.
Kuro was just finishing his daily work overseeing the clan's process.
The land was begining to warm up for spring so newborns were to come soon and the games would comeback to the land as well.
But Kuro had a bad feeling. Something was wrong.
"Gwen was working with the hunters so she won't be back until tonight." he said then sighed.
"Eveything is going good but I hope this doesn't make us distant." He thought. He had been busy with work but time with Gwen was just as precious.
Kuro was walking back to his den until Blade tried to pounce on him.
"Your mine!" Blade growled.
Kuro smurked as he saw the young pup coming. He moved to the side as Blade missed Kuro by an inch and crashed to the ground face first.
"ouch...." he said getting up
"You almost had me that time pup. I will admit you're getting better." Kuro said to Blade.
"I was so close..." Blade growled.
"Don't worry. you'll be big and strong soon enough." Kuro said.
"There you are! I told you to wait for me!" a voice said.
Kuro turned to see Duncan.
"You jumped too early didn'y you?" he said to Blade.
Blade put his head down.
"You can't keep rushing into things without thiking Blade!" Duncan scolded.
"Sorry dad." Blade said.
"Don't be too hard on him. He's learning and getting better." Kuro said patting Blade's head.
Blade smiled at Kuro.
"Oh yeah I juts remmebered. Gwen is still helping the guards store up the food." Duncan said.
"Thanks. I'll wait for her at home." Kuro said.
"Please becareful. Winter hits hard even on the strongest wolf." said Duncan as he walked Blade home.
"Yeah..." Kuro said runing back to the den.
It was sun down when Kuro came to his den. "She's still not here. I'd better go look for her." He said.
He stopped by the opening. "Ah. She can take care of herself. I'm not her puppysitter." he thought.
He curled against the den's wall.
"Need some sleep." he said but deep down he couldn't stop worring about Gwen.
"Knock it off. Nothing going to happen to her. " he moaned.
He felt sleep coming.
"Alright. I forgot the days are getting shorter now. I'd better get home soon." Gwen thought.
"Alright hunters! Let's go home. That's enough training for now." Gwen announcing to them.
They sighed in relief. Gwen was a tough but fair coach to them.Gwen honestly couldn't wait to see Kuro.
As she was walking home when she heard bushes rusting behind her.
She was ready to attack the intruder.
"Who's there?" Gwen growled.
A wolf with black and purple fur.
"Kuro! Sweetheart! I missed you!" she smiled as she nuzzled the figure.
"Who are you youngling?!" a booming voice rang in her ears. (Like Mufasa from Lion King type of voice.)
She lepted to her feet.
The wolf was like Kuro but only older.
"Again: Who are you and how do you know my son?!" the male shouted.
"Son? Are you.....could you really be.....?" she asked.
"Yes! I'm the alpha,Rozen, of the Kaze clan and for the last time WHERE IS MY SON!?" he roared.
Gwen gulped then shook her fear off.
"Ah....I'll show you sir." she said leading the way. The wolf followed still heated.
"Kuro!"
"Kuro?"
"Kuro I need you!" a voice called outside the den.
"huh?"Kuro stirred from his sleep.
"Must be Gwen." he thought. He rose then stretched his legs.
He walked outside the den.
"Gwen? I missed you, honey. What's *yawns* wrong?" he asked.
Gwen walked toward him. "Uh I think you have a surprise visiter." she said.
He looked behind her.
"Who is it?" he asked.
Kuro got his anwser as the figured appeared to him in the moolight.
Kuro mouth was wide open.
"Impossable!" he thought.
"D.....D....Dad?"
"Close your mouth pup! And stand up straight in front of me!" he yelled.
Kuro did what he was told.
Rozen looked at Gwen.
"You may leave now. I found my son." he said bluntly.
"Pardon?" she asked.
"I said you may leave are you hard of hearing?" he said calmly.
"why you...." she thought.
"Uh...Dad That's my-"
"I didn't say you can speak pup. " Rozen said coldly.
"Um,...yes sir." Kuro said.
"He meant to say that I'm his mate sir!" Gwen tried to sound less angry.
Rozen froze for a moment. Then he laughed out loud.
"Now that's funny. hehe. Now son where is your betrothed Carmen?" he said ignoring Gwen.
"Um....she's gone sir." Kuro said nervous.
"What do you mean gone? You can't keep track of your mate pup?" He said to him.
"His mate is right here sir!" Gwen said.
" I already heard the joke." he said.
"Dad...um...that is my mate...Gwen." Kuro said.
He looked at Kuro then at Gwen.
"You?" He said pointing to Gwen.
"You can't be serious pup." he said to Kuro.
"Uh..."
Gwen was getting angery that Kuro wasn't standing up for her so she decised to do it herself.
"Carmen betrayed the Kaze clan to the Danzo clan so she was banished. I took her place as the Alpha's mate." Gwen explained.
Rozen thought for a moment. "I see. You couldn't find a better replacement than her pup?" he said.
"Why you little..." Gwen snapped!
"Uh Oh!" Kuro ran to her before she charged for Rozen.
"Honey I need you to calm down." Kuro said.
"Don't you 'honey' me! This wolf is treating me like dirt and your letting him!" She shouted.
"Shh.That wolf is my dad. Look The elders told me dad died on a misson after Carmen framed you years ago. I just want to know what happened. Please don't take his insults to heart. He's like that to everybody." Kuro explained.
"That still doesn't make it right Kuro!" said Gwen.
"KURO FRONT AND CENTER!" Rozen shouted.
Kuro was infront of Rozen in the blink of an eye.
"Yes sir!" Kuro said.
Gwen sighed and joined the males.
"Dad? How did you survive the-"
"I wanted to talk to Kuro not you. Leave us." Rozen said.
"Excuse me?" she growled.
"Don't just stand there pup. Tell her to leave." Rozen demanded.
"Huh?" Kuro said.
"Well?" he growled.
Gwen looked at Kuro. He slowly walked to Gwen.
"You're not serious?" Gwen said.
"Gwen we're just going to talk alone for awhile. Just wait home for me please." Kuro said calmly.
Gwen gave him a look. "Please." he asked.
Gwen never changed her look but slowly walked away to the den.
"I'm sooo gonna get it after this." he thought. He was going to dread going home.
Kuro walked back to his father.
"Please? When do you have to beg your mate to leave? It makes you look weak and pitiful."Rozen said.
"Its not like that. She respects me, maybe more than the others ever will." said Kuro.
"Besides the choice of mates, what happened to this clan since I was gone?" he demanded.
Kuro explained as they took a walk in the forest. After Kuro explained he gave him the tour of the land.
"Interesting. This is the first time in a century that the stone's power was charged and took the host's body. " Rozen concluded.
"Yes sir. If it wasn't for Gwen's faith in me I would have lost control and killed so many wolves." Kuro said.
"Don't be modest son. I know you harnest the power on your own." Rozen said sitting under a tree.
"Its true I mastered some of its power but Gwen broke though all the chaos in my head. Despite everything her voice was clear to me like you and I are talking. She saved me and our clan from extinction dad. Now how did you find-
"Are you telling me that rebellious female did that?" he asked.
"Yes. She's a great fighter Dad and she's really nice if you get to know her." Kuro said.
"Didn't you hate her when you were younger?" Rozen said looking at his son.
"Well I wouldn't say I hated her dad, I was just confused about my feelings towards her." Kuro said.
"Feelings? Your starting to sound like you mother." he said coldly. Kuro said." Is that bad?"
" I told you about feelings and emotions. An alpha has no need fofr either those." Rozen said in anger.
"But dad....." Kuro started.
"Kuro!" Gwen ran after the two. "Gwen?" Kuro looked behind him.
"We have an-" "Can 't you obey one simple order?" Rozen said eyeing her coldly.
Gwen growled under her breath but continued. "Kuro we have theives in the area. They're ousiders so they'll be hard to handle." She said.
"Where are the guards?" Kuro asked.
"They're being held hostage. One guards escaped them and came to the den for help." Gwen explained.
"Assemble our fighters Gwen. This serious since hostages are in the situation. I'll go on ahead As soon as possible!" Kuro said.
"Got it!" she said before kissing his cheek.
"Becareful." she said leaving.
Kuro smiled "Uh....right." he said.
Rozen looked at him with disgust.
"You can stay at my den until-"
"No. I want to see how you handle this pup." he said to Kuro.
Kuro didn't bother aurguing with him then lead to the burrow that held the meat for the pack.
The three wolves devoured the stored meat.
"Tender!" One wolf said muching on some meat.
"Haven't had some decent food in months." an other said.
"You have no right to do this !" a guard wolf said as one of the wolves were on top of him.
"Shut it!" one said with her mouth full.
Gwen had the place surrounded. A moment later Kuro and Rozen showed up on the scene.
Kuro walked towards Gwen. "How may are there?" He asked.
"The guard that escaped said that they're three. Two males and a females.The female is the " Gwen explained.
"I see." kuro said thinking.
"Well? Don't you have a plan to deal with this?!" Rozen said inpaticently.
"Yes. Since they don't know we're here we'll simply force them too-"
"Nobody move or the wimp gets it!" The thief said.
The three was moving out the burrow while holding the guard and stolen food.
"Now what are you going to do pup?A true leader should have expected this." Rozen said.
"I know but-"
"What now? Are you going to let thieves get the better of you?" he said.
"I....."
A wolf said "Look, mistress Gwen is walking towards them."
"What?" They both said looking ahead. Gwen was walking slowly towards the three wolves.
"Gwen? What are you doing? Get back here now!" Kuro demanded.
"Relax. I know what i'm doing." she said.
"Listin to the big one kid! We aren't nice even to cute things like you." The biggest theif responded.
The three came closer.
"Gwen........!" Kuro said in a low growl.
"I'll be fine." she whispered.
" You three haven't eaten in months have you?" Gwen asked all of them.
The three was taken by surprise by this statment.
"So what? Why do you care!?" The female growled.
"Why else would you go to an other clan's storage risking each others life for scraps of meat?" Gwen said.
"Don't think we're going to take that!" the smaller wolf said.
"And is that why your using a hostage so we won't attack you?" Gwen said.
"You don't understand anything!" the female said.
Gwen looked at her directly. The female growled but but was frighten that Gwen saw the truth behind the whole plan.
"Not to mention how everyone could see all your ribs is clinging to your skin. You all did this out of desperation. Its not your fault. Let the pup go." Gwen said calmly.
The biggest let the guard out from under his paw.
The three said nothing.
"I know your too weak to fight from no food for too long. Kuro? I think they should just leave." she said turning to Kuro.
"Let them go? Your not serious? Gwen!"
"Your right. I say we should let them stay here. Would you all like to join our clan?" she asked them.
The three never expected this.
"Are you serious? After all we've done you let us stay?" The female asked.
"Only if you want to." Gwen said gently.
The three were stunnned.
Kuro ran to her. "Are you insane?" said Kuro.
"Maybe just a little." she said with a smile.
"Will you three excuse us?" Kuro said pulling Gwen to the side.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
"I know I should have told you but it was the only way I thought would resolve this without anyone getting hurt." Gwen explained.
"I know you heart was in the right place we but can't just let every thief join us." Kuro said.
"I don't think they're really theives Kuro. I think they are good wolves. They were just crazy from hunger." Gwen said.
"Even if that was true we have to keep an eye on them." He said.
"I will. Personally. "Gwen said.
Kuro said."But they st-
"Kuro I know what they did but I see more than the crime here. Please Kuro Trust me." she said looking at him.
He growled.
"Please." she said.
He sighed.
"Alright. But one wrong move and their gone!" he said.
Gwen nodded.
When they both turned to the thieves but only the female came to them. "we....I will take you up on your offer." she said.
"I?" Gwen asked.
"The guys?......Well.....they...don't...." Gwen saw them walking away.
"I understand. What's your name pup?" Gwen asked.
"T....Tala." the female respond.
"Well welcolme to the Kaze clan,Talia." she said smiling at her.
Talia smiled back.
"KURO FRONT AND CENTER!" said Rozen.
Like before Kuro was by Rozen in a blink of an eye.
"Sir?" Kuro asked yet knowing what was wrong.
"You call that handling a situation?!" Rozen roared.
"I.."
"Don't blame him it was my choice to invite them to stay." Gwen said to Rozen's face.
"grr." he said glaring at Gwen.
"Uh maybe we should get some sleep. the situation was handled. As you were everyone."Kuro said.
The pack returned to their dens and duties.
Gwen and Kuro wenty inside to sleep but Rozen came too.
"Kuro!" he said.
"Uh...Sir?" Kuro responds.
"Oh no..." thought Gwen.
"You let a thief join the pack!? Have I taught you nothing about runing this pack!!" He yelled.
"I.."
Before Kuro could get a word in his father stormed out of the den.
"Kuro?" gwen said walking towards him.
"I'm .......going to sleep." he said sighing.
"But....?"
Kuro went to the back wall of the den and tries to go to sleep.
"I need to do something." she thought.
"I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back soon." Gwen said kissing Kuro on the cheek before leaving.
"Now where did he go?" Gwen asked herself.
"YOU!"
Gwen turned to see a very unhappy Rozen.
"Lord Rozen I want to..."
"What did you do to my son?!" he yelled at her.
"I didn't-"
"He is not the wolf I trained him to be. He's become soft! I bet you're the one who changed him!!" He said in blind rage.
Gwen was about to boil over herself but despite her rage he was still Kuro's dad and she was truly trying to hold herself back feeling anger boling in her body ready to pop.
"I can explain why he's-"
"Enough with your lies! I will fix this mistake if this the last thing I do!!I 'l turn my son and this pack back into the glory it was years ago!!!!"
With that he ran off.
Gwen sighed. "He's definatly trouble."
Gwen instincs were on the mark as usual. In a couple of weeks Rozon slowly took over the clan and tried to restart the old traditions of the wind clan.
The hunters were killing the deer and game more cruel than usual, the patrols are getting weaker since they now have fewer hours to go home and rest.
Feeding time was getting violent as strong wolves eat first and weaker wolves are left with the scraps.
The pack was turing cold with no sense of compassion. The older wolves eaisly followed Rozen and the young ones were not so fond of Rozen's methods.
Gwen was not about to let Rozen undo her and Kuro's work to unify the clan without and cold iron fist. Gwen tries to feeds the weak and secretly train the young wolves with the method they used and help with patrons by taking their place or help the get home sooner by finding someone who would willinly take the shift.
Gwen started to see a change in Kuro as well. Kuro was becoming cold and distant. She was really beginging to worry about him be he assures her that everything is ok but Gwen saw what his father weas trying to do to him
Kuro and Gwen was eating together one night in the den, Gwen looked as Kuro but he didn't notice. "Kuro?" she asked.
"Hm?" he said chewing his meat.
"Um....How about we take a small break after the hunt? Maby take a walk or......"
"Can't too much work to do." Kuro said after swallowing his food.
"Kuro, I barley see you as it is. You don't talk that often and I....." she trailed off.
"And....?" he asked
" I miss you......I just want to close to you and...."
"Gwen I'm sorry but the clan's needs come before our own." he said not looking at her.
"Kuro please..." she said walking to him. " Am I really asking too much of you? Just take a small moment of your time to spend some with you?" she asked staring directly at him.
He frozed then sighed.
"Please?" she said sitting right in front of him.
"Alright."he said
"Alright what?" she asked.
"I'll take you to the river after the hunt." he explained.
"You promise?" she said with a very serious look.
He gulped.
"I promise Gwen. I'll meet you at the big oak tree after the hunt." he said
She smiled and said "Can't wait." she kissed his cheek before going to sleep.
His heart began to heavly beat and his cheek began to glow red.
He gulped again."What a female....." he said following her to sleep.
Rozen was with Kuro as the hunters began the search for any game. Spring was here so there were more than enough for the clan.
THe hunters spotted 20 or so deer hanging around the river to drink.
"Alright. We can make this quick." Kuro thought.
"Everyone surround the area so they can't escape us." Rozen said.
"Surround? But it'll be faster if we split into 2 groups and take them." Kuro explain.
"Nonsense. this is the proper way to make sure the clan is fed. I tought you that years ago/" Rozen said moving with the hunters.
"I hope Gwen can be patcient." Kuro said following his father.
THe hunters were ing position.
"NOW!"
The pack attack with full force.
In eight minates 18 of the deer was dead.
"That's too much dead dad. We need some to survive to keep reproducing. We can't wipe the deer out." Kuro said
"There is no such thing as too much meat Kuro. Bring back the meat all of you."rozen said
"Well since the hunt is over I;ll be going." Kuro said moving to the forest.
"Going? Why?" Rozen asked
"I have a important engagment to atttend to" Kuro explained.
"Well it can wait. There's more to be done around here"
"But dad-"
"what's more important than the clan pup? He growled.
"A promise." Kuro said then he ran as fast as her could towards the old oak tree.
The sun was high in the sky and birds sang their spring song for the world to her but the songs were blocked by barks of an annoied wolf.
"Where is he? He promised." growled Gwen.
She paced back and forth beside the tree looking around fro Kuro.
"If he breaks his promise I swear I'll......!" she said baring her teeth.
"Gwen?" a voice called.
"Kuro?" her ears perked up.
Kuro ran to her then she hugged him long and hard.
"I thought you wouldn't make it." she said. she quickly let go realizing what she was doing.
"I never break a promise. Now shall we?" he said as they began to walk.
"I can't believe spring is already here!" she said. Gwen happly walked around looking at the forest blooming with flowers.
"Yeah.I guess we were so busy that we didn't take the time to look." Kuro said looking at the trees and flowers but mostly at Gwen
She turned to see that he was staring at her. She turned away blushing.
"Uh...Look there's the river! I'm gonna go take a drink." she said quickly pacing towards the river.
Kuro calmly walked to join her with a drink.
Kuro and Gwen quietly drank from the river.
"This is going nowhere fast. Maybe I should ask how the hunt was,." Gwen thought to her self.
She swallowed the water then turned to him. "Hey Kuro?"
"Hm?" he rose but he got so close that their nose touched each others.
The two froze. The world no longer exist to them. Emotion was boiling from both of them.
"OH boy......What's he thinking? This is not what I planned to do. What should I say? I wish he say something." Gwen thought.
Kuro forgot the last time he really spend time with his mate. His heart pounded as he stared at her. " I don't rememmber the last time I felt like this. Gwen always make things so beautiful. She's.....beautiful." he thought.
He moved closer to her, she started to breath harder.
Within seconds his lips were on hers. The passion consumed them like fire. "I swear I'm under a spell. She's bewitching me. And I love it." he said wrapping his tail around her.
Gwen shuddered as she felt his tail curl around her and brought her closer. She thought she melt right there.
"Nothing can be better than this. Just him touching me makes me go nuts!" Gwen thought.
It was over too fast for them.
The kiss ended but the passion of their love still burned inside them.
They stared at each other for along time since words weren't needed to express how they felt about each other.
"So THIS is where you were!!"
Kuro and Gwen looked to the right to see Rozen red with anger.
"I looked all over for you and I found you here on a DATE!?" He said
"Dad I told you that I made a promise." Kuro said.
"This is your so-called-Promise?" he growled.
THen he turned to Gwen. "And YOU! You have been nothing but an worthless annoyance ever since I came back. GET RID OF HER!"
"What?! She screamed
"He knows I speak the truth. Leave! He can always find a new mate." Rozen said.
Gwen eyes were filled with tears as Kuro just stood there silent.
"Kuro....do you thnk he's right? You think that I'm a burden to you? I That I can be replaced?" she said.
"No! Of course not I...."
"Ah stop begging like your weak leave the female and Do you job as the Alpha Kuro!" Rozen said.
"If your not going to defend me why should I bother staying where I'm not wanted.....*Sobs*"
Gwen finally left the two with tears bluring her vision. But she didn't care. She just wanted to get away as far as possible.
"Gwen! Stop! Come back!!"Kuro cried out to her.
"Stay put! You don't need her! Do your job Kuro." Rozen said
What will happen? Should he stay with his long lost father or run after his true love?
Choose which side I should right by commenting in the box.
Kuro choosing Gwen or Rozen
and I might right an alternative ending too