"Reiko!"

Reiko was snapped awake when her front door swung open, a cold blizzard blowing in. She jumped up, ready to grab her weapon, but relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Oki..? What are you doing here?" She rubbed her eyes, and stifled a yawn.

"Quickly, there's no time to waste!" Oina warrior said, grabbing Reiko's coat and throwing it at her. His wild, red hair was covered in snow and frost. Reiko could hear his heavy breathing from beneath his mask, which resembled a black bear. "Others are waiting for us, hurry!"

"Wait a sec, could you just explain what is going on?" Reiko shot a confused look at Oki, but put on her coat nevertheless. "What time is it, anyways-" The door was still slightly ajar, and the pitch black darkness told her there were still hours until the sunrise.

"It's Haki." Oki let out a frustrated sigh, rummaging through Reiko's belongings as he tried to collect all the necessary equipment for her. "He's nowhere to be found. Despite his mother's warnings, that pup sneaked out, and is now probably wandering somewhere in the storm!"

"What?" Reiko froze, and felt a sudden chill run down her spine. "Are you serious?" Wandering out there, all alone, in that weather..? The kid would freeze to death!

Oki nodded grimly. "We're heading out to look for him, but we'll need your help; The time is running short, and it's impossible to get a scent of him in this blizzard."

"I'll get my chimes." Not wasting another second, Reiko grabbed her silver chimes and prayer slips and ran out, slipping her mask on as she followed Oki. She'd have to try and quell the storm, but it wasn't going to be an easy task; With the moon hiding behind the clouds, the chimes and prayers would not be strong enough to completely stop the blizzard. But even a small break in the storm would surely help a lot, so she was ready to do whatever she possibly could.

They hurried through the village, and joined with the rest of the rescue party. It was mostly warriors and hunters, as well as some of the younger shifters, who would be able to cover a lot of ground in their wolf forms. Of course, Samickle was there as well, leading the search; For a split second, Reiko's eyes met his, but neither of them said anything, and she quickly averted her gaze. Troubled or not, they couldn't afford to get distracted, not in this situation.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Tuskle, who was already busy preparing everything for her ritual, asked in a concerned tone. "This blizzard is almost unnatural..!"

"I'm not sure, but I'll have to try." Reiko admitted.

"Well, whatever you can do to help would be appreciated." The older woman sighed. "Could you prepare the warriors for the search while I finish things up here?"

Reiko nodded. Grabbing an empty prayer slip from her purse, she began scribbling intricate symbols on it. She and Tuskle blessed warriors for the dangerous hunts, and this was also a situation where they would need all the possible luck on their side.

"Okay, everyone..! Listen carefully." Samickle spoke, silencing the small crowd. "We're splitting up in groups of two or three, and we'll cover as much ground as we can. Our priority is to find Haki and get him to safety. Remember, it's not safe for us out there. Keep an eye out for any signs of danger." He looked at Reiko, who had just finished preparing the charm. "Reiko tries to calm the storm, but if the blizzard becomes too heavy, return to the village immediately. Understood?"

One by one, Reiko blessed the warriors with her charms. When it was Samickle's turn, she couldn't help but to feel slightly nervous. Standing there in front of him, she felt her heart racing, and her face flushed. She swallowed nervously, and took a deep breath.

"For good fortune." Reiko murmured as she placed her hand onto his mask. Tall as he was, Samickle had to bend down a little to receive the blessing. Her hand touched his forehead, and the prayer slip in her other hand began to glow. Her hands trembled slightly as she touched him, and she prayed that he wouldn't notice. Then, she slowly removed her hand, and the glow faded.

"Thank you." His deep voice was quiet, and barely audible. As he straightened his back, his eyes met hers again, and she felt a sudden rush of heat to her cheeks. This was one of those moments she was glad that she was wearing that mask of hers..!

"Uhm... Samickle?" Reiko began hesitantly. She couldn't help but to feel concerned about him heading out into this blizzard. "Your wounds... are you sure you'll be okay?"

"It's nothing I can't handle." Samickle said firmly, his golden eyes glinting in the dim light.

Reiko hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Be careful, okay? And the same goes for you, Kohu." She added, looking at the warrior with the grizzly bear mask. "Don't push yourself too hard; Your wounds aren't healed yet."

Kohu just snorted, but didn't say anything.

"Everyone, let's move out!" Samickle announced, and the rescue party began their search.

As the wolves scattered into the night, Reiko rushed to Tuskle's side, and together they began preparing for the ritual. They made a circle on the ground, and lit some incense. Then, Reiko placed the chimes around the circle, and knelt down. Tuskle held a large chime, and began ringing it rhythmically while she circled around her, the soft melody echoing through the night.

"In the name of Kazegami, the herald of galestorm, we ask thee, to calm the raging winds and clear the path ahead... In the name of Itegami, the herald of blizzard, we ask thee, to calm the glacial tempest and clear the path ahead..."

Their chant was slow and melodious, and the smoke from the incense filled the air. As their voices grew louder, the chimes began to ring on their own, as if carried by the wind. Slowly, the blizzard started to ease, and the wind became less harsh. The clouds parted, revealing the bright moon. The snow was still falling, but the way was no longer blocked by a thick wall of snow. They had been able to quell the storm, but Reiko's task was far from over; She'd have to keep praying until the rescue party returns, and she couldn't afford to slack off.

The time seemed to pass by agonisingly slowly. Reiko's fingertips were aching from the coldness, and her legs and knees started to protest from kneeling on the hard ground. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to dismiss her fatigue and focus on the prayer. But every time she heard the wind picking up, she had to start the prayer anew, and that took a toll on her energy.

She didn't know how long time had passed, when she suddenly heard a voice calling for her.

"Reiko! Reiko! Damn it, she's all cold..!"

Forcing her eyes open, Reiko found herself laying on the ground, her upper body resting on someone's lap. The blizzard had gotten worse, and the moonlight was once again covered by the dark clouds. Had she failed her task?

"W-what... happened..?" She whispered, looking up at the person next to her. Her heart skipped a beat when she realised who was holding her: "...Kohu..?!"

"The pup is fine, don't worry." Kohu answered the question in her mind. "You managed to quell the storm, but it looks like it took a lot out of you. You're a strange one, being able to do that kind of magic."

"But... how come you're the one here with me?" Reiko muttered, trying to sit up. She was still too weak to do so, and Kohu had to help her. "Shouldn't you be with the rest..?"

"I was one of the first ones back. Just thought that I'd check on you, making sure you wouldn't freeze to death." He grumbled. "Tuskle is tending Haki. Let's get you back to your hut."

"You can't carry me on your back, not in your condition..."

"Who said anything about carrying you on my back?"

"H-hey, put me down! Kohu..!"

Despite Reiko's protests, the wolf-shifter effortlessly picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. The sudden movement made her head spin, and she had to cling onto him for dear life.

"Ugh... Seriously?" She groaned, pressing her face against his back.

"You're the one who decided to stay out in this freezing cold."

"I didn't have much of a choice, did I..?" Reiko sighed. "I couldn't let you guys freeze to death."

A silence fell between them, and Reiko closed her eyes, letting the steady swaying of Kohu's steps lull her to sleep. Neither of them noticed a figure standing nearby, watching them from a distance.

Samickle had been one of the last ones to return to the village, and he had witnessed everything. He saw Kohu approaching Reiko, and saw him pick her up, carrying her home. He felt his chest tighten, and his ears were burning from anger. That stupid dog... What is he trying to do now?

Next time Reiko opened her eyes, she was in her hut, laying on her bed. It was still dark outside, but it was probably late in the morning.

"You're finally awake, huh."

"Oh, Kohu..." Reiko turned her head to see him kneeled in front of the fireplace. "Were you here the whole night?"

"I stayed to make sure the fire kept burning." He stated, throwing one more log into the fireplace. "Hekla and Kai came by earlier, and helped you change." Kohu said, and Reiko glanced down to realise that she was no longer wearing her cold, damp clothing. She was dressed in a warm, cozy sleeping yukata.

"Oh… Well, thanks..!"

"I didn't really have a choice." Kohu shrugged and got up. "But... I have to admit, you did well out there. That was quite the stunt you pulled." If she hadn't been able to calm the storm, there was no way they would've found Haki alive.

"I was just doing my job." Reiko sat up on her bed, rubbing the back of her neck somewhat awkwardly. She hadn't expected Kohu to be this friendly towards her.

"Heh, is that so?" Kohu shook his head. Then, he fell silent for a moment, letting his gaze wander. Finally, he spoke. "So… You refused his proposal?"

Reika's eyes widened in surprise— The last thing she had expected was for Kohu to ask about her intentions regarding the marriage. Maybe badger her about it, sure, but to actually ask her? The possibility didn't even cross her mind.

"I believe I would've already heard the news if you had accepted." Kohu added when Reiko only gave him a confused glare. "What, isn't a future chief good enough for you?"

"Oh? And I thought you didn't care about the idea of me marrying him?" Reika answered his remark in an equally dry tone, her eyes narrowing. "It seemed to anger you enough to attack him-"

Kohu scoffed. "He's my friend, and I have to look after him." He stated sternly. "Samickle is a strong warrior, but... he is a naive fool. He's too focused on what's right, and that blinds him from seeing the bigger picture."

"What are you trying to say?" Reiko frowned, a feeling of uneasiness rising in her.

"Our tribe is dying! Samickle has many fine females lined up for him, but he refuses them all, only to grovel in front of you in his twisted lovesickness? Don't make me laugh." Kohu's tone was serious, still refusing to look at her. "I won't allow him to throw away his future because he gets off on the idea of mating with a non-shifter. You're just a stranger, you know nothing about us."

"That's not-!" Reiko began, her hands clutching the blankets, but Kohu wasn't done yet.

"He is my friend, but he needs to get his head out of his ass and do what is best for his people." Kohu turned to look at Reiko. "If you're not going to take up on his offer, tell him that and maybe he'll come to his senses. Otherwise he's going to go around and mope and complain and be a pain in the ass to everyone."

Reiko was taken aback by his words, and she didn't know what to say. Her chest tightened, and she felt a lump in her throat. She swallowed, and stared down at her hands.

"And if..." Kohu turned his gaze away again, his voice lowering. "If you're desperate to marry into this tribe, then…"

He hesitated, weighing his words carefully before speaking.

"I guess I could take you under my wing."