Howling Dragon

Chapter 25

Saiko was silent.

Ryu, Calcifer and Rayver were still angry, despite his explanation. Well, Calcifer was the one who showed it the most. Rayver and Ryu, although as much angry as the Fire Wolf, didn't take it as bad. They would ignore him every now and then, but other than that, they had become quite neutral.

Jiraiya had caught up to them back at the camp, and explained to them Tsunade had to return to the Leaf Village in order to deal with a problem involving the Sound Village. The Wolf Dragons were surprisingly understanding with that, Jiraiya had assumed they would feel angry that she hadn't told them personally. Calcifer was more open on the subject of being angry than the others, but even he didn't seem to mind.

It was nighttime, and it was his turn to stand guard. Gamakichi couldn't sleep either, and decided to stand guard with him, feeling the Earth Wolf would need some emotional support. Everyone else was already asleep, but Ryu, Rayver and Calcifer were sleeping steps away from the Earth Wolf. They still kept their distance; Yoshiko was the only one who slept close to Saiko, having not been present when the latter went to get help.

"I suppose they're the type to hold a grudge, right?" Gamakichi commented, looking over at the trio of wolves.

Saiko sighed, "Calcifer is, the others not as much," he looked away in dismay, "Usually."

"But you already explained to them what happened. Shouldn't they have forgiven you by now?"

"It's not that easy, I'm afraid." Saiko looked down, closing his eyes, "In our culture, abandoning your teammates during a battle is seen with bad eyes, because it's a sign that you're a coward and unable to protect your packmates. That's why they're so angry."

"Can I ask something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Gamakichi snickered, "Why doesn't Calcifer like being called Calcy?"

After a while, Saiko started to laugh loudly, "A long story! That's how his younger sister calls him! But he never liked it!"

"Sister? Calcifer has a sister?"

"He does. Azula."

Yoshiko twitched his left ear when he heard the she-wolf's name. He opened his left eye ever so slightly, staring at the Earth Wolf and the toadling amusingly. He had not thought about her in all of this time, and he wanted to hear Saiko's version of the story, sick of hearing Calcifer speaking in such a bad way about his little sister.

"When Azula was born, her and Calcifer's mother died. Calcifer was devastated, but his father, the Fire Alpha, instead of consoling him, set his attention on his younger daughter. In fact, as she grew, she was completely pampered by the Fire Alpha, so she became quite materialistic." Saiko sadly turned to see Calcifer's sleeping figure, "But because of this, Calcifer was completely devoid of his father's attention, and he started resenting Azula for it. Eventually, he turned bitter and started misbehaving to call his father's attention, even if it was a scolding."

"But what does that have to do with my question?"

"The worst part of it, it's that Azula…" Saiko felt a twinge of sadness upon his soul, "… she loved her brother. She looked up to Calcifer and admired him, but he did not reciprocate her feelings. He avoided her wherever he could, and when he couldn't he verbally lashed out at her. Azula's goal was to earn Calcifer's attention, but he doesn't even like to be around her."

Gamakichi couldn't help but gasp in shock and disgust, "That's mean! How could he do that to his own sister?! I should give him a piece of my mind!"

"You can't…"

Saiko trembled when a voice, shaking with rage, joined the conversation. He turned around fearfully, and was met with Calcifer's gaze, quivering with a sorrowful ire. Gamakichi immediately hopped behind Saiko, fearing the Fire Wolf would attack him. Yoshiko wondered if he should intervene, but he opted to not, it was not his business… yet.

"You don't have the right to!" Calcifer snarled, "You don't know what I've been through during those years!"

Gathering up his courage, Gamakichi replied, "Taking out your anger in your little sister?! I knew you were mean-spirited, but I never thought you would go that far!"

Calcifer sighed, eyes drifting shut, "Your mother died too, right? If your father paid more attention to your younger brother, what would you do?"

Gamakichi was confused, "What does that-?"

"Just answer the question."

"I don't know… I would talk to him about it."

Calcifer shook his head. "He doesn't listen. He is too busy with your younger brother to even notice that you're upset and sad about your mother's death, all he cares about is your little brother… He doesn't even know when you're behind him, giving him a pleading look for attention."

"I… I'd wait until he is not busy-"

"He is always busy!" Calcifer said earnestly, "He works, tends to your little brother, but he doesn't have time to spare with you. No matter what you do, he pays you no heed! So you grow desperate! What would you feel?!" Calcifer forced himself to give a step towards the toadling and the Earth Wolf. "Tell me what!"

"I don't know!"

"Tell me what would you feel!"

Gamakichi started to shiver, and tears started forming in the corners of his eyes, "I don't know!"

"How was I supposed to feel?!"

"I… I…" Gamakichi blinked, Calcifer's reasoning finally making sense, "Oh."

"Yeah… oh," Calcifer said softly, but his anger was sill present. "You don't want to say it, but you would have felt the same as me. You would have blamed your younger sibling for taking your father's complete attention from you. You would have blamed him for your behavior, because all you did was to try to call your father's attention, even if it was for a severe scolding. You would blame him for all of your misfortunes! You would hate him for having being born in the first place, because he's the reason your mother passed away!"

By then, Saiko and Yoshiko swore Calcifer would break down, but he didn't. He simply turned around and walked away, not looking back. When Saiko tried to stand up to go after the Fire Wolf, Yoshiko's tail prevented him from doing so. The Ice Wolf gave him a soft glare, telling him that Calcifer needed time alone.

Gamakichi hopped back to his father and brother to sleep

Saiko lay his head on his paws and followed suit.

Yoshiko went back to sleep as well, not before staring at the direction Calcifer had walked into.

Calcifer walked deep into the ruined forest, to a spot he thought the others wouldn't hear him… and wept bitterly.

The ash blocking the moonlight made Shukaku feel forlorn.

Very few people knew this; even his brethren were oblivious to this, but there was a 'leak' in the seal keeping him inside Gaara. Sometimes, he slipped out of Gaara's body without the latter realizing it and wandered around the desert, before returning to his host in the same way as he left him. He still wondered why he had not left Gaara permanently, if he could get out of his body wherever he wanted without him noticing. His siblings and father knew the seal was imperfect, but they did not know at what extent.

It was in one of his 'escapades' that he met her.

He couldn't recall how he ended up in Syrio that time, but he did remember how to return. He had ended up in the Water region, and the first time they met. He did not bother to disguise because there was no reason to; those Wolf Dragons had keen senses and could easily see through disguises.

A Water Wolf she was, and the most beautiful in his eyes. Brilliant cobalt blue fur, with a contrasting light cobalt bluish gray underbelly and markings, and a single cat-like tail; long, light violet hair cascaded down her neck, almost hiding her brilliant gamboge eyes.

He loved her since the first time he saw her.

The tanuki sighed sadly as he made his way through burnt-down trees, withered bushes and ash-covered soil. The once beautiful forest had been reduced to nothing more than ashes, and it made his heart ache. That had been her favorite place. Eventually, he made his way to a small cave, hidden from view. He had made sure no one would find it, not even the Earth Wolves, if any passed by that place.

On the cave, there was a sleeping pup, apparently of three months old (five in human years), on a cradle made out of his softest sand. However, she didn't look like a Water Wolf at all; her fur was a sandy brown, and she had wind-shaped markings all around her body, like his own. She had also brilliant blue violet colored hair, but it was still short, barely reaching half her neck.

It wouldn't take a genius to deduce why she looked like that.

Shukaku softly ran his claw through the pup's fur, watching as her belly rose from her breathing. To think that Tailed Beasts could procreate… he had thought it was only a rumor. The reason he kept her in that cave, isolated from the other Wolf Dragons was because she was almost… killed.

When Kurama had come to tell him about the Wolf Dragons' survival, he had lied a bit when he pretended not having been aware of their survival; he knew it all along. HE had mentally linked with the female Water Wolf in order to be able to speak to her, that way he knew when was the right time to go and see her. However, the connection severed a few years ago, during the day he assumed the pup was born, that could only mean the Water Wolf had died. But what tormented him the most was not only being unable to see the female he loved for a last, but the fact he had missed his daughter's birth.

Her mother had died years ago, but being half-Tailed Beast, her growth span was rather slow. She was actually ten years old, but biologically, emotionally and mentally, she had three months of age. After finding out about her, he had a great headache caring for her. Like her mother before her, he mentally linked himself to her, in order to know when she needed him. Had he been able to, he would have taken her with him.

All of the other Water Wolves, no, all the other Wolf Dragons' senses there was something different with her, and so they opted to stay away from her as much as possible. They shunned and ostracized her, only giving her enough food so that she would not starve. Eventually, she developed a need to be acknowledged. He nearly broke down into tears every time she telepathically talked to him, weeping about the other wolves' mistreatment. Every now and then he'd visit her to make her company, but when he had to return to his host's body, his heart shrunk when she cried and begged him not to go and leave her alone.

Finally, he opted to take her away from them.

He brought her to the very cave she was living in right then, where no harm would come to her. Not even his own, blood lustful nature; he would never show that side of him to her.

The pup started to shift uncomfortably, twitched her ears and stretched her muscles, letting out a yawn and opening her golden eyes. She looked up at the giant tanuki with sleepy eyes.

"Can't you sleep, Tousan?" she asked letting out another yawn, showing her already sharp fangs.

"I'm not tired, kid," Shukaku replied softly, ruffling her fur.

"Why do you never sleep?"

"It's… complicated. If I slept, who would look out for monsters?"

Upon hearing the word 'monsters', the pup scurried to the tanuki's side and cuddled against him, "Are there monsters here too?" she whispered fearfully.

Shukaku chuckled and put a large hand upon the pup's back, "Don't worry, kid. I'm not letting them come a centimeter near you. I promised you I'd always protect you, remember?"

The pup hopped to her father's lap and nuzzled against his belly, "I love you, Tousan."

Shukaku smiled down at his spawn, lovingly running his claws down her back, "I love you too, Shu."

That was another thing he hadn't been able to discuss with his mate.

The pup's name.

"Gamakichi…"

The toadling froze when he heard his father calling firmly out for him. But judging by his tone, he assumed his father was not going to scold him for something. Not that he had done anything wrong at all…

"What is it, pop?" Gamakichi spoke, trying to dissimulate his worry.

"I heard what Calcifer told you a while ago," Gamabunta replied softly, "I'd like to know what would have been your answer."

"I'd rather not talk about it…"

"I heard the tone of your voice, Kichi. You had an answer, but you didn't want to say it, what were you going to say?"

"Really, pop, I don't-"

"Answer. Me." Gamabunta narrowed his eyes, losing his patience.

Gamakichi looked down, ashamed of what he was going to say next, "I was going to say that… If Gamatatsu had taken all your attention from me," Gamakichi closed his eyes shut, "… I would have hated him for that too."

He expected to be yelled at, but his father said nothing for a while; seconds lasted an eternity, and for a while time itself seemed to stop. Finally, Gamabunta spoke.

"What did you feel when Gamatatsu was born?" he asked softly, "Did you feel jealous? Tell me the truth."

"Well…" Gamakichi thought for a moment, "… A little bit, but not enough to hate him. But even after hearing Calcifer's reason, I still think it doesn't justify his hatred towards his sister."

"It's not about reasons, Gamakichi, it's about perspective. It's about the way you look at things, how you react to changes in your life. Perspective can change the outcome of things. That's how your mother and I ended up together."

This caught Gamakichi's attention.

"What do you mean?" the toadling hopped to his father's side.

"When she entered the academy, the rest of our class made fun of her because of her yellow skin, a rare color in our race. I could have done the same as them, but I didn't, because my perspective was different from theirs; they thought her color was ridiculous, I thought it made her look beautiful. The same is with younger siblings; you can either choose to love them and care for them, or you can choose to be jealous because they take your parents' attention from you."

"You mean Calcifer chose… to have that attitude?"

The Chief Toad nodded, "He could have acted differently, but he chose to hate his sister. It got worse when his father attempted to impose the situation on him, rather than talk to him about it. He tried to force him to love his sister, but this only made Calcifer hate her even more, and in an extension, he started to hate his father as well."

"I…"

"Don't say anything… Just think about it, it'll help later on."

Saying this, Gamabunta closed his eyes and returned to slumber. Gamakichi remained silent for a few minutes before exhaustion started gaining on him; he rested next to his father, and as soon as he felt the older toad's warmth against his skin, he fell asleep.

Apparently, his father was not as 'mean' as he had thought.

"Leave me alone! I don't have time for your nonsense!"

"How many times do I have to tell you?! I. Don't. Care!"

"What were you thinking, Azula?!"

"By the Great Alpha, how could you be so stupid?! 'Want me/need me'? Are you kidding me?"

"Stop crying!"

"Stop following me around?!"

"I wish you'd never been born!"

"What gives you the right to cry! You didn't know her like I did! You didn't know her at all!"

Calcifer just stared into nothingness.

For some reason, Gamakichi's words had affected him somehow; in all these years, he had remained firm on his opinion about Azula, but after the toadling snapped at him like that, he started to doubt his actions in the past. All the times she had wanted to be with him, he harshly sent her away, not wanting to be an inch near her. His mind started filling up with guilt over all the horrible things he said to her, over the time she had pushed and driven her away. What made it wore was the fact that even after the horrible he was to her, his little sister still loved and idolized him.

But then again, his mother had died because of her. He would never forget that night. He had not been allowed into the birthing room, Vulca had taken him away for the day; however, when they returned, he found his father crying his eyes out in despair, and he heard baby crying coming from the birthing room. Then the news were given to him that something had gone wrong with childbirth, and his mother had passed away.

That night was the end of his world.

Before heading out back to the camp, the sound of branches carried by the wind reached his ears, and he looked around for the source. The Fire Wolf crouched and started advancing towards the place he heard the branches snapping, and he could swear he heard voices.

"Where are we going, Tousan?"

"For a walk, kid. Don't worry, it'll be alright."

"What about the monsters?"

"Let's say… I chased them away."

Calcifer narrowed his eyes and twitched his ears, trying to see if he had heard those voices before. No, they were new to him. Were they survivors? Maybe the Snake Man's henchmen? But he had heard the word 'Tousan', which meant it had to be a father with his child. Whoever they were, he had to make sure they were no threat to him at all.

In other words, he would have to strike before they had a chance to strike at him.

He didn't realize he had stepped on a branch himself.

Shukaku realized they were being watched when he heard a branch breaking in one of the withered bushes, but it was too dark for him to make out a shape. What he was sure of , he would not let whatever that thing was put a hand on his daughter.

"Shu, stay behind me," he ordered the pup firmly.

"What is it, Tousan?" Shu inquired curiously, with a hint of fear.

"Apparently, one of the monsters decided to stay behind."

Shu immediately obeyed, and tried to stay as out of sight from the bushes as she could, watching as her father narrowed his golden eyes, attempting to see their attacker. Judging by the scent, it had to be a Wolf Dragon too, but this one had the scent of volcanic ash and fire.

A Fire Wolf.

Calcifer was astonished to find a pup accompanied by the strangest creature he had ever seen: a giant tanuki with sandy brown fur, black and yellow eyes, a large tail and purple wind-shaped tattoos all over his body. How could she call that monster 'Tousan'? Maybe he had stolen her at birth and raised her like his own child, or she was under some kind of genjutsu. But she had an almost striking resemblance to him, with tattoos and all…

He'd have to interrogate the tanuki about it.

Hearing another branch break, Shukaku narrowed his eyes and prepared to shoot a Wind Bullet.

Calcifer started growling from inside his throat, charging up a flamethrower…

And attacked.