Me: Hey guys
Zed: hope your all doing good.
Me: Here's another part of the story. Also I want to say sorry if I've gotta any part of the timelines wrong.
Zed: Don't even... It's only the second chapter.
Me: I know but... ungh... just do the disclaimers.
Zed: The series used in this fanfiction (Inuyasha and spice & wolf ). We do not own them, all copyrights go rightfully to the original authors and publishers who's names will be posted later on. maybe... Enjoy.
Chapter 2: I am Holo the wisest of the wisest wolves.
"Both of you, get behind me now!" That statement was voiced loud enough for both companions to hear and execute the command immediately. If Kouga was in anyway stunned or shaken by the sudden turn of events, his voice didn't show it.
"What are you going to do Kouga?" Ginta and Hakkaku said in unison as they are both in a panic with the whole situation.
Kouga can't even answer them. Not so much because of fear, more of how perplexed he is by this, with slight curiosity of the beast's nature. He stands at the ready with his claws sharp, fangs standing out of his mouth and on his guard. He was never prepared for what happened next.
The trio now stood many paces from what was originally thought as an inanimate rock. It turns out to be a sand stone colored wolf in a sitting position, nearly the same size as Sesshoumaru's giant Dai-youkai form. Now the shock is really setting in, none of the smaller Okami youkai dares to move a muscle. They only watch the majestic yet frightening being awaken from its slumber and hope that just maybe, they can go by without being noticed. Things could only be so good, if not for that fact that it stares right at them.
The sun shines on its side so that its white legs markings can be made out from its sand stone pelt. The sun's rays also illuminated the creatures piercing eyes. They were a vibrant red color, similar to the red ripe apples one the tree it sat next to. There were moments of silence within the intense staring between the two sides. Amidst all this, a female voice emerged.
"Do not threat young ones, I will not harm you this day or any other." It spoke. The voice was sweet like a ripe fruit and as calm as the evening breeze, you'd think it was Kagome who had uttered those words. It didn't settle the wolves any less.
"D-d-d-did any o-of you he-hear that-t-t?" A Frightened Ginta stuttered from Kouga's back. Kouga never spoke as he was still trying to get his mind around the idea. In all honesty, he was more alarmed by the idea of this conspicuous form getting into his territory unnoticed by his senses.
"I think it-t just spoke." Ginta forced his words out despite being unnerved.
"Don't be ridiculous, no it must be Kami-sama preparing a place for us all." Hakkaku replied. He sounded less frantic than Ginta, though the vibration of his shivering that Kouga felt on his shoulder told otherwise. Ginta and Hakkaku were in a hysterical state of panic, even their inner wolves has their 'tails between their legs' as of now. Kouga wasn't going to let this go on and so pushed irritation on the creature in front of him.
"How long have you been here in our fields?" Kouga demanded the giant wolf as he acted as the owner of these eastern lands, which in technicality was true. Kouga's retort seemed to neither intimidate nor enrage her. She had more of an amused tone to her next response.
"Your fields: though this may be your lands, Is that anyway to show gratitude to the one who has kept your crop strong and ever abundant? You said so yourself that you would thank who so ever that aided in keeping the wheat from faltering. Did you not?"
All the small youkai looked at her stunned. Wasn't she sleeping? Could she really have heard them this whole time and from such a distance? Seeing this only fueled the giant wolf's amusement. Faintly through the fur, one would see the ends of her dark canine lips twist upwards as if she was smiling.
"As old as I may be, my ears still work as sharply as ever. You should know as well as I wolf." She said proudly as she lifted her head to the sky while her eyes still looked down on her dumb founded spectators. This did not stop his resolve. No matter this Dai-Youkai's stature, this was still his territory.
"You heard everything that was said, why didn't show your true self before?"
"How do you look at me young pup?" Her voice was suddenly cold, as the wind blows in this stiffening silence. Now the Dai-youkai was offended and once again Kouga was on his guard but scared the tread more 'on her tail'. She didn't carry her anger through with her next words. She sounded saddened and weary.
"As many before you have: in fright and terror. I've lived plenty of centuries to receive those looks and I grow tired of it. I was content with simply watching you from my hiding spots. Seeing you work and laugh in the fields is the best company I could ask for in my life time. I wouldn't have been able to talk to you as I am while I was still trapped in the wheat." Her words got through to the okami youkai bellow her as the two chickens of the group came a little further from Kouga's back, intrigued and slightly sympathetic of how much she had opened up to them in this first meeting. They still kept their distance or rather stayed with Kouga as he didn't seem to want to move. Kouga wasn't going to let the last line she spoke escape unanswered.
"What do you mean by trapped in the wheat?" He inquired, not as pushy as before but he and his inner wolf still wanted answers. She started fidgeting to get into a laying position of her belly, her body facing sideways from the group. Small tremors could be felt from her attempts at subtle movement.
"It is quite a story, but before I go on, you boys haven't introduced yourselves yet. That is quite impudent of you, no way to treat a lady, seeing as you did interrupt me from a good morning rest." At the thought the great beast couldn't help a yawn; she'd catch up on it later.
There was no choice; it seemed she was going to have her way no matter what. Kouga gave into this and started introducing himself.
"I am Kouga, leader of the Yoro wolf clan, we dwell here in the eastern lands." He said so proudly, as if trying to prove his stature to this wolf in this region. The other two wolves did likewise but very shyly.
"I-I am the second in command, Ginta, pleasure to make your acquaintance Dai-Okami-sama!"
"I am their faithful friend of, Hakkaku, oh Dai-Okami-dono!"
Again the female wolf let a smile creep on her face towards the positive feedback she was getting.
"That's more like it." Her tail came from behind her to curl around her visible side. Doing this created a temporary but strong gust of wind that took the small wolves by surprise. The wolf ignored the annoyed looks she was receiving to proceed with her story.
"I am known in many parts as Holo, the wolf god of Harvest and good fortune. To you, I am simply the wisest of the wise wolves Holo." She said so very proudly. Her head tilted up to the sky slightly. She continued again when was sure the wolves gave her full attention.
"To answer you first question, I have dwelled in your territory for a long while, it must be a century now, I have blessed your crop to keep them well in the near future." All eyes then went to Hakkaku when he put his input in what Holo was saying.
"I've heard these stories from my mother of a giant wolf much older than us ordinary youkai who has become the spirit of the wheat herself as a promise to humans who needed her." As he said this he thought back to how it all portrayed in his head as a child. Because of the lack of description for her appearance, he'd also fantasized it to have honey blonde pelt like the color of the wheat than being sand stone ginger. He made sure that those thoughts never escaped through his mouth.
"You know quite a bit about me don't you young one, I'd no Idea that such tales would travel so far into the future." The tone in her voice reflected that, some would say that she was delighted. Now Ginta felt obliged to join in this conversation of new findings. Thanks to this the atmosphere around them has lightened.
"So that's who you are, I remember the same story saying that the same wolf was originally from another land, to the north."
"Wait, are you telling me that she's from the northern territories?" Kouga finally spoke, even though this seemed an odd conclusion for him to concur.
"No, my boy. It is up north but much further then the place you speak of. My home land is a silver paradise, where the winters are long and the summers are short. I've not seen it in so long." Holo replied. She lifted her head to the sky, looking away from the trio this time, as if she was reflecting on the past.
"I've been away from those lands for a very long time now, nearly half a life time now. I wondered out to travel a short while and then found myself bound to a wheat field much further from here. I couldn't deny him really, that young boy back then was so sweet, the first in few to not look at me as a monster…"She paused briefly in her telling of her past to then look at her audience with an inquisitive look.
"You lot don't think of me as a monster, do you?" For her big form, her words came out quite innocently but still have a trace of mischief. The three lower wolves responded in unison with a simultaneous shake of the head to say no. A human sign language that can still be understood by demons: that isn't surprising in the least as both have co-excited on the earth and observed each other to know this fact. Holo was very appreciative of the level of attention the trio was giving her as she spoke. It was another warm feeling that she hadn't felt in a very long time. She quickly continued with her tale.
"It's ironic really, they would warship me every year after the harvest is gathered whilst having me bound to the crop to bring them greater results each year and all the more hating my true form."
"Oh that's true, in the stories it's said that when a greedy portion of the wheat is taken from the field, then the spirit of the wheat will jump in it and turn into a beautiful maiden. Of course any human would do anything for that." Hakkaku said quite sure of himself, even though it's from a childhood memory. There seemed to be less tension between all those present in the field as they continued this light discussion. Their inner beasts were at bay, perhaps even looking up to the great old wolf. There was no longer that terrifying difference of status or power, even wit. It was just a tranquil, hearty conversation between four individuals. Holo smiled at what Hakkaku said and couldn't help her reply.
"Oh, would you not want to see a beautiful maiden Hakkaku?" She couldn't help the small giggle that came with her seemingly innocent question. This took the animal within her image out of her completely. It was a strange concept to imagine a wolf, which has lived many more centuries than you to be like a child. It made them comfortable never the less. Hakkaku quickly accepted that innocence.
"I suppose so, if she's a cute youkai with a beautiful furry tail." Hakkaku answered slowly as he was taken by surprise by this sudden question.
"Yeah yeah, as well as being gorgeous and youthful and she would call me her only love." Ginta exclaimed with excitement as his mind was filled with fantasies of his perfect kind of female mate.
"Is that so?" She asked, with general curiosity in her tone.
To which an unexpected phenomenon now took place. The wolf goddess seemed to have a dim glow emanating from her rather than being an aura. There was a sudden change in the course of the wind that now blew towards her. At no moment's notice, the giant wolf exploded. It wasn't of the fiery kind, it was more like when blowing a dandelion plant to have the fluffy seeds disperse into the air. Her scattered parts were made of millions, billions of small grain sized bits. They all revolved around the area n which she sat as they were span round by the wind. Eventually they formed a tornado that spun closer and closer to the ground. As soon as the first cluster of the bunch had contact with the floor, they started to shape themselves. They formed and built themselves in a recognizable humanoid figure.
A couple more seconds passed and the Yoro clan wolves were on their feet with looks of disbelief towards this phenomenon. Now that all was done they steadily made their way to the new creature in site. From far she looked like a human being, a beautiful maiden in the making. Her body was fair skinned, slim and well defined, even elegant with her posture of sitting on her side with her back now facing the group. Then there were parts of her that distinguished her from being a human such as her long wolf tail that was clear in view.
Her tail was the same color as her pelt when she was in wolf form. With the sun shining down on her, it seemed to have a golden glow mixed with ginger. It was had a white tip on it like in her previous form. Any who passed her now would assume her to be a fox demon. These wolves knew better than to believe that. Her long hair draped over parts of her back with the rest fell like a blanket on the dirt floor. It's the same color as her tail. It's been a while since the wolves had seen hair and tail colors matching. They could also see the two wolfish ears that peered out of the top of her head.
She slowly turned her head as much as she could towards the wolves. They were greeted with a youthful face. It looked not older than fifteen, which contradicted her true age and stature. Her eyes we're the same vibrant red that wore such a knowing gaze towards them. This form was more welcoming than before.
The trio was now only a couple of feet from her. Even with the new appearance, they could still feel an air of dominance coming off from her as if she were the beast herself. They decided to give her the respective space.
"Back to this old rag doll of a body, I don't hate it though." She said with a small giggle as if she were mocking herself. She waited for a response from the wolves. While they looked as though they were holding back words, Holo puts on a smile of glee to go with her response. "You men have gone back to being quiet, come now, I'm no monster am I, not with this feminine beauty."
"Beautiful!" Both lower ranked wolves exclaimed joyfully at the site of this new form. Any tensions that remained from the previous encounter had completely dissipated. Kouga was still suspicious. He didn't doubt that she meant no ill to them; she would have already done so thanks to her wolf's sheer size and potential power. Parts of her story still troubled him and so he pressed on.
"So what, you're saying that you've been trapped in the wheat until recently."
"That's right Darashinai-kun." She said in a near seductive, cheeky tone. It suited her half open eyes and a grin that didn't need to be very wide to show her amusement in taunting the young wolf leader. That and she had already elevated the name calling after they'd known of each other for at least ten minutes, maybe less. Kouga was keeping his patience as best as he could.
"Are you trying to suggest that we have greedy thieves amount us?" He phrased his question slowly and clearly so that she would see how discontent he was with this.
If what she was saying before was true, then she was also being very accusative, in fact, insulting towards his pack. This would also be quite a blow to his pride and to the remaining life she had If she tread any further with this. She didn't see phased by this. She slowly got up from her spot and walked towards him. They were now face to face and inches apart. He couldn't help but notice how petite she was. The top of her head only made it to the top of his chest plate.
"I am only saying what I know." He then saw her look change and become distant as if to consider something. Maybe she did understand what he was trying to say after all. Her head did a brief shaking motion from side to side as though she was disagreeing with herself to then look at Kouga again with a sincere smile on her lips.
"Let me phrase it this way. I was freed thanks to your wolves and I would have never been able to stand like this before you if they had not done so."
That soft smile of hers got to him. It felt oddly familiar, very much "Kagome?" He flinched slightly at the thought, why think of her now through such a cunning creature also well. He then proceeded to have more of his questions answered.
"But to be free for a whole year, you could have gone back to your home lands. You said you missed them and yet you remain here." He didn't expect what came next. While still looking and the young alpha, Holo turned her head slightly to the side as she answered him, her smile getting back its cheekiness.
"You could say that I was simply being nosy about you people."
This was really not helping Kouga at all. Now this seemed to flood his mind with more questions. Who freed her? Was someone in his pack greedy to the point of wanting to take more for themselves? To what end? What did she mean, 'being nosy'? This was quite a site for Ginta and Hakkaku to see, their leader rendered speechless and utterly clueless. Before anymore could be said, Holo brought her arms above her head and made a puppy like yawning nose.
"Well I guess we're all ready to go to the dens now." She said with a chipper mood.
This earned her a questioning like from Kouga once again.
"Oh are we?" He said, not too sure if he wanted her to answer that.
"Surely you wouldn't leave a poor fragile maiden here in the open, it's really lonely and quite frightening at night." She said with an act and an accent making her sound like a stereotypical damsel distress. It would have been believable if not for the flare of mischief in her voice. There was a new kind of fear raised in Kouga. It wasn't that of terror such as in his first encounter with her in her wolf form. It seems more innocent and full of silliness. He feared that this little girl, older than any of the elderly wolves of his pack, would somehow overpower him with means different than power or experience. He wasn't even thinking that she would betray him at all. It was more like something he couldn't admit to himself but didn't know what it was. By some miracle she already had the answer to that, and she was going to use it as best as she could to taunt him. He felt regretting what he was about to say next. He would have left her in the field in the past, after all it seemed she had fended for herself very well on her own. Since meeting Kagome and learning of her ways, he himself had earned the dreaded blessing of humanity and compassion. Perhaps Holo was aware of this as well.
"Well if you're coming with us; you're going to need to find some sort of garment to put on top of this." He was referring to her bare body. No one seemed to notice it as much with how long their meeting and conversation had gone on for. Now both other wolves were concerned for her sake.
"Yes aren't you cold being bare like this."They said as they came to stand next to Kouga. They had to admit that her body was a site to behold. Another soft breeze blew past them. Holo suffers the worst of it as she clings to herself with her arms, shivering as she also wraps her own tail around herself.
"Now that I think about it, though I do not hate this body, it's never been the best for the cold seasons. Oh now wait, I do have some robes." She scurries quickly to the apple tree. Her running was as feminine as her looks, elegant yet clumsy. She came back with something that never, on this earth, would be merit to call a robe.
"Tah-Dah!" She exclaimed happily with her ears and tail perking up. Hanging from her two small hands was a ripped piece of fabric. As beautiful as the design on it may have been, with the severity of the damage, it couldn't be salvaged. Kouga was even less optimistic about it.
"Those look more like torn rages than robes."
"I forgot that I was wearing it while my last transformation, this always happens and yet I never remember the last time it happens until it's too late, old age forgetfulness." She said with a fake cheeriness in her voice. As she spoke she made a motion with her hand to her head: genteelly patting it with a clenched fist of that same hand. Kouga evaluated the situation. Then a small smile appeared on his mouth, saying he found a solution.
"Part of it looks alright for the bottom half. Ginta give her your fur coat!" He ordered the silver hair wolf, motioning to the very fur coat in question.
"Huh?!" Ginta was a little hesitant at this. Kouga wasn't waiting any longer.
"Do you want the other pack males to be staring at her bosom when we arrive? Hakkaku gives us your chain!" Both wolves did immediately as they were told, stripping off the items in question. Kouga ripped the really badly damaged parts of the robe and then wrapped it around her lower half reached to just above her knees. He used Hakkaku's chain to keep the artificial skirt in place by wrapping it around the skirt at her waist. A small length of the chain was left hanging on her side. He then proceeded to cover her top half with Ginta's fur coat. Naturally it was too big for her. He pulled it tightly around her then told her to hold where it closed with hand. With his now free hands, he pulled out the long piece of string he used to keep his hair in a pony tail. His hair now curtained the sides and the back of his head like a thick, black veil. He used the string to seal the fur coat in place. He then stood back to see what he had achieved.
"This will do." He said quite content of himself.
He still couldn't believe that he had to dress this woman like a child. Her naked image is now engraved in his mind. One could tell that he wasn't taking this for the best as his cheeks were full of a rose red warmth and will probably still be like this for a long while. He was sure that the fox like wolf had picked up on it but decided to leave him be.
"Hardly top quality but so long as it makes you happy." That was here only reaction. In side, Kouga only had disbelief for this girl.
"Come on, let's go" Ginta and Hakkaku said repeatedly and ecstatically as they were running for the edge of the field. That party however quickly came to an end.
"Not so fast, we still have the rest of the wheat to collect and bring back to the dens." Kouga declared. Both wolves stopped in an instant and turned around with disappointed looks on their faces.
"That's right, I completely forgot about it." Ginta said.
"Aww man, that's going to take forever to do." Hakkaku whined.
"Oh well, you boys will wake me up when you're done won't you." Holo said quickly as she turned to make her way towards the apple try again but at a walking pass this time.
"You're not going to offer a hand in helping us." Kouga called out to her quite, once again, astounded at what he just heard her say.
"I have done so in the many years of being here in keeping the wheat in good condition and ready for the picking. So I think I've earned my rest. Now if you'll excuse me." She lay herself down at the foot of the tree. She was on her side, holding her legs with her bare knees nearly touching her face. Her tail was at the very front of her. She relaxed very quickly and no retort could bring her out of it. Kouga thought to himself that this Holo character was going to give him a hard time. Strangely enough, he welcomed that fact. He turned his attention back to the field and all three wolves started up their work on the Harvest. Just after cutting one bunch from the field he looked up at the sky. The sun was only slightly off the angle of the center.
Me: that Holo is something huh.
Zed: only cuz you wrote her to be that way.
Me: well never mind, Now coming down from that. I have good news and bad news. With the bad, Holiday season is now over for me and any off us still in college know exactly what that means. I'm not stopping it but it may that a long time to get any chapters up on this, I know you guys under stand. That was some of the good news there too I guys. Well my faithful friend, that leaves you with the disclaimers.
Zed: You do it!
Me: ... come again?
Zed: I've been doing them loads, it's your turn now.
Me: *sigh* I do not own characters or shows used in this fanfiction, all copyright go rightfully to writers of these series.
Zed: Till next time!