Sorry it's been a while! I wrote this entire chapter today so I hope it's up to par. There are only a few more chapters left in this story so I'm gonna try and finish it this month or next month! :)

Chapter 7

Oki just stared blankly at the little wolf pup, letting the words sink in. "No," He growled roughly, "I'm not."

Amaterasu's son took a few cautious steps toward him, straining for a sniff. "Are you sure?" He asked with a whine, "You smell funny."

Oki's fur bristled defensively. "It's been on a long journey—"

"You smell like a demon!" The puppy squealed, cutting him off, "You are my daddy! Mommy said Daddy was cursed with a demon and I had to help him."

The world suddenly seemed to tilt beneath Oki and his mind reeled with shock. Surely, this just had to be one of Amaterasu's jokes. She was always full of mischief, despite her godly powers. But would she really lie to a child? Oki looked down at the wolf pup, dazed, unable to find any words.

"My name's Chibiterasu!" The snow-white puppy barked, prancing circles around his supposed father, drawing in his scent, "What's yours? Can I call you Daddy?"

"Chibiterasu? Was your mother on some sort of ego trip?" He said through gritted teeth, tensing up as Chibiterasu shoved his nose into his thick mane, "Also, my name is Oki. And you will refer to me as such."

Chibiterasu sat back and looked at him with wide eyes that shone with adoration. Oki felt uncomfortable in his affectionate gaze and had to look away. He still couldn't believe that this was his son. There was no resemblance. Amaterasu must have made a mistake.

"Okay, Daddy," Chibiterasu said, puffing out his little white chest, "I'm gonna help you now. Where does it hurt?"

Once again, Oki found himself incapable of responding. He had completely forgotten about the curse in this life-changing moment. But as soon as Chibiterasu mentioned it, he became aware of the rage burning in his stomach and the desire to sink his teeth into the wolf pup before him. An image of Chibiterasu's brilliant white coat stained crimson came to mind and he had to shake it away. Despite his denial that he was a father, Oki felt a strange surge of protectiveness for this pup.

"I need you to…exorcise me." Oki explained, his legs beginning to shake. The demon within must have known its end was near, for here was a young god who would smite it.

"Okay, Daddy!" Chibiterasu yipped. A familiar flare of fire appeared on the white wolf's back. Divine retribution: a reflector that could banish evil with divine power. Amaterasu had once worn it as well.

Light seemed to emanate from Chibiterasu's white coat. He was brimming with holy power. Suddenly, Oki felt pain wrack his body. He let out an agonized roar and sunk to the ground.

Every part of his body felt like it was on fire. Never before had he felt pain like this, not even after fighting the twin demons. It twisted his insides and choked him mercilessly. His fur felt like needles, stabbing into every bit of flesh on his body.

But as quickly as it had come, it was gone. Oki let out a great gasp as he was freed from its grip. Panting, he lifted his broad head to see a strange sight before him.

A dark shadow was bubbling up from the ground before him, forming the shape of a wolf. Aside from a set of red eyes and an unnerving grin lined with sharp teeth, it didn't appear to be solid. With a chill, Oki realized it resembled Kage.

The demonic shadow turned around, its jaws gaping unnaturally wide in a harsh screech. It bunched up its muscles, preparing to leap onto Oki. He braced himself for the fight.

But then Chibiterasu was there, swinging his reflector, his high-pitched growls filling the air. The demon shrieked and recoiled as each blow rained light down upon it. The shadow disintegrated at the contact. Oki could only watch, stunned, as the tiny puppy brought down such a chilling foe.

With a final scream, the shadow disappeared completely. Chibiterasu swung his reflector a few more times, making sure they were free of the demon. Then he slapped his weapon onto his back and threw back his head.

"Aaoooo!"

When he had finished, Chibiterasu bounced over to Oki, his tail wagging a mile a minute.

"Do you like my victory howl? Do you?"

Oki just stood there, red eyes as wide as they could go. He didn't know how to describe this feeling of freedom. He felt light…like he was floating on air. His paws tingled with rejuvenation. He wanted to run and never stop until he had explored every inch of this beautiful world.

He turned to look at Chibiterasu.

His ears were drooping and his tail hung limp between his legs. He seemed disappointed at his father's lack of response. "Um…if you don't like the howl…it's a work in progress…" Chibiterasu muttered, scuffing his paws.

Oki's gaze turned warm. "Thank you…my son."

The words felt awkward on his tongue. He still couldn't believe he was a father, but he knew Amaterasu would tell no lies. And in his heart, he should be proud of such a strong-willed son. He had saved his life.

But the name Chibiterasu does not suit a warrior such as him; Oki growled inwardly, Amaterasu could have at least included me in the naming process.

Meanwhile, Chibiterasu was absolutely exuberant with his father's approval. He scampered in energetic circles, exclaiming, "Now that you're all better, we can do all sorts of fun things! Like dig up turnips and eat cherry cakes and jump on lily pads and chase sparrows and—"

"Wait," Oki barked suddenly, cutting short Chibiterasu's plans.

His ears flattened uncertainly. Now that this single moment of bliss was over, all of his troubles came rushing back. His tribe would never approve of this illegitimate birth. Oina mated with Oina, simple as that. After all, there were no other species that were half-man, half-wolf. With a troubled sigh, Oki decided that Chibiterasu needed to know the truth.

"There's something you need to know…" Oki explained, hanging his head, "I am not the same as your mother. I am not solely a wolf…"

Chibiterasu's eyes widened. "Oh," He said in a hushed voice, "Mommy told me you were special." He waited patiently for his father to show him why.

Oki closed his eyes and focused on becoming a human. It had been a long time since he transformed. The process was smooth, but slow. When he had returned to his other body, he felt stiff and uncertain. He looked to Chibiterasu, dreading his reaction.

Chibiterasu leaped to his feet, his hindquarters wriggling with excitement. "You're a human too?!" He was so excited his voice came out as a squeak, "Oh, can I please lick your face? Can I?"

Before Oki could stop him, Chibiterasu jumped in his lap, nudged his mask off with his nose, and covered him in slobber. Oki shoved the crazed pup away, grimacing. But Chibiterasu's enthusiasm was not dampened in the least.

"My Daddy's the best!" He declared to no one in particular, trotting back towards the tree. "So what should we do now?"

Feeling awkward being around his son in his human body, Oki quickly morphed back into a wolf. "I suppose you could show me around," He suggested, inhaling the flower-scented air and welcoming the breeze that ruffled his fur. "I wouldn't mind staying here for a few days before returning home."

"Home?" Chibiterasu echoed, cocking his head.

Oki nodded. "I hail from a cold land in the mountains. There are others of my kind there."

"Then you have to tell me all about them before we go to visit them!" Chibiterasu proclaimed, "Okay?"

Oki gave a brisk nod. He felt a certain type of fondness for Chibiterasu, unlike anything he had ever felt before. Despite the reactions of his tribe, he found himself excited at the prospect of showing his son his home.

"Great!" Chibiterasu yipped, throwing his little body into the air with vigor, "But first, you get to meet my friends!" He turned and charged down the hill towards Kamiki Village.

Amused, Oki trotted after him, keeping a watchful eye on the energetic pup. Not just his appearance, but even his antics resembled that of his mother.

Oki could feel his heart ache slightly at the thought of her.

I wish you were here, Amaterasu, so we could be a complete family…

Humiliation. Rage. Revenge.

These feelings burned within Oki as he skulked into the darkness. He was careful no one would lay eyes upon him as he made his way back to the Spirit Gate. The fight with Orochi had gone terribly awry. He was supposed to smite the beast and open the heavens! His sword was supposed to shine silver through the mask of Orochi's blood!

Instead, a barrier prevented him from even touching the seven-headed serpent. Orochi had flung his sturdy body aside like a ragdoll. He was about to consume him. Those gaping jaws, fire burning in their depths, remained firm in his mind. He could have died.

But Amaterasu and Nagi had been there to save the day, just like in the legend. Oki knew how the story went—he left, feeling sick to his stomach. He refused to witness history. Eaten up with shame, he returned to Kamui, present day.

I can no longer put off my true destiny, he thought, a new kind of determination pumping through his body. I must defeat the twin demons before the Day of Darkness befalls this land. No more running away!

After returning to Kamui, Oki made a beeline for Wawku Shrine. The shrine path would lead him to the mountains the demonic owls dwelled on. The doors had been chained up, but this did not hinder him in the slightest. He opened the gate in no time at all.

When he flung open the door, wind blasted his face. The deadliest blizzard yet came pouring out the gap, but he barely felt the cold sting. He was ready to paint the shrine with Lechku and Nechku's blood.

Fearlessly, he entered.

Adrenaline gave him the energy he needed to find Lechku, the gold demon. It was roosting in a tree on its respective mountain. Just the sight of the half-mechanical owl was enough to send waves of hatred through Oki's body.

Images of the monster carrying off members of his tribe were clear in his mind. He had witnessed it too many times. They would tear through the powerful wolves with their talons, as easily as stepping upon melting snow. Sometimes they swallowed the Oina warriors whole. Another time, they had left a bomb in the village. It had claimed the lives of several children. The Oinas had no way to combat their technology and many fell victim.

All of that would end today.

Oki had already faced the demons once, when they laid their sights on hurting Kemu. He had barely escaped with his life then. But now was not the time for cowardice.

With a yell, Oki threw himself at Lechku. The giant owl awoke with a screech as Oki landed on its face and stabbed it with Kutone. Instantly, they were both flying through the air. Lechku's giant golden wings beat the night as repeated shrieks escaped its beak.

But Oki was merciless, repeatedly driving his sword into Lechku, aiming for its eyes. He was no longer aware of their surroundings. It was just him and this demon. With each blow, he willed the beast to drop dead. But it was more difficult than he could have imagined.

Screaming, Lechku dove headfirst for a stone wall. Oki had no time to brace himself and they smashed right through it. Pain lanced up his back, but he would not let up.

Pumping its wings and shaking its head frantically, Lechku finally managed to shake the Oina warrior off. Oki crashed to the ground and landed on his aching back. But he was instantly back on his feet, holding his sword at the ready.

He spotted Amaterasu standing nearby with…another Amaterasu? Wait, no. It was her past self, Shiranui. Most likely having come from the past as thanks to Amaterasu. But that wasn't important. Oki was glad to have an audience.

"At last…at last I have you cornered!" Oki panted, turning his attention to Lechku.

It was then he realized Nechku, the silver demon, was here as well. The owl was lying in a heap, twitching. The two goddesses had done a number on the monster, it seemed. But Oki would be the one to finish both of them off.

"Kutone shall blaze silver once more!" Oki whispered, readying himself for the fight of his life.

With a sour hoot, Nechku suddenly hopped to its feet, peering at Oki through a monocle. It spread huge, cloaked wings, and rose to hover next to its brother. Both demons swiveled their heads towards one another. The clocks on their chests were ticking away the time. The earth had begun to rumble around them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Oki could see Amaterasu backing away like some sort of coward. Pathetic.

Smirking, Oki leaped into the air, twisting his body. In a flash of blue, he transformed into a wolf. As his paws hit the ground, he let out a guttural roar, challenging the two owls to fight him. Every part of his body was tensed for battle.

"Oki, no!" Amaterasu barked.

Oki glanced over his shoulder at the lithe white wolf. His lips curled into a fierce snarl. "This is what separates a hero from the rest!" He thundered, "You are about to witness history in the making! Kutone, trusty sword of the great hero Oki, shall awake!" His eyes glittered at the very thought.

Oki turned and leaped forward—but Shiranui quickly blocked his way. He stopped in his tracks, stunned that someone would so foolishly try to stop him.

"Get back!" Shiranui demanded, in a voice that mirrored Amaterasu's, "NOW!"

Oki did not respond. Instead, he lifted his sword, twirling it high above his head. Then he swung it at Shiranui, aiming to dig it into her side. The powerful goddess dodged with a snarl, her dark eyes glaring. Oki took a step forward and paused…but she did not resist again.

Victorious, he turned away and bounded forward, bunching all of his muscles to leap directly for Lechku's throat. Just as he pushed off from the ground, he heard Amaterasu scream his name.

Then…everything stopped.

Oki found himself frozen in midair. All of the color had disappeared from the world. Time had paused, but he was still aware of his surroundings. His chest was tight…he couldn't find the strength to breathe. Constant ticking filled his ears, pounding like drums.

The clocks on the owls' chests had run down. They continued to hover; despite everything else having stopped…this was their doing.

Oki growled fiercely, struggling to lift his head and glare the demons in the eye. The silver owl was moving in on him, lifting its cane. The edge of it was sharp…and it was getting sharper and sharper. He was going to impale him.

"Oki…" Amaterasu's frail voice pierced the air, as if she was having trouble breathing too, "Get away…from there…!"

Oki's heart skipped a beat as he realized this could be the death of him. His tribe would die with him. "You…demons…" He choked out, closing his eyes regretfully, "Curse you…!"

Suddenly, there was a ferocious snarl. Shiranui had broken free. She threw her body at Oki, ramming into him just as time unfroze. A yelp escaped her lips as the sharpened cane meant for Oki plunged straight through her body. Blood gushed forth.

The next moment, Oki hit the ground hard. The pain was so fierce; his weakened body had no choice but to return to its human form. With a groan, he lifted his head and spotted the two owls whirling through the air, shrieking in pain. One of the goddesses had done something…but Shiranui, she was injured…

It didn't matter. Oki leapt to his feet, keeping a careful eye on the quickly retreating demons. Now's the chance! I can finish them off! He thought, preparing to give chase.

A high-pitched whine stopped him in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder to see Amaterasu huddled at the edge of the cliff they were on. She had the bleeding Shiranui's scruff in her jaws; she was trying to pull her past self up, but to no avail.

He looked back to where the owls were. They were so close…he could end it all right here…

"C'mon, Ammy!" Issun's tiny voice shouted, "Pull!"

Amaterasu could only whimper in response. Her resolve was failing.

Then Oki was at her side, reaching down with his strong arms and gently hauling Shiranui's limp body up. Amaterasu helped him. Once everyone was safe, she turned her curious gaze to him. Oki avoided her eyes, looking back to where Lechku and Nechku had gone. They were shakily gliding higher up the mountain. In another five seconds, they had disappeared over the rise. Oki's heart fell. The opportunity had gone.

"Oki!" Issun gasped, "Your sword!"

"Hm?" Oki looked down to see Kutone blazing silver in his hand. His eyes widened beneath his mask. Kutone was silver.

Enraptured, Oki slowly lifted the sword above his head, his eyes skimming its glittering surface. The dark clouds swirled above him, as if reacting to this mighty feat. He had finally accomplished what he set out to do. It almost felt too good to be real.

"…I was so blind." Oki said in a hushed voice. He lowered his sword and looked to his companions.

Amaterasu stood by Shiranui's huddled form. The injured wolf was curled around her wound, a pool of blood slowly forming around her broken body. But as Oki walked towards her, she lifted her head, her eyes shining with unexpected pride.

Oki reached out with a tentative hand. Shiranui stretched her head forward and ran her warm tongue along it. The exchange was wordless, but it meant everything. Oki felt overcome with emotion.

"At last I understand." He murmured, "The sacred sword Kutone, defender of Kamui, could not possibly wake while the heart of its wielder was clouded with selfish desire. That is why I could not defend Kamui with this sword let alone protect the lives dear to me."

"Now don't start turnin' all sappy on me, Oki!" Issun snapped, completely destroying the moment, "You gotta focus. Focus! Finish off those demons and you'll restore peace to your village!"

"Issun…" Amaterasu growled softly.

"No, he's right." Oki said firmly, rising to his feet and brandishing his sword, "O spirits of the air, earth, and sea…and the sacred sword Kutone! Grant me the power to save this land of Kamui!"

Oki leaped into the air, power pulsating through his body. When he hit the ground, he was no longer human. The great wolf threw back his head and roared. Amaterasu joined him and the two wolves called their challenge to the night. Shiranui remained silent. She merely gave a light sigh, laid her head on her paws, and closed her eyes. Oki quickly turned his attention to her.

"Shiranui…" He whispered.

She did not respond. Oki pushed his nose into her blood soaked fur. Her breathing was shallow. Nechku had injured her gravely.

"She came 100 years from the past just to help me," Amaterasu murmured, gently stroking Shiranui's flowing mane with a paw, "…Will you stay with her, Oki?"

Oki turned to look at Amaterasu. Her gaze was serious. For the first time, he felt like he was really seeing her. He had never appreciated her beauty or strength, only concerned with his own problems.

"I have to keep going," Amaterasu went on, "There's something I need to do. But I promise I won't confront the demons without you by my side."

They shared a long look.

"All right," Oki agreed, "Shiranui saved my life, after all…I can't let her die."

He stepped towards the injured wolf, carefully positioning his body around hers in order to warm her. Amaterasu bowed her head in thanks, and then quickly continued on her way. Oki watched her until she had gone. Then he turned his attention to Shiranui. She looked almost exactly like Amaterasu. But she had more markings and a long mane of soft white hair. She radiated power when on her feet. Now, she just looked fragile.

For a long time, Oki sat with her. The wind battered the cliffside they were on, but they kept one another warm. Shiranui's breathing began to fade. Oki silently prayed for her.

"Shiranui," He whispered, laying his head on her neck, listening for her pulse, "Thank you for saving my life. I…I promise it wasn't in vain. I will protect Amaterasu in your stead. I will ensure that she survives until the Day of Darkness has ended. I promise."

Shiranui did not respond. She had fallen silent. Oki was convinced she had passed on, and yet he stayed with her. He closed his eyes, fighting off the grief that threatened to consume him. He continued to promise himself that her sacrifice would not be in vain.

"Ammy!" A high-pitched voice squeaked. A Poncle hopped into view.

Oki's ears pricked hopefully. "Are you…her partner?"

"The name's Ishaku." As Ishaku approached, his movements became less energetic. He seemed stunned by the gravity of her wound. "Hey, furball! You're not…you can't be…"

Suddenly, Shiranui's head shot up. It was as if an unseen force had breathed new life into her. Her tail wagged at the sight of her very best friend. He hopped onto her nose while Oki stepped back, allowing them to reunite in peace.

"I think it's time we go." Ishaku muttered.

Slowly, Shiranui struggled to her feet and began limping away. Blood dripped from her wounds, leaving a trail on the stones beneath. Despite that, Oki thought he could see a sly smile crease the wolf's tired lips. She put every last ounce of strength into leaving this place. She did not look back.

Oki knew she was going home…back to Kamiki to die. She would die as a hero.

And Oki swore he would keep his promise to her.

After a long day full of all sorts of activities, Chibiterasu had finally run out of energy. He had collapsed at the very top of Shinshu Field, his eyelids drooping. Oki laid down a few feet away. Chibiterasu had quickly scrambled over and climbed on top of his father, burying himself into his thick mane of fur.

Before falling asleep, he made Oki tell him all sorts of stories. He recounted the tales he shared with Amaterasu and explained the traditions of his tribe. Chibiterasu had been fascinated with Oki's mask and demanded to know everything about it.

Oki told him how each Oina was gifted with their respective mask at a young age. The masks spoke volumes about each one of them. His own bear mask represented strength, independence, courage, and rejuvenation. It was only too fitting.

Chibiterasu had dozed off at some point in the middle of the conversation. Oki felt uncomfortable with the young pup buried into his fur. He had never shared much contact with his own parents. They loved in their own way, he supposed.

A deep sense of loneliness clutched at Oki's chest, despite Chibiterasu's company. He had not thought of his parents in a very long time. Most of the Oina were killed back during the reign of Nechku and Lechku, but they had died many years before that.

His father had been a soft-spoken, pale blue wolf with a crane mask. His mother was practically the opposite with rusty red fur, a rabbit mask, and a fiery personality. Prey could usually see her coming from miles away, but she never let that get her spirit down. She was never really suited to the life of a doting mother, but at least she cared enough to feed Oki. His father had been more kindhearted, but showed little emotion or affection.

They had gone out on a hunt together and been attacked by a rogue demon. Oki's father was burned to a crisp; they found his ashes in the snow a few hours later. As for his mother, they couldn't be sure. She was nowhere to be found.

Perhaps she had also been burnt to ashes and carried away on the wind. Perhaps the monster devoured her whole. Oki liked to think she had killed the demon and went so mad with grief that she stumbled off into Yoshpet and gotten lost. Perhaps she was still in there, wandering the consuming forest…

With a small sigh, Oki lowered his head and rested it on his paws. Chibiterasu snored peacefully on his back. His son's presence soothed him and he soon found his eyes closing as well.

Wherever his parents were, Oki was sure they would be proud of him.