Shadow of the Wolf

The Black Dog

The Black dog frowned. Akira and the black dog looked at eachother for a long time, until a rustling in the bushes broke the silence. The black dog perked his ears curiously, and Akira turned around to see what was going on.

"Akira!" Yelled Kamiko as he jumped out of the bushes. "What are you doing over here? This isn't even our territory!"

"Then whose is it?" Asked Akira, tilting her head slightly to the left, forgetting about the black dog.

Kamiko opened his mouth as if he were to answer right away, then closed and thought about it for a while. "I'm not sure myself," He admitted. "But that dosen't matter now," Kamiko leaned over and licked Akira's ear, "I'm just glad your safe,"

Akira, finally realizing the black dog, whipped around to show him to Kamiko.

He was gone.

"Wha-" Akira tilted her head in confusion. Then turned at Kamiko, then back to the place where the black dog was standing. Then back again.

"Is something wrong, Akira?" Asked Kamiko.

"No," answered Akira as she looked at the ground for footprints. "I'm fine,"

The whole way home, Akira had been trying to explain to Kamiko about the Black dog. Kamiko kept on saying over and over that it was probably just hallucinations from being hungry and tired.

When Akira and Kamiko returned to the camp, DaKota was waiting for them. His face was straight and serious, as always.

"Dakota," Greeted Kamiko, "You up for a hunt? I've had to search the whole forest looking for Akira, and I never got to catch anything! But that's okay, I found some areas that are rich with rabbits and deer,"

DaKota looked at Kamiko and nodded. "Yea, i'd like to get out of the camp for a while, but let me get Akira to the den first." DaKota walked over to Akira, and guided her over to the den. Kamiko followed.

Akira frowned at Kamiko. "Can you leave us alone?" She said sounding rather unfriendly. She looked up at DaKota. "Maybe someone with some sense would actually listen to me," She mumbled to herself.

Kamiko walked out and turned around, "You don't have to be so mean," he spat back. "Besides, it's not like DaKota will believe your silly story any more than I do." Kamiko turned to DaKota. "I'll be waiting at the entrance,"

"Okay," Answered DaKota. "See you in a bit," DaKota turned back to Akira. "Now, what was it you wanted to tell me about?"

"Well, actually, Kamiko dosen't beleive me, but..." Akira explained what had happened  in the woods, and how a mysterious black dog that looked alot like Akia, had saved her.

DaKota looked at her for a long time, then sighed. "Well, first of all, I don't see how the dog could vanish like that without leaving a footprint or a scent, so that's the first sign of a hallucination,". 

"No!" Snapped Akira. "It happened, it's true!"

DaKota's expression turned sour. "I never said it was a hallucination," He sighed, and quickly changed the subject. "I doubt it was Akia. His pack is far from here, and will never dare to get that close to us,".

Akira tilted her head. "Akia has a pack?"

DaKota slumped over with his shoulders high into the air. "Yes," He explained. "He has made his own pack, one that he says will destroy ours for kicking him out. He made it very far away, so far away that even our strongest and fastest dogs won't make it there in a month,"

Akira looked around nervously. "What did Akia do that made us kick him out? I've heard Kamiko talk about him leading the Kursed to attack the camp. Who are the Kursed?"

DaKota looked at Akira with sympathy in his eyes. "The Kursed," he whispered. "Are never to be spoken of around here,"

Akira frowned. "That's what Kamiko always says! But I want to know if everyone else knows!"

"Fine, fine, just don't yell," Whispered DaKota. "From what you described that grey wolf you saw, the one that tried to attack you, you've probably already seen one."

"What?" Asked Akira, "But he was a wolf! Are wolves also known as Kursed?"

"No, not all wolves." DaKota answered. "The Kursed is a sickness that can overtake you. It's like a....Virus"

Akira listened carefully to what DaKota was saying, but she couldn't understand what a virus was.

"It's very dangerous, it can cause creatures to lose their minds, and attack anything they see." DaKota explained. Akira began to shiver.

As soon as DaKota went on to explain more, Kamiko strided on in, "Come on, DaKota! i've bee-" Kamiko spotted Akira, her eyes were wide and her tail was tucked between her legs. "Akira! Are you ok? What's wrong?" Kamiko rushed over to Akira and curled around her. His eyes narrowed on DaKota. "What did you tell her? What did you do to her?" He asked angrily.

"Sir, you must understand, she needed to know about Akia." DaKota explained.

Kamiko's expression turned angry and wicked. "What?! I told you to never tell her any of that! I don't want her to know that! I never wanted her to know that!"

"So you were just going to leave her in the dark? Never tell her who she really is? Well let me tell you this, Kamiko, you are both the offspring of the deadly Akia. And there is nothing you can do to change that!" spat DaKota. He was breathing hard now, and a soft growl was developing in his throat.

The silence that followed after the arguement lasted what seemed forever, until Kamiko got up and left the den. DaKota looked at the ground, then turned to the entrance of the den. "I'm sorry," He said to Akira. "I'm sorry about that fight. Just don't ever bring up Akia agian, ok?" Akira nodded, and rested her head on her paws.

This whole arguement, she thought to herself, was about some stupid hallucination.

Those were Akira's last thoughts before drifting off into a deep slumber.