RED (a fairy tale fantasy) [frozen]

The cast:
The wolves:


Other characters:

"Betrayed by my own people.
But I'll get them for this, mark my words."

Nice thoughts like that were all that was popping up in my head as I walked the old path in the forbidden forest.
After the annual gathering of all the neighboring villages, I was overjoyed to have been elected the official village representative, I naively thought that having such a title would enable me to finally hlp my family, and do something about everyone's situation, what with the war and all, but oh no, it was nothing like I thought it would be.
But first, let me tell you a little bit about the war. You see, we live, for as long as I can remember, "at war" with the wolves. We constantly fight over land with them, we need it for harvesting, and our cattle, they need it for who knows what, no one's ever even bothered to ask them.
I personally have no hatred for them, I don't know them that well, I've never even seen one up-close before; my grandma always used to tell me "you can't hate the unknown, akai, it's illogical to do so", she was a great lady my grandma, wise beyond her time. Maybe that's why I loved her more than anyone else in my family. When she died, the official cause of death was written as "wolf attack", but I knew better. I knew who did it. It certainly wasn't any wolf.
My grandma was a fierce advocate for peace, she firmly believed there was no reason for the war to continue, that we humans and the wolves could live in peace was her dream, she always pushed for understanding, compassion, awareness, but the war business is a very fruitful business for those involved in it, and they always viewed my grandma as the enemy, because she was making progress you see, the people at my village were starting to get her points of view, they were starting to care, and then, suddenly, my grandma was dead.
Obviously, a sudden rise of new hatred towards all wolves invaded the village, they took the flag of revenge and waved it all over town like it was a personal offense to them, the bastards. "Let's do this for Grandma" they said, flaming fire into the hearts of the forming angry mobs. What a show they put. Instead of war officials they should be our drama group, I never saw better acting in my life before.
We, the actual family, were left with all the real grief, the funeral, missing my grandma day after day with a passion. We know the truth. But what can you do with the truth when the whole world thinks otherwise? nothing, that's what, when the so-called police say a wolf murdered grandma, who can say the contrary? who would believe?
After that, my family and I lived in a state of implied coercion, an understood blackmail from the police not to say a word of the truth, "or else" as they said. They had shown their true colors, and we knew what atrocities they were capable of, we knew too well.
My father was destroyed. He had been such a firm believer of the laws, and suddenly, his mother laid dismembered before him, just like his whole world. Shredded to pieces, no mercy. He was never the same, he started to drink, stopped working the land, and stared into empty space. Progressively, a little bit more day after day. Until he responded no more. My father's soul left him and his body turned into a vegetable. He's been like that for years now.
My mother, bless her, didn't let the unjust world beat her down, my mother is a fighter.
She had practically raised herself, always alone, her family dead before she could remember them. It still baffles me where she gets her strength from, it's a mystery to me. When she and dad fell in love, grandma accepted her with open arms, she saw my mother's worth in full, when everybody else told her she must be crazy letting her son marry a "savage girl", grandma used to tell me she and mum were "cut from the same fabric" so to speak, they understood each other in ways dad never got, but he was happy, and for a time, we lived in bliss.
My childhood was also happy, mum let me run wild in our family's farmland, and taught me all that she knew, including how to fight, honorably, and how to use weapons to defend myself, just in case. Dad taught me books, he was my favorite as a child, maybe because for a time, he was the only male I ever had contact with, and all his ways, so different from mum and grandma, fascinated me.
But in time, I started to hang out with grandma the most, she was something else. She taught me medicine, what the rest of the world thought of as "witchcraft", she told me about life. The fundamentals, philosophy, theory, beauty.
And with time, I was the one that was going to "succeed her", she used to say.
But it all came to nothing when her light was extinguished. All her knowledge was lost, she didn't have time to bestow it on me. I was robbed.
And that's when I swore, a promise to myself, to finish the war one day, to really avenge my grandma, maybe with it dad would finally wake up again, and mum could finally have some rest, some time for herself, enjoy life. Hell, everyone's life would be better.
So I started to play along with the war officials, they thought I was too young to understand what had happened with grandma, and swallowed my lie, bait, hook, and sinker. Mum disagreed with my plan, but she understood my drive, and let me go.
I became an "advocate for war", went to all the hate-rallies, the people praised me, always telling me I was a "worthy grand-daughter", fools.
Eventually, I joined the ranks of the army, and worked my way up to the top. Get to know your enemy, my mum taught me, boy, was she right. In my current state of chief commander, I know all there is to know about the war, at least on the human side.

And so we come to now, today.
A plan had been proposed, to send a spy to wolf territory, to check out their turf, and gather information.
I never thought my own people would elect me to be the spy. But I should have known better. They are after all a bunch of back-stabbing bastards.

"You're so good-looking" they said. "Wolves like the beautiful ladies" they said. "You'll be a success for sure" they said. In the forbidden forest, it was common knowledge that the women who dared walk there never came back the same. But they came back, which was the key factor.
Actually, I knew of not only women, but some men, that came back "not the same". But the majority of cases had been women. So that was that. We really lacked information on wolves.

I was forced to wear a yukata, a red riding hood, and carry a basket with food. Thank God I managed to wear my combat boots.Walking in a forest, in a yukata, is a difficult thing to do. But the old path turned out to be surprisingly flat, which made things easier for me. And the riding hood. They said it was "in case it rains, so you don't get wet" but what about my legs? they are all exposed! this yukata is too short! Well, at least it's red, my color. It's a mystery why now, but grandma, when I was born, insisted that I should be called akai, and that red was to be my color. I could have rebelled against it, but I found red to be a comfort color for me, I liked it, I love it now. It somehow makes me feel special.
Akai is a weird name, never used before in my village, mum and dad thought grandma was being eccentric, but since it was a once-in-a-lifetime demand from her (she never asked for anything in particular), they let her name me that.
I like my name. It's unique...

Entice the wolves. They'll smell the food, and see me, and then... who knows. All I knew was that my cover story was the stupidest thing ever. I mean, "on my way to visit my grandma"? what the hell was that? and they had to throw my grandma in it... I could have killed them right then and there.

"But I'll get them for this, mark my words".

**************************************
Note: in japanese, akai (or aka) means red.

Comments.

"What a pleasant day, today...
The air is nice in this forest, it's pure... I can even smell the sunshine...
I wonder when it was that became forbidden..."

A bush ruffled.

"maybe it was the breeze..."

Akai continued walking, sometimes turning around, sure that she was being followed, but unaware of what or who, how far they were, and their intentions. It was getting late, and she started to pick up the pace.
He could no longer hold it in. He had to talk to her. The curiosity was killing him. And those legs were driving him crazy. He went ahead the path, careful not to be seen by her, and climbed a tree. He knew he would become visible to the girl once she got to that part of the road. He was feeling a little nervous, and tried out a number of poses on a tree branch, wondering which was more handsome-looking.

"What the hell am I doing... this is ridiculous..."

He decided on resting on the branch, and started to clean his nails. And waited. Until she appeared.

"Tell me something" he said. "What does sunshine smell like to you?"

Akai jumped, startled by him. She never saw him coming. A little afraid, she asked:

"Who are you?... What are you?"
"Never mind that... just answer my question."
"Ah... I'm late... please don't bother me. I'm not supposed to talk with strangers."

She continued to walk, her face looking down, somewhat ashamed, this person in all probability was a wolf, but she didn't know what to think of him, what was she expecting to see? a talking animal? it was a him to begin with, she could tell he was tall, he was wearing a long fur coat that matched his tan skin, a beautiful color she thought, he was laying lazily on that tree branch, looking so cool she blushed, what the hell was wrong with her?

"Hold on, hold on... all right... you're not supposed to talk with strangers, if I tell you my name, will you talk with me?"

She stopped and turned around to look at him, sun rays gently illuminated his figure, enthralling her, clouding her mind, before she thought it over she responded "Yes". He stood up like a cute little puppy hearing his master call him and jumped off, landing right in front of her, his movements so fast she again jumped, startled. As if paralyzed, she watched him get closer and closer, towering over her, bending over until he was face to face with her, too close for comfort.

"Mokomichi" he whispered.
"Mokomichi?" she asked.
"That's my name."
"It's weird."
"It's not weird to me... what's yours?
"Akai"
"Now that's a weird name"
"I think so too" she said, chuckling a little bit.
"A special relationship with the color?"
"You could say that."

As he backed up and straightened, keeping his direct gaze on her, she started to get nervous for some reason, he had a pair of honey-colored eyes that seemed to pierce right through her, but she held his gaze, and eventually started to detail him, his intense look, his spiky copious hair, his ears were pointy and were heavily adorned, it was the first time she saw a male so adorned, he had hoop earings, he had many necklaces, with little chains all over, he had rings, and bracelets, he was wearing clothes underneath the fur coat, all torn and dirty, but seemed to miraculously hang on his body like second skin, his body... his body was... the most perfect specimen she ever saw, she could tell under the fur coat was the body of a semi-god...

"Are you done?" he asked.
"What?"
"Your little inspection... you've been checking me out for quite some time there."
"I... um... it wasn't that long." she responded, blushing.
"Sure. You're cute when you blush."
"Eh?"

"Walk with me" he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along, off the road and into the woods.
"Wait, hold on! were do you think you're taking me? I... have to go see my grandma!"
"She'll have to wait for a while, she's got the rest of her life to spend with you after all..."
"Don't say that." Akai said, her body turning stiff unconsciously.

He turned around and glanced at her a little surprised, then with a knowing look he slowed down a little and handled her more gently.

"Sorry. It's presumptuous of me to talk about your family since I don't know them."

She didn't respond to his apology, but he could tell she accepted it, there was something about this human girl, he could just tell when her mood changed without looking at her, it was weird. But what intrigued him the most was the strange combination she seemed to be, here was an incredibly hot girl, creamy skin, wavy dark brown hair, wearing a yukata, with combat boots. A girl that looked innocent, but when she talked, he knew she wasn't that innocent. His friend had told him that sometimes humans would venture to walk on that forest road, and everyone said it was fun to mess with them, play some tricks, get some kicks, have some pleasures, but at the end of the day, they were humans after all, and humans almost never could keep up with wolves. So, on this unusually boring day, he had decided to take a peak and look for something fun to do. And here it was. This girl was a treasure chest, and what a chest. She exuded a scent that would drive any wolf mad, he could follow that scent anywhere, now that he had sniffed it. And he had to find out more, he felt he had to find out everything about Akai.
As they continued to make their way through the vegetation, he noticed she could keep up with his pace, which delighted him, it was great.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.
"Just a little further ahead. Don't worry, I won't bite you. Unless you want me to."
"Bite me."
"Hahahahaha!! good one!" he said, glad he was walking ahead of her so that she didn't see him blush.
"So you're shy after all."
"Shut up, we're almost there."

Akai laughed to herself, she was finding this Mokomichi guy too fun to be with, he was too attractive, it could be trouble for her in the future, but she was helpless, she felt as if some unknown force was pushing her to follow this guy anywhere, everywhere, to the ends of the earth if it came to that, and so she felt afraid, for herself, for her cause, don't forget the cause Akai! don't forget your family! But this new feeling, she never felt like this before, maybe it was some sort of special wolf power or something, she wondered if something like this also happened to all those people that had encounters with wolves in the forbidden forest.

Nature started to clear bit by bit, trees started to become smaller until Mokomichi and Akai found themselves in front of open space, a beautiful meadow laid before them, the afternoon sun illuminating every leave, every flower, every patch of soft grass, a site so breathtaking Akai couldn't help but gasp. Mokomichi looked at her pleased, and guided her to the meadow's center. There they stopped.

"You like it?" he asked.
"Very much! I didn't know such a place existed!"
"I'm glad. Now, would you be so kind as to answer my question?"
"What question?"
"What does sunshine smell like to you? I brought you here because I think this spot is best for getting the feel of true sunshine."

She looked at him, and she somehow understood. She slowly made a turn, and sniffed the air, letting the light fall all over her. The words came with such a natural flow that puzzled her.

"To me, sunshine smells warm, like the embrace of a loved one, it's a clear warmth, not like a candle, but like a gentle force that's never intrusive. It smells pure, basic, happy."
"That's exactly right." he said, admiration in his voice. "I never thought a human would be able to get it."
"Well, I'm not an ordinary human."
"Clearly."

She laughed, he took off his coat.

"Eh? wait wait! what are you doing?"
"I'm taking off my coat, what does it look like?... you're not as smart as I thought."
"Ah..." was all she could muster to say.
"Hehehehe, did you think something perverted just now?"
"I did not!"
"I think you did."
"DID NOT!"
"Whatever, come, lie down with me."
"WHAT?"
"Just lie down next to me, what's the big deal? why are you shouting so much?"
"I AM NOT SHOUTIng... so much..."

He laughed heartily as she slowly sat and lay down next to him, she was clearly ticked off, but she did as she was told, which made him happy. They rested there for a long time, taking in the sun, the calm that was all around them, the forest seemed to talk in whispers only they could hear. For the first time in both their lives they felt comfortable just being with another person, not interacting, but just keeping each other company. It was a day of firsts for Akai and Mokomichi. A glorious day, as the gentle breeze and the soft smell of wild flowers surrounded them, making them fall asleep.

Comments.

Dusk approached unannounced and the increasing chill crept in the bodies sleeping on top of the soft grass. Wolf boy and human girl peacefully started to wake up to find themselves holding each other. Surprise hit them like lighting as they got half-way up and separated looking at each other with shock.

"EEEHHH??"both yelled.
"Don't imitate me!" he said.
"I should be the angry one here!" she replied.
"You think I did it?"
"Who else? you're a perv!"
"What? it's you who's been thinking dirty all along!"
"You dare say that to an innocent girl like me!"
"Innocent? if you're innocent then I'm a beautiful mermaid!"
"Don't act like a goodie-two shoes mister! I..."

A cold wind swept the meadow, chilling their bones to the core. They looked around and realized that night was already here. Calmed down, and maybe looking for a change of subject to something less embarrassing, Akai said:

"I should be going back."
"You're not."
"what? why?"
"It's dark. You will get lost."
"Will not, we're fairly close to the old path, I can find my way back from there."
"Actually, we're miles away from the old path, as you call it."
"Eh? how is that possible? we didn't walk that much."
"Right. But I took you through some forest short-cuts I know... sooo..."
"Short-cuts? in a forest?"
"Yes, I guess humans don't look at nature the same way we do. The forest, to us, is like a city to you, it has its roads, short-cuts, dead-ends, etc."
"I see, one learns something new everyday... but... what do I do now?"
"You come with me."
"Again? you sure are a demanding, bossy wolf."
"But you comply, don't you?"
"There nothing else for me to do."
"Correct! sooo..."

Mokomichi stood up in front of her and covered her with his fur coat, he then turned around, bent his knees and offered her a piggy-back ride. As he did so, Akai saw something move around his body and gave a little yelp.

"What was that?" she asked.
"What?"

Again, a shadow moved around Mokomichi.

"That! there's something behind you!"
"Oh! you mean my tail?"
"You... your... you have a tail?!"
"Of course."
"How... why didn't I notice it before?"
"You're asking me? probably because you were mesmerized by my good-looks."
"You... are so full of yourself."
"Just hurry and hop on, will you?"
"Fine, fine."

Akai got on his back, she could feel the tail move around, what a weird sensation that was, if she ever got the chance in the future, she planned on detailing that tail, to the very last hair. Mokomichi's back was warm, so warm it felt reassuring and nice against the cold dark night, he grabbed her legs and pulled her closer to him.

"Hold on tighter. It's going to be a fast ride."
"oh.. ok."
"Ready, set..."

And off they went, so fast it was a miracle Akai didn't fall off from the force. She couldn't see where they were headed, all she saw, if she could open her eyes, was blurred dark smudges all around. So wolves could move like this, no wonder they were so difficult to spot. Mokomichi, on the other hand, found this experience of carrying a human the most pleasant thing in the world, she was so light, and she felt so soft on his back, it was like she belonged there. He hadn't planned on taking her along at all, but luck had it that way, and he took advantage of the situation, the more time he spent with Akai, the more he felt happy, entertained. That was a first for him, he always got so easily bored it even became a joke amongst his friends.

Some time passed while they traveled, Mokomichi didn't slow his pace once, it was like he didn't feel tired at all, but Akai did, she was starting to feel dizzy when they got out of mountainous forest terrain and were now on lower altitudes, the horizon became clearer for Akai, and now that there was less friction she could open her eyes better and admire the view. And what a view, she had never been so far from home before, the world opened up for her, the night had become clear and moonlight shone over plains and meadows, her innate sense of child-like wonder emerged, she loved what she saw and squealed like a little girl.

"Are you all right?" Mokomichi asked, yelling so she could hear him.
"It's wonderful!"
"What is?"
"The world!" and as she said that she looked up at the sky, all the start were there, they were screaming to be seen it seemed. Akai laughed her heart out. And Mokomichi did too.

Now they were going up again, up and up, on some other mountain formation Akai didn't know, Mokomichi followed road after road, and Akai knew they were getting near their destination. He slowed down bit by bit, for the sake of Akai, so that she didn't get sick, he could have just gone on at his usual speed and stopped abruptly like he always did when alone, but not with his precious cargo. And so they came to a stop at what looked like a huge cavern formation at the side of a mountain, but in fact it was a settlement, small lights could be seen here and there, there were all signs of living arrangements. Mokomichi moved around on tip-toe, trying to not make the smallest sound. Whispering, he said:

"Try not to speak, we have to be careful and not be seen."
"Ok. but... um..."
"What?"
"Won't they smell me?"
"Don't worry, you're covered with my scent. The fur coat."
"Oh!"

They went about and eventually came to a small hut at the periphery of the settlement. It was dark, but Mokomichi tapped the door lightly. Another tapping sound came as response, and a voice could be heard saying:

"What's the password?"
"Green gnomes for sale." Mokomichi said.
"Come in."

As they did so, a few lights came on inside, revealing what looked like the small quarters of a guy living alone. And the owner of the place? Another wolf boy, much shorter than Mokomichi, he seemed quite young in fact, he had hair just as wild as Mokomichi's though, and a happy look about him. The three looked at each other. Akai was still on Mokomichi's back. The other wolf boy gave a shifty look and smiled a wicked smile. Mokomichi rolled his eyes, and Akai didn't get it, until Mokomichi said:

"You can get off now."
"Oh! ahem! thanks." Akai replied, turning red.
"Ha! she looks like a cooked shrimp now! all red!" wolf boy teased.
"Watch it, toma-chan." Mokomichi warned him. Turning to Akai he asked: "Are you tired?"
"Um... actually... yes... a little bit" Akai realized.
"You can rest on that bed over there."
"Hey! that's my bed you're offering, I don't want no human sleeping on my bed." Toma said. Mokomichi slapped him on his head while talking to Akai.
"Go rest. Don't worry about a thing, I'll stay with you."
"You better." she said, throwing a glare at Toma.
"She steals my bed and gives me attitude... tsk!"

Akai went to bed, covering herself with Mokomichi's coat and falling asleep immediately, she was more tired than she thought, when she did so, the two wolves started to talk low but at ease.

"Are you out of your mind? bringing a human here?" Toma said.
"I couldn't leave her alone, there was nothing else to do."
"Nothing else to do? please, spare me, you played with her all day and then you felt responsible or something?"
"I didn't play... all day... we just fell asleep and by the time we woke up it was dark."
"So what did you do, exactly?"
"We just talked."
"Just talked... and?"
"And nothing, she's intelligent, and somewhat of a puzzle. I wanted to find out more."
"I see... Whatever the case, it really surprises me" Toma said after a long pause. "Mister I never do anything that might compromise me actually dared to bring a human into wolf country. You've changed, dude."
"Maybe." Mokomichi said looking at the sleeping beauty.
"Wow."
"What?"
"Could it be..."
"What?"
"Loooove?"
"Of course not. You dimwit."
"What is it then?"
"She just... entertains me, that's all."
"Well, if that's the case, you won't mind if I have a go at her? I mean, if you brought her here, she must be something else, oh... what fun... things are happening..." Toma said, rubbing his paws.
"Do whatever you want." Mokomichi replied. But he was burning up inside, he thought of her as his find, only his, and it bothered him that Toma wanted in on the action, why was he bothered? he never cared like this before about anything, it couldn't be... no way... love?... nah...

No way in hell...


Comments.

Morning came. The wolves woke up early to make arrangements, the human girl opened her eyes rather late. She yawned, she stretched, she had had a very good night rest, she couldn't remember when was the last time she slept so good, no weird nor horrible dreams to bother her, whatever the case, her spirits were high. A sort of breakfast was set on the only table inside, milk, some sort of fish, soup, and rice. A very normal breakfast. She had thought wolves ate raw meat or something like that.

"I guess I was wrong."

After eating, she gathered the dishes with the intention of washing them but noticed there was nowhere to do it, so she went outside, Toma was cutting wood and immediately noticed her.

"Go back inside!" he whispered to her.
"Why?"
"You can't come out yet, not safely at least, go back."
"Where's Mokomichi?"
"He's getting something you'll need."
"Ok." she said, turning around after leaving the dishes on the floor.

"She calls him Mokomichi? hmmm... and... oe... she expects me to clean the dishes as well? what the...?" Toma said to himself, getting a little annoyed.
After some minutes, he went back inside the hut, piled the wood, left the clean dishes on the table and put a pitcher of clear stream water on it.

"For you, to clean yourself."
"Thank you." Akai replied, washing her face. "So, you're Toma-chan?"
"Toma-ch...?" he was taken aback. "Toma-kun! kun!"
"When's Mokomichi coming back?"
"Soon, he won't be late. You call him by his full name."
"What else would I call him by?"
"No one calls him by his full name you know."
"I see... what's the usual way then?"
"Variations of Mokomichi, or Hayami."
"Is that what you call him?"
"I call him Moko-kun."
"Oh."
"And if you could be so kind as to tell me your name?"
"Mokomichi didn't tell you?"
"Nope."
"I'm Akai, yoroshiku."
"Akai?! Hahahaha!! that's so appropriate!"
"Whatever, Toma-chan."
"e..."

Just at that instant, Mokomichi walked in, with a bundle of clothes and another fur coat.

"Yo. You're awake. Here, they're for you, you better change clothes."

Akai noticed the fur coat was reddish.

"I figured you'd like it" Mokomichi said.
"Thanks." she smiled.
"Oooo... you know each other soooo well..." Toma teased.
"Shut up" Mokomichi and Akai said in unison. Toma gasp, amused.
"The storm is coming." said Mokomichi.
"Eh? how come?"
"I couldn't shake her off, the clothes are hers."
"Ahhh... fun's over now. And I wanted more time to get to know our guest. Tsk"
"The storm?" Akai asked.
"Your competition, A-kun." Toma said.
"Competition?... A-kun?"
"I guess watching the new rivals will be fun as well."

A loud trembling noise got closer and closer, making the small hut shake a bit. With a sudden force, the door opened, and there was the storm, a cute wolf girl, her hair was light-colored, with streaks of white here and there, giving her an exotic look. She was all energy.

"Michi! you ran off without me!"
"Please don't call me Michi" Mokomichi said to the girl.
"You're always running away from me! it's not fair, you ask me for a change of my clothes and got me all excited and then ditched me!"

Mokomichi sighed with resignation as Toma said to Akai:

"Meet Aya-chan, we call her the storm because every time she runs she's incapable of doing so without making a ruckus and destroying everything on her path."
"I see."

Only then did Aya realized there were other people present besides Mokomichi. Stupid Toma-chan and... a human?

"EEHH?? a human girl?? What's a human doing here?? Is she your new toy, Toma-chan?"
"Actually, she's Moko-kun's new toy."
"She's not my toy"
"I'm nobody's toy."
"What?? Michi's??!!!"
"He brought her here, I didn't."
"WHAT??!!!!"
"Anoo...My name is Akai, nice to meet you, thank you for the clothes."

Aya couldn't believe what she saw. Who the hell was this... this intruder! Rage started to form inside her, jealousy taking over like it never did before. Mokomichi, feeling a little nervous, took Aya by the arm and pushed her and Toma outside, saying to Akai:

"We'll leave you to change clothes. I'll wait outside."


While Akai changed, the three wolves had a little conversation of their own.

"I'll wait outside... what the hell? Michi? you better explain yourself!"
"There's nothing to explain, she's here and that's that. And please stop calling me Michi."
"You actually expect me to buy that? there's gotta be an explanation for this... there's gotta... she's a run-away, she's crazy and thinks of herself a wolf and followed you here, she's a human spy come to check on us, she's actually a demon who seeks revenge on all life-forms..." Aya continued to say, almost to herself.
"Ha! actually, they're in love" said Toma.
"Don't say that! don't you dare! I'll cut you into meat ribbons, you..."
"Hey" don't get mad at me!"
"Cool it, both of you."
"Cool it? what? you don't want her to feel uncomfortable knowing she's NOT WANTED here?"

"I know I'm not wanted." said Akai as she walked out, looking radiant.

"Oooooo.... the costume suit her!" said Toma blowing a whistle. "You look like a wolf girl, A-kun, red is your color!"
"It's always been... Toma-chan."

Mokomichi stared, long enough for Aya to notice, and get pissed off.

"Ahem! right. The first order of business is to get you back home, Akai." said Mokomichi.
"They're on first name basis you know." Toma said to Aya. "He calls her Akai, she calls him Mokomichi."
"I forbid it! you two hear me? Forbidden!"
"So, how do we do that." Akai and Mokomichi paid no attention to the storm.
"It's going to be trickier in broad daylight. If I carry you, it will look suspicious, but if we walk, it will take days to go back. We must think of a plan."
"Right."
"Meanwhile, we must come up with an excuse for you being here."
"I could say I'm a traveling wolf girl, just passing by..."
"That's good, you'll say you come from the Ainu tribe up north, that should cover any weirdness anyone might find about you."

They talked while they walked, leaving the other two trailing behind. Toma was extremely amused with the whole thing, Aya was at her wit's end.

"Now we must go to the chief, you have to pay your respect to him, it's the wolf way."
"Do I need to do anything special in front of him?"
"No, just say your name, the story, and bow, that's all."
"Got it."
"Um... How are you today? I mean, did you sleep well? You look good... I mean..."
"Yeah, I slept great, thank you for asking."

They both blushed.

"Did you see that?" Toma said to Aya. "I told you."
"Shut up! I can't believe this, my eyes are seeing it, but I can't believe it. It's the end of the world."
"For you that is. But speaking realistically, you never had a chance."
"I did! e... I DO! I'm still in the game! she's a human after all, he can't... not with a human..."
"But she's a special human. She's cool, yo. A normal girl would be freaking out, but there she goes, in wolf disguise, like it's second skin to her, not to mention, she's talking with Moko-kun as if they know each other from forever!"
"You..."

But Aya couldn't retort to that, it was too true. Mokomichi had always been a wolf of few words, a loner, no matter what she did, he never paid too much attention, it was always like he was sleep-walking, awake but not really there. She loved him since the first time she laid eyes on him. It was lucky that he wasn't a skirt-chaser like Toma-chan, but now, he looked alive, it was mesmerizing to see. Was it that human's doing? was she a witch with supernatural powers? This... really couldn't be happening...

The four arrived to what looked like a huge cavern in the middle of the settlement, the entrance was lined with many people, some selling goods, many buying, there was a group of little boys and girls taking lessons from an elderly wolf and another group that played music with drums and strings. As the four went ahead, everyone seemed to bow their heads to them, some wished good day to Mokomichi, and addressed him as Hayami-san. This surprised Akai, he must be someone important she thought. She also noticed that Mokomichi was taller than most, so he was a tall guy, even for wolves.

"It seems to be working" Toma whispered to Akai. "No one suspects."
"Looks like it."
"But you will get looks nevertheless."
"why?"
"You're beautiful."

They approached the end of the well-lit cavern, it was more luxurious than it looked from the outside. A pack of wolves was there, they seemed to be working on some maps and documents. Mokomichi went for the guy that was best dressed, the chief probably, and addressed him.

"Boss, we found a wondering sister this morning and have brought her to your presence."
"I see." he waited for Akai to act, she did so in a clumsy way, a little too thrown off by the guy. He looked regal.
"Um... yes... My name is Akai... I come from the Ainu tribe in the north... I've been traveling on my own. Your favor please."
"The Ainus... very well, welcome, if you need any assistance, just ask."
"Thank you very much."
"We'll take care of her." said Mokomichi.
"You do that." said the Boss, stealing a glance at him.

They bowed and left. Mokomichi guided Akai and the rest to a near small lake where there was no people to hear them or ask too many questions.

"That went well." said Toma.
"Pft! whatever." said Aya.

But Mokomichi was silent, and that worried Akai. She couldn't ask him anything though.

"Have you thought of a way to go back?" he asked her suddenly.
"None." she said. "They must be worried, no one's ever been away this long..."
"Really? what a closed up village you live in." said Toma. "It's kind of depressing."
"She must go back now! we must think of a way! come on people! think! I'll help in any way I can, just say the word and I'll do it." Aya pressed.
"How kind-hearted." Toma laughed at her.

But they couldn't think for long, because someone else came walking their way. It was another wolf girl, she had black hair, plenty of it, it seemed all wolves were somewhat hairy. She spoke low but clear.

"Moko-kun, my brother is looking for you."
"I've been expecting him."
"Hi! Maki-chan! looking good today as well I see!" Toma greeted her, running in circles around her.
"Thanks." she said, looking away. Toma felt a little disappointed.
"He's at it again? when is he going to learn he can't defeat my Michi?"
"Don't call me Michi."
"He gets really tiresome sometimes..."

Maki glared at Aya when she said that, but didn't respond. Suddenly, a gush of wind blew where they were and a black figure could be seen behind Maki. This wolf boy was black, just like Maki, and he looked deadly. Akai got a little scared. The fierce look in his eyes told of deep emotions buried inside his heart. But what scared her the most was that she never felt him coming, and she could tell no one else did as well, because they all turned around where he stood a little too fast.

"Hayami." he said.
"Ryo." Mokomichi responded.
"Get ready."

Comments.

The morning sun shone over the clear lake water, giving off sparkles of light. Birds sang on trees and leaves made soothing sounds as the morning breeze tickled them. Three girls were sitting on some rocks, enjoying the shadow of a big tree, while a boy sat cross-legged on soft grass near them. They were watching two figures standing one in front of the other a few feet away.

"I'll make the introductions, again." said Toma to Akai "Akai, this is Maki-chan, that's her brother over there, Ryo-kun".
"Nice to meet you." said Maki without looking at Akai, she bowed her head a little bit nevertheless.
"The kuro brothers, as we call them, are cousins of Moko-kun."
"Only you call us that."
"A small detail. We've known each other since we were little cubs."
"Exactly, we're tight, us wolves." said Aya.
"Anyway... maybe you don't know this, A-kun, but in wolf country, there's always a pack of wolves that lead all the rest, we're the next generation, we're important. And Moko-kun is our alpha-male. That means he's our leader. Now, only other male members of the pack can challenge Moko-kun in order to take the leadership, and as you can see, there's only me, and kuro over there, I've personally resigned to my fate, I'll never beat Moko-kun in combat. But Ryo-kun hasn't. Therefore, there they are."
"My brother has been training hard."
"And he'll never beat my Michi!"
"Shut up, Aya. You really piss me off sometimes." Maki glared at her.
"It's only the truth." Aya said, a little thrown back.
"Actually... there' more going on there... but I'll tell you some other time, when we're alone." Toma whispered to Akai.

So wolves had all kinds of rules, it was all really interesting. Meanwhile, Mokomichi and Ryo faced off. Their tails softly moving with the wind. They circled each other, hunching over and growling. Akai didn't see, but every time wolves get in a fight, their fangs will grow to a dangerous degree. Ryo's fangs were white as snow, Mokomichi could tell he had been polishing them off with who knows what kind of training. But Mokomichi wasn't paying much attention to the upcoming fight. He had other matters in his head to worry about.

"Let's cut this short, Ryo. I don't have time to play with you."
"Shut the fuck up! You won't get away this time Hayami, you're dead meat."
"Fine, let's see the results of your latest training."

And with that, it was on. Wolf pounded on wolf, biting viciously, punches were thrown so fast it was really hard to see them, kicks were heard, with the dull sound that violence makes when flesh is hit hard. Ryo saw an opening, and scratched his opponent's flesh with his paw nails, cutting Mokomichi's flesh. Mokomichi was surprised at Ryo's swift moves, he had become faster than him, but Ryo's defense dropped when he hesitated on his next move, and Mokomichi took the chance and choked Ryo with a back-hold. Ryo managed to escape the back-hold by moving under Mokomichi's legs, he had always known his weak point was him being so tall. But Mokomichi had predicted Ryo would go for that, and kicked him as he move under him so hard he sent Ryo flying off. Ryo barely landed on his feet.

"It's not over!"

Ryo pounded on Mokomichi, biting the back of his neck. Mokomichi saw his moves reflected on the lake water and hunched over, but not fast enough to evade the attack, Mokomichi managed to grab Ryo and threw him on the ground once again. They were both bleeding, huffing, tired. It had been a quick but close fight, still, Mokomichi was the winner.

The girls had watched the fight, Aya predictably rooting for Mokomichi, Maki for her brother. It was the first wolf fight Akai ever saw, she found it incredible, she was so excited, maybe too excited, when Toma asked her:

"How did you like it?"
"It was amazing. The water helped Mokomichi."
"You noticed." Maki said.
"The water?" asked Aya.
"You wouldn't understand." Toma told her.
"What? why are you leaving in the dark? Maki-chan, how come you're fraternizing with human girl over there?"
"If she noticed, she's o.k. in my book."
"I can't believe this! another one that falls for her tricks!" Aya said.
"Aya-chan, give it a rest, you're just jealous. It's unbecoming, even for you." Toma told her.
"Jealous?" Maki asked.
"A-kun is Moko-kun's guest of honor today."
"Really..."
"She's not! you blabber-mouth! she's just here by accident!"
"We must find a way for me to go back home today." said Akai.
"I see. Maybe I can help you with that."
"You will? you've thought of a way? that's great! what a relief!" said Aya, hugging Maki, or attempting to do so.
"Don't touch me, storm." Maki brushed her off.
"E... you and your brother are exactly the same."
"That's what I love about her." Toma said, making lovey dovey eyes at Maki.
"Hmm!" Maki just looked away, making Toma disappointed for the second time today.

Mokomichi held out his hand to Ryo, but he pushed it aside and got up on his own. They both looked at each other and didn't need to speak to express what they were thinking and feeling. Mokomichi had been impressed that Ryo got faster than him, he knew he'd neglected too much his own training and needed to get back to it soon. Ryo was satisfied, for the moment, to see his training had been fruitful, but it still wasn't enough. He needed to work on his strength now, and that was going to be the real deal-breaker against Mokomichi.

"The next one." said Mokomichi.
"The next one." replied Ryo.

They both walked where the rest of the group was, Ryo limped a little.

"You were awesome Michi!"
"Stop calling me Michi, please."
"That was a close one, Ryo-kun." said Toma.
"Was not!" said Aya.

Ryo looked at her with what could be called hurt in his eyes. But no one other than Maki saw it. She went to her brother and looked at his legs.

"Nana can take care of that."
"It's nothing." Ryo said.
"Still..."

Aya looked his way, somewhat worried, but she felt it wasn't her place to show any care for Ryo, so she turned her attention to her usual target, Mokomichi, who would have usually been just standing there, not caring about anything, but not this time. Because Mokomichi, without even realizing it, went to where Akai was sitting, and sat next to her.

"How are you?" she asked.
"Good."
"Your back is bleeding."
"Is it?"
"I can cure it, if you want to."
"Go ahead."

So Akai got on her feet and started to gather some greens here and there, she took a budding flower that was all alone on the tree and picked up some pebbles by the lake shore, she gathered some water and started to mash everything into a pulp. She then proceeded to apply the ointment on Mokomichi's back neck. He flinched a bit, it hurt, but he bore with it, not really understanding why he trusted so much this strange girl. Aya saw them and inmediately started to protest:

"Hey! what are you doing? why are you massaging my Michi? leave him alone!"
"It's just a cure." Akai said.
"E... well, just... don't stand so close to him."
"Hahahaha!! she's really freaking out today!" Toma laughed, looking at Maki, but she gave no response.
"Ah! Maki-chan! you said you could help Akai get back to her home?" Aya interrupted.
"I do."
"Well?"
"It's just that our fighting teacher is going back to the human city today, and since he uses a wagon, we could ask him to give you a ride." Maki said to Akai.
"That sounds good."
"When is he leaving?" asked Mokomichi.
"At dusk." said Ryo.
"Dusk? I thought he'd leave by noon?" Maki wondered.
"Abe-san needs to get some things first, it will take him all day."
"I see... will that be good for you?"
"Sure." Akai replied to Maki.

Mokomichi, on the other hand, looked a little down. And so, it was decided that Akai will leave that night. Aya got happy, which made her ease up on her jealousy act, and the gang started to enjoy the rest of the day. Ryo and Maki joined them, which was something of a new, happy occurrence. They had their personal reasons for doing so, but most of all, they were curious about the human girl. Maki told her brother in secret that Akai had figured out the water thing, and Ryo got impressed. There was more to that human girl that she was letting everyone know. Ryo figured maybe that was the reason why Mokomichi wanted her around.
Toma was just happy he got to spend some much time with Maki for a change, she was the only wolf girl that never succumbed to his charms, which made him kind of mad, she was a challenge for him, but most of all, she was the most important girl to him. He loved her dark aura.

The gang went to the kuro brothers' place to get Nana to treat Ryo's legs, Nana was their legal guardian, their parents had died in an accident years before, leaving them to her care, until they became of age. Nana was a sweet old wolf, she was very motherly, and understood better than anyone the aloof, almost odious ways of brother and sister. She offered to make lunch for everyone, since she was delighted the kids had brought their friends home for once, but they said they'd take care of everything, it wasn't wise to let Nana stay too long near Akai, she'd know the girl was human, and alert the authorities. She was old-fashioned that way. So Nana left, and the gang was left alone in the kitchen.

"Ma-ki-chaaaan." Toma said, in his most cutesy voice.
"What?"
"What do you want to eat for lunch today?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Name it and I'll get it for you!"
"..."
"Yes?"
"I'd like some ginger cookies."
"Ginger... cookies?" Toma said, a little worried.
"Yes, I crave for ginger cookies."
"Hehe...e.... how about some ginger... pickled?"
"No."
"No?"
"No."
"Then... what do you say to some ginger... tea?"
"That's not what I want."
"Are you sure you want ginger cookies?"
"Completely."

"What's the problem with ginger cookies?" Akai asked Mokomichi.
"There's only one place where he can get that. The witch's ginger house."
"And..."
"No wolf can go there... once you go to the witch's house, you never return."
"Oh..." Akai laughed to herself.

On the way to the witch's house, Toma was getting more and more nervous with each step he took, Aya was all out making fun of him, it was her revenge time after all, even Mokomichi was enjoying the little adventure. Akai and Maki got to talking, while Ryo followed everybody a little far behind.

"Why did you ask him for ginger cookies?" Akai asked.
"I'm curious to see how far he would go."
"He seems pretty serious about it."
"That's because you don't know him."
"I see."
"He's the most irresponsible, womanizing, careless wolf in our pack." Maki said, staring at Toma's back. He suddenly turned back for a second, and she avoided his look.
"So you want to know why he's taking it seriously this time..."
"Yes."
"And you're pushing him so that he'll cave under the pressure and spill the reason."
"Exactly."
"Clever. But I think he'll go for it this time."

Maki looked at Akai with wondering eyes.

"It's just a feeling, since I don't know him that well."

Before they knew it, they were right in front of the infamous house.

Comments.

The sun that had been shining bright all day long decided to hide for a while, just at the right time. A cold wind swept the tight formation of trees that surrounded the small house that stood in the middle. It was a house made of ginger. It smelled divine. Akai's mouth watered when she got a whiff of that smell, she had never been a fan of sweets, but that smell was almost intoxicatingly good, it was enchanting. She had inadvertently closed her eyes, and when she opened them she saw all the wolves were in a sort of trance, she laughed to herself thinking if that smell had had such an effect on her, it would be at least ten times stronger for the wolves, and so it was. It took them a full ten minutes to snap out of it.

"Right! we're here." said Toma, now very nervous.
""So we are." said Maki.
"Well... then..."
"Are you going in or not? now we'll tell the wolves from the chickens!" Aya dared him.
"Shut up storm... umm... wait a minute... Aya?... yes... Aya!"
"What?"
"You'll help me! you'll run around the house, creating a havoc, as usual, and I'll take the opportunity and grab a piece of the house's wall."
"No way."
"Please?"
"Nope."
"Don't make me make you..."
"I will not!"
"If you don't run... I'll tell a certain someone about a certain job you paid a certain person to do, and the something you keep hidden in your closet."
"How did you...?" Aya gasped.
"I have my ways..."
"A..." she hesitated "but... I'll risk it... go ahead and tell... I'm too afraid of the witch..."
"Damn it."

Mokomichi and Ryo laughed in unison, looked at each other, and immediately stopped.

"Let's just go back." said Maki, she had had enough of the joke, plus she secretly was also afraid of the witch.
"NO! I said I'll get the cookies and I'll get them!"

Everyone looked at Toma amazed. But no one dared to go any nearer. No one except for Akai.

"Let's just go and knock on the door, Toma-chan, I'll go with you."
"You will?" asked Toma almost in tears.
"Sure."
"You're so brave and generous, A-kun!"
"Let's go."

"Wait. Are you sure?" asked Mokomichi.
"Yeah, don't worry."
"I don't... worry... it's just..."
"Ahem!... I know... it's no big deal... really."

And off they went, Toma clinging to Akai's fur coat, looking more sheepish than he ever did before. Akai had thought in all probability there was no real danger at all, her grandma had told her many times before that women who were accused of being a witch in fact weren't, they knew about medicine, about astrology, most were just educated, but because they were women, and women weren't supposed to be educated, people feared them. But if the remote chance that there really was a wicked witch living there existed, she at least would be safe, since she was human, and she'd probably be able to help Toma-chan in case of danger, she was confident in her military training.
The rest watched them from afar go and knock, in dread.

A voice could be heard coming from inside:

"Yes?"
"Good afternoon!" said Akai.
"Come in please, the door is open!"

And they went in.

The inside of that house was all homely and cute, there was furniture in a living room filled with ruffles and what looked like figurines, pictures of other houses against dreamy landscapes and oil lamps here and there. A strong sweet smell came crushing at Akai and Toma's noses as the door to the kitchen opened and an innocent looking old woman came out.

"Hello hello there! good afternoon."
"Um... yes... hello... nice to meet you." said Akai, Toma was too dizzy because of the smell to talk at all.
"Please, have a seat, oh my, two young people come to visit me, what a surprise."
"Um... my name is Akai, this is my friend Toma, we come from the wolf village near here..."
"Ah! so you're wolves! my, I've never seen wolves before! How pleasant! You look so wild, and fit! look at those muscles!"
"I'm glad, thank you. Um... we've come to visit you because... well, we felt it was just the right thing to do, since we're neighbors."
"How well behaved young wolves are! who would have thought? This is so nice of you."
"You have a beautiful home." said Akai looking around, but not paying too much attention, the smell was also getting to her.
"Thank you so much, it takes a great deal of work to care for this house."
"I would imagine that. Is it... really made of ginger cookies?"
"Quite so quite so, as a matter of fact, I'm making some repairs right now, a portion of a window paine fell off and I have to repair it today."
"It would be troublesome to have a broken wall when night comes."
"That's right! so intelligent this young girl!... my, I'm so happy! I seldom get visitors in this parts of the woods!"
"Really? that's a shame..."
"I get bored pretty soon, that's why I bake."
"I see, you must be a good baker then."
"Thank you, I am, not to toot my own horn, but I've quite mastered the art of baking."
"I'm sure."
"Say, could I interest you and your friend in some of my cookies?"
"Oh! we would love to try some!"
"Is your friend all right? he looks a little off."
"Um... he's just shy... he acts like that everytime we meet new people."
"Ah... how... quirky... so cute, young wolves!"
"So... you said we're the first wolves you've ever seen?"
"That's right, my good girl! I had been told there lived wolves in this woods, but I never crossed paths with one of you before."
"That's strange."
"But since you've come to visit me, everything is all right now!"
"Ah... right..."
"Excuse me for a moment... I'll go get the cookies in the kitchen in a jiffy. Oh! since you're here I might as well interest you in a cup of my tea?"
"It would be our pleasure."
"How pleasant."

When the old woman went inside her kitchen and closed the door making the smell lighter, Toma regained his ability to speak, whispering between them, he said to Akai:

"She scares me!"
"Chill, Toma-chan, she's just a sweet old woman, and she offered the cookies, we should just take them."
"She might poison the tea and kill us!"
"She has no reason to do something like that! plus, she seemed very happy we came."
"Exactly! she said everything was all right now that we came! does that mean everything wasn't all right before?"

But Akai didn't have time to respond to that, because the old woman came out with a plate filled with cookies and the tea set. Toma became dizzy again, and could barely move now.

"Here we go..."
"Ah! the tea smells good." said Akai.
"Thank you my dear, I got it specially delivered!"

Akai grabbed a cookie and bit a little of it, after a small pause. It was as expected, delicious. The old woman looked at her with excitement, and when she saw her cookie was a success she smiled bright.

"I see you like it!"
"It's delicious, you really are a master baker."
"Ah... thank you so much."

She turned her attention to Toma, but since he couldn't move he didn't reach for a cookie, which made the old woman frown a little.

"Your friend there really doesn't look good."
"Does he?"
"Maybe he's sick?"
"He might be... he fell on a pond this morning, he might have caught a cold."
"That's too bad... he needs to take better care of himself!"
"I keep telling him that..." Akai said taking a look at Toma, his now green skin gave her an idea. "Ma'am... you're right, he's fallen sick all right... if you don't mind... I'd like to go back home with him to have him taken care of..."
"For sure! for sure! please do so... and take some of my cookies with you... it would be a shame if he didn't get to try them because of a passing sickness!"
"That's very kind of you... well... we'll be going now... it was really nice meeting you."
"Good bye young wolves! come again any time you want!"
"Good bye."

The old woman closed the door after they left. Akai was carrying Toma and the cookie package as best as she could, and as quickly as she could, back to where the pack was waiting. She turned a corner when she almost crashed into Mokomichi, who was walking their way.

"Oh! you're back! I was going to get you!"
"We're back... you were going to get me? on your own?"
"You took so long..."
"But... we were in there only a few minutes." Akai said surprised.
"If you call a full hour only a few minutes then there's something wrong with you."
"An hour!?" asked Toma, now fully recovered. "Are you sure?"
"Of course. I timed it."

The three of them were puzzled, but instinct told Mokomichi they should hurry and get away as soon as possible. So they left, and after thet met up with Maki, Aya and Ryo they headed back home.

"Here are your cookies!" Toma said, triumphant.
"..." Maki looked at the package, but dared not to even touch it. "I don't want them anymore."
"But... I went through all that trouble!"
"You mean Akai-chan did."
"A... fine... if you don't want them... then we can all eat them!" and as Toma looked around, everyone averted his gaze, even Akai.
"A-kun! you too? but you had a bite in there!"
"A bite is enough for me... I don't like sweets that much."
"E... fine! I'll throw them away then!"

Toma threw the package very far, and it landed on a puddle of mud a few feet away off the road, and it was a good thing that Toma did that, because so it happened that the very spot where those cookies landed, till this day, is a dead spot, nothing grows there, and nothing ever will.

"So... the so-called witch wasn't a witch after all." said Mokomichi.
"That's right, she was just a sweet old woman." said Akai.
"I still think there was something else going on there..." Toma shivered as he remembered how numb he felt because of the smell coming out of that kitchen.
"She had never seen a wolf before in her life. I figured that's why they said no wolf that goes there ever returns, a wolf never went there before in the first place."
"Makes sense." said Maki.
"So how was the house inside?" asked Aya.
"Normal looking, like the house of any old woman..."
"Please elaborate." asked Ryo.
"Well, it was all sweet looking, ruffles here and there, she had figurines, and paintings..."
"The figurines!" Toma yelled.
"What about them?" asked Akai.
"They were all of small children on wagons!"
"So?"
"It was creepy! I tell you!... and now that I remember... the paintings!"
"They were houses, right?" said Akai.
"The house windows had little children inside them! You couldn't have seen that because you're human, but I did!"
"So she has a little obsession with children... maybe they remind her of her grandchildren or something..." Akai brushed Toma's comments off. "Everything is fine now anyway."
"Please don't say it like that..." Toma held himself. "You sounded just like her."

"Whatever..."

The wolves and girl walked back home, as the sun shone bright again in the clear blue sky. In years to come, every wolf would be told of how grateful they should be to a certain human girl, a brave human girl, that saved them from a terrible evil hidden deep inside the woods.

Comments.

Late afternoon, the pack gathered once again on the house of kuro. After their little adventure into sweets they all felt like eating a big hearty meal, only salt and grown up flavors, please. Roasted lamb, grilled fish, all kinds of vegetables, raw and cooked, miso soup, rice, the works. After pigging out and taking a little nap night came again, celebrating the first day of Akai's stay in wolf land. The pack fell into a reflective mood, specially wondering where Abe-san was, the man on whom Akai's return depended. He appeared on the doorstep rather late, and with a dissatisfied look on his face.

"Good evening" said Abe-san.
"Yo. Sensei." replied Ryo.
"Abe-san, we've been waiting for you." said Maki.
"You have? what for?"
"We have a favor to ask."
"Go ahead." said Abe-san sitting down and looking at Akai.
"We were wondering, if it's not too much to ask of you, if you could give our friend here a ride back home on your wagon."
"And the lady in question is..."
"My name is Akai, your favor please."
"Akai... mmm... I don't know if I'll be able to take you with me, miss. You see, it would be troublesome for me to travel with a human."

Everyone looked surprised, they didn't think Abe-san would discover so quickly Akai's secret, which was a foolish thing to do, since Abe-san was a very experienced person. He looked steadily at Akai, and she didn't look away from him, a little staring battle came upon them, which made Abe-san smile and decide he liked the girl.

"My name is Abe Hiroshi-san, I'm these two's fighting instructor, nice to meet you, I present myself because I'm sure they didn't say much about me to you, they have a real lack in common manners."
"Yes." was all Akai ventured to say, under her giggles.

Mokomichi also stifled a laugh, along with Toma and Aya. Maki blushed and Ryo looked away with an insulted look. Toma gasped to himself, it was the first time he ever saw Maki blush, she looked so cute he was mesmerized.

"Tell me something." said Abe-san. "What is a human girl like yourself doing here?"
"Well, it's hard to put into words..." Akai gave a small glance sideways at Mokomichi, who in turn looked at her with questioning eyes, amused. "I would say... I felt like exploring."
"I see, that's good." He paused. He considered something in his mind, but didn't express it out loud. "Well, little girl, I've got good news and bad news for you... if I can venture to guess your likes and dislikes."
"Yes?"
"What do you want to hear first?"
"The good news."
"Ah.... so you're that type of person... good to know, very well, the good news is that I will give you a ride as close as your home as I can go."
"Thank you, and... the bad news?"
"The bad news is that it will not be any time soon, as far as I can tell."
"You're not traveling tonight?" asked Maki.
"No my dear, some things, some... issues... have come up for me that force to stay just a bit longer."
"Issues?" wondered Ryo.
"Yes, I won't elaborate any further on that matter though."

Again, Mokomichi, Toma, Aya, and even Maki, stifled a laugh. Akai suspected the word to be one often used by Ryo. Abe-san reached for his back-pack and pulled out a huge hisago, he popped it open and had a large drink, the smell of sake invaded the room. He was in the mood to get drunk, and sensei or not sensei, he didn't care about his disciples watching him fall from grace, not this night. After more alcohol swallowing, his tongue danced freely, making him get comfortable with Akai, and start telling her his life story:

"You shee... I'm a wolf too ye know, but I don't look like it, ye know why? cause I cut off me tail! that's why!"
"You cut off your tail?" asked Akai, trying to keep a decent distance between herself and Abe-san, but she didn't have to because Mokomichi suddenly came and sat in between them.
"shthat's right! I wanted to walk free in the world! just like you... I wanted to explore... but I couldn't do that with a tail... noooo sir... cause nobody likes wolves 'cept wolves... everyone fears us... a'ma right? a'ma right? young ones? tell her! a'ma right?"
"You're right Abe-san." Maki, Ryo, Aya and Toma said in unison.
"That's right! but it hurts, lil'one... cuttin' yer tail hurts... and it also hurts when it grows back... that's why I hafta come back every once in a while ye see... to take care of that problem..."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Damn right you should be sorry... no... not you lil'one... you shouldn't be... it's not yer fault, yer cool right? making friends with wolves ain't something humans do... yer cool."
"Thank you."
"I ain't cool though... I wanted to... but nooo... they won't let mee..." said Abe-san as he started to cover himself with a blancket and tucking himself in to sleep.

Ryo and Maki were puzzled, they couldn't imagine what could have happened to Abe-san to put him in that kind of state. When he fell asleep, they all quietly crept outside the house.

"So you're not leaving tonight." said Aya, clearly pissed off.
"Looks like it." said Akai "sorry to bother you."
"You're not a bother." said Mokomichi.
"I am to her..."
"Oh... and now she gets sassier!" teased Toma.
"You can't stay with us Akai-chan." said Maki "Nana would report you if she found out."

They all looked at Toma.

"She won't stay again on my hut! I can't face another night without my bed! sorry, A-kun."
"Then she'll stay with me." said Mokomichi.
"Is that a smart move?" asked Ryo.
"I'll find a way."
"It's your problem."
"NO!" yelled Aya. "she'll stay with me!"
"really...?" they all said to Aya, bewildered.
"What? I can be hospitable..."

When they separated for the night, the kuro brothers seeing off the rest, Mokomichi looked back where Aya and Akai had disappeared to, he wondered if it would be all right...
Akai, on her part, looked back where Mokomichi had gone, she didn't like separating from him, she somehow felt safe near him, and being apart from him in wolf land made her really nervous, but she wasn't about to show it to them, specially Aya, that would cause even more trouble.
Aya was also nervous, for personal reason that strangely enough had nothing to do with Mokomichi. Sort of.
Aya's place was still and dark, it seemed not a soul stirred inside. But she knew it to be the contrary, in all probability.

"Let's creep in quietly." she whispered to Akai. "Try to not make a sound."
"Ok."

Aya opened the door, slowly, but the hinges screeched, as did the wood. She closed her eyes, mortified, but nothing happened. Continuing to walk, followed by Akai, she closed the door, and just as she did so, the lights turned on. Popping sounds with confetti thrown and festive decorations received the girls home. A mantronly woman congratulated Aya, while a middle-aged man half-slept on a wooden chair near the fireplace. Aya's wolf parents.

"Congratulations! the fruit of my loins is back! you closed the deal didn't you? I knew it! you couldn't be this cute for nothing!"
"E... my baby is back?" asked Aya's dad still half asleep.
"I didn't close any deal mom! please be quite! we don't want to wake up the neighbors!"
"What? but I want everyone to know that my own daughter is going to be... wait a minute... you didn't close any deal? how? how did this happen?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow mom... now please... we just want to go to bed."
"EH? you and who else?" and as she asked she saw Akai for the first time.
"Who? what? oh... oh no... no no no no no... my daughter can't be doing this to me... a girl? since when? oh no... tragedy!"
"Oh my god, mom! It's not what you think! stop it!"
"Thank GOD! but it's really not that, isn't it? you're not just saying it's not that so you'll get out of this free, are you? are you?" Aya's mom pleaded with her.
"I asure you mom, it's not that. She's just a friend, she doesn't have anywhere to stay so I offered to help."
"Ah... I can breath now! girl, friend of my daughter... who isn't a girlfriend... I mean... oh dear... you know what I mean... anyway... welcome to our humble abode."

Akai laughed to herself, what a character this wolf woman was. So this is what Aya was hiding from.

"Thank you."
"Daughter dearest... now tell me... what happened?"
"Tomorrow mom! good night!" and turning where her father was: "good night daddy!"
"Good night my little princess..." and he went right back to deep sleeping.

They hurriedly went inside Aya's room, away from her mother, at least for tonight. Aya was too embarrassed to say anything, so she occupied herself with making a bed for Akai. Akai also didn't say anything, she just looked around, this being the first time she was ever inside a wolf girl's bedroom. It looked like any human girl's room, if she liked the outdoors, it was sweet but wild, it had a certain fairy aura about it, very girly, Akai thought. Little heart decorations made with twigs and lace hang everywhere, and there was the closet where Toma had said she hid something. Akai felt curious about that, but she wasn't about to flat-out ask Aya's secret just like that. She would get her head bitten off for sure.

"You can sleep here." said Aya as she finished the bed.
"Thank you."
"I... um... I'll go to take a bath... you can go after me."
"All right."
"If mom comes in and asks anything... just say you know nothing... ok?" she said quickly before going out the room.

Akai didn't have time to answer, but she felt thoroughly amused. Aya's mom was the complete opposite of her mom. Her mom was all about practicality, having your feet on the ground, she never had fantasies about Akai's future, or expectations, she knew Akai's strengths and weaknesses, and planned accordingly. Aya's mom was... fanciful, to say the least. But she shouldn't judge. She didn't know them that well.
Aya's dad... that kind of hurt Akai, she remembered her dad, and for a moment there, she imagined him waking up, just like Aya's dad did, asking about her, like nothing had happened. Don't delude yourself Akai, he's not going to wake up like that.
But she couldn't help to wish. To dream.
Her emotions trying to surface were forcefully pushed down. She didn't have the luxury to think that way. Her mission was far from over, it was just beginning.
Eventually Aya returned, and Akai went to take a bath, Aya's mom didn't jump at them that night, which made Aya apprehensive for what tomorrow held. She usually was a heavy sleeper but that night she tossed and turned in her double futon, unable to sleep. Akai was kept awake, half-sleeping was something she was used to. Suddenly Aya got up, she held up her futons and there was the cause, a pea had slipped under there, throwing it out the window with more force than necessary, she went right back to bed.
As the girls went to sleep, they both dreamed about their lives, what they wished, all the what if's and all the things that will never come.

The next morning found the girls showered with almost gracious activity coming from Aya's mom, she found herself feeling ashamed on how she had treated Aya's friend last night, but most importantly, she didn't want rumors to spread about she not being a good host. No, nothing even remotely like a reproach will ever be said about her or her family. She set the table with all her specialties for breakfast, even if they weren't breakfast food.

"Please, have some more yakisoba, there's also my special umeboshi, and also, oh! the wagashi! you must try the wagashi!"
"Shankyoo" Akai tried to speak, but her mouth was too full.
"She can eat on her own, mom, jeez, leave her alone."
"Shoosh! don't speak to your mother like that! that's bad manners! I didn't raise you that way!" Aya's mom said "Never mind her, she gets cranky every morning, she's really a sweet girl, we're good parents, but we don't deserve such a good daughter." she squeezed Aya's cheeks so hard she popped a few blood vessels.
"Mom! my face!"
"Oh... it wasn't that hard."
"I'll held you responsible if permanent damage is done!"
"Well, I gave you your life missy! try paying me back for that!"

Mother and daughter got caught up in an argument that seemed like an everyday habit for the two. Meanwhile, Aya's dad sat closer to Akai and started to talk with her:

"The women of my life, I love them to death, but they sure can make a ruckus every morning. I guess you're aware of my princess' nickname?"
"the storm?"
"Right. that's the one, she gets her energy from her mom, we used to call my wife typhoon back in the day."
"They're two peas in a pod."
"Hahaha! that's right!"

Hearing her husband's laughter made Aya's mom come back to taking semi-care of her guest.

"Akai-chan... ne... I wanted to apologize for last night, it was rude of me the way I welcomed you..."
"It's ok, I don't mind at all." Akai tried to say, but was overpowered by Aya's mom, who wasn't really interested in hearing her response.
"You see, we were so happy, since that same morning Hayami-san had come specifically looking for our precious daughter, and even asked for her clothes! Who would have thought? such a perfect gentleman that boy always was, but I guess our daughter wakes the animal in him, if you get my drift..."
"Mom!"
"Don't you agree that they make the most perfect couple? Akai-chan? sooo in love they are, it's too much for my innocent eyes to see, they're sure to get married any time soon..."
"Mom, please, shut up..." but Aya lost all hope by now, she knew when her mom started talking like this there was no stopping her.
"Then the fruit of my loins will be set for life! ah! I can see it now! everybody admiring her..."
"My princess will not marry without my permission." Aya's dad was firm on that subject.
"Your permission? she doesn't need your permission to marry Hayami-san! it's Hayami-san after all!"
"That boy, or any other boy that wants to marry my daughter has to come to me and ask for her hand, if, and note this wife, IF he convinces me that he loves her, and she loves him back, then I'll give my permission. End of discussion."
"Convince you? my darling, there is no doubt in my mind! Aya and Hayami-san are meant to be! there's no other way! besides, she loves him... don't you dear daughter?"
Aya's mom had turned around to look at her daughter, but she and Akai had sneaked out before she noticed.

The girls were now walking to Toma's hut, the appointed spot of the pack's reunions. Akai didn't think Aya felt like conversing with her, but she was wrong.

"I do love him." Aya said, almost to herself.
"I'm sure of that."
"I'm not being pushed by my mother on this. So don't think I'll give up."
"I never asked you to."
"It's just... the one thing she and I agree on. Just this one."
"I liked her."
"You liked her? that further proves my view of you, Akai-chan, you're too weird."

Akai was surprised and looked at Aya with a soft expression. Aya noticed and was thrown back.

"What?"
"You called me Akai-chan..."
"Pft! whatever... " she said as she blushed.
"She loves you, it shows, it was nice to see." Akai said after a pause.
"Give me a break, she just wants to marry me off so she and dad can continue with their love affair. It's disgusting."
"Love in a family is not a disgusting thing."
"You say that because you don't have to live with it everyday of your life."
"I say it because I don't live with it everyday of my life."

Aya looked at Akai, her expression was sad. She wondered how things were like for Akai in the human world. She realized she knew nothing about the human world, which made her feel ignorant. She unconsciously compared herself with Akai, a girl out in the world, getting to know all that she didn't know before, it took courage, she thought, and suddenly she felt that Akai was winning, in the competition inside her head, Akai was winning.
Akai was also reflecting, thinking how her life would be different had she had a family like Aya's, she was incredibly jealous, in some level she never thought she could be so jealous of someone she just met. But Aya was a sweet girl, like her mother had said, she was a princess, like her father had said, and Akai felt like trash compared to her.

Both girls, walking side by side, didn't realize it yet, but they were going to be friends for life.


Comments.

Back at Toma's hut, only Mokomichi arrived early. He woke Toma up and didn't seem able to sit still, Toma was like the walking dead every morning so he didn't particularly notice it, otherwise he would have made fun of Mokomichi like there was no tomorrow. When the girls arrived Toma was already himself and he and Mokomichi were having their breakfast.

"Morning." Aya and Akai said.
"Yo." Toma mustered to say in between bites.
"Ah... I didn't get to eat enough... I'm still hungry... mind if I join you?" Aya said.
"Knock yourself out."

She and Toma devoured the food with so much energy it kind of made Akai nauseous, she had enough food in her stomach to last a decade. Very slyly Mokomichi managed to drag Akai away from the eating monsters without them noticing it. Outside, they had a little talk:

"How are you?"
"I'm ok... I'm alive... not a scratch, see?" Akai said laughing and showing Mokomichi her bare skin.

He checked her up, at first worried, then at ease, then with a little lust in his eyes, which made Akai blush profusely and think about what she was doing, showing herself to this guy like she's some kind of piece of meat, it wasn't right, she better stop. She covered herself quickly while Mokomichi laughed a little to himself, the side of her red fur coat caught some twigs that were sticking out the floor, almost ripping the lining. Her "oh" made Mokomichi look at was she was doing instead of at her and for a second he panicked. Akai was surprised at his response and looked at him questioningly.

"It was my older sister's, that coat."
"Your sister's?"
"It was her favorite fur coat when she was a teenager, she told me many times, she almost never used it and kept it stored away so nothing ever happened to it... I wanted you to have it."

Akai felt honored, having something so loved entrusted on her, she didn't know what to say. She looked at Mokomichi with loving eyes, startling him.

"She doesn't mind that you gave it to me?"
"My sister... she's not here."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know... she... disappeared a few years ago."
"Disappeared. I'm so sorry."
"She's been declared dead by now."

Akai looked surprised, Mokomichi understood why, but he didn't feel like talking much on the subject, even though he kind of brought it up.

"Do you have other siblings?" Akai asked.
"An older brother."
"And your parents?"
"They left us many years ago."
"Is that...?"
"A common wolf practice? not at all, they were just bastards, that's all."
"Toma-chan also doesn't live with his parents."
"They left him as well, but for reason different than mine."
"I see."
"And you?"
"I'm an only child. I used to live with my mom, dad, and my grandma, but she was killed, and then our family fell apart."
"She was killed? I'm so sorry." Mokomichi remembered the comment he had made about Akai's grandma and he felt really bad about it.

They looked at each other, almost with new eyes. Both had experienced family loses and understood each other's griefs which made them feel closer than before. They walked to a near-by rock that was covered by tree-shade and sat there, forgetting about the rest of the world.

"You know that cure I put on your nape yesterday?"
"Yeah..."
"My grandma taught me that. She was great."
"It really works, I have no scars left."

This time it was Mokomichi unconsciously showing his bare skin to Akai, she reached out to touch it, getting closer to him, and he did as well. As she ran the back of her finger down his neck, electric waves shook them all over. The proximity was making both hearts beat so strongly they could almost hear each other. Akai's skin felt to her like a land mine field, she acutely felt the brush of fabric against it, the wind sweeping her hair, Mokomichi's breath getting closer and closer. His piercing honey hued eyes locked on her, enthralling her, making her knees weak and her insides flutter.
This was his chance, thought Mokomichi, it's now or never, he had to take it, otherwise it will haunt him forever, the taste of those luscious lips, they looked so inviting, like ripe fruit waiting to be kissed, to be bitten, to be devoured. And her scent was all over him, it was embedded inside him, he almost hated such intrusion inside his soul. She seemed oblivious to the effect she had on male specimens, that drove him mad, but he knew no other male had been there before, that made him happy, and feel foolish for some reason. This girl made him feel like a fool. Like a dog wagging his tail at his master, like a wolf wanting to suck on the biggest, juiciest bone in site.
Their foreheads touched. She closed her eyes. His breathing getting harder and harder.
Until someone yelled:

"How is this possible?"

Mokomichi and Akai both turned their heads, almost expecting to see Aya there, but there was no one, the yell came from inside the hut. They hurried back and saw the kuro brothers had come.

"What happened?" asked Mokomichi.
"It's unbelievable..." Toma was shocked.

Maki was in tears, unable to speak at all, Ryo was furious. Akai saw he was holding a piece of paper, he was almost ripping it.

"Abe-san... wrote this note... he took Nana hostage."
"What?" asked Mokomichi.
"What you heard." Ryo felt so much rage he was barely holding back from smashing everything and anything that might cross his path.
"Hey... what were you two doing alone outsi..." but Aya didn't finish her question, the look that Ryo gave her buried her in burning ice.
"When we woke up this morning, Nana was nowhere to be found, Abe-san as well. Maki-chan went to Nana's room and found the note. He demands for... Akai-chan to meet with him on the clear spot near the beginning of the woods, alone."

Dead silence. Everyone looked at Akai. Her hair was covering her face, resolution was forming inside.

"I'll go."
"Are you sure?" asked Ryo.
"Leave it to me. I'll get Nana back."
"I'll follow you unseen. I can't stay and do nothing."
"Don't. Abe-san's your sensei, he'll know if anyone else goes."

She got up, giving off such strong determination no one thought of going against her wishes.

"Where's the meeting place?"
"Go south from where Hayami and I fought yesterday, you'll know when you get there."

And with that she was off.

"What the hell is going on?" Toma asked.
"Why is Abe-san doing this? Aya asked.
"He was acting weird last night." Maki managed to say in between sobs.
"That miserable, back-stabbing liar, he's going to pay for this." Ryo said.
"Let's follow Akai... there must be something else going on here." said Mokomichi, he was worried.
"She was right, Abe-san will know. We'll have to be really careful." Ryo warned.
"You don't have to tell me. Here's what we're gonna do: Ryo and I will check on Akai from afar, Toma will snoop around to find out if there's any rumor going around about this, Maki... you'll go back in case any news from Nana reach your house, Aya will go with you."

It was clear Maki was in no state to join them, she was a good fighter, very level-headed, but this situation had affected her more than she ever thought it would, Nana and her brother were all she had left in the world, Nana was her comfort, she and Ryo knew her better than their own deceased parents, but it was more than that, Abe-san had become like a father figure for both, when they were left alone, he had taken care of them almost like family would; when he made the life-changing decision of going away they thought the rest of the wolves would give them a hand, like it was suppossed to be, but no one did. Like Toma, they became outcasts, even with their social position among the wolves. That's when they joined what now was their pack, all five of them united into a group that no one would be able to break apart, ever.
It wasn't wise to have Aya running around, the storm would inevitably attract attention to what was happening, and she would be of better use to Maki. Toma had many contacts all around the settlement, he was the best if finding out a secret was what was needed. Ryo and Mokomichi were the best at fighting, tailing and protecting their turf, but Ryo wasn't trusting much in their ability to go unnoticed, because deep inside he still respected his sensei, but Mokomichi had had other training, he knew certain things the kuro brothers didn't, he knew the extent of Abe-san abilities better than he let anyone know. That's why he let Akai go on her own, he was sure something else was going on, and it was of the outmost importance to find that out.

Everyone got into action at once, there was no time to lose. Akai had almost reached the meeting place, she surprised herself realizing that she cared about the wolves so much it made her go into fight-mode like this, when she got into her fight-mode, she was unstoppable, the best fighter in her village, what she lacked in strength she had in speed by the buckload, she wasn't sure how good Abe-san would be in a fight, but if it came to that, she had to take her chances. She had watched the wolf fight Mokomichi and Ryo had the day before, and she was sure she could match them. But Abe-san was Ryo's sensei. Whatever the case, she had to get information on Nana before anything else could happen.

When she reached the clear, Abe-san was nowhere in site, so she sat down on the grass, and waited. Her anticipation and the adrenaline pumping didn't let her notice that she was being observed. Hidden inside the woods, three pairs of eyes were watching everything in detail.

Suddenly, there he was, Abe-san had come from behind Akai, but she felt him come and moved away. He thought he would scare her by doing that, but was surprised at how she reacted.

They stood in front of each other, sizing each other up.

"Where's Nana?"
"She's safe."
"Where?"
"You can't do anything for her now."

Akai feared the worst. She started to see red. Not another grandma... no way...

Abe-san was startled. He didn't think a human girl would react this way. But he had to continue, he had to go all the way, otherwise everything would be for nothing.

He jumped on her and grabbed her. She slithered from his arms like a snake, punching his back while doing so. He felt the pain but still moved. She was surprised to see him, that punch usually would have her opponent withering on the ground in no time. He grabbed her foot as it moved away and lifted her like a paper doll, he was that strong, she knew she had lost the fight right there and closed her eyes expecting her fate. He had her throat locked with one of his arms while holding her arms with the other. But he wasn't choking her.

"Give up. And if you can, cry a little." he whispered in her ear.

She didn't understand him. But she did as he told her, it would be unwise to say no to the winner. Three wolves came out of the woods and walked their way, finally Akai realized, it was an act, just for them, but with what purpose? she had to go along to find out.

Just as they came in view, Mokomichi and Ryo got there. They saw Akai was surrounded, and Ryo was ready kick some ass, but Mokomichi stopped him.

"What? Hayami! That's your woman! You're not going to do anything?"
"They're not hurting her."
"Ahhhh..." Ryo growled with impotence.
"I know them. Those three."
"What?"
"They're some of my brother's underlings."

Just at that moment, Toma appeared.

"Guys! I think I know what's going on!"

The four wolves took Akai away, while Mokomichi and Ryo listened to what Toma had to say.

Back at kuro house, Maki and Aya sat side by side. By this time Maki had come back to her senses, she was again thinking with the cold blood that characterized her. She was going back in her head through every little thing she knew. Abe-san hadn't left when he said he would. He had problems. Probably regarding his tail. He got drunk in front of them, he was really troubled. He knew Akai was human, but it didn't seem to really bother him. He took Nana hostage, in exchange for Akai. What could he want with a human girl? was she the answer to what troubled him? it was probable. Akai. His tail. What was it? damn. She needed more information.

Aya was just looking at Maki, she felt so useless in this situation, it was incredible. She had never thought how much of a hindrance she was to the pack. Maki looked at her, and felt sorry.

"Thank you for keeping me company."

Aya was almost in tears.

The door opened, and in walked Nana, safe and sound.

"Nana!" Maki screamed, she was beside herself.
"Oh my god!" was all that came out of Aya's mouth.
"Where were you?"
"I was at the onsen my dear... Abe-san was so kind to give me some special salts he got from a town he visited, they're specially good for rheumatism you know, and I was feeling so down from the back pain tha.."

She couldn't finish, Maki held her in a tight embrace, while Aya looked on crying with joy.


Comments.

Akai was brought to a familiar place. The Boss' cave. So this was it.
He was sitting in a wooden chair, reading some documents, when they came into his presence.

"Boss, we're back with the results." said one of the wolves.
"And..."
"She's a human."
"Just as I thought, very well."

Abe-san looked at the Boss with despise written all over him. He glared back and mockingly said:

"Good job, Hiroshi, you can have your tail fixed now."
"Fuck you, Naohito."
"That's no way to speak to your superior."
"My superior is not here."

Naohito gave a bitter laugh, but didn't respond to him. Instead he ordered the wolves to take Akai away, but before they took her Abe-san said:

"Don't hurt her."
"Don't worry, why would I hurt some worthless human female?" Naohito said. "We just want to be rid of her. That's all."

Akai was locked inside a room with a small window, too small to escape through. Everything had gone too well for her at first, something like this had to happen at some point. She thought she better take her chance the next time someone comes to get her out. If they come to get her out. She still wondered what happened with Nana though, if Abe-san had been bluffing, like she thought, then Nana was probably fine from the beginning.

Back at the Boss' quarters, Abe-san couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

"This is a new low for you, Naohito. Congratulations."
"Get off your high horse, Hiroshi. Put your feet on the ground."
"Your father would have never handled this situation like that."
"You know nothing about my father. Keep your opinions to yourself."
"I'll continue to look for her. You can't stop me."
"Misaki is dead. But if you want to keep wasting your sorry life, be my guest."

Abe-san left, Naohito's mere presence drove him into a rage. He could never understand him. Not in a million years. What kind of a brother was he? but he never cared about Misaki. That was a fact. When she disappeared, he didn't stir a muscle to find her, that worthless piece of shit. And they all had to do as Naohito said because he was the appointed Boss, but he wasn't about to follow any of Naohito's orders. Not when it came to Misaki. She was the love of his life. He will never stop looking for her. He felt inside his guts that she wasn't dead, it was just a matter of time before he would find her. He will look, even if it took him the rest of his life.

The Boss was left alone with his thoughts for a moment. Every friking time Hiroshi came back he had to bring drama with him, what a bother. Hiroshi always reminded him of his sister. And that subject was such a sore one for him he never wanted to talk about it at all. Misaki.
Misaki.
Regrets filled him inside when he remembered his sister.
He had loved his sister, but his own character was such that he could never demonstrate it, not to her, not to anyone. And then it was too late, she disappeared and he never had the chance to tell her.
Nobody knew what he knew. It had been her decision. She left out of her own free will. He knew she had a whole other life going on, one that may or may not have had anything to do with them, her family, the pack. He never had the courage to ask her. But he had kept the secret. It somehow made him feel closer to her.
It was all their parents fault. Those bastards. The entire wolf clan still looked up to them, but he and Misaki and Mokomichi knew otherwise. Their father said he will look for new land to settle because it wasn't safe for wolves anymore where they were, what with the increasing human presence in the land. But the real reason was that he was fed up with everything, he was an irresponsible, selfish bastard that only wanted his own happiness, the rest of the world could go die for all he cared. Mother was an idiot. She went after him, thinking she could change his mind, the love she had for that bastard was sickening, it blinded her to all his faults, she didn't see how she kept degrading herself, destroying her own life, trying to save her husband. So they left their eldest in charge, he didn't know what to do at all at first, he was like a blind wolf. But he soon found out that a strong hand would make everyone respect him, so he developed an iron fist with which to rule the wolves. Misaki went haywire after their parents left. He couldn't understand what was wrong with her, but he never thought it would come to her leaving like she did. She didn't even say good-bye to Mokomichi, and she had been like a second mother to him.
He should have taken better care of his sister.

Mokomichi's pack met half way to the kuro house. Maki told them what happened with Nana. Now it was two plus two. The rumor had spread that a human was living among the wolves.

"It was all him." Mokomichi said under his breath.
"Naohito-sama can be really cruel when he wants to." Toma said.
"This can't stay like this, Hayami" Ryo still had bottled up anger. "I want retribution."
"Me too." Maki was also still reeling with after-feelings.

They both hated the Boss with a passion, when Mokomichi's father went away he had left instructions to leave the little brother and sister on the periphery, Naohito-sama could have revoked that order, but he never did.

"What will they do with Akai-chan?" Aya asked.

Mokomichi looked at her, turned around and ran full speed to his brother's place. The rest followed. When they got there, only Mokomichi went in, but they stayed at the door, hearing everything. Mokomichi was so tired of his brother, he was always pulling crap like this.

"Well, well, the children have come to whine I suppose." Naohito still had anger from his encounter with Abe-san, and he unconsciously took it out on Mokomichi.
"Don't expect simpathy when your time to step down comes."
"But that won't come for a long time, now will it? You're clearly still... almost inside the egg."
"I know why you did this."
"Enlighten me."
"It's useless to drag my pack into your power quarrels with Abe-san."
"Me? it was all his idea, for your information."
"You're the alpha male, he's the lone wolf. There's no point anymore. You're acting like an idiot."
"An idiot... and pray tell me, who was it that got tricked by a human girl?"

Here it was again, Naohito was always like this with Mokomichi. Always condescending, always underestimating.

"What will you do with her?"
"Are you worried?"
"Answer."
"I haven't decided yet. We'll see."
"She's not dangerous."
"All humans are potentially dangerous, little brother, let this be a lesson for you."

Naohito got up, packed some stuff and was ready to leave. He had business to attend to, he didn't need to waste his time lecturing Mokomichi. But before he went, an idea struck him.

"I'll let you decide her fate. It will be a good opportunity to try out enforcing your power."

When he passed through the door on his way out, he saw Ryo and Maki, they looked at him with murder in their eyes. Whatever, he wasn't going to apologize, those were the ways of the wolves, if they didn't like it, they might as well go away with Hiroshi. He had never been comfortable with the way they got treated by the elders, but now that he was in charge, it was up to him to protect the traditions.

"I'm sorry I can't do anything else." Mokomichi said to the pack when they went to him.
"Whatever." Ryo knew it, there was no opposing the Boss, there was no insulting the Boss, there was no going against his wishes, he knew what was best for the settlement. That was the law. But Ryo was secretly grateful that Mokomichi had called him an idiot to his face.
"It seems Naohito-sama doesn't know the entire rumor though..." Toma said.
"Yes."
"And he let you decide what to do with Akai-chan." Aya said.
"So now what?" asked Maki.
"There's nothing else to do but that."
"I'll go get the stuff then." Toma offered.
"If someone could go after Abe-san and inform him..."
"I'll go." Ryo had glints in his eyes.

Some time passed and now it was getting dark. Inside her cell, Akai was waiting patiently. Then someone came to her door and unlocked it. A wolf came to get her. This was it. But before she could act, she heard him say:

"Mokomichi-sama has summoned you."

She froze dead on her tracks. Of course. It all made sense now. But at least she probably won't get to use force. So she went quietly with the wolf, back to the Boss' rooms. The whole pack was there, they looked so serious she felt she was going to be executed. She stood in the middle of the room while a pair of female wolves she didn't know guided her behind a screen, there were her clothes, she had to change back to human attire, when she put on her red yukata and ridding hood she strangely felt like her own self again, she hadn't known she changed that much this couple of days.
Akai went back to the middle of the room, Maki and Ryo thought the color red really became her. But they didn't change their outer expression. It was time.

"You are to leave immediately." Mokomichi said to Akai. "We don't want filthy humans with us any longer."
"You have betrayed our trust." Toma said.
"You lied to us." Ryo said.
"You don't deserve our mercy." Maki said.
"But you will get it nevertheless." Aya said.
"Unlike you humans, we do have a sense of what's fair and what's not." Mokomichi wasn't even looking at her.

Could it be? they found out about her being a spy?

Akai felt her soul crumble.
This treatment hurt her deeply.

It wasn't suppossed to go like this, not like this...

She was pushed out the door. Many wolves were waiting outside to take a look at the cunning human that tricked them all. So this was her. Some wolves spit on her. Hostility hung in the air like fog. It could have been cut with a knife. But they were letting her walk away without attacking her.

Akai found herself walking faster and faster. She ended up running.

She was running away, how cowardly of her, she thought.

She reached the outskirts of the settlement and ran to the forest. There, covered by the trees, feelings invaded her, overwhelming her and making her knees give in. She fell on the ground, almost unable to breathe.

A figure got closer to her. It was Abe-san.

"Akai-chan." he called her attention, she hadn't felt him go near her.

Akai looked at him, he appeared beaten up, she couldn't make out much of him from the growing dark. He had a bag with him, which he gave to her.

"Food, a compass, and something to cover yourself up."

She took the bag and hung it around her chest.

"I'll carry you as far as I can. We have to be quick."

Meanwhile, the pack had gone back to Toma's hut. They were all silent, and when Mokomichi left to be alone, no one followed him. They had agreed that the best thing for Akai was to go away as soon as possible, and they acted accordingly. They didn't know if they will ever see their human friend again, for all they knew. She spent just two days with them, and already she was like another member of the pack.

When Naohito returned, his underlings told him Mokomichi's decision and actions. He was glad his little brother started to act like the leader he should be. After a few minutes, a wolf came hurridly looking for him.

"What happened?" Naohito asked.
"Boss! our intelligence sources have informed us that a chief commander from the human front has gone missing for a few days now. They fear he might be spying on us."
"A spy?" impending doom dangled on top of Naohito's mind.

Damn. It was her.

"We must prepare for battle."

Abe-san and Akai were far away from the wolf settlement now. He put her down and told her to go north, her house was in that direction.

"I'm sorry, for everything." he said.
"There's nothing to apologize to me about."
"Good luck with your life."
"You too."

When he left, Akai sat on a fallen tree trunk near-by. She opened the bag to get some food, she hadn't had any all day long and she was hungry. When she rummaged inside, something that felt really soft to her touch startled her.
It was the red fur coat.

Akai felt it get wet with the river of tears that was flowing from her eyes.

Comments.

Something that looked like a hunched down animal lay between rocks, hidden among them so that it couldn't be seen by passers by. Akai slept huddled up under her fur coat at night, with her head resting on her bag, and walked by day.

The injustice of her life came crashing down on her making her feel miserable. It came when she held the fur coat in her hands, and didn't leave her heart for the next days. The pack pushed her away, but still, a care package managed to come to her via Abe-san... had it come from him? or from... could she hope... the pack?... or Mokomichi? no... it was impossible it came from them, they didn't know she wasn't a traitor, the only one that knew of her original plan was her mother, no one else.
To feel she was accepted as she was, to be loved as she was, and then to have all that be taken away. It was eating at her soul little by little. Not even with her mother she had felt like that. To be fair, Akai knew her mother loved her, like she knew the sun comes out every day, but it wasn't something she demonstrated at all. And that hurt Akai, it had always hurt her that her mother couldn't be loving towards her. She felt like the worst daughter whenever those thoughts came to her mind, Akai's mother had done so much for her, she was a good woman, she respected her so much, but still... she couldn't help but long for a hug, for a kiss good-night, for any little act that showed that her mother cared. Whenever she saw the other little girls being sent to school by their mother from a distance, Akai felt so jealous. Why didn't she go to school like the rest? why didn't her mother see her off like the rest? she wanted to have a bento made by her mother, but she always had to cook for herself. Mum was too busy trying to make a living for them all, since dad just laid in bed, looking at the ceiling.
Her father. Akai loved her father so much. But she also felt so angry towards him, his presence aggravated her, he had let himself become a vegetable... he didn't put up a fight at all, he just crumbled down like a sand castle.
Where was his dignity? where was his male pride? it was like he had sold himself to the enemies for scraps. She felt
ashamed of him. That wasn't her father. Sometimes she wanted him to finally die so that they could bury him and move on. Forget he ever existed!...
No, don't say that Akai. He's your father. You owe him respect. You love him.
It was all because of grandma's murder. Grandma was such a mysterious character for Akai, she always was. She seemed to know everything, to feel more than everyone else, whenever grandma disappeared, as she did from time to time, Akai would feel left out, why did grandma never say where she went?... how come she didn't do anything when she was killed? Dammit. Sometimes Akai was also angry at her grandmother, because she had the suspicion grandma had seen it coming, and she didn't say anything, she didn't share her knowledge enough. Was Akai not worthy of it? What was grandma waiting? her own death? why? why?
You can't choose your family. But they were all that Akai had. And she loved them.
Still. She always felt lonely. She always felt like she didn't belong. It was a stupid feeling to have, Akai knew it, but still it was there, underneath everything else, always there, unmoving, installed inside her like she had been born with it.
When Akai had joined the army, at such a young age, and everyone in the village praised her and rooted for her, even though she knew it was wrong, she felt good, because she was part of the community, even if it was all a lie. Even if she knew they were all a bunch of misguided, misinformed fools who will stab her in the back if the need came.
She had to stop the war somehow. It was ruining their lives. All of them. This horrible war had killed so much people, on both sides. And they didn't even remembered why it started in the first place! how did they not remember? why did they continue with it? it was all useless! Were they all stupid or what? Was the entire world stupid? What was the point for all of it then? Why was Akai on earth?
Dammit all to hell.

Akai didn't notice it, but tears rolled down her eyes day and night. Her vision was blurry, but because it was always like that she never took notice. As expected, one's mind can't go on forever with the kind of thoughts Akai was having, specially for someone as intrinsically good as she was, so she started to think less and less.
So tired she was, she forgot to use her compass all together wandered in a direction that was not her way home.
It was her first time roaming the land alone. And she discovered that, as much as her mother taught her how to survive in the wilderness, it was a different thing altogether to actually do it. But the reality was that her spirit was crushed much more than she thought, thus clouding her judgement and making it hard for her to act even with basic common sense.
She slowly had become almost like an animal, only caring for her basic needs, and nothing more. But it didn't stop there.
She walked and walked, sometimes eating fruits, or small animals that dared to cross her path, but then she mostly
forgot to eat, making her strength fail, and making her fall asleep more and more. She drank water from streams, but
never thought of catching the fish, it would have been too much of a bother for her.

So far she wandered that she came near the sea. But she was almost at her end; looking for a place to lay down she
managed to see beyond her blurry eyes and detected what looked like a light brown bed. It was a bed of pine needles, they covered the land that surrounded a huge pine tree. She made herself comfortable as much as she could, and went to sleep.

Unbeknownst to her, this pine tree was a special one. It had been planted there a long time ago by a Deity from the High Heavens, and had become a magical tree that brought happiness and love to all that came near it. While Akai slept, a tortoise and a crane crept near her to take a look at the sleeping beauty. The tortoise noticed she was thin and haggard, the crane saw that tears rolled down her eyes, even when she slept. They wondered what could possibly ail this wandering youth so much but of course came to no satisfying answer. While they debated, magical creatures came to pay their respects to the pine tree, like they did everyday and every night. The children of the woods came when moonlight hit, playing in the dirt. They said they believed the sleeping girl was a kindred spirit and so they gave her strength back to her. The children of the water came and while they showered the pine tree with their soft moist touch, they decided to give the sleeping girl her freshness back, so that she wasn't thirsty anymore. The children of the air sang a soothing love song for the sleeping girl, so that her soul could be appeased, at least for one night. The children of the sea foam came from the yellow sand and surrounded the girl, making her a soft bed to rest upon. And lastly came the mysteries, sounds and scents of the dark from the land of Yomi that gave the pine tree its holy and haunted aura. But they gave no present to the sleeping girl because they knew she had a destiny to fulfill, and it had to be done by her own self.

When daybreak came again, Akai woke up feeling better than ever. She was puzzled as to how this came about, because with the difference she felt, she realized just how bad she had been feeling before. She remembered her days in wolf land and again her soul dropped. And then she saw that a tortoise was slowly moving close to her. The tortoise spoke to her thus:

"Young girl, my friend the crane and I have been wondering all night... if it's not too much of an intrusion on our part... what is the thorn that hurts your heart so badly?"

The crane had landed near Akai and joined his friend, nodding with her head to signal she wondered the same thing.

Akai didn't know what to say so she looked at them with her sad eyes but no sound came from her throat. She realized she hadn't spoken a word to any living thing since she left wolf land.

"Sometimes it's better to talk about what ails us in order to overcome the hurt." said the crane, trying to encourage
Akai to communicate.

She was a little apprehensive, but she gave it an effort and tried to talk. Her voice stumbled, sounding rough and dumb, but it soon came back, just like before.

"The task I set myself out to do has turned out to be much harder than I thought. I though I was strong enough, but I'm not."
"You are strong, my child, the pine tree has taking a liking for you, which means you are worthy." said the tortoise.
"The pine tree?"
"Yes. Thanks to it you have recuperated."
"It was the pine tree... I see." Akai got up and bowed deeply in front of the pine tree, expressing her immense gratitude. "Thank you very much."

A soft sea breeze made some branches and leaves move softly.

"It's glad. You're welcomed." said the crane.

Akai smelled the air, with the sea salt and fresh coolness, and wondered where she was. She sat against the pine tree, and started to try and remembered which roads she took.

"How do you feel now? I see you're not crying anymore." asked the crane.
"I was crying?"
"While you slept."
"Oh." Akai suddenly remembered Mokomichi looking away from her, and his harsh words. "I think... no... I know... I've fallen in love... but I'll never see him again... he thinks ill of me, and rightly so... I don't deserve him."
"Ah! But girl! The pine tree has your back! doesn't it?" said the crane.
"You will meet your loved one again, and you shall be blessed, my child." said the tortoise.
"Can you hear the wind in the pine tree?" asked the crane.

Akai heard the wind like a sweet song, the magical creatures danced and laughed and sang around the pine tree shielded from her site, but Akai felt their friendly touch and was glad.

"I can hear it." she said.
"That means your love will come, for sure!" the crane and the tortoise laughed with delight, happy for the girl.

Akai was happy again, and so, she came to say good bye to her new friends, and gave thanks again to the pine tree
before setting on her path once again, destination: home.

The reassurance that the pine tree's magic will help her gave her new self-confidence. If she ever saw Mokomichi again, she will explain to him her true intentions. The war has to end. If he didn't want to listen, she will make him listen. She will explain everything to the entire pack. The pack, they had become her friends after all, the first real friends she ever had. It was too precious a thing to let it be like it was now. She hadn't really betrayed them. She had to explain. But first she had to get her act together. She couldn't give herself the luxury of becoming sad again, of letting her feeling sorry for herself stop her from achieving her goals.


Comments.

Akai was recharged completely, she could not go faster even if she wanted to, the temperature around her was a cosy warm that told her she was farther south than she might have expected. Far away from her destination point. But even this fact didn't bring her down now, she was happy to be able to know this parts of the land she didn't know, everything was new to her, the plants, the soil, the air, the many villages she saw here and there. People ate differently, with new tastes that she liked to experience. Many kid people took pity of her, a lonesome travelling girl, and gave her shelter for the night, and some food to eat, Akai was glad that the war hadn't reached these parts of the land. It was almost as if the war she knew so well was in another country altogether, nobody knew about it, many had different opinions about wolves and their relationship with humans, Akai was surprised the relationship wasn't as bad as where she lived though.
The were some upsetting stories about a wolf floating around, someone they called "the big bad wolf" that terrorized a few people and most of all livestock, Akai thought it may even be the same wolf that has inspired all this tales, but she didn't voice out loud her opinion, she knew that if she did the people might go on a killing hunt, and the last thing she wanted was to tarnish the wolf name, or start a wolf hunt that could potentially end up with a massacre. No. She had a good opinion about wolves now, they were just like humans, some were bad, but most of them were good, or had the potential to be good inside them, and she wanted to believe in those potentials, in wolves as well as in human beings.
And she would never again allow even the smallest possibility that the pack, her friends and Mokomichi, might get hurt, in any way, if it was up to her.

The road home was still long, but she was doing her best in her circumstances, and that was all she could do for now.
A sunny day followed her while she walked field after field heading north. The lush vegetation gave way to more demure plants, and many beautiful flowers she had never seen before. They had bright colors and strong fragrances, and while she stopped to have her lunch, she sat on a field that had an array of said flowers all around, she wanted to taken their image in so that she will remember them forever.
When she was done with her food, she set off again, and the farther she went the more she noticed the variety of flowers diminished, and lots and lots of crimson poppies started to flood the view. It came to a point where she was literally surrounded by them, all she could see was a sea of the most wonderfully red poppies, their spicy fragrance was overwhelming. Akai started to sneeze as her eye lids started to drop, it was weird, she wasn't sleepy at all just a few minutes ago, but she started to give way nevertheless, and soon laid fast asleep in the flower bed, a small red bulge amongst the red flowers, she became unnoticeable to all, but for the quirkiest creature that had made this specific flower bed her home.

A floating pair of slit eyes came close to Akai, slowly transforming into a head, then into a body, this feline-like woman looked on Akai with wondering eyes, and after a small moment decided she will help the girl. She threw her on her back, it was a lot of work, but she somehow managed to bring the girl away from the flowers, near a stream that was close by. She waited until Akai opened her eyes.

"You're welcome! am I great or what?" the feline woman said.
"Eh? what? did I fall asleep? where am I?"
"You're safe is what you are! I have just saved you from certain death!"
"EH?"
"Tsk. You don't understand anything do you? I'll tell you, the deadly poppy field has taken the life out of a lot of people by now... slowly and sweetly for sure, but still, you wouldn't think it, would you? those flowers look so lovely and innocent, but they sure are deadly!"
"Oh, in that case, thank you very much. Did you bring me here?"
"Um, hello! is anyone there?" the woman said knocking on Akai's forehead "Are you still sleeping?" she laughed at Akai with an infectious laugh that made Akai let pass the little offense she took from this woman. Her knock had been strong and it hurt Akai's forehead a lot.
"Ah! you sure are pretty... I'm starting to regret saving you... I don't need competition you know, that's the last thing I want now."
"Pretty?"
"Yes! pretty! and she's deaf... but that could be a good point for me, a deaf beauty is less appealing for sure."
"I'm not deaf, nor that pretty."
"Whatever... it doesn't matter anyway, I'll make myself better, yes! just you wait honey! I'll make you regret ever leaving me!"
"Honey? when did I leave you?"
"I'm not talking about you, dumbhead. My honey, my man, that stray cat... see, he's always strutting his stuff in front of the females, but that was nothing to me, until one day I found him licking the milk bowl of a siamese she-cat devil, the bastard, he said I was getting old for him, that I wasn't as pretty as I used to be."
"That's pretty cruel."
"Isn't it? I hate him! anyway, I left him, of course, and I have decided to become the prettiest cat ever, I'll make him regret ever leaving me... understand now?" she said condescendingly to Akai.
"Understood." Akai was feeling a little hate herself, how did this woman expect her to know all this if she hadn't said it before? what a loony cat.
"What's your name girl?"
"Eh... my name is Akai."
"Akai? Hahahahahahaha... whoever named you sure knew the meaning of irony!"
"And you are..." Akai was getting sick of this woman quickly.
"I'm Maya Miki, the great. But you can call me Miki-chan."
"I'd rather call you Miki-san, I owe you respect, you did save my life."
"Ah..." Miki found herself in a pickle, but she accepted her small defeat "Fine. Use the -san, like I care what you call me... tell me where are you heading."
"Ugh." Akai said to herself. "I'm heading north. I'm going back home."
"North, eh? mmmm... yes! that suits me fine!" Miki said slapping her thigh. "I shall go with you!"
"What?"
"What nothing... oh! now that I remember, there's a story that tells of a special flower that only grows in the highest mountains, it has seven colors and it can make everything around it beautiful! I MUST get a hold of that flower!"
"I... have only food for myself."
"It doesn't matter to me, I eat plants, I'm a vegetarian."
"I almost always sleep on the ground."
"It doesn't matter to me, I float when I sleep."
"I'm not good company, I'm not talkative."
"It doesn't matter to me, I can do all the talking."

Akai sighed but made no further objection, she could tell this woman was the kind you couldn't say no to, she will have her way and none other. So Miki got Akai's stuff from the poppy field and off they went. Miki didn't have a need for luggage, as magical cats often don't. But she did carry a small parcel with her, which she kept zealously close to her at all times. Akai had the common sense to not question her about the contents of said parcel.

That night, while Akai slept curled up between the roots of a big tree, Miki woke up in the middle of the night.
Floating above Akai she moved herself to a branch of the tree that was sturdy enough to hold her, and secretly opened her parcel. She took out a small object from inside it and held it in one hand while she fixed her hair with the
other. It was a small mirror, it had a oval shape and its frame had engravings all over that depicted vines growing
wildly and without control, if one was inclined to do so, one could see that the vines in the back of the mirror were
covered with mist, and they enclosed what looked like a moth inside them, keeping it from flying. But Miki never cared much for the mirror's decoration, because when it landed on her hand, all she could see was her own reflection.
To the eyes of anyone that could see her at this moment, Miki would have looked like a mad woman, watching herself in the mirror, she admired and admired, for three hours she did so, completely engrossed with it. As each hour was wasted away Miki's well being diminished a little. She hadn't notice when it came about, but it had become often now that she would find herself talking to the mirror, telling it all kinds of personal things, as if it was her only confident, her only friend, the only one that understood her complete was that other Miki staring at her from inside
the mirror.

"You're so pretty. There's really no one like you in the world, right? you're great."

Akai's fur coat moved a little, Miki was startled and quickly hid the mirror away. She moved closer to Akai to see if she had been awake, but it seemed Akai was sound asleep. Miki sighed with relief and went to sleep herself, but not before fastening her parcel tightly around her waist.
Akai had heard her moved. She had seen Miki looking at herself in the mirror, and she had heard her talking with it.

But she wisely chose to pretend to be asleep, lest Miki would freak out at get mad at her. The Miki that came out that night with the mirror wasn't the same woman she met by daylight, it had been a little frightening to see, Akai
thought about how she really didn't know people, how someone could be one person at a moment and be completely different the next, such duality existed, and she wished all people would be straight forward and show who they are all the time, the world would be a better place if everyone knew where they stood with one another.

The next morning Akai and Miki were walking north, Akai was more silent than usual, she didn't know how to approach Miki after what she had seen the night before, even if she was determined to keep it a secret from her. Miki was how she had been the day before, rambling on and on about matters than came and went. If she had know Akai a little better she would have noticed her silence, but alas! they were just started to get to know each other. Akai took out her compass to check they were on the right path, and Miki saw her doing it and asked:

"What's that?"
"It's a compass."
"What's it do?"
"It tells me which direction to take."
"Oh! it's a magical artifact!"
"Not at all."
"It's not? but how can it tell you where you're going then? how does it know?"
"It doesn't know, I know."
"But does it talk to you then?"
"No."
"Do you communicate by telepathy?"
"No, I read it."
"Ah! I see! you can read compass then! is it a special language? do you need years of special study?"
"No, just common sense."
"And what's that?"
"You don't know what common sense is?"
"No... is it an important thing to have?"
"Very!"
"But it's not necessary, is it? I mean... I don't have it, and I'm doing fine!"
"That's debatable."
"Well, it's certainly not as important as beauty!"
"That's also debatable."
"If you have beauty, the world's doors open up for you."
"Do they?"
"For sure! things are easier to do, people are nicer to you, you may even get free stuff!"
"Do you get free stuff?"
"All the time! well... I used to get a lot more before... but now..."
"It's not so frequent."
"Right... I don't know why though... I look the same as I did before, I don't know what's wrong, what's missing...."
"Is that... what happened with your honey?"
"Yes... he somehow changed... he didn't want me around anymore... it hurt..."
"I'm sorry."
"Thank you." said Miki with such a gloomy look on her face it made Akai feel really sorry for her, she wished for Miki to be happy.
"I'm sure you'll find that seven-colored flower and become more beautiful than you already are."

Miki looked at Akai and felt really comforted by her words, she liked this girl and she was glad she had decided to help her and tag along with her.

They walk headed towards the future, a long way to go still, but happiness will come to them, because it always does when you are good people.


Comments.

Some days later we still find Akai and Miki treading on new land on their way north. The air is a bit chillier which signals they are on the right path, Miki has found out she somewhat disagrees with cold weather and has bound to return south when her personal task is over. Akai feels the contrary, to her, cold weather is like home, she returns to her landscapes, to her air, to her roads and forests, she feels the strange feeling that somehow this land belongs to her, even though she knows such a thought is unreasonably pretentious.
An agreeable fact though was that both women found themselves very fond of each other, even though their personalities were almost the complete opposite. Where Akai was hands-on, Miki was squeamish, Akai was straight forward, Miki couldn't muster. When Akai felt like reality became too difficult to deal with, Miki came up with one crazy magical occurrence after the other. Whenever they crossed the path of other people they could have passed as a comedy act without realizing it.

"Oh my! A-chan! looky looky! such beautiful flowers!"
"I think we can get more food on the next town."
"There are narcissus and daffodils..."
"I'd like some onigiri. I haven't had those since... I can't remember."
"I'm tempted to make a bouquet with them, but where will I put it?"
"And some sake would be nice."
"I love them, but I can't carry them around, right?"
"It's almost noon, the town folks maybe are just starting to cook lunch, I wonder if we should wait a while to go and ask for some hospitality."
"Oh... I'll just grab the prettiest one and put it in my hair."
"Grab a bunch."
"We could exchange them!"
"Right."
"I'd like to eat ramen!... and a glass of cold milk!"
"Hey... aren't daffodils and narcissus the same thing?"
"Are they?"

They walked pondering on life's big questions.
When they reached the main street they found a group of kids playing near the only restaurant in town, they were rowdy and a little rough but very sweet, as only children can be. When they saw the two women they gathered up and whispered to themselves, plotting childish teasing in all probability. Akai was too hungry to give them the time of day, but Miki noticed them, she was too aware of children, they always molested her when she was a little kitty, throwing rocks at her and grabbing her tail, but when she grew up and turned more womanly, figure-wise, the children now turned into men started to molest her in other ways, and she grew to like the attention. She still was wary of children in general, but she was determined to get along with them, she wanted to have a litter of her own some day and it just wouldn't do to be afraid of children. So when one of the little kids separated from the group and came up to them she was ready to interact, and win. The little boy said to her:

"Grandma, do you have candy to spare?
"GRANDMA!?"
"My friends and I were wondering... since you're from out of town... if you would have new sweets we don't know."
"I outta..." Miki controlled her anger, sighed, and tried to smile "What a cute little boy."
"So do you?"
"Do what?"
"Have candy. What a simpleton of a grandma..."
"Simpleton? my, you know some big words there, you must be pretty smart."
"Yes I am!" said the kid, proudly.
"But I'm afraid I don't have any sweets to give you, sorry."
"Ah! how boring! then... what do you have?"
"Ah... I don't..."
"Kid. Get lost, a little warning: it's dangerous to hassle strangers. You're not as smart as you think." Akai said, looking rather pissed off.

The little boy got scared and ran to his buddies while Akai and Miki went inside the restaurant, sat down and ordered their food.

"What were you doing with that kid?" Akai asked.
"I was just talking, trying to be friendly." Miki pouted.
"Well don't, people are protective of their children, it could get us in trouble if you interact with them so freely, just leave them alone and mind your own business."
"Don't get so serious, it wasn't such a big deal."

Miki started to play with the stuff in the counter, trying to lighten up the mood, and managed to squirm a smile out of Akai. Then the waitress came with their plates and put them on the table.

"Here's the ramen and cold milk for the aunty, and the onigiri and sake for the pretty niece. Enjoy!"
"Aunty?" Miki became red.
"Ha! you look like me now, all red."
"That's the second time someone has called me old in this town! what's wrong with them? they all must be blind! there's probably a bug going around, maybe it's in the food! let's not eat the food, we may become blind as well!"
"Hahaha! don't be daft, god, I'm dying from hunger..." and Akai tackled her food.
"You don't understand my feelings!"
"What's so wrong? the kid that called you grandma was an idiot in the making, hopefully he'll snap out of it before it's too late, and the nice waitress called you aunty as a term of endearment..."
"Ah..." Miki purred with frustration "But I'm not that old! do I look that old?"
"Eh..."
"Well?"
"Eh..."
"Oh... just lie then!"
"You look young! you look great Miki-san! very pretty and fresh!"
"Thank you." Miki said with a scowl on her face.

Akai looked uncomfortable and Miki ate her food with her dangerously slit eyes while the rest of the costumers snickered to themselves.

The afternoon fell upon them as they walked away from town. There wasn't a place available for them to sleep so that meant another night in the forest, Miki didn't mind at all, she was rather happy to be leaving that horrid town with so many insolent people, Akai had been looking forward to sleeping in a bed so she was a little disappointed.
As they were getting ready for sleep, Akai decided to venture and ask:

"Um... Miki-san?"
"Yes?"
"I was wondering... just... um... I don't know how to put this..."
"Just say it."
"Do you really think your honey was in love with you?"
"Eh?"
"I mean... maybe he was just attracted to your looks, and when he got tired of it all..."
"No, he was in love... I know..."
"But how do you know?"
"I just do, I feel it inside me, and I was in love with him too, that's why it hurt so much."
"... I just don't know... how can one be sure of love..."
"For me, it was the little things, you know? like how he would smile at me when I played with the woolly ball he bought me once, or how he would bring me a flower every morning, just because."
"I see... " Akai looked troubled.
"Why do you ask? is there a prospect knocking at your door?"
"There might be..." she turned red.
"Ah! how cute you look when you blush! you're all red A-chan!"

Akai gave a sheepish smile.

"If you do that in front of him he'll surely fall at your feet!"
"I don't know about that."
"How do you feel about him?"
"I... I feel like I was asleep, before I met him. And I'm always wondering what he's doing, where he is, what he's feeling, I want to be by his side and look at his face, and talk to him."
"Ooo... how romantic! You miss him!"
"But it's nonsensical, we spent together two days, just two days, it makes no sense that I would... fall in love so quickly..."
"Love has no time limit A-chan, it comes when it comes, as strongly or as weakly as it chooses."
"I can't fall for him though... it's just impossible for us..."
"Why?"
"There're these problems... obstacles... that keep us apart."
"You said it, obstacles are to be overcome."
"Do you think I could do it?"
"Of course! You're a strong girl, you're good, you have all the advantages! Do your best!"
"Thank you Miki-san."
"You're welcome!"
"But... I still don't know... I can't be sure if he... if he... feels the same for me..."
"Well, I can't comment on that because I haven't met the guy, but if he doesn't feel the same way for you then he's a fool!"
"He's angry at me right now, I have to apologize to him."
"Angry?... well... I won't ask what you did to make him angry... but I'll tell you this, it's better that he feels angry than nothing at all for you, that means he cares."
"Really?" Akai was almost in tears.
"Really, now let's go to sleep, I've been too vexed today and I'm feeling tired now."
"Ok."

The dark night came while clouds covered every trace of moonlight that might have sneaked a peek at the two women sleeping, one on the ground, the other floating above. That night though, had a beautiful full moon adorning the sky.
A sudden noise woke Akai up, she was sure she heard something, but when she looked at a fast asleep Miki she wondered if she dreamt it. Her mind had been filled with thoughts of Mokomichi before falling asleep, and she dreamed of him.
Don't be like this Akai, just get to rest and don't think about anything else.
Just when she was about to close her eyes again it came. That noise. It was a howling. Far away in the distance, but she felt it inside. She looked again at Miki, she hadn't woken up, it was so strange.

A howling, it tugged at her soul, making her chest hurt.
Could it be... a wolf howl? She had to find out.
Akai put on the fur coat and went to investigate the perimeters.
She heard the howling again, and went to its direction, but the night was dark and she couldn't see where she was stepping.
Suddenly her feet gave way, she had treaded into something soft. Just at that moment the clouds dispersed and a clear sky filled with wonderful moonlight shone over Akai.
She was in a pond, the water looked like liquid silver, and it moved strangely, Akai's feet were stuck in the mud and she couldn't move, the bottom of that pond was sucking her in little by little, like quicksand.

Comments.

"MIKI!!"

Akai panicked and shouted with all her might.
She had tried to free herself but couldn't, there was nothing to hold onto near her, she was surrounded by silver, and it seemed to want to devour her. She was inside the pond up to her legs now, unable to do anything for herself.

"MIKI!!"

Akai desperately wished for her friend to hear her, she was such a heavy sleeper. In the state she was in, Akai's thoughts went to her loved ones, her family, she wanted to see her family once again, Mokomichi, she wanted to see him again too, her friends, her duty, the task she had put upon herself to fulfil, she still had things to do, places to go, she wasn't meant to end here. She had to go home. Home. Home.
Akai started to cry thinking of home.

"A-chan?" a still sleepy Miki appeared from behind the trees.
"Miki! help me! please! I can't move!"
"Oh!... oh my God! yes!"

Miki started to float and grabbed Akai's arms, she was now up to her mid-waist. Miki pulled with all her strength.

Akai didn't move. She pulled again, and again, until Akai felt the mud entrapping her wavering.

"It's giving in! Please Miki! keep pulling!"
"I'm... doing... all... I can!" Miki really was going all out.

Akai felt she could move her feet, and in jerking about she was freed. It seemed she and Miki had been pulled upwards by the backlash force and they landed on safe ground heavily.

"Holy mice!" said Miki, out of breath.
"Oh... Thank you so much!" Akai hugged her tightly "I thought I was a goner!"
"What the hell happened here?"
"I... I was walking... and I didn't see it..."
"You were walking around in the middle of the night? alone in the woods?"
"I... heard something, someone... calling me."
"Really!.... you have to be more careful! This is the second time I save you! You owe me twice now, big time!"
"I do, I do, Thank you again! from the bottom of my heart!"
"Better that than the bottom of that pond... check it out... it's magical."
"It is?"
"Of course!" Miki huffed "Just look at it!"

Akai saw it clearly now, it moved on its own, when the moonlight reflected on its water, the water became alive; where it was covered with night shadow, the water looked like normal ground. Both Akai and Miki were glad they got out of that one with only little scratches here and there caused by the fall and nothing else. They sighed in unison, and as they looked down they both saw at the same time that Akai's combat boots were also silver. They had been covered with the pond water, which seemed to have been absorbed by the boots, changing them completely. Akai took them off, yes, the inside was silver colored as well.

"What does this mean?" Akai asked more to herself than to Miki.
"Well... if that pond is magical, I'd say your boots have turned magical as well, but don't ask me how though... I haven't the slightest idea."

Akai considered throwing the boots back to the pond for a minute.

"No, they are mine. Besides, they're the only shoes I have now."
"Eh?"
"I'll keep them."
"Such a weird night..." Miki softly said. "Oh well. Let's go back. And please don't wander off by yourself again..."
"Yes ma'am."
"TSK! MA'AM?!"
"Yes! Miki-chan!"
"Ah! That's so much better!"

Miki and Akai went back to sleep. Akai, understandably so, forgot all about the howling she had heard before.

The next day came with an air of magic still around that neither Akai nor Miki couldn't help but feel all over, like a supernatural chill that pricked the very marrow of their bones. Someone should have warn them that forest was so dangerous, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway because that's the way Akai was supposed to go, and that's the way she will go. After some time of constant travelling Miki became restless, even she was getting spooked, but both of them had agreed that morning to go as far as they could without stopping, for their own good.
The way was getting harder and harder to find, the trees appeared more and more menacing with each step Akai and Miki took, but they kept going, hoping to reach somewhere, anywhere, other than that forest. Akai turned to look back at this point.

"What? what?" Miki asked with dreadful expectation.
"Um... It could be nothing... I keep getting the feeling that we're being watched, or followed."
"EH? don't say that! oh my God... I'm getting more frightened!"
"As I said, I could be wrong."

Miki looked back too, but as she didn't see nor feel anything, she kept on going, still afraid, but not as she could have been had she read Akai's mind. Akai knew they were being trailed, but didn't say anything because she simply couldn't catch the smallest glimpse of what or who it was. Her expertise on that matter was still small, she thought if one of the pack's members had been with her, she could have relied on them... but no, that wasn't the case at all, all that was left for Akai to do was wait, if whoever it was had friendly intentions, or mere curiosity, they would walk out without harm; if they had bad intentions, she could fight, that suited her better than worrying about leaving tracks, or being hunted.
They continued to walk, or crawl and push as it were, until suddenly the vegetation gave way and they stood in front
of a stream.

"Jackpot!" Shouted Akai.
"How is this good for us?" Miki wanted to know.
"We can follow the water flow up, that way we'll be sure to reach higher ground, and if we're lucky, the vegetation will be tamer and we will be able to look around and walk more freely."
"But is it the way north? ask your compass."
"Yes, we're good." Akai said taking a look at it.
"Ok then... lead the way, my friend."

They walked along side the stream banks being careful not to fall in it or get wet at all, neither of the girls wanted to catch a cold in the situation they were in at the moment. They walked and walked until they reached a waterfall.
Now, this waterfall was the sweetest looking waterfall there ever was, if waterfalls could be described as sweet. The water came down with force, but it wasn't enough to be afraid of it. The water wall looked more like a curtain of blue silk than a wall, and smooth rocks could be seen here and there coming out from behind the water, breaking the
fabric illusion as if reminding us of the true nature of the waterfall.

"We'll have to climb." Akai said.
"Pft! speak for yourself, I'll just float to the top."
"Oh... right." Akai was jealous for a second.

"But before that... stay down here for a while." said a male voice.

Akai and Miki froze. They looked around quickly, with detail, but they didn't see anybody. Where did that voice come from?.

"Who said that?" asked Akai.
"Me. It wasn't you, was it?"
"Nope, I didn't say anything." another male voice answered.
"There're two of them?" whispered Miki to Akai.
"Yes, there're two of us."

Miki grabbed Akai's arm and hid behind her. They were both frightened.

"Don't look so afraid. We don't mean you any harm."
"Yeah, we're good guys!"
"You say that, yet you don't show yourselves..." Akai replied. "It makes us think otherwise."
"OH! sorry about that! I completely forgot! you could have reminded me you moron!"
"Don't put it on me! you know I like to do the disappearance act! besides, it was you the one that did it this time!"

As the two voices quarrelled two male figures started to materialize in front of Akai and Miki. Two guys, or were they? they looked odd somehow, they had clothes neither of the girls had seen before, their ears were pointy and long, their bodies were lean yet looked really strong, they had the shiniest long hair they had ever seen, it floated on its own, it seemed ethereal, braided in a beautiful yet never before seen manner. Both their eyes were clear as the morning sky, their iris reflected every color they looked at, making it impossible to define a color to describe them.
Their skin was smooth like marble. Sculptures, they looked like sculptures.
Akai and Miki looked at each other and didn't need to say the words to understand what the other was thinking. These two men were beautiful.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Domoto Koichi. At your service." He made a reverence.
"I'm Domoto Tsuyoshi, whattup?" He waved his hand carelessly.

Miki stifled a laugh while trying to fix her hair. Akai was still a little wary of them.

"Did you want something from us?" she asked.
"Just to make your acquaintance... and ask for a little favour... if possible..." Koichi said.
"Yeah, yeah!" Tsuyoshi was eager until Koichi smacked him in the head. "That hurt! be more gentle!"
"Shut up, will you?" he looked at Tsuyoshi with reproach "You'll have to forgive my brother, he hasn't mastered the art of elf courtesy yet."
"You're elves." Akai said.
"That's right. We are the official representatives of the elf elders in these parts of the world."
"Very important people! VIPs!" Tsuyoshi tried to continue talking until a freezing look from Koichi told him otherwise "All right, all right... don't get your knickers twisted... I'll shut up..."

Koichi was deeply embarrassed while Tsuyoshi just pouted crouched on his legs and fussing with some pebbles on the ground.
They all sat near the waterfall looking at each other. Koichi was preparing to make his speech, warming up his throat
and assuming various positions, Tsuyoshi was just plain bored with him, but he got distracted by the flirtatious looks Miki was giving him. Akai was starting to feel at ease, they sure were a couple of funny characters. At last,
Koichi found his preferred position, and his puffing up like a peacock announced to everyone he was ready to begin talking.

"As I said, Tsuyoshi and I are the official representatives of the elf elders in these parts of the world. You see, the elf nation expands worldwide, but we live in a different plane of existence from other life forms, a different dimension if you will. We almost never interfere with this world's affairs, but every once in a while, we are forced to do so. That's when my brother and I come into action. We have been following you waiting for a chance to speak to you."
"So it was you two." Akai said.
"I am deeply sorry if we caused you to be scared in any way, it was not our intention. Forgive us."
"Fine. Please continue."
"Thank you. The elf counsel has learned of your noble mission, young lady, and they have decided to give you a much needed helping hand in your quest."
"I need help?"
"Yes. You see, you may not know this, but ending the war is a much more difficult task than you anticipated."
"I see. So, how are you going to be of assistance?"
"We ourselves won't, but we have something that will."
"Riiiight..."
"We have been appointed with the task of bringing you a weapon."
"What kind of weapon?"
"A very special kind of weapon."
"O.k..." after an awkward moment Akai continued "May I see it?"
"Oh... you have to get it yourself."
"EH?"
"It's behind the waterfall, in order to belong to you, only you can touch it."
"You have to go behind the waterfall, that way you will clean your soul and be ready to take the weapon for yourself, it's a whole rite of passage thing..." Tsuyoshi said.
"I understand."

Akai didn't want a moment to lose, she figured in all probability the elves were using her to achieve their own personal goals, but if it meant helping her end the war, she would go along with what they asked of her. She got up and went to stand in front of the waterfall, the water was very cold, but her body got used to it pretty quick. The three people on the river bank looked on with solemn eyes, it was an important moment.

Akai made her move. As she passed through the water wall she felt all her anguish melt away. She had visions of her family and all the people that were important to her, she saw her village at peace, she saw abundant fields, and prosperity. She saw the passage of time, and she felt connected with the world. She saw the eight-radio wheel moving slowly but surely as the fish surrounded her, liberating her of all limitations.
She was herself, but she wasn't herself. She was all, and she was nothing. In perfect balance. Harmony.

Behind the waterfall there was a single stone. Incrusted in it was a Katana. A beautiful work of art. The intricate woven design of its red handle resembled lotus flowers, the blade shone as if it was made of pearl. The red sheath
leaned on one side of the stone, waiting to be used.

Akai knew that sword was for her, and she stepped forward to take it with her right hand. The katana felt like another limb the minute she touched it, it belong to her, it was part of her, it was her.

Comments.

A bright light shot forth from where the waterfall should be, blinding momentarily the three people on the shore.
From inside the light, a red figure emerged, Akai walked to where her friends waited for her and only after she touched the ground did the light receded. Then everything was normal again. The elves' eyes recuperated faster than
Miki's so they saw Akai with the sword hanging on her waist.

"AH! You have it! This is great!" said Koichi.
"You had doubts?" asked a worried Akai.
"I didn't." said Tsuyoshi.
"What? where? oh! there! a katana!" said Miki rubbing her eyes.
"Nevermind, everything is fine. Now, for the little favour I asked earlier..."
"Yes... what is it?"
"Well, let's sit down again shall we? good good... Um... How shall I put this... that katana, well, all swords, as you obviously know, are made for... killing things... in self defence or otherwise."
"Right. I have no problem using it if that's what you're worried about."
"You don't? great."
"Well... what do you want me to kill?" asked Akai after a short pause.
"Ah... kill... is such an ugly word... but accurate, at least in this case... right, I'm not at liberty to tell you openly about it, all I can say is that you will know when you see it."
"Are elves always this cryptic?" asked Miki.
"Only in important cases like this one." responded Tsuyoshi.
"That's not practical at all."
"Well, if this is all, then Miki and I need to get going..."
"Right. You have to continue your journey, we won't keep you any longer."
"It's great meeting you! Let's be friends forever!" cheerfully said Tsuyoshi.
"We will be!" said Miki while making gestures to him to not forget to call her.
"We still have a long way to go..." sighed Akai.
"No you don't." Koichi pointed out.
"Eh?"
"You can use your boots."
"EH?"
"Your boots... you don't know? then it's my pleasure to tell you... you dipped them in the magic pond near here, right?"
"If you could call it dipping..."
"If you click your heels three times and think of the place you want to go, or the people you want to reunite with, the boots will take you there in three steps."
"That's great!"
"Fantastic! thank God you didn't throw them back into the pond!" said Miki.
"The boots have acquired many magical powers... the usual one is that, but they may do more, I'm not quite sure what, but for sure they might do more magic... I haven't finished my studies on magical ponds and their effects on common everyday wear."
"There's studies on that?"
"We elves study everything."
"I see... good to know... um, do you know if they'll only transport one person?"
"Right! right!" Miki also wanted to know.
"Well... the usually magicked things are small shoes, but I guess... since combat boots are bigger... they could transport two people, but I wouldn't experiment with more than that."
"Mmmm... Miki... you up for it?"
"Sure! Let us try it!"
"Then... alright..."
"You have to grab onto each other and don't let go." said Koichi.
"Let's do this! it's been nice knowing you two! I hope we meet again." said Akai.

Everyone said their goodbyes and when all was ready Akai clicked her heels, a whirling swept both girls up in the air and in a jiffy they were gone. The two elves watched them go and then went their own way back.

"Let's hope she can do it." said Koichi.
"I'm sure she will, she'll do a good job."
"I had my doubts, she doesn't look that tough."
"You didn't notice then?"
"Notice what?"
"Mwahahaha... I'm not gonna tell you! that's payback for belittling me in front of the girls!" Tsuyoshi stuck his tongue out at Koichi.
"Pft! what could you know?"
"Pft back! there's a reason why I'm always teamed up with you! you have no talent for looking at hidden things!"
"Oh... so it's something that concerns Akai-chan... and it's hidden..."
"Ah... damn you!"
"Hahahahaha..."

The two elves started to disappear as they continued to walk.
In three steps, as Koichi had said, Akai and Miki stood in front of her house in her village.
Before going in Akai looked around the place, everything looked peaceful, normal, thank God there was nobody there to get freaked out with the way she and Miki appeared. Miki just followed Akai. They knocked on the door, but nobody answered. So Akai tried the door and it opened.

"That's weird. Mom never leaves the front door unlocked."

They went in, Akai felt good to finally be home, looking at all the familiar things she hadn't realized she missed so much. Inside, the place looked exactly like it did before, comforting Akai's soul. Miki was checking the place out, she had never been inside a normal human household before so everything was new and exciting for her.

"Hello! is there anybody home? Mom?"

Akai went about looking for her family, but nobody responded.

"I guess she's out working the field." she looked back at Miki "Let's go upstairs."
"Ok."
"Dad must be in his room, I wanna say hello to him."

The girls went up the stairs, the first door was Akai's room, she went in and left her belongings there.

"If you want to sleep here tonight, we have a spare room, it's the last door to the left."
"Oh! goody!" Miki was hopping happily on the way to check it out.

Akai went to the second door, her parent's room. It was closed. She always needed to mentally prepare herself to enter that room, taking a few seconds and breathing deeply. This time, she took a little bit longer, she hadn't seen her dad for the longest time, and she had the sneaking suspicion she was going to be more emotional than usual. Miki went beside her, she was curious about Akai's dad, that self-imposed vegetative state he was in was not a common thing one would hear about.
Akai knocked and opened the door slowly.

"Dad?"

Inside, there was a closet, the usual washing things on top of a dresser, a small bookcase, two night stands and the bed. But there was no one on the bed.
Akai was stunned.

"Where is he?" asked Miki "Does your mother take him out with her when she's out?"

Akai didn't know what to say. She went to the bed and laid a hand on it, it was warm, so someone had used it recently. While she tried to put her mind in order some noises could be heard coming from the back of the house. Miki went to the window, since that window looked on the back yard, where the family field began.
As she did so, laughter rang in the girls ears.

"There's someone out back." Miki said.

Akai ran down, followed by Miki. She went to the kitchen and opened the door furiously. The sight she saw left her frozen in her standing place.

There, laughing happily, was her mother, setting a picnic spread over the lawn.
There was a boy around Akai's age running around making an airplane with his arms.
And her dad was in a wheelchair. Also laughing while following the boy's movements with his head.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The end of the second part... there's much more to come!

Comments.

Let's go back a few days and learn what happened in wolf land after our heroine left.

The whole place was in an uproar. To even think that a human had fooled everyone so easily was horrendous. But it happened, and it made everyone feel like a fool. And worst of all, it had been Mokomichi's pack who had gotten her in, the future leader of all wolves in the land had acted as blind as a bat. It was behavior almost expected from the other members of his pack, but him? it was a huge disappointment, people had not given up hope that he would succeed to rule despite his unlucky choice of companions. But now, the little hope that was left was fading like early morning mist against a sunny day. If something happened with Naohito-sama, the wolves would literally be leader-less and anarchy would ensue, only God knows what will happen to the wolf nation if a situation like that came to be. If only the real wolf king would return with good news... everything will be fine...

Naohito had a lot of damage control to do which kept him busy 24 hours a day, he had to receive everyone that had a complaint with the situation, he had to patiently listen and respond trying to apeace their worries when he had worries of his own to deal with. The damned girl in everyone's lips had been a spy for the human enemy forces, but it wasn't in his best interest to let that information reach the wolf masses, he had put in action a very effective plan to erase all rumors about her true intentions in the entire settlement. It had been hard work and success had finally come. But all the bitching and moaning about her was making him waste precious time, time he needed to organize his own forces against the imminent human attack, he didn't know when they would strike, but they all needed to be prepared for the worst, and it was only luck that kept them in peace at the moment. The calm before the storm.

A few days after the whole thing, Naohito summoned Mokomichi to his presence, they needed to have a talk, alone. Mokomichi went, but even from a mile away, anyone that took a peek at him would have known he wasn't in the mood for talks with people, least of all his older brother. Naohito didn't bother to notice Mokomichi's foul mood, he figured he would be pretty pissed off realizing his own incompetence and the name he was making for himself among their people, but Mokomichi was in reality bitter about other things that Naohito hadn't even the smallest clue about.

"What do you want?" Mokomichi relished on adressing his brother with all the impudent contempt he could come up with when it was just the two of them. He didn't even look at him.
"Drop the attitude little brother, after all, it was you who put us in the situation we're in right now."
"I didn't do a fucking thing."
"You would actually deny in my face that you brought her here?"
"Not at all. I did that."
"A human girl."
"It's nothing wrong."
"What?"
"What you heard."
"It's amazing how well your brain can block out anything that might resemble common sense."
"I'll ask again, what do you want?"
"Tell me everything she knows about us."
"What for?"
"What do you mean what f-" an exasperated sigh came out of Naohito's lips "The human army will attack at any moment and you behave like this? you're such a disappointment!"
"They haven't attacked, have they? if they wanted to battle as desperately as you seem to, they would have done so already."
"You actually think I want to go to war?"
"It's all you care about."
"That just tells me how ignorant you have chosen to become when it comes to these matters."
"Your know-it-all attitude is your worst point, aniki."
"I should have killed her myself. It was a mistake to trust you would do the right thing."
"Not everything is resolved with murder, brother."
"Killing the enemy is not murder, it's self defense."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself."

They glared for a while, unable to understand each other.

"You won't cooperate?" rasped Naohito.
"There's nothing to tell, she knows what everyone else knows about wolves."

A silent moment, Naohito took in that statement, coming to conclusions of his own.

"You seem to want to... protect her."
"I do. She's a good woman."
"WHAT?" Naohito stood up pushing his chair to the ground.
"This may come as a surprise to you aniki, but not all humans are bad, just like not all wolves are good."

Naohito needed another minute to collect himself and not loose it completely.

"We'll see what becomes of all this." after a sigh he said "If I'm wrong about her, then I'll acknowledge it."

Mokomichi couldn't suppress the amazement in his gaze, but he dared not hope that his brother still had a soul inside him.

"Go away now, otouto, reflect on how a human girl fooled you so easily."
"She didn't fool me."
"I see... so you did it on purpose then? that's even worse."

Mokomichi didn't retort to that, they were back to the usual way their relationship worked, latent anger. He left in a hurry, sick of it all.

The next morning found Aya waking up in her comfy bed, her mother had been surprisingly cold towards her since the whole incident happened, she had thoroughly believed Akai had been a new wolf friend of Aya's, and she felt her daughter knew more than what she was telling, but most of all, she was worried that Mokomichi's reputation had taken such a serious plunge that all her hopes and dreams for a life without worries for her daughter might become in vain; and also Aya had been acting annoyingly happy, the reason of which she could not figure out for the life of her.
Aya was careful to maintain the status quo in her house, she didn't want her parents to know anything about her life, it was hers after all, her problems, her joys, she had to keep it to herself, otherwise her parents would continue to mold it at their own convenience. She acted happy-go-lucky, savoring the fact that Akai was no longer a threat to her, she couldn't be, not with so much miles of distance between them, Mokomichi's fancy for Akai would subside with time passing, it was just a fancy, he wanted to experience a bit of new thrills, that's all, he must know it wasn't anything that could hold up for long, it wasn't a real relationship, a few days of meeting someone new wasn't that important, not like her relationship with him at all, they were childhood friends, with deep bonds that went way beyond those of fellow pack members, she didn't have to worry, he'll see that Akai was just an autumn leaf falling on their lives rapidly, meaningless, not important at all.
Aya wanted to remain cheerful, to show everyone that these passing times were not the end of the world, she started to take special care of her appearance, and hang around Mokomichi more that before, but she had been unlucky in that respect, everytime she went out to look for him she'd miss him by a few minutes, he was more elusive than ever.
This morning though, she met him.
He was almost running, coming from Naohito's headquarters it seemed. She could see he was mad, no, make that furious, but she had to take this chance to approach him, to make him forget, and see only her. She braced herself and went in.