Chapter 2

Lunar Promises

-Ayame-

Snow.

Snow was cold; sudden. Ayame had long come to accept the grievances of this season considering its unrelenting grip on her home. It had become a certain blanket of comfort for her. It was a soft release from the pleasantries and social aspects warmer seasons had demanded. Winter; it's cold yet inviting beauty allowed her a sort of quiet relief. A sense of peace. Her life had unexpectedly place so much more on her shoulders that she found herself looking forward to the cold. A moment where she felt like she could stop and catch her breath.

Living at the head of the elder den was busier than most. With the extended dangers of winter; visitors were forced to take a pause. Shacked up in their own dens they began preparing their tribes for the tribulations associated with the years end. Hunting would become more and more challenging as prey would flee. Dry wood and food sources would become scarce; especially here in the North. Where she and her family lived for so long.

Her home; such a large part of who she was becoming. Of who she already was. Chilled yet soft; concealing warmth in so many places. Often memories she held at her core would often come forward in her times of need. The memory of her mother holding her close by the fire when she had a bad dream. The stories she would speak of ancient tribes under the stars. It was under the same sky where she witnessed a rainbow in the everlasting evening. Where she shared her moment with him…

Home had held so many wonderful memories...

Now home; was just a place where the Chief Elder was dying.

Where her grandfather was dying.

She pushed forward; sinking her tightly wrapped foot into the hard icy surface of snow. It crumpled easily under her weight. She grunted feeling the majority of her lower leg dipping low into the crystalized snow. At home; snow was fluffy. Soft. Sparkling underneath the moonlight. This snow here however was merciless. Cutting into the sides of the boar hide she had fastened around her foot. She cursed low under her breath regardless if there was no one around to hear her. Having to follow the trail north of her own den she had expected it to be colder. But this... this was practically unbearable.

She breathed low; her breath puffing into the harsh winded air. At first when she left, she almost dared to feel somewhat overpacked. But trudging along in the snow only proved how unprepared she was. Feeling the cold chill beneath the pelt she had gathered at her chest. The hood fastened secure over her auburn head. Without a doubt the environment was much harsher. The snow had a coat of sheer ice covering its exterior. Cracking and breaking with each step she plunged forward. It was hard. The sharp edges cutting in against her skin.

The dark sky had fallen hard overhead and it was more than clear that shelter was a must. She knew enough that if she were to spend the long night out in the open air; she would without a doubt succumb to the harsh hypothermic weather. She frowned. Even with limited exposure to light, she saw darkened clouds in the corner of the blackened sky above. She nearly forgot how fast the weather changed beyond the mountain peaks but here the eye of the storm was. Staring blatantly through her. She never once stopped moving; regardless of the underlying concern that churned within her stomach. If she wished to survive the night she needed shelter.

The terrain is steep. Hopeless and desolate.

No place for a princess.

Her vision was starting to blur. Her body aching from the miles she crossed and the elevation she climbed. Her own breath came in a raging fit; practically bursting from her lungs and catching in her throat. She wheezed; her body tensing immediately when the scorching scent of ash burned through her nostrils. Fire? Lime eyes scanned the endless sea of white in a desperate attempt to find some sort of refuge. A hole carved out of the mountain. A large mouthed cave existed only a few feet above her. Was she hallucinating? Before the uncertainty could stop her the cold forced its hand. Urging her with its icy fingers trailing underneath her pelted furs. Coaxing her in the direction of relief, the cave and the fire. Warmth.

Hell, she practically sprinted for it.

Finger tips digging desperately into the edges of frozen rock as she hoisted herself up against the hard surface. The edges of her hands burning as they were left unprotected against the ledges. Pushing through the pain she forced herself to climb; even when blood began leaking from her battered fingertips. Using every once of her remaining strength she pull herself into the protection of mountain walls. She gasped and brought a hand towards her constricted chest. Each breath of air getting harder and harder to take. She fell against the side of the cave. Her body crumpling into a heap against the dirt floor.

Her lungs were crying, unable to get a grasp on the hollow oxygen. She swallowed low and leaned forward to dip her head into the wrath of the wind; checking down the steep mountain slope. She had covered much more ground than she had anticipated. She couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of pride; regardless of how her head swam. Perhaps going such an extreme distance in high altitudes wasn't the worlds brightest idea. But once her Grandfather recovered, she'd make sure to leave this part out of the story.

She pulled back out of the wind allowing a shiver to wrack through her fragile bones. She crawled in further; shrugging herself further into the pelt that she wore over her shoulders. Did it have to be this cold?

Taking her next breath in through her nose she was hit with the scent of burning wood.

Ash. Embers. Her head shot up. Her weight shifting onto her knees as she crawled further into the mouth of the cave. Heat. She could feel the air getting warmer. Her breath becoming less and less visible the more she continued to breath out. Getting up to her feet she walked slowly she had to resist every urge to lean against the cave wall. The room was practically spinning regardless of how much of the darkness was available to her vision. She steadied herself holding her fingers into closed fists at her sides. The thought of fire seemed too good to be true.

And there was no way to be sure whom it belonged to.

All manner of youkai live scattered across the mountain… Many that have a significant geological advantage when it comes to someone like you.

She wasn't rotting in the pit of anyone's stomach. She'd be lying however if she said that she knew the precise location of where she was in relation to where she wanted to go. But what choice did she have. The mountain held something she desperately needed.

That her grandfather desperately needed. She had no choice but to be here.

Chances are far greater that you will be lost or buried beneath ravenous mountain snow, rather than you being eaten.

She shook her head and pushed the condescending voice to the back of her mind. Walking along the wall she took cautious movements forward. Taking each step in a precise way; careful as to not stir up the dirt and gravel. She cursed the way this land was a maze. The sheer gleam of ice glazing over the rocks above her; the layer only getting thicker the deeper the further she got.

The scent of burning wood only got stronger. Silently she wondered if it belonged to the North-Eastern Tribe. A sub directional tribe that resided more north than hers. She had only ever met not more than a handful of individuals from that tribe. Most keeping to themselves and not having a lot to do with the Elder tribe and the council. Hiro. Hiro was the tribe leader. She knew without a doubt if she explained the situation to him; who she was and why she ventured to this land, she could count on his aid. He had always been kind to her regardless of the unkind rumors that had followed him.

Pausing she ignored the sudden fluttering in her stomach. The soft fear that threated to expose itself. She swallowed and pushed that fear below the surface. If it wasn't her fellow tribe. Then whom would take up sanctuary from the bitter winter in this hidden ice cave? She'd have no choice but to deal with it. Alone.

She didn't know what she had anticipated to find when she located the source of the scent. Pessimistically a fight; optimistically perhaps some sort of companionship. Rounding the corner, she came to a vacated clearing within the cave. The burning embers emitting very little light as she hesitantly crept forward. Her attention drawing beyond the makeshift fire and settling upon a mysterious fork within the dirt path. It was too dark to make heads or tails of where each pathway led considering the smoldering wood gave little help lighting up the way. The right appeared deeply darkened, almost as if it took a type of descension towards the mouth of the mountain. The left almost appeared the opposite; guiding up in appearance with the rocks formulating in a way that could be easily climbed. However again; it was too dark to know for sure.

She breathed in through her nose as she took a step forward. Trying to identify any corresponding scents entangled with the air. Nothing. The ash was far too dominate and it burned the inside of her nose. She scrunched up her face; her form bending down over where the fire had been lit. It was still warm and she could feel the heat up against her legs. Getting closer it was apparent that small parts of the wood were wet. As if someone had gone out of their way to douse the fire. The female's frowned deepened as she ran her finger along the damp edge. Why was it deliberately put out? Did someone sense her?

Were they afraid of her?

Her thoughts were interrupted immediately when a large drop of water fell smack in the middle of her head. The echo of the droplet hitting her fur pelt echoed in the cave as she craned her head to look up above her. Icicles had gathered at the mouth of the roof above and they hung rather dangerously overhead. She felt another drop; this time sliding against her cheek. Was that the moisture that caused the fire to go out?

She got up to her feet and side stepped the next drop. Taking herself out of harms way should the icicle decide to break free and fall to the ground. Something about the whole situation was making her uneasy but there wasn't a lot she could do. The female youkai was stuck. Unable to leave the cave with fear of facing the icy touch of natures wrath. She was forced to stay and face whatever friend or more likely foe that resided somewhere within this god forsaken mountain.

Not to mention the choice of escaping down one of the two tunnels that existed at the fork. Each of which could mean refuge and safety; or more likely a dead end where she would be stuck and left to freeze to death. Either way, her options at the moment were not looking good.

Only those that call the mountains home, are the ones fortunate enough navigate it's many deceptions.

She didn't have to force the voice away this time. She didn't have the chance to so much as react when the brunt force of rock collided with the back of her head. She gasped immediately her eyes squinting through the blood that soaked through her bangs. One more hit and the female was sent crashing to the ground unconscious.

No place for a princess.

-Kouga-

Again. Faster.

He took off sprinting through the trees; his toes digging into the ground with every step. He could feel the momentum building through his feet. The only sound that mattered was the whistling wind that surrounded him. The forest turned into a blur of colors; blending together in a mix of greens and blues as they whizzed past his vision. Each contact with the earth only propelled him further. His mind was hard; focused. Nothing else mattered but the wind in his hair and the movement of his legs. Faster. He needed to be faster.

He sensed the waters edge long before it appeared in his sight. A lake of crystal blue doused in the sweet scent of mountain spring. He held his breath and lengthened his stride. Every step coming down hard as he soon approached the body of liquid. Hunching up he never wavered; he never stopped. The hard dirt started disappearing under his toes. The sensation of cool crisp liquid dragging along the bottom of his feet. He could feel it. The absence of stability and the threat of failure was the only thing that urged his heart to pump his blood faster. To push his body harder. He extended out; passing long over the shoreline.

He was doing it.

Holy shit he was doing it.

"KOUGA!"

That was all it took.

He crashed hard.

The lake sucked him in without hesitation. His mouth filling with cold mountain run off as he sputtered and choked on the oxygen bursting from his lungs. He kicked his own legs beneath him in an attempt to push him back to the surface. It took a few strokes and a long string of gargling curse words before he pushed up against the waters edge. He gasped the moment he was finally able to feel his lungs with anticipated oxygen. It was only at this point that he felt the shooting pain spider up into the top of his thigh. Fuck. He hissed out water from between his lips. Darkened blue eyes narrowed at the shoreline.

All it took was a few broad stroke before he was at the edge of the water bank. The vibrating echo's of his own name bounced through the trees around him. Oh for the love of-.

"I'm right FUCKING HERE."

The outburst caused Kouga to explode into an exasperated coughing fit. He dropped his head on the edge of the bank in a very useless attempt to settle the water in his lungs. He sighed the moment his eyes settled on the dirt in front of him. He was so close. Another moment without distraction and he would have finally made it. Across the water.; skating on the wet surface of the lake. Just like he used to do.

When he had them.

It wasn't long before his betas emerged from the trees. Their wandering eyes settled down among their leader strung along the bank. Almost in unison they bent down. Their face mirroring equal amounts of worry and confusion for their leader. He snorted slightly; ignoring their offered hands as he hoisted himself out of the water. It was only slightly creepy how alike the two of them were.

"What are you doing here Kouga? And why are you all wet?"

Oh god. Their voices even started to fade into one another considering Kouga was unsure exactly which one of them had spoken. He snorted not bothering to look when he addressed it all the same. "Nothin'. Just thought today was a good day to drown," he remarked dryly as he pushed his wet bangs out of his face. Silence settled over the two. An exhausted sigh coming from the one at his left.

"K-Kouga that's terrible!?"

"He's being sarcastic."

Tch. Only Ginta was that gullible.

Leave it to Hakkaku to act as the poor man's buffer. Kouga flicked his head back towards a stammering Ginta and responded with a lopsided smirk. The smirk itself was riddled with enough condescension it caused the frantic betas skin to burn with a red tinge. He fumbled over his words however Kouga barely gave him enough time to make any sort of comment before his voice cut through the air. A simple yet rough demand.

"What do ya' two want?"

Hakkaku responded, saving his comrade from the embarrassment of his stuttering voice. "You still haven't sent word back to the council. They have been trying to summon you for quite sometime."

"I've sent word to the council. It's not my fuckin' problem that they don't like the word I fucking sent." With the inflection in his voice the two betas could tell that tone in a heartbeat. It was the same tone he had after what had happened with a certain human miko.

A finalized tone. One that wouldn't be argued with.

It was Ginta the piped up this time. Appearing on Kougas right despite the obvious brush off. "They've been sending messenger wolves religiously Kouga. I-I don't think this summon is something you can just ignor-. Hey wait!"

Too late.

With an eyeroll and an obvious snort the leader had already started walking away from them. The two betas scrambled amongst themselves before taking off after him. The forest offered little aid considering they practically needed to run just to keep up with him. Each wolf tripping over large discarded boulders and exposed tree roots. How the hell was this Kouga's walking pace?

"If ya'll are so concerned, the two of YOU can go on behalf of the summon." He retorted while promptly ignoring their request for a slower pace. He kept moving through the trees; following the trail through the forest that led back to base of his den. Hakkaku, only able to catch up for a moment, rushed on his left. A deep set frown wired across his face. No doubt put there from Kouga's obvious and lazy attempts to brush them off.

"It doesn't work like that and you know it." He stopped to breath in a rushed pant as he forced the words out his mouth before Kouga could ditch them. "We can cover yer duties with the tribe sure, but the council ain't gonna go for that. Even the men are starting to talk-."

"Funny. Ya'll are the only ones I HEAR talkin'."

He barely spared them a glance before he easily hoisting himself onto the hardened hunk of rock at the mouth of the mountain. He leapt again. This time easily putting a few feet in between himself and his betas. The two behind audibly groaned. Sparing each other a flat glance they proceeded to very slowly follow suit after their leader. Ginta spoke next, as always he tried to smooth over Hakkaku's blunt words.

"What Hakkaku means to say is that-," insert snort here. "It wouldn't hurt for the tribesmen to see more of you y'know."

"More than once in a full- OW."

Perhaps the rock had come loose off the mountains edge. Perhaps it was Kouga who purposefully pushed hard against the weakened dirt. Regardless he didn't stop it from nailing Hakkaku in the forehead. He swore and clutched the already forming goose egg bulging against his skull.

"The tribe has been fed, protected. What else do they fuckin' want?" Kouga continued easily scaling the mountain. Not bothering to slow up even once for the others to catch up as they grew closer to the top of the dens entrance.

"Its more than that. We were hoping that with Kagome returning an-."

Despite the warning looks and various 'shushing sounds' he had received from his comrade, Ginta continued. His eyes regarding the back of his leader, mostly with overall worry and concern for Kouga's well being. He knew that talking about the human female was a tender subject for his leader. Regardless it was starting to negatively affect the tribe and he felt he needed to address it. "With her return to this era we were hoping that maybe visiting-."

Ginta wasn't able to halt his form when his leader had stopped abruptly as the beta was too busy steadying himself. Crawling onto the platform he took a step forward. An audible gasp squeaked out between his lips as he plowed into the back of Kouga; hitting him almost like hitting the edge of the mountain side. He bounced back; the only thing saving him from tumbling off the rocky edge was Hakkakus quick hand wrapped around his forearm.

"Careful," he asked under his breath as his hold pulled his comrade upright. Ginta swayed a bit; his eyes refusing to meet Hakkaku's gaze as he blinked away the heat that rose up to his cheeks. He placed his fingers against Hakkakus hand after he muttered a guarded thank you. It only took a rather loud shrieking outburst of their leader before the two broke apart. Both men scrambling over their excuses as they fumbled away from each other.

"Wh-what?! We weren't doin' no-nothing." Hakkaku was the first on the defensive; lifting his hands up in front of his face. Kouga grabbed him, actually, he grabbed them both from the back of the armor. He hurled them forward and pushed them in front of his person.

"Who the fuck is that?!"

Their mouths hung open. Both wolf men taking a second breath before forming the words to answer their superior. The individual in question; a man, a wolf youkai, stood at the mouth of their den. His features looked unusual against the darkened hues of their own tribe. Yellow hair, almost ashy, contrasted with the snow white pelt wrapped tightly at his waist. His voice was so light to the point it was making it difficult to hear. Hard to pick out as it fell easily into the buzz of voices that typically surrounded the den. Hakkaku shrugged as he ducked underneath Kouga's hold. "I dunno."

"He wasn't here earlier." Ginta chimed in ducking out of Kouga's reach as well.

Kouga let out a low breath; something short of a hiss blew through his lips as he shoved between the two bumbling buffoons. He beelined straight towards the intruder; cobalt eyes narrowed furiously. Perhaps his abnormally short fuse was a result of his previous conversation about a certain human however, that didn't mean he appreciated unexpected drop ins. Was it that hard for the Northern Counsel to accept that he just wanted to be left alone?

Band of old fuckin' freaks.

It wasn't long before he had the attention of the stranger. Mid sentence the individual pulled back from his current conversation, finally allowing his eerily familiar yellow eyes to settle on the wolf leader. Kouga had to resist the snarl of disgust as the eye color reminded him of someone he would rather not think about. A certain hanyou. But before the man could even part his lips to utter so much of a 'hello', Kouga had cut him off. His voice was rough. Hard. And straight to the point.

"Who are ya? What do ya want? Basically," he trailed off, his eyes dipping down to take note of the way the armor hung off the man's form. "What the fuck is it gonna to take for ya to leave?" The armor was thick; a different style than the typical slapped together armor worn by the common tribesmen. He took in his stance. The man curiously favoring leaning on his back foot. He didn't exude an air of arrogance around him typical for wolf youkai nobility and yet, he hardly shied away from Kouga's attention either. His white fur was evident the man hailed from the north; but what sector? For what reason?

"Are ya just gonna stand there gawking or are ya gonna answer my question?" His patience was already wearing thin. But it seemed that the man was sizing him up as well. His golden eyes dipping down low to his feet; taking a moment to linger in the exact place on Kouga's knees where the jewel shards were once embedded before lifting back up to his face.

"Kouga. I assume. Your um, reputation proceeds you," he remarked dryly, however still putting fourth a mild effort of politeness. However he did not bother to hold out his hand nor in any really hurry to give a slight bow to his superior. Kouga grunted in response. Perhaps the individual took favor in hiding his arrogance. He waited albeit impatiently for the man to continue. "I am the acting commander for the Elder's Northern army. I go by Daisuke."

"Well considering I don't remember picking a fuckin' fight with the Elder Chief I assume yer here on a bitch trip." A messenger. They sent the head commander as an errand boy. Kouga very unsuccessfully choked on a laugh. Big bag of old freaks with way too much time on their hands if they were sending military men on blind, dumb little trips. Perhaps if they had put half the effort into fixing the dysfunction of his people Ayame might get off his back about being married already. Bunch of idiots. The counsel always used any opportunity they could for an excessive display of power. He couldn't hold back the eyeroll, the next words falling from his lips in tone covered with condescension. "Next time they want attention, tell them not to send a child."

An obvious dig at the relatively young features of the man in question, but this whole thing was an entire waste of time. He turned his back; his shoulders squaring off in a huff. He gave a partial wave. A disrespectful curtesy considering he had every intention of going into the den and not continuing the conversation at hand. Daisuke didn't so much make a move. However he blew out an audible sigh through his lips; the sound sneaking out between clenched teeth.

His movement was quick, much quicker than most. Kouga would only ever admit that begrudgingly to himself. Before the intruder was standing by the rocks at the forefront of his cave, now, he intercepted where Kouga was walking at the entrance. Kouga couldn't help the wide smirk that threatened on the corner of his lips; spreading wide enough across either side of his face.

"Move." The command was clear and hard as it hung in the air above them. Daisuke's golden eyes held firm; his gaze never wavering. Thanks to the hanyou Kouga knew that it was a gaze over time he would come to hate. "Not until you tell me where Lady Ayame is."

Kouga sneered arrogantly. The wolf man literally seconds away from shoving the lesser man aside.

"She sure as fuck ain't here." Of course. Of course, this was about fucking Ayame. Kouga resisted the urge to rip out his own hair at the base of his skull. His own blue gaze coming to clash with the molten gold of the man before him. He parted his lips with full intention of barking orders at the other men to remove this 'Commander' when Daisuke's voice cut him off. "But she was here?" The question was vague however it was the only thing that cut through the fabric of Kouga's own exasperated thoughts. He blinked slightly before scoffing and rolling his eyes.

"A long ass time ago. More than enough time to be back in the no-…"

He stopped cold; his words dying fast in his throat. What he said was correct. It had been quite some time that he had laid eyes on the fury of the auburn-haired princess. Actually, if he recalled correctly it had been long enough that she could have gone home and came back with time to spare. I am the acting commander for the Elder's Northern army. That was what left Daisuke's mouth as he introduced himself. He worked in the North, meaning he would have been well aware of Ayame's anticipated arrival back to her home.

Slowly Kouga could feel a nasty pressure dropping into the pit of his stomach.

"She didn't go home…?"

"She didn't come home."

A question asked and a question confirmed. It was clear as the silence dropped hard between the two wolves. Even the idle chatter of the rest of the tribe started to settle down as well. If Ayame left Kouga, regardless of how they parted, and neglected to come home…

Where the fuck did she go?

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights for these characters.

All intents are for entertainment only.

I will update as fast as my small child allows.

Reviews help.

Hope you enjoy.