CHAPTER TWELVE

Hopeless!

The sun was setting, sinking behind the horizon and turning the sky from orange to a deep purple. I howled as the last of the sun finally sank completely out of sight, heralding the night and summoning everyone to the gathering.

That day had been rather uneventful: Hiraku and I hadn't found any other dogs, even though we'd spent most of the morning searching, and Sakuya's marks showed no new dogs nearby. Although our morning searches were fruitless, we spent the afternoon with the known prospective warriors, getting to know them all a little more. Noriko proved to be a bit of a loner, Kei never left his sister's side, and Jun was still a bit frightened of everyone. However, they did get along pretty well- save Daiko, who still viewed himself being above everyone else.

Hiraku and I had stacked firewood and rock in the grass-covered area by the river into a large pyre, we'd even rolled a few logs around the site to act as seating. With a quick, graceful double-loop of my tail I drew a sideways 8, and the wood was set ablaze as a fiery sphere engulfed in fire appeared above it. The fire grew swiftly, rising into the deepening night and sending embers high into the air.

Then, the dogs slowly started to appear.

First Daiko arrived, stepping proudly out into the light. Then Shisa, Ryota, Kei, and Gina all together. Then Hana, Jun, and finally Noriko. I was glad to see her, Noriko took some convincing for me to get her to agree to show up at the meeting; she was very mistrusting of other creatures. "Why are you here, in the village?" She'd asked me earlier when I'd sought her out; and I told her I would tell her tonight- if she came. So she had.

"I'm so glad everyone could make it!" I started, smiling at all the dogs. "I hope this meeting will help you get to know your fellow warriors, and allow you to discover if you are destined to be a Canine Warrior!" Hiraku leaped off my head and bounced around, talking to all the dogs, and starting up conversation- which was all part of the plan: the dogs didn't all know each other, but they all knew Hiraku. Most of the dogs clustered around one side of the fire, Noriko on the border, with Daiko and Jun on opposite sides, facing each other across the inferno. The dogs laughed, Shisa and Hiraku had started to tell jokes and funny stories. Minutes trickled by, and Noriko even seemed to be enjoying herself, leaning in and listening intently. I beamed, feeling that I was almost visibly radiating happiness. So far so good; it was time to evaluate.

Faith, Knowledge, Duty, and Justice were already chosen, all that remained was to escort them to the shrine, and- I had a feeling Wisdom and perhaps Brotherhood were still among the small group of dogs. Although, maybe Ryota could prove be Loyalty, I didn't know for certain, but I had an inkling about him. Still, what virtue could Daiko prove to be? Or Gina? Were they meant to be warriors at all, or did they possibly have some other part to play?

The conversation changed topics, and all the dogs began telling one another where they were from, and what journeys they had been on in the past. Daiko went first, stating proudly his story of being from Sei-an's aristocratic quarters, where he'd lived in a lavish house with his masters and was now waiting for them to return. However, he added- if he was picked, he would of course leave them for the Gale Shrine. His loyalty to his humans was truly moving, and in that moment I longed for the chance to tell him that the Shrine was actually a damp, dark cave underneath a windmill.

Hana told her story of living in Hana valley with Yukio, and retold for everyone's benefit the adventure we'd been on the day before. Ryota told an exciting tale of his youth, and his own travels across Nippon. He was born a runt in a tiny village, and was raised there, learning how to survive on the edge of the wild. He'd fought monsters throughout his life, and been the companion of great samurai.

Kei and Gina had lived on the outskirts of human civilization, taking food when they could, and taking shelter in barns and under houses. Their mother died when they were only around two months old. They never knew their father, and the only knowledge they had of him from what their mother had told them before she died. They'd never been the companions of humans, but Gina said -in her quiet voice- that she often thought it seemed like a nice life. Noriko even opened up, and said she had spent most of her life around Kamiki, living atop the waterfall and surviving on her own.

Shisa's story was long and full of detail- she'd lived her whole life in small villages, her people occasionally up-and-leaving for a new place to live when they got bored of the old one. Her eyes shone and tail wagged as she described different adventure's she'd been on, the people she'd met, and things they'd seen. Good thing she was still a young dog, so her detailed story wasn't too lengthy. I imagined how years from now, she would retell tales of what she'd accomplished as a warrior.

Jun had also traveled from village to village, bounced between masters who all believed him to be bad luck. He also opened up about his nervousness for the impending travel ahead. "A journey across the land is sure to be fraught with danger." Jun said, shivering, and Daiko bristled. "If you hope to be a warrior, you must make the journey, like everyone else. Or if you're too big a coward, you must relinquish your orb, and stay here!" His whiny voice sparked with annoyance. "Yes, but-" The brown dog tried to respond, but was cut off. "What is he even doing here?" The black and white dog growled, looking at Jun and making him flinch, and just like that, the tranquility of the peaceful talk was gone. "There is no place among the Canine Warriors for a Kudan."

"Daiko!" Ryota and I both snarled. "What?" He sneered. "I only speak the truth. You've seen how he cowers before his own shadow!" The tall dog snarled, staring the half-blind Jun down. "He was born with his powers, they frighten him, but he will learn to master them when-"

"If he cannot control his own gifts, then he cannot take on any more!" Daiko's tail thrashed and he stood up. "Sit down Daiko!" Ryota rose to his paws, bristling. His deep voice very threatening, and he looked ominous, partially illuminated by the fire. "If you cannot be respectful to the other dogs here, then it is you that must leave!"

"I will not consent be any sort of comrade to a dog as low as him." The Saluki sniffed, and stalked off, -nose held high- leaving us in the silence of his wake.

"…Um...Cherry cakes anyone?" Hiraku asked, trying to break the terrible quiet, and holding up a plate of Mrs. Orange's delicious treats that we'd begged out of her. "Thank you Hiraku, but I think it's time for us to go; I need to take Shisa home to her masters." Ryota said in his rumbling voice as he and Shisa rose to their feet. "I'm sorry for nearly losing my temper, Akime." Ryota rumbled and dipped his head, and I shook my own. "No, it wasn't your fault." I said, internally blaming the arrogant Saluki. Kei and Gina rose to follow them home. "I think I'll go with them, I'm feeling pretty tired myself." Hiraku added, stretching. Hana and Jun also got to their paws, thanking us for inviting them to the meeting, then disappearing into the darkness. Then I was left in the silence, next to a slowly dying fire.

I felt terrible for how awfully the meeting had gone, after it started off so well… It fell apart so quickly. My tail lowered in shame. Noriko had fallen completely silent since Daiko had stormed off, and was sitting by herself near the edge of the fire, the last dog remaining. I padded over and sat down next to her. Then to my surprise, she suddenly started talking: "E-even though I've lived here almost all my life, I've never really be-belonged here." She said quietly, sky-blue eyes glittering with sorrow. "I've never really belonged anywhere, never had a place in life. Maybe I'm no better than Jun. I've n-never stood up for myself, never fought for anything- only to stay alive, But what s-sort of life is that? It's e-empty, and every night it's the same, and I end up alone." She cast her gaze down at the ashes of the fire. "I have no place, and no friends. I'm trapped."

I felt sorry for her, it was obvious she'd had a tough life. "Maybe you do have a place in life." I said, and she raised her head to look at me. "You asked me before why I'm here… I'm on a quest- to find dogs who can become Canine Warriors. You have shown yourself to be a wise and caring dog, perhaps-" I didn't get to finish, Noriko had stiffened. "M-me?!" She stammered, quivering. "Are you saying you want ME to be a... B-but I'm not a warrior! I can't fight! I can't!" Her eyes were panicked, and she rose to her feet and fled into the village before I could stop her. "Noriko!" I called out in vain, but she'd already vanished.

I sighed. I knew she had the power to fit her destiny, she just didn't know it yet herself. I gazed into the ever deepening night, a few beams of light glowed from the houses, and the stars shone bright, reflected on the river's surface. A light wind blew, and the moon was wide and shining. I hadn't realized what a small amount of time had been allotted to me for this quest until now. I sighed again. 'How on earth am I going to complete my quest by the full moon now? It's impossible!' I shook my head in disappointment, then got up and padded away.

I closed my eyes, then I heard a crackling of grass and leaves, and I flicked my ears. "Everyone left, I see. Not everyone is as dedicated to the mission as I." The black and white Saluki said, stepping in and out of the moonlight. "Not now Daiko..." I closed my eyes, but he ignored me. "Here I was, simply trying to help weed out the weaker candidates, doing nothing more than helping you as I've always done, and they chased me off! You can hardly blame them, behavior all comes down to bad breeding. But now we have a chance to talk alone, and I can prove to you that I -above all- deserve a place among the warriors. You shouldn't listen to that rag-tag group of mutts, Akime. And I don't deserve just any silly position, no- I will be the Canine Warrior of Honor!" He grinned at me, a very false, pointed smile. He walked over towards the logs, and stood on one. "You see, in Sei-an, there happened to be an incredibly brutish pack of strays that terrorized the neighborhood. But- using the power of honor," He drew out the word. "I managed to become top-dog of their vicious pack! Using my speech skills and personal talent. I made even the biggest, meanest dogs bow down before me! Quite a feat for a weak city-dog don't you think?" I rolled my eyes and glared at him. "No less could be expected from a dog of my impeccable breed. Of course." He lifted up a pure white paw to examine it. "Meaning in short: you bullied them and/or annoyed them into letting you get the first bite of every meal. Of course." I took a bite out of my own cherry cake, and I saw him squirm out of the corner of my eye- but he quickly regrouped. "What on earth are you talking about? Are you saying I'm not honorable? I've never killed anyone, or stolen, or broken the law! I was a model citizen back in Sei-an!"

I was beginning to hate the way he used the word honor. He twisted it from its true meaning, and my eyes flashed in distaste. He noticed it and quickly snapped: "What would YOU know about it anyway? You're just a savage wolf!" My hackles raised, hair on end, and I struggled to keep my emotions under control. "Ugh, when do you think that we can journey to Taka pass? Are you or are you not in charge of rounding up my future comrades? It's sure taking you a long time, especially since you have to start over. Oh, make sure this time that they're all purebreds." He leaned backwards, reclining on the log. "Yes, that's going to speed up the search SO much more." I growled, looking down at the fire. "The wait will be worth it. I won't have anything else but all my other fellow warriors be as worthy and honorable as I. And the only way to guarantee that is by having them come from noble lines." My lips curled up. "Only such purebred dogs would show dignity in their work, and dare be honorable! Like me, keeper of the virtue of-"

"I can't allow you to become the Canine Warrior of Honor Daiko." I growled, trying to keep my voice calm. "What are you talking about?" He sat up. "If you were meant to be the warrior, why hasn't the power orb chosen you yet? I'm not in charge of who it chooses, it is!" I snarled, my voice growing louder now. "The power orb would never choose you anyway, you're a bully and a snob! Both, are the worst things twisted honor, over-indulged pride, can possibly make us become!" I snapped, my hackles raised, and I stood up. "You are the complete opposite of what honor is." I snarled. His long face was full of confusion, but I didn't care; I couldn't put up with him or his whining anymore. I stalked off, away from the fire. Head down, ears completely back I growled lowly.

The waxing moon shone brightly in the sky, reminding me again I didn't have much time left; and I was now at least two dogs behind what I was before. I thumped down on the ground, and sighed heavily. 'Now I have almost no potential warriors. And for true warriors I have two dogs, a coward, and a pup. This is hopeless!' I looked up at the stars, frustrated tears appearing in the corners of my eyes. 'How can I ever complete this mission in time?'

(AN: Oohh, harsh much Akime? Well...He was being kind of a snob, but still- harsh. :/

Answers: Yes, Waka does play a small part in the story, and will be appearing later in the story, in fact, pretty soon. ^^)