Ginga Nagareboshi Natsuki

Author Note: Finally here, after a LONG time. I just hope it doesn't take me as long to finish the next chapter. Well, enjoy this chapter.

This was checked by my dear BETA RevalisPyross

Chapter Three: More than Friends

"Shizuru, we aren't going back to Fuka now, right?" asked Natsuki, as the red eyed guided them deeper and deeper into the forest. Worry had been eating her insides for the past hour. The setter wore on her face an expression that the half wolf had never seen before, her tail held high and her ears bent backwards. She was angry. Really angry.

"No," Shizuru answered coldly "I have a plan; I'm going to win the Alpha unit for our pack. We need to increase our numbers if we are going to face Hiro," she stopped, so did the pack. Her expression softened, her tail fell a little bit "The point is, my Natsuki, that we must take him down before he starts making a bad reputation for Fuka."

"I don't want you to go Shizuru… Those dogs hate you! They could... Hurt you." She was really concerned about what could happen to her as she felt a kind of affection she had never felt before. She wanted to protect the long haired one so badly.

"I have to go Natsuki... It's the only way we can increase our numbers fast enough."

The half wolf looked deep into the other one's eyes "Then I'm going with you."

They remained silent for a while, both thinking deeply. Things had changed a lot in the past hour and Shizuru's plan seemed logical but really dangerous.

"So, you were Shizuru and Natsuki right?" asked a familiar voice, getting closer to them. Both of the mentioned ones were happy to hear such a cheery tone.

"Yes," Natsuki replied and looked at the Akita's eyes. That was a good friend.

"We are going to fight this Hiro guy right? That shouldn't be so hard," she said. Shizuru stopped and turned around. There was something wrong with her ever since they left the Aswald. Her crimson eyes shone as if they were pools of fresh blood.

"He has all the Fuka by his side. More than 600 of the greatest warriors, dogs that have fought bears and defeated complete packs in the blink of an eye. This will be hard."

Mai shivered.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki scolded her. The roles were upside-down. The Setter shook her head, as if chasing away another presence from her head.

"I'm sorry Mai, I'm just... Worried, that's all." The orange one smiled.

"I understand your concern. Let me know if there's anything I can do. I'm not that much of a fighter, but me and my brother are the best hunters of the Aswald!" she said proudly. The half wolf smiled.

"Let's go hunting together sometime Mai." There was something wrong in that phrase. It wasn't the words but the tone she gave them. It was as if she was really looking forward to going together with the Akita. No, she wasn't supposed to be so soft. But having friends was rather nice and having Shizuru too.

The black and white one had a sudden realization: She and Shizuru were more than friends. But then, what were they?

...................................

Shizuru ordered the pack to rest while she thought of a way to convince the Alpha unit to join them. She knew they would stay in place for three days if their leaders didn't come back and then go back to Fuka. Neither of the leaders were going anywhere, Natsuki had killed them under her command... So now what was the next step?

The Setter sat alone at the edge of a cliff, looking at the moon. She had requested her guardian to leave her alone for a while. There were just so many things in her mind in that moment. She was now leader of a pack and was going to fight the Fuka... She was going to fight her own people. What if they didn't believe in her, even after she told them the truth? What if, after defeating the Belgian, she was the one to look like a dictator? She feared the future more and more with every thought.

"Shizuru..." the voice reached her ears, but it took her a while to respond to the call. She slowly turned around and placed her red eyes upon a black and white figure.

"Natsuki, I remember having requested to be left alone," she said, turning her head towards the moon once again.

"I'm sorry about that but... I can't leave you alone. I get worried if I'm not with you," the half wolf walked towards the other dog and sat next to her, their bodies lightly touching.

"My Natsuki is too sweet with me..." Shizuru whispered with a tone that meant no teasing.

Natsuki was worried about her, that was true, but she could never explain with words how much. If something were to happen to the long haired one she felt she would lose her mind. Shizuru was everything to her now. Even her mission, her vengeance, was less important than protecting her.

"I could never be too sweet with you, Shizuru," the half wolf said as she rubbed her muzzle against the Setter's.

"Natsuki..." That had surprised her, such display of affection, over all, physical contact. It had made her day. "I don't think you'll ever know how glad I am I met you."

"I imagine like half I am I met you." The green eyed one moved closer to the other dog. They were so close their furs looked like one. They were two parts of the same body. "I think you have noticed that I'm not very talkative, but now we are going on this journey together I-I want to tell you something... Something that has been bothering me for quite a while..."

"What is it, my guardian?" Shizuru asked with her accented voice. The alluded one trembled a little bit. She was happy but nervous.

"What are we?" Green eyes looked deep into crimson orbs.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... You and I..." She blushed and turned her face to look at the ground, she felt her tail began to curl between her hind legs.

"Is it important to know exactly?"

"I don't... know but... I just wanted you... Hmm..." This was hard for her. Not only she had never felt something like this before but she had never been someone to talk about her feelings. Somehow she felt like she had to tell Shizuru how she felt. "I wanted you to know you are the most important creature in my life."

"N-Natsuki," she whispered. Shizuru was really surprised. As for herself, the half wolf was her everything, still, for some reason, she never expected Natsuki to feel the same way. She wagged her tail several times before replying to her "I love you."

Silence.

The Setter was not expecting Natsuki to answer so she just cuddled with her. They remained there for a while until the red eyed thought it was time to go to sleep. They joined the pack and found them all asleep.

All but Midori.

"It was about time you two showed up," the collie said, anger in her words.

"I am deeply sorry Midori, I needed some time to think," the Setter replied.

"As the leader it is your duty to watch over them, not mine, red eyed." The long haired stepped closer to the pair.

"Watch it Collie," Natsuki warned, standing between the two other dogs. The collie inhaled soundly.

"I'm going to sleep now, good night leader," there was something on her last word that gave Natsuki the creeps. She had actually grown really fond of the collie while they were living with the Aswald, but now things were different. Ever since they were discovered it looked as if Midori hated them. The Collie walked away and lay down next to what seemed like Youko.

Shizuru walked slightly away from the pack and lay down on a higher ground. Natsuki didn't know whether to follow her or not. Such position, above all the other dogs, was always reserved for the leader. And then she felt a pair of crimson orbs was cast upon herself. A smile. An invitation. She wagged her tail happily and ran towards the Setter.

Whatever was wrong with her wasn't that bad at all.

............................

Her green orbs were fixed on the Setter's sleeping figure. Her breathing was slow. She looked at peace. They were sleeping next to each other, their bodies closely together. When was the last time she was so close to someone? She couldn't help but to ask herself. Probably it was her mother.

Her mother.

It had been long since she last saw her. Since she got exiled... She hadn't thought about her former life for a long time. That wasn't necessarily bad. Being able to leave her past behind would allow her a fresh start with the Fuka. At least, that was what she was starting to consider.

She felt the breeze brushing her ears and remembered the missing tip. There was fire in her heart. She was going to put it down some day, when Shizuru was back in the place she was supposed to be. Once she knew her Setter was safe she could go and show them what she was made of... Had she... Had she just thought "her" Setter?

Natsuki felt a blush started to form in her face and felt glad Shizuru was asleep. Or, at least, so it seemed.

"Ara! Why is the half wolf blushing?" the teasing tone was now explicit and the alluded one lowered her ears as she hid her face.

"I am not!" she replied. The other dog giggled.

"Whatever you say my guardian. Now, try to get some sleep. We should wake everyone up in a couple of hours"

Natsuki nodded and moved even closer to the Setter, their muzzles brushing. And then she realized she had changed more than she thought she ever could.

........................

She woke up and lifted herself from the soft ground. She stretched and looked down. Natsuki was still asleep. Never before the half wolf had remained asleep after she had woken up. Normally the black and white one would be nowhere in sight when she arose from her sleep and just when she was about to go look for her, she would appear. But now she was a leader, and she had to act like one.

"Natsuki," she said, with no special tone in her voice. The alluded one woke up and stretched as she yawned.

"Shizuru... You are awake..."

"Yes, I am. I shall be going now to recruit the said dogs. I will be taking a small group with me. I will be leaving you in charge of..." the Setter couldn't finish, she was interrupted.

"No," the wolf-dog shook her head, "I will go with you."

"Natsuki, don't argue with me on this."

"I will go with you."

"Natsuki, you said you'd do whatever I told you, so now live up to your words."

It hurt. Shizuru spoke so coldly and so emotionless it really hurt.

"As you say..." With her ears bent backwards Natsuki was too cute to bear.

"... Sorry my Natsuki but I'm leader of these dogs and I have to..."

"It's ok. I understand Shizuru."

And so the green eyed had to see the red eyed leave with Midori, Youko and two other dogs and this time she was not allowed to follow her.

She hated not being with the long haired one.

..............

"So, these dogs are from Fuka right?" asked certain forest eyed.

"Yes, Midori. But they are now leaderless as my Natsuki killed both of them," she gave a second thought about calling the half wolf hers but it was already too late.

"Won't they attack you red eyed? Those other dogs did," another dog said. Shizuru remembered his name being Shinta.

"It's a probability."

"How many are there?" Midori questioned.

"I estimate an average of 100."

They ran as fast as they could, the other dogs having trouble keeping up Shizuru and Midori's pace. It was not easy to notice, but the collie was actually struggling to move as fast as the setter. This dog is amazingly strong and fast, maybe it won't be so hard to be under her command, the forest eyed thought as she gazed upon Shizuru's concentrated expression.

After about an hour, the leader felt a strong smell in her nostrils and commanded the group to stop. The Alpha were close by, there was no doubt about it. Was she really ready to face them? It was too late to back off. She had to.

"They are close, I can smell them," Shinta said as the other male dog took a peek behind some bushes.

"Leader!" he called. Midori had to drown the impulse to answer the call. Shizuru turned around. That dog's name was Sagarosuke.

"What is it Sagarosuke?" she asked.

"There they are."

The red eyed took a deep breath. Yes, they were actually there. She could remember most of the Alpha's names. She had received training from many of them and was fully aware of how strong they were. Perhaps this was really silly. There was no way they could fight those beasts in case they couldn't convince them of Hiro's betrayal. And then, when she was about to be eaten by desperation she heard a voice. A voice that was obnoxiously familiar.

"Those idiots are not coming back! We should go ourselves and talk to this Aswald people. After all, we came here to be the diplomatic preservatives!" the tone of the voice was too laud, the pitch too high and it was just too strong. Only one dog could have such and awfully recognizable voice.

"It's representatives, Haruka-chan," said certain short legged.

Shizuru felt a smile began to form in her lips.

"Let's go."

...........................

Was the Setter alright? She couldn't help but to wonder.

Natsuki walked in circles, too nervous to remain still. The other dogs looked at her with strange eyes, not understanding her reaction. They felt intrigued by her relationship with the leader. Opinions there were a lot.

For some it was just a guardian issue, being Natsuki some sort of bodyguard.

For others it was friendship.

For a group it was simply weird.

For Mai, it was pretty obvious. They were more than friends.

"Natsuki, try to calm down," she said to the restless half wolf.

"I can't Mai, those dogs... They could hurt her," answered the black and white one, evident tension in her words.

"If half the things the Garderobe said about her are true then there's no reason to worry. I'm pretty sure Shizuru-san is okay." A smile was on her face. Natsuki sighted.

"You are probably right..."

"Now, how about we go hunting? I'm sure the leader and the others will find it pleasant to have something to eat when they come back." The other one nodded.

"Yeah, that would be nice."

Both dogs ran towards the forest. Natsuki more than eager to distract her mind and Mai feeling proud of having lightnened the dark mood that surrounded the half wolf.

The green eyed hadn't noticed it, but Mai had just become her first friend. Because, just like Mai already knew, she and Shizuru were more than just that.

...........................

The group walked towards the Alpha unit, appearing from behind the shadows still not completely visible. About one hundred pairs of eyes were cast upon the group, and more than one growl was heard. Shizuru managed to remain calm and kept her usual facade. The group was leaderless in that moment, so she assumed the First Soldier would be the one to "receive" them. If her memory was as good as it had always been the First Soldier of the Alpha Unit was a female Pointer named Sachiko. The red eyed tried to look for her in the mass, but it was not necessary.

"Who is there?" the voice was angry. No wonder why, considering they had been waiting for quite a while now.

The Setter stepped into the light.

"Sh-Shizuru-sama!" exclaimed the Pointer, her eyes dilating. Yukino and Haruka said nothing, but she could feel their eyes almost piercing her head.

"I am here to tell you everything Hiro has told you is a lie. He was the one that killed Gohei, my father, and attempted to kill me. Your leaders have died. If you still have loyalty for the deceased Fuka leader then join my pack and we will avenge him"

Silence.

Deadly Silence.

She waited.

And then it happened.

"You traitor!" the dog's screams froze her. But only one body charged at her. The Setter easily avoided it. She didn't want to hurt any of them.

"I do not want to battle with you, but if you are not with me, then you are against me. Please, trust me. I am telling you the truth," she wanted them to believe her, but it seemed like a mission impossible.

The same dog attacked her and she had to defend herself. The red eyed bit the other one's neck and hit his body against the ground. Three other animals went to help the fallen one, but Shizuru's groups managed to block their attack. Midori easily took down two of them, and the two males could handle the other one. Youko stayed with the leader, watching if someone would need medical aid.

It was sad, sad that they would attack her, sad that they would not believe in her words. Shizuru was obviously strong, but she was not trying to intimidate the pack but convince them with her words. Midori was beginning to feel sorry for the Setter, but she knew such feeling for her now leader were not appropriate and, on a second level of course, she had her own pride to consider. So she just bit and ripped furs apart trying not to think about the current situation.

"I do not want to fight my own people. Please, Haruka-san, Yukino, you two must believe me!" she said, for the first time making direct contact with her former companions.

The golden and the dachshound looked deep into red pools of blood. They knew Hiro had always enjoyed messing with Gohei's daughter, and that he was always kind of suspicious. However, when they looked at their leader's corpse, they had somehow trusted all the words that came out of the belgian's snout. But now... Shizuru was alive.

"As a member of the Council I command you to cease your attack against our deceased leader's rightful heir!" Yukino's voice had never been so strong. All the dogs stopped their attack.

"But, Yukino-san, Hiro-sama said that..."

"There are many things you, outside the council, do not know about that dog. Now I have seen Shizuru-san alive, I can easily believe in what she has told us. It was actually amazing, how a small dog's words could control a complete unit. But they all respected her; she had been Gohei's tactician and main diplomatic voice. More than a battle was won thanks to her strategic moves.

"I also trust the Bubuzuke," Haruka stated, with her usual tone.

"Thank you, Yukino-san, Haruka-san," the setter had to make an effort not to cry. She had been touched by their support.

Murmurs began to spread, tiny voices heard from every corner of the unit. Seconds that seemed eternities. The red eyed trembled lightly.

Twenty dogs walked towards Gohei's daughter, their heads held low and thier tails between their legs. They were now part of her army. She felt happy for their support. But still, many other fighters were not convinced. Sachiko was amongst them.

"Those who stand here are loyal to Hiro-sama, not to you... Traitor."

Eighty against twenty five. Her only option was to kill all of them; she could not have them telling the Belgian she was still alive, it was her only weapon against the Fuka. But the odds were more than against her. Quickly, as she saw the attack coming she commanded her group to retire. She planned to run to where the rest of the pack was, and perhaps then they could actually fight without being doomed to defeat.

"Midori, there's no way we can fight them now. We'll run to the rest of the pack, and then fight. They will all be exhausted and our reinforcements will be fresh. We can defeat them if we do that." The Collie could not deny it, it was a good strategy. She enjoyed that the Setter took her into consideration and treated her as Second in Command. Perhaps she was.

"Yes, red eyed."

"Now!"

And so they wan as fast as they could. Yukino was left behind, but was quickly rescued by Haruka, who placed the daschound on her back.

Natsuki, please be ready to fight.

...................

Mai and Natsuki were dragging along a huge tree leave with about six dead rabbits on it. They had spent the afternoon together hunting and the half wolf had found it really fun. When the orange haired had told her of their abilities as a hunter she had had a hard time believing her. She did not look very strong or fast but she had now found out that there were other ways of being good at hunting. Mai waited. She knew the exact moment to attack and that was something Natsuki thought could only be applied in battle.

"You are really something Mai," the half wolf exclaimed.

"Told you I was a good hunter. But you! I had never seen someone running so fast! The poor thing couldn't even notice it was being hunted," answered the Akita.

And then they both froze in place. The sound of running paws came to their ears. The stood firm, their tails straight up. The half wolf's broken ear moved side to side, trying to find the origin of the ruckus.

"Something's coming," Mai said.

"Yes."

Paws, growls, barks, screams... And a call...

"Natsuki!"

As soon as she heard the Setter calling for her the black and white one forgot about the rabbits and ran towards the source of the call. I knew I should have gone with her Natsuki thought, if they have hurt her I'm gonna make sure they wish they were never born.

...........

Shizuru and the other were just few meters away from the rest of the pack, Sachiko and her groups almost stepping on their paws. As soon as she could see her followers she commanded them to launch an attack. As for herself, the time had come to show why they called her the perfect warrior. She turned around, ready to face any opponent, but it was the Alpha's First Soldier that charged at her.

"You dirty traitor!" the Pointer tried to bite her neck but the Setter moved left to evade the attack and pierced through her enemy's skin with her fangs. Having taken grasp of her, Shizuru threw Sachiko to the ground with a simple movement, ripping apart her shoulder. The taste of blood was never something she liked. The red liquid dyed the snow.

"Argh! You bitch!" the spotted one raised herself from the ground and tried to catch Shizuru's front leg. She failed in the attempt, but not because of the Setter, but because her snout was caught by certain half wolf. Her nose was filled with blood and her body moved frenetically trying to release herself from the wolf-dog's teeth. More red liquid began to emanate from every hole in her face, through her nostrils, her ears and her eyes.

"This is for threatening Shizuru," Natsuki murmured and then used all her strength to finally break through the bone. The Pointer finally stopped moving and the green eyed let go of her snout.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I am, but do not worry about me I can fight my own battles," answered the Setter as she ran towards a new enemy. Natsuki was puzzled but also searched for a new objective.

The red eyed was attacked by a Great Dane who tried to take advantage of his size to make her fall to the ground. He couldn't do it, Shizuru pushed him back and he fell violently.

Her enemy was considerably bigger than her and his skin looked really thick. Extrangulating him was not an option, neither breaking his legs nor causing massive blood loss. The only way she could think of to finish him of quickly was the use of a tool. She ran towards a tree and broke a thick branch. When her opponent charged at her again she stuck the wooden piece up his throat, a bump appearing on his forehead. The Dane began to run in circles, trying to get the branch out of his head.

He couldn't.

Just like that dog was killed, all the eighty who had refused to join Gohei's daughter were to be. The field was covered with blood.

"This is what we will do to those who oppose us. From today onwards we are the Otome and we shall not be defeated. We are the strongest of the strongest and we'll fight until Fuka is free from Hiro," the leader called as her followers howled in approval. Natsuki admired that part of Shizuru but she could read behind her words and knew she was hiding something.

..................................

"Shizuru." It was late at night and the half wolf had taken advantage that the Setter had left the pack for a while to talk to her.

"What is it my Natsuki?" A smile came to the alluded one's lips.

"I missed you calling me that way... Hehe..." A blush threatened to appear in her face but a quick sniff managed to control it. "... Are you okay?" she used her serious tone, the one she used with most others.

"Of course I am. We have raised our numbers to more than fifty and we managed to defeat the remaining Alpha unit..."

"Not about that... I mean, are you really okay?"

"W-What do you mean?" Shizuru was trying to keep her mask on but it appeared as an impossible task.

"You can't lie to me. I know you are concerned about something," the half wolf's voice softened as she lightly licked the Setter's cheek.

"..." There was no sense in maintaining the facade in front of her guardian. No sense at all. A lonely tear run down her face. "I-I didn't want to kill them Natsuki... T-There was no other way... I-I don't like to kill, I hate blood... But I must be firm; I am the leader of the Otome and the heir to the Fuka... I have to deserve their loyalty."

The half wolf cuddled with the Setter. She never thought she would be the one comforting. It seemed almost ironic.

"It's okay. It's only us now."

"N-Natsuki."

And there, silently, the Perfect Warrior of the Fuka, began to cry, gently caressed by her half wolf guardian.