#and so he's a kishu ken now

[mihamihoku]

Heishin? Heishin :}

Idk DCMK characters are really a lot of fun to design and draw as animals/anthros,,,

[zephyrartz-owo]

Coming completely out of left field, I give you Booey

These are all doodles made during art blocks that I've been having fun with so I went back to clean up and color them for yall^^ Uhh some thoughts and the two screenshots I referenced under the cut

First up dog breeds:

There wasn't any thought put into Cass when I started because of these being block breakers, so I just picked what'd be recognizable/cute, that being a border collie. I sketched Cass and Hiro the same day so he didn't have much thought either other than it was imperative that he have only one floppy ear because, as stated previously, it's cute.

A few weeks go by and I start working on these again. I started sketching Tadashi which got me to think about the breeds a little more since I wanted Hideo and Kate to be different dogs. Ended up going with Kai Ken on a whim which maaaan kinda regret a teeny bit because he should've been a Kishu Ken but I forgot about em. It would've been much more fitting for Hideo to be a Kishu Ken instead since the breed originates from the Kansai region where Hideo's from. ((Technically. Kishu Kens actually originate from the Kii/Kishū Province, now modern day Wakayama and Mei Prefectures, both of which are in the Kansai region))

Anyway the Kai Ken thing presented a problem when I started coloring these yesterday because Kais are brindle and uhhh that's hard to translate into the Bluey style lmao. Still not thrilled with it, but ah it's fine these are just for fun. I was going to make Cass and Kate the same color but they kept looking way too similar so Kate got the black coat while I made Hideo warmer. Voilà

I referenced the last two sketches from Stickbird and Cricket.

[nvrcmplt]

Saori remember naught but the sensation of blood spreading at her paws - the feeling of a hand upon her head between her ears and the softest of voices call out; Ko. She remembers the awe in the surrounding gasping beings, as she felt stone crumble from her fur making her pelt no longer leaden and heavy. Trapped would be a word to use, but it didn’t make sense since they chose to become statues to lie in wait for their next Master.

Now found - her Spirit form released by a blood oath and sacrifice of a beloved family dog, the Wisdom holder eased herself to the dog’s corpse. Taking it for her own and reshaping it to her breed. Thus - when the light and smoke cleared from the gathering of Onmyōji under the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Clan Name, she found herself staring at only one of them… This one - the Chosen Blood - had her bead - her name on his tongue and now his vision shared with her own. This was the one that summoned her from her lengthy sleep.

The moment they locked eyes - and the being lowered to a knee - Saori’s form moved with ease to greet him with her nose to the back of his palm. Tail wagging with delight upon the smell of old blood - this was a strong clan and would be stronger in the future. “Master.” It was the first word to be uttered between them, and it was all that it took for the rest of her life here to be involved in ▇▇▇▇▇▇'s history.

Saori’s Wisdom bead gave her the IQ and understanding of world matters quickly, to take on stories of the humans of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Clan, to understand that war still happens but much more secretive. Thus, in her sphere of information, she took it upon herself to ask of the Clan Head - He, who she was bound to by soul and name - told him of her siblings.

The Hakkenden / Hakkenshi of Legends.

They were not just a story of Warriors in times of battle and children games to distract them from Warring states. But real Inu-yasha that protected a sacred person or place. Their beads were the symbol of their loyalty - larger in the past but became smaller to match the present times of everything they were.

The first bead, Devotion - also written as 'wisdom' - was placed upon the wrist of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇'s Clan’s head- and with its power - he was able to find answers to what he sees and heard in passing. To look beneath the underneath - to pull apart layers of lies or half-truths and find their real meanings.

Wisdom - holds the talent to see through lies of man. Whilst Saori - at his side, took upon the form of a pure white Hokkaido-inu - she stood regal in her white coat and with eyes akin to a ghost - ever silent - ever watchful.

From those years onward, Saori aided the clan head and his successors - a single heir, to claim another statue of her brother and sisters.

After Devotion, came Benevolence - Akinori a spitfire Akita.

Michinori of Gratitude was found within the fourth heads reign - A Shikoku-ken.

Shiori of Knowledge, was donated out of honour from a defeated clan - A Kishu-ken.

Kahori ( Duty ), Kazunori ( Brotherhood ) and Masanori ( Faith ) were all found thanks to Shiori’s memory. A Kai ken, Shiba Inu and Tosa.

The last of their band - the leader of a leaderless group — Kiyonori ( Loyalty ). He is yet to be found - locked away and the missing piece to the full formation barrier of the Hakkenden's true ability. A statue in waiting for his true Master to wake him from his slumber.

The Hakkenden CAN NOT be seen without their permission - as they are spirits / Inu-yasha, they are non-visible to those without Onmyōji lineage. The ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Clan, is one of the oldest Clans to have a Generational contract of Blood with the Hakkenshi. The first to seal this was Saori, and it continues now with Kiyonori.

The Canines are visible however when granted the permission to be so by their Master. BUT - they are not of human guise, but their pure canine forms. Kai Ken, Akita, Shiba Inu - these dogs roam the halls of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Clan Home with no muzzle nor leash but true freedom.

That being said, they can and will mess around with the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Clansmen, showing their shadows on the walls or barking in the dark halls. Their Master may have to scold the pups regularly when they get a little too rowdy.

The Hakkenshi have a Barrier Formation made by the Onmyōji Clan heads at the time of Saori’s behest. This formation grew stronger and stronger with each canine statue released how it grew weaker over time as it was incomplete.

With Kiyonori’s sealed state, the Formation is still incomplete and won't be amplified by EIGHT as all pillars are yet to be resurrected. This barrier stops, repels and denounces yokai from entering the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Clan grounds. It can also remove impurities from corrupted souls making many humans faint if they are unable to withstand the sensation.

The Hakkenshi show their human forms when their Master desires it to be shared, they are a wide range of age, shape and size. Much like their canine forms they are beautiful and dangerous - as they all have weaponry styles of destruction. All of them different from one another as they have formed their own love for weaponry selected over time.

[yeahshedo]

hey there! i'm super interested in kishu ken, but i'd really like some info from someone who has one! how'd you get a kishu and what sort of lifestyle do they fit? i'm not a super active person although i do like strolling through cities and going on occasional hikes, but i'm pretty sure they're a more active breed? as you can see i'm not a super knowledgeable person haha

Hello!! Thank you for your interest in Kishu~

I’m gonna break this question down into two parts, as I interpret them:

Finding a Kishu

I got my first Kishu, Cosmia, from a breeder. She’s a co-own and doesn’t live with me currently, but I see her often (she’s actually coming to stay with me in a couple weeks!) My current Kishu, Haru, is her puppy from a litter I bred in late 2018. 

Basically the only ways to get a Kishu in the US are from a breeder, or importing. Importing is going to cost you a lot more, but it’s currently one of the biggest goals of the National Kishu Club in order to increase genetic diversity in the NA population. If you or anyone is interested in owning a Kishu and willing to import and keep an intact female, reach out to the club and we will help source the right import, assist in the process as much as possible, and potentially even offset import costs as well. If you’d rather go through a US-based breeder, feel free to reach out to me off anon and I can give recommendations.

Of course, this information is all US-centric. If you’re elsewhere in the world, but interested in finding a Kishu, please still feel free to reach out to me privately and I will help you figure out the best place to find a Kishu based on where you live.

Kishu Lifestyle Fit

Kishu are actually quite adaptable dogs, in my experience. While they are a medium-high energy dog, I don’t think they need a crazy active person to keep them happy. More than anything, they love doing things with their person. That might be taking a casual walk through town and hanging out at a brewery while you grab a drink with friends, or it might be a 15-mile hike. As long as they can do something-- anything-- with their person, in which you’re actively engaged and doing it together, they will be happy. Bonus points if that activity is outside!

The fun thing about this is that they will try anything you want to do together. I think they’re a great dog for someone who wants to dabble in a lot of different dog things but doesn’t necessarily want to get a crazy intense sports dog. Kishu have a lot of focus and drive, and will return anything you put into them ten-fold, so there’s a lot of potential there if you find you DO want to go deep into a particular sport. But they don’t need to go deep, and they have fun just trying things out together. And if all you do with them is just walks and hikes, they’re okay with that too!

The other great thing about them is their off-switch. At home, and especially if they’ve already gotten to Do A Thing with you, they are sooo chill. They are good at recognizing “okay this is relax time now” and just hanging out. They like to be near you, sometimes, but they’re never in your face. They let you have days off if you need to, especially after the puppy stage, and they tend to be really in-tune with their person’s needs.

That said, they will not let you be lazy with them. They bond strongly, but you have to be actively working on that relationship, and on doing things together. They’re forgiving if you miss a day or two, but you can’t put them completely on the back burner. They will remind you that they’re a part of your life and you have a responsibility to them. In that way, they’re very self-assured. They know what they want and what they deserve, and they’re not afraid to ask for it. This is one of the many ways I learn from my Kishu every day.

[inu-jiru]

Tomoe, The Eastern Tigress - Chapter One

(A/N: This is a retelling of the GDW anime with a twist: Tomoe is the daughter of John, and this is her story. This story won’t follow every beat from the anime, but follows it for the most part. Enjoy!)

Chapter One - Her Name Is Tomoe

Deep within the forests of Futago Pass, a sika stag was running for its life. Three dogs were hot on its heels, snarling and baying. One was a dark-furred Kai Ken, the second resembled a purebred Great Dane, and the last was a German Shepherd. The Shepherd was quite young compared to her companions, being only slightly taller than the Kai. She lagged behind the other two dogs, panting heavily as her tongue hung from the side of her mouth. The Kai glanced back at her, smirking slightly. “Oi, little sis,” he began coyly. “Having trouble keeping up?” “Fuck off,” replied the Shepherd, though her tone had a hint of playfulness to it. “I don’t see you getting any closer to it.” “That’s ‘cause I didn’t wanna leave you in the dust, heh. You should thank me.” “Focus, you two,” barked the Dane before the Shepherd bitch could offer a witty retort. “It’s starting to get tired. If we keep this hunt, we can get the jump on it.” As the Dane spoke, the Shepherd bitch looked to her Kai ally and began mouthing words to him, mocking the lecture. The Kai couldn’t help but snicker. The stag bellowed in anguish, its lungs aching and burning from all the running. Though it didn’t want to, it began slowing down. Its hoof bumped against a stone that was partially buried in the grass, and with another cry, it staggered. The Great Dane took the chance and leaped into the air, biting down on the stag’s hind leg. “Kage, hurry!” he ordered through a mouthful of fur and skin. The Kai obeyed, launching himself at the stag and latching his fangs onto the back of its neck. He twisted his body around, now dangling from the stag’s throat. Saliva dripped from its maws as it choked, and its forelegs caved underneath it. “Now you, Tomoe!” shouted the Kai as best as he could. “Do it! The Retsu!” “Hraaaaah!” Tomoe roared. She hadn’t needed to be told twice. Into the air, she leapt, her body rotating in a sideways, circular motion. In less than a second, she appeared to be a spinning black-and-tan circle approaching the stag at rapid speed. Her fangs soon made contact, tearing into the stag’s flesh and bone with the tower of a circular saw. She carved a spiral-like wound along its back and stomach, causing a literal bloodbath as the stag bled out almost instantly. It crumbled to the ground as the Kai and Great Dane moved out of the way. Tomoe landed about a foot away, licking the blood from her lips. This was the power of her technique, the Retsu Genmu-Battōga. She padded towards the kill as her comrades looked over. “Nice one, sis!” praised the Kai, Kage, as his friends called him. His full name was Kagetora. He lifted a paw, giving the young bitch a playful nudge on the shoulder. “Heh, thanks,” Tomoe replied with a smile. “I’ve been practicing a lot. Mom says it helps.” “Clearly,” said the Great Dane, named Ken. “You’ve nearly bled this guy dry. I’d say you’ve mastered your Battouga, sis.” At that, Tomoe’s smile widened, her heart fluttering in her chest. “You really think so, Ken?” “Heh, yep.” Ken returned the grin, before scrunching his nose at his blood-soaked paws. “Just wish it wasn’t so...messy.” “Pfft,” Kagetora scoffed. “The son of Ben, everybody. Scared of a little blood.” He and Tomoe both laughed. Ken responded by reaching over and knocking the much smaller Kai dog flat onto his back. Tomoe’s laughter became uncontrollable wheezing as she fell onto her haunches. The Dane rolled his eyes, shaking his head in mild annoyance. “Get up, you idiot,” he grunted, before looking up. The sky was a mix between orange and navy blue; the day was fading fast. “Jeez...dusk already? Well, let’s hurry back to Gajou before Mr. Kurotora has a fit.” After Kagetora was up, the trio were off, dragging the stag up the mountainside. It was a slow process thanks to the uneven terrain. Tree roots that broke the surface and large boulders forced the three dogs to change their route a number of times. Night arrived quickly, but the moon and the stars were hidden by thick storm clouds. Tomoe felt the ground beneath her paws vibrate as thunder rumbled. “Shit…” she grunted over a mouthful of fur and flesh. “We might be able to beat the rain,” said Ken hopefully. “C’mon, keep--” C R A C K ! The Dane’s voice was drowned out by a sudden, louder clap of thunder. Not a second later, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, striking a tree. The tree began to lean as fire formed along the trunk. It began to fall. “Move!” ordered Ken as he abandoned the kill and dove to the side. Tomoe and Kagetora did the same, narrowly avoiding the tree as it slammed into the ground. The stag’s corpse was crushed underneath it. “Fuck!” exclaimed Kagetora in anger. “Leave it,” said Ken quickly. “We need to go. Look!” The Dane pointed with his paw towards the remaining, scorched tree stump. Embers danced from the main fire, landing in grass and fallen leaves, setting them aflame. Tomoe and Kagetora needed no further explanation. They continued onward, forced to leave the kill behind as the fire spread rapidly. Not ten seconds passed before Tomoe could feel a great heat against her back. Thunder continued to rumble; the ground began to shake so violently that she could barely keep her footing. Something’s not right… the young bitch thought, taking a risk and glancing back over her shoulder. That can’t just be normal thunder… A wall of flames loomed behind the fleeing dogs, but that wasn’t what caught Tomoe’s attention. There was...something...within the flames. Something that seemed to be growing larger with each passing second. Whatever it was, it suddenly burst through the fire, its eyes glowing a vibrant white. Tomoe skidded to a stop, staring back at the creature with wide, terrified eyes. “Eh? Little sis?” Kagetora called back, looking towards the younger Shepherd. “What’s going--?” ROOOOOOOAR! The world shook as the creature unleashed its fearsome battle cry. Kagetora stopped as well, only able to stare, only able to wonder: “What the hell is that!?” Further up the mountain, at the base of the Ohu Army, soldiers perked from their resting spots. The higher-ranking members exited the stronghold, Gajou, and began looking around. “What the hell was that noise?” someone barked in alarm. “Didn’t sound like thunder.” “A bear, perhaps?” responded another dog. “I can smell fire!” a third soldier yelped. “Soldiers!” An Akita Inu with a silver, brindle pelt leapt onto the top of Gajou, followed by a German Shepherd and a Kishu Inu. Everyone turned to look up at him, falling silent as they awaited his command. “There isn’t any time to delay. Go into the Paradise and begin escorting the other dogs out of the forest!” “Sir!” the soldiers cried out obediently. Most of them began heading off into the woods, acting as they were ordered to. Remaining at the base of Gajou were some of the higher-ups, veterans and survivors of the war against Akakabuto. A female panda German Shepherd looked around, her ears falling back. “Tomoe,” she began. “Tomoe went out on a hunt with Kage and Ken…! I have to go and find her!” “Wait, Jiyū!” Ben called to her, his ears swiveling to pick up whatever little sounds he could. “I don’t think the fire is all we have to worry about…” “If there’s a bear or something out there, then it’ll have to deal with me.” The Shepherd bitch’s eyes glinted with desire to protect. “I’m not about to let my Tomoe get hurt.” “My Kagetora’s out there too,” added Kurotora, joining Jiyū’s side. “Nobutora and Harutora, my nephews...like hell if I’m gonna let them get hurt. We’ve taken down Akakabuto; this’ll be nothing.” “Not a bear…” murmured Ben. “It’s--” ROOOOOOOAR! Ben’s words were drowned out by another roar, this one much louder than the one everyone had heard before. Whatever was coming, it was close. A strange scent filled the air, something dog-like, but not quite. A wolf? No, something bigger. Screams filled the air as whatever beast lay hidden in the forest began its attack. It wasn’t long before the veterans could smell blood. “MOM!” Tomoe’s voice rang out, causing Jiyū’s heart to flutter in her chest. The young Shepherd emerged from the forest a moment later, followed by Kagetora, Ken, and a few other soldiers. Some of them were covered in blood. One male limped, one of his hind legs broken. Jiyū was the first to approach, the rest of the Ohu veterans following behind her. The panda female stopped in front of Tomoe, looking over her. “Are you hurt?” Jiyū demanded. “No, mom,” Tomoe panted, occasionally glancing back towards the woods. “But there’s something back there! Something big!” C R A C K ! B O O M ! The thunder boomed again, lightning following close behind. The creature took that opportunity to leave the shadows. In one second, the trees hid it. In the next, it stood outside of the forest’s edge, the ongoing fire forming a hellish halo around its dark frame. It gave the army no chance to fully fathom what it was. It attacked, maw agape, fangs ready. Smith rushed through the forest that was yet to be engulfed in flames. The chaos occurring at the top of the Pass traveled down into the Paradise at rapid speed, and being a Platoon Leader, it was the male’s duty to go and see what was going on. He arrived at the stronghold, just as the invader slammed an unfortunate dog onto the ground, ripping him in half with its jaws. “What the…?” Smith shouted in alarm. “What the hell’s goin’ on!?” “Sergeant!” A brown mongrel rushed up to the Spaniel, Gin’s mate, a white Kishu named Sakura, close to his side. Sakura’s belly was swollen, an obvious sign that she was due to give birth soon. “We’ve been invaded by a monster!” the mongrel explained frantically. “Everyone’s doing what they can, but we can’t keep this up much longer!” As the mongrel spoke, the monster lifted its head, roaring once again. Smith could hardly believe his eyes. It looked like a dog, somewhat, but it was massive, almost as big as bears like Madara or Mosa. It had a mane around its neck, and a thick armor-like shell on its back, a broken chain dangling from the hip. Muscle was exposed on its left leg and chest, though any dog who attempted to get close enough to bite these areas were swiftly knocked away and devoured. “Chief!” the mongrel barked again, catching Smith’s attention. “Sergeant Ben ordered that Miss Sakura be taken to safety! Please escort her out of Futago Pass!” “I can’t do that!” Smith argued. “Not while my comrades are in danger!” “But Sakura and her puppies are also in danger,” said the soldier. He and Smith both looked to Sakura. The female was looking back towards the battle, her ears pressed against the side of her head. Smith looked down at her swollen belly, and then down at the stumpy remain that used to be his right leg. Though he could still fight, his handicap would make things difficult. Smith sighed, realizing that he’d have to take the smarter option. “Fine…” he finally said. He then looked up, back towards the rest of the army. “But Sakura isn’t the only female here. Jiyū, Tomoe and Cross...we need to get them out of here, too. Take Sakura down towards the Paradise; I’ll be behind you in a minute.” “Sir!” the soldier replied obediently. “Miss Sakura, this way!” Smith raced towards the stronghold, feeling rain pelting into him as he left the shelter of the woods. The combined scent of smoke and blood were suffocating, but the Spaniel pushed himself onward. Reaching Gajou, he could now hear Tomoe’s voice. “Let me go!” she was shouting. “Mom! Aunt Cross! Let go of me!” Smith could now see the young Shepherd being dragged away from the battle by her mother and the old Saluki. Tomoe desperately tried to escape their grip, but their teeth were tight on her scruff, holding her back. “You’re not going over there!” Jiyū snapped. “I’m taking you down the mountain where it’s safe!” “But I’m an Ohu soldier too! If everyone else can fight, then I’ll fight too! I’ll use my Retsu!” “Listen to your mother!” Cross urged. “Let the older dogs handle this!” “Jiyū! Cross!” Smith called, catching the older females’ attention. “I need to get you out of here. Tomoe, too!” “We’re not leaving, Smith.” Cross shot the Spaniel a stern look. “Jiyū’s taking Tomoe down the mountain, but she’s coming right back up here to help fight.” “This isn’t the time to act tough, Cross.” Smith was beginning to lose his patience. “It’s a man’s duty to protect women and children!” “Shut up with that outdated crap,” snapped Jiyū, releasing Tomoe to glare back at Smith. “I didn’t run away from Akakabuto, and I’m sure as hell not running away now.” Feeling less pressure on her scruff, Tomoe saw this as her chance. She yanked out of Cross’s grip, darting off. “Uh?” Cross yelped. “Tomoe! Tomoe, no!” “Tomoe!” Jiyū called after her daughter. “Come back here this instant!” But Tomoe didn’t listen, not stopping until she found a suitable spot to perform the Retsu Genmu-Battōga. She stopped near the rocky ledge that stretched behind Gajou, turning around and facing the monster. Standing tall, the young bitch began to shout: “Oi! Look at me, you piece of shit!” The monster turned towards Tomoe, a dog’s carcass dangling from its maw. Without a second thought, it charged at the female, the ground shaking with each powerful step it took. A terrified Jiyū sprinted for her daughter. Tomoe leapt into the air, yelling fiercely. The monster pounced, swinging it’s paw. TWACK! Tomoe felt a hot, stinging pain in the side of her head. Her vision became clouded with red, but not from rage. Blood ran down her face. The monster’s claw had torn away her ear and the surrounding flesh. The force of the blow was so great that the young bitch flew backwards, past the cliff and down into the darkness below. “NO!” Jiyū screamed. Running past the monster, she flung herself off the cliff and after her daughter. She’s not dead, the panda Shepherd thought, tears streaming from her eyes as a swift, rushing river grew closer and closer. She can’t be…! Oh, God, please don’t let her be dead! Jiyū landed in the river with a splash and felt herself being carried away by the current. She kicked and kicked, forcing herself to swim. Her eyes searched madly for Tomoe. The water had gained a reddish tint from the pup’s blood. Finally, Jiyū made out her daughter’s limp form. Swimming towards her, Jiyū threw her forearms around her and pulled her up to the surface. Jiyū gasped for breath before looking down at Tomoe. Her left ear was completely gone, and a large wound had been carved into her head, even going past her left eye. Despite that, Jiyū could feel the rising and falling of her chest. Tomoe was unconscious, but she was alive. “Thank God…” murmured the older bitch, holding on tighter to her little girl. Her ear flicked. The water was moving faster. Looking back, Jiyū could see a waterfall approaching. The current was far too strong to swim away. Jiyū had no choice; she’d have to take as much of the impact of the drop as she could. For Tomoe. Closing her eyes, Jiyū wrapped herself around Tomoe as best as she could. Then, they fell.

[pinktatertots99]

24: you need to leave for musashi and kenshirou cause angst also im happy you had a good day.

damn been a while since someone deliberately wanted angst from me lol.

nearly 200 writing prompts // feel free to reblog

24: “ You need to leave. ”

_______

“six, three, four.” kenshirou stated aloud as musashi slinged his roped bag onto his back. “yeah yeah i know i’m gettin there inu-chan.” he chuckled as he put his hands up. ken felt like he needed a minute seeing him now. out of his inmate outfit he was wearing a black blazer that zipped down halfway with no undershirt and sleeves moved up halfway on the arms, flowy reddish brown pants, flip flops and with the blindfold still on himself, his wrists, ankles and neck he had a pair of visors on a chain around his neck for use. it was so...so odd seeing it.

“oi puppers.” he snapped out of it and shook his head as he cuffed him. “follow.” he commanded as the inmate obeyed. as they walked they could hear cheers from the residence of building 4, the dogs barking and threatening to bite his knees if he ran while hitoshi waved saying he’d bring treats to his place later.

both boarded the ship to the mainlands in no time and standing on the waiting dock. “...to think, this’d be the last time you wear handcuffs when leaving somewhere.” kenshirou mumbled aloud as musashi chuckled. “i’ll probably still put my hands out to be cuffed even though no one’ll be around to cuff em.” ken just hummed, not getting the satisfactory of humor like musashi had for that as they stood, the trip feeling so long but too short at the same time. he didn’t want to see how close they were getting to land or how much more distant nanba was getting.

the ship soon landed. other inmates with their guards or supervisors were boarding off it, musashi and kenshirou being last as they stood on the docks, sunset looming over them as kenshirou hesitantly and slowly took the cuffs off. the german male rubbed his wrists. “heh...it’s weird, ya’d think someone would like it being uncuffed, this feels, so off though heh.” he smirked still, pulling out a bendable walking stick.

a bark echoed as both looked over, seeing a white hot pink eyed kishu staring at them with a harness and handle attatched to it’s harness. both leaning down and petting the dog. “i’ll be in your care then miss...” musashi trailed off as he felt the tag that was conviniently in Braille. “gomi? ...ey did ya do this on purpose pup?” he looked to kenshirou’s direction and smirked as ken coughed lightly. “i wanted to make it easy for you. there’s a translation in english, german and japanese her name on the back depending on where your going.”

“man first the visor, the stick, now a seein eye, at this point puppy i’m thinkin your trying to take yourself with me huh?” he chuckled lightly to himself as ken rolled his eyes but smiled lightly. as both got up musashi took hold of the stick and gomi, both staring at eachothers direction.

“...don’t you need to leave?” musashi asked as ken snapped out of it. “mean, your boat’s gonna leave shortly pup. unless you can doggy pad-” he was cut off as he felt the sudden jolt of kenshirou leaping to him lightly, holding him firmly as nuzzling into his shoulder. musashi stood there looking upwards with a neutral face...and smiled as he moved one hand to hug him back and the other to pet his head. “your awful at hiding your emotions puppy.”

“shut up.” he choked out, almost sounding and looking ready to cry. musashi gave a light chuckle as he petted him. it seemed time just stopped as they stood there, musashi patting his back lightly. “you need to leave.” musashi said lightly, both pulling away as ken lightly brushed his sleeve over his eye.”i’m...proud of you, in-...musashi.” he stated, musashi feeling the heat of the sunset and those words hitting him, smiling brighter.

“hey, before ya go.” he moved his hands to his face. ken watched as he slowly unvieled his binds from around his eyes. the cuts on them seemed healed enough as he kept them closed enough to hand them to him. “something to remember me by.” he said as ken took them. “b-”

“i got a visor pup no worries.” musashi stated as he put the visor on easily, taking the handle and stick back from gomi’s mouth. “use it as a ponytail holder or something. i’ll see ya around though pup. thanks.” he soon started turning his back and walking off into the sunsetted city, ken’s mouth slightly open, closing, and smiling lightly as he nodded and took a swift turn back to the ship.

.........

extra footsteps echoed the hall as hitoshi paused to look behind himself. “oh supervisor your back! did musashi-san get back sa-” he paused as the supervisor passed by. “oh supervisor where did you get that hair accessory from!?” he asked excitedly as kenshirou looked back and stopped. holding his ponytail was a familiar black ribbon that was tied into a low hanging bow due to it’s length. he smiled.

“was a parting gift.” he stated as he walked off again, hitoshi cocking his head confused but quickly realizing and smiling as he continued his way down the hall following the supervisor suite.

[sapphirewolf100]

3, 10, 11, and 19 0:

3. Have you ever adopted a character or gotten a character from someone else? - Surprisingly, yes. I hardly ever adopt tbh, bc I like the idea of creating things on my own. But sometimes, there’s very few exceptions bc I’m extremely picky.10. Introduce an OC with a complicated design? - Heck, an OC I can think of that has a complicated design is my precious tora-ge boy, Sirius. He has a brindle design but underneath the brindle his coat fades from dark to light (which can be pretty tricky to draw tbh). The brindle fades down to his legs and he even has some stripes on his face. A couple scars are on his face; one starting from around the tip of his right eyebrow and ending up on the left side of his forehead. The other scar is on his left jaw. Not to mention he has stitches on the right side of his head from a previous accident. Sirius has softened blue eyes as well as a curled tail that’s similar to that of an Akita. He’s quite a big pupper that’s able to stand up on his hind legs, very strong and powerful, & big solid paws. He’s been given the nickname/title of Silver Tiger or Gintora. Can be rather headstrong/aggressive, very serious most of the time & stubborn too. Sirius is a mix of three canine breeds; Akita Inu/Kai Ken/Wolf. He’s my angry fluffy baby & I love him. Tbh he’s my alt. sona & he’s practically like another male version of Sapphire.11. Is there any OC of yours you’d describe as a “sunshine”? - Omg immediately I thought of Pemota (Prancer). She’s so bubbly and lovable & all she wants is for everyone else to be happy. Honestly so pure & innocent I swear.

19. Introduce an OC that means a lot to you (& explain why) - Oh boy;;;An OC that means a lot to me off the top of my head is probably… Gin.No, he’s not related to Sirius, but he connects to Sapphire in some deep ways. Gin is my alter ego & he represents my “darker” side per say regarding depression & self esteem.This character doesn’t receive a lot of love & is perceived to be/feel lonely. Gin wallows away in depressive episodes & tends to isolate himself a lot. Always pushing himself, hardly ever getting rest on those sleepless nights. Gin has a multitude of scars (whether it be from himself or others). He’s experienced a lot of trauma, but from that experience he’s a fighter, so don’t be fooled.Whenever things get really bad in his life, all he wants to do is just drown himself in some alcohol or anything that will make him pass out for a while. He honestly needs some hugs & I wouldn’t blame him (I’d give him some hugs tbh)Gin has a rather serious, quiet & introverted personality. Ironically, he doesn’t like conflict at all but will use combat skills if necessary. He’s very well-built & strong.He has a human & canid form as of right now. His canid form is a canine mix consisting of 50% Akita, 25% Kai Ken & 25% Kishu Ken. He also has a tora-ge (tiger stripe) a.k.a brindle pattern like Sirius.His human form has silvery/grey hair, wears comfy clothes like T-shirts & sweatpants. Very athletic build despite all of his inactivity, standing at 5′5″.

[yeahshedo]

This is Haru’s idea of a good time

[yeahshedo]

2yo male Kishu Ken available to an experienced home

Koji is an intact male Kishu Ken from my Oct 2018 Kishu litter. He is Haru’s littermate, and Cosmia is their dam. In January Koji was returned to us for resource guarding. Having been evaluated by a professional trainer, he is now looking for an experienced home.

Koji is an extremely sweet boy with a typical Kishu temperament. He does well with strangers and, so far, strange dogs as well. He has lived with cats, and with proper introductions could do well in a household with cats.

Koji is high drive with moderate energy levels. While he hasn’t had much formal training, he is smart and engaged, and catches on quickly. He would make an excellent hiking, camping, and general adventure companion, and likely would enjoy trying out some sports as well. Like all Kishu, he thrives with getting out and doing things with his person. Indoors, with proper enrichment and exercise, he is happy to snuggle up on the couch and sleep. He is extremely affectionate, goofy, talkative and sweet.

Koji will need some basic manners training, confidence building, and general patience and understanding. Kishu bond very strongly to their people, but it takes time, and Koji is still a little uncertain about all the major changes in his life recently.

If you are interested, please reach out to me for more details! If you would like to learn more about the Kishu Ken, this is an excellent breakdown of their temperament. If you know of someone who may be interested, please share. Thank you!

[inu-jiru]

Tomoe, The Eastern Tigress - Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine - The Birth Of A Rivalry

Reika was absolutely terrified.

After Hougen’s dogs knocked Gin and John unconscious, Hougen decided to drag their bodies back to his base in the Southern Alps. They weren’t the Dane’s only prize, however, as he’d taken a liking to the bitch. Reika was dragged, kicking and screaming, up to the mountain base. She was tossed into Hougen’s hut, where she’d been staying for the past few days. She could barely eat or sleep, spending every second huddled in a corner, trying to put as much distance between herself and her captor as possible. When Hougen wasn’t eating or sleeping, he’d watch the bitch, slowly licking his jowls as if he were imagining running his tongue along her fur. It made Reika sick to her stomach.

That afternoon, Reika watched with bated breath as Hougen tore into a chicken carcass. Outside, she could hear the muffled shouts of one of Hougen’s soldiers as he preached Hougen’s agenda to the rest of the pack. The bitch winced as she felt her stomach rumbling; the chicken smelled good, and she’d been refusing to eat. Hougen paused, his head slowly turning and looking at the little female.

“Mmm?” he purred. Reika swallowed hard. “Are you hungry, sweetheart? I bet you are.” With a swing of his paw, Hougen knocked the half-eaten chicken towards her.

“No…!” Reika looked away from the kill despite the protests of her rumbling stomach. “I don’t want anything you give me…! Just let me go!”

“Oooh, but, Reika…” Hougen stood up, slowly advancing towards her. Reika’s heart raced faster, her eyes scanning for somewhere else to run to. She dove to the side, but Hougen was faster, jumping in front of her. Reika flinched, the smell of rotting meat ripe in Hougen’s breath as he whispered to her. “You’re my girl now. And if you’re going to have my puppies, then you’ll need your strength, heheheh…”

“No…!” Reika swallowed again, trying to push back the bile rising in her throat. “You can’t make me do that! I refuse!” She attempted to back away, but momentarily forgetting about the chicken carcass behind her, she stepped in the blood and guts and lost her footing. She fell onto her back with a yell, and with a sneer, Hougen stepped forward, pinning Reika down with a paw.

“You silly girl,” he growled playfully, ignoring Reika’s cries and pleas. Before he could do anything further, however, a sudden chaos outside had caught his attention.

“Out of the way!” a voice shouted, cutting off the preaching soldier. Hougen recognized it as Rocket’s brother, Jet. The door to his hut slid open, the Borzoi stepping inside and panting. “L-Lord Hougen…! This...isn’t a bad time, is it…?”

“Tch…” was Hougen's irritated reply. Glancing down at the still-sobbing Reika, he huffed and pulled away his paw, padding towards his spy. Reika immediately returned to her corner, silently thanking the Borzoi for coming when he did. “You’d better have a good excuse for interrupting me, bastard.”

“Y-Yes, sir,” Jet said, looking down at the ground. “I’ve come to report that a group of Ohu soldiers headed this way.”

“Is that so?” Hougen’s interest was piqued, though he wasn’t surprised. His dogs had failed to bring down Akame; an act of retaliation from Ohu’s troops had been inevitable.

“Yes, sir,” replied Jet with a nod. “That said, there’s only a few of them. It seems the Ohu Army’s lost a large amount of their dogs. They’ll go down easily.”

“Mmm…” Hougen began to frown as he thought it over. “No, it won’t be that simple. That Gin’s made many allies, and I’m sure those Ohu fools are gonna try rounding them up. Tch...that tora-ge bastard’s pissing me off more and more. Looks like I’m gonna have to blow off some steam, heh.”

Jet understood immediately. He moved out of the way, allowing Hougen to head outside. Reika looked up, realizing what was going to happen.

“No…” she gasped. Panicking, Reika tried to rush out of the hut and after Hougen. Jet apprehended her quickly by biting down on the back of her neck, holding her in place. This didn’t stop her from continuing to yell after the tyrant. “Stop, Hougen! Don’t hurt them! Please!”

Hougen continued, ignoring Reika’s begging. His soldiers watched him silently, preparing themselves for the violence that would be coming soon. Within the group of dogs, Hook stood, his head hanging in an attempt to not stand out amongst the other dogs. He’d joined Hougen’s ranks days ago, not to serve the Great Dane in his evil schemes, but to see if the rumors had been true about Gin and John’s capture. Now that he knew the truth, the gears in his mind turned as he tried to formulate some plan of helping them escape.

A small shed sat a few feet away from Hougen’s hut, a small hole in the back of it being the only way to get in or out of it. Two guards stood at the hole, peering into it and observing the dogs inside. Gin and John were lying in the darkness, covered from head to toe in gashes, cuts and bruises. It was amazing that they’d managed to survive the beatdown they’d gotten, but as Ohu’s top males, perhaps it was to be expected.

“You bastards…” John croaked, an eye opening and glaring at the two guards. Though his breathing was labored, the Shepherd still managed to speak with ferocity. “Checking to see if we’re dead? Well, sorry to disappoint you, but we’re not gonna die…! Not for you, or that shitface you call a Boss…!”

“Don’t waste your breath on them, John…” Gin groaned, his body shivering from the cold, stone ground. “Save your strength...at least until Akame comes with reinforcements…”

“I just can’t stand it…” murmured John. “We could’ve taken out every last one of these bastards if Hougen hadn’t…” He fell silent, gritting his teeth as he remembered Reika’s capture.

“I know, I know...But don’t lose hope. Hougen WON’T succeed. It may take days, it may take months, but sooner or later, Hougen will pay.”

“Hear, hear…”

Outside, Hougen approached the shed. The two guards, hearing him, quickly stepped to the side, bowing their heads fearfully. Crouching down, Hougen peered into the darkness of the shed. John and Gin were quiet now, their eyes closed. The Great Dane snorted, forcing himself inside.

“Tsk. Don’t pretend to be dead just because I showed up.” He paused next to John, smacking the Shepherd in the face with a paw. John responded immediately with a weak snarl. “Hmph. Well, lucky for you too, that old Kishu made it back to Ohu. Now, the Ohu Army’s headed this way. Unfortunately for you, though, there’s not as many as I thought there’d be, hehe…”

Shit… Gin thought, his heart racing. Something really did happen to Ohu…! This isn’t good…

“Now that I think about it,” Hougen continued with a pleasant tone. “If the Ohu soldiers are all the way out here, there shouldn’t be anyone protecting Gajou. And if there is, heh, well, they won’t last long against my army. I’ll take Ohu as my base, and all dogs in Japan will have no choice but to bow to me!”

Hougen threw back his head, cackling evilly. As rage surged through him, John managed to lift his head, sinking his fangs into Hougen’s leg with a growl. Hougen stopped laughing, glancing down at the Shepherd with narrowed eyes.

“Still got some fight left in you?” he sneered, before reaching down and pulling John off him with ease. He threw John against the wall, forcing a grunt of pain from the Shepherd’s maw.

“John…!” Gin cried out to his friend. Hougen looked back at the silver male, licking his jowls as he approached him. He slapped his paw down on Gin’s head, pressing it in as if he were squishing a bug.

“As for you, Gin,” Hougen hissed, bringing his muzzle close to Gin’s ear. “Don’t think that I was being merciful by letting you live. You’re my toy now. You won’t leave. You won’t die. I’ll eat you alive.” Without warning, Hougen bit down on Gin’s foreleg, lifting him up into the air while triumphantly declaring:

“Because you’re my prey!”

Outside the shed, Gin’s torture was heard by all who were near. A new wave of fear washed over Hougen’s followers, and they were all reminded of why they should never, ever, cross the tyrant.

After a successful hunt, Tomoe, Ken, and Kagetora returned to the rendezvous location that Weed had set up. They found some sika deer in the woods and managed to bring down a doe. Tomoe had even used her Retsu on it, taking it down instantly. By the time they’d reached the clearing, the blood had been almost completely drained out of it. The rest of the Ohu dogs had returned as well, some feasting on what they’d caught, and others waiting to share what other prey was coming.

“Ooh!” GB said, looking up at the doe as the three friends set it down. “Nice catch you three!”

“Heh, thanks,” Kage replied, proudly licking his lips. “Anything interestin’ happen while we were gone?”

“Yeah…” GB glanced over his shoulder, nodding at where Weed was eating. “Apparently one of Hougen’s dogs came here trying to attack Weed.”

“What!?” Ken exclaimed.

“Everything’s fine now,” the Setter assured quickly. “That Rocket guy protected him, and Jerome was nearby, too.”

“Where’s that guy now?” asked Tomoe.

“Weed told Rocket to let him go…” GB grunted in obvious disapproval.

“Are you for real?” asked Kage in disbelief.

“Is that kid insane!?” Tomoe snapped, looking over at the puppy. Her good mood was instantly ruined, replaced with unbridled fury. How could their Boss allow for something so stupid!? Without thinking, she began stomping over towards Weed. Ken, Kagetora and GB quickly followed.

“Wait, Tomoe…!” Ken barked. “I don’t think this is a good idea…!”

“I don’t like it either,” GB added. “But he’s just a kid!”

Tomoe didn’t care. She wouldn’t stand back and let Weed think he’d done something smart. The youngster in question looked up, noticing the approaching Tomoe. Beside him, Jerome started standing up.

“Oh, hi, Tomoe,” said Weed, smiling innocent. “I saw your catch. Nice--”

“You let that guy go!?”

Everyone looked up as Tomoe yelled accusingly at Weed. Rocket stiffened as he was taken a bite of a hare he’d caught. Glaring, Jerome prepared to step in front of Weed. The puppy held up a paw.

“Wait a second, Jerome,” he said, before standing up and facing Tomoe. His brow furrowed. “Yes. I did let him go.”

“Why?” Tomoe demanded. “He was one of Hougen’s dogs, right? As long as we’ve been here, he could be on his way to Hougen and telling him where we are!?”

“He was scared when Rocket pinned him down,” Weed argued sternly. “He’d learned his lesson. I won’t kill someone who’s afraid for their life.” Tomoe didn’t respond for a moment, instead gawking at the male as if he’d suddenly grown a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

“Idiot!” she then snapped. “Of course he looked scared! Dogs who do bad things tend to be scared when they have to face the consequences of their actions. You can’t be soft like that, kid!”

She’s got a point there… Rocket found himself thinking.

“You’re wrong.” Despite Weed’s attempt at a calm demeanor, Tomoe could see a fire burning in his eyes. “Being nice to that guy will teach him a lesson, you’ll see. We won’t have any more issues with him.”

“Back off, Tomoe,” said Jerome, having enough with standing back and watching. “Weed is the Boss and his word is final. None of us have a right to question him.”

“If he makes a stupid choice, then that affects all of us,” Tomoe growled. She shoved her nose against Jerome’s, staring him dead in the eyes. “I’m not gonna stay quiet just because you think he’s God’s gift to dogs.”

“That’s enough!” Weed interjected. He butted Tomoe’s chest with his head, forcing her back. Tomoe’s eyes widened, her gaze shifting down to her chest, and then and the runt who pushed her. “I’ve had enough of this constant fighting between you two! I won’t forgive anymore. Understand?”

“...Yes, Weed…” Jerome grumbled, looking away. Weed continued staring at Tomoe, his brow raising expectantly. Tomoe, once she calmed down from her shock, spat on the ground, kicked at the snow, and turned away. The other dogs cleared a path, allowing her to return to the doe. She threw herself down and began eating savagely. One could only wonder who she was pretending to tear apart: Weed or Jerome.

The snow was falling lightly that night. At the edge of Hougen’s base, two dogs stood guard beneath a light figure. They stared ahead at the pathway before them, eyes and ears alert in case any intruders wandered near. They perked as they heard the faintest sounds of pawsteps approaching their location. A large, dark figure appeared, casually strolling towards them. It was a dog, a massive Great Pyrenees, to be exact. His right eye had what looked like an old scar running through it, permanently blinding it. Watching the approaching male, one of the guards took a cautionary step forward.

“Yo,” the guard called out. “Where you headed?”

“Just wandering,” the Pyrenees responded, his voice low and gruff. “Let me through.”

“You’re not allowed to pass through this section of the mountain,” said the guard. His comrade stood up, ready to act if needed. “This territory belongs to Lord Hougen.”

“I won’t stop anywhere.” The Great Pyrenees continued walking. “Your “Lord Hougen”’ll have nothing to worry about.”

“Bastard!” the second guard dog snarled, deciding to take a more hostile approach. “You can’t just walk in! Doesn’t a big idiot like you understand that?”

“I don’t give a damn who’s territory it is,” the large male spoke sharply. His fangs flashed as the street light hit them.

“That’s it, asshole!” Both dogs prepared to pounce. The first dog made his move. “Disrespect Hougen, will you? I’ll kill you!”

The Great Pyrenees leapt as his attacker did. In a swift movement, his fangs latched onto the guard’s testicles and tore them off. Blood sprayed into the air as the guard dog landed in the snow, screaming and crying from the pain between his legs. His comrade turned to the Pyrenees, his eyes wide in terror.

“What the…!?” he yelped. “What the hell did you do!?”

“You both are annoying…” the male muttered, spitting out the dismembered testicles. “I tried being nice, didn’t I? Hmph. The name’s Hiro. Hiro the Ballsnatcher. Attack me again, and I’ll do the same to you. Got it?”

The second guard dog shrank back. This Hiro was clearly not one to be trifled with. He ran back to the injured guard, picking him up by the scruff and dragging him away with him.

“Bastard…!” He yelled as he fled. “I won’t forget this…!”

“Hmm…” Hiro murmured to himself. ““Lord Hougen”, eh? I heard he’s a real bastard. Maybe Kamakiri came to work for this guy…? Hmph.” The male began walking deeper into the territory of the tyrant.

“Only one way to find out.”

[inu-jiru]

Tomoe, The Eastern Tigress - Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen - A Growing Bond

“Where are they going…?” murmured John as he watched Tomoe following after Kyoushiro’s pack. “Their base?” suggested Ken in response. “It looks like Tomoe’s relaxed now. Maybe Kyoushiro trusts her enough to talk.” “Mmph…” John grunted. It was good news, sure, but the idea of his only daughter walking off somewhere with a male made him uneasy. “What do they need to go somewhere else for…? Why can’t they stay out in the open where I can see them?” “Kyoushiro sent dogs after those Dobermans, remember?” said Ken. “He might have the same idea as us: that they’re Hougen’s dogs and he doesn’t want himself to be exposed.” “Heh…” Hiro couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Sounds like you don’t trust that Kyoushiro, eh, John?” “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” snapped John. He turned, flashing Hiro a sharp look. Beside the Pyrenees, Reika began to chuckle. “He can’t help it,” she told Hiro, flashing the bigger male a playful grin. “That’s just how dogs are when they become fathers.” Kagetora began laughing as well. Not even Ken could stop himself from smirking. John, meanwhile, continued to fume. Suddenly, he took off into the woods, sticking close to the edge so that neither Tomoe nor Kyoushiro left his sight. The laughter stopped. “Eh?” Kagetora barked. “Uncle John? Where’re you going?” “Keeping an eye on them,” John called back. “You chuckleheads can stay there if you want.” “Oh boy…” Ken murmured. “We’d better go after him in case he decides he wants to bite Kyoushiro’s head off.” Back in the field, Tomoe was unaware of her father’s antics. She walked alongside Kyoushiro, her paws effortlessly treading through the thin layer of snow. She watched Kyoushiro out of the corner of her eye; she was still unsure of what to make of him. The insult against her father still bugged her, though now that things were calm, she couldn’t help wondering why Kyoushiro would assume the worst. He’d said that none of the dogs in his pack had ever felt love. Was Japan really filled with that many wicked dogs that Kyoushiro couldn’t fathom the idea of a good parent? If that was the case, then it was incredibly depressing. Tomoe had known Ohu all her life; while she was aware that evil existed in the world, never could she have imagined that there was so much of it. Tomoe’s ear fell back. So many dogs suffering and she’d never known until now… Yipe! Tomoe froze, her right forepaw raised in mid-step. She looked down, seeing Teru lying flat on his belly, bracing himself for impact. The bitch hadn’t noticed the little male in her path. Fortunately, she’d managed to stop in time. “Oops,” said Tomoe, smiling sheepishly. She brought down her paw on a clear patch of snow. “Sorry, kid. Didn’t see you there.” Teru looked up at her, wide-eyed. “You weren’t gonna kick me?” asked Teru in genuine amazement. He then looked at his paws, his brow furrowing. “Daddy would do that whenever I didn’t get out of his way fast enough…” “What a guy…” Tomoe grunted in disgust. Good riddance, honestly. “But no, kid. I’m not that kind of dog. Sorry if I scared you.” “Be careful where you’re running, Teru,” Kyoushiro warned gently. “Lots of big paws around here. Here.” The Kishu stopped, lowering himself into the snow. Tomoe stopped, watching curiously. Teru, hesitating at first, hopped onto Kyoushiro’s head. Kyoushiro then stood, grinning as the puppy gasped at the sudden rise in altitude. “There you go. Now you’re even taller than me, heh.” “Kyoushiro!” exclaimed Teru, his tail wagging in excitement. Tomoe couldn’t stop herself from smiling at the sight. That was, until Kyoushiro caught her gaze again. Tomoe felt her heart suddenly skip a beat and she quickly turned away. Her cheeks heated up beneath her fur. What the…? she thought in alarm. What the hell’s the matter with me…? “Heh,” Tomoe heard Kyoushiro chuckle behind her. He didn’t say anything more, but Tomoe could just picture the smug look on his scarred face. She didn’t get it; why was she getting flustered so easily all of a sudden? The journey continued. Tomoe and Kyoushiro caught up with the rest of the pack just as they were reaching the other end of the field. There was a large, old tree at the forest’s edge, the snow scraped away from its roots. Lying on the cleared soil was a freshly-killed deer. It’s body was mostly untouched, aside from the killing wounds. Kyoushiro’s packmates licked their chops, rushing to the kill and settling down to eat. “Finally,” one of them said cheerfully. “I’m starvin’!” “Oi, oi,” called Kyoushiro as he lowered his head and set Teru down. “Make some room, will you? We have company.” “Oh, I’m fine, thanks,” said Tomoe. “I ate earlier.” “Fair enough,” replied the Kishu. Looking down at Teru, Kyoushiro gave him an encouraging nudge. “Go on, Teru. Get something to eat.” “Really, Kyoushiro…?” asked Teru in awe. Kyoushiro’s smile widened as he nodded. “Of course. Eat as much as you want. No one’s gonna stop you.” “Ah…! Alright!” Teru dashed over to the kill, finding a place among the other dogs and beginning to eat. He tore away at the skin and meat vigorously, as if this was the first real meal he’d ever had. Tomoe honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if it was. The bitch’s gaze swept upwards towards the rest of Kyoushiro’s packmates. They ate together, tails wagging as they chatted and joked with each other. “How long have you been doing this?” Tomoe found herself asking. The white male sighed in response, taking a seat at the edge of the snow bank. Tomoe sat near him. “About four months, I think,” said Kyoushiro with a somber expression. “Yeah, I think I was eight months, then. That’s when I first found one of my boys being beaten by his asshole dad.” Kyoushiro paused, nodding to a gray male. “That guy there: Jirō. He tried to take a kill from me. Said his dad would beat him if he didn’t bring home any food. To make a long story short, I got rid of the bastard. Jirō’s been by my side ever since. But then I met more young dogs, all of them abused and taken advantage of by their so-called parents.” The Shirogane bowed his head slightly, gritting his teeth in anger. His eyes were glistening with tears. Tomoe’s eyes widened at the sight. “In four months, I’ve saved fifty-one dogs, but who knows how many more I’ll have to save…” “Kyoushiro…” Tomoe said quietly. She hesitated to continue, biting her lip as she pondered over what to say. “...I’d wanted to ask you to help us fight Hougen, but thinking about it now, it kinda feels shitty to ask that without offering something in return.” Kyoushiro looked at her. Tomoe couldn’t make out his expression. “The Ohu army’s whole purpose is to bring down evil bastards. If you help us, I’ll personally see to it that we help you make Japan a better place for puppies to grow up in.” “...That’s a pretty big thing to promise,” Kyoushiro said. His voice was uncertain, and his eyes were dark with his doubts. He’d seem too much evil in the world; what Tomoe was saying sounded way too good to be true. “Maybe,” said Tomoe. “But I’ll make sure it happens, and that’s a promise.” The two looked at each other, neither daring to blink as they studied each other’s faces. Kyoushiro’s hard expression melted away slightly. Something about Tomoe seemed so genuine, despite his own feelings. Something made him want to trust in her. In the woods, John and his group had made it around the field, closer to where Kyoushiro’s base was. Remaining hidden by the trees, they continued watching the interactions between Tomoe and Kyoushiro. John watched, his eyes narrowed, as the two young leaders gazed at each other. “They both seem calm…” Ken observed. “Maybe Tomoe’s done it? She’s gotten Kyoushiro on our side?” “I don’t like the way he’s looking at her,” John grunted. His tail lashed violently behind him. “Easy, John,” said Hiro with a sly grin. “I’m a little worried about Rocket and GB,” Reika murmured, looking over her shoulder and into the forest. “They still haven’t come back yet. You don’t think--?” AHHHHHH! A terrified scream echoed across the forest, drowning out Reika’s voice. All dogs perked in alarm, be they from Ohu or Kyoushiro’s pack. Tomoe and Kyoushiro stood up quickly. “Riku!” shouted Kyoushiro. He shot off in the direction of the scream without any hesitation. “Hachi!” “Shit…!” Tomoe muttered. She followed after the Shirogane. Whatever was going on, she’d help out. She had to show Kyoushiro that she was a dog he could depend on. “Oi!” one of Kyoushiro’s packmates called. They all began scrambling to their paws. “Boss! Wait for us!” “Come on,” John barked to his comrades, his previous anger forgotten as he ran to investigate the scream. The rest of the Ohu soldiers followed him without question. The scream hadn’t sounded like GB or Rocket, but… “Damn it...what did those bastards do…!?” Kyoushiro and Tomoe ran along the forest trail, quickly arriving at the scene. The rest of the pack joined them seconds later. As the Kishu had feared, the two young males were lying in the snow, bleeding from wounds on their backs and sides. The snow was tinted red underneath them. They weren’t the only ones at the scene, though. There was, of course, GB and Rocket, the former also wounded quite heavily, but there were also two others there, two males that caused Tomoe’s stomach to drop like a stone: Weed and Jerome. “Boss…!” Riku called out to Kyoushiro, to skidded to a halt in front of his packmates. “What happened?” the Kishu demanded. He glanced up at other dogs. “Did those bastards hurt you?” “No, no!” replied Hachi quickly. “They actually helped us! Those Dobermans...we’re sorry, Boss, but they were just too strong. We would’ve died if those guys hadn’t stepped in.” As they spoke, Tomoe couldn’t tear her eyes away from Weed and Jerome. Weed stood near GB and Rocket, questioning them about their wounds. Jerome, meanwhile, hovered over him, his eyes darting about in surveillance. Part of her was surprised to see that they were still hanging around on the mountain, but she also figured that Weed wasn’t so willing to abandon Ohu. “Tomoe!” Rocket called, looking over at her. It was then that both Weed and Jerome turned to stare at the bitch. Weed’s eyes narrowed, and he looked away immediately afterwards. Jerome, however, continued staring, his eyes burning with cold fury. Tomoe ignored them. “Those dogs...they’re Hougen’s assassins! And their teeth...something about them isn't right. They’re sharper than anything I’ve ever felt!” “So that’s Hougen’s plan…?” Kyoushiro’s lips curled back, showing up his fangs. “Sending assassins after me? Tch...that shithead’s gonna pay. But first, we’re gonna crush those bastards. Anyone who hurts my packmates won’t get any mercy from me! Let’s go!” “Aye!” Kyoushiro’s allies called as they followed his lead. Kyoushiro took off after a set of footprints leading away from the area. They had to belong to the Dobermans. Tomoe joined the group, feeling a sudden anger washing over her. “They won’t get away with this,” Tomoe promised as she passed GB and Rocket. “Tomoe…!” said GB, but the bitch didn’t look back. The Setter blinked. “They really think they can take them…?” Weed suddenly took off, as well, lagging behind out of Tomoe and Kyoushiro’s sights. “Eh? Weed…?” “Even if he’s against Tomoe,” Jerome explained roughly. “Weed won’t stand by and let evil dogs hurt his comrades.” “Mmph…” Rocket grunted doubtfully. If Weed was interfering again, something was bound to go wrong. All of Tomoe’s work would’ve been for nothing. “Rocket! GB!” The remaining trio turned, seeing John and his group approaching them. The General caught sight of Jerome and his brow furrowed. Up ahead, Tomoe joined Kyoushiro’s side, running with him at a steady pace. The Kishu glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “You don’t have to come with us,” he said. “We’re not afraid of taking on a few of Hougen’s goons.” “They hurt my friends, too,” Tomoe reminded him. “Besides, even if they didn’t, we can’t just let a couple of killers run loose.” “Mmm. Is that so?” The Shirogane paused, looking towards the path ahead. “...The runt’s following us.” “Yeah…” said Tomoe with a grunt. “I can smell him. If he does anything stupid, I’ll pummel him into the ground.” “Heh,” Kyoushiro chuckled. “I like the sound of that.” The trail eventually split up at a snow-covered pile of logs. One assassin had gone left, while the other went right. Tomoe scrunched her nose. So this was their game? Kyoushiro studied the situation before turning back towards his packmates. “Alright,” he began. “Split up into two groups and follow those tracks. If you find them, give me a howl. Don’t fight them. I don’t want any more of you getting hurt.” “Aye!” responded the pack. As commanded, they split into two groups, each one following a set of tracks. As they did so, however, Kyoushiro caught notice of Teru. The pup had joined them, and was now about to travel with the group heading left. Quickly, he called to him. “Hey, Teru.” The puppy halted, looking up at Kyoushiro with confusion. The Kishu patted the snow with a paw. “Come over here. You don’t have to go with them.” “But…” Teru’s eyes fell to the ground. “I wanna help, Kyoushiro. Hachi and Riku are my friends now. I wanna fight whoever hurt them.” “I appreciate that, Teru,” said Kyoushiro with a grin. “But you’re not as strong as you could be just yet. Once you’ve gotten a little bigger, then you’ll be able to fight alongside us.” “Oh…” murmured the puppy, clearly still disappointed. Kyoushiro cocked his head a bit, humming thoughtfully, before leaning down to pick Teru up. The pup gasped as Kyoushiro lifted him high off the ground once again. “You’ve got the right spirit, though,” Kyoushiro continued. “You’ve already got the heart of a real dog.” “You think so?” Teru said, a smile forming on his muzzle. Smiling back, Kyoushiro nodded. Tomoe watched the interaction with a soft expression on her face. Kyoushiro really wasn’t a bad guy. He was a bit rough around the edges, sure, but he had to be. He couldn’t afford to look weak, not in a world like this. Tomoe definitely wanted him as a friend. Out of curiosity, the bit dared to take a peek in Weed’s direction. The Akita mix had remained behind, sitting a short distance away from the other two youngsters. He was watching Kyoushiro now, a look of interest on his face. Tomoe’s eyes widened. Was the kid finally getting it through his thick skull that he shouldn’t be so quick to deem someone as “cruel and unjust”? Kyoushiro entertained Teru by setting him down on top of the snowy mound, allowing the puppy to gently slide down. As Teru reached the bottom, he giggled, and rushed to climb the mound himself so that he could slide again. Feeling eyes on him, the Shirogane turned to face Tomoe and Weed. “Kyoushiro…” Weed piped up. Both Kyoushiro and Tomoe gave him tired stares. “What is it, kid?” replied Kyoushiro roughly. “It’s Weed,” Weed corrected, his tone sharpening a bit. “And I wanted to talk now that we have a moment.” “If you’re gonna try to ask me to join the battle against Hougen, you’re a little late.” The Kishu shot a glance towards the Shepherd beside him. “Tomoe’s already given me an offer. I think I might take it.” Tomoe felt her heart flutter at that. She couldn’t explain why. Weed gritted his teeth, looking towards Tomoe with a look of frustration. Tomoe stood her ground, returning his gaze with a cold, unflinching stare. She dared him to try and act out. Son of Gin or not, she wouldn’t tolerate his shenanigans any further. There was a sudden cacophony of footsteps. The two groups had returned to the mound, the tracks having led them right back where they started. The dogs grunted, puzzled. Kyoushiro, cocking a brow, approached his comrades. “What happened?” the Kishu asked. “The tracks led us back this way,” Jirō admitted. “We’re just as confused as you, Boss…” There was a loud shuffling behind the gathering of dogs. Everyone turned towards the mound. Teru was nowhere to be seen. Kyoushiro felt his heart stop. “Let me go!” the puppy’s voice rang out from afar. Kyoushiro was the first to sprint after it, crying out the youngster’s name. “Teru! TERU!” Rounding a bend, the white male spotted two figures: the Dobermans, Thunder and Lector. He skidded to a stop, his eyes widening as he saw Teru’s little body in between their jaws, Thunder gripping the back of his neck, while Lector held his lower back. With a simple snap of their heads, it would’ve been all too easy to rip the puppy in half. Kyoushiro gritted his teeth hard. “Let him go,” Kyoushiro seethed. “Not unless you tell your pack to leave,” Thunder replied coldly. “You’ll fight the two of us. Alone.” “You already know my name, bastards. Just tell me what you want from me.” “Well…” The Doberman brothers share a glance, a sadistic twinkle in their eyes. Tomoe padded forward, the fur on her spine standing on end. “Wait,” the male said, looking at Tomoe. The bitch paused, staring at him. His eyes compelled her to stay put. Grunting, Tomoe stepped back. With a thankful nod, Kyoushiro turned towards the assassins. He forced himself to take on a neutral expression. “...If you’re gonna kill him, then do it.” “Uh…!?” Tomoe nearly choked in her surprise. She could hear Weed gasping behind her. For once, she could say they were on the same page. What the hell was Kyoushiro saying!? “Teru has a strong spirit,” the Kishu continued. “A dog like that doesn’t give a damn about life and death.” “What?’ Lector muttered. “There’s no way that’s true,” said Thunder. “You’re bluffing.” “Go on and tell them, Teru,” Kyoushiro called. “Prove that I’m right.” Teru looked to his leader, tears streaming down his face. “Y-Yes, Boss…” Teru whimpered. Despite how terrified he was, he forced himself to sound brave. If this was what Kyoushiro wanted, then he’d do it. Irritated, Thunder began tugging slightly on the boy’s neck. “Don’t joke with us!” the Doberman warned. “No!” Teru barked in a much fiercer tone. “Kyoushiro’s right! I’m a real male and I’ll gladly die like one…! Kyoushiro…! Don’t hold back on these jerks! Promise me you’ll beat them after I...after I…” “Teru…!” Tomoe felt her eyes stinging with tears. Kyoushiro couldn’t stop himself from frowning. “Teru…” he began. “Those words mean a lot to me, you know. But I can’t make that promise.” Teru’s eyes widened in shock. “Because...Because you’re not gonna die!” Without warning, Kyoushiro leaped forward, flipping over and landing on his back in the snow. His legs were spread apart and his head lifted upwards, exposing his throat. Everyone was taken aback. “I’ll be the one who dies tonight,” declared Kyoushiro fearlessly. “Let Teru go and kill me.” “Mmm,” Thunder hummed in approval. “Very well. But first, send your pack away. We’ll kill Teru if you don’t.” “Grrr...you heard him,” shouted Kyoushiro. His packmates hesitated, ears falling back and tails tucking between legs. No one wanted to leave the Shirogane to sacrifice himself. “Do it! Leave! That’s an order!” “...Let’s go,” Jirō said, unable to stop his own tears from flowing as he began heading back the way they came. The rest of Kyoushiro’s pack slowly followed, leaving only Tomoe and Weed left. Tomoe, now understanding the Shirogane’s true intentions, took a step forward. “Eh?” said Thunder, eyeing her. “Kyoushiro said to leave, didn’t he?” “I’m not a member of his back,” Tomoe shot back. “Regardless,” Lector snarled. “You need to leave. Take that silver brat with you. This doesn’t concern either of you.” “I’m not going anywhere,” Weed chimed in. He padded to Tomoe’s side, standing tall. Tomoe gave him the side-eye. “You hurt my comrades. I won’t forgive that.” “What are you babbling on about, brat?” “My name is Weed, and I’ve come from my father’s Paradise to stop evil dogs like you.” Tomoe rolled her eyes. Where was all this talk before? “I’m the son of Gin!” “Eh!?” both Dobermans gasped. They dropped Teru in their shock. Immediately, the puppy ran to hide behind Tomoe. Lector began to sneer. “So this is the brat Hougen’s worried about?” “Don’t forget about me,” Tomoe spat. The female lowered herself into a fighting stance. “I am Tomoe, daughter of John! If you bastards think you’ll get away with any of this, then you’re dead wrong.” As this was happening, John was making his way to Kyoushiro, Tomoe, and Weed’s location accompanied by Jerome, Hiro, and Kagetora. Reika had remained with GB and Rocket, while Ken was going to gather the rest of the Ohu soldiers. “This isn’t good…” Jerome said. “I’m starting to recognize those assassins…” “Well?” replied John impatiently. “Spill it. Who are they?” “If memory serves me correctly, those two should be the Killer Fang. They were trained in the same facility as me. I should’ve realized they’d be the type to join Hougen.” “Two more bastards to deal with,” Kagetora growled. He licked his chops. “Bring it on. We can take them out.” “Well said, youngster,” said John. The four males arrived at the small clearing, seeing Weed and Tomoe prepared for battle. Kyoushiro had gotten up and joined their side. With Teru safely behind them, he was free to unleash his fury. Thunder and Lector looked up, seeing the new arrivals. “More interruptions?” Thunder snarled. “We may have to leave for now, brother.” “You’re not going anywhere,” Tomoe spat, taking a threatening step forward. “You bastards want a fight? Then you’ll get one.” She looked back at her father and allies. “Dad, we’ll handle this. Please don’t step in!” “Tomoe!” John exclaimed. “I can do this, Dad!” the bitch insisted. “Please! I’m not afraid of these bastards!” “If you stay back,” Lector barked. “We’ll only fight Kyoushiro and the bitch. For now.” “I told you I’m not leaving,” Weed snapped. “Hey, Teru!” Hiro called. The puppy looked back at the Pyrenees. Recognizing him from before, Teru smiled a bit. “It’s you…!” “Yeah. Come over here. It’s dangerous for you to be out there.” Teru shot a reluctant glance at Kyoushiro. The Kishu, who was looking back at him, nodded to him reassuringly. Teru decided to obey, and rushed to Hiro, sitting between his massive forepaws. John had been contemplating quietly the entire conversation. Finally, he nodded. “...Show ‘em no mercy, kiddo.”

[inu-jiru]

Tomoe, The Eastern Tigress - Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen - Reunion

Tomoe lifted her head, the yell carried by the mountain winds forcing her from her slumber. She stood up, her ear tilting towards the shed’s broken windows. It sounded like a voice, though she couldn’t be sure. It was already fading away. Tomoe’s sudden movements woke the dogs around her, Ken being the first to sit up.

“Eh, Tomoe?” the Dane asked with a yawn. “What’s the matter?”

“I...thought I heard someone…” The bitch replied. “Someone yelling…”

“Enemies?” said GB quickly, looking outside the windows with a look of fear on his face.

“I dunno, but…” Tomoe began squeezing her way past the other dogs, making her way outside. Her comrades followed behind her. The blizzard had calmed down again, leaving only the still air. Tomoe lifted her muzzle and took a sniff. Dogs. She could smell other dogs. Her heart fluttering in excitement, she began rushing in the direction of the scent. “This way!”

“Oi, wait up, little sis!” Kagetora called after her.

Tomoe ran until she reached a ledge overlooking a basin that cut into the mountain. As her nose informed her, two dogs were walking along the snow-covered trail, a Great Pyrenees and a little Akita mix. The other Ohu soldiers joined her, following her gaze.

“Who are they…?” murmured Ken to no one in particular. “That big guy looks like hell…”

“We need to help them,” Weed declared. Without waiting another second, Weed barked to the dogs down below. “Hey! Down there! Are you two alright?”

Down below, Hiro and Reika both froze, Reika pressing herself into the larger male’s body. They looked up, seeing the Ohu Army watching them from high above. At first, Hiro snarled, preparing himself for some sort of altercation. Then he noticed the two youngsters and their uncanny resemblances to the Ohu leaders. Hiro widened his eye in surprise.

“They found us…” Reika whispered in terror. “They found us, Hiro…!”

“No, Reika. Look.”

Despite her fear, Reika forced herself to look up. Now, she, too, Weed and Tomoe. She gasped.

“They look like…” she began in awe.

“I know,” said Hiro. Lifting his head, the Great Pyrenees called up to the group. “The little lady could use a place to rest. Mind if we come up?”

Hiro and Reika settled down together on the shed’s floor. Though the Pyrenees tried to hide it, the cold was starting to get him. He shivered as frostbite began settling in his wounded skin. Reika pressed herself against him. Even with her small body; it was the least she could do to try and share some of her own body heat. Hiro felt a warmth in his cheeks. After flashing the bitch a grin, Hiro looked to the Ohu dogs, who’d all gotten up and made room. Sitting closest to them were Weed and Tomoe. The Shepherd bitch was fidgeting, her nostrils flared as two familiar scents clung to the pair.

“You two were with our parents…” said Tomoe in an uncharacteristically quiet voice.“Hougen’s base...we’re close, aren’t we?”

“Mmm…” replied Hiro, nodding slightly. “Some Ohu dogs snuck into Hougen’s ranks and helped us escape. Gin should be on the western path. We were all meant to rendezvous in Shiga.”

“Ah,” Ken said, perking. “To Big Brother’s territory, no doubt. Weed, Tomoe, this is perfect. You’ll be able to meet Gin and John in no time!”

“John…” murmured Reika. She lowered her head, her eyes darkening. Hiro, too, had a dark expression. Tomoe felt her heart begin to race.

“My Dad IS on his way to Shiga, right…?” asked Tomoe. The fear was clear in her voice. Dogs behind her shared worried glances.

“...He stayed behind so that we could escape,” Hiro admitted. He lowered his head, his teeth biting into his lower lip and drawing blood. “He promised that he wouldn’t die, but--”

“What!?” Immediately Tomoe stood up, her fur bristling. “Where is he!?”

“You aren’t thinking of going alone, are you, Tomoe?” asked GB nervously. “What if that guy’s already…?”

“Shut up…!” The Shepherd bitch turned to glare at the Setter, her eyes blazing with rage, but also glossy with tears. “I’m not gonna let my dad die!”

“West…” Hiro panted. He began lying down as the frostbite began taking its toll. “Go back west and you’ll find him and some allies. There’s still time to...to…”

Hiro trailed off, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. The dogs around him gasped. Reika threw her forelegs around Hiro’s shoulders, shaking him frantically.

“Hiro…!” she cried. “Hiro! Wake up!”

“He needs warmth,” Jerome instructed. He turned to the other dogs. “Quickly, before his frostbite gets worse.”

Tomoe stood where she was, feeling her comrades brushing past her as they rushed to Hiro’s aid, throwing their bodies over him and licking at his wounds. Ken and Kagetora paused beside her.

“If you wanna go,” Kagetora barked. “We’ll come with you.”

“Mmm.” The bitch nodded. “Come on; we need to hurry.” Nodding, the two males began following Tomoe outside. As Hiro had told them, they headed west, following the path he and Reika had taken before. Tomoe took the lead, pushing herself as far as she could go. Under no circumstances would she allow her father to die. She’d never forgive herself if she did.

“John…” Tommy choked, coughing blood and bile onto the snow. He was seconds away from death; the nearby Rossi had already slipped away from his injuries. John, still unable to escape the many sets of fangs, could just barely crane his head towards the Kishu. “It was an honor...fighting alongside you…! Please...live on for us…!”

“Don’t give up!” John pleaded. “Hang on, goddamn it! We can still win this!”

“You’re not winning shit!” Matsu declared, bringing his paw down on Tommy’s head. He pressed his muzzle into the snow, blocking his nostrils. Tommy squirmed and squirmed, but, alas, he’d lost all of his strength. John could only watch, horrified, as the Kishu was slowly suffocated.

“Let him go!” John bit at a dog’s leg, his rage and grief building with each passing second. “You goddamned bastards!”

“Release him!” added a new voice. Everyone paused; even John’s eyes had to wander in search of the new arrival at the scene. Suddenly, Hook appeared, barreling into Matsu and knocking him away from Tommy. The Husky crashed into his allies, landing in a heap of fur. Free to breathe, Tommy just barely managed to lift his head.

“Hook…” the Kishu whispered with a weak smile. The Labrador mix looked down at him, his gaze gentle.

“You did great, Tommy,” replied Hook. “Leave the rest of this to us now.” Hook looked towards John next. “General! This is your chance!”

John, shaking himself from his shock, realized the grip of the other dogs had loosened due to their surprise. A new fire sparked inside of the Shepherd, and with a triumphant shout, John pushed himself up. He pushed the unsuspecting grunts away and joined Hook’s side, licking his chops.

“Thanks, youngster,” said John. “I owe you one.”

“We can finish this,” Hook said, though the slight shake in his voice made it clear that he was trying to convince himself rather than John. “Even if it’s just the two of us, we can win.”

“Mmm,” John nodded. “That’s the spirit.”

“Grrr!” Matsu had gotten to his paws and was now glaring daggers at Hook. “Another traitor? How many of you Ohu scum are hiding in Hougen’s army!?”

You won’t live long enough to find out, bastard,” John spat. Growling, he shot forward, his fangs locking on Matsu’s throat. Fueled by anger, John crushed the Husky’s throat in his jaws. Matsu was dead before he could even process what was happening to him. Holding tightly onto Matsu’s body, John began using it as a club, of sorts, delivering blows to Hougen’s followers while being able to keep some distance. Hook, meanwhile, bit and clawed where he could, never staying still in one place long enough to be swarmed.

“Hrah!” a soldier shouted as he leapt at John’s torn flank. He bit at it, sending another wave of pain through the Shepherd’s body.

“Gah!” John yowled, dripping Matsu’s corpse. His neck was now exposed, and dogs leapt at it, using their combined weight to force John down again, this time, onto his back. Hook paused, glancing over at the general in alarm.

“Sir…!” The Labrador mix prepared to rush over and help, but was stopped by John’s fierce bark.

“Don’t come over here! They’ll swarm you, too, like the cowards they are! Keep your distance, damnit!”

Hook gritted his teeth as he could hear more wounds being torn into John’s body. Even as the Shepherd kicked and bit at his enemies, his blood was still being spilled. Doubts began entering Hook’s mind, even as he continued desperately to avoid the jaws of enemy dogs. Was this all for naught? Were they just delaying the inevitable? With each dog they killed, a new one took their place. John was down, and he...he couldn’t keep dodging forever…

“Gyah!” Hook suddenly cried, his paw sinking into a particularly deep pocket of snow. He stumbled, tumbling over himself before lying flat and in a daze. The dogs chasing him sneered. Luck was on their side once again. Together, they jumped, prepared to kill.

“DAD!”

John froze. He felt the dogs attacking him pause at the sudden shout. That voice…! Craning his neck as best as he could, he could see a familiar cyclone-like figure just above the battleground: the Retsu Genmu-Battōga. Hougen’s dogs cried in fear; none of them had ever seen such a technique. It sucked them in one by one, penetrating their bodies with several deep, penetrating wounds. Dead bodies rained from the sky, forcing the remaining soldiers to back off in fear. They weren’t safe, however, for soon, they were also attacked. The Ran Daryushin-Battōga slithered from dog to dog, ripping out throats left and right. The Geki Sentsūhi-Battōga smashed skulls and exploded hearts. John sat up, looking around in awe. It was just as he thought; Tomoe, Ken and Kagetora were here.

“Those attacks…” Hook said in awe, watching as most of the remaining soldiers were cut down in a matter of seconds. Only 5 or 6 of Hougen’s dogs remained, and after what they’d witnessed, it was suicide to continue fighting. With terrified yelps, the soldiers turned and ran away. Kagetora looked after them, his lips curled back into a cocky grin.

“Oi, oi!” he called. “Leavin’ already! We were just gettin’ started!” Ken. meanwhile, padded to Hook’s side, helping the male to his paws.

“You alright?” the Dane asked.

“Yeah, I am,” replied Hook. He glanced toward Tomoe and John. The younger bitch had landed, catching her breath. The run from the shed, combined with her technique, had taken a bit out of her. The blood of her enemies dripped from her maw; she was too tired to lick it away just yet. “That’s…?”

“Mmm,” Ken confirmed, nodding. “Tomoe, John’s daughter. She’s come all this way to rescue him.”

“Tomoe…” said John gently, gazing towards his daughter. The bitch turned to face him, her eyes turning soft. For eight months, she’d only been able to see her father in her dreams and memories. But there he was now, a bit worse for wear, but alive. She padded up to him, hesitating for a moment, as if fearing he’d vanish from her sight the second she tried to touch him. With a loving smile, John lowered his muzzle, licking Tomoe’s head. Immediately, the young bitch’s tail started to wag rapidly. Tomoe buried her head beneath John’s chin, nuzzling him.

“Dad…” Tomoe cooed. She could feel fresh tears stream down her cheeks. She looked up at the older male, smiling widely. “I missed you so much…”

“I missed you too, kiddo.” John nuzzled Tomoe back, unable to hold back a tear of his own. Despite his brash and cocky nature, he had his affectionate moments. The same could be said for Tomoe. Neither Ken, Kagetora, nor Hook dared to interrupt the long awaited reunion. “I’m sorry you had to come out here. We really should’ve come back sooner, but that Hougen bastard…”

“We’ll take care of that guy soon enough,” promised Tomoe, her brow furrowing in determination. “But right now, we need to go to Shuga, like Uncle Gin said.”

“You know about that? Ah, you must’ve met Hiro and Reika.”

“Mmm.” Tomoe nodded. “We have some shelter not far from here. There’s...not much of Ohu left, though.” John’s smile slipped a bit. Nearby, both Ken and Kagetora’s ears fell as they remembered Kaibutsu’s dreadful reign.

“...What happened?” asked John.

“Some experiment the humans created: Kaibutsu. The bastard took over Gajou six months ago and killed almost everyone. The fucker even took my ear.” Tomoe turned her head slightly to show off her wound. John stepped back. During his moment of joy, he hadn’t even realized that Tomoe had been injured. A second later, he was snarling.

“If that bastard’s still there,” he seethed. “I’ll rip him apart myself.”

“Don’t worry; that asshole’s dead. Everyone that was left helped take him out, including the older old guys.”

“And your mother?”

“She’s fine; that guy never got the chance to hurt her.” Tomoe paused, glancing over her shoulder back in the direction of Hougen’s base. “We shouldn’t stick around here anymore. We should head back to the shed. There’s so much more I’ve gotta tell you, Dad, but I’ll fill you in on the way there.”

“Mmm,” John nodded. He then looked around, catching the bodies of Lefty, Rossi and Tommy among the dead bodies. Tommy had quietly passed away during the battle due to his injuries. Frowning, John bowed his head and sighed. “There’s something we need to do, first…”

After Hiro’s temperature had been stabilized, everyone settled back down into their resting positions. It was then and only then the absence of Tomoe, Ken and Kagetora had been noticed. Jerome and Weed exited the shed, only seeing footprints leading towards the west.

“They had to have gone to find John,” Jerome grunted.

“Without the rest of us?” Weed spoke with an exasperated tone. “We could’ve helped…”

“Don’t forget; Tomoe isn’t like you, Weed.” The bridge of Jerome’s brow wrinkled as he mentioned the other Shepherd’s name. “She’s too rash for her own good and has a heart for battle. Ken and Kagetora are loyal to her; I’m not surprised they joined her.” He paused, his nose quivering as he picked up a scent on the wind. “Mmm. It seems like they’re coming back. They’re still a bit far away, but I can smell them.”

“You think they saved John?” asked Weed.

“Mmph...perhaps. I’ve seen all three of those dogs fight in battle. They’re all capable, especially Tomoe. My own feelings about her aside, I can’t imagine she’d come back without John.”

“I wish you two would get along…”

“I wish she’d act more like you.”

Weed didn’t respond. He wanted to say that Tomoe was her own person, even if he didn’t agree with everything she did or said. He wanted to say that he wasn’t anything special. Yet deep in his heart, he couldn’t help but agree with Jerome. He wasn’t sure why, but he just did.

Why couldn’t Tomoe be more like him?

[inu-jiru]

Tomoe, The Eastern Tigress - Chapter Six

Chapter Six - An Unknown Danger

It was the first peaceful morning Ohu had seen for the last six months. The Ohu soldiers gathered together, panting and praising each other over a job well done. Cross and Ken threw themselves onto Ben, unable to hold back concerned tears.

“Oi, oi,” said the old male, slightly embarrassed at the thought of the other males seeing him being cried over. “I told you both I’m alright. If anything, you’ll probably squeeze what little life I have out of me.”

“I’m just so happy you’re safe,” Cross cooed. She licked her husband tenderly on the cheek. Ben grew warm under his fur. “You had me worried. I didn’t want to lose you...”

“Yeah, Dad,” Ken agreed. “Don’t scare us like that, okay?”

“Guooo...” Ben groaned, though he couldn’t help smiling. He’d been so blessed to have a loving family. Even if it was smaller now than it had been five years ago, the love remained the same. He leaned his head against Cross’ and then Ken’s, his own, small display of affection.

Meanwhile, Tomoe and Jiyū found each other. They pressed their heads together, Jiyū running her tongue along her daughter’s forehead.

“We did it, Mom...” Tomoe said with a gentle smile. “We don’t have to live in that stupid, tiny den ever again.”

“I know, dear,” Jiyū chuckled, looking at the younger bitch with tender eyes. “I know, and I’m so proud of you. I shouldn’t have kept us away for so long, but I was just so afraid that I’d lose you...”

“I know, Mom. I understand. I guess it’s just a mom’s job to worry, huh?” Both females laughed together.

“I suppose so,” she chirped. “Maybe I’m just getting soft these days.”

“No way. The way you almost kicked that Jerome guy’s ass?”

“I...may have lost my cool there, hehe.”

While that was going on, Smith gathered together with Mel, Weed, and GB. They’d all made it through the battle, unscathed. Mel’s tail was wagging rapidly. His first battle as an Ohu soldier, and he was still standing!

“You all did great,” said the Spaniel proudly. He nodded towards GB. “Even you, GB. I honestly expected you to turn and run away at some point.”

“Oi...!” GB replied, slightly offended. “Give me some credit.” Smith laughed, not in a mocking way, but in a soft, almost father-like fashion. GB felt the corner of his maw tug into a slight smile. 

“We saved Paradise,” whispered Weed, more to himself than anyone else. “If only Father were here, he’d be so proud of me...”

“I’m sure he would be,” Smith agreed. “And I have a feeling it won’t be long before he returns to us.”

“Really?”

“Mmm. Just hold tight, Weed. You’ll meet Gin soon enough.”

Jerome sat alone, far from everyone else. He stared at the ground, reflecting on the past battle. His allies were dead, and he should’ve joined them. However, Kaibutsu was dead. There was no need for him to die anymore, and yet...the Shepherd felt that he failed. He lied down, his head buried in his paws. 

A few minutes later, a helicopter appeared in the sky. The swift movement of its rotary blades caused a gust of wind that all the dogs felt. Everyone looked up, seeing the aircraft hovering over Gajou.

“What do these guys want...?” Kagetora snorted. “Better not be here to cause anymore trouble.”

“They could be from that P4 place,” said Harutora. “They might be here to see if Kaibutsu’s dead.”

“Not that they helped any...” Buru scoffed. 

Inside the helicopter were two men, the pilot and a supervisor from the P4 lab. Since Kaibutsu’s break-out, the supervisor had been responsible for keeping track of the assassin dogs and their mission, as well as keeping Kaibutsu’s existence quiet from the majority of the public. He looked out of the window, seeing the gathered dogs. 

“Some of them are dead,” the pilot noticed.

“Mmm,” replied the supervisor grimly. “Our lab dogs...Robert, Rocca, Hoiler...I see Jerome, too...” He looked closer. Jerome hadn’t looked up from his lying position, too defeated to bother facing the men he’d failed. The supervisor couldn’t tell if he was injured, but there was no way he was going down and facing a bunch of wild dogs to find out. “Their job’s over...but where’s Kaibutsu...?”

The helicopter moved towards the crevice behind Gajou. Soon, both men could see the lifeless body of Kaibutsu. It seemed he’d finally bled out, as the water had returned to its natural color. 

“So they’ve defeated him,” murmured the supervisor. He sighed, both relieved and tired. “Good...This whole “man-eating beast” ordeal is over and done with. Let’s just hope we never make the same, stupid mistake again. Take me back to the laboratory. I need to let everyone know.”

“Yes, sir.”

As quickly as the helicopter appeared, it was off. Only now did Jerome bother to look up. He watched as it grew smaller and smaller, before, finally, it was gone. He sighed. Weed took notice of him from afar, and padded closer to the Shepherd.

“Jerome?” he began. “Were those your humans?”

“Yes,” Jerome replied. “They’ll return to take Kaibutsu’s body away, but after that...you dogs’ll have your Paradise to yourselves.”

“And what about you?” Weed tilted his head.

“I...don’t know. I was supposed to give my life to fighting Kaibutsu, and yet, I survived. You Ohu dogs finished him off before I could. Now that he’s dead, I have no purpose.”

“Don’t say that...!” Weed barked in alarm. “It’s better for you to be alive than to waste your life! You survived for a reason...!” Jerome looked up at the young male. His eyes radiated with such passion...

“Weed...” murmured the Shepherd, a tear streaming down his face. He’d had a feeling about this puppy ever since he first laid eyes on him. Perhaps...perhaps this was where he was meant to be now...aiding the future leader of Ohu...

Once things had settled down, burial was had for those who’d fallen during the final battle. Ken led the way to where the substitutes had been laid to rest, and new graves were dug for Jerome’s allies, and the two Ohu soldiers. Everyone sat together, heads bowed in honor of the brave sacrifices. Ben took his place before the rest of the group, speaking loud and clear.

“Soldiers,” he started. “Dogs of Ohu and Paradise. It’s been a long, hard six months. Never have we lost so many of our own since the battle against Akakabuto. And yet, despite all our hardship, here we are now. Today will mark a new age of peace. Paradise will be reopened to all dogs seeking a place to call home. The Ohu Army will reach its great numbers again. I...remember something that the first Boss of Ohu, Riki, said to Gin just before he died.”

Weed perked at this.

““Don’t cry because I’m dying,” he said...” Tears were flowing freely from Ben’s eyes. In fact, many of the Ohu Veterans were weeping harder than they had been before. Tomoe rested a comforting paw on her mother’s shoulder. ““Celebrate because you’ve won!” That's what we have to do now, all of you. Howl, not out of sadness, but victory!”

HOOOOOWL!

Ben threw back his head, taking the lead in the victory howl. One by one, the others joined in, filling the forest with a song of triumph. It reached out for miles; anyone who heard it could tell that Kaibutsu’s reign of terror had ended. As Tomoe howled, for a moment, she wondered if her father could hear her, wherever he was. Would he finally come home and see the strong woman she’d become? Maybe. Tomoe didn’t know for sure. All she could do was hope.

Far from Ohu, at the base of the Southern Alps, a dog named Hook had gotten himself into serious trouble. It was days ago that he’d said goodbye to Weed, Mel, GB and Smith. Traveling on his own, free from the burden of his past, the dog unknowingly had crossed the territory of a dog named Nero. Before he knew what hit him, the Labrador mix had been surrounded by the small pack. While Nero stood back, his three followers pinned Hook down, biting into him. Hook flailed out, trying to free himself from his captors.

“Call off your grunts and fight me yourself, Nero...!” Hook challenged. “Or are you really as cruel as the rumors say you are!?”

“Shut the fuck up!” Nero snapped, his fangs bared. “It’s your own fault for intruding. I have every right to treat you however I wish. Now, you three, hurry and beat that idiot to death!”

“What’s going on here?” a low, baritone voice demanded. Nero looked up, spotting three dogs standing on top of the concrete wall nearby: An akita Inu with a silver, striped pelt and scars on his forehead, a German Shepherd, and a white Kishu Inu with a scarred neck. “Why are you all ganging up on that male?”

“Tch.” Nero’s mismatched eyes narrowed. “I’m not answering to a bunch of trespassers. Don’t you all know who I am?”

“You wouldn’t have anything to do with this Hougen guy we’ve been hearing about, eh, brat?” the Shepherd jeered. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” the Husky spat. He clicked his tongue, and his trio of followers stood at attention. “Kill those three! They’ve pissed me off!”

Swiftly obeying their leader’s command, the three dogs ran up the slanted wall, prepared to bite and kill. Rolling his eyes, the Shepherd wasted no time spinning around, kicking back with his hind leg and sending one of the males flying. The Akita gripped the second male’s neck, swinging him around and sending him back down where he came. Meanwhile, the Kishu seemed to vanish before the third dog could bite down on him.

“Uh!?” the grunt wondered, before the Kishu landed on him, flattening him out on the ground with his paws. Down below, Hook stood up, staring at the Akita in wonder.

“Weed...?” he whispered to himself. “No, no...he’s much too big to be Weed...it’s only been a day or two since I last saw him...”

“Are you done wasting our time, asshole?” asked the Shepherd, yawning. 

“I’ll tear you all down,” Nero threatened. “One by one!” His sights were set on the Shepherd, but he never got close enough to reach him. The Akita darted forward, catching the Husky by the neck and launching them both into the air with a kick from his powerful hindlegs. Nero cried in terror as the ground grew further and further away. Finally, gravity took hold, and both dogs fell back towards the earth. The Akita pushed Nero in front of him, forcing him to take the impact.

CRACK!

Nero’s skull hit the ground first, splintering into pieces. The Husky was dead before he even knew what happened. The Akita dropped Nero’s corpse, resting a paw on him as he gave the male’s grunts the side eye. The three males immediately fell down onto their stomachs, whimpering submissively. 

“No...!” one of them sobbed. “Please! Don’t kill us! W-We were just following orders! He’d kill us if we didn’t...!”

“Don’t blame him for the actions you chose,” the Shepherd snapped from afar. “Now beat it, or you’ll be feeling my fangs next!”

The three males obeyed, scrambling to their paws and leaving the scene without any other delay. The Kishu and Shepherd joined their comrade, who approached the shivering Hook.

“Don’t be afraid,” said the Kishu. “We’re not going to attack you. Are you hurt?”

“No, sir,” Hook replied, shaking his head quickly. “You all look familiar...”

“We’re the Boss Dogs of Ohu, son,” the Shepherd barked. Hook’s mouth fell open in shock.

“Ahh...!” he exclaimed. “I see now! You’re Gin, John and Akame!”

“That’s right,” Gin affirmed. Hook bowed his head immediately.

“Sir, I owe a life debt to Ohu ever since your son helped me a few days ago.”

“Uh...?” Gin was taken back. His son? John looked at him, a wide grin on his face.

“D’you hear that, Gin?” he said cheerfully. “Ol’ Sakura’s given birth. And a son, too, heh. Wonder how he’s gettin’ along with my Tomoe?”

“I just wish I hadn’t missed the birth...” was Gin’s solemn response. “I hope the others were able to keep her comfortable.”

“I wouldn’t worry,” Akame piped up. “Everyone in Ohu looks out for each other. I’m sure things are fine.”

“Er...” Hook shuffled his paws awkwardly, recalling the rumors he’d heard not long ago. “You’re all headed to Futago Pass...right?”

“Right.” Gin nodded. “That’s where the Dog Paradise is.”

“I...heard there was a terrible incident there a few months ago. A lot of dogs ended up dead.”

“What!?” the trio spoke at once. Gin felt the blood leave his face, and he instantly began feeling light-headed. What happened!? His friends were dead!? Were Sakura and his son alright!? The questions buzzed around in his head like a nest of hornets. Noticing his distress, Akame leaned closer to the Akita and allowed him to rest on his shoulder.

“We won’t know what’s happened for sure until we get back...” the Kishu attempted to remain calm and rational despite the situation.

“What are we still standing here for!?” John began heading north. “If anything’s happened to Jiyū and Tomoe, I’ll...!” He trailed off, though the glistening of his eyes revealed the tears of fear that were threatening to form.

“Y-Yes...” Gin agreed. “It’s best we move on. Hook, thank you for the information. Please be careful out here.”

“Of course, Boss...” Hook bowed his head again. “Thank you...!”

The trio were on their way after that. Akame had to pick up his pace in order to keep from being left behind by the two fathers. Hook watched them leave quietly. The first snowflakes of winter danced around him, settling onto the ground.

Weed... His thoughts returned to the young puppy. Your father’s coming. I just hope everything in Futago Pass is back to normal. I didn’t mean to worry anyone...

Not far from where Hook stood, high up in Japan’s Southern Alps, a large gathering of dogs stood before a small, abandoned hut. The sliding door was partially ajar, allowing whoever was inside to see and hear what was going on while he remained in the shadows. At the front of the assembly were Nero’s lackeys, all three of them bowing as they explained what happened to them.

“Hmph...” a rough voice scoffed from inside the hut. “I’m not surprised that idiot Nero died. He was a weakling, anyway. But to think he’d be taken down by an overrated piece of shit like Gin? Ha!”

“They embarrassed us, Lord Hougen...!” one of the trio whined. “I even heard one of them, John, asking about you. They must’ve been the dogs interfering with our pack takeovers, sir!”

“I see.” There was a sharp creaking sound as the leader of the dogs, Hougen, stood up. He appeared at the doorway of the hut, a hulking, harlequin-patterned Great Dane. “And did you kill them?”

“...Sir?” a grunt barked.

“The dogs from Ohu,” Hougen explained himself calmly. “Did you kill them on the spot? Can’t have them ruining my plans, now can we?” The three dogs remained silent, but Hougen already knew the answer. Without another word, Hougen dove at one of the three males, a paw slamming down on his head and fangs pressed into his throat.

“Kill those other two!” Hougen ordered, ignoring the shrill begs of the unfortunate trio. He snapped his head back, tearing out his victim’s throat. The other two dogs were pounced on by Hougen’s followers, quickly being torn to pieces. Hougen lifted his head, licking the blood from his jowls. “Worthless idiots. Could’ve saved me the trouble of killing those Ohu fools myself. Hmph. You three!”

Three Borzoi dogs, who’d been watching the scene with terror, straightened up as Hougen glared at them.

“Your breed’s fast, right?” The Dane continued. “Go find Gin and his sidekicks!”

The Borzois obeyed, taking off down the mountain trail with a cry of compliance. Hougen ascended the steps of his hut, taking a seat at the top. Looking down, his yellow eyes blazing with the desire to conquer, he gave his order:

“Gather the troops together! By sunrise tomorrow, I’ll make the famous Shooting Star into my personal bitch! Gyahahahaha!”

Gin, John, and Akame had been traveling for hours, yet the peaks of the Southern mountains still loomed over them. It was night now, and the two or three snowflakes had transformed into a blizzard. Neither Gin nor John were willing to stop, though, not until they’d made it back. Akame traveled behind them at a slower pace. It was better to preserve energy rather than wasting it fighting the elements, though his advice was lost to the emotions of a pair of concerned fathers. 

Passing through a neighborhood, the crunching of paws in snow had alerted a sleeping Pet Dog. The female Akita mix sat up in her doghouse, looking around for the source of the noise. Through heavy snowfall, she could make out the three travelers not too far away. She took notice of Gin’s pelt.

“That tora-ge fur...!” she gasped, before stepping outside and barking after the males. “Excuse me...!” All three of them stopped, but John was particularly antsy. He pawed at the ground impatiently.

“Can we help you?” asked Akame.

“You...wouldn’t happen to be Gin, Boss Dog of Ohu, right...?” the bitch responded timidly.

“I am,” Gin called over the gale. “Did you need something? We’re in a bit of a hurry, miss...?”

“Reika.” The bitch bowed her head. “My father was a soldier of Ohu. He fought against Akakabuto. He didn’t survive, but my mother told me the story after I was born. I never imagined I’d meet veterans like yourselves...!”

“That’s all fine and all,” John began, continuing to shift about in the snow. “But did you need something?”

“Calm down, John,” Akame insisted. “Show the lady some respect.”

“Have you traveled very far? I can bring you food and shelter.” Reika’s tail wagged politely as she spoke.

“That’s very kind of you, Reika.” Gin flashed the younger bitch a grateful smile. “But--”

“Gin, you and John have been running for hours,” the Kishu interjected. “You’re going to have to stop eventually. If you both rest now, we can get a day’s journey out of the way tomorrow.” John and Gin were both quiet. John still looked hesitant and frustrated, but Gin knew that Akame was right. 

“You’re right,” the Akita admitted. He turned to John. “Come on, John. Just for tonight.”

The Shepherd groaned as Gin and Akame followed after Reika. With one last glance towards the north, he reluctantly joined his comrades. It was a short walk to the edge of the neighborhood. An abandoned shed appeared through the snow, one big enough for a small pack to sleep in, if they wanted to. Unable to control themselves, the three males all let out a sigh of content. They’d take a shed over sleeping out in the wind and rain any day.

Reika stepped away after allowing the males to settle in, returning to her home and sneaking in through the back. She got one of the extra bags of dog food and brought it out. Surely, her master wouldn’t mind; it was for a good cause. As Reika began the trip back to the shed, however, a dog appeared in front of her. She dropped the dog food, startled.

“Who are you!?” Reika tried her best to sound firm and confident, but there was a tremble to her voice that revealed her fear. The dog, a Borzoi, flashed what was obviously meant to be a charming smile. Reika didn’t feel any less terrified.

“My name is Rocket,” the Borzoi stated. Although his eyes were definitely focused on her, the large irises and tiny pupils gave them a sort-of dazed look that made Reika very uncomfortable. “I’ve come from the base of Hougen, leader of the Southern Alps. I’m sure you’ve heard of him. Anyway, I’ve heard that a tora-ge Akita and his right hands were in the area. Have you seen them?”

“No, I...” Reika swallowed, tearing her eyes away from Rocket’s. “I haven’t. I’m sorry.”

“I see.” The Borzoi’s eyes didn’t even blink. “Sorry to bother you, then. Please, carry on.”

Nodding, Reika did her best to walk away without making herself seem even more suspicious. She could feel Rocket’s eyes burning into the back of her head, but she forced herself to remain calm until she was certain that she was out of the Borzoi’s line of sight. She broke into a run, heading back towards the shed, her heart pounding. Unfortunately for her, she hadn’t taken into account the speed and stealth of a spy. Rocket, joined by his two brothers, watched Reika from the shadows, seeing her path to the shed. Rocket sneered.

“Just as I thought.” he barked. He turned to his brothers. “Missile, Jet, you stay here and keep watch. I’ll report back to Hougen.

“Nero’s little goons ratted us out,” John snapped after hearing of the mysterious Borzoi. “I should’ve ripped their throats out.”

“We already know that Hougen plans to assemble an army and take on Ohu,” Akame pointed out. “He was bound to find out about our investigation eventually. As long as we lay low, we can make it out of this area and back to Ohu. Then, we can put together a plan with the rest of the army.”

“If there’s even an army left...” John stood up, pacing and lashing his tail. He growled bitterly as dread clung to his heart. Reika sat, awkwardly watching the situation. She couldn’t help but blame herself. Gin, who’d been chewing on some kibble, decided to speak up.

“Look, let’s just...sleep on it, for now.” The brindle male brought up a paw, rubbing at his tired face. He then looked at Reika. “Reika, we’re incredibly grateful for your help tonight, but for your safety, you should return home while you can. The last thing we want is for you to be accused of helping Hougen’s enemies.”

“I don’t mind being accused,” the bitch replied, her voice soft, yet firm. “I’ve heard what kind of male Hougen is. I don’t intend to be loyal to him.”

“Still,” Gin said. “I don’t want to take any risks on your behalf. Perhaps, if you can, you could join the Paradise in the future. For now, though...”

“Ah...I understand, Boss.” The disappointment was rich in Reika’s voice, but she wouldn’t disobey. She stood, giving one final bow of her head before she headed back out into the snow. 

“Farewell...! I’ll be praying for all of you!”

[inu-jiru]

Tomoe, The Eastern Tigress - Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight - Onward, Soldiers!

Mel padded through the tunnels of Gajou, an old can dangling from his mouth. It was filled with water, fresh from the nearest river. Following his nose, the Golden Retriever puppy located the den where Akame was resting. Cross glanced up at the young male, smiling gently as he entered.

“Hello, dear,” she greeted. “Just set that down next to the food, alright?”

“Mmm!” Mel replied with a slight nod. Carefully, he stepped around the sleeping Akame and put the can near a collection of mice and rabbits. Once the Kishu had fully rested, he’d be able to have a proper meal. Cross would also be there to act as a medic, of sorts. Though Akame was more of the expert when it came to medicinal herbs and treatments, he’d need someone to make trips for him until he was on his feet.

The rest of the Ohu dogs had gathered in the new chamber, discussing the news they’d been told regarding Hougen and the captured leaders. Weed, Tomoe and Jerome sat on a few boulders that acted as a sort of platform where they could easily address everyone. As one would expect, there was only anger and fear at the idea of Ohu’s top dogs being held prisoner by some bloodthirsty tyrant.

“I say we rush down to the Southern Alps and rip that Hougen a new asshole!” Kurotora shouted, to which several dogs howled in agreement.

“Hold on…!” Weed began, sweating a bit. He’d never been told just how violent some of the Ohu dogs could be. “As much as I wanna rescue my Father and Mr. John, I don’t wanna leave the Paradise open for anyone to take over.”

“So what do you suppose, Weed?” Ben asked. “Some of us stay here while the rest leave?”

“Exactly,” Weed nodded.

“But even if some of us stay,” Musashi began. “There aren’t very many of us. We need allies if we’re going to have a chance against Hougen. Who knows how many dogs he’s gathered over the six month period.”

“What about the dogs who returned home after the war against Akakabuto?” Tomoe barked. “Is there anyway you older guys can ask them for help?”

“We could,” Ben responded. “But it traveling to them could take a while…”

“I could go and meet my son in the Misty Mountains,” offered Moss. “It’ll take a few days, but I’ll definitely be able to bring back a good number of dogs.”

“And I’ll travel to Shikoku,” Musashi offered. “I can reach out to some old friends of mine from the dog fights. I can’t make any promises, but even one Tosa could help.”

“Don’t forget the Heavenly Kings in Mutsu,” added Jiyū. “I’d say Hakuro and his dogs, but swimming to Hokkaido could take some time…”

“Oooh!” Ken sat up, a paw raised. “And Big Brother!”

“Ooooooh!” Kagetora and Tomoe said eagerly.

““Big Brother”?” Weed blinked, obviously confused. “Who’s that?”

“Ah, right, you haven’t met him yet, Weed,” explained Ken. “His real name is Tesshin. He’s what’s known as a Kouga-Ninja dog. We younger dogs call him “Big Brother” because he was born before us, aside from Gin, of course. Actually, his territory shouldn’t be too far from the Southern Alps. We should be able to pick him up while we’re there.”

“I see,” said Weed, nodding in understanding. “Alright, I think we can work with that. While my group goes out to save Father and John, we’ll see if we can find new allies as well. As for who’s joining me, well...there’s Tomoe and Jerome, of course. Ken and Kagetora come as well.”

“I’d like to come too,” said GB. “Someone’s gotta keep an eye on you, Weed, heh.”

“Hehe, alright, GB. I think that’ll be it. Everyone else will stay at Ohu aside from Moss, Musashi and Jiyū. Does that sound fair to everyone?”

“YES!”

The chamber echoed with the unanimous bark. Not even Tomoe could find fault in the plan. Perhaps the puppy wasn’t as hopeless as she thought. As the meeting came to a close, Tomoe went to Jiyū in order to say goodbye. They pressed their heads together, Jiyū whimpering softly.

“You be careful out there,” the mother Shepherd whispered. “Stay strong, and bring your father back as soon as you can.”

“Of course, Mom.” Tomoe’s tail swished slowly. “And don’t let those Mutsu guys give you any trouble.”

“I won’t, haha. Go on now, my strong, little tigress. ”

Weed’s group of travelers were soon on their way, racing through the snow as Gajou grew smaller and smaller behind them. They descended the mountain and left Futago Pass, all the while being unaware that their movements were continuing to be watched by Rocket and his brothers. The hours passed and morning came, replacing the chill of the night with a bit of warmth. Every so often, the group would come across loners and wanderers. While some denied the offer to join, others agreed, knowing that a tyrant spelt doom for all dogs, not just the packs. By late morning, Weed’s group had an additional ten dogs. Rocket and Missile observed their numbers from the safety of a high snow bank.

“Their numbers are increasing pretty quickly,” Missile noticed.

“Not to worry, Missile,” Rocket replied calmly. “I’ll throw a wrench in their progress. But first, I’ll need to join their ranks.”

“Huh?” Missile looked to his brother, confused. “What do you plan on doing exactly?”

“You’ll see. Just keep spying with Jet. Let him know what I’m doing.”

Rocket took off after that. Sliding down the hill, he began running after the small group, panting as if he’d been running for quite some time and was just now catching up.

“Wait…!” he shouted. Weed looked back, seeing the Borzoi following after the pack. “Please! Let me join you!”

“Slow down, you guys!” Weed ordered. Most of the others obeyed, though Tomoe was a bit reluctant.

“Ugh…” she muttered. “We’re going so slow…”

“Try to have some patience,” Jerome barked beside her, staring at her out of the corner of his eye. “We need the allies.”

“I’d like to hear you say that when it’s YOUR dad getting the shit beat out of him. Jackass.”

“Come on, you two.” Ken pulled up behind the two Shepherds. “Can you guys go without butting heads every five minutes?”

“Tell this fucker to stop micromanaging me then,” an annoyed Tomoe grunted.

“If you’re going to be Weed’s General,” Jerome sighed. “You’re going to need to act more mature. Weed is half your age and he--”

“Fuck off.” The female began moving away from Jerome. “I’m not listening to this.” She moved herself to the other end of the group. Jerome snorted, thankful that it was Weed who was the leader and not a hothead like Tomoe. Remembering the puppy, Jerome looked back, seeing that Weed had been in the middle of a conversation with the stranger dog. Jerome’s eyes narrowed. Something seemed...off...about that guy. His suspicions grew greater when, for a split second, they made eye-contact, and the Borzoi immediately looked away. Yeah...something was definitely up.

The days and nights continued to pass. Ten recruits became fifteen, and fifteen became twenty. It might not have been enough to take down Hougen’s army, but it was definitely a start. Weed was more focused on retrieving his father, anyway. If there was some way they could just rush in and grab Gin, a battle could be postponed until later. Only time would tell, though.

One night, when the pack had settled down in a forest clearing to sleep, Weed pulled Jerome aside in order to speak to him privately. They traveled to a small area not far from the clearing. Of course, Rocket continued to spy on them, sticking to the shadows. He’d learned from his conversation with Weed that the puppy was Gin’s son, which definitely made things interesting.

“Jerome,” Weed started, his eyes on the ground. “There’s something that I need you to do for me…”

“Of course, Weed,” said Jerome. “What is it?”

“I…” Weed stopped, gritting his teeth. Jerome watched him carefully, taking note of the way the puppy’s body shook with some powerful emotion he couldn’t quite identify. Weed then looked up, staring Jerome in the eyes. “I want you to teach me out to fight properly!”

“Oh?” Jerome’s brow raised with interest. “This is pretty sudden, Weed. You fought against Kaibutsu, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but…” Weed looked down again. “We might face even stronger enemies on the way to save my father. I need to be prepared for that. I don’t want any other dog to die because I wasn’t strong enough…” The images of Tokimune, and Jerome’s comrades flashed in the young brindle’s mind, dogs he could only watch die before his very eyes. He grunted, frustrated by his own failures.

“Well...if it means that much to you, Weed,” Jerome said. “Then I’ll teach you.”

“Really?” Weed smiled up at the Shepherd.

“Mmm-hmm. I’ll teach you the basics, and in time, you can adapt your own style.”

“Ah…! Thank you, Jerome!”

“Hmm…” Rocket licked his chops, humming thoughtfully. “Seems that brat can’t do anything alone. Mmph. Well, better get to work.”

A paw accidentally trodding on Tomoe’s tail tore the young female from a peaceful slumber. Her head sprang up from her paws, a snarl rumbling from deep in her throat. She glared over her shoulder, seeing an old terrier backing away from her.

“Ooh..!” he yelped. “Sorry about that, miss!”

“Tch…” the bitch muttered, sitting up. “Watch where you’re going, Gramps…” Her ear flicked, hearing paws against the snow. She turned to see ten other dogs, ones that had recently been recruited, heading off into the woods. “Uh...? What the hell?”

“Sorry, miss Tomoe…” the terrier barked, starting after the other dogs. “But there’s no way we can beat dogs who are ten times stronger than us…”

“What!?” Tomoe stood, looking after the fleeing dogs. “Who told you that? Wait! Where’d you hear that from!?” Tomoe’s yells soon forced the other dogs awake. Kagetora sat up, yawning as he looked around.

“What’s all the noise about…?”

“Those dogs are leaving us!” Tomoe snapped. The news shook the sleep from the remaining Ohu dogs, and they began scrambling to their paws. They looked after the deserters in disbelief.

“Oi!” Ken shouted. “What’s the big idea!? You can’t agree to join us and then flake out! OI!”

It was too late. The eleven dogs had made their decision, vanishing into the forest. The Ohu dogs could only stand there, looking after where they’d gone, feeling a mixture of frustration and confusion. A moment later, Weed and Jerome appeared from the undergrowth.

“We heard shouting,” said Weed. “What happ--? Wait…where is everyone?”

“They ran away,” Kagetora grunted.

“Something about not being able to beat dogs ten times stronger than us…” Tomoe added with a lash of her tail. “At least, that's what that old guy was saying. Who the fuck gave them that idea?”

“Isn’t it the truth?”

Everyone turned to Rocket. He was sitting nearby, a neutral expression on his face. GB, who was standing near him, turned to him with a snarl.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the Setter demanded. “You really think Hougen’s dogs are better than us?”

“I-It’s not that…” Rocket quickly tried to think up a lie. “I’ve just heard rumors, that’s all. Those other dogs seem to believe it, so I thought…” The Borzoi fell quiet as Jerome took a step towards him, his gaze cold and suspicious.

“So what will you do?” the Shepherd challenged. “If you think that’s the truth, then you can go ahead and join the others.”

“I…” Rocket shrank back.

“We can’t start forcing people to stay with us,” Weed declared. He lied down, getting into a comfortable position. “If they want to leave, then we can’t stop them.”

“Tch!” Kagetora stamped a paw. “We’ll never get enough fighters with that attitude…!”

“Wait a minute,” said Rocket, his eyes widening in realization. “That kid’s your leader!?”

“For now,” Tomoe muttered.

“Right…” said GB. “We must not have mentioned that to you yet.”

“Is that a problem?” asked Jerome. His eyes had never left the Borzoi.

“No, no, I was just surprised, is all.”

“Well…” Ken began sitting back down, yawning. “Nothing we can do now, I guess. Maybe we’ll stumble across some braver dogs tomorrow…”

“Yeah…” Kagetora forced himself to agree, though his annoyance at the deserters was as plain as day. “Sure.”

“You can’t promise to fight and then chicken out…” Tomoe was ranting to herself. “Cowards…”

“Let it go, Tomoe,” Jerome called to her, taking a spot near Weed. “There’s no point in complaining about it now.”

“Fuck. Off.”

“Jeez…” Kagetora whispered to Ken. “I’m starting to get why Tomoe doesn’t like that guy…”

“Oh really?” the Dane replied. “I thought you’d be having a field day.”

“Eh...it’s not funny anymore. This is serious, Ken. If we can’t get enough soldiers, then we’re fucked.” Kagetora threw himself onto the ground, sighing as he laid his head on his paws. Ken laid next to him, getting a little closer for warmth, possibly for comfort as well.

The clearing grew quiet again as everyone settled down for more sleep. Rocket laid on his side, reflecting on what just happened. Though he knew what he would have to do about Weed, he shuddered at the hypervigilance of Jerome. And while Tomoe didn’t seem to suspect him, the last thing he wanted to do was get on her bad side.

The next few days were more or less the same. Weed’s pack continued south, picking up whoever they could. Though the increase in followers was slow, it was better than nothing. At night, Weed would train under Jerome, increasing his strength more and more. Rocket would continue his spying, while Jet and Missile followed the group from afar. One afternoon, the group came to a stop after hours of endless running.

“I’m starving,” Tomoe said, licking his chops. She smiled over at Ken and Kagetora. “Hey, you two wanna go look for some deer?”

“Oooh…” Kagetora began drooling a bit. “Sounds good to me. C’mon Ken; just like old times, huh?”

“Mmm,” Ken nodded. The Dane called back to the others as he and his two friends headed off. “We’ll head this way! Be back in a bit!”

The three ran through the snowy forest together, feeling the cool breeze rushing through their coats. Tomoe’s nostrils flared, allowing a combination of scents to enter her nose. Her eyes closed, and for a moment, she forgot about the troubles looming over her. She pretended that she was back in the Pass, hunting for a kill that the Ohu soldiers could share. Everyone would gather together, listening to stories of the past. Kurotora and Moss would often butt heads about certain details, usually something that had to relate to their heroics. Come nightfall, Tomoe would sit with her parents, gazing up at the stars and pointing out the constellations she’d been taught as a puppy. Tomoe slowed to a stop, feeling the cold sting her cheeks were tears had streamed down.

“Damn it…” she cursed, shuttering as she began to cry. Ken and Kagetora stopped, turning back to her.

“Tomoe?” Ken began. His eyes widened, seeing Tomoe’s tears. “Oh, shit…”

“What’s the matter, Tomoe?” Kagetora asked in concern.

“Nothing, just…” Tomoe choked. She pawed at the snow, her tail lashing in discomfort. “I just miss when things were normal, you know…? Before Kaibutsu, before Hougen...Tch! What if Uncle Akame’s wrong? What if Dad and Uncle Gin are already dead!?”

“Don’t say that…!” said Ken, alarmed. “We’ll definitely save them! Everything’ll go back to normal!”

“If you think like that,” Kagetora added. “Then Hougen’ll already have won…! Don’t give him that, Tomoe!”

Both males were silent as Tomoe continued to sob. They shared a glance, before sitting down and allowing the female to release her tears. They understood her fears completely; neither of them wanted Gin or John to die, and just the thought of their own fathers being in a life-or-death situation made them uneasy. It wouldn’t have been good for Tomoe to hold on to her feelings. It was best that she vented now while she could. Tomoe wasn’t exactly sure how long she cried, but after a while, the tears stopped. Her face felt hot and puffy; all she wanted to do was bury her face in the snow. She looked up at her two friends. Their eyes were full of support.

“I feel a little better…” said Tomoe, her voice a bit scratchy. “You guys still wanna hunt…?”

“You feelin’ up to it?” Ken asked. Tomoe nodded. “Then sure, if Kage wants to.”

“Hell yeah, I do,” said the Kai with a lick of his lips. He gave the Shepherd bitch a grin. “Don’t worry, Tomoe. Once we find something, it’s gonna be just like old times.”

“Heh...thanks, you guys.”