Lone Wolves

The Ambush

The blue wolf carefully trotted through the forest. The smells of wolf, hare, mouse, vole and even fox mingled and confused the wolf. She stumbled upon a stream and stepped into it to drink, growling lowly as a corner of the shawl dipped into the water. She twitched her shoulders and it moved, dripping. She spun around as a stick snapped to her right. She crouched low to the ground and snarled at the trees, thinking she saw a flash of green. She felt the river bed shudder under her paws and she had but a moment to move before the earth rose beneath her. She didn't move fast enough and found herself trapped in a sphere of darkness and dirt, a small amount if water trickling to the bottom. She dug her claws into the dirt, reaching for her power. She drew it out and a small crack appeared around the circle. She widened it and glared out of it to a dark green wolf with silver hints; the pack alpha. He stared at her calmly and started to make the sphere roll, knocking her off balance and causing her to lose the loose grip on her powers. She was thrown around the sphere, causing her to yelp in pain. Her entire body hurt. The pain was the only thing on her mind. Her mind went blank as her body rolled with the sphere.
When the wolf awoke, she was yet again in a hole in the ground. She stood and shook her pelt. She whirled at the lack of weight on her shoulders. The shawl was gone. She clawed at the ground then the walls, finding them slick with oil. She halted at the soft sound of paws at the top of the hole. She quickly dropped to the ground and pretended to sleep, listening intently. She notice the voice of the alpha, the next in line, and three other wolves.
"We can kill her."
"No it's against code."
"But no one has to know." A shudder ran through her body.
"No. She will be tried then punished, as is our way." There where murmurs of agreement.
"But there is one problem."
"And what is that?"
"She has no name and can't be tried without one." She heard the swish of tails as they sat.
"Then we shall name her." The blue wolf bolted up, eyes wide. A name, a name! Finally a name! She looked at the sky with a wolffish grin.
"And what would we name such an abomination?"
"We will name her just that; demon. Akuma is her name." Akuma jumped for joy. She didn't care if it was the name of a demon, it was hers! She stood proudly as wolves surrounded the mouth of the pit, staring down at her. The pit rumbled as the floor rose slowly. Akuma held her ground and dug her claws into the dirt. She reached for her power but found it blocked. The alpha did this. She kept her hackles down and walked proudly behind the wolves when they told her to. A lowly gnaw wolf growled and rushed her, fangs bared. She quickly ducked and bit his throat, flipping him onto his back as his blood began to cover his neck. The wolves all snarled in outrage and Akuma was quickly held down. She didn't struggle as the gnaw was dragged away carefully. They all screamed curses at her and they made her walk to a fallen tree. On top of the tree sat four wolves. One black, one white, one green, and one blue. All male. Akuma stood proudly with her tail straight and they stared at her. With a howl from the black wolf, it began.
"Akuma, demon wolf from The Pack of Water and raised in The Pack of Darkness." The white wolf seamlessly picked up after the black.
"You have been brought here to pay for your crimes against the gathering of packs." The green wolf took a step foreword.
"For escaping your place atop the mountain, trespassing, stealing from the dead, attacking a gnaw, and upmost disrespect for those of fur you are sentenced to death." Akuma growled in denial and spoke for the first time.
"I did no such things! I was wrongly imprisoned, I have no pack so I wasn't trespassing, the gnaw attacked me, and I show no disrespect for we are equals. No. I am greater. It is you who should bow to me. And stealing? I have never stolen anything from a wolf." The green wolf looked down at her like a flea had landed in his coat.
"You stole from the stone tomb of Shisai." Akuma flicked her ears as she suddenly understood.
"The silk she wore was not hers but the earths. I have stolen from no one." The four wolves growled at her in the same tone and spoke as one.
"You have wronged these packs and shall pay for your crimes." They all jumped from the log and landed in a curved line in front of Akuma. All four snarled and advanced one step before stopping. The ground began to rumble and shake. It split around in front of Akuma and between her and the alphas. Light streamed up from the crack. Two forms arose from it, one wolf the other human. Akuma closed her eyes and turned away from the blinding light. When it died down, she looked back to see a white wolf with two tails and black marking. It's eyes where completely white and looked wise. Akuma's eyes flicked to the human and her heart skipped a beat. A thin human stood beside the wolf. Her golden hair streamed down her back and around her pointed ears. Silver jewelry was draped across her head with sparkling blue gems. She was clad in a green silk dress and had a twisted wooden staff beside her, the green gem inside it sparkling like water in the sun. Akuma stared in disbelief.
"Sh...Shisai." She whispered the name and the human turned. She knelt down and held out her arms, clearly wanting Akuma to go to her. Akuma ran for Shisai, jumping into her and knocking her to the ground. She breathed in the humans scent deeply, occasionally snaking her tongue out to kiss her. Shisai laughed, a sound like soft tinkling bells. She pushed Akuma off of her and sat cross legged beside her.
"Hello again, pup." Akuma stuck out her chest.
"I'm not pup anymore. They gave me a name." Shisai looked at her curiously.
"Well come one then, tell me."
"Akuma." She said proudly as Shisai's brow furrowed.
"That isn't a fitting name. You are no demon. You are a qu-" She was cut off as the white wolf hit her with her two tails. Shisai stood quietly but kept a hand on Akuma's head. The white and black wolf pushed out her chest and the four wolves bowed. Akuma cocked her head at the new wolf. Who is this new, strange wolf? The wolf spoke lyrically.
"I am Ōkami, goddess of wolves and I thank you for your kind welcome. I have come to say that this wolf," She gestured to Akuma. "Is me."