Karmic Undoing

The Karmic Pack didn’t always exist. No, it was created by the large she-wolf, Rin. Rin hadn’t always wanted to make a pack of her own. No. She was quite comfortable in her old pack with her siblings and parents. She knew everyone and she felt safe and at home. She never worried about where she belonged because to her knowledge, the Golden Crest Pack was where she was staying. However, that all changed on one gruesome day. 

Rin had woken up on what she now calls the “Red Wedding”. It was a normal day to her, nothing seemed out of character. It was actually her wedding day, she would be mated with the King of the Dagger’s Edge Pack. The large, all black she-wolf huffed out. She wasn’t entirely sure she was ready or prepared for what was about to happen, but she knew her duties as the eldest daughter, the heir. She was doing this for the safety of  her family, of her pack. Stretching, she lowered her belly to the ground and her butt to the air.

Walking outside, she sniffed the air and looked around. Everything was quiet, too quiet. She pinned her ear and walked down the side of the cliff where her cave was. She caught the scent of blood and her packmates and her heart dropped into her stomach. She whirled around to her right and began sprinting as fast as she could in the direction. Nothing was going to prepare her for what she saw. The Dagger’s Edge Pack was in an all out brawl with Rin’s Pack, and it wasn’t looking good.

Before Rin could jump into the frey her mum had noticed her and growled out to her.

“Run Rin.” Her mum’s eyes basically pleaded and begged Rin to run, but Rin couldn’t run. She couldn’t leave her family behind. What kind of heir would that make her? But before Rin could make it to her mum, siblings, or father, her “soon to be” mate walked out into the clearing. He lowered his head and flattened his ears and raised his tail. His hackles were already raised and his gums drew back in a vicious snarl as his bloody saliva dripped to the ground.

“You thought I would actually go through with this peace treaty? You thought I would actually give my life away and be with you for the rest of my life? No. I’m taking over your lands and erasing the proof that you and your pack existed.” Rin’s heart dropped when she heard Kurai say this. In response however, Rin flattened her own ears, snarling viciously and snapping her jaws at him. She didn’t have anything to say, shit, she didn’t know what to say? There was nothing left to say in all reality. 

Kurai laughed hollowly as his dark black eyes bore into Rin’s dull olive green eyes. He slowly made his way over to Rin’s mum who was gasping for air. It seemed as though her ribs were broken and had pierced a lung. Kurai quickly put his jaw around her throat and ripped it out, leaving Rin’s mother a bloody mess. Rin’s entire world just dropped, time slowed down to be non-existent. Her eyes followed as Kurai went around to each of her siblings and did the same thing. He then looked at Rin in the eyes before disappearing into the woods and reappearing not a moment later. 

Kurai had dragged out Rin’s beheaded father and dropped him at her paws, laughing maliciously afterwards. Rin’s breathing became ragged and hollow as she could hear her heart beating in her ears. Her blood was rushing and her mind was going 100 miles a second. Shakily, Rin looked around at each of the dead wolves before her. The puppies and pupsitters were long slaughtered. If the hunters weren’t dead, they either caught scent of what happened and disappeared, or they’re just. Dead. The herbalist was dead next to her mother, they were best friends.

Everyone was dead. Rin noticed her position, she was surrounded. She let out a long sigh and met Kurai’s eyes. 

“I will be coming back for you.” Rin then rushed Kurai, snapping at him. This only made him jump out of the way in shock. Rin ran past him and barreled through two smaller wolves trying to stop her. She wanted to fight, she wanted to make him bleed. But his entire pack against her? She could take a couple down but not all. She heard them chasing her, the two wolves she barreled through, right on her heels.

“Leave her. She won’t make it on her own without a pack. A lone wolf is a dead wolf.” The words burned into the back of her mind as she heard Kurai’s voice rang out. Of course he didn’t expect much from her, he never did. Rin raced and raced and raced, until she found a vast, large forest. This forest, which is known as the Deciduous Forest, unbeknownst to Rin, would become her new home. This would be the creation of the Karmic Undoing Pack. This is the beginning of Rin’s revenge story.

~~

Ragged, heavy, uneven breaths filled the quiet, damp air under the eerie shine of the moon. Rin had just witnessed her entire pack get murdered, everyone she’s ever loved is now gone. Slowing down to a stop, Rin allowed her racing heart to calm down, her adrenaline coursed through her body like the vicious rapids. Exhaling shaky breaths, her ankles seemed to shake with every exhale. Her legs were numb, her body ached, her lungs burned… Rin had run her body to the point of exhaustion.

She slowly looked up, her ears tilted to the side as she kept a note of her surroundings. She was surrounded by a dense forest and it just occurred to her that it was drizzling. Shaking out her coat she slowly looked around and sniffed the air. 

“Hm. No one? In a dense forest that’s striving? That’s odd.” She found she was finally able to move her legs again. She began to pad forward, her paws sinking ever so slightly into the damp dirt beneath her. Observing her surroundings she noticed many tracks of different animals, however she didn’t see any wolf tracks. How odd, she thought. Sniffing the air once more she smelled the faintest scent of a carcass. Heading over in that direction, she arrived several minutes later. Rin happened upon a deceased elk bull who seemed to die of natural causes. Other than a couple scavengers, no one seemed to have touched the carcass. Padding over to a large fallen down tree she swiftly dug a hole that went under the log. Once it was to a size of her liking, she drug the carcass against the log and began to eat her full. Once finished, she crawled into the hole and curled up into a ball and fell asleep. For the very first time of her life, Rin was truly alone.

It had been a couple days since the… event. Rin had spent her days scouting and exploring the forest. Where she was located, was near a stream that led to a nearby freshwater lake. There was a lot of life, which meant plenty of food. There was also a lot of cover from the elements. Rin found a nearby mountain that had a cave with a bunch of tunnels that connected with dead ends. It was truly a perfect place to raise a pack. The thought saddened Rin however, it made her think about that day. She has been struggling with nightmares ever since that day, she never got a decent night’s sleep.

Foreign Wolf.

The scent pulled her from her memories and sent off all of her “alarms”. Her head snapped up and her eyes immediately locked onto the direction that the scent came from. It was close, and from the scent she could tell it was a male. Great. Her hackles raised instinctively and she silently padded towards the scent. The large all black she-wolf appeared like she wouldn’t excel in stealth.

However.

Rin seemed to defy odds, she made sure to avoid sticks and anything that would make a noise of her approach. Soon enough she was near the male and her olive eyes glared daggers at him through the leaves of the bushes and shrubs that covered her body. Even though Rin knew she didn’t mask her scent before heading over, there was still a danger in not being able to see your potential opponent. This male was large, and Rin was in no way small, so that made this male large. She pinned her ears further and let out a slow breath to calm her nerves. Closing her eyes, she took a moment before opening them once more.

The she-wolf walked out, confronting the strange male wolf. He didn’t have the appearance of any wolf she has ever seen. He was a dusty light grey colour with green and blue? Yes, blue markings. And paws? Blue paws and markings?

Wow. Rin was breathless.

 His eyes also made him appear as though he were blind. He was adorned with several bone piercings in his ears and along his muzzle. He also had fang bracelets, fang back adornments, and fang tail adornments. To top it all off, he also had a bear pelt cape on him and black wrappings around his legs. He was also covered in scars, this wolf was not one to be crossed.

The large male looked down at her and cocked his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. He didn’t express any aggression and appeared more curious and intrigued than anything. He circled the on edge she-wolf, scanning her up and down. He did this for a minute or two before stopping in front of her again.

“You’re not from here, are you?” Rin was quite taken aback from this question. He could tell instantly? Of course he could, that seemed like a dumb question. Her scent is unique to her wolf, no one else would have it. Of course he could tell she’s new. She looked up at him warily and took a step back to create more distance.

“No I’m not. I’m from the swamp.” She spoke slowly, carefully. She wasn’t sure what this male wanted. He seemingly sought her out, he wasn’t here when she arrived and it definitely didn’t seem like he was here before. There was not only no trace of his scent, but there were no traces of any wolf scents. She made sure she wasn’t trespassing when she was scouting out, there were no markers of any kind.

“Well, you definitely smell like you’re from the swamp,” the large male jokes. He even chuckled at his own joke. Rin was baffled, what the hell was going on? Was that supposed to be an insult?

“Ah, sorry. My name is Visente. I reside in this forest and I often pick up on new wolves. I don’t have any malicious intentions, I just wish to know who you are and why you’re coming into my forest.” Rin nodded slowly and sighed softly. Sitting down she indicated for him to do the same, which he did.

Upon explaining her past, Visente seemed to gain a solemn look. His eyes however, never left Rin. She had his undivided attention throughout the entire explanation. Standing up the male looked down at her.

“I see, that is truly most unfortunate. Make a pack with me.”

Rin was completely taken aback by Visente’s words. Her eyes searched his face for any hidden motive, any malicious intentions, anything that seemed off.

There was nothing.

“I- That’s a big decision and you don’t even know me. I don’t even know you!” Rin’s eyes were wide as she stammered and exclaimed to Visente. The large male chuckled and shook his head.

“I’m also a lone wolf. I also am the Harbinger of Revenge. It’s also extremely dangerous to be in these woods alone. Lone wolves don’t often survive the threats that aren’t immediately exposed. These woods aren’t just perfect living conditions for wolves you know.” He looked down at Rin, a knowing light shimmering in them.

“Besides, I think you could use the company.” Rin huffed out and sheepishly looked away from Visente. Embarrassed only slightly.

“My name is Rin,” she muttered out softly. She didn’t want to swallow her pride and verbally admit he was right but… She knew she wouldn’t survive too long on her own. Not with winter fast approaching. Hunting would become harder and more scarce. She would need to rely on Visente to help her. Plus he seemed to be capable enough, considering his attire and his scar littered body.

“Perfect, then it’s settled, Queen Rin,” he spoke authoritatively. She looked over at him in shock when he said her title, only to be further shocked. The large wolf was bowing before her, his muzzle touching the dirt. Rin was receiving the bow of utmost respect amongst wolves. A respect she’s never received in her life. Rin was not only awestruck, but also speechless. Her tail fell between her legs as she stared at him in bewilderment.

“Come now, we have much to work on.” With that, he began to pad deeper into the forest, presumably to hunt. However, something he had said was nagging on Rin. He didn’t leave room in the conversation for her to ask it though.

What did he mean by, he’s the Harbinger of Revenge?

“I have only been in this lifetime for about two and a half years now. You're not the first wolf I've helped in my current lifetime, nor will you be my last. I have been doing this for several millennia and I'll continue to do so until I no longer exist." That was a lot for Rin to take in. Several millennia? She’s not the first wolf to receive help, what does he even mean by help? This didn’t make any sense to her.

“How old are you?” She supposed he said he was around for several millennia but never went into depth how old he actually is. 

“That’s your first question,” he asked as he chuckled. He shook his head, as if to dismiss his laughter.

“I have been around for about 200,000 years,” Visente responded very matter-of-factly. Rin blinked and just stared at him for a few moments. 200,000 years? He’s been around for that long?

“200,000 years you’ve been reincarnating and dying,” Rin asked in horror. That meant that Visente has seen everyone he’s ever cared about die. Instead of Visente responding, he just let out a soft sigh and nodded.

“Are you the only Harbinger of Revenge?”

“What do you mean am I the only one? There is no other Harbinger of Revenge that exists at the same time as me, as I am the only one to exist.” Rin let out a low rumble that expressed she was thinking. She supposed she hadn’t worded her question properly.

“Well, I guess I meant to ask, did any Harbinger of Revenge exist before you? Or has it only ever been you?”

“Hm. I have vague memories of the prior Harbinger. They weren’t able to speak, let alone make a physical form. They weren’t nearly as powerful as I am, which explains why the link to my past self is so weak. But I do know that they existed at the beginning of wolf kind, which was about two million years ago. There’s a good chance that they were around long before then as well. I am the first Harbinger of Revenge to maintain a physical form and be able to speak and make connections outside of my Summoner. The old me, per se, was born into a very peaceful era it seems, whereas I was born into an era of war and bloodlust. The difference in time periods explains the extreme power difference as well.”

“Yeah, that would make sense if I’m being honest. Even being new to all of this, it’s starting to make sense. When you said you’re here to help me, what exactly does that entail?” Rin tilted her head slightly as she watched Visente’s movements, a curious glint in her eyes.

“I’m glad you’re able to follow along, I know that this is confusing and unnerving. Now like I said, I have a purpose in life to enact revenge. So in terms of helping you, I’m aiding in the growth of your pack along with eventually targeting the Dagger’s Edge Pack. I don’t have an ulterior motive, this is the reasoning behind my existence.”

“Making a pack with me? That seems odd, almost? How does that come into play with my revenge? It doesn’t make any sense.” Rin’s eyes were narrowed whilst she was talking. Her look of curiosity twisted into confusion.

“Well, you shouldn’t have to ask me that, Rin. Why do you want revenge Rin? Why do you want Kurai to die so badly?” Visente’s tone seemed to turn serious as his gaze bore into Rin’s. A soft whine came from Rin before she shied away from his stare, sadness swallowing her once vibrant olive eyes. She knew the answer, of course she knew the answer. He was right. She didn’t have to ask him that. Kurai erased her pack from existence. 

“You’re right, I understand,” she continued. Though, she paused for a second, picking her head up. The sadness in her eyes seemed to vanish and was washed over by curiosity once again. Her ears perked forward and she looked at Visente.

“Have you ever made a pack with any other wolf or wolves?” Visente cocked his head, his eyes shifting to the right slightly. It looked as though he was trying to call distant memories.

“I suppose not. You are the first wolf I’ve asked to make a pack with.”

“How come-” Rin started before Visente rolled his eyes and interrupted her.

“Not every wolf’s revenge story is the same. It just so happens to be that you’re the first wolf who’s path to revenge includes me aiding in forming a pack with you. I wouldn’t say it’s peculiar or odd, if that’s something you might be thinking. It’s not a bad thing at all, it’s quite refreshing really. But this does mean that enacting your revenge will take a bit more time. Your pack comes first, but I doubt I have to tell you that. I know you’re going to be more loved by your pack than Nikushimi was before he turned to tyranny.”

Rin looked away from Visente’s last sentence. She knew the stories of King Nikushimi. He was heavily loved by his pack members and extremely well revered by other wolf packs that weren’t of his nation. Even the lone wolves dared to not mess with Nikushimi, he was an honourable wolf and leader. The compliment Visente gave her was one of utmost respect. Shaking it off, she looked up at Visente sheepishly.

“Does this mean we’ll have pups together?” This question made Visente make a noise similar to a snort, followed by a chuckle. 

“No. I am a deity and it isn’t recommended that deities mate with natural beings on this plane of reality. It puts an extreme toll on the female’s body, often killing her. It’s also never guaranteed that the pup would even survive to adulthood. That includes deities that mate with other deities. Deities can also only have one pup and if a pup does get conceived from deity and natural, it’ll most likely be born with a mutation. Often lethal. However, we can have mates and pups if we desire to do so. There’s just a lot of risks that come from mating, so we just stick to having mates and letting new deities be born from the belief system.” Rin let out a breath of relief and her whole composure switched, almost immediately, from on edge to relaxed.

“Okay, I was worried for a second. I’m not ready for pups, not until I get my revenge, and even then I don’t know if I even want a mate, let alone pups.” She heard Visente chuckle as he looked at her as if she were a clown. She pinned her ears and shifted away from him, letting out a low growl. She looked away from his eyes in embarrassment.

“It’s not funny you know,” she muttered sheepishly.

“I wasn’t laughing at you, Rin. I was laughing because I just got rejected by a natural without even asking for anything. I had no intention of asking you to have pups with me. After all, your health and desires come far before mine. I’m here to aid and serve you. Not control and demand things of you.” Visente’s eyes grew soft, as did his tone. His tone was also stern, it was as though he wanted to emphasize that he meant every word. Rin looked back at him with soft eyes, losing the low growl and slight snarl on her face. 

“I apologize for upsetting you, Queen Rin.” After he said that, Visente went to bow in front of Rin. Rin rolled her eyes before scoffing. She batted his muzzle, only slightly roughly, to make him stop where he was.

“No no. Stop that, it’s embarrassing, you know.” She rolled her eyes again and Visente seemed to raise an eyebrow. 

“Where I’m from, Rin. Formalities are of utmost respect amongst us. I was under the assumption it was only proper to translate that to you. You are the leader of this pack after all.” Visente cocked his head slightly, gaining a more confused look. Rin grinned a toothy grin at him and chuckled softly.

“I am not from where you are from, Visente. Formalities might mean a lot to you, but I just want a family to protect and call my own. I don’t care for formalities, I apologize if this seems disrespectful.” She was now standing, looking down at Visente who had sat down after getting his muzzle bapped. Visente straightened his head and stood up as well, now looking down on Rin.

“I understand now. If that is what you want, that is what I will do. However, I must admit it makes me uncomfortable and there’s a good chance I will call you by your formal title.” Rin chuckled again and shook her head, as if to say it were fine. Rin watched as Visente stiffened and shifted to walk outside. He walked into the sunlight and looked to his right and then looked to his left.

“Rin. There are two wolves here, coming from polar opposite directions. It appears that your pack is already going to grow. You go to the right, you should be able to pick up on the scent. I’ll be following the one on the left.” She watched as Visente jumped down the cliff edge and made his way into the forest. Before long he disappeared into the brush and was gone from her sight.

“Bastard leaves before I can say anything and has the audacity to call me Queen,” she grumbled before pettily kicking a nearby stone off the edge of the cliff. Unlike Visente, Rin walked down the side of the save down a naturally made path on the side of the cave. She wouldn’t survive the drop without spraining one of her ankles at the least. She regained her confident composure and walked in the direction Visente signaled. Before long, she too disappeared in the brush.

~~

Wake up.

That was all the overly large male heard from the darkness of unconsciousness.

Wake up!

This time it was a snarl that made the large wolf jolt up. Who was he? What is this? Who was that? Where is he?

Your name is Visente. You are the reincarnated Harbinger of Revenge.

There it was again, the seemingly monotone voice. Could it read his thoughts? Did it know who he was? Everything was dark, black.

Your purpose is to guide those on their journey of revenge. You are here to harbor their malicious desires and ensure they get enacted. You are here to fuel the anger and agony of others around you. You will spread like a plague, you'll be pestilence.

Pestilence? Purpose? Harbinger of Revenge? Visente found himself unable to comprehend everything, it was all happening so suddenly. There was nothing and now he was... something? Yeah, he supposed that was the best way to put it.

You have yet to awaken.

Awaken?

Awaken!

This snarl was unlike the last. It was groggily, almost like the creature was choking on their own blood. It sounded so sickly it made Visente almost fearful. However, before he had much time to react, let alone feel anything, the memories of his past self rushed into his mind.

Bloodshed, so much bloodshed. The first time he was born, it was due to the pure hatred of the wolf kind. The first ever King of all the Wolves, Nikushimi, lost his pair bonded mate and pups due to his brother, Aku. Visente's purpose came to light and he was born. On that day, Visente slaughtered Aku along with his followers. The once fair and peaceful king fell and turned to the most malicious tyrant any wolf had ever seen. Visente was bound to Nikushimi and was not allowed to leave his side until the day he died. Visente was led by pure hatred and was created as a puppet for Nikushimi. 

Wake up Visente!

Visente suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for air. Every breath was a dry and hollow wheeze as his eyes frantically looked all around. He jumped up as he scanned his surroundings, still struggling to breathe. However, then it hit him.

"I've been reincarnated."

Visente caught the scent of a new she wolf which snapped him out of his thoughts. His eyes narrowed and he cocked his head. Her scent. She sighed softly before looking up. The forest was flourishing, filled with healthy greens and plenty of forest life. It wasn’t dying at all and there were numerous lakes and streams within the vast area that were all pure and clean. It truly was a safe haven. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its dangers either. Afterall, Visente is one.

“All right, new one, I can sense your pain and anguish. I hear your calls, I am yours to command as I guide you down your path of vengeance.”

He began to pad towards the scent, his movements silent. His adornments shone under the sunlight that patchily came through the treetops. He eventually happened upon an all black female through several layers of brush. He came out of the forest into a clearing and stood tall. His ears were perked forward and his tail fell between his legs in a relaxed stance. His eyes held a knowing glint in them. A few moments later the all black female came into the clearing from her crouched position in the brush.

~~

"Come now, we have much to work on." With that, he began to pad deeper into the forest, the scent of a fresh elk herd filling his nose. He didn’t need to check to see if Rin was following. He couldn’t hear her, though he could feel her eyes burning into his back. He knew she had questions, and a lot of them. But he needed to ensure they had food before anything else. Survival is more important than answering questions that he’s been asked over and over again. It was tiring, but essential. He understood that much.

The large male stopped abruptly and crouched down. Even from the brush Visente’s large frame was hidden. Even though Visente’s height reached to about the shoulder on a bull, it has never faltered his stealth. He has always managed to get the kill on whatever prey he was stalking. Without a sound, he lunged forward, Rin following closely after him. They raced after the bull elk in the group, Rin lashed at its heels, attempting to tear apart the tendons without getting caught. Visente went after the throat, ripping away at skin and flesh in attempts to pull the elk down onto his knees. 

Rin managed to rip out the tendons in the back two legs of the elk, causing him to falter. When this happened, Visente sunk his teeth into the elk’s neck and then ripped it out. Visente watched the light drain from his eyes before looking over at Rin who was coming over to his side. She wasn’t panting, it didn’t even seem like this fight caused her to break a sweat. Visente was slowly noticing  she was built very similarly to him, which was odd. She wasn’t a deity or a descendant of any deity, she’s just a normal wolf. It didn’t make sense though. No normal wolf is a foot taller than the average and is capable to not only be stealthy, but also be competent enough to maintain the longevity of a hunt.

Hmm, how peculiar. 

That didn’t matter right now however. 

“Come, let’s drag this back to the area you had built your den. That’s a really good area for raising a pack in these areas. There are several water sources nearby, and with water comes wildlife. This area in particular has an over abundance of elk and deer herds,” Visente spoke with confidence and authority. Rin just nodded and grabbed a hold of one of the elk’s legs, Visente did the same. The two large wolves managed to drag the elk back with relative ease. Visente informed Rin that the cave would be the best place for the food, for right now at least. It remained away from other wildlife.

“All right. I know you have some questions but,” Visente began to speak before stretching out and then lying down on a nest of several leaves.

“I have some things I have to tell you first. Chances are I’ll answer a lot of your questions before you ask them. Now lay down and relax. This may take awhile.” Rin narrowed her eyes in speculation and cocked her head slightly. After a few moments of her just receiving a blank stare from Visente, she let out a defeated huff and laid down.

“My name is Visente, I am the Harbinger of Revenge. I was created from the pain and agony of Nikushimi; the first original King of Wolves. His pair-bonded mate and his four newborn pups were slaughtered by his brother Aku. It’s believed that Aku did it because he was spiteful. But no one knows for sure. Since this was such a devastating loss for a pack to experience, all the pain and agony from every single wolf, combined with the tremendous amount of pain and agony from Nikushimi, triggered my birth.” He paused, looking at Rin to ensure she was following along. However, like he had given her, Visente was currently receiving Rin’s undivided attention. 

So he continued.

“Upon my arrival, since there was such a tremendous amount of these horrible emotions, I was created as a permanent deity. I was ravaged with bloodlust and I didn’t have a conscience of my own. I essentially was a puppet underneath Nikushimi’s control, and he had lost all rational thought. He commanded me to slay Aku, along with anyone who followed in his steps.” He looked Rin in her eyes before continuing.

“So I did. I ripped his throat out and made his body unrecognizable, but the details aren’t really important. I killed a plethora of wolves on that day, many were just pups and pupsitters trying to get me to see rationally. But they didn’t understand. The second I was born and materialized on this plane of reality, I was forced into a bond with Nikushimi. I had to obey every command, no matter how small or large. Nikushimi went through a rapid decline and became the most tyrannical King to ever lead. No one was able to challenge his superiority because of me. Anyone who challenged him I slaughtered without hesitation, the same fate met any wolf that tried to abandon the pack as well. I was feared amongst everyone in the pack and I quickly became an outsider. I must say, that didn’t really bother me. What did bother me however, was the fact everyone looked at me in fear. I don’t know the last time a pup has looked at me and wasn’t afraid.” Visente shook his head slightly, as if to clear his mind of the thought.

“That isn’t of importance. Anyways. I was bound to Nikushimi until the day he died. The day he died I was freed from his bloodlust, pain, agony, him. I was freed from him. But that didn’t change how everyone perceived me.”

“So.”

“When the new King came to power, I was banished from the pack. I wandered for months until I happened across this forest. I quickly made my home here and this forest eventually became known as the place traitors roam. Word spread quickly that I reside here, so only banished wolves or wolves who abandon the pack got sent here. Now, I understand that didn’t happen to you. Wolves like you come around every so often. However, no wolf like you has ever come by.” Visente could tell she wanted to ask questions as she searched his face for answers.

“A wolf  with no pack is what I mean. I’m also referring to the amount of sheer, raw agony and pain you have. Since I’m the Harbinger of Revenge, I can tell how strong your desire for revenge is based on scent. Your desire is the strongest I have ever come across. But that’s also besides the point.” He cleared his throat, and shook out his coat once more.

“Since I’ve come here to live, I’ve gained a purpose. Not just some personal purpose, a genuine purpose that gives reason for me existing. Seeing as I’m a deity I need to have a reason to exist. Mine is to guide vengeful wolves down their path for revenge. I also ensure that you get your revenge. The very sighting of me guarantees your victory in revenge. Due to what happened to you, you managed to blindly find my forest because you unknowingly sought out my services. I showed up to you because I find your revenge valid. Since I have a conscience now, I am able to pick who I do and don’t help. I’m not bound to anyone anymore and I’m allowed to live as I please. But that’s only because I have a legitimate purpose, a legitimate claim to my name. Otherwise I would cease to exist. I am able to die in my current state, however I always get reincarnated. I was recently reincarnated. I have only been in this lifetime for about two and a half years now. You’re not the first wolf I’ve helped in my current lifetime, nor will you be my last. I have been doing this for several millennia and I’ll continue to do so until I no longer exist.”

“Now, what are your questions?”

~~

"Rin. There are two wolves here, coming from polar opposite directions. It appears that your pack is already going to grow. You go to the right, you should be able to pick up on the scent. I'll be following the one on the left." Visente spoke in a matter-of-factly tone before jumping off the edge of the cliff and landing silently on the damp Earth. He hastily made his way into the forest and disappeared from Rin’s sight.

The scent of this male wolf was putrid. The male was seething with anger and a bloodthirst for revenge. This made Visente shift to being on edge. Sure, Rin was oozing with negative emotions, but it was for good reason. This wolf smells as though he’s done something. Visente narrowed his eyes slightly and pinned his ears, the male he smelled was barreling towards him.

Suddenly an all white male shot through the trees right towards Visente. He was rather large, larger than Rin, but still smaller than Visente himself. He side-stepped away from the new male and turned to look at him. His ears pinned and his eyes narrowed further, a low rumbling leaving Visente’s throat. He didn’t like the immediate aggression and was reconsidering the invitation to the pack.

“Who are you,” Visente spoke out confidently. He stood up tall, his head and tail held high. He looked down on him, a slight snarl pulled at his lips. This only made the rumbling sound louder.

“What’s it to you, I have no reason to speak to you,” the all white male snapped back. He also, in turn, matched Visente’s snarl and made it louder. He was attempting to out dominate Visente.

“You’re seeking aid in the forest of my Queen. It is my business as this forest is mine, now tell me who you are and why you’re here,” Visente snapped back at him. His lips curled back cruelly, his saliva dripping to the ground near his paws.

“Before. I. Make. You,” he snapped, taking a step towards the new male with every word. Visente lowered his head to be eye level with the white male, staring him down. His muscles rippled underneath his coat, the sunlight shining spottily through the treetops. Vi wasn’t underestimating him, he just knew for a fact he was stronger.

The male’s ears went from pinned to facing towards the side, he stared back at Visente, but once he started walking towards him slowly, he broke eye contact. He would intermittently look Visente in the eyes, staring back into them before looking away repeatedly. He slowly lowered himself towards the ground, but never fell to a full bow of submission.

“Ohta, my name is Ohta. I got chased from my pack after my father was killed. I didn’t know where I was heading, I just wound up here,” he grumbled whilst refusing to look Visente in his eyes.

“Ah Ohta, I should’ve known from the Albino coat. You’re the son of the tyrant king, the King of Berserkers.” Visente began to slowly circle Ohta, noting how the new male seemed to try to appear smaller.

“Known for your barbaric and ruthless lifestyle. Kill or be killed. No pity nor room, let alone love for the weak. But, it wasn’t always like that, was it? You’re the only pup that was an heir. Pup of the Queen of Berserkers. The only light in your and the King, Oyuki’s, life. Everything was nothing like how I explained earlier. The pack thrived, everyone was warm and light. The pups were all equally cared about and protected. All the she-wolves were admired and respected. The King was a true King, nicknamed King Arthur even! However, Izumi was killed when you wandered too far into enemy borders. They slew the Queen in front of you. Oyuki’s world fell apart and that’s when he became a true tyrant. Oyuki yearned for revenge and he sought it out. He set the world ablaze and tore apart the Stark Pack. Pups, Pupsitters, Scouts, Hunters, every wolf was killed. It didn’t matter. When he returned from the slaughter, you were a constant reminder of the loss he shouldn’t have had to endure so early. That’s why the descent to tyranny began.” Visente stopped before Ohta, staring down at him once more, a knowing glint in his eyes. 

“Tell me, how did he die? He should still be healthy,” Vi asked. 

“You’re right, he was healthy,” Ohta muttered. He looked away from Vi, though not before he could catch his demeanor change. Was it sadness?

“The pack came together to draw him out into a trap. The hunters all attacked him and took him out. Once he was killed, they targeted me and chased me out. Since I had acted so similarly to my father, it was assumed that killing him wasn’t enough. They decided to chase me out, well, more like I ran before they could surround and kill me. But they chased like hell, I recently just lost them actually,” he muttered.

“I could have stopped them, I'm sure of it. I could’ve saved my father,” Ohta breathed out.

“But that’s irrelevant now. I want to take my old pack out. They don’t deserve to live after what they’ve done,” he snarled out. Vi was surprised by how drastically and quickly Ohta’s demeanor changed when he said that. He appeared sad, almost like he was reminiscing about the past. But now his past was curled into a cruel snarl, his eyes filled with nothing but hate. Though, Vi saw something else in him as well. Something Ohta was too naive and ignorant to realize.

“Hm. I see,” Vi spoke before placing his paw on Ohta’s left shoulder and shoving him hard enough to knock him over.

“First. You need to lose the aggressive disposition. You need to be willing to accept change and you need to be willing to submit to a new Queen. My Queen.” Visente looked into his eyes seriously.

“If you don’t I’ll take you to a place in the forest where you can live. However, if you happen to come near these parts again I will kill you.” Visente’s tone was chilling. He radiated bloodlust, his power level causing Ohta to lower himself into a proper bow as a very light and soft whine came from him as well.

“I understand, I accept your offer,” Ohta spoke out quickly. He could feel the pressure of Visente’s power level weighing down on him. He felt as though he was stuck and couldn’t move. It was intimidating.

“However, I will only respect your orders. I will not be taking orders from any outsider, especially not an unknown Queen,” Ohta spat in disgust. These words enraged Visente and his pressure only multiplied.

“You are in no position to be talking so loosely, especially not in front of me,” Vi snarled but was cut off.

“You know my lineage so well, you know who I am a descendant of! You know I am a descendant of the Harbinger of Madness,” Ohta snarled, he was gaining confidence it seemed. Visente wasn’t sure why though, it’s not like he would be able to do anything.

“Oh. You mean, Raiko? Raiko the Harbinger of Madness,” Visente began. He began to slowly stalk Ohta once again. He began prowling around in circles, glaring daggers into the new wolf’s eyes.

“You know, there’s a reason he hasn’t been reincarnated. There’s a reason he’s pushing it off and refusing it. There’s a reason why he’s been doing this for several millennia. The simple reason being, that I exist. You do know that I am the one who killed him right? The sheer thought of knowing that I exist on this plane of reality has him petrified. So much so that he refuses to reincarnate.” Visente was rather snide the entire time, snickering at the end when he mentioned Raiko refusing to reincarnate.

“If I was able to kill the actual Harbinger, you’ll be nothing. My Queen would make quick work of you as well,” Vi continued on.

“If you disrespect her again I will rip your tongue out Ohta. Please note that I am serious,” he finished.

Ohta shifted uncomfortably, backing a couple steps away from him. Visente had stopped in front of Ohta and was staring him down. Vi’s ears were pinned and his lips were curled back in a cruel snarl once again. His tail was held high and a low rumble was coming from him once again. 

“Okay okay, whatever. I’ll join the pack,” Ohta snarled out harshly, but quietly. He avoided Visente’s direct eye contact and was staring at the claw-marked dirt. Visente’s entire composure changed and he backed away from Ohta, giving him space and no longer emitting such an ominous sign of aggression. His ears swiveled forward and his mouth even opened in a soft pant. Ohta was staring at him, visibly confused.

“Good, that’s what I was hoping you’d say. Now follow, you have my Queen and one other wolf to meet.” Before Ohta could breathe out a sigh, Visente was already padding through the forest. He wasn’t sure how Ohta was going to initially react to the new wolf that even Vi didn’t know the identity of. But. He did know that there was something that their fate’s were intertwined somehow.

~~

Bloodshed.

So. Much. Bloodshed.

Screaming.

So. Much. Screaming.

Pain.

So. Much. Pain.

Eyesight. Gone.

Large. Black. Wolf.

Save. Me.

Save. Her.

Running. 

Running.

Running.

Find. Me.

Find. Her.

Save. Me.

Save. Her.

Running.

Screaming.

Bloodshed.

Pain.

Loss.

Alone.

Blind.

Save. Me.

Save. Her.

Kagome woke up in a panic, her eyes wildly looking around. She was surrounded by her family and loved ones. Pups were running about as the Pupsitters kept a close eye on them. Kagome exhaled softly, her once wild eyes going back to relaxed.

“It was just a nightmare, but it seemed so real. Everyone was dead… And that black wolf? Who was that? What was that,” Kagome began bombarding herself with questions. She knew she didn’t have the answers for them, but maybe the Elders would? No. They would pass it off and not take it seriously. They never took her seriously.

“Are you alright Kagome?” The small white she-wolf looked to her left. It was her mum. Kagome’s eyes softened further and she stood up, quickly shaking out her coat. She smiled at her mum softly before she let out a noise that resembled a chuckle.

“Yes, it was just a nightmare. Nothing to be worried about.” In saying this however, Kagome’s mum’s expression drastically changed. Her expression twisted from slight concern, to shock, near terror.

“What did you see Kagome? No dream nor nightmare has pulled such emotion from you. You were crying and saying how much it hurts. You spoke in such a pained tone, as though something was hurting you.” Hearing her mum say this made Kagome’s eyes widen in shock and her ears pin. She looked away from her mum, exhaling softly.

“I saw them, the Humans, they came. They came for our pack. They, they killed you all. They skinned you and were taking your eyes… Then, then I saw a large black wolf. It looked as though they were looking for me. If not me, for something at least. It looked angry, its expression was twisted in malice. They… I could see their aura. It was debilitating. It- Their aura killed the life force of the wildlife near where it stepped. This wolf… It wants revenge but it was filled with so much pain… Their pain is constantly being swallowed by their rage and bloodlust. I saw so much mama, so so much,” Kagome breathed out. Her mum could see the fear glint in her eyes, her daughter spoke in such a hollow, breathless tone. 

Kagome’s mum, Fuyuka, looked horrified. Her face dropped and her eyes flickered in terror. Her ears pinned and her tail dropped between her legs. She staggered back a couple of steps in disbelief.

“You know why they come for us, right Kagome,” her mother asked in a broken, quiet voice.

“Yes, because we are all white,” Kagome responded softly.

“Yes, but no. It is because we are all Albino’s, which is a condition that makes us white. Our eyes are the most sought after, along with our claws and our pelts.” Kagome was horrified by what her mum said. These beasts hunt her, her pack, and other creatures like her purely because they’re all white?

“We have to inform the Elders, we have to do something,” Kagome began speaking rather hastily.

“They won’t believe us. You must leave Kagome. You must survive,” her mother whispered. Kagome snarled softly and pinned her ears, shaking her head. 

“I refuse. I will not leave you and the others. If the Humans come I will fight along with the others,” Kagome snapped. Her mother began to protest but Kagome just brushed past her. She didn’t listen to a word she said. Kagome was set on staying and protecting the pack. If she knew it was coming, she could prevent it or stop it. Or at least she thought she could.

~~

Aia was a pretty ignorant pup. Born from the King Veldora and a Pupsitter, Najenda. Set to be looked after by Cosmina, who was looking after three pups in total. Aia always liked to take risks, liked to push the boundaries. She didn't see the outside world for what it truly is. Cosmina had constantly been finding her wandering near the pack boundaries, putting her paws where they didn't belong. Aia scoffed at this and disregarded the warnings. She despised her mother and her pupsitter. She was bitter, believing that she didn't receive enough attention from anyone. 

So.

Aia one day decided to push the boundaries too far. Cosmina had just recently spoke to Rin who in return went to speak with the leader of the opposing pack. Rin met on mutual grounds, accompanied by Veldora. The King of the Seppuku Pack, Inei, along with the Queen, Rikona, appeared in the clearing before long. The two pairs spoke of the pups trespassing and and came to a mutual agreement. Rin instructed Cosmina to warn Aia one last time about trespassing. If she doesn't heed it, that's her own decision and there was nothing they could do about it.

Cosmina wasn't too happy with that outcome, but she knew that the pack grew much quicker than Rin was intending, and there was nothing that could be done. Rin is the Queen and what she says goes. So. Cosmina did what she was told, and warned Aia about going onto the opposing packs territory. Aia hated being nagged, hated always being warned. 

"Aia, if you do not listen to me you will die."

Aia's sharp gaze met the unwavering gaze of Cosmina. She pinned her ears back and seemed to shuffle back, almost like her hind legs were giving out. 

"You don't know what you're talking about. You're just a Pupsitter who's barely able to maintain her worth! What do you even bring to the pack, you can't even watch all three of us! You can barely watch the other two pups under your care! Let alone me, a third!" Those were the last harsh words Cosmina heard from Aia. 

Cosmina was taken aback, and her tail and ears both fell limp. She stood, unmoving as Aia raced passed her. Lowering her head, she slowly shook it. 

"I failed her Rin," she muttered softly before turning around to walk towards Rin and Veldora's personal cave. She was to inform them of Aia's running off and then to go back to her den. She was no longer able to run after her.

Aia however, continued to run after she raced passed Cosmina's legs. She nearly tripped down the slight drop outside her den as she was running out. She ran passed the other Pupsitters and Hunters, along with the other Pups. None of them knew really what was going on, though they were all confused. 

"Let her go," Rin snarled out loudly, her ears pinned. Her sharp gaze fell upon everyone. Her tail swished as her lips were pulled back in a mean snarl.

"It's for the better of the pack," she snarled even louder.

Aia winced at those words. She wanted to scream back that Rin didn't mean that, that she was just trying to prove a point. But she didn't. She choked back all the harsh things she wanted to say and kept running. She barely managed to keep from tripping over her own paws... That was until she tripped over a large tree root and went flying forward. This resulted in her spraining her right paw and scratching her up a good bit. Letting out a soft set of whimpers, she finally managed to pull herself up. 

The sound of numerous snarls and growls suddenly filled the air. Aia looked up, her vision blurry as she struggled to sit up and slowly looked around. 

"Cosmina?" She called out shakily, softly.

No response. Just the sound of the snarling and growling growing louder.

"Rin? Veldora?" She called out once more.

No response. Louder and louder the malicious sounds became.

"This... This isn't funny," she whined softly. Aia slowly lowered down onto her belly and her ears and tail flopped down around her in submission. 

"You should have listened to your Queen," Inei snarled loudly. 

"I just... I just wanted someone to love me," Aia whispered out softly.

Inei seemed taken aback for a moment. He stared at her, a solemn look on his face. He understood all to well what it was like to feel forgotten. However. He couldn't let her keep getting away with this, he also had an agreement with the Karmic Pack. Everyone knew what had to happen. If it wasn't him, Aia would eventually have died a most painful and gruesome death by a much more malicious creature.

Inei stalked forward and snapped his jaws around her throat. Immediately killing her. He then threw her body around a bit until he was satisfied. He then ordered one of his Scouts, Riku, to drag her mangled, lifeless corpse to the edge of the Karmic Pack's territory.

The following day, the Lead Scout for the Karmic Pack, Benimaru,  caught Aia's scent. He followed it and quickly came across her body. He was one of few who was aware of what was going on, and was able to quickly piece together what most likely happened to her. It didn't make it any less sad though. He let out a soft sigh and shook his head. His cloak falling over his face, shrouding it in darkness. 

"You should have listened to us kid," he was barely able to breathe out, his tone sounding hollow. He gently nuzzled her lifeless body onto his back and slowly made his way back to the pack. They would hold a mourning and funeral ceremony and bury her. 

"Gone too soon, but not forgotten."