Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

A/N: Hope you enjoy this chappie. I sincerely hope that there aren't any mistakes, seeing as my beta-reader is off on a small vacation.

Winter Moon

Chapter Three

"Call me Kenshin."

"Alright, then, you call me Misao!"

I gave her a toothy, canine grin as she bounced around, her bubbly nature not allowing her to stay down in the dumps for too long.

I couldn't help but wonder if I was just being selfish.

I stretched lazily, peering out at the horizon from the densely wooded area I called home. Letting my lilac eyes wander, I took in the still-sleeping form of the jade-eyed wolf. Her small, lithe body was curled up tight for protection from the elements, and her glossy black coat was flecked with the night's freshly fallen snow.

I took a deep breath, parting my jaws slightly to taste her scent. She smelled of juniper and thyme; an interesting combination, to be sure, but it was wonderful nonetheless. It was enticing, and I was unwilling to move away from it, entranced as I was.

It had been too long since I had been in the company of another wolf. Breathing in her scent made me realize how much I missed the mingled scents of a pack; the almost constant presence of a companion. It made me realize just how lonely I had been over the past three years.

It also made me realize just how much I missed her: Her own constant presence; her own sweet scent of white plum.

I was never meant to be alone. A wolf is a wolf, after all, and any sane wolf can't possibly be happy without the companionship of another.

My silent brooding was cut short with the sounds of paws scrabbling through the snow, trying to gain a purchase on the thin layer of ice that covered dry, dead grass; the energetic pack-member-turned-loner the obvious source of the noise.

Shaking the snow off of her ebony fur, she looked around in confusion. As soon as her emerald gaze turned toward me, however, the bewilderment disappeared, replaced by her normally hyper attitude. She flashed a toothy grin at me, showing off pearly white fangs, and jumped.

My eyes widened in surprise, her leap catching me more than a little off-guard. Misao laughed silently, throwing me backwards and landing squarely on my chest, knocking the wind out of me. I nearly tried to claw her ear off before I noticed that I felt no pain, no claws tearing at my flesh.

She was playing with me.

Clambering off, Misao extended her forepaws, her rear end in the air and her tail wagging almost frantically. It was amazing how puppy-ish a fully grown she-wolf could act sometimes.

I watched her in amusement for a few seconds before charging forward myself, tackling her and starting a mock-fight. I cuffed her on the ear, backing off and darting in a half-circle, stopping and wagging my own tail. How long had it been since I had been so carefree; romping and running around with another? How long had it been since I had even wanted to? Way too long, in my opinion. Not even with her…she had always been more of the quiet and reserved type.

I was nearly bowled over by Misao, so caught up in my thoughts was I.

Resolving to think later and play now, I dashed to the side, batting her with a forepaw on the side of her muzzle. She retaliated by rushing forward and nipping my flank just as I turned to avoid said attack.

The game went on like that for nearly an hour, tiring us both out and heightening the awareness of the need to hunt. I was in no mood to go hungry tonight, and neither was she.

Aoshi's POV

We had been searching for most of the night and all of the morning the next day, but the freshly fallen snow had impeded our progress, covering paw prints and scents alike. Kaoru-san and Megumi-san were worried sick; their littermate had disappeared and showed no signs of returning, plus no one had found any traces of her inside of our territory.

It had been my entire fault. I had made everyone wait; saying that all she needed was some time to think and she'd be back. I had been wrong. She had not come back, and no one could find her.

I lead my pack back to the clearing we were currently positioned in, glancing at the sun, which had risen to its peak. I had decided to try calling to her only as a last resort, but all of us, especially the two sisters, were at the ends of our ropes.

So call her I did.

Kenshin's POV

We padded softly down a deer trail, our noses nearly pressed against the frigid ground. We had been at it for about two hours with no success whatsoever. I almost regretted chasing that pair of foxes off of my borders, but that was just wrong. I would never be able to bring myself to eat fox, even if I was starving.

Which, decidedly, I was not. Even if I was pretty damn hungry, having not eaten anything since two days ago.

We only made it a couple more feet down our chosen path when I heard the young she-wolf start in surprise. When I glanced at her in confusion, she merely raised her nose in the air, parting her jaws and taking deep breaths.

"I smell… moose! That way," she said, making her way to the left. She darted forward as silently as she could, with me hot on her tail. We had been running for only a minute before she slowed her pace, stalking behind a few bushes.

"Misao, wa-"

"Shh! So, how do we take 'im down?"

"It's a moose, Misao! We can't 'take 'im down'," I growled, my voice hushed.

"So?" she replied, her voice equally as quiet.

"It's a moose!"

"Sooo?"

"Let's see: Antlers, hooves, and there are less than five of us."

"Then why did you follow me?"

I was about to answer her when the faint sound of a wolf howling could be heard.

'Misao, answer me! Where are yoouuuu?'

The moose, which had been calmly grazing away in a clearing, raised its head, ears flicking back and forth. Apparently deciding that it was not worth the risk to stay, it high-tailed it off into the trees. It almost made me wonder how its enormous antlers didn't get caught on anything.

Turning to Misao, I cocked my head to the side in silent question. She looked livid.

"That bastard lost me my lunch," she snapped, teeth bared and hackles raised. Her emerald eyes were glinting dangerously, and I found myself unconsciously backing away from the irate female.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, goes the saying, and if I ever doubted it before, I sure as Hell didn't now.

Snarling, Misao pointed her muzzle skyward, readying what I was sure was going to be a rather nasty reply.

"Misao, wait!"

"What?" she growled, annoyance plain in her voice.

"Ano… if that's, uh, someone you're trying to avoid, you're going to give your position away. Ettou, you'd be practically giving yourself away."

Se lowered her head, a thoughtful expression plastered across her face.

"You have a point, there. Fine, let's just try to find something else to eat, but if I ever see him again, he is sooo dead!"

Heaving a silent sigh of relief, I slowly padded after the young she-wolf, making a mental note to never, ever get on her bad-side.

I would rather keep my fur, thank-you-very-much.

Glossary: (A/N: Yeah, I added a glossary.)

-san: (Honorific; Mr. Ms. Mrs., etc.) If you didn't know that, then where the heck have you been?

Ano: (Um.) I decided to add this because it took me forever to figure out what it meant. Yes, I am that dense sometimes.

Ettou: (Uhm.) Yep, that's what it means. Uhm.

A/N: I would be very happy if you left this little 'ol authoress here a nice review…. –hint, hint-