Toube and Kamakiri woke up from their attack by Gemba and recalled what had just happened.

"Oh shit," Kamakiri muttered. "Gemba went to look for Weed! And not to kill him!"

Toube grimaced. "He went to protect that Akita-brat!"

"Damn it!" Kamakiri lashed out at one of his comrades in anger and sliced his throat open. "If Hougen finds out, we're both dead meat!" He began pacing with his tail tucked between his legs, only to lift his head up and smirk. "Or . . . maybe not."

Toube gazed at his Irish Wolfhound ally. "What do you mean?"

Kamakiri licked his lips. "What if Gemba meant to be confused and go after Weed? Maybe . . . he went as a decoy. To get close to that little Akita-shit. And finally capture him and bring him to Hougen! With both Gin and his idiot son in our paws, we'll be ruling over Ohu in less than a day!" He snickered. "Gemba, you sly dog."

"What a good plan!" Toube agreed.

"Listen up, you bastards!" Kamakiri hollered to his troops. "We're going back to Hougen!"

[LINE BREAK]

Weed's group followed their Leader to a hideout.

"So," GB groaned, "are we nearly at the hide out?"

"Almost," Tesshin replied. "Hougen wouldn't be able to find us there. It's safe." All of a sudden, Tesshin stopped in his tracks.

A figure leaped down from a tree in front of the Ohu pack.

"An enemy?" GB wondered out loud.

"Who are you?" Weed asked.

"Calm down," Akame told them. "It's me."

Kagetora gasped. "Akame-san!"

"I'm surprised that you have already come this far!" Akame smiled.

"Look who's talking!" GB pointed out.

Akame looked behind him. "You can come out now!"

Appearing out from behind a tree was Reika, Hook, an elderly brown Great Dane, and a white Saluki.

Weed rushed to greet his friends. "Reika-san! Hook-san!"

Ken's glee equaled that of his Akita-friends. "Dad! Mom!" He looked down at Weed. "Weed, let me introduce you. These are my parents."

"It's nice to meet you," Weed said. "I'm Weed."

"So, it's you!" Cross smiled. "You really do look like him! You're identical to Gin!"

"I'm Ben," the elderly Great Dane greeted, "and this is Cross."

"So," Weed gasped, "you're my father's comrades?" After Ben and Cross nodded, Weed gaped in awe. Wow! Something is different about them. Even if they're old now, there's something about them . . . like a pure aura.

All of a sudden, Akame's ears pricked to the left. He shushed his comrades and looked from on top of the hill. He gasped as soon as he saw a bloody harlequin Great Dane stagger through the snow. "Gemba!"

"That bastard!" Shigure growled in anger. "Will he never die!?"

Tesshin barked. "Hold on!"

Weed frowned as he saw Gemba call his name in worry. "Weed! Are you there? Weed!"

Weed prepared to run down the hill towards his enemy, only to be grabbed by the tail by Kyoushiro. "Weed, wait! It could be a trap!"

"No!" Weed barked. "Look at him! He's injured . . . alive! He's even calling my name in worry!" Before anyone could stop him, the Akita puppy ran down the hill towards the Great Dane. "Gemba!"

Gemba turned his head to the right and smiled in joy as he saw the Akita puppy rushing to meet him. "Weed! You're okay!"

All of a sudden a white figure slammed its head into Gemba's. While Gemba fell over on his back, Kyoushiro placed himself between his Leader and his enemy. "Don't think about trying anything funny, you overgrown shit!"

"Get away from the Leader's son, or I'll rip your balls off!" Weed turned around to see Hiro and the rest of his pack had followed him downhill.

"Everyone, wait!" Weed's bark made everyone in his pack freeze, allowing him to gaze at the harlequin Great Dane in confusion. "What do you want, Gemba?"

Gemba's yellow eyes gazed into Weed's blue orbs. "I want to protect you, Weed." He sighed. "I'm not here to do any harm to you; I promise. When I woke up, all I cared about was finding you."

Kyoushiro bared his teeth. "How do we know you're not lying, you bastard?"

"Kyoushiro," Tesshin told the white Kishu, "look into his eyes. He's telling nothing but the truth."

Shigure looked at the Koga-dog and whispered, "It must've been when he hit his head on the rock after we attacked him."

Tesshin glanced over at his blue Tora-Ge Leader. "What do you suggest, Weed?"

Weed hesitated, but stared into Gemba's yellow eyes – long and hard. After finding no hint of lies, he nodded. "I will allow Gemba into the Ohu army!" he told his pack. "Are there any objections?"

All but Kyoushiro, who was growling in suspicion, agreed with nods of their heads.

"Thank you, Weed." Gemba bowed his head in gratitude.

"Uh, Tesshin?" GB asked. "The hideout?"

Tesshin nodded and led Weed's pack to the hideout.

[LINE BREAK]

Hougen's voice roared with rage. "What?! My brother has joined the Ohu army?!"

"But," Kamakiri said, "it might be that he's trying to get close to Weed. All so that he can gain his trust and capture the Ohu brat."

Hougen's rage came to a halt. Soon afterwards, he grinned evilly. "Well done, Gemba. If captures Weed and brings him here, then the Ohu army will have no choice than to surrender."

The Great Dane's evil green eyes narrowed down at the Irish Wolfhound and the Tosa. "Let's wait here until Gemba brings back Weed. I'm sure that won't be too long."