Lair of the Beasts

Warmth 3
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Warmth of Hearts 3

~*~*~*~* Sequel... chapter two *~*~*~*~*~

Walking absent mindedly, the orange beast eyed the sky and the white snowy landscape... with a deep breath, he felt like having some thing between his jaws, he just couldn't make a choice what to make it... chuckling to a memory, the beast remembered a time once when the temple boy pushed a squeaky toy down his jaws... it's squeaking alone annoyed him, despite the fact that it got stuck down his teeth, and the fact that he chocked with it when it slipped down his throat... every time he wanted to say some thing, or even curse, a twany squeak came out instead... the beast even suffered the fact of it getting stuck and haven't spoken a word for hours till it was taken out... and they way it was taken out wasn't no pleasure!

Still lightly chuckling with a few curses, the beast remembered the way the temple boy chased him around the temple with the spear... the boy's plot was to hit the back side of the beasts head to make him spit it out... and the beast would rather have it stuck there than to get thwacked by the spear any time of the day... sadly, the beast tripped and got stick in an open gap in a wall... his waist was the part stuck, how? Well, let's just say, when the beast zoomed through the gap, it kind of fell over trapping him by the middle, which gave the temple boy a clear shot of his orange rear... the boy gave the beast enough pounding till the toy was out of his throat...

"Hmm... come to think of it... I owe the brat a lot of spanking!" the beast growled to him self with a smirk, stopping in his tracks, the beast saw a single deer feeding on a trees bark, licking his chops, the beast smiled as he soundlessly snuck near it, he found a toy he could munch with pleasure...

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Muma, what are you saying? I still don't understand!" confused, the female asked her mate sitting back on his hunches next to her on the bed of dead leaves...
"I'm just saying that... don't you find it odd?"
"Ann and Jiaaku? No! Not at all! I find it completely normal!"
"Not their relationship Kage!!!"
"What then??"
"The speed of them growing up!!!"
"Speed?"
"Ann has turned into a full grown female in only one month... I mean, didn't you find that odd?"
"No, not really! The same thing happened to Jiaaku when 'he' reached the age of 250!!"
"He had?"
"Yeah!! I think it's only a state where we'll know when she's still a child and when she's grown up!!" stated the light brown female "besides! Every thing would go just fine! You don't have to pay too much attention to it! Like father used to say 'let every thing take it's course, never interfere, and ever thing would go just fine!'... understand dear?"
"Yeah... I guess Yuji was right about that one..." the beast eyeing the running water of the water fall, it was still running, as the river was slightly frozen, it still flowed but under the snow "Kage..."
"Yes dear?"
"Can you imagine? Ann... a mother?" he awkwardly asked...
"A... mother!!!" the light brown female smiled widely for that thought "oh-I hope she does!"
"Really? Why?"
"Easy! As a mother, I have to teach and take care of my children... as a grandmother, all I gotta do is spoil them!!!" the female wickedly ginned...
"Aw-you're a nasty player!"
"I know!!!" she smiled, crimson tail flickering...
"..."
"I just hope she doesn't suffer too much of the emotional problems..."
"Emotional?"
"You know! Like love!"
"Oh!! Yeah... I guess in a time like this she could become pretty sensitive!"
"Maybe too sensitive..."
"Maybe..."
"You know... times like these make me wish father was still alive... I'm really not good in giving advice..."
"Non sense! I'm sure Yuji would be proud of you if he was here..."
"Yes... if he was here..."

"Muma..."
"Hmm?"
"I love you..."
"???"
"..." The light brown female had her face morphing from cheerful to miserable, eyes shimmering lightly as if braking into tears...
"Kage! Sweetheart, what's the matter?" he held her by the forearms...
"I miss father and YuKai..." she breathed, clearing her throat "...and... Taifuu..." she concluded... trying to stop her self from sobbing...
"Kage..." the dark brown beast held his mate in an embrace, tightly hugging her, brushing down her crimson mane, kissing her softly on her head "it's all right dear... I'm so sorry for failing you back then"
"It was never your fault Muma... you were doing like YuKai told you... protecting us... like you vowed... I just miss them that's all..."
"I love you... Serena... Kage... I love you..." was all what the dark brown beast said as he held her tight, comforting her...
"I love you too... Muma... I love you so dearly..."

Out side, the golden female stood frozen at the door of the entrance, as her parents never knew she was there... she knew her truth, so she gave no sound, and crept back silently towards the forest, with the snowing sky lightly flickering wind in her face, snow lightly fell covering her foot prints, and that was good, cause she never attended to let her parent know of her present...

~*~*~*~*~

Eyeing her walking absent-minded, the orange beast only walked towards her, figuring out that she didn't even see him coming near her... walking side by side, the golden female silently paced until she noticed the color of dark orange flickering next to her... still pacing, she craned lightly to see the beast not eyeing her, still with that cold silent stripped face, he was walking next to her, eyeing his path... she stopped, then eyed him stopping a few steps a way... he sat back on his hunches, gave a slight smile, then softly whispered to her...

"Would you like to talk about it?" he suggested... since this was what every one used to suggest to him, he just thought like trying it...
"..." Tears streaming down her face, she couldn't hold it back... at that moment, the golden female hated her self, her claws dug into the snow, shark teeth showing at she tried to hold back the need to shout out loud and yell or at-least give out a breath, only did the feeling of some thing brushing up her silver locks make her look up, gazing into those silver slitted eyes, sobbing lightly and gasping a few times, the back of one fisted golden hand brushed away her tears "I'm sorry Uncle Tora... *sniff* I-uhh... I guess I just... *sniff* I just..."
"Calm down... you and your mother sure do like to cry a lot!" he softly scolded "or is it just some thing inherited?" he mocked chuckling...
"It's not that... I just..."
"..."
"Uncle Tora!" she stated firmly, frowning, tears still streaming down her face "do I look like my father?"
"!!!" Eyes wide open, the beast blinked a few times before giving a cocked eye brow "I beg your pardon?" he shallowly asked... he really hoped that-that wasn't the question he heard...
"Please... I need an answer... do 'I' look like my father?" firmly and almost glaring, the female shot a glance to the frozen beast... he was trying to speak, yet something stopped him, his lips somewhat trembling, yet no voice was heard, and she knew he was trying... her glare softened "you-h... you know?" she asked, "you knew??" a case of craze took over her "you knew about it??" her eyes shoot wide open taking a few steps back from him...
"..." Breathing fast, panicked, the beast gave no answer... slowly placing a hand on his neck, eyeing her worriedly...
"How could you?" the golden female cried as she dashed her way out of there, crystal droplets fell on the soft snow, sparkling with the sunlight...
"..." Feeling his throat... why couldn't he say any thing? He wanted to answer, to say some thing... to at-least shed a voice... but he couldn't... he was caught in a question, not knowing weather he should answer it or not...

The golden female knew her truth? Did her parents tell her, or is it that she found out, and they didn't know she did? It didn't matter... should he go into some one else's business, and tell them, or should he talk to the young female and make her stay silent? Or should he just forget that it even existed and act like it's nothing?

"Nothing?? F***! How could it be nothing??" the beast scolded him self...
"Err, Tora? You okay man?"
"Huh??" the orange beast turned only to see the young light brown male standing of his four feet a few feet behind him with a confused look on his face... five silver locks danced lightly with the faint breeze...
"Yeah?" the beast growled, "why do you want??"
"Err, nothing! I was looking for Ann, seen her?"
"Nope..." shallowly said the beast as he quickly, and before the young male could even say any thing else, leaped up and away flying...
"Sheez! I wonder what's with him!!!" the young male questioned in confusion... but then gave a shrugging for not caring any way and carried on his path, looking for his female friend...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"(Giggling)" Mayuko dodged a snow ball and with a quick throw, and then darted a blow to her female friends face...
"Ow!!!" Asako brushed away the snow then wickedly smiled "Oh-yeah? Take this then!"
"Eep!" quickly dodging it, the snowball splattered in the temple boy's face...
"Ow!!!" Ushio quickly dropped the ball in his hand to brush away the snow "Okay! You girls are asking for it!"
"Oh-yeah?!"
"YEAH!!!" with a pair of trained arms, the temple boy in total speed threw darting as many snow balls at his friends as possible...
"Eek!" Mayuko giggled defending her self with her hands...
"Ushio!" laughed Asako scolding her friend...

"..." With a smile, the priest gave in a deep breath... it seemed that the temple boy and the harsh voiced girl have gotten over the sudden sin... and that was good, cause neither wanted to remember it any way...

"Take this!!!" shouted Asako as the ball flew high and landed some where behind the stonewalls...
"Ouch!!!!" a voice jilted then started cursing...
"Oops!" whispered Asako...
"Okay! Who's the wise -guy?" a harsh voice growled as a set of light brown hands with long talons placed over the stone wall glaring the humans eyeing him oddly... it was the light brown beast with snow on his head...
"Jiaaku!" stated the temple boy with a smile...
"Ushio?" the beast replied, the climbed over the wall to land near the boy "He-hey-hey!! Fancy seeing you here?" eyeing the two girls eyeing him oddly "who are the chicks?" the beast smirked...
"Chicks?" hissed Asako cupping her waist...
"Easy on the body baby! We wouldn't want you to go showing too much now would we!" the light brown male smirked, and then escaped a blow of a knuckle sandwich chuckling...
"JERK!!!" Asako blushed...
"Um, Ushio?" questioned Mayuko softly...
"Um, Jiaaku, these are my friends, this is Asako, and Mayuko, over there is my dad!"
"The priest?" the young male stated, eyeing the absent-minded man reading some sort of book, the boy gave a nod, "does Tora know you're here Ushio?"
"Yeah, and he's not so happy!" mumbled the boy with a bored voice "any way, what are 'you' doing here?"
"Me? Looking for Ann! You wouldn't have had to have seen her, have you?"
"Ann?" questioned Asako, then smirked wickedly "and why are you looking for 'her' from all the world?"
"Err... well, I, uhh... I'm..." the young male fumbled, feeling embarrassed from the sudden question...
"??" Confused, the boy suddenly snapped, mouth lightly opened "Jiaaku, is that why you didn't stay much with us at the celebration?" the boy asked with much interest...
"Um, I uhh... EXCUSE ME I have got to be going, BYE!!!" quickly shouted the embarrassed young beast before darting a run over the stonewalls...
"Jiaaku!" with a smile, the boy chuckled...

"Shy-full, isn't he!" Mayuko smiled lightly...
"I guess!" the boy smiled a bit wider, then craned around only to see the harsh voiced girl eyeing him shyly with her cheeks gone red "!!!" Feeling a heat in his face, ears burning, the temple boy knew she remembered what had happened, so he thought of changing the subject...
"Um, Ushio?" Asako softly called with a singing voice...
"??" Craning around, the boy was gifted with snowball right in the kisser...
"Heads up!" she chuckled throwing a few more at him...
"Hey! No fare! I weren't ready!"
"Well, you are now!!!"
"Oh-your asking for it!!!"

"..." Laughing, the priest cracked a wider smile, then went back into reading... the sound of the three children fighting with snow balls out side had him feeling blessed, so he really started loving this place...

~*~*~*~*~

Thinking to him self, embarrassed and a bit confused, the young light brown beast really didn't know what to make of his feelings towards his golden friend... only then did he see her parents walking silently, as her mother seemed warn out and a bit pale... her father seemed worried as well, and a bit... angry? Why was that? The young male just felt like being friendly, so he drew in a smile and took in a deep breath before walking to them greeting...

"Ni Hao!!!"
"..." The light brown female slightly gave a smile "oh... hey Jiaaku!" she barely spoke, voice gone as she then cleared her throat...
"Um, you okay Kage? You look pale!"
"Nothing! She's just tired that's all!" stated the dark brown beast with a harsh voice the young male never heard before, and that got him a bit frightened and worried...
"Is... some thing wrong?" the young male felt the need to ask...
"Muma calm down!" she softly scolded...
"Uh, I'm sorry dear..." he softly answered, then turned to the young male "sorry Jiaaku, we just don't feel our selves any more..."
"We're heading back home... would you like to join us?"
"Um, no! I just wanted to ask... where's Ann?"
"Oh-she's suppose to be sleeping back home at the den..."
"She is? Oh..."
"Would you like to see her?" smiled lightly the light brown female...
"UHH!!" blushing --if he could-- the young male smiled "no thank you Kage! I-uhh... I was just wondering where she was... That's all!"
"Are you sure?" cocking her head to one side, the female smiled a bit wider as the young male stepped a few steps back...
"Um, I'm dearly sorry Kage, I really gotta be going now! See ya!" and with that, the young male skipped off embarrassed till the tips of his ears...
"Kage! You just had to go and scare him off again, I don't believe you!!" softly scolded her mate, as she lightly smiled...
"Sorry... I couldn't help it..."

Walking back silently, the two mates said nothing... the light brown female and her dark brown mate had the smiles vanishing... both gave a sigh... then the female eyed her mate as they walked side by side...

"Muma... do you think we should tell Ann the truth?"
"Truth? What truth?"
"YuKai!"
"...I don't know... do you think it's the right time?"
"Honestly no... she's going through a sensitive stage in her life, I wouldn't want things to go ugly for her..."

"I'm afraid that's a too little too late female..."
"Huh?"
"What?"

Craning around, the two mates stopped, eyeing a miserable looking orange beast as he perched on a dead tree branch... one leg dangling as his stripped brunet arms folded under his head, dark orange forelock danced with his breath as he eyed them calmly...

"Tora... what do you mean?"
"She knows her truth female..."
"!!!!"
"There is no need for you to think about it..."
"What are you talking about?" Muma questioned...
"She knows you ain't her dad dimwit!!!" the beast growled with what seemed hate... the ancient beast hated him self at that moment... why? He didn't know "I didn't mean to make things worse... I couldn't do any thing about it... she knew and there was nothing for me to do to make her change her mind..." the beast faced away as he spoke of them words, voice growling yet sad... "I'm sorry..." he whispered... why was he apologizing? He just felt it a bit better to do so...
"She... knew?" Kage breathed...
"Tora..." Muma called...
"..." The beast eyed him with cold slitted eyes showing a cold-hearted face... glaring, wanting to hiss, but couldn't... wouldn't... didn't...
"Are you sure of this?"
"I'm sad to say that it is..." he cleared his throat again "she knows... you are not her father..." he paused "and it hurts..." the orange glared as he concluded...

"Ann..." breathed the female as she quickly ran off with tears running down her face... she knew where to find her child, she just hoped things would work out...
"Kage! Wait!" the dark brown beast cried running after his mate, but suddenly froze craning back to the silent orange beast...
"..." The orange beast merely glared, muzzle wrinkled...
"Tora..."
"...?"
"Thank you!"
"????"
"I have trust in you..."
"...?"

The dark brown beast leaped a way with a faint smile... 'I have trust in you' the words echoed in the beasts mind... 'What does he mean?' the beast didn't understand... trust? Trust in what? For what? What had the beast done to deserve this trust? Thinking silently to him self, the ancient beast lied down his head on his stripped arms and closed his eyes in need to clear his mind... so many things have happened ever since he moved in to live with these beasts... and things have been going from odd to odder and from normal to crazy, from nice to worry... things were all mixed up... things weren't as clear as life in the temple... life with hem had the beast feeling confused between being him self and opening up to the others of his own kind... in need to clear his thoughts, the only shelter he was able to find was sleep...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

Some times I wonder... why is it that some times we never know how much some thing is important to us or not until we lose it... I really miss you... I need you there to guide me... I open my eyes every night to the midnight sky, watching all those fabulous starts... and I remember you... your silver eyes... so mystic, so wonderful, so inspiring... I love your eyes... I love the softness of your flaming orange fur... your voice, so deep, so husky and strong... so brave... yet so stubborn... I love your voice and the way you make it change... it's clear to me through it when your feeling angry, sad, annoyed or happy... your stubborn mind makes me feel like hitting it, maybe it would open up to me in a way... I'd be able to know you better... ever since I've known you till now... I don't know you so well... we have only been together for a short lifetime... and life is short no matter how long you live... I open my eyes again at the sky... and I see you there running like the wind... I feel your heat, I smell your fur, I sense your presents... so I know you're there... the things we've been through... the times we've shared... I remember them all... no matter how long it might take... some one like you... I could never be forgotten no matter what I do... I want you... I need you... you're like a brother to me... my guide... I wish... just one last wish... if there was ever a chance for you to come back... it would happen... soon...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

"Ushio..." a soft voice whispered, brushing against the sleeping boy's cheek, the night has fell, and it was mid night, ever one was asleep...
"Umm-hmm?" the boy turned only to blink the golden yellow hand brushing against his face, light blue eyes with dry tears on her face, silver locks in a mess over her eyes... "Uhh (startled) Ann? Wh-what's wrong?"
"Hush! I don't want to wake up your dad!"
"Huh?" craning to eye his father sleeping besides him, the priest was fast asleep silently soundless...
"Ushio, I'm dearly sorry for coming in such a time, but I need to talk to you... can I?" the golden female needed to clear what was in her heart...
"Uhh, sure!" whispered the boy, heart pounding in his ribs, the temple boy just hoped it wasn't some thing serious...

Slipping into some thing warm, the temple boy and the golden female silently crept out side yet still near the room... the boy and the female sat on a stone near the edge of the Aotsuki's hot spring... propping the spear a side, the boy eyed the female as she seemed to clear and rearrange her thoughts... silent, the boy waited for her to start... she eyed him once before shying a faint smile, so he couldn't help giving back another... scratching the tip of his chin, the boy waited as she drew in a deep breath...

"I look stupid don't I!"
"Oh-no... not at all... not as stupid as Tora said 'I' do!"
"Do you miss him?"
"Like F*** I do..."
"Oh..."
"..."
"Ushio..."
"Yes?"
"I just needed to ask you... about..."
"About?"
"I'll just cut the chit-chat... do I look like mother?"
"??" Confused a little, the boy shrugged "of course you do! Your both females, kind, sweet, nice, (lightly blushing) both cute, beautiful... err... what more can I say?"
"Well... that's from the way we act... the thoughts but... I want the out side!!!"
"Out side? You mean your appearance?"
"Yes!"
"Well, Kage is light brown, your golden yellow, she's redheaded, your hair is silver, her eyes are green, yours are blue, but you both have... have..."
"Have?"
"Have... (Blushing, head tilting down a little) you both have the same body curves... the family resemblance is awful clear... as clear as daylight!!!" he squeaked lightly, crimson colored his cheeks...
"Oh... (Head lightly sinking between her shoulders) enough of that..." she cut in his mid-sentence "then... do I look any thing like... dad?"
"Like Muma?" pause thinking... then a frown came to the boy's face "only resemblance I could think of is... he's also a beast, and he's your dad! And since he's a male, I don't think you share any thing from the appearance... that's in my point of view as a human of course!"
"...Muma..." the female stated...
"What about him?"
"What do you think of Mother and Muma?"
"You mom and dad?"
"No! Mother and Muma!"
"Yeah! You mean your mother and father! Right?"
"No... if I meant to say my mother and father I'd say Kage and YuKai!" the female glared...
"YuKai? Who the hell is Yu-(and he froze... the boy snapped as he remembered the red headed beast hunters words... the story about the female vanishing with out a trace... Fuusetsu must've known about this... that is why he was hunting the female only... not her mate, nor her child...) Ann..." the boy breathed...
"..." The golden female eyed him calmly as a single droplet rolled down her face... she gave a gasp before a few more rolled down...
"Muma... isn't your dad?"
"...no... he's not..." the female sobbed "I don't know what to do... I'm worried about what Muma would do if he found out... I love him, he's my father no matter what happens..."
"Why are you crying then?"
"Why didn't they tell me?" she growled sobbing, "They all think I'm a child! Why? Don't I have the right to know who my real father is? So what if he was human? I don't care!" she hissed...
"H-human?" the boy mumbled...
"Yes... my real father was human..."
"Did... Tora tell you this?"
"No..."
"how did you know about it then?"
"I didn't know Uncle Tora knew about it... I only found out about it once a few years ago when I was younger... before I met you and Tora..." the female paced away a few steps "Oh-Ushio I feel so lost! I don't want them to know that I know... I don't want to hurt them! What am I suppose to do?"
"Ann... why are you telling me this? I'm sure dad would be more capable of helping you!"
"Think so?"
"I'm sure of it! Besides... I'm feeling lost about this already!!"
"..."

Clearing her throat, and maintaining her self... the temple boy and the golden female decided to spend the night in the same room... Ann didn't want the temple boy to wake up his father, so they decided to talk to him about it in the morning... little did any of them know... that the light brown female was trying her beast to stop her self from crying, hand cupping her mouth, resting her head on the stone wall... her mate, the dark brown beast was silently eyeing his clawed hands resting softly on the snow... shifting up towards the sky, the male felt like his breath was taken away... she knew the secret... he has no right to hide it any longer...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

You are... my angel... my living soul... my heart... I loved you like you were my own... I gave you all I have... please... don't turn on me... I love you with all my heart... I never meant to hurt you... I always feared this day would come, and now it has... I'm so scared... so frightened of what the coming days would hold... all I know... I would never ever want to lose you... you are a part of me... no matter what happens... you would always be my sweet little angel... my little golden sun, my clear blue sky... I love you... I would never let you go if it means to lose you forever... I'd give up my soul for you... just please... don't leave... not now... not yet... please... I need you... your mother needs you... we both need you... we love you... no matter who life may turn and twist... we'll always love you...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

"Yami!"
"Yes Kyofu?"
"I'm having an odd feeling that some thing is about to happen!"
"Huh?" confused, the tanned female eyed her frowning mate as he looked out side as snow began falling again lightly "what on earth do you mean?"
"I'm not sure... I wish I knew what is was..."
"..." Eyeing the entrance of their den, the tanned female heard the sound of the young light brown male calling her...
"Yami!! Ya' home?"
"Just a minute!" the tanned female replied as she softly nuzzled her mate before walking out...
"..." With a smile, the black beast was sprawling on his side eyeing his mate as she walked out... "Yami!"
"??" The tanned female shifted a little towards her mate "yes?"
"I like your rear!" the black beast smirked...
"..." Frowning she went back walking listening to her mates chuckling...

"Yes Jiaaku?"
"Oh-hey Yami!!"
"Hi!"
"Um, listen, I just came out of Kage's den and, I cant seem to find Ann, seen her?"
"Jiaaku, is it just me or have you been asking about Ann all over the story!"
"Well hey! It was merely a question! Just because I ask about her when I don't know where she is... well... umm... what ever..." the young beast didn't finish "any way, have you seen her?"
"Nope, sorry!"
"F***! Where on earth did she go?" the young male growled as he absent mindedly gazed around...
"Making her your mate would keep her closer to you!" the tanned female smirked at the absent minded young male...
"Yeah, I thought of that..." he answered, absent minded still, never knowing that he said of those words...
"!!!" Eyes blinking, the tanned female couldn't help but to giggle lightly...
"What's so funny?"
"Oh-nothing! Nothing at all... any thing else dear?"
"...Dear?"
"Oh-sorry! I guess Kage's sweetness is infecting!"
"Not as sweet as Ann!" he stated, but then snapped, "did I just say that?" the female gave a smiling nod "well... hell... I didn't mean it! BYE!" the young male quickly skipped off towards the darkness of his den...
"(Giggling)" walking back towards her bored mate, the tanned female sprawled next to him as they softly snuggled and nuzzled...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

The wind is blowing in my face... what's wrong with me? Why have I turned so nice? So sweet? So despicable and pathetic? I feel absolutely stupid acting so soft... I am a beast, so why aren't I acting like one any more? I feel weak... living with such friendly beasts have made me grow so odd... being nice is so bothering... I can't believe it toke over me so fast, so sudden... I just hope I can hold it back... thing like these make me feel so... lost...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

"...whhhoooOOOAAAaaaaa..." a faint zooming voice dashing zooming under the tree the ancient beast was sprawling on, quickly eyes snapping wide open, the beast craned around to see the two girls on a sled zooming quickly as they giggled... it seems that they didn't see the beast a top the tree... blinking, then groaning, the beast leaped after them "those crazy females! Why is it that they never listen?"
"Faster Mayuko Faster!!!"
"Asako, this is too fast!!!"
"Not for me it's not!!!" pulling the leash from her friend's hands, the harsh voiced girl stretched her legs and gave speed to the sled...
"Whooooaaaa!!!!" breathed the hamburger girl, as she held on tight to the curve of the sled, careful not to fly off it...
"Woo-Hoo!! Now this is speed!!!"
"Uh-Oh!!!!"
"What is it Mayuko?"
"Asako, stop, hurry! We're heading towards a cliff!!!"
"HUH???"
"EEEK!!!"

Too late to do so, the two girls flew skywards into the great blue sky as the sled fell down on a stone crashing into pieces... they were close enough to grab each other for protection and in fright... eyeing the ground zooming closer to them, they both closed their eyes... Mayuko shot her eyes open as some thing soft rested under them, feeling that longhaired body in a splash of orange and dark orange, the female smiled as she held on tight... Asako did the same as the beast flew down softly landing with cat-footed steps...

"Now..." the voice growled softly, but suddenly started hissing a growl scolding madly "GIVE-ME-ONE-GOOD-REASON-NOT-TO-POUND-YOU-TWO-GODDAMN- IDIOTIC-GIRLS-INTO-A-PULP!!!" the beast shot his silver eyes glowing at the two shamed girls on his back... they slowly stepped off him brushing them selves...
"Uhh-sorry Tora... I guess we-"
"YOU GUESS?? YOU-GUESS????? YOU ALMOST BROKE YOUR NECKS SLIDING DOWN THAT CLIFF YOU TWO STUPID FEMALES, AND YOU ONLY 'GUESS'???"
"........." Fright and horror clutched the two girls at that moment, and they both almost broke into tears, they were frozen solid eyeing him scared and confused... they were frozen solid, in horror...
"I-uhh... I'm sorry..." the beast hissed softly, hand cupping his face... "I didn't... I really... I'm..." clearing his throat, the beast just didn't know what happened to him... he never yelled at the females before, why was he so angry? What was wrong with him? He couldn't maintain him self this time...
"T-Tora? What's wrong?" Asako whispered as loud as she can, the sudden horror stole her voice...
"Nothing, you two have to head back, I told you this place is not suitable for you!" the beast said as clam as possible...
"Tora..." breathed Mayuko as she reached out her hands cupping the beasts face... tears on the edge or dropping from her face...
"..." Panicked, the beast wanted to draw back... her hands were warm, his face was cold... that feeling... he missed it so dearly... the way she held his head in her hands, nuzzling him lightly... that feeling had him clear headed for a few minutes...
"..." Asako was silent, eyeing her friend and the beast hug... the beast seemed troubled, but knowing Tora, he'd rather die than to share his problems... Asako thought it would be better if she said nothing...
"Okay, enough with the sympathy act..." the beast lightly chuckled feeling his face, eyeing the two females... Mayuko drew back a few steps to stand next to her friend "you two probably need a ride back home... get on!" he stated as he craned around...

With out a single word from all three of them, they were off and towards the inn... the trip wasn't that long, it ended fast... the beast didn't want to end up seen by the boy so he left the females take the last few feet away of the inn's entrance... watching hem as they walked in side waving for him, he drew in a breath... craning around, really not wanting to be around them too long, he found him self face to face with the temple boy...

"..." Eyes locked... Ushio was silent with a frown lightly drawing on his cold calm face... the spear lightly propped against his shoulder...
"..." Eyes slitted and glaring, the beast paced silently with cat-footed steps past the boy, heart thumping in his chest, throat, head and ears, hoping to pass with out getting swatted... he didn't...
"..." Slowly and calmly craning around, the temple boy saw the beast eyeing him calmly standing on his four feet a few feet away... dark orange tail flickering a few times... dark orange dangling locks with a few white ones danced in front of his sight...
"..." With a drawn deep breath, the beast just felt like shedding a smile...
"..." With another smile the boy slightly gave a grin as his eyebrows rose and cleared his throat...
"..." The smile faded, the beast attended to walk away...
"Tora!"
"...?"
"Thank you..."
"??"
"... For brining them back in one piece!"
"..."
"..."
"Forget about it brat..."
"..."
"I hope you don't stay around here much, this isn't a place where you should be spending your little vacation in..."
"I'll keep that in mind..."
"..."
"Tora..."
"??"
"How's life?"
"Like always..."

After a long pause of silence, the beast leaped away silently as he dashed though the forest... the temple boy sighed as he walked into the inn, spear propped in hand... taking off his scarf, snowshoes and heavy coat, the boy just felt like spreading him-self on the floor and think... eyeing one side, his father was comforting a crying golden female, half asleep, sobbing lightly, her head resting in the priests lap as he brushed a few silver locks away... Ann still didn't know what to do... she needed some one, some thing, that... might make her face her fear... she never wanted to hurt her parents, yet, she needed more explaining about her past... she just wanted to know, but was too scared to ask, not knowing weather this was the right time to ask or not... shifting to his side, the boy was lost in thought... so many things have happened and so fast... he found him-self lost... he wanted to help her, he just didn't know how... Asako and Mayuko came up afterwards and tried to comfort her... slowly, things began to clear up to them...

~*~*~*~*~

"What do you think we should do Muma?"
"The only thing we 'can' do Kage... tell her the truth..."
"What if she asked about Fuusetsu?"
"We'll have to explain every thing from the start I guess..."
"Even Taifuu?"
"Yes... afraid so!"
"...Ugh..."
"Kage?" the beast stated, his mate had just gave a sick noise "Kage, what's the matter?"
"I don't... feel so good... Ugh..." the sour cold feeling crept over her again, yet this time, it was over her, she couldn't hold it back, and she felt sick and blanked out in her mate's embrace...
"Kage?? KAGE!!!" his crying was all she heard... but then, even his voiced blurred away... that's all she remembered...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

There comes a time in life where you have to make a choice, and be responsible for it's conclusions and consequences... and things keep on turning and twisting... but you have to keep on going... for us... for your self... for the past, present and future... you have to keep on... no matter what course in life you might take...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

Walking silent through the forest, the beast couldn't get the temple boy's face out of his head... Tora was so irritated, he shot his eyes wide open as he dashed running with a sudden rush though the forest and darted a head bash against a huge stone... THWACK ... cracking the stone, yet not truly breaking it, ears ringing, head spinning... that pain, it hurt, but even so, he couldn't help but compare it to the pain the spear used to give him...

"Dammit... why can I get you out of my mind?" the beast moaned in pain and anger, clawed hands clutching his hurt scull as he slowly went back walking towards the dens...

"Tora?" Yami called as she saw the orange beast wobbling in his steps, a slight crimson thread was drawing it's self between his eyes, dwelling down one side on his muzzle, still not reaching his chin "God-what happened? Who did this to you?"
"No one..." the beast growled as he passed her...
"Tora..." the female called, the beast ignored...
"..." Thunder crackling lightly on the whiteness of the beasts forelock, the beast craned to the female, yet eyes closed, teeth slightly hissing at her...
"All right... as you wish..." stated the female...
"..." Eyes opened a crack... the beast drew back his lips and trailed towards the light brown female's den...
"Tora! Kage isn't feeling well, maybe you should come back later!"
"??" The beast quickly craned to her "isn't feeling well? What happened? Got stuck up another tree or some thing?" he mocked...
"Honestly... I think she might be pregnant!"

!!!!!!YELP!!!!!! -O_____O-;;;

"!!!!" Leaping ten feet back, the beast yelped as he quickly eyed the den's entrance, eyes wide open, head ducking between his shoulders, ears shifting back, mane going fuzzy, blinking constantly as he shifted his sight from the entrance and the tanned female a few times, and then craned back to the female "p-p-p... hell???"
"Yes! (Giggling) but I really wouldn't think so! So don't tell her all right? I don't want to encourage her on nothing proven! Besides, it might only be a bad case of indigestion!"
"That-was-a-nasty-trick-female!!!" hissed the beast irritated "you hade my heart leaping up my throat!" he scolded with a hurt voice...
"Aw-really Tora? I never knew you cared for such things!!!!" smiled the tanned female at the beasts fumble...
"........." Blinking once, the beast pouted and craned away cursing and then paced towards the tanned female whom had a widening arced smile "don't you dare tell any one about-"
"I wouldn't dream of it..." she softly answered, cutting his mid-sentence...

"Yami?" the dark brown beast called as he dwelled out of his den "listen, Kage is-Oh!! Tora!" pause "what the hell happened to you? You look like a train wreck!!"
"...nothing..."
"And is that blood I see?" the beast asked as he crept closer to the orange beast... "What did you do? Bash your head against a wall?"
"Not exactly..." murmured the beast with a chuckle "but you were close!"
"??" Shaking his head, the dark brown beast craned to the female "Yami, Kage is awake right now and I'm really worried! She's been feeling sick a lot lately! And she kept on telling me she felt some thing in her stomach!"
"In her stomach?"
"Yeah! She said if she didn't know any better, she would've said it was moving!" with a jerk, the dark brown mate craned to the groaning ancient beast blinking at him...
"..." The tanned female only widened a smiled...
"Please..." whined the orange beast "say it ain't so!"
"I'm afraid it 'might' be so Tora!" softly smiled the female...
"God-I-hate-kids!! They always yank my mane or tail or slobber over my fur and they cry a lot!! I can't stand being near one of them damn little things!! They drive me crazy!! I just can't stand them!!"
"Tora..." the dark brown beast questioned, "what the hell are you talking about?"
"... I don't think you wanna know!" slurred the beast...
"Know what?"
"You might get your answer sooner than you think!"
"Uhh-huh??" -O.o-?
"I'll explain it to you later Muma, I need to give Kage a check up..." said the female as she walked towards the den...
"Great! I was getting worried!"
"OH-no-I'm sorry Muma!" said the female as she softly pushed the male a bit back "you cant come in!"
"WHAT?? Why??"
"This is privet!!!"
"But Yami!!!"
"Muma please understand! I need to check her in privacy!"
"Sigh... well... all right..."
"Thank you..." said the tanned female as she dwelled into the den...

"..." Tora eyed the worried male, tail tucked, sitting silently at the dens entrance... wondering how the little one might look like, if the female was truly pregnant --and, oddly enough, he hoped she was-- the baby, boy or girl, one or maybe even more, maybe a twin, a triplet even!! The ancient beast kept on having images of many tine little Kage's and Muma's running and playing around...
"??" Craning to an ancient orange beast who suddenly blew up chuckling as he walked away shaking his head, the dark brown beast had nothing on his mind but his mate... then, the thought of his daughter came in... with a deep breath, the dark brown beast found him self forced on doing what he thought was right... although it frightened him, there was nothing else he could do to make things go better in any other way...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

Why does it have to hurt so much? I don't want to lose you... I want you to know that... to know that I'll always be there for you if you ever needed me... I'll protect you with my life... I'll give up my soul for you... it doesn't matter to me where or how, or even who I am to you... what matters... is that I'm there, with you, for you, and for my self... soon you might grow up and be complete and want to live your own life... I would never think of stopping you cause it's your right... but I just need you to promise me one thing... just please... no matter what happens... please... remember the good of me... forget the bad things... and always remember... I shall always love you... no matter what life throws at me... I will always love you... my child...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

"Ushio... are you sure you cant stay any longer? I still need your help!" the golden female pleaded as she watched the young temple boy packing his things...
"I'm sorry Ann! But our stay is over! We all need to get back home!" replied the boy, he stopped packing and craned to her...
"Ann..." Shigure stated, "I think you should go to your parents and clear things up calmly... I'm sure they'll understand!"
"But... Oji-san! What about Muma? If I told him that... I know he's not my father... it might hurt him... I've always loved him, and I will always will..."
"What's there to be scared about then Ann?" questioned Asako, suitcase in her hands, dangling at her knees...
"Muma... he's always thinking of things... ever since the island thing, dad's been nothing but a bag of frazzled nerves!! He's beginning to worry too much... I don't want him to start worrying over me..."
"Ann..."
"I mean its enough mom's been acting odd lately, I don't want to worry him!"
"WOW! Time out... Kage... has been acting odd??" the temple boy cried...
"What do you mean?" Asako asked...
"Nothing serous, is it?" Mayuko questioned...
"Haven't you noticed?" the golden female asked, they all only shook their heads "hmm, funny! Any way it's nothing bad! Mother has just been over eating, feels sick when around strong scents, gets mad pretty easy and some how... she gets tired pretty quick! It's been almost two weeks on that case!!"

"Sounds to me if like..." the priest didn't finish, hand under his chin as he thought...
"If like... what dad?" the boy asked as he crept near his thinking father...
"Oji-san?" Asako stated...
"Oji-san?" Mayuko whispered softly...
"Oji-san??" Ann had her heart thumping hard...
"Last time I noticed some thing like that... was a few months before Ushio was born!" the priest softly smiled as he eyed the golden female...
"..." The temple boy though about it, and the idiot didn't understand it directly, but then turned to his friends gasp, Asako and Mayuko were lightly blushing, hands on their lips, smiles wheeling on their faces, eyes wide as they shimmered...
"Asako!" Mayuko whispered...
"Mayuko!!" Asako replied...
"ANN!!" the two girls craned to the frozen female as her mouth slightly open a crack; a small smile drew on her lips...
"Oh!!!" the golden female coughed sneering once before squealing covering her face... then eyed the priest "Oji-san!" she breathed, hands drawn back "are you... sure??"
"It's only a hunch!! But I have a good feeling about this!" the priest smiled as the three females hugged each other squealing in joy...

"Dad!" the boy crept on his knees, whispering in his father's ear "please... are you saying that... Kage's pregnant?" drawing back a little, a faint blush was on the boy's cheeks...
"Might be Ushio!" whispered back the priest...
"..." Sitting back, spear placed on flat the wooden floor, the boy watched the three happy female already fighting about if the baby was male or female and what name should be fitting for it...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

Life is a place where hopes and dreams come true... some times, your dreams might come true, some times, they may not be! Depends on how hard you want them to come true... believe in god, then in your self and your abilities, and things might go so well, your dreams would grow so big, it would make you, and the one you love, every one around you, happy... you get nothing if you only wished for it and never worked hard to get what you wish... you have to put the sword in it's place, as the final end of your battle with life, and to be able to enjoy every thing you worked hard for... you might begin as in building the dream for your self, but then find that others would help in because they have the same dream... you all have to work together to make your dreams come true... because things always end up well, if you build them on the right ground and give it enough time and care to grow to the shape you want it to be... depends on how much you give it, for it to give you back... every thing you had done...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

"..." Craning to one side in protecting his eyes, dark orange locks danced with the sudden cold breeze, the ancient beast brushed a way the locks stuck in his face with a careful talon, and then went back on his trail through the forest...
"WHOA!!! *SLAM* ...Owchies... F*** I gotta be more careful!" an annoyed voice mumbled growling...
"???" Creeping his head above a bush covered in snow, the orange beast saw the young light brown male training on target practice... there was an old thing there that seemed to be some kind of an odd looking scarecrow... well what ever it was, it was ugly and badly damaged...
"Sigh... for one last time Jiaaku... you'd better get your fat ass right this time!" the young male growled scolding him self... concentrating, then crackling thunder, the male closed his eyes and focused...
"..." Waiting, dark orange tail lashing a few times as a little smile drew on his ancient stripped face, the young male shot the bolt; missing the target by a mile... the orange beast blew up laughing his head off...
"???" Jerking his head, the young male got livid and started shouting "Okay!!! Who's the F***ing loud mouth? Show your self!!!"
"You are such a looser!" the beast chuckled, wickedly walking towards the pouting male "you call that a shot! You can't even get the wrong side of a slug beast with such targeting!!!" Tora scolded with an arced smile, shark teeth hissing lightly, tail lashing...
"Well-Sh**... I'd like to see 'YOU' do better!!!" the young male sneered right in the beasts face... a few dark orange locks struck the ancient beast face...
"Oh-you'll regret that twerp!!!" the beast nastily chuckled brushing them back with a careful talon, eyeing the target, closing his eyes, focusing... the young male watched him wondering... then in a blink of an eye, the target was torn to a million gazillion pieces...
"WHOA!!!" the young male breathed, "Cool!!" Jiaaku was amazed, then craned to the beast...
"Wanna try it?"
"I could never be that good!" the disbelievingly breathed...
"Never let your self down stupid! You must keep trying till you get it right! And even when you think you've got it right, don't stop and try to improve it!!" was all what the beast said lightly scolding as he trailed off...
"..." Silent, the young male thought of those words... there was nothing else to try but it... "Might as well go for it!!" stated the young light brown male as he went back into practice...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

To be a person, is some thing all of us are... to be a friend, that is some thing not all of us could find easily... to be a member of a family... depends on who you are... a mother... the person and friend, the guardian angel, who lives for it's little ones... cares for them, looks after them, guide them through life, make sure they are always who they are, teaches them a little about life and how to be their selves... how it feels to love... a river of love that flows constantly never ending... a father... the one who teaches more about life, how to depend on your self, how to build you future by your own hands, to teach what life is really all about... a brother or a sister, the ones who help you through life, share their experience in life... working together to help each other for each other... but then... what if you were none of these? Not a member in a family... not a friend... merely nothing but a person with no poison in where you live... things aren't the same any more in life... things change... and we all have to change with it... what matter is... no matter who we are, of what our position in life is, we have to know how to carry on... because life stops for no one...

~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~

"Uhh... Okay... now what?" asked the temple boy... as he eyd his father "what is taking them so long?"
"I don't know!" answered the priest... both he and his son were standing near a taxi waiting for the two girls to arrive...
"Ushio!!!" called Mayuko lightly jogging towards them, "listen, remember the tickets Asako won?"
"Um, yeah?"
"They were five, and we only used four..."
"So?"
"What do you mean 'so' you idiot?" scolded Asako, suitcase in one hand, ticket in the other...
"This means that only one of you could use it to spend three more nights here!" stated the innkeeper as she softly spoke... "So, which one of you should it be?" after a pause eyeing them look at each other she smiled and craned around "if you decide, you know where to find me!" and then she walked off, leaving them to talk freely...
"Uhh..." the temple boy mumbled, then eyed his friends, craning to the harsh voiced girl, then the hamburger girl, then his father... after a pause he craned to the innkeeper "I think you should use it Asako! After all, you were the one who won it!"
"Actually Ushio..." stated Asako "Mayuko and I decided that you should use it!! Um, if Oji-san doesn't mind of course!"
"...!" The priest simply shrugged with a small smile...
"Huh?? M-me?? Why??"
"Well... we talked to Ann, and honestly, we think she still need your help!"
"You're the only one who can help her Ushio!" stated Mayuko "besides, it might make Tora feel better knowing you're here longer!"
"Feel better? What do you mean?"
"You'll know once you two see each other gain!" stated Asako placing the ticket in the temple boy's hand, then grabbing the priest and pushing him into the car, riding next to her friend she peeked her head out of the window "tell him we said hi and really wish he'd comes back (Fisted hand) cause if he doesn't, I'm gonna kick his ass!!!"
"...!" Mayuko simply smiled waving goodbye...
"Sigh..." the priest just shook his head...
"Kick it into high gear driver!!"
"As you wish!" merely answer the taxi driver as he dashed madly though the road leaving snow over the startled temple boy...

"I guess I have no other choice then..." stated the temple boy propping the spear, shoving off snow from his head, shoulders, spear and suitcase, walking back into the inn to get back the old room...

======================

N/A: chapter three before my Internet time ends... :/ I guess there will be a chapter four after all!! R&R!!