Exposed

Reincarnation

Ki couldn't help but think about everything she's learned about her family. Jae had laid down, his head resting on her back, and fallen asleep. Ki replayed the memories that had come back to her in her head. This time all her brothers looked like small wolves. They were bigger, thicker, and darker than she and her sisters. She remember they had formed their own mini pack. They all hated being alone and would always try to spend time with her and her sisters. Ki remembered wandering the forest alone, watching her surroundings and strengthening her abilities. Almost every time she left the cave one of her brothers would follow her.

'Ki! Wait for me! Where are you going?' Andre yelled, running after her.

'I'm just going to train, Andre. Stay here.'

'I wanna come with you! No one's home, I don't like being alone.' Andre begged, his ears turning to the floor.

'Fine, just don't be distracting.'

Andre grinned, showing his sharp canines. He jumped around playfully as Ki walked through the forest.

'Kiwa?'

'What Andre? I thought I said to be quiet.'

'No, you said not to be distracting,' Andre taunted, 'Why are you always alone? We miss our sisters Kiwa. Let's all play together sometime, okay?'

Ki stopped to nuzzle her brother, consoling him, 'I'm sorry, Andre. You know we all love you guys. We're family, but we're different. You're more wolf, so you like to be around people. I'm more kitsune, so I like to be alone. But you know what? I heard that wolves have mates.'

'Mates? Like...'

'Like life mates, Andre,' Ki laughed, 'There's someone out there for you. That will want to be with you all the time. You'll rely on each other and trust each other. You two will fall in love and have a family one day.'

'Really?' Andre asked, excited.

Ki nodded and walked on, with a newly re-inspired Andre trailing behind her. 

'Andre,' Ki spoke softly, jabbing Jae with her shoulder. He mumbled, burying his face further into her fur.

'Jae, come on wake up. I wanna ask you something.'

'What?' Jae groaned lifting his head off of Ki.

'Mom died centuries ago, why is the pack still being punished? The person who murdered her is gone...'

'He's not gone,' Jae stated.

'You said our father killed him.'

Standing up and stretching his back, Jae said, 'Yeah, but he was reincarnated. He was a terrible person, he wouldn't reach nirvana.'

'Reincarnation? That's real?'

'Yes,' Jae laughed, 'Your karma is judged and you're reincarnated as a different being according to how you lived your previous life. Somehow, the man who killed our mother continues to be reincarnated as a wolf.'

'Then why hasn't our mother been reincarnated?'

'I told you she has lots of friends with power in the spirit world. They stopped her from being reincarnated and her spirit remains with them. She's working on getting to nirvana.'

'Nirvana, like the band?'

Jae burst out in a fit of laughter, unable to contain himself.

'No, not the band, dummy. Nirvana, the ultimate state of peace. Where you no longer go through the painful process of reincarnation and life. Nirvana is when you obtain true peace and no longer exist.'

'So, is my job to find the guy that murdered her?'

'Well, he might not be a guy anymore Kiwa. I'm sure punishing him would help lessen the misfortune. Honestly, I think our spirit friends just want to see our mother reach Nirvana. She deserves it.'

'So, the pack will be safe if our mother reaches nirvana?'

'Probably.'

Ki and Jae spent the day in the cave, talking and playing like when they were kits. As the sun began to set, they finally exited the cave. They stood for a while, enjoying the cool breeze. Jae picked up their clothes in his mouth and put them in the cave. The ran back to the house together with a plan.