A cursed zone was swallowing the frozen land of Kamui, the icy wasteland that was the homeland of the Oina. In a desperate attempt to save the last remnants of their civilization and prevent the cursed zone from spreading, the chief of the tribe had sent the strongest warriors of the clan to fight the demons that had infested the wastelands. It was a suicide mission, but the brave warriors, lead by Samickle, fought fearlessly, their wills stronger than their weapons. But, as the battle raged on, the enemy's numbers only kept increasing.

Samickle's forces were slowly, but surely being overwhelmed by the demonic horde. The darkness around them seemed to swallow them whole, and Samickle could feel his limbs becoming numb from the cold. His breath was ragged, and his blood ran cold in his veins. He clenched his fists, and looked around at his fellow tribesmen. Many of them were already dead, their bodies strewn across the icy wastes.

"Samickle!" One of the warriors called for him. "The cursed zone is spreading, we have to get out of here!"

He was right; Soon the darkness would engulf the entire forest, killing everything in its path. But still, Samickle found himself unable to move. There was it again, that unfamiliar scent he had caught a whiff of when they crossed the taiga. He turned his head and stared into the dark abyss. Something was out there, but it wasn't a demon nor any familiar forest creature.

"We have to go, now!"

"Wait!" Samickle raised his hand. "I'm not leaving yet. There's something out there."

"What are you talking about?

The wind was howling, and the infernal sounds of this stygian storm echoed around them. But as he closed his eyes, listening very carefully, he could hear a sound from afar... a faint chime of a bell. Samickle opened his eyes. His body moved almost on its own as he began sprinting into the direction where the sound came from.

"Samickle, wait!"

He could hear the warriors calling for him, but he didn't stop. The smell was getting stronger, and the chime was getting louder.

The cursed zone was spreading rapidly, the darkness closing in around him. Samickle could feel the energy draining from his body as the shadows swallowed him up, but he pressed on, determined to find the source of the sound. The wind howled in his ears, but he followed the sound, his feet sinking into the cold, wet earth. He was losing strength fast, the curse draining him of his life force.

Finally, he came upon a small clearing. The sight that greeted him took his breath away: In the middle of the clearing was a woman, surrounded by demons. Her long, black hair was flying wildly in the wind, her robes dirty and torn. She was on her knees, a chime in her hands. The chime was glowing brightly, warding off the demons.

Samickle stood there, mesmerised by the sight. His body was shaking, and his vision was blurring, but he couldn't take his eyes off of the woman. Then, she turned her head, and looked directly at him. Samickle felt his heart skip a beat when her storm-cloud coloured eyes locked in with his— Seeing the fear and desperation in her gaze, Samickle felt something inside him shift, and his instincts took over. He had never felt such a powerful urge to protect someone before, and without hesitation, he rushed forward, drawing his sword. He slashed at the demons, cutting them down with ease.

The woman watched him, her eyes wide with shock. When the last demon had fallen, she collapsed, her body limp. Samickle rushed to her side, and gently lifted her into his arms. Her skin was cold, and her breathing was shallow. He cradled her in his arms, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. Who was she? How did she end up here?

Samickle's heart was pounding, his mind racing with thoughts. His fingertips gently brushed her cheek, and-

"Samickle!" He was suddenly snapped awake when a hand clasped his shoulder, shaking him violently.

He opened his eyes and saw Tuskle staring at him.

"I was just asking how are you feeling. Are you alright?" Tuskle tilted her head, giving him a perplexed look.

Samickle blinked, trying to clear his head. He looked down at his lap, seeing a thin layer of snow covering his clothes. He had fallen asleep in the middle of his morning meditation, and it had started snowing. His hands were ice-cold, his fingers numb from the freezing wind that swept the icy surface of the frozen lake he had chosen for his meditation spot.

"Oh, I'm fine." He assured her, brushing the snow off his clothes as he stood up. "I must have dozed off."

Reiko; He had dreamed about her again. Almost three years had passed since that day, but their first meeting was still haunting his dreams. Samickle let out a soft sigh— Lately, all he had to do was to close his eyes and there she'd be again, that same desperate, fear filled look in her eyes.

"Well, good thing that I came to check up on you; You don't wanna miss the council meeting, do you?"

"Right." Samickle said, following her to the path leading down from the lake.

The council meeting was held once every month, where the elders discussed important matters concerning the tribe. As a future chief of the tribe, Samickle was expected to attend and learn the ways of leadership, and thus he was usually present during these meetings. Today's meeting, though, was going to be different; Samickle had his own agenda, and he wasn't looking forward to it. He was anxious, his thoughts running wild. But, this matter couldn't be avoided any longer.

It was now or never.

It was a beautiful, wintery day in Kamui. The sky was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. The wind whispered through the pine trees, carrying with it the hushed secrets of the secluded Wep'keer village. Reiko made her way down the snowy path, her every step leaving imprints on the pristine white canvas as she navigated towards the centre of the settlement. Her breath formed ethereal wisps in the frigid air, a testament to her resilience against the unforgiving cold that embraced Kamui.

It was well past midday, but the village was silent, not a soul in sight. Everyone else had gathered at the grand hall for a village council meeting, but outsider as she was, Reiko had no place in those meetings— She had spent years living among the Oina, and many of the villagers considered her as one of their own, but her origins prevented her from sharing a seat at the round table. The wooden mask that covered her face described perfectly her position in the village; She wore the mask to fit in, yet the fact that the Oina mask carver had chosen to make her mask in the resemblance of a wolf felt more like a sardonic joke than anything. Unlike the Oina people, she wasn't a wolf-shifter, so wearing that mask was as close as she could get of being one.

Orphaned in the cradle of infancy, she was taken in by a priestess of a shinto monastery. Under the tutelage of this guardian of the sacred, she blossomed amidst the sanctity of tradition. Expected to follow in the sacred footsteps of her mentor and become a shinto priestess herself, she spent her childhood years studying demons and holy arts.

She always had a great interest towards the spiritual world and the gods that resided within that realm, but spending her days sitting confined within the serene walls of the monastery and praying for a divination wasn't her cup of tea. Instead, she often sneaked out during her lessons and spent her day exploring the nearby forests and bamboo groves, trying to catch a glimpse of a Kappa or some other sprite. The elders of the monastery did their best to guide her back to her studies, but once she reached adolescence, they realised there was no way of taming this wild child.

She was barely 17 years old when she left the monastery, embarking on a journey across Nippon to carve her own destiny— But that didn't mean she abandoned her faith, not at all. Raised as a priestess, it was only natural of her to adapt the lifestyle of a wandering cultivator of shintoism. The spiritual threads woven into her very being remained unbroken, creating a harmonious tapestry of faith and exploration.

Roughly 3 years ago, her wanderlust led her to the frigid embrace of the north, the land of Kamui. Unknowingly, she had chosen the worst possible time for her journey; Harshness of the nature and a dark forests crawling with foul beasts was something she was prepared for, but a cursed zone like no other that threatened to swallow the very essence of the land pushed her to the brink of her existence.

Within this perilous domain, she met him— He emerged like a guardian spirit, a beacon of warmth amidst the encroaching darkness, standing tall against the forces that sought to claim her. He was a warrior of the Oina tribe, and his name was Samickle.

Since then, Reiko had lived in the Wep'Keer village, helping the locals with their daily tasks. Her expertise in the art of exorcism proved useful when the Oina were fighting the demons, and the knowledge of holy arts came in handy whenever an unfortunate villager fell victim to a malicious curse. But, even though the villagers welcomed her into their community, she still always felt like an outsider, a foreigner among them.

The snow crunched under her boots, and the wind whistled past her ears as she approached the grand hall. It was an impressive building, built in the traditional style of the Oina people. She would most probably never set a foot inside the grand hall during the council meetings… but she didn't mind. She had her own tasks at hand; With the blizzard that had raged just last night, the sacred sapling in the frozen garden required some extra care and attention. She made her way to the back of the grand hall, where the frozen garden laid dormant. A faint blue glow emanated from within the snowy maze, beckoning her closer. The source of the glow was a sapling, the sacred embodiment of the village itself. A divine gift from the great Shiranui, the sapling was a symbol of hope and prosperity, and it was Reiko's duty to tend to it.

With her sheathed blade, she gently cleared the snow away, revealing the sapling beneath the thick layer of white. It glowed faintly, a soft blue reminiscent of moonlight. Its petals had frozen into delicate crystal formations, a beautiful sight to behold, but it meant the sapling was weakened, its powers drained from the cold.

Reiko took out a small bottle of herbal oil, and poured a few drops onto her hands, warming the liquid with her breath. Then, she began carefully massaging the crystallised petals, slowly coaxing them out of their frozen state. It was a delicate task, requiring patience and a gentle touch, but it was not impossible. Reiko was well-versed in the art of purification, and even the most frozen of petals were no match for her. Slowly, the sapling came to life, its crystalline petals glowing with renewed energy.

"There~!" She smiled proudly, looking over her handiwork. "Looking all better already!" Reiko gave the sapling a few more gentle pats, and pulled her gloves back on. "I'll better get you some warm water next time-"

A loud commotion from the front of the grand hall interrupted her thoughts. She stood up and made her way around the building. A large crowd had gathered at the entrance, blocking her view. As she made her way through the crowd, she saw two wolves on each other's throats, sending powdered snow flying everywhere. They were both snarling and barking at each other, their hackles raised, fangs bared and claws digging into the snow.

In the outside world, disagreements were often settled with swords… but not in Kamui. In the Oina tribe, the resolution of a dispute was decided with a good ol' scuffle in the snow. Reiko had seen plenty of these disputes break out, but this time seemed to be more heated than usual.

The large, copper-red canine was no doubt Kohu, one of the Wep'keer guards— He was known to have quite a temperament, so it wasn't exactly a surprise to see him picking fights. There was no question about the other wolf's identity, either; The pale lavender canine moved like a tempest, dodging the enemy attacks with swift, graceful moves. It was no-one else but Samickle, the future chief of the tribe.

"Shit— What on earth happened in the meeting..?!" Reiko muttered, staring at the brawling wolves, her eyes wide in shock.

Wolves were usually much more reserved and composed, but Kohu was visibly angry, and Samickle seemed to be in a foul mood as well. Samickle was well-respected in the village, and no-one had questioned his position as a future chief before, so it was definitely a surprise to see that someone decided to challenge him now. What could have possibly started this argument?

The spectators watched the scuffle unfold with baited breath, the silence only broken by the sound of snow flying and claws hitting flesh. Both parties had sustained quite a few scratches and bite wounds, but Kohu was already worn out, and it was obvious who the winner was going to be. Samickle didn't waste any time and leaped at the other canine, pushing him to the ground. Kohu yelped in surprise, and tried to wriggle himself out from under Samickle's heavy body, but it was futile. After a few moments, the fight was over. Samickle let go of Kohu's throat and stepped back, and the defeated wolf quickly got to his feet and scurried away, tail between his legs.

Samickle stood alone in the middle of the square, panting. His fur was stained red in places, and he seemed a bit disoriented, his eyes glazed and unfocused. Reiko wasn't a wolf-shifter, so she couldn't understand if he was speaking or not, but the way the fur on the back of his neck rose spoke volumes; Does anyone else want to challenge me? His question was answered when the spectators quickly scattered away, leaving the square nearly deserted.

But, Reiko found herself unable to move. She watched as the blood smeared wolf turned away, shifting back into his human form as he began making his way to the direction of his home, his steps heavy and unsteady. Reiko felt her breath hitch in her throat, a strange feeling tugging at her heart— Even from afar, she could see Samickle's mood was grim. She had no idea what had transpired in the council meeting, but whatever it was, it had deeply affected him. It wasn't her place to ask, but seeing him like this was painful. Reiko couldn't bring herself to walk away and leave him alone with his thoughts.

Before she knew it, she was running, her feet sinking into the soft snow. "Wait! Samickle!" Reiko called after him, quickly closing the distance between them.

"Reiko?" Samickle's expression was hidden behind the falcon mask that covered his face, but she could hear the surprise in his voice. He stopped by his tracks, watching her make her way up to him.

"I- uh- Well, I just saw the fight, and thought I'd come check on you..." Reiko managed to say, stopping in front of him, panting softly. "It looked pretty nasty."

For a moment, Samickle said nothing, averting his gaze. Then, he sighed, rubbing his neck. "I… I'm fine. It's not serious." He muttered, his voice hoarse. "A few scratches, nothing more."

He didn't sound particularly convincing, and Reiko couldn't help but look at him in disbelief. "Not serious, huh...?" She raised an eyebrow. "Then you wouldn't mind if I checked, would you?"

Without waiting for his reply, she took a hold of his arm. She felt him tense up slightly under her touch, but he didn't protest as she examined his arms. The fabric of his sleeves were stained in blood, but thankfully the wounds underneath were merely superficial.

"Hm... Seems like nothing's broken. How about this one?" She moved her hand to his neck, lightly running her fingers along the side. There was a deep gash near his jawline, and the area around it was caked in dry blood.

Samickle grunted and jerked away from her touch, shaking his head. "I told you, it's not-"

"You don't have to be so stubborn." She huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Let me fix you up."

"That won't be necessary." He muttered, avoiding her gaze. Reiko could see his amber eyes waver beneath the mask, a rare glimpse of vulnerability that betrayed his stoic facade. "I'll be fine." His tone was soft, almost pleading. This wasn't the proud future chief of the Wep'keer, but a tired young man who just wanted to hide away from the world. "It's not-"

"You're bleeding, Samickle. Please, just let me take care of this." Reiko interrupted him, and placed her hand on his arm. "Let's go to your house."

Samickle let out an annoyed sigh. He wanted to decline her offer, but Reiko wasn't taking no for an answer. After a few moments, he reluctantly nodded. "...Alright.

They walked side by side in silence, making their way to his lodge. Reiko tried her best to ignore the feeling of uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. She casted a side-eyed glance at the wolf-shifter walking next to her— Something was definitely amiss. Samickle wasn't his usual self; He was the silent, stoic type, sure, but the aura he radiated was darker and more troubled than usual. She wondered if his sour mood was because of the fight, or was it the outcome of the council meeting. It was obvious he had his reasons, but she couldn't help but be curious.