We're approaching our climax! I think this is one of the best chapters yet so I hope you'll take the time to review. :) Next chapter will be our last. This has been a really fun story for me to write and even though not too many people read it, that didn't stop me from enjoying it! I hope you enjoyed it too!
Chapter 9
With a high-pitched snarl, the little green wolf came charging towards Oki. He stood frozen, unable to believe his eyes. Chibiterasu ran to meet Lika, his divine instrument appearing on his back as he did so. He brought it back to hit her with it.
"Wait-!" Oki cried out, torn between protecting Lika and his son.
But with one blow, Chibiterasu's power separated the demon from Lika's body. It was just as he had done with Oki. This demonic shadow was smaller and weaker than his. With two swings of his reflector, Chibiterasu had defeated it.
Lika lay on the ground, dazed. Chibiterasu turned to her, beaming. "Hi! My name's Chibiterasu! You're Lika, aren't you?" He wagged his tail enthusiastically, completely oblivious to the fact she had just tried to kill him.
Blinking away her confusion, Lika looked at both Oki and Chibiterasu. "What happened?" She asked drowsily, "Oki, where did you go? I missed you…"
"Lika!" Oki rushed over to her and prodded her little body with his nose, checking for injuries, "You're not hurt, are you?"
"I'm okay!" Lika said, goggling at Chibiterasu, "Wow. You look like the pretty wolf that saved me from the snake monster!"
Chibiterasu thrust out his snow-white chest proudly. "That's right! She's my mommy."
Lika opened her mouth to exclaim something, but Oki cut her off, asking what happened to her and what she remembered. She just stared at him, confused. "After you left, Kai came back to the village saying she got hurt. She said a mean wolf attacked her!" Lika fluffed out her fur aggressively at the thought of someone purposely hurting her dear sister.
Oki felt dread rising in his stomach. "Kage?"
Lika tipped her head to one side. "What's that?"
"Never mind," Oki said quickly, "What of the rest of the tribe?"
Lika's eyes widened as it all came rushing back to her. "Kai started acting funny—kind of like you! Then everyone else started getting sick too and the mean wolf came and they all chased out Samickle. There was a lot of blood. I don't remember anything else." Tears began to run down her cheeks. "This was all just a bad dream, right? No one really got sick. Can we go home now?"
Oki pressed his pelt to Lika's in a comforting gesture. His face was grim. "I'm afraid we can't, Lika." He said softly, "That bad wolf…he was a demon. He might have cursed the entire tribe."
Lika let out a sorrowful wail.
"It's okay, Lika!" Chibiterasu said, bouncing over and giving her a wide smile, "I'm here to help! I can make all the demons go away."
"It won't hurt them, will it?" Lika asked tearfully.
Chibiterasu shook his head. "Did it hurt you?"
"No…?"
"Then everyone's going to be fine!"
A small smile creased Lika's face. Despite the youngsters' optimism, Oki still couldn't shake this dreadful feeling. Kage had cursed everyone in the same manner. Oki was strong and had been able to fight it, but the rest of his tribe was not like him. They were not warriors. They must have succumbed to it easily. He imagined Kai with red eyes and shuddered. He had red eyes naturally, but there was something unnatural about those red eyes possessed by demons…
"Oki, look!" Chibiterasu piped up, "Someone's coming!"
Oki whirled around, immediately on guard. But he relaxed when he saw who the newcomer was. The Oinas had allowed a young traveller and his dog to take up residence on the edges of their territory. The boy was a fishing enthusiast and never touched the Oinas main prey supply. They let him have his home on the river.
His dog was a soft orange color with pointed ears and a curled tail. A jaunty orange bandana was tied around his neck. The young dog was overly friendly and usually barked a greeting to any wolves that passed by.
"Thank goodness I found you!" He panted, slowing to a stop by the group of wolves.
Oki narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Chibiterasu sprang forward, saying, "Hi, my name's Chibiterasu! What's your name?"
"I'm Ume," The Shiba Inu responded with a wag of his tail, "Wow, you look just like Amaterasu!"
"You know my mommy?" Chibiterasu gasped, looking absolutely thrilled.
"Enough," Oki muttered, gently pushing himself between Chibiterasu and Ume, "Why have you come, pup?"
Ume's friendly demeanor was not dampened by Oki's put-down. "I'm here to tell you where your friend Samickle is!"
Oki's eyes widened. He waited for the dog to go on.
"My master Kokari took him in after he was injured. He told us what happened and I was waiting for someone to come along so I could inform them. But if your pack all got turned into demons, how come you're still normal?" He cocked his head so far to the side Oki thought it would snap off.
"It's a long story," Oki mumbled, "But Chibiterasu here can exorcise demons."
Ume perked up, beaming at Chibiterasu. "Oh, thank goodness! I was afraid I was going to be turned into a demon too and forced to join his pack."
"I doubt you have to worry about that," Oki snorted, trying and failing to imagine the hyperactive Shiba Inu running alongside his pack. Even if every last one of them were possessed, it still wouldn't happen.
Ume grinned. "Great! Follow me!"
As they raced after Ume back to his abode, Oki couldn't help but wonder what Kage's motive was. Did he just hunger for power? Did he want to prove that demons could never be silenced? Either way, this had to end.
Kokari's house was run-down and the "fisherman" was even younger than he had thought. Honestly, this kid couldn't have been much older than Lika. His parents must not have cared a whit about him. But as he led them inside, Oki completely forgot about Kokari's age when he laid eyes on Samickle.
He was in his human form, wrapped in bandages. His mask was off, revealing scratches on his face. Light injuries were lost in the transformation process—these scratches must have been deep gouges before he switched forms. His eyes flashed with wariness as Oki entered and he began to rise to his feet.
"Wait!" Oki barked, "Amaterasu's son here has rid me of the curse. I'll show you…"
Smoothly, Oki turned back into a human. Chibiterasu, meanwhile, introduced himself to Samickle. But the Oina chief ignored the little wolf, looking wearily at Oki.
"Kage has taken over the tribe. Everyone is a demon. If we can't free them, then our species has come to an unfortunate end." He glared at Oki almost accusingly.
Oki didn't bother pointing out that their species end was inevitable unless they branched out to avoid inbreeding, which would be impossible to avoid in another generation or so.
"Drop your grudge, Samickle," Oki growled, "I left in order to bring back this little god. He is Amaterasu's son. He freed me from Kage's curse and with his help, we can free everyone else."
Finally, Samickle seemed to acknowledge Chibiterasu's presence. He looked at him in wonderment. "You look exactly like your mother…" The eagle-masked warrior said in a hushed tone.
"Samickle," Oki interrupted, "Why are you not possessed? Kage merely would have had to bite you in order to infect you."
"He wanted me dead," Samickle growled, "He set my own pack on me, too. I barely escaped with my life. I sprained my leg after jumping off a cliff, but at least the action aided me in my escape." He nodded to his bandaged arm.
Oki remained silent for a moment, trying to formulate a plan in his head. "Then Chibiterasu and I will have to reclaim the tribe in your stead."
"Oh boy!" Chibiterasu squeaked, ears pricked with excitement, "I'd love to!"
Samickle merely looked doubtful.
"It will be easy," Oki explained, "Chibiterasu, you will exorcise the pack while I hunt down Kage. Samickle, are you well enough to serve as a guard for Chibiterasu?"
"Of course," Samickle snorted, lifting his arm, "This is nothing."
Lika pushed forward. "What should I do?" She asked eagerly.
"You stay here with Ume and Kokari." Samickle said firmly.
The little green wolf looked mildly disappointed, but she didn't argue.
Oki went on, "I might be able to get close to Kage and deceive him, considering I have red eyes. Chibiterasu is the ace up our sleeves. We shall not reveal him until the time has come."
Samickle nodded. Chibiterasu looked back and forth between the two Oina warriors, anticipation shining in his eyes. Oki stood up.
"There's no time to lose. Let's go."
"How is she?"
For a long moment, Samickle was silent. Oki could feel his leader's scrutinizing gaze even from behind his mask. "You should be resting."
"How is she?" Oki repeated, emphasizing each word through gritted teeth.
"She's fine," Samickle replied gruffly, "She's resting in Kemu's hut, regaining her strength." He paused a moment and added, almost hesitantly, "She was asking for you earlier…do not wake her if she sleeps."
Oki gave his leader a quick nod and hurried on up the snowy path. The air was warm and thick with the smell of spring. Lika had recited the Volcanic Incantation and saved them all from freezing to death. But Oki would not feel satisfied until he was sure Amaterasu would survive this ordeal.
As he approached Kemu's house, he slowed his steps, careful not to make any noise. "Amaterasu?" He breathed. Her name sounded so graceful on his lips. An image of the powerful white wolf sprung to mind and he could feel his heart begin to beat faster.
A high-pitched whine greeted his ears.
Oki flung open the door, fearing the worst.
But there was the goddess, wrapped in a number of blankets, sitting by a roaring fire. Her red markings had returned and her divine instrument burned on her back. With a joyous yip, Amaterasu leaped forward, scattering the quilts. She planted her paws on Oki's chest, straining to cover his face in licks. All the while, excited whimpering tumbled from her snout.
"We've done it! We saved Kamui! You were great, Oki!"
Her tail was wagging so hard that Oki thought it would fly off. He couldn't stop the glow of pride that warmed his chest and reached all the way to his fingertips. Gently, he took Amaterasu's paws in his human hands and lowered them to the ground.
"I'm glad you're okay." Oki said, kneeling at eyelevel with her. "But this battle is not yet over. The Day of Darkness begins tomorrow. What will you do?"
Amaterasu's shining dark eyes suddenly turned grave. Her tail hung limp and she bowed her head. "I'm leaving." She whispered.
"Leaving?" Oki repeated sharply.
Amaterasu's eyes misted over. "The Ark that rose out of the lake," She said in a strange voice, "It's calling to me."
"How do you know the Ark of Yamato rose from the lake? You were unconscious when Lika recited the incantation."
Amaterasu did not respond. She was spacing out again.
"Hey." Oki said, snapping his fingers right under her nose.
Amaterasu's ears shot up as she was jolted back to reality. "Forgive me." She murmured, a shiver rippling the fur along her body. The red markings seemed to waver.
Oki noticed this and let out a deep sigh. "You need your rest." He stood up and turned to leave.
"Wait." Amaterasu whimpered softly.
Warmth suddenly enveloped Oki, clouding his head and filling his vision with spots. He sunk down on all fours as blue and red fur sprouted on his skin. "You need to stop doing that." Oki growled, lashing his newly acquired tail.
Amaterasu let loose a bark of laughter, her black eyes sparkling with mischief. She blinked slowly and meaningfully at him. Her dark gaze was unwavering. "You're warmer than any blanket." She murmured.
Oki could feel his heart thundering in his chest. His fur was making him feel unbearably hot and he shook it out. "Is that a request?" He rumbled.
Amaterasu nodded and moved to make room. Oki stepped forward, kneading his paws on the blankets to create a makeshift nest. Then he curled his strong body around Amaterasu's, protectively. Cool air filtered in through cracks in the hut's walls—but he would not let it touch her.
Tenderly, Oki laid his broad head across Amaterasu's soft neck. She burrowed into his warmth, closing the gap between them. The two wolves remained together for the rest of the day and far into the night…until the roaring fire had died down to nothing more than the smallest flicker of light.
Samickle nursed a small limp as the three wolves plowed through the snow, making their way to Wep'keer. Oki kept a careful eye on his son, making sure they would not lose him among the snowdrifts. Conversation was kept to a minimum. Chibiterasu seemed to realize the gravity of their situation, but the pup continued on bravely.
The merchant stand outside the village was deserted. Oki paused by it and turned to his comrades. "Stay here." He said in a low voice, "I'm going to see if I can get close enough to Kage to kill him. When I howl, it will be safe for Chibiterasu to come in and exorcise the tribe."
The fur on Samickle's neck was standing straight up, betraying that he didn't like to be ordered around by his lesser. But he accepted the plan without any argument. The ice-blue wolf settled down in a hiding spot, crossing his paws to remind Oki of his dominance. Oki pretended not to notice, turning to Chibiterasu.
"Stay safe." He muttered.
Chibiterasu's tail wagged once. "Don't worry." He reassured his father, "I'll be okay!"
Oki could see suspicion flare in Samickle's eyes. Oki realized that this display of concern was out of character for him. But he played it off like it was nothing, growling a quick goodbye and padding off towards the village.
His back felt barren without a sword. But wolf demons didn't carry swords so he had not brought it with him. He was an ally of Kage now. But how did a demon-possessed wolf act?
He didn't have to wait long to find out. As soon as he stepped into the village, dark shapes appeared on the cliffs above him, looking down on him. Each familiar face bored the same red pair of eyes. They stood out clearly among the white landscape, glaring at him with suspicion. Soft snarls reached his ears. He had been expecting this would be the case.
Oki lowered his shaggy head and continued trotting down the path. He had a feeling Kage would be at the top of it, occupying the chief's hut. Oki sent up a brief prayer for old man Kemu. He was frail, but spirited. He had survived the attacks from Nechku and Lechku; he could survive this.
Suddenly, a furious roar split the air. Another wolf crashed into Oki's side and the two went tumbling through the snow. Stunned, Oki found himself lying on his back, his attacker pinning him by the shoulders.
"…Kai." He whispered, completely limp with shock.
Kai's soft brown eyes had become the color of blood. They contained no trace of recognition. But maybe it was better that way. Had she recognized him, they would have only contained hurt.
Snarling, Kai opened her jaws and prepared to sink razor-sharp teeth into his fur. But Oki found himself unable to rise up against his friend. He braced for the pain.
"Wait!" A strong yowl went up from all around.
Instantly, Kai sprang off of Oki and took a few steps back, head bowed submissively. Oki nearly rose up himself, but then he realized who was approaching. It was Kage. The sound of his footsteps crunched nearer and nearer. His dark presence suffocated the air around him. Every instinct screamed at Oki to get up. He was completely vulnerable, with his stomach exposed like this. But it was the ultimate display of inferiority. So he swallowed his pride, silently asking the spirits of the air, earth, and sea for their divine protection.
"Oki!" Kage cried out, his voice filled with emotion. "I just knew you'd return to us eventually. How splendid it is to have you back!"
He speaks to me as if I am his kin, Oki thought, disgusted. Slowly, he rolled over and got back on his feet, making sure to keep his head bowed just as Kai's was. His red eyes gleamed with anticipation. Any moment, he would lunge at Kage and tear his throat out. The demon would never see it coming. He just had to time it perfectly.
"Our family is finally complete." Kage said, circling Oki. "Once we have gathered everyone, it will be time to move on. We will overtake the land of Nippon and fill it with darkness!"
Oki half-expected the other wolves to start howling enthusiastically. But they remained as still as statues, their eyes fixed on their leader. A shudder ran up Oki's spine. Somehow, that was even worse.
"Oh, wait. There is one minor detail I nearly forgot about," Kage said, pausing thoughtfully by Oki's shoulder.
Oki grew tense. Just a few more steps and he would have the perfect angle on the demon's throat. But Kage did not move from his position.
Instead, he reached forward to hiss in Oki's ear, "Kai is my top beta. I hope you don't mind—it's just that you ran off and someone had to fill the spot."
A faint growl sounded in Oki's throat. I should have known a demon wouldn't keep his promise. He thought, narrowing his eyes.
Kage let out a high-pitched laugh. "That's what I like to hear!" He chuckled, an unnaturally wide grin gracing his snout. He turned and padded off, much to Oki's dismay. "I guess there's no other option but to let the two of you fight it out."
Before Oki could even react, Kai was on him. Sharp teeth pierced his flank, drawing blood instantly. Oki gave a startled cry and whirled around, trying to bat her away with his large paws. But Kai was quicker than him. She was like a little brown whirlwind, kicking up snow. She dodged around him, refusing to let him land a single blow on her.
But Oki didn't want to hurt her. He was merely playing defense, doing his best to keep his lifelong friend from tearing his throat out.
Suddenly, Kai stumbled. The uneven snow had caused her to lose her footing. Oki threw himself at her, pinning her to the ground. She struggled underneath his muscled body, but it was all in vain. He was much stronger than she.
Kai fell limp, as if accepting her fate. But Oki did not deliver the final blow. Panting, he raised his head and looked all around him. During the fight, the tribe had closed in to form a tight circle. Their eyes were bright and their ears were pricked. They were silently rooting for him to destroy a packmate right in front of them. Even Kemu and Tuskle, who were closer to Kai than anyone.
Oki did not move. The silence was penetrated by his rattling gasps. Kai growled a challenge in her throat, but she still did not fight him. Oki looked deep into her eyes, willing her to remember him.
Kage's voice shook Oki out of his stupor. "I knew it." He spoke softly.
Suddenly, all of the other wolves were upon him, clamping their jaws onto his limbs. Oki gave a great snarl and tried to pull away, but there were too many of them. The tribe did not draw blood. They merely pinned Oki to the ground and held him in place while Kage paced towards them.
Devastated, Oki realized he had missed his opportunity to strike. He strained against his bonds, glowering at Kage. But the combined power of the pack was too much for him.
Kage, meanwhile, could not have look more disappointed. "I had a feeling you weren't a demon, but I didn't want to believe it. How did you destroy my curse?" He asked, stretching forward to sniff Oki.
Oki didn't answer.
Kage's eyes shimmered with amusement. He seemed to be finding this entire ordeal wholly entertaining. "Oh come on, Oki," He said, tipping his head to one side, "I'm going to reestablish the curse either way. The least you could do is tell me how you did it so I won't make the same mistake twice."
"Never!" Oki snarled. He threw back his head and howled to the heavens with all his might.
He knew he promised he would only give the signal when Kage was dead. But this was an emergency. He couldn't leave Samickle and Chibiterasu to fight him on their own.
Kage seemed to realize what he was doing. The demon looked past him to see Samickle and Chibiterasu rushing into the village. As soon as he saw the little white wolf with the divine instrument flaming on his back, he knew what was happening.
"A god!" He yowled furiously.
Suddenly, the scene exploded into battle. Three cursed Oinas went for Chibiterasu at once, but Samickle leapt in the way with a fierce tirade of barking. Oki rushed to join them, nipping at the cowardly Wali so that Chibiterasu could finish exorcising little Lutra. Right after that, the young wolf moved onto Kemu, who was shaking on thin legs. Neither put up a fight as Chibiterasu saved them from their demons.
Sharp fangs sunk into Oki's mane and refused to let go. A high-pitched snarl alerted him that it was Kai, back for more.
"Chibiterasu!" Oki yelled, rolling onto his back and squishing her underneath him. Kai yowled miserably. Chibiterasu bounded over, swinging his weapon. There was a brilliant flash of light. Kai's struggles died down and her eyes closed. Oki stood up. Everything was going according to plan.
He looked to Samickle to see three Oinas mobbing the chief, including Tuskle. His efforts were growing weaker as blood spurted from multiple wounds. Oki prepared to sprint to the wounded alpha, but then Wali appeared again, blocking Oki's path.
"Daddy! I know what to do!" Chibiterasu yipped over the snarling. A shiny slip of paper appeared in front of the little wolf. Oki recognized it as an exorcism slip; but this one glowed with a godlike power. It began to glow brighter and brighter as Chibiterasu prepared to unleash it on the remaining demons.
But Samickle needed help. Tuskle was working her jaws around his throat, attempting to pierce the jugular. With a surge of determination, Oki left Chibiterasu's side and rushed to his leader's aid, bowling over Wali in the process.
He caught Tuskle's scruff in his mouth and hauled her off of Samickle. The she-wolf writhed in his grip, yowling her rage to the skies. Oki strained to contain her.
Suddenly, a wave of power washed over them. The tribe fell to the ground, limp, the red light fading from their eyes. The exorcism slip had worked its magic. But before Oki could even blink, a high-pitched yelp pierced the air.
He whipped around to see Kage. He had hidden like a coward during the entirety of the fight. Now he stood there with Chibiterasu's neck clutched in his jaws. The wolf pup wriggled in his grip, but his paws didn't even scrape the ground. His face was filled with fear, his eyes rolling around in his head as he tried to seek out his daddy.
Oki was frozen with disbelief. His paws refused to move forward and remained planted in the snow.
Kage looked Oki right in the eye, the edges of his mouth curling into a sinister grin. Then he snapped his jaws shut, filling the air with a resounding crack.
"NO!" Oki screamed.
Kage opened his mouth, allowing Chibiterasu's limp body to tumble to the ground. The wolf pup landed heavily in the snow and did not move.