Written Rivers

Book 2: A Tie Amongst Rivers

Chapter 11: Home for the Wolf Spirit

Yuuka walked around the Bathhouse as staff bustled by and steam from the baths blow all around. It was her night off but she still found herself in the center of the action. She would be returning home in the morning and wanted to take a walk through the Bathhouse a last time before leaving. She loved the Bathhouse to an extent.

Like the others, it was a second home to her. She did come here to be with her Aunt Yubaba sometimes in her younger years. She had fond memories coming to see her and Boh, Yubaba teaching her a few minor spells that didn't really stick because of her own stubbornness to not be like her father and playing with a very young Boh was always fun. They were great memories until Yubaba started becoming obsessed with the doll and the Bathhouse.

Yuuka continued to wander until she found Rumi and Chihiro on their break in the staff break room. Neither of them very happy and were conversing lowly. She observed for a moment before approaching them with caution.

"Hey, are you two alright?" She asked.

They both looked up and sighed blatantly. Rumi nodded. "Yeah, just another encounter with a Holy Beast. I'm surprised you didn't hear about."

Yuuka reeled and exasperated in a hushed whisper, "another one?!"

The two human girls nodded.

"Who was it this time?"

"The one and only." Chihiro grumbled.

"Seiryu." Rumi answered.

Yuuka stared, not sure if she was processing all this correctly. She looked at Chihiro. "You have quite the unfortunate luck."

"Tell me about it." Chihiro grunted. "If I have to hear about that prophecy one more time, I might lose it. Now I understand why Haku has been so annoyed with it."

"Do you know why he doesn't want to be Seiryu?" Yuuka asked.

Chihiro looked up thoughtfully. "Something about it not being his true calling. He's never been led to lead in such a position and that he has far better things he would rather do."

"Like?" Rumi persisted.

"Mating her." Yuuka said bluntly, earning a hit to the arm from both girls.

"Shut up!" Chihiro hushed. "I don't know. Apparently there are things he still needs to settle and things he still needs to fix with his river, especially since he was reconnected with the Human World. He doesn't have the luxury to give time to things outside his world right now.

"Except you." Yuuka mumbled, looking off into space.

Chihiro closed her eyes and breathed. "Anyway," she said ignoring her comment. "I'll stand by whatever choice he makes."

"And what if he ultimately does what they say?" Yuuka asked. "Will that change anything?"

She watched Chihiro's expression faltered slightly, as if she had never actually thought that far ahead. "... Then I will still stand by his side."

"But what does that mean?" Rumi chimed. "I know what that means for Makoto and I. I'm staying here for the rest of my life. I'm not going back to the Human World, at least not to stay. Not to be my home. What does staying by his side mean to you? Settling down? Starting a family?"

"I don't know, probably? We haven't really thought that far ahead yet." Chihiro exasperated.

"Well you should talk about it." Rumi incited. "If you plan on loving him and staying by his side, know what it means. It's a commitment."

"Do you think I don't know that, Rumi?"

Rumi raised her hands, defensively. "I know you know." She sighed. "You remember the times we'd think about our future as wives? The simple high school girl days?"

Chihiro laughed. "I wouldn't call them simple. But yeah. It's one of the things we talked about to make the list."

Rumi nodded. "You might not have been into boys at the time but you always had a dream to settle down and start a family. You always wanted the whole wedding ceremony, we both did. The white dress, the traditional kimono, the flowers. The whole nine yards."

"You wanted it all." Yuuka remembered. "You two wouldn't stop talking about it at one point." She laughed, thinking about all the magazines and talks they would have about boys and their futures. It was something she had always been a bit jealous of but something she was also okay to be without for the time being. She had other things to worry about. She was happy for her friends.

Rumi laughed. "You should have heard her snide comments in the background! It took everything sometimes not to laugh aloud over things she said in my head."

"Glad to be of you entertainment." Yuuka smirked.

"But seriously, Chihiro." Rumi smiled. "Make sure you go into this knowing what you want."

Chihiro sighed and smiled back. "Don't worry. I will. Thanks for reminding me. I'll be sure to talk with Haku at some point… about all of it."

"Good." Rumi affirmed. "Well, let's head back before Rin catches us slacking."

The girls parted ways and spent the rest of the evening doing what they needed. Yuuka found herself packing what she needed to head back to Zeniba's in the morning. She missed her aunt, Boh and Kaonashi. Zeniba has also asked her to pick things up from the Bathhouse from Kamaji since was there. She had always liked Kamaji. He was always kind to her and treated her like family. Even if he was a bit gruff on the outside.

She spent the following morning saying her goodbyes before heading out. The flight home was always freeing. She loved it when the wind rustled her feathers and the sun beat down on her in beautiful warm rays. She didn't like her father, or the particular way she grew up, but she didn't regret it. She didn't regret who she was, she didn't regret her aunts or her chosen family. She loved her life and wouldn't regret or live in her past anymore. She had to move forward with every flap of her wings.

The train clicked down the tracks as forests crept past. Makoto was never good at small talk but Rumi seemed to appreciate the effort at they sat beside each other on the train. They were well past the sixth station that stopped in Swamp Bottom now. He had not been this far down the tracks in a long time. He would usually run to his destinations, but with Rumi, he thought it would be best to take the scenic route and just enjoy each other's company.

Their final destination was still in the eastern region of the realm, a ways down the mountain from Haku's river. Makoto himself had not visit this particular part of his past in a long time. Its former residents had probably moved on by now but the forest was still there. They would get off the train on the fourteenth station and hike the rest of the way.

Makoto knew he was not much of a romantic, but even he questioned Rumi's tastes in romantic walks through the forests. He had learned that she was not much for romantic candle light dinner and flowers, she would like them occasionally but not as often as many others would. She preferred to go out and explore, see the world outside herself. She did not always let this trait of hers off much in the Human World around her… past partners… No, this was something she saved for him. And he appreciated it.

"Makoto, where are we going exactly?" Rumi asked, watching the trees go by.

"Where I grew up." He answered, staring out the window, where another station drifted pass and into the distance.

Rumi nodded. "Okay."

He looked at her and smiled. Her posture was timid, like it always was when she wanted to ask more questions. "I will explain everything when we get there."

Rumi's eyes glistened up at him and she leaned into his side, letting him wrap his arms around her shoulders to draw her closer. For the first time in his life he felt like he knew where he belonged. This human girl changed his world and he knew he belonged by her side. She would help him and he her. It felt right.

But looking ahead, he could not help but think of what he was asking of her. What he would ask of her. Would it be too much? Would she understand? Would it scare her? Would she change her mind?

Makoto looked down at Rumi. Her eyes were watching the scenery through the window across from them, half-lidded as if falling asleep. She was beautiful in the light of the setting sun that streamed through the window she was looking through. It caused her dark hair and mahogany eyes to glow a tint of orange that complimented her tanned skin.

Was he thinking too little of her? She was a strong woman. She knew how to hold her own, even if it meant she did it all on her own. However, that was how she ended up in a forest of onibi. He shook his head lightly and thought back to just holding her in his arms for the rest of that night, comforting her and listening to her as she mentioned all the things that were racing through her head. Everything that caused her to think that a bottle of sake and running away would somehow solve her problems.

He hugged her closer and leaned his chin against her head in a protective manner. He could trust her. He would trust her with everything. What she accepted would be up to her.

He got comfortable and watched the stations fly by as he tried to rest easy knowing that Rumi was safe in his arms.

After two and a half days on the train ride full of packed bento boxes, games - mostly evoked by Rumi - and good conversation, they reached the fourteenth station. The station stopped at the edge of a lake, with large forest trees trailing around the outside. They could hear the life of the surrounding inhabitants singing their songs. The water was still and dark in the early morning. Darker than it should be.

Rumi approached the water and looked into it to see her reflection, reaching out to touch it. Makoto caught her hand.

"No."

She looked up at him, blinking. "Why not?"

"The water is too still. It is too dark, even for this time of morning. Notice there is no life in it."

Rumi glanced at it again and studied it. Her eyes scrutinized it. "Is it… it is godless?"

Makoto sighed and nodded. "This is what happens when a god dies… or the spirit that cared for it abandons their territory without replacement. It dies and becomes poisonous. No life can thrive from it. If you touch it or drink from it, you might as well be cursed or good as dead."

"Well this is a good place to have a train drop off." She mumbled, looking at the station where the train once was.

"It was not always like this." Makoto reminenced.

"It wasn't?"

He shook his head. "It used to be a beautiful lake, life all around it. I used to drink from this lake and play in it with my pack." He picked up a stone and tossed it in the water. The stone seemed to sink into the black water like molasses, hardly disturbing the water with even a ripple. "Whenever you approach waters in the Spirit World, do not be quick to touch it. Always check if it is living or has a host."

"How?" Rumi asked, looking at the silent lake sadly.

"The water will be still, like stagnant waters. It will be dark and thick, like the consistency of honey. You will never see any creatures swimming in it, life will skirt around and avoid it."

Rumi nodded. "Is this what could have happened to Haku?"

"If he had not been reunited with his river after he met Chihiro-San again, then yes."

"Are the waters of these gods' ecosystems that fragile?"

"Some. Time varies spirit to spirit, river to river, lake to lake, land to land. Not all are as strongly bonded and in cohesion with their territory. Guardian spirits are different. They are gods of a landmark or a piece of the earth. They are responsible for its ecosystem, for its health, for its inhabitants, everything about it. They become one with the land. They can communicate through and with their land. It really is a beautiful bond between a god and their land." He looked out at the water again. "It really is disheartening to see waters become godless."

"I see. Can it be revived?"

Makoto shook his head. "Not that I have seen or am aware of." He stretched out his hand towards her. "Come. We still have a long hike ahead of us."

Rumi took his hand and they started their hike around the lake and into the forest around it. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and insects of all kinds. Rumi would point up at the trees now and then at things she had never seen or found worthy of awe. Makoto watched her in amazement in her element. How did he get blessed with such a beautiful creature?

As they came closer to their destination, Makoto felt his hands get clammy and he could feel his heartbeat faster. Something about being back in his old home brought back the feelings of the past and memories that he had locked away. Everything in him told him to turn back, he did not belong there anymore. He knew that his old pack no longer used this land but he remembered the trees clearly and the large rocks and caves clearly. He was back. And it terrified him.

He suddenly felt Rumi squeeze his hand. He looked down and met her earnest eyes. "It's going to be okay." She smiled reassuringly and they walked forward.

As they looked around, there was no signs of any current wolf inhabitants, but nothing else had changed, other than a few new trees and creatures that had taken residence in the area. The trees loomed over them in a beautiful canopy that streamed light down from above, accenting the ground with hues of the sun. Makoto guided Rumi to a large cave in the side of a cliff that had boulders stacked at the base.

"This." He cleared his throat. "Was where I grew up."

Rumi glanced up at him then approached the cave. "Wow." She touched the walls. "Thank you." She told the cave. "For protecting my dear Makoto in his youth. Thank you."

Makoto inhaled sharply. He almost did not have the heart to tell her. "Actually," he started. "I stayed out here."

Rumi's brows creased as she came out of the cave and looked where he was pointing. A small alcove sat between the boulders that barely protected anything from the elements, let alone a full grown wolf.

She gapped and looked up at him with a heartbroken expression. "What?" She barely squeaked.

Makoto sighed. "I was the outcast."

"Why?"

"I will explain it to you. But first, when was the last time you heard of a wolf being in Japan?" Makoto asked her, looking at the trees around him.

Rumi blinked, then looked up thoughtfully. "Last I heard… they were practically or are extinct."

Makoto nodded. "You are not wrong. Wolves mostly live here in the Spirit World now, not really spirit or wolf anymore. I am only partially god. A quarter of me is the Shikoku dog. In our pack, I might as well have been full dog because it was a shame upon our name. Wolves in the Human World are indeed extinct, exempt for a few in the wilder parts of Japan as well as those that bred with dogs. You will not find many full bred wolves anymore. There are a few packs still in the Spirit World, sneaking out occasionally to the Human World to hunt, to see what has changed and the like. There are even shrines that are still devout to us. We are a prideful species. But you will not find many of us left."

"That explains a lot of your and Yuuka's arguments." Rumi noted.

"Right." He scoffed. "Even as a hybrid of wolf, I still have my pride. It has been ingrained in me. Mostly because of the Alpha of our pack but also heritage. We rarely ever took on any form other than our wolf form in our pack. Anything else was an insult to Moro."

"You walk around as a human and dog though?" She mussed.

"Because I am practical." He huffed. "After I started following Kohaku-Sama, I started embracing my mixed blood. I will admit, even I can be prideful still. I honestly prefer my wolf self over them all, but I am practical and will do what is necessary."

"You keep speaking of your mixed blood and shame, why is this such a huge factor?"

"Hybrids were always shamed upon in our pack. Many were prideful because we are descendants of the great wolf goddess, Moro. To lose or dilute any of that blood would be a shame and scar upon our heritage."

"I see…"

"Our Alpha was particularly prideful, taking it to new levels of shame." Makoto cringed at the memories. "If you were of mixed blood, you should have been prepared to face the brunt of the pack's brutality." He stared off. " My Oka-San was on the lower end of heirsrchy and was forcefully mated by a half blood. That is how I can to be. I quickly became the Omega after she died of childbirth along with my siblings. The Omega… the Omega always gets the short end of the stick… if you were Omega and of mixed blood… life was hell."

"What did they…" Rumi hesitated. "What did they do?"

Makoto grimaced and closed his eyes tight, remembering everything that had happened in his past. He took a ragged breath and turned toward her, not looking at her.

Seeing the effort, she raised her hands and waved frantically. "If it's too much, don't worry about it. I mean, we can-" she fumbled with her fingers.

"No." He breathed, finding her eyes. "I have to tell you. To show you… You will see it eventually, one way or another."

Rumi put her hands down in front of her and watched as he loosened his black yukata and shouldered the layers off to hang around his waist. Makoto heard her catch her breath at the sight of his marred and scarred skin. Her expression was pained as she gulped and slowly approached him, reaching her fingers out to touch his skin. She traced the lines of discolored skin from bite and claw marks that covered his chest and back. He could hear her heart start to beat in her chest and could smell the salt of the tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Why did they do this?" She croaked, spreading the palm of her hand across his chest.

"Because I was the outcast." He sighed. "They kept me around because I was 'family' and to be their scapegoat. They put me at the front lines of every battle against rivaling packs, not because I was of any skill, but to see me fail. If anything were to happen to the pack or something was going wrong in the pack, they would blame me and… heh… punish me for it." He grimaced.

"Why did you stay? Why didn't you leave?"

He shook his head. "It was not that simple, Rumi. Despite it all, they were family and we had moments where they treated me like such. But other times… not so much. There is a hierarchy in wolf packs and if you do not fall in line you are put back in line. There is also a bond. It is hard to explain, but there is a bond within the pack that holds us together, that protects us and each other. No words can explain it, it is the bond between an Alpha and his pack that keeps it whole." Makoto struggled to explain the unexplainable. He never had to think about the bond, it just was. "So you see, leaving the pack… it just was not that simple."

Rumi looked up from her tracing. "But you did leave. When? How?"

Makoto traced his hand from her shoulder down to where her hand met his chest, holding her hand close to him. "I was not given the choice…" He squeezed her hand. "They… they left me for dead. I was put at the front lines again, like they always did, when we were met with an unbeatable rival pack and myself and a few other Beta that took front line, were practically slaughter. I was left half dead when the rest of the pack realized winning was not an option and they would have to forfeit that match and territory… I do not know if they knew I survived or not, but I was left behind to die either way."

Rumi remained silent for a moment, taking it in as tears slipped passed her eyes. "How did Haku find you?"

"The territory war was not far from Kohaku-Sama's borders and not long after he had regained his name. A few of his spirits found me and told him about me. He found me and took me in. He healed me and allowed me to stay in his territory. I have been by his side ever since."

He paused. "When Kohaku-Sama found me, I was fragile and eager to please. Eager for a pack. Kohaku-Sama revived me and he became my new pack. My new Alpha. I did everything I could to make it up to him." He looked into Rumi's eyes. "Even if it meant going to the Human World to protect a human child in distress. Who would have thought I would save you in the process."

"What?" Rumi blinked. "You saved me? But Yuuka-"

"Yuuka found you and took over you. I pulled you out of the car."

Rumi did not speak for a moment. "I don't know if I'm supposed to be mad or not. You knew too."

"Yes, I did. And I do not regret my decision."

She flashed her eyes at him in mild anger.

"Because I would not let the one I cared for die if I had a choice of saving them." He replied with earnest.

Rumi's eyes searched his, trying to make sense of everything. "What? What do you mean? Did you know me before-"

"I fell in love with you the moment I laid eyes on you." He said, tucking her lose hair hair behind her ear. "Why would I let you die?"

"But you didn't know me. I- I-"

"Do not over complicate it." He said. "Your mind is too logical to understand."

She mocked a frown. "Is that an insult?"

"No." He smiled. "Merely a honest observation."

"Uh-huh." Rumi's became thoughtful and she truly frowned.

"If purity is a such a huge factor in being a wolf," she asked, looking away. "Why did you chose me?"

Makoto sighed and massaged her palm. "If you had told when I was still in the pack that I would chose a human for a mate, I would have gladly been thrown to the mercy of the packs' fangs." She gapped, appalled. "But after my pack abandoned me and I was found by Kohaku-Sama, something in me started to accept who I was and meet others outside the pack, I was able to begin to accept my love for you."

"So you were in denial for a bit?" Rumi raised an eyebrow.

"Of course." Makoto's laughed. "I was in denial for sometime. I may have been starting to come to terms with my blood, but twenty five years of hearing that I was supposed to be prideful of your heritage takes a toll on your mind set. But once I met you, there was no denying that you would be mine one day."

"Twenty five?" Rumi stepped back, still holding his hand. "You fell for me when you were twenty five?"

"Did I never tell you that?" He asked, his voice shaking from restrained laughter.

"Does that make you a pedophile?" She smirked. "Did you have a Lolita complex when you fell for me?"

Makoto pulled her close to his chest, leaning down to touch her forehead with his own. "I guess I did." He said with a deep husky voice. He brought his hand to her chin and lifted it, kissing her gently on the lips.

"Y'know." Rumi said breathily between kisses. "We could always elope and start our own pack."

Something in Makoto caused a growl to rumble to the back of his throat. He drew her closer. "You? An Alpha female?"

She bit his lip defiantly. "Are you saying I'm not Alpha material?"

A chuckled rumbled in the back of his throat. "We will have to see." He tilted his head. "If we mate, you will stop aging, or at least it will slow down."

"Well that sounds cool," she mumbled coyly.

He nestled her nose. "Mhmm. And you will gain some of my strength as my Alpha mate."

"Even cooler." She mused.

Makoto smiled and took the strap of the bag that Rumi was carrying and lifted it over her head, tossing it into the cave. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her deeply. She pressed her hands against his chest and slid them up and around his neck. They kissed each other passionately, letting their hands study and map the other. Makoto hoisted Rumi onto his hips, where she wrapped her legs around his waist, and they headed towards the cave of his youth. His cave. Their cave.

Makoto placed her down and slung off his own bag and pulled out furs that he laid out on the cave floor. He took Rumi by the hand and pulled her toward him and kissed her once more, deepening the kiss and trailing down her jaw and neck. She leaned into him and they sunk down to the furs, moving together until there was nothing between them but the furs.

Entangled in a passionate war to show the other's love, they mapped out each other's bodies and what made the other tic. Makoto saw nothing but Rumi as her beauty and scent intoxicated his scents.

"Rumi." He breathed. "You are mine. There is no going back."

She winced and pulled him closer with her arms that were wrapped around his neck. "I… I wouldn't want it any other way."

Makoto whispered sweet nothings and trailed down to her neck where he lick the base of her neck. She tilted her head to give him access as he frantically whispered "I love you" and sunk his teeth down into her neck. She let out a scream of bliss and writhed, hugging him closer and leaving marks on his back. He released her neck, licked his mark and threw his head back in a howl.

He looked back down at Rumi, who was gasping and smiling up at him. He leaned down and licked her wound again and muttered "I love yous" to her.

"You are mine." He rasped. "And I yours. Do not ever leave me."

Rumi leaned up and kissed him. "I would never dream of it."

"You are where I belong." Makoto said as they laid in the furs holding each other.

"Welcome home, Makoto." Rumi mumbled as she cuddled into his side, falling asleep with slow, breathless murmurs of love.

A/N:

So Rumi is partially immortal now and will forever be twenty three. Man that'd be something. Forget Forever 21, let's be Forever 23. Lol In my world, this is mostly a wolf spirit mating ritual. Mating specific spirits have different "benefits" for humans for the sake of plot. #yesijustusedtheplotcard

Okami mating facts for Written Rivers: Because Okami are pack focused, when the alpha of a pack mates, their okami mate becomes stronger. In the case of alphas mating a human, the human gains some of the alphas strength and gets an extension on their life for however long the alpha lives. However they are not invincible and can still die.

(Oh, Makoto is around thirty five years old by the way. ^^; he's a pretty young spirit)

Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! And for those that do review, I thank you a bunches!

Thank you for the reviews from: picklesisadeadcat, RSBCS, Rosettaxfantasy, Kra, Turniptree, Sypherpol, chimera-writes, lackadaises, coolchick87, CluelessPaige, AlexAngel14, MorbidVisionary, and Ai Star.

God bless! KawaChou