a groan as Mika scooped her up in her arms. Mika quickly sliced the bindings around her sister's wrists, hoping that it would ease some of the pain. It did very little.
Syon stared at the two females in shock. "Inari…." He said his God's name in shock. He slowly walked up to them. Kam's skin was dark red, swollen, and covered in bruises. He could tell that underneath all of that, that she was a beautiful young kitsune.
"Mika," Syon whispered, "Shh…. Quit shaking her." he slowly walked up to them.
Tears were streaming down Mika's pale face. She bit her lower lip to keep herself from crying out. Her grip didn't slack.
Kam was alive. … She was alive…. At the moment that was all Mika could think about – her sister was alive!
More tears flowed down from her eyes. She buried her face in the crook of Kam's neck and cried.
It pained Syon to watch this. He rubbed soothing circles on Mika's back. His other hand twisted open a leather sac that was tied around his waist. The water inside flowed out and covered his hand. He placed his hand over Kam's stomach. The liquid began to glow brightly.
Mika looked down at the hand. She sniffled. "What are you doing, Syon?" She brought Kam's limp body close to hers; suddenly becoming wary of the male kitsune's intentions.
"I'm healing her from the inside."
"From the inside?" she didn't let her grip relax.
Syon was concentrated on his task. "From what I can do at least," his tail twitched at the thought of not being able to help his friend.
Mika let out a whine of protest.
"There's a more advanced healing demon at the palace. She can help."
"A stranger?" Mika brought Kam's head up to her shoulder.
Syon gave the young ookami a reassuring smile. "Don't worry she's very faithful and is good friends with Mother. You almost met her once, remember?"
She thought back, but was too overwhelmed that her sister was breathing in her arms.

"We gotta go now!" Mika looked around the tiny cell, but found no escape.
"Couldn't you just use your shadows again?" Syon asked. Panic began to seep into his system; he could sense her own.
"I-I-I could but… I'd have to leave you behind, but then I'd be too weak to bring you back. And I could never leave a pack mate behind."
Pack mate.
They were two little words with so much meaning to an ookami. Mika could barely remember her life before Kam. She often had dreams about a pack surrounding her, each with their own element; saying how to control it and respect it. But most of the time, all of the time, the colors had faded and the ookami were just white silhouettes. There was no sound, no smell, no feeling. Just frayed at the edges, unfocused like a camera, and difficult to remember. What stuck out the most to her was a large black raging flame that eaten most of the land surrounding her.
"You won't be leaving me behind, Mika-chan," Syon spoke softly. His hand still hovered over Kam's beaten and battered body. The glow had dimmed. "I'll be on my way with you."
"How, Syon?" Mika exclaimed. "In case you didn't notice, there is no—"
Syon slapped his hand over her mouth. "Shhh!" he hushed. His ears twitched at the sound of someone walking by. He relaxed when the unknown demon went past. Syon slowly, almost unsure, took his hand away from Mika's mouth.
She continued in a softer tone. "In case you didn't notice, there is no light! And you can't really use your water abilities here either. I know you're strong, Syon, but you're not THAT strong."
They both knew she was right. It was nearly a new moon and the trees made it in possible for any small amount of light to reach the grounds. There were no touches he could use. Nothing.
So what could they do?
"May I be of some service?"
Both kitsune and ookami's attention snapped upward to the furthest corner of the room.
"Makoto-san!" Mika squealed her tail wagged with glee.
"Nii-san!" Syon sighed with relief. Makoto could create a portal and take them back to the palace – just like he had done to get here.
His footsteps were quick, but silent. He crouched down in front of them. "We have to hurry."
Syon nodded in agreement. "Hai, they might sense us." He looked around, ears twitching.
Makoto opened his arms. "May I? I'll be careful, I promise."
Mika gazed down at her sleeping sister; Kam was lulled to sleep by the familiar scent surrounding her and the comfort of being in her sister's arms. The ookami let out a shaky sigh as she gave Kam to him. She watched the older kitsune with observant eyes, watching for anything she didn't like – just like a wolf.

"We gotta go!" Syon whispered urgently. Now they could all hear the closeness of the thieves' footsteps; they tensed. They all slowly stood up, fearing that if they went any faster they'd create noise.
Makoto nodded in agreement. "Hm, hai." He walked through the portal, followed by Syon.
But the silver haired kitsune looked behind his shoulder when he didn't sense Mika walking behind him. "Mika-chan, let's go."
Her black ears twitched at his voice. She quickly jumped up. "Hai!" she ran past him. He quickly followed suit; Syon didn't see the object that she left behind.

...

Mika and Makoto slowly came out of the wall's shadow when the nurse left; she had internally healed Kam and bandaged her up. The male stepped out easily, but the female instinctively looked left and right before she felt safe enough to step out. She quickly scrambled to Kam and gingerly brushed away her light sky blue hair.
"Onee-chan…." she whimpered tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. A soft, gentle squeeze on her shoulder made her attention go to Ayame.
The older female smiled down at her. "She's going to be okay, everything's alright."
Mika instinctively smiled back. "I know…," her gaze went back to the sleeping kitsune, "I just can't… I'm just really glad she's alive." Her throat tightened at the thought of losing her sister; she quickly shook her head to get rid of the thoughts. But it did not help her. A few tears fell from her eyes and landed on her fists – more and more followed suit, along with multiple hiccups.
"Oh…." Ayame slowly wrapped her arms around Mika's shoulders. The pup twisted her body, so she could bury her face in the mother's neck. Takashi's eyes saddened – he knelt down and rubbing her back, comforting her. Syon, who didn't like to see his new friend this upset, began to whisper jokes in her ear and rubbed her back too; Mika lightly laughed, but they broke into sobs. Makoto looked around; not knowing what to do. He slowly walked up to the small group of demons and got down on his knees, he simply just let Mika know that he was there.

Her tears of mixed emotions slowly came to a stop. She pulled away from Ayame and gently rubbed under her eyes. "Gomen ne." she whimpered.
"Don't be," Takashi's voice was gentle and kind. "It's natural for you to be feeling this."
Mika nodded in understanding. "Uh-hum." She sniffled, rubbing under her eyes.
Ayame made soothing circles on the pup's upper back. "Do you want to be alone with her?"
Mika nodded again, but soon shook her head. The older female kitsune hummed and tilted her head, confused. "I…," Mika's voice was shaky, "I wanna stay but can Makoto-san and Syon stay?" her large golden eyes sparkled with tears that threatened to fall. She looked back and forth between the two older kitsunes, hoping that they'll let their sons stay with her.
Takashi momentarily glanced up at his eldest son. Though Makoto's expression was expressionless he nodded. No one knew where he was at. Takashi smiled down at Mika, his eyes revealed nothing but kindness. He gently smoothed out the hair between her large lupine ears. "Of course."
She smiled up at him, her tears no longer threatened to fall. "Arigatou, Takashi-sama!"
He nodded with a smile of his own and went to the door. Ayame gave Mika a short, tight hug. The boys saw their mother's lips move, but couldn't hear what she said. Before they could ask she was out of the room. Whatever she said it made the pup smile. The two mates walked out of the room, arms linked.

Makoto and Syon watched as Mika stared down at Kam. Mika brushed the silver strands out of her face. She did her very best to stop thinking the thought, "What if…." Kam was here and alive and that's all Mika cared about.
"I," the boy's became alert when Mika began to speak, "I was so afraid that I'd lose her."
Syon placed his hand on her shoulders. "We know," he voice was gentle.
She shook her head. She reluctantly scooted back, away from her sleeping sister. "No, you don't." Mika got up and walked to an open door that over looked their private garden. The foliage and pond seemed to glow with tiny balls of light, the stars in the dark blue sky were hidden behind the clouds.
Her heart was pounding erratically underneath her breast; she did her best to even out her breathing. She couldn't sit next to Kam and tell her new friends what she was going to say. She sat down in the threshold, enjoying the cool night air. She stared idly at the koi fish in the pond. The boy's sat on either side of her. "I understand that you two are separated, but you guys have loving parents and can virtually see each other whenever you want. I can't do that.
"Kam is my only pack mate – I have no others. If something were to happen to her, to where I could never see her again, I don't know what I'd do. She's all I have left now."
Syon and Makoto's ears twitched at her words.
Mika continued, feeling the weight slowly lift off of her being.
"I use to be a part of this huge pack when I was a little pup. But one day, we accidently ran into these strange looking men dressed in some kind of armor. They didn't smell right either and their ears were round at the top."
Humans. The twins thought simultaneously.
"My aunts and uncles fought off some, while my cousins took me and my younger cousins away. One of my cousins, Taro, protected me when we ran into more of them." Mika's throat began to tighten; these memories were sharp and crisp. "They were like a rabid pack, they were sick. Taro told us pups to run away, as far as we could. I can still smell his blood!" she brought her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them. Her beloved cousin's face grinned down at her, his golden eyes held a gleam in their depths. But that image soon shifted to one of rage and leadership – he shouted at her to run. She listened, his blood filled her nostrils.
"Mika," Makoto spoke, "If you want to stop—"
"No!" she whipped her head back and forth. She has to tell someone, other than Kam, or else she'll continue to feel this pain. The air picked up; dark wisps brushed by them.
"I ran for only a little while until two other warriors caught me. They were gonna kill me! I… I didn't know what to do! One pressed something against my temple and… and… I don't know what happened, but… but there was this sudden dark wild fire. I created it! I know I did! My Uncle always said that we have to be careful with fire, respect it, or else we'll get burnt."
The air began to howl and sway the leaves. The dark wind swayed their clothes and played with the black ribbions wrapped around Mika's arms.
"Mika, calm down!" Syon hushed. He placed his hand on the back of her head and, using his light powers, gave her happy images. The thoughts calmed her, but she continued more calmly. The wind slowly died down.
Her voice sounded far away. "I killed the strange warriors, but, along with them, my entire pack. I swear that I didn't mean to. It was when it started to pour, a thunder storm, that I realized that I killed them – my pack.
"But, it was that night that I met Kamine." At the mention of her sister's name, Mika looked over her shoulder and smiled. "She's all I have now and I'll protect her at all costs. She's my pack and I love her to death like a sister should, but I can't help but this sense of loneliness."
Mika looked back out to the garden. "I mean, I went from this really big pack to it being the two of us."
"You can stay with us." Syon offered.
She shook her head. "That won't do any good; I'll have to keep on hiding. And I wanna be able to run and be free with my Onee-chan, like we've been doing over the hundreds-thousands of years. We won't be able to do that if we're here."
"Mother and Father could say not to harm you or her." Makoto countered.
Mika slowly shook her head; Syon lifted his hand slightly. "Something tells me that won't do, Makoto-san." She looked up at him, her eyes knowing. "Or would you want the clan to go into frenzy with an ookami in your walls, while there are random killings going on, and with the signs pointing to an ookami?"
The boys tensed. She knew?
"I overheard Takashi-sama and Ayame-san one night." Mika slowly got up and walked back to Kam. She laid down on her side, using her arm as a pillow.
"We'll leave once Kam is one hundred percent better."
With that their conversation ended.

Syon and Makoto looked at one another in confusion and disbelief. All this time they thought they were hiding the killings from her, when really she knew all along. They looked back her and her sister. They could tell Mika's mind was made up.
The brothers slowly got up, Makoto closed the sliding door, and went to the wall above the girls' heads. They sat down and leaned against it. The twins waited restlessly for sleep to come; their minds abuzz with thoughts on how to protect the two young females.

!

Kuronue walked down the cold steps that led to the dungeon room. He had to see if the female kitsune, one of the Sisters, was still alive.
With the way Yomi and Youko have been treating her, I wouldn't be surprised if she's near death. The very thought of it made his wings tense. Nothing could be done about the way his dear friend treated her, but something could be done to Yomi. Kuronue smirked at the thought of severally hurting the overly cocking demon.

He found it odd that the normal, ice cold feeling didn't prick his skin as he got closer and closer to her cell. No ice crept out of the cell like it normally did. When the koumori stood in front of the blood splattered chamber his eyes widened in shock. His breath stopped in his throat and his slow beating heart came to an abrupt halt.
There was no one in there!
Kuronue's upper lip peeled back and his eyes began to glow ominously, dangerously. He practically tore the gate off its hinges and stormed inside it. Three new scents were mixed in with the old ones: two male kitsunes and one ookami. He stalked around the small square room, searching for a sign of entry. There were none.
He let out a growl of frustration.
Kuronue's foot suddenly came in contact with something; it made a distinct clink sound. He blinked at the sound. When he looked down at it, he grinned mischievously. It was the Caged Memories of Akiyama. The large diamond seemed to glow in its golden barred cage. He picked it up, studying it. Kuronue blinked at the tiny note tied to one of the thin, strong rims. His indigo eyes went over the writing.

"Thank you, for not killing my Onee-chan!" There was a tiny picture of a young ookami with the peace sign and winking.
"So stupid," his voice was low. He chuckled. The ookami's scent was all over this note.
Kuronue began to walk out of the dungeon. When he opened the door that led him up to the main hall he was greeted with all kinds of smells. "Youko Kurama~!" he shouted, his grin never left.

Mika's eyes slowly fluttered open. She could only think of one thing.
Thirsty.
She got up on shaky limbs and wobbled to the door that led to the private garden. But, not want to drink water were fish pee in, she went past it to the river next to Makoto's training grounds.
Mika stumble over the roots and rocks that wanted to trip her. Slowly the weight on her eyelids lifted and the grogginess left her. She rubbed under her eyes and let out a squeaky yawn.
"Hm?" her ears twitched at the slight sound of movement in the bushes. Looking over to them she saw a small kitsune pup.
The pup pointed at her. "Look, Mama!"
A green haired, mother kitsune stared in shock. Her eyes red and puffy, like she had been crying all night.
Before Mika knew it, the mother let out a blood curdling scream.

Mika's eyes were wide with fright, her paws pounded against the earth mixing with the running footsteps with her. Her mouth was gapping as she panted rapidly. There were shouts of rage behind her; she didn't dare look behind her.
Suddenly, the wall that surrounds the entire village appears before her. Mika jumped around when the guards came behind her. Her black fur bristled all across her body, her eyes glowed as they widened, and she opened her mouth as she let out a terrifying snarl; showing her large, sharp teeth. This position was common in terrified wolves when the animal is cornered, outmatched.
The leader of the small group came forward and instantly wrapped something around Mika's neck; she went wild biting the object. The solid, metal pole didn't break. More and more followed suit, wrapping tightly around her neck, restraining her. She howled in rage, but no dark flame erupted like the last time.

Syon was breathing irregularly; his eyes were wide with fright.
It can't be. It just can't be. The thought of Mika being captured made his heart skip and stop.
Blood trickled down his left bicep, from the guard outside the main door. That didn't harm him. When he opened the door, which led to the back of the torture chamber, a blinding light went across his face. His arm flung across his eyes. He slowly walked into the room.
"Mika-chan?" he was very cautious.
There was a very weak, inaudible whimper. Syon followed it along with the distinct smell of blood. His Beast growled lowly; someone had harmed his friend.
He stopped at what seemed to be where the light was coming out. He unshielded his eyes, and his breath stopped in his throat. Mika was covered in deep gashes that oozed with blood and darkly colored bruises. There was a collar around her neck with white stones that shone brightly; enabling her to use her shadows. She smiled up at him.
"Sy-kun," her voice was already raspy. Blood slowly came from the corners of her mouth.
In astonishment, Syon gripped the cool bars and crouched down to his knees. His mouth was slightly agape with astonishment. "M… Mika-chan…."
The pup simply smiled at him. "I didn't tell him."
"Tell who?"
"Goro. He wanted to know who was protecting me for three months." She let out a scratchy sounding laugh. "He didn't get a thing!"
"You should have said something," his voice was soft, "And then you won't have gotten hurt."
"And have you and your family be put through The Great White Wolf knows what? I don't think so; I will always protect my pack mates."
"Surely there's something we can do to get you outta here." Syon's eyes were begging.
Mika shook her head. "No, I don't know why I'm really in here but I'll expect my fate with open arms if it means protecting you, Ayame-san, Makoto, and Takashi-sama."
Syon could tell her mind was made up.
"Even if it's death," she continued, "I'm not afraid to die."
He pressed his forehead against the bars, he refused to cry. The thought of Mika dying is so painful to him, worse than any pain he felt. Tears, unwillingly, seeped through his closed eyes.
"Syon…."
He didn't look up; thinking of all the ways that could get her out of this.
"Syon, look at me." Mika's voice was stern.
He could use his light powers to get her out.
"Syon!" Mika barked, but she quickly coughed.
His attention snapped upward at the ragged cough.
Once her fit was over with, Mika focused on Syon. "I want you to tell Takashi-sama, Ayame-san, and Makoto-san that they shouldn't save me; I don't want any of you to. And don't tell Kamine about this, she doesn't need to know. Goro said that if I don't tell him whose been protecting me, he'll kill me on the night of the full moon." Mika gave him a pitiful smile. "I'm an ookami – we're not afraid to die."
That's only three weeks away! Syon thought mournfully.


The weeks went so fast that it was unfair to the Taka family. But, as Mika requested, they hadn't told Kam; even when she asked where her sister was. Now the family stood behind the large crowd of angry, vengeful kitsunes. They had to hold a tear stained Kam back.

Mika was standing on a platform tied to a large wooden post, surrounded by a large amount of hay. Her eyes were hazed over with red and her upper lip was peeled back; she wanted everyone to think she was killer. Even though she wasn't.
She let out a bone chilling snarl when Goro walked up to her, a torch in his hand. He got dangerously close to her face, the villagers tensed at the close proximity.
"I know someone has been protecting you," he whispered, "Just tell who and I'll set you free."
Mika spat in his face; Goro reeled back in disgust and whipped his face clean. He punched her in the jaw. The Elder faced the crowd, spreading his arms out. "The ookami has made her choice! She will burn to death!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"NO!" Kam protested, but couldn't be heard over the vengeful cheers. She wrestled in Takashi's hold. "Let me go, Takashi!"
There was nothing he wanted to do more than let her go and help save Mika, but it was too late now – there are too many kitsunes out for revenge and are blood crazy; they wanted Mika dead.
"I can't!" he whispered in her ear. "It's too late."
"I don't care!"
The sight of Kam struggling in Takashi's grasp to get to Mika broke Ayame's and Syon's hearts. They couldn't do anything.

Goro walked down from the platform to where his grandson, Makoto, stood. He handed him the lit torch. Makoto took without a second thought.
"Kill her," Goro's voice was low but he was close enough for Makoto to hear.
On the outside the dark haired kitsune stood firm, but he inwardly flinched at the order.
With the torch in hand, he walked in front of Mika staring up at her. She glared right at him; meeting his gaze; challenging him. Trying to make it look real.
'Do it!' her mind snarled at him.
'Gomen nasai, Mika-chan.'
Makoto slowly walked up to the pile of hay and lowered the torch to it. It instantly caught fire. The cheers increased in volume.
Tears sprung from Kam's eyes as she screamed, "NO!"
The Taka family – Takashi, Ayame, and Syon – looked away.
Makoto slowly walked back, away from the roaring flame.
Mika eyed the brightly colored fire. It quickly climbed up to her knees. She began to choke on the black smoke surrounding her. She coughed and coughed, tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes, unbeknownst to her and the others she was using her air abilities to prolong her suffocation.
As the flames lick at her skin, her beast began to roar at her to warn other wolves of this blood thirsty clan. She nodded.
Her head suddenly snapped backwards as she let out a loud, high, warning howl that cut through the night sky like a hot white katana through butter. The light fire exploded into a dark, black and purple, raging one around her. The crowd, everyone became silent as the listened. A shiver ran down everyone's spine as the listened. The sound was so majestic and haunting that it was beautiful in a way. But that beauty was lost when Mika began to chough and come to a stop in a choking frenzy; and the cheers started right back up again.

Kam sobbed and buried her face in the crook of Takashi's neck when her sister's body went limp. "No…, Mika-chan."
Ayame and Syon hug her with Takashi. The leader of the clan whispered, "She wanted you to be safe."
"How—"
Just as she began to ask her question, a howl of rage cut through the air much like Mika's; Kam looked beyond the fire. Everything and everyone stopped in shock. A large tidal wave was heading straight for the crowd; everyone screamed and ran away.
The enormous amount of water splashed on and around Mika; dousing the flames. The water rose and transformed in a towering, intimidating ice wolf with Mika's still form in its belly. It snarled and snapped it jaws at every kitsune it could.
Makoto instinctively began to go up to the large beast, but was stopped when a man shrouded in a black cloak. The bulky figure drew his sword; Makoto drew his. They began to fight, their blades rung loud through the screams of terror.
"Stand and fight!" Goro shouted to some of the fleeing warriors. They stopped running when they were caught and nodded at the Elder.
The large ice wolf went down on his front paws, mouth wide open, and smaller, normal size wolves spewed out its mouth and attacked the guards.
Takashi, Syon, Ayame, and Makoto realized that the wolves and the cloaked demon weren't even trying to kill them.
Suddenly the large wolf howled loudly and leapt over the walls that surrounded the village and ran deep into the forest.
They were distracting them.
"MIKA!" Kam cried. She tore herself away from the Taka family and sprinted past the confused, fearful crowed. Using the buildings for leverage, and with a kick of adrenaline, she jumped over the walls. The family of kitsunes followed after her.

The male shrouded in black jumped back from Makoto – the kitsune could tell he was holding back. Before Makoto could attack, numerous ice wolves jumped in front of him; bringing his attention to them. When he looked up again the man was gone.

As the large wolf ran through the forest it slowly began to shrink. The height was normal for a demon wolf, but the length was long to hold Mika. The cloaked man was soon by its side. He stole glances at the past out pup.
When they were over a hundred miles away, the cloaked demon and ice wolf stopped. The wolf instantly melted into a puddle of water; the cloaked demon caught Mika and slowly lowered her to the ground.
"C'mon, Mika-chan…." his deep voice was urgent. He held her with his left hand, while his right hovered above her chest. He slowly moved it upward; the liquid inside Mika's lungs followed the hand up her throat and out of her nose and mouth. She gagged when the water left her being.
Her eyes began to flutter open.
The cloaked demon put the water beside him on the ground, and placed his gloved hand lovingly on her cheek. His face was shadowed by his long hair and the trees' shadows.
Mika's eyes glowed when the moon's light hit them. She gazed up at the figure holding her and smiled. "Onee-chan…." she whispered as she closed her eyes again.
The man's heart stopped.

"Mika~! Imouto-chan~!" Kam's voice was calling out; the cloaked figure's attention went towards the sound.
He slowly lowered Mika back onto the ground. With one last glance he jumped into the trees.

Kam slid down and scooped her little sister in her arms, gently shaking her. "Mika! Mika!"
Syon came up from behind Kam, eyes wide. "Is she…?"
"Don't even!" Kam barked. She continued to shake Mika. "Imouto-chan, wake up!"
The pup groaned as she was forced awake. Her eyelids peeled back and looked up at Kam. "Nani?" her voice was weak.
Tears of joy streamed from Kam's eyes at the sight of Mika's living form. She brought her into a tight hug. "Don't scare me like that, don't ever do something like that again!" she whispered. "You're heart was in the right place, Imouto-chan, but what would I have done without you?"
Mika let out a high-pitched whine as she buried her face in the crook of Kam's neck. "Gomen nasai, Onee-chan."
"It's okay, you're here and alive. That's all I care about right now."
Syon, feeling utter joy swell in his chest, knelt down and wrapped his arms around them. The sisters laughed and nuzzled him. Takashi and Ayame, having joined with their son, smiled and hugged them.
Makoto blinked at the sight before him; not sure what was going on. Syon sensed his presence and ushered him to join the group hug. The older twin did so, happy that his friends were okay.
Slowly the warm, comforting embrace departed. Kam helped Mika stand up, her legs were wobbly but surprisingly not burned.
"We should go now," Kam suggested.
Mika nodded in agreement, "Hai."
"Now, but—?" Syon was cut off when Takashi placed his hand on his shoulder.
"There's too much chaos going on in your village and the warriors will surely check every home and store searching for Mika-chan." Kam informed logically.
Syon knew she was right, but he didn't want them to leave.
Mika walked on unsteady legs as she made her way to Ayame. The pup wrapped her arms around her neck. "Thank you," Mika whispered, "For knowing—believing that it wasn't me."
Next she hugged Makoto, whom she saw as an older brother now. Then she nervously hugged Takashi. The powerful male wrapped his arms around her waist. "Be careful," he whispered fatherly in her ear. She nodded.
Lastly she hugged Syon. This embrace seemed longer than the other three. Mika whispered to him, "Thank you for saving my life." The kiss on his cheek was so fast that Syon was led to believe that it didn't happen.
Kam gave each of the Taka family members a tight, loving hug. She thanked Takashi for letting them stay with them and protecting her sister.
"It wasn't any trouble," he told her.

"C'mon, Imouto-chan," – Mika's tail wagged at the title – "We better start moving if we don't wanna get caught."
The ookami nodded. "Hai!"
Kam gently grabbed Mika's wrist, incase her sister was going to fall behind, and the duo sprinted in the dark forest.
Makoto stepped next his younger brother when they were out of sight and hearing range. "Syon, did you really create that wave?"
"In all honesty, Nii-san, I didn't."

As the kitsune family quickly made their way back to their home, hoping to calm down the villagers, the cloaked demon reached behind him and pulled his hood over his face; it blew off when he was running next to the ice wolf he had created to save Mika.
A single tear ran down the left side of his face, down his jaw line, and dripped off of his chin. "She thought I was that kitsune…." His voice was forced; his throat was tight as he held back the urge to cry out in anger and despair.
In spite of the pain his heart felt, he knew he still had to protect the young pup at any cost. Even with Kamine by her side.
He jumped from branch to branch, keeping the duo within his senses but out of theirs. The cloaked man held on tightly to the hood, not wanting the world to see his face.


Mika hummed joyfully as she walked out of her and Kam's new den, stretching her arms high above her head. She gave her back a tiny arch and sighed at the sound of the distinct "pop" of her spine. She lifted her left leg, then her right, stretching them as well. Her black claws glistened in the morning sun as she wiggled her fingers.
This hideout was much closer to their secret hideaway and far from any village; leaving them feeling safe and secure. The place held all their treasure that they had stolen over the many years – ranging from plush furniture to rare artifacts. But lately Youko Kurama's guild had been stealing artifacts that they had their sights on and neither one of the Sisters knew how. Mika often thought it had to do with the Caged Memories of Akiyama, but instantly banished the thought. She couldn't stand the feeling of guilt that entered her.
Mika placed her hand on her hips and gazed at the forest around her, taking in the beauty of it. Her large ears wiggled at the distant sound of the waterfall.
She looked back over her shoulder to the sleeping kitsune on the overly stuffed, but surprisingly comfortable bed. Kam was still healing from the wounds she received from her stay in Youko Kurama's dungeon. But she insisted that she was perfectly fine. That was a lie; Mika knew it but she never pressured her into telling the truth.

Mika sighed at her sister's stubbornness. She knew that there was no stopping Kam when she set her mind to something. Mika was just glad that they didn't have another encounter with Youko Kurama and his guild.

The female ookami walked away from the den. Mika wrote a note saying she went out to the village closets to them to shop and see if any of the shop keepers had anything, and that she'll be back before the sun set. She left it on the table, in plain sight.

Mika walked around the village with a smile on her face and a valuable diamond necklace stuffed deep in her pocket. No one there suspected she was one of the infamous Sisters, or so she thought. Humming that infuriating random, yet familiar tune, she practically skipped down the dirt path, her fingers skimming along the dirty walls of buildings.
She let out a surprised yelp when someone pulled her into a dark alley. She fought in the person's strong hold. Her instincts were going wild! A million thoughts were going through her mind, making her more frantic. She began to whimper and growl behind the male's large, rough hand.
"Damn… it…!" the demon swore. "Someone fucking knock her out already!"
There was a slight pressure in the crook of Mika's neck. Then everything went dark.


I don't know which is more evil: the way I just ended it or not ending it with the cloaked man. *stretches arms and rubs eyes* Well, it's almost three o'clock in the morning and I'd really like to go get some sleep. (So forgive that I didn't go back and double-check everything.) But, before I do, here are my closing notes:

The (1) WAY~ up there singles that I do NOT own that "song." It is a peice done by Yoko Kanno on the Wolf's Rain CD. Not Youko Kurama, Yoko Kanno.
Youko: -_-' You couldn't let me take the credit?
Me: Nope! ^^ Because you cannot play the flute.
Youko: They don't need to know that!
Me: They have every right to know.
Anyway, I highly recommend everyone to listen to that peice, and to any wolf lovers to watch that show! ^^ Also, I'm sorry for the title at the beginning. I don't know why but it doesn't want to center and be underlined. *pouts*

And I, again, would like to say I'm sorry, FoxGirl, for any OOCness of your characters and for the whole crazy-kitsune-wolf-blood-thirsty thing. But at least I made it flow, sorta, with the random kitsune killings, right? ^^' I hope you liked it and enjoyed reading it.

Please leave any review! ^0^ I'd greatly appreciate it!