Pronunciation:

Ai (AH ee)

Akiye (AH kee ya)

(Yes, yes. Another Koga based fanfiction.) *Sweatdrop*

This is set in an AU (Alternative Universe), so some things are different. But I've had this one in my head for over a year now, and it's been keeping me from working on other things. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. :)

But here's "The Wolf's Cry".

It was disgustingly humid out in one of the better parts of Japan as two girls (one trudging, the other skipping) made their way home from a long day of school. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was beating down on the sidewalk making one of the girls feel weighed down even though she was only wearing her light summer uniform; she was thankful that they'd be reaching their home in just a few more blocks. She had been fading in and out of reality as her eyes glazed over at her twin's chattering about 'how kawaii' the new student was in her class and how she was hoping he was single.

Akiye sighed as she daydreamed about large wolves stampeding down the street, causing a dust storm and knocking cars and bikes out of the way…

"Hey, Akiye!" Ai snapped her fingers at her twin after noticing the familiar zoned out look she had.

She's getting better at telling when I'm not listening to her…"…yeah?" She just blinked at her sister sulkily.

"I was talking to you about serious matters and here you are just totally ignoring me and going off to 'La-La Land'!" She pouted.

Akiye blinked again and forced a smile, trying to make her sister believe she was interested.

"Really I wasn't," She tried a grin, but it fell off to the side, "Just a little tired from the sun; it makes me feel out of it."

Ai started at her, looking her up and down in an analyzing way. "Says the girl with the tanned skin. I have pale skin and I feel fine." She said; worry tinting her tone even though she was mocking her.

Akiye sighed, looking at the skin on her bare arms. She has a point. Even though they were twins, the biggest difference between them was their skin and personality. Ai could tan, but she preferred to be pale while Akiye just spent a lot of time outdoors which in turn caused her skin to darken.

She scrunched her face into a disgruntle look before glancing at her sister. Ai raised an eyebrow, showing she wasn't going to let her get away with not explaining what was wrong.

Akiye smiled nervously. "It's nothing. I just didn't get much sleep is all."

A second eyebrow rose.

"Seriously!"

"You always use that excuse."

"Well then I guess I have insomnia." She snapped.

"Hey, no need to bite my head off. I'm just trying to help you. You're always out of it now days!" Ai glared. She's hiding something.

Akiye glowered and stormed past her sister at full speed.

"Hey!"

Ai ran after her trying to keep up. Well we're making up the time we spent arguing, then getting home…

Soon their anger-induced running brought them up the fenced in walkway leading to the front door.

"Aki!" Ai lunged for her twin but only got a hold of the other girl's legs, causing her to be tumbled upon by her sister. Soon it was a pushing, shoving and hitting fight on the small walkway. Half-hearted it may have been they both received a sold smack to their heads from the bars of the fencing.

Within five minutes, their scuffle was obviously heard and the two were soon doused with cold water from a pitcher; held by their mother.

Both looked with shocked eyes (Mainly from the water's temperature) at the red haired woman before them.

Ai blanched, "Sorry 'kaa-san!" In which she then launched herself from her position of a hand palm out connected to her Sister's face.

Kiss up… Akiye thought gloomily. She got up and dusted herself off as best she could.

In mid lecture, Ayame glanced at her youngest; a disappointing look on her face.

"Akiye, why must you two always fight? I could understand verbally, but physically? You're both almost fully-grown and yet you still act like this." She sighed and looked them both long and hard dead in the eyes.

Akiye averted her gaze to the ground. Her mother was capable of making her feel guilty at times where she believed she shouldn't have felt bad. It wasn't her fault that her sister couldn't mind her own business and tackled her.

Their mother frowned and closed her green eyes before looking sharply at Ai. "And Ai, you're the eldest, yet you act like you're a child." She sighed again.

'Only by two-minutes…' Akiye grumbled.

Ayame looked over at Akiye, frowning deepening, "What was that?"

Akiye twitched, not realizing her inner thought had become an outer one.

"Nothing."

Their mother made a non-committed noise in the back of her throat (Which sounded much too like a growl for Aki's liking) before bringing a hand to her mouth, coughed like she was covering it up, and turned on her heel towards their house seeming flustered.

Akiye stared at her mother's receding back for awhile in confusion until her sister pulled on her short sleeve.

"We need to pick up our bags." She said quietly. Akiye looked down, realizing that their stuff had been thrown to the ground in their fight on the walkway. Akiye sighed bending over to pick up their stuff which from being hit by the bars had been thrown everywhere on the path.

When they were sure they had gotten every piece of their school work back in their bags, they slowly made it inside.

Upon entering Ai started taking her shoes off and laying them to the side before sitting down on the front step to the stairway that lead up to the second floor, waiting for her twin to finish taking her shoes off.

Akiye grumbled sitting down to take her shoes off, glancing at her twin. For a scuffle, she didn't look too messed up. All that showed was some dirt on her uniform and a slight bump forming on the front of her head that showed their physical argument from earlier.

Akiye mentally giggled to herself, thinking how her dear twin would react to having her pretty little face marred by a red bump and what perfect timing too what with the new 'kawaii' student in Ai's class.

"What are you laughing about?"

Akiye stopped, looked at her sister and grinned.

"Nothing."

"Oh not that again…" Ai muttered, rubbing her sore head. 'Nothing' seemed to be the cause of all their problems right now. She stopped though, when she reached the highest point of her new bump before her eyes grew big and a look of terror crossed her face.

Akiye bit her lip from bursting out laughing when Ai practically ripped herself up the stairs to the bathroom they shared. Aki couldn't contain it anymore and chased after her twin, taking much delight out of guessing what her sister's reaction would be once she saw the bump in the mirror.

When she came up to the bathroom, she found the door closed and locked. She was expecting me to come up. I guess I'm too predictable.

"How does it look Sis?" She grinned laying her back against the closed door.

She heard a load groan and she could practically feel the glare though the door aimed at her from Ai.

"You're horrible, you know that?"

"And why's that?"

"Because had you of just told me what's on your mind, and not thrown a little fit like you're the child, as 'kaa-san called me, this nasty bump could have been avoided!" She yelled, obviously hearing the smile in her twin's voice.

Akiye glared through the wood back.

"Yeah, well I have good reason not to!" She said back.

"Like?"

Ai waited for an answer and she excepted a loud out burst, not the quiet mumbling that she got in its stead. She unlocked the door some and peeked out a bit. She swore the answer sounded distinctly 'Because it's stupid…' or something like it at least. But when she looked out she saw nothing but empty hall.

Oh Aki, I think that two minute difference in age is more like two years…

---

Akiye huffed at her straight cut bangs out of boredom. She knew that she acted like a brat all day, and got what she deserved (Stupid bump) but it didn't mean she did it out of spite. She had her reasons, and she wasn't the type to go talk about them.

She curled herself tighter around one of her large pillows and stared at the wall. She just couldn't place it was why, she reasoned. This weird feeling she had, like she was at home, but didn't feel like she was.

Like a hotel, she thought, where everything looks and may feel nice, but it's not your home. No matter how comfortable it is.

She started to doze off again, this time imagining a large field with wild flowers and birds she couldn't name flying over head. It felt familiar, yet foreign. The longer she tried to focus things out, a deeper rest took hold of her and soon she was running with a pack of wild creatures that howled and cried like nothing she'd ever heard before. It frightened her yet made her yearn for something at the same time…

'…aki…aki…'

"Akiye, wake up!" Aki jolted up, nearly colliding with her mother's chin.

"Are you all right dear…? You look terrified." Her mother stared at her with tight lips and a concerned look, like she was worried she'd collapse at any second.

"I'm fine 'kaa-san." She said, "Just a bad dream."

Her mother studied her for a minute before sniffing delicately. "You were sleeping pretty hard…" She trailed off, trying to see if she could detect her words to be a lie; she didn't seem very convinced. Akiye held her breathe, nervous her lie was caught. "Well dinner's ready…so come down after you wash up. You're still in your school uniform even…"

Akiye sighed in relief, "Will do." She grinned and gave a two-finger salute before heading to the bathroom, but not without catching the flinch that went across her mother's face.

--

Almost half an hour later, Aki bounded down the stairs wearing a clean pair of shorts and a tank top, following the sweet smell of seasoned and cooked meat to the large dining room where everything was being laid out.

Her sister was already helping with putting dishes and silverware on the table, even though there was a servant to do so.

It took only a few minutes before everything was set up and their mother came down to join them.

Aki and Ai were enjoying the pot stickers when the phone in the living room went off. The twins looked at each other, both wondering the same thing.

Their mother got up to answer it, and when they heard the click of the phone leaving the cradle, Aki started talking.

"Who do you think is calling? It's too late to be any of your friends…" She said. Ai thought about it before responding.

"Don't know. Maybe it's one of 'kaa-san's friends." She replied before she went back to her crescent shaped pot sticker with a pleased look as she chewed.

"Hm…" Aki trailed off, glancing at the door.

"Don't you think about it!" Her sister mumbled to her.

"Think about what…?" She tried to sound innocent.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about." She stated, setting her bowl of rice down and giving her sister a hard look.

Aki chuckled.

"What?"
"When have I ever listened to you?" She smiled sweetly. Ai glared, grabbing her pair of chopsticks menacingly.

"You used to; but of course, that was before puberty hit for you." She said bitingly.

Aki snickered before she slunk off her chair like she used to as a child, crawled over and knelt next to the open door frame, listening for any give to who was on the phone.

"You're so nosy…" Ai muttered from her chair, before digging into her food.

"Yeah, well I don't see you giving me much of a fight about eavesdropping on 'kaa-san…"

"It's a useless battle."

Akiye rolled her eyes and went back to listening in.

"…I know, I know…the girls are fine though…" She heard an exasperated sigh, "I just hope he keeps…promise nothing…just keeping them away…"

"Miss…?"

Akiye yelped as the kitchen servant tapped her on the shoulder, startling her from her task. She turned around to look at him.

"Oh, hey..." She grinned sheepishly. He stared at her for a moment before sighing and shaking his head.

"Doing such deeds isn't very wise."

Aki blinked at him, guilty for getting caught and mad for not being slick enough to get away with it. Thankfully this was a new kitchen servant and didn't know her as well as the previous one who had been with them since she was young and knew her ways.

"Sorry." She wrinkled her nose at him, then did her best to save face and got back in to her chair to finish her food, which was obviously cold by now.

The soft padding of feet alerted the occupants that Ayame had finished the phone call, and she soon entered the dining room again.

"Sorry about that, girls." She said, smiling as she sat down, giving their servant a curt nod to which he bowed lightly and made his way back into the kitchen. She looked back at the girls, smiled (A forced one? Aki guessed) and resumed eating.

Akiye stared at her mother for a while longer, trying to figure out what was wrong; she seemed stressed and flustered compared to the calm presence she'd had before answering the phone. What was the person talking about with her? And for that matter, who was that person?

She bit her lip, picking at what was left on her plate and throwing her twin looks that she knew her sister would understand. She needed to talk.

Ai noticed the looks Akiye was giving her but refused to show she did. She was still bitter about the fight; including the attitude Aki had been having all day. She sighed. I remember when she used to be happy…what's gotten so under her skin lately? Her thoughts her interrupted however when her mother put a hand on hers.

"How was school today, dear? You two didn't really get the chance to tell me what with everything that happened on your way home…" She let the sentence hang, not needing to finish it. Aki stared at the wall. And here she just cracked the dam that is Ai's mouth…

Ai grinned, pleased that someone was interested, and went on explaining about everything that happened (Mainly circulating around boys, Aki huffed mentally)

"He's super kawaii and smart, too."

"That's wonderful." Ayame smiled (Sadly?), gaining a far off look.

Aki glanced over, That explains where my doped look comes from apparently…She half rolled her eyes and settled them on the fixture on the ceiling, tuning out the boy-talk her twin and mother were having. That light is so ugly…you'd think with the money 'kaa-san got from great-gramp's will, she'd use it with a slightly better taste…just plain white…why not red? Or brown, too…

"How was your day, Aki?" Ayame turned her eyes to Akiye, noticing she was zoning out again.

Is no one allowed to think to themselves in this house?!

"It was okay. I survived, right?" She grinned. She got two pairs of blinking eyes; she guessed the joke was funny the first hundred times, but not by the two hundredth...

"Yeah…" She picked at her nail polish, trying to get over the blank looks. "So how 'bout your day, 'kaa-san?" Subject change…

"It was pleasant. I spent the day helping a friend with her shopping list; getting married and all and she couldn't stand doing it all by herself."

Akiye wrinkled her nose, Marriage? Bleh…

Ai brightened, "A wedding? Are we invited?"

Ayame smiled back, "Of course. I wouldn't be helping as much as I am if we weren't."

Akiye sighed; glancing at the two she called her family, wishing she could become excited like her twin and talk about 'Girly' things like they did and not feel so weird about it.

"Can I be excused?" Aki asked. Ayame and Ai stopped in their chattering. Their mother looked at the clock on the decorative end table in the corner of the room.

"My, time sure flew by." She said, "But you hardly touched your dinner, Aki."

Akiye stared at her cold, picked at food before meeting her mother's gaze.

"Not really hungry." Ai glared at her sister, knowing full well that if she hadn't been eavesdropping instead of eating, she wouldn't be in this mess.

Aki looked back at her twin with a pleading 'Help Me' look but was met with an air of 'Screw You' then the sympathy she was looking for.

She looked back at her mother, "I'll just wrap it up and reheat it later."

"Mm, alright; just as long as you do eat it, okay?" She said before she pushed herself up and out of her chair. Ai followed suit and soon the kitchen doors opened to show the kitchen servant coming in to clean up.

Aki watched him as she gave picked up her plate and chopsticks and setting them in the large grey bin he'd brought out, grabbed a few near by things and put those in as well before she was shooed off by the servant. She grinned and stuck her tongue at the man, then left for her bedroom.

Ayame sighed at her daughter's actions. "Please tell the cook that tonight's dish was delicious." The kitchen servant smiled and bowed.

"He'll be pleased to hear such, thank you." He grabbed the bin and left for the kitchen again.

She turned and found Ai and Akiye and already left, sighed for what felt like the thousandth time, and went to go to her private quarters to bathe and hopefully get some peace.

--

It was around midnight when Ayame stepped up to her opened window, staring at the crescent moon that hung over head. She closed her eyes, enjoying the soft glow before opening them once more; her pupils small black slits in her eyes.

It was times like these where she wished she could run free again. Just let it all go and run through the trees and grass…maybe she could? Just for a moment or two…

Her nails sharpened and her canines elongated and she sighed in contentment as she soon felt the burning on the tips of her ears as they went from being rounded to pointed. She missed her truest form; along with everything she'd given up for her girls. She walked across the wood flooring towards a specific plank and pulled it up; revealing a pile of white furs and metal.

She slid to the floor, staring longingly at it. The past was hard to forget when you hid pieces of it in your room.

"I see you've let yourself go again, Ayame." There was a rustle of leaves as something heavy hit the frame of the window.

Ayame whirled around, glaring at the new occupant.

"What the hell do you want?" She snapped.

The person laughed, "Such a change you made from that domesticated dotting female to who you really are." It cracked up again, "One would think you suffered from MPD."

She slid the plank back into place harsher then needed before getting up and going to the window; full intent of pushing the visitor out of it (And on his head, she hoped).

Said visitor was a male of average height but a not so average look to him with his pointed ears and the glint of a fang peeking out from his grinning lips. He currently was sitting on his haunches like he owned the window.

"I told you and your friends to stop coming around here." She growled out. She was tired of him and the other males that came around taunting her.

His grin turned into a smirk, enjoying the rise he was getting out of her.

"Chill out," He said, "I just wanted to talk."

"And what makes you think I want to?" She glared.

"Because it involves your cubs, of course." He responded. "Seems to me that they're making the others curious. What with you being without a Mate and them looking only slightly like you? That sort of thing and especially one of them; she looks hardly anything like you."

Ayame glowered, "They're girls, not cubs." She stated, "And if you even think about coming near either of them, I will hunt you down." The last five words said as bitingly as possible.

"Come now Ayame!" He mock-chided, "You didn't think you could keep them hidden forever, did you? They have a right to know who and what they are." He leered at her.

"They're living a normal, safe life compared to the rotten one you all live." Her glare deepened.

"Normal? Safe? Yes. But is it really what they want?" He smirked, "If things get out of hand, from what I can tell from the one girl's actions I've been seeing for the past few days, you know where to find us." With that, he shifted forms from human to canine and back flipped off the frame.

Ayame rushed forward to find the once two legged man now a four legged wolf, landing heavily on his paws. He turned his furry head around, gave a wolfish grin, tongue hanging out before dashing off into the neighborhood, not caring who saw.

A haunting howl followed shortly, as Ayame slid to the floor in a heap of stress. So much for peace.

Like I said, AU. *Sweatdrop*

Please review! I need opinions on this story since its a bit weirder then most...

Thank you~

~A'n'S