Within the sprawling, ancient forest of Nishinoshima Island, Hoshiyo led the charge through the dense woods. Her sharp eyes, glowing with ethereal red light, were locked onto their elusive prey—a clever rabbit clutching a massive carrot it had brazenly stolen from the palace garden.
Beside Hoshiyo, Takeko ran with the grace of a sunbeam, her radiant yellow fur adorned with brilliant orange symbols that flickered like flames. The sunburst on her forehead shimmered with each powerful stride as she chased the mischievous thief.
On the other flank, Rei moved with the fluidity of moonlight, her sleek form effortlessly slicing through the air. Her fur glowed with soft, pale light, and the crescent moon on her forehead and the delicate luminescence across her body gave her an otherworldly presence as though she were a spirit of the night.
As they closed in on their target, Hoshiyo's voice rang out, sharp with determination, "We need to corner the rabbit soon, or we'll lose it."
"Yes, leader," Takeko and Rei responded in unison.
The three wolves moved as one, their paws barely grazing the ground as they pursued the darting rabbit. It zigzagged frantically through the undergrowth, ducking under low branches and leaping over small streams in a desperate attempt to evade its relentless pursuers.
But Hoshiyo, Takeko, and Rei were relentless, refusing to let their quarry escape.
"Now's the time—go!" Hoshiyo commanded, her voice sharp with urgency.
"We're on it, leader!" Rei called back, her tone filled with determination.
Panting from the chase, Takeko shouted, "Why is it so fast?"
"Don't focus on that. Just catch it!" Hoshiyo barked, her gaze locked onto the darting rabbit.
The three wolves moved with the precision of a well-practiced hunting pack, their coordination flawless as they spread out to block every possible escape route. Hoshiyo led the charge, her powerful legs propelling her forward with lightning speed. Takeko kept pace on one side, her golden fur a blur of light, while Rei flanked the other, her pale form slipping through the trees like a shadow.
"Don't lose it!" Hoshiyo urged, her voice cutting through the wind.
As they neared the edge of a small clearing, the rabbit made a desperate dash to the right, hoping to disappear into the thick brush. But Hoshiyo anticipated the move, cutting off its escape route with a sharp turn. The rabbit, realizing its mistake, tried to double back, only to find Takeko waiting, her golden fur glowing like a blazing wall of light. With no other option, it bolted straight ahead—right into Rei's path.
Rei pounced with a final burst of speed, her paws landing gracefully just before the rabbit. Startled, the rabbit skidded to a halt, the massive carrot tumbling from its mouth as it realized it was surrounded. The three wolves closed in, their eyes gleaming triumph as they finally cornered the cunning thief.
Rei gently lifted the rabbit with her mouth, her eyes twinkling with amusement as the small creature lay there, panting and wide-eyed. Through the muffled hold, she said, "Hey, we're getting good at this."
"Not good enough," Hoshiyo retorted, her voice low and intense. "We need to be faster." She clenched her teeth, a low growl rumbling in her throat.
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Takeko said gently. "We all gave our best today. We've been training all summer, and now the leaves are already starting to change."
Hoshiyo paced around them, frowning in deep thought. "I should be training with the masters to sharpen my leadership skills," she muttered.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Takeko agreed, nodding thoughtfully.
At that moment, Rei realized she'd forgotten the rabbit was still in her mouth. Noticing it hadn't moved for a while, she dropped it and asked, "Why did it stop moving?"
Hoshiyo nudged the lifeless rabbit with her muzzle and sighed. "It's dead."
Takeko gasped, her eyes wide. "You killed it!"
Rei panicked, her paws tapping the grass in frustration. "No, it just stopped moving, I swear! It probably died from overstimulation."
"At least we got the carrot back," Hoshiyo said, picking up the stolen vegetable in her mouth. "How pathetic." She sighed heavily and began to walk away from the lifeless rabbit, her disappointment palpable. Her sisters exchanged knowing glances, understanding her frustration. Starting over with training was physically exhausting and emotionally draining for her, making it hard to accept any hint of imperfection.
As they caught up to her among the autumn trees, Rei said, "I know it's tough starting over, but we're all behind you."
Takeko nodded. "If you ever need a break, just say the word."
Hoshiyo's ears perked up instantly. Glancing back at her sisters, she dropped the carrot and said, "How about we take a break now? We've never really stopped to watch the seasons change in the forest. We could check out the view from that abandoned village down the road."
"Would that be a problem? They won't need us at the house anytime soon, right?" Takeko asked.
After the ceremony, everyone worked together to upgrade their new home's interior to suit their needs. Now, the house comfortably accommodated eighteen people, with room for others to come and support or guard the building if needed. Once the renovations were done, the girls spent months honing their unique skills. A long break was overdue—a chance to explore and relax until the sunset.
Hoshiyo wagged her tail and nodded at Takeko's question. She only wanted a brief respite before diving back into her intense training. Without further discussion, her excitement got the best of her, and she bolted through the forest like a flash of lightning, eager to find a new place to explore. Takeko and Rei abandoned the carrot and sprinted after her, knowing they had to keep up as her protection detail.
Panting as she tried to catch up, Rei called out, "Hold on, there's no rush!"
"The days might be longer here, but for Hoshiyo, they're never long enough," Takeko said with a grin. "It's like she expects me to use my powers to push the moon out of the way."
"Over my dead body," Rei replied with a smirk.
Driven by the determination of their resolute leader, Hoshiyo, the trio navigated the rugged terrain downhill. Hoshiyo believed that if she could reach level ground, she might find the direction she was seeking. As they neared the abandoned village, they watched from a distance as the newly transformed wolves, once villagers, struggled to adapt to their new forms. Many had never been wolves before, and despite their adult age, they faced the harsh reality of hunting for survival. Hoshiyo knew that if these islanders didn't learn quickly, they could face starvation. She longed to find a solution during their journey, hoping that the fresh air and beauty of the forest would spark new ideas. Her heart was in the right place, but she was uncertain how to help them when she was still figuring things out herself.
Leading her sisters through the expansive landscape of their magical island, Hoshiyo set a brisk pace, the run lasting for an hour. As they ran in silence, the weight of her thoughts became too much to bear, and she finally spoke, her voice heavy with concern. "The transformation of the island was our doing. We need to help these wolves adjust to their new lives, or they could die from starvation."
Rei glanced sideways, observing the civilian wolves struggling to survive without the benefit of a lifetime's experience. She refocused ahead and replied, "Right now, we need to focus on ourselves. We have much to learn about our new lives too."
Takeko added, "We can turn back into humans whenever we want, but I'm not sure if the others have that ability."
"How do we transform back?" Rei asked, curiosity and concern lacing her tone.
Takeko frowned, her gaze fixed on the ground beneath her paws. "Don't ask me. I think it's out of sheer willpower that we can manage it. Amaterasu mentioned it to me before she left her wolf body behind."
Hoshiyo quickened her pace, desperate to outrun the sight of the struggling villagers. "Fine," she said, her voice firm, "but once we learn how to return to our human forms, we have to help them. Otherwise, we might be the only ones left alive on this island."
Huffing as she tried to keep up, Rei called out, "Slow down! I know this is hard for you, but we can't help others if we don't take care of ourselves first. Don't be so dramatic."
"Can we please slow down? I'm exhausted," Takeko whimpered, her voice strained.
After an hour-long run, Hoshiyo finally stopped before the burnt-down village. She whispered, "Sorry... I just get so angry sometimes. I hate seeing others suffer while we sit in banquet halls without a care, not having to fight for survival."
Hoshiyo walked away from her sisters and into the abandoned village, wanting to be alone and avoiding further conversation. Shattered clay pots and broken ceramics littered the entrances of the houses, remnants of a violently interrupted life. She wondered if the Shogunate had stolen from them as well. Dozens of red spider lilies bloomed at every corner, spreading across the village center where the bloodshed had been most significant. These delicate flowers were all that remained of those who had died here. Rei and Takeko followed her through the eerie ruins; the buildings burned to the ground by the fires that had consumed them. Clothing and belongings were strewn about, abandoned in haste as the villagers tried to flee with whatever they could carry. The sight brought tears to Hoshiyo's eyes, and guilt weighed heavily on her heart.
Rei offered her a gentle smile and said, "We're fighting for everyone's survival. But we're only nine demi-humans; we can't save everyone."
With her teeth bared and ears pinned back, Hoshiyo responded fiercely, "No, but we can try."
A sudden, thunderous pulse reverberated through the air, momentarily deafening the three wolves before Hoshiyo could finish speaking. Their ears pricked up, searching for the source, but the sound had vanished as quickly as it had come. They were left in silence for a brief, disorienting moment until the familiar rustle of leaves in the wind returned.
Takeko's ears pinned back, and she asked, trembling, "What was that?" The shock left her body tense and shaking, her eyes scanning the forest beyond the village for any sign of danger.
Rei frowned, her gaze fixed on the sky as if seeking answers. "I'm unsure, but it might have come from the house. Should we investigate while we're out here?"
Hoshiyo, frowning deeply, nodded. "We have to find out what it is before sunset. It could be a threat we need to eliminate before it harms anyone."
"Right," Rei agreed.
Without hesitation, the three wolves sprinted back through the village, heading in the direction from which they'd come. The ominous, pulsating noise grew louder with each passing minute, pressing down on them with an overwhelming force. It felt like the air around them had thickened, making every step a struggle.
Clawing her way forward, Hoshiyo's body dragged against the dirt as she yelled, "What's happening?"
Rei, fighting the same unbearable weight, struggled to stay close behind. "These pulses... they're timed like labor contractions. Someone's in immense pain, using their powers to release energy waves that are knocking everyone down within a certain radius."
"It's too much," Takeko whimpered, collapsing to the ground, unable to move further. Blood trickled from her ears, the relentless noise having robbed her of her hearing entirely.
With her ears still ringing, Hoshiyo shouted over the noise, "Hang in there, Takeko. We've got you." Another pulse slammed down on them, forcing Hoshiyo to turn back slowly. She and Rei worked together, carefully lifting Takeko's limp body and carrying her back toward their home, knowing she couldn't continue in her condition.
The pulsating had stopped temporarily by the time they arrived, but the damage was done. The three wolves were exhausted, barely able to limp toward the first gate. Kuzunoha, flanked by the remaining six sisters, rushed out to meet them. Her voice was concerned as she asked, "What's causing this horrific disturbance? The Yokai have suffered terribly from these pulses."
Rei, panting heavily, replied, "We don't know, but Takeko collapsed. We had no choice but to return."
"Let's get her inside, quickly," Kuzunoha ordered.
Hoshiyo carefully hoisted Takeko onto her back and hurried inside. The others stared in shock at the sight of their injured sisters. Whatever entity was causing this destruction on the island was potentially more dangerous than they could handle.