Chapter 59

(Note: Bold & Italic = modern demonic. Bold = ancient demonic. Bold & Underline = Pissed off Oretzi. Underline = wolf. Italics = demon talking in human language)

~Kazama~

"We'd do anything for each other," she agrees softly. Her heart pounding in her chest as she watches Prima turn to a wolf sitting at the edge of the clearing - it's Bandit, the one who retrieved Heishi and herself. That's probably not the wolf's name but until she knows it Bandit seems like a good enough name. She doesn't pay too much attention to Prima's hushed conversation with Bandit but she does see him exiting the clearing.

"Listen to me now, pup," the she-wolf taps the hanyou's nose to ensure that she has the girl's full attention. "Your… partner - Tsukiko was it - will be permitted here this one time."

"Really?" she sighs slightly in relief. "You mean that?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Prima."

Heishi glances over the hanyou, studying the way her shoulders relaxes at this bit of news. He was genuinely surprised that the mated pair - or at least half of the mated pair - would be accepting of an outcast wolf returning to the pack's territory.

"Nee-chan!"

It was a blink and miss it situation - the white wolf demon moved so fast she was across the clearing before he could even attempt to formulate a sound.

"Tsuki!" the hanyou exclaims, the wolf demon increasing herself in size and just throwing her head over Oretzi's shoulder. Oretzi throws an arm around Tsuki's neck, comforting herself in the wolf's scent. "Why would you follow me here? You could've been hurt."

"Simple," Tsukiko replies, breathing in her partner's scent, "You'd do the same for me." She pulls away from the Chunin as she tilts her head. "Why would you come here then?"

"That was my fault," Heishi injects, stepping closer with the intention of introducing himself. "Hello. My name is Kazama Heishi."

"Kazama…?" Tsuki looks over at Oretzi with a questioning look. "How many of you are there?"

"To my knowledge, it's Nukiya and myself - at least before we found out about Oretzi here."

"Is there a chance she had a child before me?"

"It's possible, we didn't know about you until Nukiya encountered you," Heishi agrees mildly. "Chances of it though… it's slim."

"How would you know that?"

"Well… You know about the different dimensions, correct?" He waits long enough to receive a nod from Oretzi who has her fingers running through the white wolf's fur. "Every single generation of the Gobi line has always been born in a dimension - unique to the family and entirely separate from any connection to the Bijuu Lords. It serves as a safe haven for the family.

"Typically, when the next generation is born they spend the first ten to twenty years living in the dimension - by then they've reached maturity and can adjust to living in different dimensions."

Tsukiko and Oretzi exchange glances at this, simultaneously thinking that something isn't adding up. If what Heishi just said is true, then something must have gone wrong because as far as they know, Oretzi was born and raised in this dimension.

"Pup." Oretzi blinks in recognition of this particular deep voice. She turns to see a large - as large as the Hokage mountain if not bigger - silver furred wolf with a hint of black along the ears and back approaching the group. She tenses warily as the Alpha, Bear Killer, sweeps his eyes over them, his lightning blue eyes landing on Heishi for a long moment, "Soldier." She digs her fingers into Tsukiko's white coat as Bear Killer turns his impassive eyes onto her partner. "You are?"

"Our pup," Prima informs as she wraps an arm around Oretzi's shoulders, her electric purple eyes shining a warning to the disgruntled wolf.

"The runt?" He bares his teeth briefly at Tsukiko, prompting the hanyou to step protectively in front of her.

"She's not a runt anymore," Oretzi states flatly in response to the dismissive tone.

"Oretzi," Heishi mutters in caution as Alpha makes a sound that doesn't sound altogether positive or negative.

"Her name is Tsukiko," Oretzi continues, firmly ignoring Heishi in a bid to bond Alpha and Prima to their pup, to her partner. "It means Moon Child."

"Appropriate," Prima remarks with an approving nod, her fingers habitually smoothing down the hanyou's hair. "You seem to have done well in raising her."

"Thank you," she mutters, glancing at her partner. She's not entirely sure she is deserving of the praise given but she's not afraid to admit that its time to do better now.

Tsukiko looks between Oretzi and her… parents? She can see in her partner that she's tense and Oretzi still hasn't moved from her position in front of her, partially obscuring her from seeing Bear Killer. Not that it's hard to miss the large scarred wolf. He's seated at the other side of the clearing they're in, the bulk of his frame taking up a good portion that it makes the clearing seem smaller than it is.

She's not entirely sure if it's safe to speak her mind much less say anything. Oretzi has stated several times that it's unsafe for her to ever return to the Lunar Wolves. The fact she's even talking to her parents is surreal. Alpha seems to teeter between outright hostility and cold indifference is what she expected. But, Prima, she's almost the exact opposite. She's interested and engaged.

She's warmth whereas her mate is ice.

"Moon-Child," Prima steps away from Oretzi as she turns her full attention to Tsukiko, earning a startled look from the pup. "Are you happy living with the pup?"

Tsukiko tilts her head at the question, her gaze bouncing between Prima and her partner. "Of course," she states simply, bumping her nose against Oretzi's hand for scratches. "She's the best, more than I could ever hope for."

Prima nods her head in response to this, "Good." Oretzi tilts her head at the Prima, silently questioning the she-wolf.

She doesn't get the chance to verbalize the question when Bear Killer growls lowly, capturing everyone's attention in an instant.

"Why is she here." Unspoken is the question of why isn't she dead yet.

Oretzi's hackles rises defensively at the tone, instinctively bracing herself as Tsukiko presses herself against the hanyou's leg. Not to hide herself but to reassure her partner that she's there.

"She followed the pup here," Prima states evenly, a subvocal growl just barely escaping the she-wolf's chest. Oretzi tenses slightly as her gaze bounces between the mated pair, her sharpened senses catching the low harrumph from the alpha male.

She hates the blunt dismissal but her childhood respect for Bear Killer has her biting her tongue, fully aware that it's only with Stalk the Night's permission that Tsukiko is still alive. She glances at Heishi, wondering if his questions have been fully answered yet and they can finally leave.

The longer they stay the shorter Bear Killer's fuse will become and it's not a risk she wants to take. It has also become very clear to her that Bear Killer is the reason why Tsukiko needed to be sent away, to be sent to her.

"Soldier," Prima looks to Heishi, "are there any more questions you need answered?" Even now, she still has a hand on the hanyou, smoothing down Oretzi's thick hair - which is honestly an uphill fight. It's a familiar sensation for the wolf hanyou, the action actually making her drowsy. The drowsiness combined with her general fatigue - she's always tired when she's forcing her body to heal faster than it normally would - is almost enough to make her nod off.

If it wasn't for the stress of being on the Lunar Wolves' territory, she'd actually find her old den to take a quick nap.

"Not currently," Heishi tilts his head slightly as he surveys Oretzi and her partner. The hanyou still has injured ribs - a few hours isn't enough to heal them without serious repercussions - and her arm is maybe an hour away from being completely healed. "May we remain here for the night - to improve Oretzi's condition for travel." It also didn't escape his attention that she's literally dead on her feet.

"Of course," Prima agrees readily while Bear Killer made an unhappy noise. He falls silent at the glare he receives from his mate, his tails thumping a displeased beat. "Pup," Prima lightly shakes the hanyou to rouse her slightly.

"Huh? Wha?" Oretzi mumbles as she rubs her eyes, blinking owlishly.

Stalks the Night smiles fondly at the hanyou. "Do you remember where your den is?"

"Mhm," Oretzi yawns as Tsukiko bumps into her thigh to help wake her up a bit more.

"Good," the she-wolf gently ruffles the hanyou's hair, "Go and sleep in your den, take Moon-Child with you."

"Mm…" After a long pause Oretzi finally nods her head before mumbling for Tsukiko to follow her.

The entire scene was honestly too cute for words in Heishi's opinion. He watches as the pair travel to the edge of the clearing, finally losing sight of them once they've stepped into the thick underbrush that could legit be called a small forest in any other place.

Once he doesn't hear Oretzi's sleepy mumbles anymore he turns to Stalks the Night with one final question.

"Where was Oretzi born."

~Kazama~

Oretzi's den is a small space under a rock overhang, hidden partially by foliage and mounds of dirt. It's a cozy space that is surprisingly comfortable for a teenage sized body and a wolf at Tsukiko's size. On the rocks lining the den were small childish drawings that seems to consist primarily of the wolves in the pack - at least, that's what Tsuki can figure. Oretzi has long since passed out in the corner of the den.

Tsuki hasn't been able to sleep yet.

She can't help but worry a little bit about the others. It's been nearly two days now - a whole day spent searching for Oretzi and then some, and now it seems like her partner is in a healing sleep. The hanyou hasn't woken since she had gone to bed shortly before moonset.

It's now midday.

She's honestly surprised the hanyou hasn't woken yet with a rumbling belly. Her stomach is usually like a clock, waking the hanyou in time to eat. If it's not her stomach waking her then it's her nose - no food is safe from her partner.

With a sigh she takes another look at their surroundings, wondering where Oretzi's brother - Heishi, was it? - could be. The last time she has seen him was in the clearing with her… parents? She's not entirely sure what label to give them. Stalks the Night was… everything she ever wanted in a mother. She didn't know what she wanted in a father but Bear Killer was certainly not it.

If she hadn't known better, she'd think that Bear Killer would've killed her right at her own birth without truly giving her a chance.

It's a depressing thought. It's one thing to know that she'd be unwelcomed in the land of her birth but another altogether to bear witness to it with her own eyes.

A noise to the side catches her attention, prompting her to turn towards it - instinctively positioning herself so that Oretzi's behind her.

"Easy," she hears as a large midnight black wolf steps into the clearing. From her position she can see that the wolf has striking red flames dancing along their sides - as he moves it seems like the flames are truly moving, writhing on his fur. "How is she?"

"She sleeps still," she responds warily as she slowly places the voice and scent. It seems Oretzi's brother has finally shown himself.

He's not the same size as Bear Killer but a part of her knows that it's a simple matter to adjust one's sizes so she refrains from making a comment on it. A part of her has to appreciate and respect the fact that he has four tails - which, if she remembers right, is the most a wolf demon will ever acquire unless they're the Gobi.

This is a wolf who is old and powerful, a wolf who is possibly stronger than Bear Killer who has three tails.

"And her injuries?"

"She has yet to wake from them," she turns her head partially to look at her partner. The scent of blood has actually begun to fade away - a wash should get rid of the last of it, making it safer for Oretzi to travel these dangerous lands once more.

As safe as it can be for a hanyou in a demon infested land.

"Mm…"

Wordlessly and seamlessly, Heishi transitions from wolf to human, adjusting his clothes until they're sitting properly. He's clad in a simple black outfit, consisting of a sleeveless top and hakama pants. It's a style completely unfamiliar to the young wolf demon, used to the shirts and pants used among the shinobi in Konoha. Because of the lack of sleeves Tsuki can see the tips of the black fire tribal markings on his shoulders - she can only assume they cover the length of his sides. Perhaps the markings are the same ones she has seen on his wolf form?

"I should take a look at her arm," he states as he takes slow measured steps, causing Tsuki to realize that he's giving her a chance to send him away. Faced with this realization she takes the chance of trusting him, wordlessly shifting to the side.

He nods to her and makes his way over to the sleeping hanyou, gently turning her over onto her back. As he does this, he gets a sleepy mumble from the ten years old but no further signs of her waking.

A brief and light touch to her wrapped arm - the one he personally wrapped. The last time he wrapped it there had been heat radiating from it, which had been concerning. Right now, though, he doesn't feel anything so he takes great care to unwrap the bandages, letting a relieved sigh escape when they don't stick to the hanyou's skin.

He takes a close look at the ripped punctures - noting with a pleased sound that they're not as serious as when he first found her. With careful fingers he checks the bones, idly wondering if her accelerated healing had kept the swelling from getting too bad. When he concludes that her arm has healed enough to forgo a new wrap he takes the used bloodied bandages as he gets up.

"How often does she get hurt, working for your village?" he asks as he stretches, rolling his shoulders to loosen them. The overhang is just a tad too small for his 6'6" height, unfortunately.

Tsuki tilts her head before doing the best imitation of a shrug possible. "If she was awake, she'd say that it comes with the job."

An annoyed huff escapes the male wolf demon at the pup's words but he doesn't attempt to press her for more details. It doesn't help that it matches the impression he had gotten when he first found out about his sister's career choice.

With what he knows, armed with Nukiya's story as well as his own experience he doesn't feel that it'd be a safe option to leave her to her own devices. So it means, in the end, he needs to follow her wherever she goes. Nukiya had already indicated that she'd find their imouto when the time comes but…

He has the feeling that by the time Nukiya finally tracks their imouto down it might be too late.

It's a risk he's not entirely willing to take.

With a course decided he sets the bloodied bandages aflame. "Let me know when Oretzi awakens," he instructs. "I have a few more errands to run but hopefully they should be done by the time the pup awakens."

"Noted," Tsuki remarks, glancing towards her partner.

Any time now.

~Kazama~

Another hour passed before finally Oretzi roused from her sleep with a drawn out yawn, a hiss escaping when her ribs protest the deep inhalation. With a grunt she pushes herself upright as a warm body settles on her lap.

"Ohayo Tsuki," she mutters sleepily as she pets the coarse fur.

"Ohayo," the pup returns. "You've been sleeping for a long time."

"I feel like I have," she agrees, taking a long look at her arm. There's little to no scarring left on the skin and it doesn't feel like there's any lingering pain left beneath the surface. It's always a struggle to determine what will scar and what will not.

The facial scar she got from the samurai was… not one of those she thought would be permanent. It had healed faster than the ones she had received that same day, yet out of all of them, it's the most visible. It's a thin scar stretching from the near center of her forehead, across the bridge of her nose and across the top of her cheek. The scar ends near the outside corner of her right eye.

"Oh," Tsuki mutters after they've been silent for some time, "your brother wanted to know when you awoke."

"Mm? Did he say why?"

"I had the impression that he would like to continue his travels."

A soft 'ah' escapes the hanyou before she nudges her partner up. "In that case, let's go find him." After getting her partner off her lap she gets up herself with a soft groan, internally grateful that her ribs aren't as bad as the previous day. It still bothers her to breathe deeply but it's nothing like before. Sleep and food seem to have gone a good way to making her better.

With a tired yawn she set off with Tsuki by her side to locate Heishi.

It's her best bet that he's with the Prima since it seems like Alpha was more likely to try and bite his head off.

"Have you gone anywhere after I've gone asleep?" she asks softly with a hand in Tsuki's fur.

"No," she admits, "after everything you've told me, I didn't think it'd be safe."

They didn't have to walk long before a wolf shows up, the hanyou recognizing them by the patch across their eyes.

"Hello again," she greets the wolf. He towers over them, his paw probably big enough for Oretzi to consider using as a blanket. His fur is not that different from Tsuki's - except instead of being a mixture of silver and white, Bandit's fur seems to be more silver than white. The sole exception is the domino mask across his face.

"Hello," he returns as he cocks his head to the side. "You seem to be in better health today."

"I feel as if I am," she agrees as she continues walking, easily stepping between the wolf's legs for the clearing. Her fingers in Tsuki's fur the only thing keeping her partner from hesitating. "So, when were you born?" she asks, curious. His size indicated that he's at least a year old.

"Mm… I believe I will be two in this upcoming fall, if I am not mistaken."

Oretzi blinks and looks at the wolf. "Wait…" She looks between Bandit and Tsuki as something starts to occur to her. "Is it possible that Tsuki-chan is your litter mate?"

Bandit tilts his head as he peers down at them. "It is possible - however, only Prima would know."

An annoyed sigh escapes Oretzi at that comment, forcing herself to concede that point. Tsuki and Bandit would have been too young to truly recall each other if that was the case. In either case, it seems extremely likely that they are actually litter mates.

"Pups."

"Prima," Oretzi greets, turning her gaze forward where she can see a giant she-wolf laying on the ground of the clearing they've entered. The she-wolf's snow white fur shines in the rare streams of sunlight through the thick foliage.

"Did you sleep well?" Stalks the Night questions as Oretzi jogs over to the she-wolf, wrapping her small arms around Stalk the Night's snout. Well, attempt to. At her full size, Stalk the Night's snout is far too big for a mere human/hanyou to succeed in the attempt.

"Hai, I did," she answers as she nuzzles into the warm fur. "Oh, by the way, is Tsuki Bandit's litter mate?"

"Bandit?"

Oretzi leans back, kneeling on Stalks the Night's snout to point at the wolf that has been kind enough to guide them to the clearing.

"Ah, you mean Touboe."

Howl.

That's a name that suits a pup who hasn't earned a name.

At some point, Tsukiko might change her name to something else. Oretzi's not entirely sure how she'd feel about that eventuality but it's a reality she'll have to face one day.

"I think I liked Bandit better," Oretzi remarks as she pets Stalks the Night's snout, running her hand over the short fur beneath her.

"And why did you pick that name?"

"Because it looks like he has a mask on - so he looks like a bandit!"

An amused snort escapes the giant she-wolf at the hanyou's remark. "I suppose he does."

"So…?"

"Yes, 'Bandit' and Moon-Child are litter mates." Tsuki looks up at the large wolf, tilting her head as she considers him. "The others are currently checking the borders for any… visitors."

Oretzi looks at Stalks the Night's eye, "Are you expecting trouble?"

"Do recall you were bleeding recently," Bandit remarks lightly.

"Oh yeah," she mutters as she shifts around to look at Tsuki. "We should get going soon."

"Wait until Soldier returns and then you may go," Stalks the Night rumbles lowly as she lowers her head, allowing for ease of access.

"He has one hour," Oretzi counters, glancing up to the skies to check on the sun's position. "Tsuki, how many days has it been since we've been separated from the others?"

"Currently it has been about two, if not three days since the ambush."

Oretzi grimaces at the realization that the others have been by themselves for so long.

"Pup…" a low growl escapes the she-wolf, earning a sheepish laugh from the hanyou in response. "You know I don't like the ancient language."

"My apologies, Prima."

Oretzi edges her way to the side of the she-wolf's snout before sliding down to the ground.

"I recognize this scent," they hear a voice rumble as the near silent footsteps of someone approaching makes themselves known to the group. "Never thought I'd see you here again, Kazama."

The hanyou looks towards the voice, readily identifying the speaker to be Moon-Chaser. In his shadow walked another wolf, significantly smaller than him and slimmer in comparison.

The wolf's fur is closer to Bear Killer's fur coloring - midnight black with Prima's eyes staring out at them. Another litter mate of Tsuki's?

It bears consideration.

"Hello, Moon-Chaser," the hanyou greets as she twitched her fingers slightly to prompt her partner to instantly join her side.

"What brings you back to our lands." Moon-Chaser's eyes seems to narrow down at the she-wolf pressed against the hanyou's side. "And with a reject by your side."

She wordlessly bares her teeth at the obnoxious wolf. "Watch your tongue around my partner, Moon-Chaser," she rumbles, earning a sharp laugh from him. "Tsukiko," she mutters in a low even voice, feeling the slight bristle of her partner's fur. The slight twitch of her partner's muscles told her she has her full attention. "Do you want to show him what you are capable of?"

The ripple of muscles gave her the answer she's looking for as the arrogant look in Moon-Chaser's eyes remained despite the brief chat in the human tongue.

"Once a runt," Moon-Chaser sneers, "Always a runt."

A long white tail appears and quickly wraps around the hanyou's torso, removing her instantly from Tsukiko's side and depositing her onto Stalks the Night's head.

"Are you sure you wish to pursue this?" the she-wolf questions as the smaller she-wolf, the black furred one, and Bandit moved away to the edge of the clearing.

"It was not me who decided," Oretzi answers flatly as Tsuki remained where she stood, small compared to the colossal size of Moon-Chaser.

Due to the size difference, Tsukiko has to look upwards to even gaze at the wolf's head. But, despite everything, despite the promise she has sworn, Oretzi has faith in her partner.

So she contents herself with clutching the she-wolf's fur, kneeling on her head as she waits.

The first one to make a move was Moon-Chaser who swiftly brought his paw down at Tsukiko.

The she-wolf made no move.

In the ensuring dust cloud, Moon-Chaser started to laugh, his gaze going to the wolf hanyou. "Looks to me you may need another partner," he states before finally realizing that for someone who lost a partner, Oretzi looks far too calm. "You truly don't care for her do you?"

"The bigger they are," Oretzi states evenly.

"The harder they fall."

Moon-Chaser looks down as he moves his paw to realize that he hadn't squished the runt like he thought.

"Up here!"

He scarcely had time to look when a spinning blur flew past him. A sharp howl of pain erupts from the large wolf in the split second they had to register the fact that the blur was Tsuki.

"THAT'S MY GIRL!" Oretzi shouts in approval as Tsuki lands on the trunk of a tree, her white fur splattered with blood.

"You little!" Moon-Chaser howls in anger, whirling around to locate the small she-wolf. Before he can even snap his jaws at her she's already on the move. She uses the dense forestry around her to move swiftly around him, launching herself from one branch to another in the time it takes for him to turn towards her.

"Gatsuuga!"

The brutal attack lands another hit on the large furious wolf - enraging him even further.

"You've trained her well," Stalks the Night remarks as she steps aside to give the fighting pair more space as Tsukiko leads Moon-Chaser on a merry chase around the clearing.

"She has learned everything I have learned."

"It shows."

"FACE ME LIKE A WOLF!"

Oretzi arches an eyebrow at the furious howl. "Tsukiko." The she-wolf pauses on a branch high above them all. "Grow."

Tsuki tilts her head in response to the lone command from the hanyou. Without a single comment, the she-wolf vanishes from view once more.

"Grow?"

"You'll see."

No sooner has Oretzi said this when Moon-Chaser is knocked down to the ground with a savage growl and a spray of blood. Standing over the attacked wolf was a she-wolf standing at a size that is slightly bigger than Moon-Chaser.

"Impressive," Stalks the Night remarks, "She has learned to grow several times her size?"

"That's what you'd think," Oretzi remarks idly as Tsuki kept her paw on Moon-Chaser's neck, preventing him from being able to snap his jaws at her. "It took me way too long to realize that Tsuki may have been subconsciously holding back on her size while living with me and the ninkens."

"I see," Stalks the Night mutters as Moon-Chaser twists and wiggles underneath Tsuki. He hasn't been able to maneuver himself into a better position to get his jaws around Tsuki's leg.