"….what do you mean she's still hungry?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but she is! She's demanded more food-"

"We don't have any more scouts to send out- they're all under strict training. None of us can go hunt for that one's food- and how'd she eat an entire parcel of squirrels in ten minutes?"

"She didn't, sir. She simply picked through the fattest meat and threw the rest out to her recorder."

"The recorder…? Giving food to trash is against the rules….. has the Grandmaster been notified of her actions?"

"Yes, sir, but she holds strong to her previous orders."

"….Fine. Then, Jruy, you have a new set of orders: Find any dogs not on watch duty or strict training and send them out for food. They must at least bring back three prey. Failure for them or you is not an option- if they come back with nothing, then all of you will have your right ears bitten off. Is that clear?"

"Aight, sir!"

The dog known as Jruy turned tail and headed swiftly out of his superior guard's presence. Looking around the newly set forest camp, he sniffed the ground wearily. Fugu had the nasty habit of making his punishments come true much faster than any other of the Grandmaster's guards- it'd be better to carry his orders out as quick as possible. But first, he'd have to find some lackeys. Jruy cocked his ears, raising his head and swinging it around in scanning motion. He'd just sworn he'd heard some dogs talking…..

"….and that's what happened…."

Jruy froze, turning his entire body toward the direction of the talking. The voices sounded somewhat familiar, in a distant way. He frowned slightly. Could it be someone he knew…? But there was no time to be guessing. He needed someone to carry out Fugu's orders, and the dogs he was hearing didn't sound like they were on serious business. He just hoped they'd have able hunting skills- he was rather fond of his right ear, and intended to keep it attached for a little while longer. Jruy ran off toward their direction, guided by several large bushes.

XXXXX

"….seriously, Alucard? You actually said that to him?"

"There wasn't much of a choice, Mao. Why do you seem so shocked?"

"I'm not sho-"

"He's shocked because he's a sissy."

Mao, a young adult Saluki, turned to his torturous twin sister. "Shut it, Mayu. I don't want to hear it from you." Mayu grinned wickedly. "You're just as soft as you were as a pup," she teased. Alucard snorted. "I'm pretty sure both of you still act like pups." Mayu looked at her friend's unnaturally red eyes. "And you're still as odd as ever, Alucard." The dark colored canine was preparing to make a retort to his sitting companions when they suddenly heard the sounds of panting and rapidly approaching footsteps. All three of them sat up. "Who's there?" Mao inquired. A tan-colored muzzle poked out from the nearby bushes. "Lower guard Jruy. I bring an order from the Grandmaster's guard Fugu." Mayu felt her neck fur bristle at the mere mention of the Grandmaster. That evil, scheming witch… "What's the threa- order?" Jruy glanced over all of them. "All three of you are to catch at least one prey each in the forest for the container Setsu. Failure to do so will result in each of you losing your right ears. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." The three answered in chorus. Being respectful and replying quickly and clearly to "higher guards" was something essential for surviving in the clan and possibly even advancing in rank. "Right, then. Start your mission." The trio, suddenly given a task, had no choice but to turn tail and head towards the forest. The clan was that blunt.

XXXXX

Mayu prowled through the forest, trying to sniff out something. Mao and Alucard had headed in different directions from her, though they'd made an agreement to meet back at the edge of camp. Those two had probably made this mission a contest between each other- Mao and Alucard were practically brothers from different mothers. At least they'd squeeze some minor enjoyment from this mission. Mayu certainly wouldn't. She hated having anything to do with that brat Setsu, even if it was distantly.

Setsu was the spoiled and stuck up disciple of the Grandmaster- if "disciple" meant being smothered with food and not having to learn or do anything. Originally, Setsu had just been another member of the clan, fetching food, delivering messages, and occasionally being set up on watch duty. Mayu was a hundred percent sure she'd never received any special treatment before then- otherwise, she'd have been aware that Setsu existed before her infamous rise. Still, even if Setsu was a hot source of gossip and spite in the clan, Mayu only partially knew her reasons for being elevated. For one, the Grandmaster had-

A rabbit was abruptly flushed out of the undergrowth, the panicked animal making a run for it from Mayu. Also startled, the female dog only paused momentarily before giving chase. The two dodged and whipped around the trees, the rabbit leaping and checking, and Mayu scrambling to keep up with its tight-nit actions. However, luck was with the her, and she managed to catch the rabbit when it attempted to pause and make her double up. The pause was badly timed, however, and Mayu sank her teeth into the rabbit's scruff when it stopped. After letting lose a piercing scream, the rabbit began thrashing and kicking in a doomed effort to get free. Mayu wasn't having any of it. Growling, she shook her head at break-neck speed, whipping the rabbit around like a rag. Moments later, the rabbit's scream hit a broken crescendo as its neck was snapped in one brutal shake. Mayu stopped shaking her head as she heard the tell-tale crunch and let go of the rabbit's body, panting from exhilaration.

"Whew…. a…. argh…. That…..ought to be enough….to feed that imp." Mayu panted a few more times before finally getting her breathing under control and picking up the rabbit. Time to head back to the meeting point- she didn't think Jruy OR Fugu were known for their patience. She ran off towards the clan's camp, wondering exactly what she'd be doing next.

Hopefully something that didn't involve Setsu and a loss of ears.

XXX

She was the queen, or he certainly felt like one. Setsu basked in her luxury, so many animal carcasses lay about, her little treats. Most of them however were hardly touched. Setsu had inspected the choicest cuts or in other words the fattest. The rest were simply scraps, while a few of them had been eaten by a hollow-eyed dog laying in the corner. The Recorder. Setsu paid no mind to him.

"This is bliss." She sighed.

Indeed it was, it had been this way since she was a young pup. She had gone from mere trash to someone of great importance. The "Container" as was her official title. Only the higher in chain of command knew what that meant. Setsu herself only understood certain bits, actually just one. She was the Grandmasters successor, a replacement heir in other words. There was not a finer choice in mind, in her opinion at least. Her fur nothing short of perfection, smooth with a sandy brown color, and a bit of whiteness around her nose, and it was a smooth not like the roughness of many of the Clans warriors. Not that she didn't get an exercise herself, in fact the Grandmaster ordered it. It would be unbecoming for the Container to be fat and out of shape. Though she'd have some broadness in her chest, but for some reason she found that enticing.

A scent hit her nose, dinner time. Her face grimaced in disapproval at who entered. Alucard, Mao and Mayu. Then again she never really bothered to learn their names. They were nothing but mere servants, future servants in her case. Honestly the only person she showed respect towards was the Grandmaster, her and Cain. She was happy to see what they had brought. The males had brought her a weasel and a rabbit each. About time for a new taste, then there came the case of the female.

"What is that?" Setsu asked noting what was in Mayu's mouth.

Setting it down, Mayu answered, "It's a rabbit."

Indeed it was a rabbit, much like the one Mau had caught. There wasn't a visible difference between the two.

"Couldn't you have caught something different?" Asked Setsu.

Mayu was annoyingly confused. "What's wrong with it? He caught a rabbit." Mayu gestured to Mao.

Slumping to her side, Setsu tiredly sighed. "Three little soldiers and two brought back the same thing." She sighed again. "Kind of boring if you ask me. Catch me something else." She replied waving her paw.

"What!" Mayu blurted. After she had gone through the trouble of killing this rabbit, this little whelp was asking her to find her catch something else? Words crawled their way to her throat, refusals, rebuttals, insults, whatever reached the surface first. Mao placed his paw upon his sister's. That action stifled them, always did.

"Fine." Mayu dejectedly gave in. "Anything else you want?"

Setsu thought for a moment. "A partridge."

Partridge, Mayu and Mao hadn't heard that word in such a long time. "Fine." Mayu relented. With nothing else to do she took the rabbit in her mouth and left, Alucard and Mao followed after. Alone Setsu smiled to herself.

"It's good to be the queen."

XXXX

The rabbit carcass hit the wall, a small trail of blood followed as it slid down.

"Where does that little grrr…..get off!" Mayu bit her tongue as she put back any negative comments.

"Sis calm down. Someone might hear you." Mao warned. He knew his sister's temper could often get the best of her. In fact he had to bail her out whenever it did, Alucard sometimes chipped in but Mao feel more responsible. It was his duty as a brother.

Mayu grumbled something under her breath. Obviously her earlier comments that Mao forbid.

"Look Mayu if it makes you feel better I'll go after the bird." Alucard proposed.

"No I'll do it I know the best places they roost." Mao offered.

It made Mayu smile. "No offense but the both of you suck at bird catching."

The males widened their eyes at the abrupt comment. Sucked? Them? Thinking about it they realized those statements were accurate. Mao remembered all the times he had failed at bird catching. He jumped at the right distance but could not sink his fangs. More than often he ended up hurting himself. Alucard never hadn't been unfortunate enough to injure himself, all he had done was scare them off. Maybe it was his eyes? However he was built more for land prey, not avian.

"Yeah your right sis, after all you inherited it," Said Mao. He meant that as a compliment but he could tell the way Mayu's body stiffened. "Sis I-"

"You can have the rabbit." She said before leaving.

Mao said nothing after her. Anything would come out wrong and he didn't want to upset her further.

"It's still a sore subject for her?" Asked Alucard.

Mao replied to his friend with a nod. "She does take after Mom a lot."

XXXX

Mayu could taste the bitterness of the twig she currently chewed on. Twig chewing was a habit she had picked up during her late teen years and now carried into her adulthood. In fact a twig chomper would be more appropriate. She usually did it whenever she was stressed, upset, or just bored. If she were human she would probably have taken up smoking, but being a dog, a twig was more appropriate. Mao just had to bring up old news, he couldn't leave the past alone.

The dead couldn't come back, no use in talking about it. All that mattered to her was catching prey for the little brat Setsu. It was getting late and she was starting to doubt if she would be able to find anything. To her surprise, something hit her nose. It was a long forgotten scent, probably not for Mao as she had claimed he knew where they roosted. That or he heard from another Clan member. There it was, nice and plump, if the brat didn't like it then tough.

Abandoning her twig, Mayu kept low to the ground. Creeping step by step, she made certain not to alert it. Suddenly it started to take off! Had she alerted it? Thinking quickly, she took off into a run.

"Just a little closer!" She thought.

It had flown higher and she was right under it. The move had to be timed just right. Mayu then leapt up, springing her legs up first, then releasing. Her body did a bit of a twist in the air.

"Closer!"

Then she snapped. The partridge squawked as its vital areas were constricted. Mayu fell to the ground without a falter. Shaking the bird a bit, she made certain to snuff out its life. Soon the bird fell limp. She had actually done it. Mao was right, she was the best. It wasn't prideful but again she deserved it. With the life they had it felt good to give self on praise. In the clan, you were nothing but expendable pawns in the long run, but doing this made her feel so alive. She wondered if Cr-.

Now she was doing it, bringing up the past. That one was dead. She kept telling herself that. Mao on the other hand couldn't just seem to face reality. The sun had sunk even lower, time to leave. The bird hung limply in her mouth as she walked. Maybe she had inherited this skill. Scoffing she found herself becoming a hypocrite in her words. Why was she thinking of her now? It had been years. Her brother still clung to the hope she was alive, where as she was more realistic. Despite being twins, they often contrasted with each other. If that one still lived then why hadn't she returned? That could only mean. Mayu shook her head at that possibility. Death was the more favorable approach, grim as it may have sounded. At least Mayu found herself delving into that more and more each day.

"The dead can't come back."

As harsh as that sounded, it was the truth. Mayu scolded to herself and accepted it. There was no use holding onto the past. Focusing on the present was all that mattered if one needed to survive. She, of course, was a survivor.

XXXXX

Torn pieces of fur littered the floor of Setsu's cave, along with the previous partially eaten bodies from before. The spoiled dog had set herself upon the weasel and one of the newer rabbits from earlier, tearing the plumpest flesh out before casting the bloody remains into a corner. She'd saved the last rabbit's body, intending to eat it later, and had given permission to eat the mauled bodies to the Recorder. "They're not fit for me to eat," Setsu had scoffed. "I've have Partridge when that wench Mayu returns." But Mayu hadn't returned from her hunt. Setsu had first fumed, then whined, thrown a tantrum, and then taken a nap after being tired from doing the preceding activity. The Recorder had blankly watched the whole thing, occasionally snapping up some of the corpses' meat while Setsu ranted. But now, finally, Setsu was asleep.

The Recorder slowly staggered up to his feet. For a few moments, he remained in that slightly wavering position, staring blankly ahead at Setsu. His bloodstained mouth twitched. There was a brief burst of noise as two lesser guards outside got in a brief argument, then silence as a superior bit both of them. A sound akin to sighing with slightly clenched teeth emerged from the Recorder's mouth. His paws flexed, digging his nails into the ground before releasing. And then it happened.

Like low-slung clouds leaving a small valley, the dullness in the Recorder's eyes slowly evaporated. Both of them, which had resembled lifeless coat buttons, now were sharpened into clever black pits full of life. His tongue flickered out to lick the drying blood from the corners of his mouth. "The-e-ere will be no-o-o more praise for the pawn." Oh no there wouldn't. The Recorder now had a timed mission to carry out that was beyond reciting praise to the Container. She was waiting for him, and there was no point in waiting. It, She, did not like for her tools to be late. Forcing himself to move, the Recorder stiffly lurched toward the cave entrance- scent!

The Recorder froze, jerkily sitting up into the same rigid position he usually took when another dog entered or the Container was watching and allowed his eyes to cloud over again. A white shape padded out from the side of the cave- the female Saluki from earlier. A dead bird daggled from her mouth.

"Setsu-" She cut off when she caught sight of him.

"….you." There was a brief awkward silence.

"…Where's Setsu?" The Recorder didn't move. Some of the fur on the dog's nape stood up.

"…I asked you, where's Setsu?"Still no movement. Fortunately, she caught sight of the dozing Setsu before she could try to interrogate the Recorder any further. "Oh. She's sleeping, then. I'll just leave the Partridge here." A small note of coldness crept into her last sentence. It was quite obvious that she loathed Setsu… after all, she wasn't the only one. With one last glance at the Recorder, she slipped out of the cave.

After listening to her rapidly disappearing footsteps, the Recorder came to life again. Eyes unclouding at a speed much faster than before, he shoved his body into a standing position, and forced his nearly inflexible legs to move forward. Teetering, the Recorder walked out of the cave.

The guards there were gone- the Recorder was only mildly surprised. Moving as fast possible, he walked along the edge of the camp, heading for small rock den near the center. A few dogs noticed him… but not many. The Grandmaster's guards, on the other hand, immediately spotted him. Quickly whispering to each other, the two moved from the entrance of the stone den and disappeared. The Recorder weaved around the camp, making it seem as if he intended to overshoot the den and go elsewhere. A few murmurs resounded through the camp. "Who's he…?" "I don't know him…" It was time to get out of sight. Without warning, the sound of howling erupted from the far side of the camp. Every dog turned toward the sound, some even swearing and running to the sound. No one was paying attention to the semi-strange dog in the clearing. Putting on a burst of speed, the Recorder burst across the remainder of the camp, stumbling into the stone den.

The inside of the den was shady and cool, with the scents of several dogs lingering inside. However, one scent overrode them all. And it was the scent of the dog laying before him.

"Hello, my spy. Have you come to make a report?" The Grandmaster asked.

"Yes, Grandmaster." The Recorder's voice was emotionless and monotone, using the same tone as when he was reciting praise to Setsu.

"Well then," The Grandmaster replied, "Is she ready?" There was a hidden note of greed and malicious impatience in the Grandmaster's ancient voice.

"Almost."

"….Almost? Tsk tsk, I taught you to respond better than that, my child." The Grandmaster's tone suddenly became very sweet and honeyed. You could've compared it to an old dog crooning to her grandpups…. Or a cat smoothly purring at the defenseless mouse it was about to mangle next.

"Setsu is almost ready to be your container, Grandmaster- just a little while longer." The Recorder's response was a bit more hasty than before.

"Would a month or two work, my dearie?"

The Recorder had been planning to say three or four months, maybe even five. But something about the smile on her face was suddenly… terrifying. And his opinion changed even further when he heard the sounds of footsteps outside the den- the two guards had returned from their distraction ploy.

For once, the Recorder's voice was actually shaking when he replied.

"Y-yes, Grandmaster. One or two months would be fine. It would be enough for Setsu to become a bit stronger."

The Grandmaster smiled sweetly at him. "Glad to hear that, dearie. You can go back to your post now. Silently. And with no one hearing you… heavens knows we wouldn't want any causalities from dogs whom don't recognize you, would we?"

"No, Grandmaster. Not at all."

The Recorder, his body still a bit taut, creakily sat up and left the Grandmaster's den. Two more months. Two more months until Setsu truly was "a Container."

He was both dreading it and looking forward to it.

XXXXX

Mao lay down the ground, resting. Mayu had returned from giving Setsu her Partridge a while ago, but then had gotten roped into a conversation with a particularly gossipy female guard. She'd now been talking to her for over five minutes, and it didn't look like they were going to stop any time soon. Mao bit back a puppish giggle. Looking at his sister's face, she seemed like an impatient and uncomfortable puppy who was trying to squirm away from their parent's serious talk. A BIG uncomfortable puppy. Well, now that he thought about it, at her age, Mayu would be more likely to have pups of her own rather than to be considered a big pup, or at least be pregnant. Pregnant. Mao blinked. Thinking of pregnant, what would a pregnant Mayu look like?

"…and a few swore they'd seen an unfamiliar dog pass through the camp, though maybe et was just 'em being idiots…."

Being pregnant meant you became humongous and fat, Mao knew at least that much. He hadn't known much about pregnancy to start with, and the clan had focused entirely on fighting. There'd been a few instances where pregnancy had been brought up in the Puppy Den, but not that many, and usually in insulting circumstances. But still, an extremely fat Mayu was a very vivid image…. And not necessarily a good one.

"….we never 'ad that many puppies to start with, so losing that group was a pain itself…"

Before he could think about something else, a disproportionate image of a completely bloated Mayu, looking like a gluttonous ball, floated to the top of his head. Mao balked. How had he managed to think of such a monstrous image? He shook his head as hard as possible, attempting to forget what he'd just pictured. He failed. Feeling sick, Mao hung his tongue out of his mouth. The horrible image had left him with a bitter taste, and he doubted he'd be able to forget it for the day. Unless….

Mayu sat up. Looking around the camp, he noted Mayu was still caught in a conversation with the guard. But she wasn't who he was looking for. Mayu spun his head around. There were two or three dogs lounging around the edge of a thick group of trees, a puppy being harshly scolded by his instructor- one of Lazarus's daughter- to the far left of them, and to the far right-

"Hey! Alucard!"

Blinking, the red-eyed dog turned around. "What si- Mao?"

"Come here for a moment. I have something to show- er, tell you."

….unless Mao could pass the image onto someone else. If he was suffering, he wasn't doing it alone.

XXXXX

It took all of her patience to wade through the sea of the guards talk. Luckily she didn't drown by the end. She had learned a great deal of patience as time went on. Supposedly it was due to maturity, and he had done quite a bit since her puppy days. Now she was free to do what she wanted. With the guard gone, Mayu decided to seek out the only ones she actually enjoyed being with.

"Why did you give me such an image!"

Her ears perked, that sounded like Alucard's voice. From the inclination and alarm of his voice, Alucard seemed greatly upset. The voice was coming from behind some trees just bordered from some bushes. As she got closer another sound reached her ears, laughter. It wasn't singular but rather a duel chorus. One was Alucard's but the other she could easily discern.

"You know now that I think about it, it rather funny!" Mao announced, his body shaking with chuckles. "I mean Sis pregnant!"

Mayu raised her eye. The comment should have made her angry but she decided to wait and see.

"You know maybe she wouldn't be a ball." Mao realized, "If anything her belly would sag." Mao thought for a moment, "Maybe."

Mayu felt something twitch in her head, a vein?

"You forget pregnant girls get really cranky." Reminded Alucard.

"Well Sis doesn't have to worry about that." Mao snickered. "Seeing as she's always cranky."

"Mao hurry up with that meat, I'm starving!" Alucard cut in doing a faux impression of a cranky Mayu.

"I don't think you'd have any time to rest Uncle Mao." Alucard said wit ha hint of sympathy.

Mao seemed to brighten up at the sound of "Uncle Mao". "What about her mate?"

Yes what about the fictional mate? With the idea of pregnancy, there would have to be a male to actually impregnate. Mayu felt the twitch again, it felt like it was going to snap.

Alucard simply responded. "What mate?"

Both males male's thought about it for a moment. The idea of Mayu being lovey dovey with any male was well their reactions summed up the idea in its entirety. That reaction was laughter. They fully let it out, they collapsed onto the floor, rolling on the ground. Their breaths barely escaped through the involuntary actions. The images were so vivid I cast away the original image from beforehand. The gluttonous ball was replaced with a cranky nag. Both attributes felt very accurate.

Mayu then felt it snap. Her head suddenly felt very hot and it spread to her entire body. The only thing missing was steam escaping ever orifice in her body. Right about now he could have used a twig, something to at least calm her nerves. Yet she felt calm about it all. They were teasing her and she felt calm? Yet there was nothing scathing about it. They were just being males, two stupid males, who had no idea she was casually strolling up to them.

"Mind if I join in?" Both males stopped their laughing. "Uncle Mao."

The two gulped.

What followed after became blatantly obvious and after that Mayu walked away rather satisfied with herself. Behind her lay Mao and Alucard, a rather bruised looking Mao and Alucard.

"Ow!" Mao rubbed his head. "Did you have to hit us so hard sis? It was jut a joke"

Alucard kept his pain to himself. "I don't think she was laughing."

To their surprise Mayu let out a small chuckle. "Next time you boys might want to talk out of my hearing range."

"Sis wait!" Mao called after. My stopped as her brother padded up to her. "You know we were just kidding right?"

Mayu grinned at her twin. It wasn't the usual sort of grin but a mischievous one. Mao gulped a second time, he knew that look. Raising her paw she slammed it down upon her brother's head. Then she proceeded to rub her paw upon the wound, visibly causing her brother pain.

"You left yourself open Unccclllleee Maaaoooo!"

Mao knew that was a nickname he wouldn't live down now. More fuel for his sister's tease fire. Alucard found the site somewhat heartwarming. Sure they had just jested at her for their own amusement, and honestly he wasn't too surprised at her reaction. The pain he was rather hoping to avoid. Although they held no blood relation, Alucard considered those two his brother and sister.

The Clan oft referred to themselves as a family, but it was a half lie. The blood of the Grandmaster may have bonded them to a certain degree, but none were true bonds. Somehow the three of them had forged such connections. They could read each other so easily.

Mayu was an example.

There was a reason Mayu became so upset at the pregnancy remark. If there was anyone who would never have pups, it would be her. In fact she had stated it several times, both to them or any male clan members that drooled after her. That list had noticeably growing large. Alucard admitted to himself that he too was finding her lovely in her own way. He had seen her grow from a puppy to a strong, fierce adult. The other side of the list only furthered Alucards resolve. He would look after those two as long as he lived. Even if every bone in his body was broken, he wouldn't stop. If he failed then it was another loved one he failed to protect.