Tekki was on his way to the Village to accompany his mate back home; Kenru had gone to visit her parents, taking their son with her. Although it was much safer to stick to the road, he preferred traveling across country. The forest was so beautiful and he enjoyed its peaceful feeling!

Night fell and instead of making camp, he decided to continue straight through to the Village. If he didn't stop, he would arrive in time for breakfast! Besides he could see easily in the dark. The pupils in his green eyes expanded, allowing as much light as possible in; the trees became clearly outlined and the dark spaces between them lightened.

Every so often, the trees would thin out and he could see the stars twinkling above. The night was alive with sounds and smells. He sometimes missed the wildness of his youth, not that he would trade his life for anything! Tekki loved his mate and his son with all his heart. They had literally saved his life and he would never forget that.

Three quarters of the night passed, and Tekki kept his pace even, unhurried, steadily eating the miles. Things began to move around him, careful to stay out of sight, and their scent was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. He sniffed the air, trying to identify them. His keen ears picked up their soft footsteps. They were on both sides of him now, keeping pace with him. He picked up his step, and they followed suit. Who were they?

Just ahead of him was a small clearing and he hurried toward it; better to fight out in the open if need be. He got to the clearing without incident and stood in the center, trying to see his hidden stalkers. A glimpse of gleaming eyes appeared for a second, and then vanished. Then another set of eyes stared out of the black forest, and still another. They had surrounded him. A low growl began deep in his throat and he crouched, ready to spring.

Out from the shadows, a pure white wolf appeared. And then a dozen came out of the trees until they had him surrounded. These were not Kouga's wolves -- they didn't smell right! Now he understood the scent -- familiar because they were wolves, yet unfamiliar because they were not Kouga's clan. They were much larger, and somehow seemed wilder.

He could not let them pass; as a Protector he had a duty to investigate, but he did not see a Wolf Demon with them, and he could not talk to wolves. He was not sure how to proceed. "Do you understand me?" He called, and then realized that even if they did, they would not be able to answer him. "Use your brain!" he muttered to himself.

"I understand you."

The voice startled him and he whirled towards the voice. Where the white wolf had been standing only moments ago stood a young man. There was no sign of the wolf. "I mean you no harm, but you are in Otherworld and I must…"

"You mean us no harm?" The young man growled, his voice low and hard.  "You are one of our enemies!"

"How can I be your enemy? I don't even know who you are." Tekki protested.

"You smell like them! Your stink is almost the same!" The wolves began to advance from all sides, growling, their eyes red and their fangs glinting in the moonlight.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Can't we discuss this peacefully?"

In answer, the young man instantly transformed into a white wolf and attacked.  The others wolves followed suit, advancing as one on the lone Bobcat.

Bitter memories flooded Tekki's mind, of being captured by that evil, perverse mage Jodah, then sold at auction like an animal, with his powers sapped by Jodah's magic, and then raped and tortured by the vile human who bought him.  Kouga and Aniki had also been captured, although Aniki was rescued by Hiei before anything happened to him.  And although Kouga's owner used him, he did not torture him.  Only Tekki was brutalized over and over.  And then Hiei killed Jodah, giving the Bobcat no chance for revenge or for any type of closure.  Even after all these years, the pain was raw. 

Demon markings as red as blood appeared on his face. He sprang for the white leader, evaded the fangs and sunk his claws deep, tearing through fur and muscle, and then sliced downward, effectively disemboweling the wolf.

The wolves hesitated and then melted into the forest, gone in mere seconds.

Tekki stood there watching them, still growling, and turned to the boy. He was so young! Just a teenager! His demon markings disappeared as his berserker rage cooled and he knelt down next to the boy.

"I'm sorry; I thought you were a Cat." The boy whispered. "I didn't know the Bobcats were here in Otherworld."

"I am the only one. My name is Tekki." He took off his outer jacket and tore it into long strips, and then bound the boy's wounds. "The rest of my clan is in Suzaku with their Lord, my father, Tekken. He is the Protector of Suzaku now."

"This is very bad!" Kaede exclaimed when she removed the cloth. "Who did this to him?"

"I did." Tekki admitted sadly.

The healer looked at the Bobcat, but made no comment, instead she made a request. "Please find Hiten and ask him to come to my house.  He will have to take this boy to Kaiba.  His wounds are beyond my skill to repair."  

Tekken watched Hiten fly off and now stood there debating whether he should check in with Kenru or find Kouga instead.

Tekki quickly told Kouga of last night's events.

"Was there a gray wolf with a white cross marking on his chest?"

"I did not see that one. Why do you ask?" Tekki answered.

"This wolf pack attacked Kome last night, thinking it was me. They told him that they want to kill me and take the wolves back to Demon World. They are Demon Wolves."

"That explains much. Only some of the older and undiluted races can still change forms nowadays. The Unicorns and the Great Dragons are the oldest and purest. The Demon Hawks and Bears can transform into a human form, and so can the Moth clan, although they tend to keep the garish colors of their wings as clothes in the human one.  The older Dog Demons, of course, like Sesshomaru.  I didn't know the wolves could change."

"We have been estranged for so long that I didn't know any of the older clans still lived. They used to live the mountains of the Eastern Lands, bordering Raizen's lands." Kouga explained. "Your clan would have rarely encountered them. As to why they are here in Otherworld, I think that they might be at war with some other clan."

"What the young one said last night confirms that. He thought I was part of the Cat Clan."

"Why don't the wolves just ask for our help instead of trying to take your wolves?"

"They are both under Mukuro's rule. Otherworld could not interfere in a fight between two clans of the Eastern Lands of Demon World."

"I need to go to the Castle and let them know what happened.  Kurama might be able to contact Raizen and see if he knows anything about this war.  I will gather my family and leave as soon as possible." Tekki said.

"Good idea!  And I will send out my patrols to the area of last night's fight and see if they can pick up a trail that will lead them to this Demon Wolf pack."