Episode/Chapter name - Okapi's Origin! A Mother Makes a Sacrifice!

Episode/Chapter number - 1

Sara stretched her neck down to lick the top of her newborn's head, breathing rapidly as she recovered. It was strange, having this sense of emptiness as she looked down on the creatures that had been growing inside her womb for what felt like forever. And now they were here, all five of them, breathing their own breaths of cold, winter air.

They were concealed inside an old, dry log that kept them out of the snow, but all the puppies had to depend on for warmth was their mother's body heat. Sara shivered, a cold breeze blowing through the air and into their shelter. She drew closer to them as they nuzzled into her fur, drinking her milk.

"You'll be fine." she spoke, her voice soft but confident. "You have your father's blood, you can be strong."

Sara thought about the father of her puppies: a fearless, bold, powerful dog, and leader of hundreds.

Gone now, though. She'd heard about it soon after it had happened, the news spreading like wildfire among every group of dogs, eventually reaching her. When she had told her pack that she was carrying the late male's offspring, they ousted her, afraid of the potential strength they could grow to have.

Cowards, Sara thought, forcing a pregnant female into the wild by herself during winter. She had made do, though, and survived long enough to give birth to the next generation. Hunting with a belly full of puppies hadn't been easy, and now and then she had no choice but to venture into the human towns to scavenge through the garbage. During the last week she hadn't eaten at all due to her heavy pregnancy, and now the hunger stabbed at her stomach. As soon as her puppies would fall asleep, she knew she would have to catch what she could, despite her low energy from just giving birth. Sara looked down at her babies, pride surging through her, and she decided that she would have to find something to eat if she was to provide them with the proper nutrition to grow as strong as their father.

Sara inched closer to a bird that stood pecking at some fallen berries a few feet in front of her, using the bushes as cover. She swiped her tongue around her muzzle in eagerness, eyes locked on the fowl. She slowly moved her paw forwards and her body followed, tense. Her now three-week-old puppies were back at the hollow log that they were born at, and she grew more nervous every moment she was away from them.

Unfocused for a moment as she worried about her children, she didn't notice the stick ahead as she stepped forwards.

As her weight was placed on it, a loud snap sounded, and the bird's head shot up, its eyes darting around.

"Agh!" Sara leaped from her hiding place and caught its tail in her jaws before it could escape. It flapped around frantically, batting her muzzle with its wings.

"Oh no you don't.." she growled, pulling it closer to the ground. It shrieked, and with a large tug, the bird released itself and flew off, leaving Sara with a mouthful of feathers. She spat them out, gave a frustrated snarl, then kicked the snow in front of her.

"Over there! I see her!" a voice echoed through the trees. Sara's eyes widened and she turned her head quickly, searching for the source of the words.

"Hey, it is her! Guys, we found her!" another spoke, proud. She started to move backwards, hoping to avoid confrontation, but she was unexpectedly bowled into and pinned down by two sets of jaws.

"Where do you think you're going?" a grey dog growled to her.

"Gutter! What are your intentions here?" Sara snapped, recognizing her old pack member. Another dog moved towards her, large and shaggy.

"We were told you were spotted, so the leader ordered us to go after you." he barked, his voice deep.

"Go after me? Why? Saburou, I want nothing to do with you lot." she said. Saburou's expression darkened.

"Where are the puppies, Sara?" he asked plainly. Sara froze, heart beating loudly. She was foolish to believe that casting her out would be enough for these mutts. She gulped, looking away from them.

"Dead." she lied. "A few died during birth and the others froze to death shortly after."

Saburou narrowed his eyes, then bent his head down to her ear.

"Liar!" he barked loudly, making her flinch. "You've been nursing recently! Tell us where they are! Nobody here will take joy in forcing the answer out of you, but we will do what we must!" he said, nodding to those who pinned her down, and they tightened their grips. She yelped in pain and shook her head.

"Coward! They've done nothing to you!" Sara spat, tears forming in her eyes.

"We're not being cruel, this is for the best! Knowing who their father is, they could very well grow up to destroy us!" the shaggy male responded. Sara looked up and met his eyes with the burning ferocity of a protective mother.

"I hope they do."

In a quick movement, the large female stood and shook the dog's jaws off of her. Sara grabbed the nearest dog, Gutter, by his head and tossed him away. She turned and ran full speed into Saburou, who was taken aback by this sudden attack. He was knocked backwards into a tree, and Sara took off into the woods while he regained his composure.

"After her!" Saburou yelled.

She ran in all types of directions, crossing her scent and trying to confuse them. Just when she thought she lost them, the sound of pawsteps echoed down the trail and she picked up their scent.

"Kuso.." Sara muttered, trying to gain speed. She was terribly tired, her stomach empty and her wounds bleeding. Her mind was trying to focus on escaping, but she was also aware of the growing time that she had left her pups for. If she returned, she would be leading them right to them, but if she didn't..

Sara changed her course, heading back to her children. They could only last so long in the cold without her body heat: after all, they had short fur inherited from both of their parents. Even then, there was the possibility that her old pack would discover them, maybe follow one of her old scent trails to the log. She had to get back.

She reached the clearing, which was half forest with a small cliff that opened to wide stretches of land and in the far distance, human dwellings were visible.

Sara directed her attention to the hollow log. She walked over and peered inside. All five puppies made their way over to her clumsily, only just learning how to get around. Their tails wagged and they licked at her, trying to communicate now hungry they were.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be out so long. You aren't safe here anymore, we've got to go." she whispered to them hurriedly. Lip curling back in a snarl, she smelt the scent of her old pack, and quickly turned around, dropping in a hostile pose.

"J-Jasper!" Sara exclaimed, surprised to see her brother and confused on what to feel about the situation. Jasper looked like her, but was bulker and had a brown and black tint to the top of his coat, whereas she was almost completely fawn-colored. When she had been driven out of her pack, he had stayed behind with them, sad for his sister but loyal to his leader. She remained in her position, unsure.

"Sara." Jasper looked down, sadness showing in his eyes. "I.. I need you to hand over the puppies."

"No! I can't believe you would stoop this low! Jasper!" she barked, bearing her teeth. Jasper met her gaze, tears streaming down his face.

"If you do this now, you might be let back in the pack."

"That's the last thing I'd ever want." Sara told him, much to his dismay.

"Don't make me choose between you and them.. Please! Don't make me!" he cried, shaking his head.

"Does family mean nothing to you? Brother, those puppies share your blood!"

"They also share someone else's! They have too much potential!"

"If that's all you care about, if our shared blood means nothing as long as the leader says so, then you have no right to call me your sister!" she snapped, tears appearing in her eyes but anger being the emotion that covered her face.

"S-Sara!" Jasper protested.

"No. You're trying to kill my puppies! They might have his blood, but you forget that they have mine too!" she yelled. Jasper stared at her in distress, then one of the puppies popped it's head out of the log. Jasper's eyes widened as he met its gaze.

"He's got his father's eyes, but.. But I see you in him too." he commented. Sara turned around and shifted the puppy back inside with her nose.

"Sara! Don't think you can get away with this!" Saburou leapt out of the trees, his large body tense, and swiftly pinned her down before anything could be done, jaws clamped around her neck.

"Jasper! Kill the puppies!" he spoke, his voice muffled by Sara's fur. Sara struggled and kicked with her back legs, but his grip tightened the more she did. Blood dripped from her neck and covered her fur.

"No! No! My children! You can't!" she coughed, screaming as the dog's fangs dug into her flesh.

"Jasper!" Saburou yelled, annoyed. Jasper stood frozen, fighting an internal battle. Finally he nodded, licking his muzzle.

"I know where my loyalties lie." he said.

"B-brother.." Sara whispered, her head spinning. Jasper turned to Saburou.

"I will not kill innocent pups. There is many paths leading to their future, we can't be so quick to assume they will follow the same one as their father."

"What?" Saburou snarled, letting go of Sara to bear his teeth at Jasper.

"Leave them alone! I will protect those I share blood with!" he warned. Saburou reared up on his hind legs and crashed back down on Jasper's head, leaning on top of it.

"Traitor." he spat. Sara shot up and knocked into him, pushing him off of her brother. The shaggy dog looked from Sara to Jasper, baring his teeth. The siblings nodded to each other, then ran forwards and, although he tried to dodge it, grabbed Saburou by the neck. He struggled, but they pulled him down and pinned him.

"With their mother's violent nature, how will they be any different than their father?" he growled, his voice hoarse. Sara's eyes narrowed, and she gave the final blow together with Jasper as they dug their fangs into their former pack member. He let out a yell, but it soon faded. Jasper let go and Sara dragged the dog over to the small cliff, letting him drop down it and hit the snowy ground.

"I've killed him. I'm too far gone, now. There's no turning back." she heard Jasper mumble. Sara leaned against him in an effort to comfort him.

"Our pack was made up of mutts and weaklings. Don't feel regret." she barked. Jasper cried a few tears then straightened up.

"They'll be here soon. We need to go."

"But where? They'll chase us down anywhere we go, and they'll bring the leader and the best fighters next time." she asked. Jasper gave her a sympathetic look, then sighed sadly.

"Sara.. they aren't mainly after us.. They're after your puppies."

"You're not suggesting I abandon them here, after all we just did?" she said in disbelief.

"No! No. But Sara, they're not safe here, with you.." he shook his head.

"I know that! But.. but.. You're not saying.." her ears pulled back, sadness devouring her as she realized what her brother was implying.

"This is about them, not us." he spoke, his tone soft and apologetic. Sara padded over to her puppies, head carried low, and climbed inside the log, allowing them to nurse. She licked their heads, crying as she imagined what life would be like if she went through with what her brother was saying. She couldn't.. She couldn't..

But she knew she had to.

They had left the forest and were making their way towards the human village. Every pawstep she took felt wrong. Sara had gone over it a thousand times in her mind, but she couldn't find another way to best ensure her children's survival.

They were strong pups, that was for sure: they'd been carried and put down tirelessly, sitting in the snow until they could come back for them. Moving five puppies who didn't know how to properly walk yet wasn't an easy task, seeing as they could only hold one at a time, and that just added to Sara's list of reasons why she'd rather not do this. She knew it would pay off, though. Her children would become great dogs, she knew it.

"Jasper, do you think they'll grow up to be like their father?" she asked her brother. He seemed to be struggling, unsure of what answer she wanted.

"I think they'll grow up.. And only they can choose from there what they do." he responded after a few moments. "I'd always wanted to know, how did you view his actions?"

"I.. It depends. He did some unnecessary things, but he was an obviously effective leader. Until his downfall, of course. How about you?"

"I can't approve of the needless killing he did. His rule was effective, I'll admit, but he was no leader, he was their boss, using those around him to benefit himself. Our pack knew firsthand, after being partially ruled by him for a while." Jasper spoke. "Although, you obviously didn't mind him much at the time." he commented, much to Sara's embarrassment.

"I get it, we have different views of him." she said quickly. Jasper laughed, and she knocked into him playfully. Then there was a few moments of silence as they trotted towards the village, stopping to pick up different pups and carry them further.

"I'll be there for you, sister." Jasper eventually broke the silence, looking down at the snow gravely. "I'll help you through this, you don't have to grieve alone."

"Thank you, Jasper." she responded, head held low and a tear forming in her eye.

As they approached the houses, Sara glanced around. No humans were out, most likely hiding from the snow. She'd never really understood them, but didn't really have anything against them. But could she trust them with the things most precious to her?

"Over here." Jasper barked, leading her to a brick house. "These humans are home, I can smell them. Alright.." he placed the puppy in front of its mother. Sara placed another next to it and Jasper retrieved the other three. She looked down at them, seeing how bewildered and lost they were. She, too, felt lost and bewildered. Why was she here, in this village, doing exactly what her instincts said not to? She bent down and licked each of them, knowing this would be the last time she did so.

"You can be brave." she spoke, her voice quivering as she began her goodbye. "These humans will find a home for you, far away from those who want to do you harm. The only thing is, far away from me as well." the tears began to fall, melting the snow as they touched the ground. "I can't do it, Jasper!" she cried, falling to the ground and covering her face with her paws.

"Sara, it's not about what you can and can't do, it's about what you must do, for them. Not for you, for them and their survival." her brother said, shedding a few tears as well. Sara stood up and took a deep breath.

"You're right. Because listen, my children, you will survive, and you will become strong. Even if we never meet again, just knowing you're out there, living on and going through your own journeys, will continue to fuel me. Make me proud, make your uncle proud, and.." she paused, closing her eyes, blinking away the tears, then leaned in close, nuzzling them with her nose, "make your father proud. Continue his bloodline, continue the legend of the great dane who defied the Ohu army, but failed. Tell the story, know you are part of it, but make it better, make it yours. You are the descendants of Hougen, but don't let that rule you. Grow.. and remember your mother from time to time." she finished, bursting into tears and looking away. She didn't want her children to see their mother in such distress, for that to be their last memory of her. Jasper walked towards them.

"I'll be watching for you all, hoping that someday we can meet again. Know the sacrifice your mother is making to keep you alive, don't waste it. Become great, become kind, and please," he trailed off, clenching his fangs in sadness, "please, don't die."

They then placed the puppies on the doorstep of the house, hearts heavy. Sara was reluctant to release the last one, but she forced herself to, trying not to dwell on the sorrow that was engulfing her. When she put it down, it looked up at her, yellow eyes asking a question she could not answer. She thought about saying the words 'goodbye', but dismissed it as she knew that would be too much. Goodbye also felt too conclusive, and she wanted to imagine that they would find each other someday. Together, her and Jasper barked in front of the door as loud as possible, hoping to alert the humans of the precious gifts on their doormat. Sara tensed, almost hoping nobody would come, but despite that, a tall figure opened the door, and stared around at them.

"Now, Sara!" Jasper barked, turning and running from the house. Sara stood frozen for a moment, then followed behind him. They ran behind a house not far from the puppies, and peered around the side of it to watch.

The human looked confused, looking around for the dogs, then glanced down when they heard a little yip from one of the pups. They stepped back in surprise, then called inside the house. Three other humans appeared at the door, bending down to get a closer look at the orphan dogs. Sara cried as she looked, and Jasper seemed like he was holding back tears. Soon, the humans scooped up the puppies, and brought them through the door and inside the building, where Sara and Jasper could only imagine what was going on.

"Let's go." Jasper told his sister, walking away from the village. Sara took a deep breath, then went after him.

"What now?" she asked, trying to recover from the empty feeling inside her, like she had left something behind. Jasper closed his eyes.

"We can't stay anywhere near our old pack. I guess we just.. Survive. We run, find somewhere else.. Maybe a different pack will take us in." he spoke, his tone unsure. Sara stopped in place, looking down at the snow.

"Jasper.. Have we done the right thing? Was this worth it? The puppies.. Will they really grow to be alright?" she asked, ears dropped back in sadness. Her brother walked towards her and stood facing her, making eye contact.

"Yes. I think they'll grow to be wonderful."

-Translation-

Kuso - meaning "crap" or thereabouts.

-Credits-

The Ginga series does not belong to me, though it inspired this fanfiction.

Any characters from the Ginga series do no belong to me.

All characters that are not from the Ginga series belong to me, though some may have been designed by others and used with permission.

-Author's Notes-

As some of you might remember, Okapi's mother used to be Reika in the previous version of the prologue, with her being accompanied by Hiro. I thought about it, and for various reasons I decided to change it. Meet Sara! She's a mutt, but the two most prominent breeds in her are German shepherd and greyhound. Her brother, Jasper, takes heavily after his German shepherd side compared to her. See, I encountered a problem while designing her: I had designed Okapi off of both Reika and Hougen, giving Okapi a brown-ish Akita pattern like Reika's underneath his spots. I didn't want to change Okapi's fur at this point, so I was stuck searching for a dog breed that could have some sort of color and pattern the same as Reika's, but have the right body shape and size to make Okapi large and able to retain more Great dane features. Eventually I just said "I give up, let's say she's a mixed breed" and gave her the pattern and shape I wanted, although still based off a few breeds.

I hope you enjoyed this episode/chapter!

Please leave a review if you'd like, thank you!