InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Adeste fideles ( Chapter 30 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does.

 

[Inuyoukai]

(Inuhuman)

`Inuyasha'

 

Adeste Fideles

By Licentia poetica

 

Inuyasha stared at Myouga in shock. `I'm fucked! That last voice had to be Sesshoumaru. Inu no Taisho! Shit! I don't want to be in charge of a bunch of asshole InuYoukai!` For one brief moment he had a vision of Sesshoumaru bowing to him and allowed himself to visualize the power that such a position would hold, but shook his head as reality intervened. `Power? Yeah, power, and pain in the ass youkai who would treat me like shit just like they always have. I would never be able to turn my back…they'd kill me at the first chance.'

 

He placed his claws on either side of the flea youkai's distended stomach and held him up to his face. “All right, you little blood sucking bastard! How the hell am I supposed to know what a damn Pack Cry is? Why didn't you ever tell me the fucking rules? I don't want to be Inu no Taisho!”

 

Myouga waved one of his four hands dismissively. “Well, the Pack Cry calls the Inu and the InuYoukai to you, unless there is another Inu no Taisho, of course. So now you have to fight to see who will keep the position!” He beamed beatifically at Inuyasha as the hanyou growled menacingly and continued, “As for the rules, your father trusted me to keep an eye on you and to tell you them if you managed to survive long enough—”

 

“What?” Inuyasha interrupted, his voice a feral snarl. “You mean my old man didn't think I was strong enough to survive?”

 

Myouga crossed his top set of arms, patting the claw pinching his abdomen with his third hand. “That's part of Pack Law, Master Inuyasha. Your father died, so another male Inu no Taisho took his place. Had to fight for it, as a matter of fact! And your brother and you were so immature—grrrk!” His four hands flailed uselessly in the air and his legs jerked as Inuyasha's grip tightened unmercifully. His face turned purple as he choked out, “You were a baby! And survival of the fittest, and all that.” The flea youkai gave a sigh of relief as Inuyasha's grip relaxed. Mopping his face with a tiny handkerchief drawn from an upper pocket, he added, “You were both on your own and if you didn't make it you weren't fit to lead. As it is, it's taken Sesshoumaru until now to establish his claim on the position. He was still young when your father died and he had to try that “Way of Supreme Conquest” thing.” His voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. “Personally I think he just didn't want challenge your father, but he'd kill me if he heard that I'd said that.” Raising his voice again, he continued, “Anyway, he didn't try to establish that he was the alpha yang Inu no Taisho until just recently. Just after the two of you sealed Sou'unga in the underworld, as a matter of fact.”

 

Inuyasha quirked his mouth to one side and raised one eyebrow. “Alpha yang?”

 

“Well…err…you didn't think that he would try for alpha yin? Oh dear, you mean you don't know about her? I don't think she would want me to…oh my. It's not her time but if she found out I…” Myouga began to mumble to himself too quietly for Inuyasha to hear as he mopped his face with the handkerchief.

 

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and growled softly, but as the flea youkai continued to dither one dog, braver than the rest, madly wagged its tail and wriggled closer to Inuyasha while keeping its nose on the ground between its paws. The hanyou absently reached out to it with his free hand while still growling and staring at Myouga, letting it sniff and memorize his scent for a moment before gently scratching it on the neck just below the jaw. The dog rolled on its side, exposing its neck and belly, and let its tongue loll out in absolute ecstasy. “Pack Leader!”

 

Myouga's mumble became just loud enough for Inuyasha to hear. “Yes, Pack Leader. But how can I explain sealing the blood and the constraints, especially since…” Still trapped in Inuyasha's claws, the flea youkai paled as the growl's timbre changed and a transformation occurred in the hanyou's face. `Gods! He looks just like his father!'

 

“Why did this Inuyasha's father seal my blood?” The voice of the youkai was dangerously quiet and the dog cowered away, pressing its body low to the ground and becoming nearly motionless.

 

Myouga gulped as he looked to the side to avoid meeting Inuyasha's narrowed, copper-colored eyes, focusing instead on the youkai markings darkening his otherwise expressionless face. “Aah. Well…you see…”

 

Inuyasha shook the flea youkai, pinching harder with his claws. “Talk, or I'll find a frog demon!”

 

“Urrk! Please, Master Inuyasha!” Myouga flailed his hands again as his vision blurred and Inuyasha's fading youkai marks seem to gyrate in front of his eyes. “I will tell you! I am your humble servant!”

 

Inuyasha stopped shaking the flea and slightly released the pressure of his claws. “You're an asshole, Myouga. You tell me what you want to tell me, then you run.” He narrowed his eyes and brought Myouga closer to his face. “Why did my father seal my youkai blood?”

 

“For the reasons we have already discussed, Master Inuyasha. He knew from your mother that you might be intelligent and strong, but…well, humans are so…so unpredictable!”

 

(Asshole. Get rid of him.)

 

`I need his information.'

 

[Perhaps we could use those that acknowledge us as alpha to extract it.]

 

He eyed the other dogs that had answered the cry. They were on their bellies, heads flat on the ground as they stared up at him, whimpering.

 

[They can tell we are angry and are asking for acceptance.]

 

Grinning evilly at Myouga, he sat down next to the first dog and, holding the little flea just in front of his chest, began thrumming the Pack Call. The dogs immediately jumped up and surrounded him with a whirlwind of wagging tails, licking tongues, and gentle, welcoming nips. The nips were centered on his hands and Myouga began to squeal as two dogs took a great interest in the diminutive youkai's smell, gnawing gently at the fingers holding him captive.

 

“Help! Help! Master Inuyash…aack! Stop it, you mangy beast!” Myouga began kicking wildly as one of the smaller dogs wrapped his tongue around the youkai's body.

 

“Ready to explain a few things?” Inuyasha growled.

 

Myouga's distressed cries increased in volume and at that moment Kagome walked into the clearing. She stopped abruptly and her jaw dropped as she saw the pack of dogs, but Myouga cried out, “Lady Kagome! Help me before he lets them devour me!”

 

Kagome stalked forward with an angry expression on her face. “Inuyasha! What are you doing to him!”

 

`Oh shit.'

 

(Better come up with a good excuse, or she'll `sit' us.)

 

Inuyasha took a breath to answer, but the pack of dogs surrounding him turned as one and growled at her, “Non-pack! Leave our territory!” A few began walking toward her, snarling and raising their hackles, and she stopped abruptly.

 

Inuyasha immediately growled at them in Inu, “Down! She is alpha! She is my mate!” They immediately flattened their bodies to the ground in obeisance to his will and several of the larger dogs crawled to Kagome in apology, tails wagging, heads lowered, and eyes averted. She stared at them, frozen in place, her scent indicating that she didn't quite know how to react, so he reassured her. “It's all right, Kagome. Just let `em sniff you and pet `em. They'll accept you now.”

 

As she bent over to pet the dogs, she gave him a long, appraising look. “You called me. Your cry…I felt it.” She put a hand over her heart.

 

Inuyasha raised one eyebrow. `She felt the call…in her heart?' He ignored the relieved jabbering of Myouga and answered her querying look. “Keh.”

 

Rolling her eyes at his inadequate response, she asked, “What was that call? I felt like I had to come to you…that you wanted me here.” She gestured at the dogs at her feet. “Did you mean to call them, too?”

 

Inuyasha gave a long, drawn out sigh. “No. I'm finding out, now,” and he gave an irritated look at the bedraggled flea demon, “that I just did something called the Pack Cry. It calls my Pack to me.” He grimaced as she looked slightly irritated. `Oh shit, she doesn't like being called Pack.' As she narrowed her eyes and began to open her mouth, he continued quickly, “But I didn't know what it was. And I didn't know what it would do.” He glanced up briefly, noting her mollified expression, and added, “Oh yeah, and I just challenged Sesshoumaru's authority by doing it.”

 

“What?” Kagome gasped.

 

He shook Myouga again and added, “Yeah, it turns out that that call is only used by the Inu no Taisho and my bastard of a brother is not happy about it.” He glared at Myouga, who was weakly trying to laugh as if it was all a big joke. “He's on his way right now, probably to try and bust my ass.”

 

“You're kidding, right?” Kagome gasped. `Sesshoumaru's been angry before, but Inuyasha's never challenged him...he only defends, he doesn't attack!'

 

“Nope. And this little coward won't answer my questions.” He shook Myouga hard and pinched his fat abdomen a bit tighter between his claws.

 

“Master Inuyasha! Please!” the youkai wheezed. “I am only trying to…gaack!” He ceased speaking and began to splutter as the small dog began to lick at him again.

 

Kagome attempted to walk over to them, but the dogs began to beg for her attention and hindered her progress. As one leaped up at her to try and lick her face, she grabbed its paws and shouted, “SI…oops!” She glanced up in apology as Inuyasha tensed. She pushed the dog to one side and tried to move forward again, but another dog leaped up and planted its paws on her shoulders. Trying to keep it from licking her face, she asked plaintively, “How can I get them to stop?”

 

Inuyasha growled in Inu, “Get down! Out of her way, mutts!”

 

The dogs reluctantly moved to the side and she was able to walk over next to him. Giving him a stern glance, she sat down and held out her hand. “Let go of him, Inuyasha.”

 

Inuyasha gave her a disgusted look and growled softly.

 

`He's not angry at me.' She pushed her hand closer toward Myouga. “Please?” She gave Inuyasha her most loving smile and lightly stroked the outside of his hand with the tips of her fingers before cupping her palm again.

 

His eyes softened as he gazed at her and he looked away, his markings darkening a bit on his cheeks. “Keh.” He pushed the small dog away and brought the flustered youkai up so he could stare fiercely at him. “But don't think that I'm through with you, ya' little bug!” He dropped the relieved Myouga into Kagome's waiting palm.

 

She smiled at the old flea sweetly. “Hello, Myouga-jichan!” The smile became somewhat forced as she leaned in toward the flea. “You are going to stay here and help Inuyasha out of this mess, aren't you?”

 

“Well, umm…uhh…” Kagome's smile became all teeth and her aura flared slightly the diminutive youkai cowered down in her hand. “Why yes, Lady Kagome! I'll be delighted to help!”

 

Inuyasha folded his arms. “Keh. Coward. I'll bet you run as soon as you see a wisp of white fur.”

 

The dogs around them suddenly stared off into the forest and Inuyasha tensed. He raised his head and tested the air. `Something is coming, but what is that smell?'

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, glancing from the forest to his face with a worried frown on her face. The dogs gathered around them, but instead of challenging intruders as they would normally do, they quieted and most had their tails between their legs. Some were trembling.

 

“I dunno. I've never smelled…it's like dog, but there's another—” he stood up abruptly, tensing as he recognized the other smell.

 

Five large dogs slowly edged from the trees, stalking the group. They were brindled black and grey, with thick necks, Inuyasha-like ears, and curled tails held like a banner over their strong backs. An obviously pregnant bitch had shockingly bright blue eyes, but the rest were dark-eyed.

 

`They smell feral and angry.' Inuyasha pulled Kagome to her feet, never taking his eyes off the dogs as he spoke to them in Inu. “You are half wolf.” He made sure to step in front of Kagome and the terrified village dogs to indicate who was alpha, just in case they thought of attack.

 

A well built male with a scarred face circled in front of the bitch, shielding her from Inuyasha and staring straight into the hanyou's eyes. The bitch stood stiff-legged and wary while the other three dogs arranged themselves behind her with their ears pricked forward. All five focused their attention on Inuyasha and ceased moving forward, their bodies quivering with suppressed energy.

 

`Shit. They're not even trying to look friendly.' Not a single tail wagged as Inuyasha stared back at the foremost male, growling softly but menacingly.

 

Finally, the bitch broke the silence. “You Called. We answer. We do not wish to. Why do you Call us?”

 

Inuyasha let his growl subside. “I called for Pack.” Glancing down at the terrified animals at his feet, he realized they would be in the way if he had to move fast. “Go to your Loved Ones in the village, but come to protect Kagome if I Call you.” He resumed his glare at the pack of half-breeds as the village dogs raced homewards, tails between their legs. The half-wolves completely ignored the smaller dogs, continuing to focus all their attention on Inuyasha.

 

Kagome started to step forward, but he stopped her with one arm and tucked her behind his back in spite of her resistance. She held onto his arm lightly from behind as he brought it forward again, claws ready to protect her.

 

The male gave him a dog grin, black-spotted tongue lolling out of his mouth.

 

Inuyasha bared his fangs. “You are half wolf. Explain.” He put his youki behind the demand.

 

Their pricked ears flicked as they scented the air in response to his power.

 

The male replied. “Half wolf, half Kai tora-ken, shunned by both. We are Pack. I am alpha. Do you challenge?”

 

The bitch half-snarled, half-whined, “Will you kill my pups?” The male responded by snapping at her and growling, “Silence!”

 

`What the hell?' Inuyasha tested the air and picked up on the nervous scents from the alpha and bitch. `The male is trying to protect his mate and his leadership of the pack, and the female is afraid I'll destroy her unborn pups? Why would she think that?'

 

[Pack Law. You must kill the alpha male or drive him off, and kill the pups when she whelps them to establish your dominance.]

 

(Now you tell us?)

 

[I have only just remembered.] The youkai's voice sounded chagrined.

 

(All right, you've been sealed so that's some excuse for being stupid, but what else is stuck in there that we need to know, baka?)

 

[We are going to have to fight Sesshoumaru. He either has to kill us or drive us off, unless we can convince him that the Cry was not a challenge.]

 

`Shit. At least now I think I know why my old man…damnit.' He switched to human to speak to Myouga, still keeping his eyes fixed on the alpha male. “Oi! Myouga! My old man sealed my youkai blood to conceal me from the new Inu no Taisho, right? So I wouldn't get killed.”

 

Myouga jumped to his shoulder. “Yes, Master Inuyasha. Plus you were a pup and he wouldn't be around to help control the blood until you were old enough to be able to handle it. The seal would have worn off, eventually, but...well, this was the only way he could protect you as a pup.”

 

`That explains it. Pack Law.' He shifted slightly, turning his head toward Myouga while keeping his eyes on the alpha male. “Why couldn't you just tell me?”

 

“Well, aahh…you…for a long time you…” the tiny youkai subsided into a garbled mumble.

 

“Just spit it out!” Inuyasha picked up Myouga without looking and began to pinch.

 

“I didn't know whether you wanted to acknowledge your Inu heritage, Master Inuyasha!” the flea youkai squeaked. “You wanted to use the Shikon no Tama to become a human and you walked around with humans all the time! What was the point back then?”

 

He shook Myouga. “I meant, now. After I used the Pack Cry, why didn't you tell me?”

 

“You are…unpredictable.” Myouga's voice was quiet and his little body quivered with fear.

 

“Baka! I'm not gonna hurt you! Here, Kagome, take him!” He flicked the flea behind him, disgusted, still keeping his eyes on the alpha male. It was beginning to edge forward, fangs bared in challenge. “I have a mate. I do not seek yours,” Inuyasha growled in Inu, baring his own fangs in return. The Kai-wolf's eyes flickered as he glanced briefly at Kagome and immediately returned his fierce gaze to Inuyasha. “I will accept you as Pack, if you accept me as leader and do not harm my Pack.”

 

Five sets of eyes stared implacably at him. The male spoke again, confusion in his stance and voice. “Not Pack Law. You must kill me.”

 

“I am…like you. Half and half. Half human, half youkai. But I am not shunned by both: my Pack is both. I do not wish to kill you or your pups.”

 

“You wish to form a new pack? You will be beta?” The alpha male took a step forward, baring his fangs and raising his hackles, but his slight hesitation revealed his confusion.

 

`What the hell is beta?'

 

[Second. Lower in status. Tell him no.]

 

“No. I will lead you.”

 

“We do not need you. Shiro is alpha,” the bitch growled as she stepped forward next to her mate, her hackles raised in anger.

 

The three other dogs began growling and their bodies tensed in preparation for a fight.

 

`Shit. I don't want to fight them. They're too much like me!'

 

(Speak for yourself.)

 

`No, look at them! They're taking care of themselves, even though they've had it rough.'

 

(Yeah? Then why are the ribs standing out on all of them, including the alpha bitch? The smallest dog is skin and bones!)

 

[As the least of the Pack, she does not have as much access to food. Yet look at how she stares intently at us…a worthy Pack member.]

 

`All of `em are scarred. Must have been in a lot of fights.'

 

(Sure as hell ain't like the village dogs.)

 

[They are more alert and intelligent. They may lack trust, but they will not just accept us without question. Do we not also require proof that a Pack member is worthy of loyalty?]

 

Inuyasha risked a quick glance back at Kagome. `Keh. They're vicious hunters with fierce loyalty to their Pack. I like `em.'

 

[We can let them go, or we can help them.]

 

(They may not leave. We might have to kill them.)

 

`No.' The lesson that Yourei Taisei had taught him earlier resonated in his memory with a fierce intensity. `Hitotsu.' He began the Pack Call, the thrum that would soothe and bond his Pack to him, and addressed the alpha male. “Our Packs will be separate but one. You will be alpha for your pack, beta in mine. I can help you find a lair and I will help you hunt. I can provide food for you and for the pups.”

 

The male hesitated and his tail dropped an inch as the Pack Call calmed him. Inuyasha stared intently into his mistrustful eyes, putting the whole force of his youki behind the Call.

 

Kagome stirred against his back and whispered, “What's going on, Inuyasha? Can I help?”

 

Still staring at the male, he answered, “No. Gimme a minute, Kagome. If you move, they might attack you and there are five of them. They're trying to decide if I'm worthy or not.”

 

“What?”

 

“Shh! Be quiet!” Kagome went completely still behind him. `Oh, shit, she's pissed off.'

 

[But you have stopped the Pack Call to answer her and the male's hackles have risen again. She is like the pregnant bitch and does not know when to keep quiet.]

 

He began the Pack Call again.

 

The male alpha regarded the strange not-human, not-dog and repressed a confused whine. `My Pack is hungry, my pups are due soon, and a wolf pack drove us from our lair with the help of three not-wolves. This strange Inu-human does not want to kill me or my pups and his Cry and Call are powerful. His scent is true…it is tempting to join him.' He growled fiercely for a moment and scented carefully as the Inu-human both refused to back down and simultaneously tensed to defend the not-human behind him.

 

Inuyasha shifted his weight slightly forward. `Shit. We may have to kill them.'

 

Just as Inuyasha finished that thought the alpha male looked back to his mate, breaking eye contact with Inuyasha for the first time. “Mate?” he growled.

 

Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up as she walked forward to him, her gait stiff legged and cautious. She leaped away awkwardly as he extended his hand, clumsy with her heavy belly, and her mate growled a rude epithet at him. “Oh hell, no. I don't even let my bastard brother call me little,” he growled back, fading his continued snarl into the Pack Call as the male subsided.

 

Both alphas eyed him, cautiously sniffing at his proffered hand while they nervously glanced up into his face.

 

“It is strange. It is not Pack Law,” the male growled cautiously.

 

[He is uneasy.]

 

(And we're not?)

 

[I am not. We are alpha.]

 

“Pack Brother.” The other male of the pack spoke and both alpha's ears twitched backwards. “Game is scarce with four hunters and the wolf pack stalking us.”

 

(Wolf pack? Fucking Kouga.)

 

The bitch turned her head to look at the other male. “I am heavy with pups!” she snarled.

 

The alpha male gently grabbed her lower jaw with his mouth, keeping his eyes on Inuyasha the entire time as he growled soothingly. As she stopped snarling and lowered her head, he nuzzled her jaw before placing his muzzle on top of hers. The bitch sighed and shut her eyes blissfully for a moment.

 

Inuyasha continued the Pack Call, wondering if Kagome was able to see this evidence of dominance. `I hope she can't. There might be questions.'

 

(Nah. Humans just think that stuff is cute.)

 

The alpha male continued to stare at Inuyasha, his fanged mouth inches away from claws that had ripped apart much larger youkai in the past. Inuyasha flexed his fingers experimentally and the dog eyed them warily but did not back away.

 

(He's got courage.)

 

A second female spoke up. “Pack Law.” Her sarcastic tone somehow reminded Inuyasha of Miroku at his worst teasing moments. He glanced up and saw that her mouth was open and panting with a dog's equivalent of a laugh.

 

The alpha snorted, lifting his chin from the bitch. “Quiet!” he barked.

 

Inuyasha could tell from his tone that the second female was trouble. `I'll find out later.' He continued to thrum the Pack Call, staring into the male's eyes.

 

The alpha bitch sighed and stared up at him for a long moment. She quietly touched the male's nose with her own, and as he looked back at her she pushed his jaw sideways, growling gently. The male placed his muzzle over the female again, caressing the top of her nose with his jaw. “You are still my alpha,” she whined softly to her mate.

 

Tension seemed to drain out of the male's body. “Leader,” he acknowledged, giving a small lick to Inuyasha's hand.

 

Inuyasha gave a mental sigh that was a mixture of relief and irritation. `These dogs could have been dangerous and I would have killed them without hesitation to protect Kagome, but it's my fault that they're here.'

 

[Now they are Pack.]

 

(And another fucking responsibility.)

 

Unaware of his new leader's inner debate, the alpha male continued, “I am Shiro y Kiba. My bitch is Aoi.” The other three dogs walked up, heads down submissively and their tails waving slightly, and Shiro y Kiba indicated the other male in the pack. “Beta brother Bandit.”

 

Bandit was larger than Shiro y Kiba, but the enthusiastic nuzzle he gave Inuyasha's hand proved that his personality was more relaxed. “Leader.” He acknowledged before moving to allow the other female who had spoken access to Inuyasha's hand.

 

“Jinx. Beta sister,” Shiro y Kiba announced in a mildly irritated tone.

 

She was lighter in color than the others, brindled grey with dark yellow eyes. After sniffing Inuyasha's hand she mischievously nipped him before acknowledging, “Leader.” She sat in front of him, blocking the other's access and laughing until he growled slightly. Turning her eyes away to indicate her subservience, she negated some of it by giving a fang-revealing, slow, insolent yawn.

 

Shiro y Kiba growled and shoved her roughly to the side to allow the smallest dog access to Inuyasha. “Runt.”

 

She kept her eyes on the ground, placing her entire head under Inuyasha's hand, totally submissive to his touch. “Leader.” Her voice was quiet, almost frightened, and he scratched behind her ears for a moment to ease her tension.

 

“Pack brothers, Pack sisters, I am Inuyasha and this is my mate,” he addressed them in Inu before switching back to speaking human language, “Kagome.” She peered around his arm as he spoke her name and looked up at him questioningly. “Kagome? I hope you like dogs—”

 

She interrupted him with a stifled giggle. “What do you think?”

 

He looked back at her and she smiled up at him, shaking her head as she tentatively reached toward his ear. He grabbed her hand before she could touch it and drew her forward, pointing out each of the dogs as he introduced them. “The lead male is Shiro y Kiba, the bitch is Aoi, that's Bandit, Jinx, and Runt.”

 

Kagome stepped around him and extended her hands. Each of the dogs solemnly greeted her, but Aoi waited until the last and seemed particularly interested.

 

“Does she challenge?” the bitch asked curiously.

 

“No!” Inuyasha growled at her. “You are alpha female for your pack. She is my mate.”

 

The bitch forcefully stuck her nose in Kagome's most private area. Kagome yelped in surprise, pushing the dog away and blushing.

 

Aoi yipped in amusement. “Mate? Not yet. Better hurry, Pack Leader. Others can smell.” Aoi cocked her head at Inuyasha and gave him a dog grin.

 

Inuyasha blushed but the tension in the air evaporated. The three other Kai-wolves relaxed and circled in place to lie down, but Aoi panted and remained standing, obviously uncomfortable in her advanced pregnancy.

 

Kagome reached out to Aoi. “The poor thing. She looks so tired.” She gently touched Aoi on the head, waiting for the dog to adjust to her hand before gently scratching behind her ears. Aoi visibly relaxed, enjoying the attention, and the other three walked up to Kagome to be scratched as well.

 

“Well, it's lucky I like dogs!” Kagome laughed, fending off Runt's tongue as the smallest Kai-wolf licked at her face.

 

Shiro stayed by Inuyasha, head up and ears on point, alert and wary. “Pack Leader. Something comes.”

 

Bandit left the group around Kagome and joined his brother. Together the three males stood facing the forest, sniffing the air.

 

`Well, shit. That's a familiar scent and a familiar youki and he's fucking pissed.'

 

The youki began to be oppressive and Inuyasha answered Kagome's unspoken question as she looked up at him, concern evident in her facial expression.

 

“Sesshoumaru.”

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translation:

Adeste Fideles. Latin: Be present, faithful ones.

 

The Kai tora-ken is a breed of dog native to Japan. Bred in the Kai district, they are fiercely courageous, with a strong inclination to form packs. They have a wild, untamed temperament but are very loyal to their master, tending to be a “one-man” dog. Tora means tiger in Japanese, ken is another word for dog. These are hunting dogs, used to kill wild boar and deer.

 

Japanese:

Hitotsu: one

Shiro y Kiba: White Fang (I couldn't resist…)

Aoi: blue or hollyhock