Hey all! About time for an up-date, huh? Well, here it is! Hope you enjoy.
I, Sapphire Midnight, do not own Sailor Moon.
Wolf Wind
Ch. 6
By the time Serenity came to the next day, she could tell her Wolf brethren allowed her to sleep in. The sounds entering the cavern were not bird-calls from early rising birds. There was a calm to the air that gave her a feeling that a lazy afternoon filled with warm sunlight was a mere arm's reach away. Rising to her feet, Serenity only half-heartedly raked her fingers through long, ivory tresses before exiting the empty cave and blinking into the sun almost directly overhead. The serenity of the moment created a small smile to slip across her lips. She couldn't feel hurt about her two Sisters leaving her side on a day like this.
Makoto spotted her first. Jade eyes sparkling merrily, the strong woman easily hefted her son into her arms and met Serenity at the mouth of the cave.
"Sleep well?" Makoto's smile showed she already knew the answer to her question.
"I did. You and Ami did not have to let me sleep so late, though. I could have helped with the hunt, or..." Trailing off, Serenity awkwardly shifted on her feet. She didn't know the routine here. Despite being verbally 'claimed' by this pack's Alpha, she didn't understand where she stood in the great scheme of things.
Makoto seemed to guess Serenity's hesitation and a throaty laugh escaped her, dispelling Serenity's moment of awkwardness. Looping her free arm through her Sister's, Makoto tugged Serenity toward the stream-and the clearing were most of the pack were lounging in the warm rays of the sun.
Serenity dug her heels in, trying to delay the inevitable. Makoto pressed onward, however, dragging the smaller woman forward without a second thought.
"They've been waiting for you."
Hearing those dreaded words caused Serenity to pale. This was it. She was well again, and apparently this new Alpha, her brother, and the rest of the Five have waited long enough to hear what she had to say. Serenity swayed on her feet, suddenly feeling lightheaded. She wasn't even aware of crossing the shallow part of the stream thanks to the wild roaring in her ears.
"The whole pack. They've been waiting for you. They want to see what you will do."
Blinking, Serenity came out of her sudden haze. She gasped, turning wide eyes in Makoto's direction.
"What?"
That hadn't been what she had been expecting at all. Did that mean the others were not about to demand questions the moment she awoke? Dread filled her again as she wondered how long she would have to wait, and agonize over the conversation she had been dreading just a moment before.
"The pack. They know you have been verbally claimed, and they wait to see if you will accept that claim. In the meantime, they watch. They will watch you as one would watch their Alpha. Either to follow your example, or seek out your weaknesses."
"So basically I can't screw this up."
Makoto laughed outright, and Serenity found she couldn't hold her sulky expression even if she wished it. Gazing around the clearing, Serenity found Makoto's words were true. Most of the wolves were pretending to doze, but had one eye trained almost lazily on her. Some stared outright, those mostly in animal form. The few pack who were in human form were all female, and Serenity cocked a curious brow at her Sister when she made that realization.
Makoto tried to hide her smirk. Serenity had to give her points for trying, at least.
"They want to be on your good side. You're in human form, so they will remain that way as well."
Noting a blonde fluff her short, wavy hair while keeping her brown eyes trained to Serenity's face, Serenity turned to Makoto entirely, presenting her back to the beseeching look and placing both hands on her hips.
"Makoto. What is this really about?"
The Brown had the audacity to hide behind her adorable son for a moment as she disguised her laugh into a love-whuff and nuzzled against him. Serenity scowled.
"Makoto."
"They know you have the highest rank of any female here. Aside from that, the only other female you have been seen with as of now is me." She tilted her head, waiting for her Sister to connect the dots. "I'm the only other female Wolf in this pack with any standing or rank, Sere. Maybe they wonder if you only associate with those of rank." When Serenity's scowl deepened, Makoto hurriedly added, "Or maybe they hope that you will create a 'Five' of your own, and those females will also hold rank."
There were too many possibilities here. Too much was happening too fast, and Serenity had a feeling this whole thing would whirlwind out of control if she wasn't careful.
"That's impossible. Even if I did accept Endymion's claim, and I haven't yet, there is no guarantee I can offer other females a higher ranking. They would have to be able to defend such a status, even against other males who may get jealous that a female holds rank over them if they are not one of the Five. I've seen what jealousies can do to a pack, Mako. It's not pleasant."
"I'm sure it's not. But there are other ways for a female to gain rank."
Makoto waited, and Serenity finally realized what it was the older woman was getting at.
Dazed, Serenity shook her head. "It...it doesn't work that way. Just because someone has a higher rank..."
"Think about it, Sere. If you were to give a few females a higher rank-if you were seen with the same select few day after day-don't you think the other males would take notice? And to keep the hierarchy intact, don't you think one of the Five would have to take her as his Mate, just so another male doesn't rise up to take his place? Or to take a higher rank in the pack that he hadn't before been able to have?"
Paling, Serenity continued to shake her head in denial. "It would ruin everything. Everything Endymion has striven to build..."
Makoto's eyes gleamed. "And you seemed to not care about our dear Alpha one way or another."
More denials formed on the tip of Serenity's tongue, but she bit them back. If she seemed too emphatic Makoto would never believe her. Straightening her spine, Serenity rose to her full height. She was still much shorter than the Brown before her.
"He is my Alpha, now. While I may not understand everything concerning how this pack is run, I will do as he asked and reserve my opinion until I have seen all he does through action and deed alone."
And she would try not to jeopardize anything he already put time and effort into, even if that meant keeping to herself for a while. She could do that. Maybe.
Possibly.
Biting her lip, she felt her stiff bearing fall. It was all so different, it would be near impossible not to make any mistakes. Any more than she already had, it seemed.
Pivoting to gaze at the spread out pack and include them in her ponderings, Serenity noticed Ami a healthy distance away and felt some of her tension ease. She grinned a welcoming smile about to head in her Sister's direction when Ami spotted Serenity in turn, stiffened, and ducked her head before quickly scurrying away. Frowning, Serenity looked toward Makoto to see if the other woman saw their Sister's reaction, and Makoto too was frowning as her gaze lingered after Ami's retreating frame.
"Her probation is almost up."
The solemn words, paired with Makoto's for once solemn expression stilled something inside of Serenity that she almost couldn't describe.
"What?" The question was a breathed whisper.
"Ami. Her probation is almost up. She has just two days left to find a place for herself in this pack, and I'm afraid of what will happen if she doesn't."
"How can she not have found a place for herself yet? I don't understand. She's a healer! No one should take that for granted! She-"
"I know, Sere," Makoto cut in, before the White could get too heated and draw attention. "Ami doesn't feel comfortable here. And the other Wolves have not made an effort to make her feel as though she belongs."
A growl ripped from Serenity's chest before she could stop it, and a couple lounging wolves looked her way-their hearing sharper than a human's. After a moment they settled, however, and Serenity tried to tamp down her growing rage.
"She belongs with me." Serenity didn't mean for it to sound the way it did-as if she was Alpha and staking her claim. She couldn't help the feeling of camaraderie between her and the healer, however. She wouldn't deny all that transpired between the three of them just last night, and the these days prior while she had been in and out in sickness.
Makoto didn't seem remotely ruffled by her words, however. Instead, she chuckled, then deferred a step back and motioned to the place Ami had gone. Taking the hint, Serenity only hesitated a second before marching after the probationary Wolf. Her grin was all teeth when she found her, and if Serenity felt the gazes of her pack brethren on her back, she dutifully ignored them.
"Serenity..." Ami seemed more than a little shocked to see the White before her. Her eyes swiveled around to those watching and waiting to see what was going on before landing on her Sister's once more. "You already thanked me once. You don't have to do it again." Her eyes pleaded with her Sister, and Serenity had no idea why. If Ami thought she was protecting her, she was gravely mistaken.
"I wasn't coming over to thank you. I was coming over to chastise you." Serenity pouted suddenly, and silently wondered what in all the forests she was doing. "You left without waking me this morning."
"I-I was allowing you to finally get some uninterrupted sleep."
Ami could have easily claimed Makoto left her too, but she didn't. It was another testament to Ami's strong character, and Serenity took a closer step toward her Sister.
"You didn't come check on me when you saw I was awake," Serenity stared again, and wondered who this stranger was to have taken over her body and cause such a pathetic, pouting scene.
"I already knew you were well. The moon healed you."
No mention of her own healing prowess, and the painstaking agony she had been in trying to use her abilities to heal her for three days now. This time Serenity frowned. Ami seemed to relax when Serenity informed her of chastising her in public. Was that how low Ami believed herself to be in the ranking of a pack? If that was the case, Serenity wasn't the only one who had a few new things to learn.
"Makoto and I need your help."
There. No hedging around the subject. Ami finally looked somewhat taken aback, but the fierce determination in her gaze was a welcome sight compared to the uneasiness Serenity had been sensing from her just moments before.
"Is it Makoto's little one? Is he sick?" Worry immediately replaced the vulnerability once visible in Ami's eyes, and Serenity almost felt sorry for the misconception. Still. It was the only way to get the desired effect in the least amount of time.
Without a word, Serenity led the way back to Makoto's side, Keitaro nuzzled into his mother's neck. He wouldn't give away the fact that he was healthy as could be, and Serenity felt somewhat relieved. She felt the eyes of the pack watching her, and she suddenly didn't care if she was making a colossal mistake. She was following her instincts, and this was what her inner Wolf wanted her to do. The Wolf spirit within her would not rest until Ami was instated at her side, as Makoto was.
It was, after all, where they belonged.
"Makoto?" Ami's tone held a small amount of uncertainty. Makoto merely grinned widely at her Sister's and moved to nuzzle Ami when the healer moved to inspect the young boy now cradled lovingly between them. Ami froze, noting what a large show of trust was being displayed in that moment. Very few mother wolves allowed just anyone close enough to touch their young ones.
"Serenity?" Ami asked, dazed blue eyes seeking out the White after noting the clear and laughing brown gaze of Keitaro peeking up at her as his little hands reached toward Serenity.
"You see, Ami: Makoto and I have this predicament. This very talented healer, a Sister of ours, really, keeps avoiding us. How do you think we should go about this situation?" Accepting Keitaro from his mother's arms, Serenity cradled him lovingly even as she propped a fur-clad white hip out and waited for a response.
Ami's eyes immediately lowered to the forest floor. "Perhaps this healer you speak of is not very talented at all, really. Perhaps she can't control the old magic the way she should, and cannot do any pack or Wolf any amount of good, even if it was what she yearned for above all else." Ami's vision began to blur, and she hoped no one would notice.
"Perhaps..." She continued, "this healer is keeping her distance so as not to disgrace the standing of the two Wolves she holds dearer than any else, so they might lead lives that enable change in our kind and may remain in positions in this pack that will enable them to make the changes they see fit. Without being held back by associating with non-ranking probationary wolves."
The word definitely tasted bitter.
Silence reigned for a short bit. Makoto was the one to break it.
"She speaks!"
She chuckled, dispelling the intensity in the air and causing Ami to awkwardly rub at the back of her head.
"I guess I shouldn't have ignored you..."
"No. You shouldn't have."
All of them were smiling.
"So we're good?" Makoto asked
Ami nodded, but it was Serenity who answered.
"We're good."
She still needed to find a way to help Ami find her place in this pack, though. She only had two days to do it, and she didn't believe that a simple verbal claim that Ami was hers was going to cut it, even if it seemed to have been good enough for the Alpha when he had claimed her.
Hmph.
She ignored the small, curious part of her that was interested in all he claimed to be. It couldn't be as amazing as she had hoped and dreamed all these past years. No pack was perfect. Neither was any Alpha.
Feeling eyes upon her form again, Serenity forced out a sigh. She didn't want to be the object of everyone's attention. It was already making her edgy, and she'd barely been standing here long. Turning to look over her shoulder, Serenity spotted a different blonde, blue eyes glued to her form. There was nothing challenging in the stare, but the blonde never lowered her gaze or looked away.
Must be a dominant.
She didn't have a single idea where that thought came from. It was almost as though there was a hidden, silent question in the woman's pale eyes, and Serenity found her inner Wolf intrigued.
Ami and Makoto had been in the middle of a discussion.
"Mako? Ami? Who is that woman over there? I didn't see her my first night here at the Last Meal."
Her two Sisters exchanged looks.
"Her name is Minako. She arrived here while you were sick with fever. Endymion didn't trust having a new dominant Wolf around while you were ill, so she was forced to keep her distance."
Serenity frowned at Ami's calm words. Maybe Minako didn't know if she was still supposed to keep her distance now that Serenity was well. Unable to completely understand it, she felt something insistant struggling within her. Some part of her she couldn't quite describe wanted to know all about this mysterious Wolf.
"Has she been accepted as probationary?"
Serenity didn't know why she thought the golden-haired woman was seeking out another pack, but her inner Wolf seemed to be unable to accept any other possibility. Tilting her head to one side, she watched the stranger interact slowly and carefully around the other pack members, keeping her distance but always focused on Serenity.
"She has been given asylum, but she has not been accepted as probationary yet," Makoto murmured quietly. "Here, it is vital not to have too many probationary Wolf brethren at one time. Especially when our enemy can take the form of one we might trust."
That snapped Serenity's mind back to the present. Her head whipped to the side, blu eyes widening as she took in the seriousness and plain honesty written on Makoto's face.
"Those... things that attacked us can change forms?"
Both Ami and Makoto seemed floored that Serenity hadn't already known that.
"Yes. That is what they are. I'm sure Endymion will explain fully, if you have any questions," Ami stated, eyes wide in her pale face.
"Endymion? What does he have to do with-"
And then she sensed him. Directly behind her. A hush fell over the pack in the clearing, and when Serenity turned around it wasn't only Emdymion who waited behind her, but his Four companions as well. She suddenly found it hard to swallow. This was it. It was time. He gave her as much time as he could probably allow without perhaps endangering all of his pack. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her chin and forced herself to meet the Alpha's midnight gaze without flinching. Her stomach did somersaults instead.
"Serenity." He beckoned her.
Meaning Makoto and Ami were clearly not invited. Serenity stood taller. She would be brave. She had her own questions she sought answers to too, after all.
"I am ready." Even if her limbs were beginning to tremble.
"Come."
Endymion's hand lightly braced against Serenity's bared back and she tensed even as her legs propelled him in the direction her Alpha indicated. His eyes were tuned ahead, however, in the direction they were going instead of focusing their intensity on her, and for that Serenity allowed herself to relax. His hand was large-the pads of his fingers settling against her to only provide five pin-points of connecting skin-on-skin. For some reason, despite the touch being slight, Serenity could only focus on that touch at her back until he finally pulled his hand away.
He indicated a place for her to sit and make herself comfortable. Looking around, she noticed the others were doing the same. They were all seated within a small grove of trees, and for some reason a feeling of peace was settling over her.
"This place is touched by old magic, stronger than that of Pack or Alpha. None can use magic here, and none will be able to listen in on this conversation."
Throat feeling unbearably parched, Serenity took a seat as he had indicated and nodded her head in understanding.
Old magic.
In coming to this pack, it seemed there was much for her to learn. She wanted to know about it, and learn more. She now craved the feeling of moonfire racing under her flesh and settling into bone. She had been so empty without it.
"You must have questions."
That startled her. She had been trying to prepare herself for a barrage of questions or more accusations. She hadn't thought to consider he may allow her to ask her own inquires first.
"Endymion-" Kunzite began, barely able to keep the sound of impatience from his tone.
Serenity started, looking wide-eyed at her brother. Memories and images all came crashing down on her at once, and suddenly she remembered why she shouldn't be here. She couldn't do this. Not here. Not with her brother so near, and yet so far away. She paled. Started rocking back and forth.
This was a mistake. A mistake. Mistake. She shouldn't be here. She should be far from here.
Sammy.
Daddy.
...Diamond... searching... vile...
A vicious snarl broke through the darkness of her thoughts, and Serenity felt a warm, firm hand on her bared shoulder as Endymion bared his teeth at her brother.
His second.
The sound should have scared her, but it didn't. The dissension should have caused a knowing smirk: for there obviously were problems within this pack.
But it didn't.
For reasons she couldn't explain, Serenity was completely at a loss not for the first time since arriving in this territory. The Alpha's hand upon her shoulder was gentle, and her brother didn't seem the least wary or perturbed by his Alpha's snarl. If anything, Kunzite's expression was coldly calm and calculating. Serenity didn't know what to make of her dear blood brother.
"I do have a question," Serenity began, in order to dispel the remaining tension as well as provide a sort of distraction.
It seemed to do the trick. All eyes turned to her, and the remaining tension she could feel coming from the alpha seated to her left drained out of him.
"What was it exactly that attacked us? Hyenas don't live this far north. It seemed like they had a vendetta against your pack. Why is that, and why are they here? In the forest?"
Apparently she asked the correct question, because each one of the Five relaxed in the loose circle they created, trying not to look intimidating in their human skin and failing. Glancing from one face to the next, Serenity focused more on the emerald-eyed Wolf with red-blonde hair, and the blonde Wolf with blue eyes and a toothy smile. One must be Jedite, and the other Zoicite, for she knew the rest of the Five by name now.
"They are called the Nijuushin, and they are no more 'hyena' than they are Wolf."
Serenity stared blankly.
"Surely you've heard of the Nijuushin," the blue-eyed blonde man scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
Serenity merely glanced his way, raising a brow without humor like her brother was wont to do now. The man spoke a dew untoward words and dropped his gaze, much to Serenity's disbelief.
One of the Five, lowering his gaze to her?
"What Jedite so tactlessly tried to say is, how is it one of our kind has been able to live so long without having heard of such beasts? The Nijuushin had been a plague to our kind for so many years now it seems impossible any could have avoided their kind. Unless, of course, you have been living with the Nijuushin in your very midst and never knew they were posing as fellow Wolves?"
It was the emerald-eyed man to speak, and Serenity found his questions to be so far-fetched she didn't know how she could possibly answer them.
"I have never heard of the Nijuushin before today. My old pack was a small one, and I would have noticed such a change. As far as I know, I never once faced one of their kind until I came here. Perhaps there is only a feud between-"
But they were all shaking their heads, looking at her almost pitiably. All except the Alpha, of course, who seemed very interested in anything she had to say.
"The Nijuushin have been taking over the territories of countless wolf packs. Why do you think this pack has grown so quickly? More and more packs fall to the Nijuushin-or worse."
Serenity couldn't imagine what could be worse than having your whole pack obliterated.
"We simply out-maneuver them time and again, and have been able to hold them off longer than most other packs in the area." This time it was Nephrite who spoke, and Serenity was relieved to turn her attention to her Sister's Mate. At least his was a friendly face. "This pack is stronger than the Nijuushin realize," He added, his warm gaze seeming to share a secret with her Serenity couldn't quite pick up on.
"So what are they? Animals? Human? Something more, like we are?" Serenity had a feeling getting answers to her questions would be like pulling teeth. "What other forms can they take, aside from that of hyenas?"
This time it was Kunzite who raised his brows. "Anything. They can take the form of anything they have seen." His cool, emotionless gaze skimmed over her form. "Which is why I thought you were one of them."
Ice trekked down Serenity's spine as the connotations finally hit her.
Anything. Anything. If any Nijuushin had seen her without her knowing, then they could have stolen her form. Used her against her brother. Even now, any Wolf in this pack was in danger of being replicated, or being an outsider.
She paled, and noticed someone was nodding out of the corner of her vision, waiting for her to come to that very same conclusion.
"Then how... do you know... I'm not one."
A gentle touch. Fingers tracing along an invisible line of flesh that has now since healed. Shuddering, Serenity gasped and turned her wide gaze to the Alpha who was tracing the invisible lines on her skin.
"Your blood was spilled in battle," he began, as if that alone should explain it. When he could see there wasn't any comprehension in Serenity's expression he continued. "The one thing the Nijuushin cannot duplicate, is the scent and taste of blood. When we are in wolf form, we can tell the difference between Nijuushin blood being spilled, and that of Wolf blood being spilled. That, and that alone, is what saved you."
"Well, that and the fact that-oomf!"
Serenity didn't get to hear what the other fact was because someone elbowed Jedite quite thoroughly in the ribs. He hunched over gasping and coughing for the next couple of minutes, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. Despite his own pain, he seemed to note Serenity's look because he motioned rather comically that he was okay, and she found she could have laughed had the situation been different.
"We answered her question, Endymion." Apparently Kunzite was no longer one for fooling around. "Now ask her why she's here."
Serenity bristled, and all movement from the Five stilled. Unwilling to contain her low growl, Serenity lifted a silent glare to her 'brother' in challenge.
"Why don't you ask me yourself, Kunzite? Or are you afraid you'd finally have to answer to the fact that you left?"
She was seething, about to stand up so she could tower over her blood-kin when a hand snaked around her arm and merely held her in place. Turning her seething glare onto the Alpha who held her, Serenity curled her lip before finally looking away.
There. She said it. The question that haunted her for nearly five years now. Whether she was ready for the answer to her question or not, soon she would finally have it. They'd get nothing out of her until he spilled first.
She had been waiting for a soft, apologetic tone from her brother. She had been expecting sorrow-anguish-anything that told her he was hoping to make it up to her now that they would finally be together again.
The scoffing sound coming from her brother was the last thing she anticipated, as was the humorless scathing smile.
"Didn't 'daddy' tell you?"
Flinching at his tone-the cold look in his eye-Serenity could only stare in dazed confusion and slow-growing horror as she realized this was going to be so much more than she could have ever realized. Endymion's grip turned somewhat painful, and Serenity flinched again, noting how quickly her Alpha released his hold on her when he noticed it. Then he moved to block her from Kunzite's view and Serenity almost laughed again, this time without humor. She shouldered her Alpha's shoulder away. She didn't need to be protected any longer. She needed answers.
"Daddy's dead." She whispered it. There. Her skin turned starkly white as she awaited her brother's response. She heard a couple hisses and gasps from those around her, but her attention was solely focused on her brother once more.
"When?" Kunzite breathed the word, and Serenity closed her eyes, fresh tears leaking out. If Sammy's death hadn't been so recent she might have been able to hold back her tears.
"About a year after you left."
Another hiss, this time coming from Kunzite.
"So Rai became Alpha..." He breathed, as if he was trying to piece together the puzzle pieces of what could have been during his absence.
Serenity slowly shook her head.
Kunzite looked confused. "Kai, then? He was old, but..." Again, Serenity shook her head, and she found her throat wanted to close up. Now Kunzite's brow was furrowed.
"They're all dead, Kunzite. The Elders...and everyone in daddy's generation, too. The only ones left... the only one who could lead was Daimond."
Kunzite snarled, stood, paced, then growled before sitting down again in disgust. "Diamond? Who's his mate? Kimiko?" He smirked. It had been a fun game for them when they were pups. Imagining who would mate when they became of age. She and her brother always paired Kimiko with Diamond because they were so alike.
"She's gone, too..." Serenity could barely get the words out. Her throat hurt so much. Her eyes burned, and suddenly Endymion's palm was flat against her back and offering her comfort in a way she never before realized comfort could be given.
Through magic.
"He doesn't have a Mate, Kunzite."
Her older, stronger, paler brother sank back on his heels, shock and horror finally seeping into his expression. "You... are the only female stronger than he is."
Resolutely, Serenity nodded her head. She was the only one Diamond couldn't bend. The only one he wanted. The only one he couldn't force to be his Mate. The fact that he hadn't finally taken another attested to how few females were left. In this case: none.
"They're not...?"
This time it was Zoicite to ask the question. Slowly, Serenity inhaled a deep breath of air.
"I'm the only female left."
"And Sammy? You know you shouldn't have left him when you went in search of help. Diamond never liked him. We need to go and get him. Right, Sere? Ren? Right?
Ren. Her childhood nickname. More tears leaked from her gaze, and Serenity sobbed, shaking her head.
"He's dead, Kun. He's dead."