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Hello! I love Anime. I love the shows, Sonic, FarilyOddParnts and more. I love the video games, Sonic, Sly, Crash, Spyro and more. I love Warriors and Seekers by Erin Hunter. My fav. cat from Warriors is a ginger tom named Firestar. My fav bear from Seekerks is a white she-cat cub named Kallik. I love Ginga Densetsu Weed! Best show in the world! Here's a pic of a blue and white Akita Inu puppy with blue eyes named Weed!


I even made up my own dog for a GDW story. Her name's Angel. And here's a pic of her.

WeedXAngel, what do you all think? Cute, right? Let me know gang! Here's a Ginga Densetsu Weed (GDW) story! Well...chapter 1 of it, hope you like it!

"Weed are you coming?,me and Smith-san are going to see what we can find to eat you want to come? barked a white and black spoted dog named Bg one of Weed`s friends on his adventure to find his dad,Gin the leader of Ohu moutain.``Sure im coming`` said Weed as he woke up for his hasy dream,what a werid dream...it was foggy but.....maybe its a blizzared?..Weed`s thoughts made him space out not knowing what his friends were asking him ``WEED! are you coming?!`` Bg called Weed could answer he heard an dark icey howl that could be heard from maybe miles away.``what was that``Bg exclamed,suddley a brust of gray like wind shot from a bush,and quickly landed in front for the yellow teeth glitted from the bright sun ``its a-a wolf`` Weed gaspd in surpise A wolf!?

The wolf growled ``ah look at this three lost puppys..``the wolf warning the wolf lunged and swiftly sratched Weed in the gasped in pain and anger and quicky dashed great sprints biteing him in differnt places in the wolfs body,blood was driping almost everywere around the wolf he spat out a bit of blood from his mouth and said``Dammit... you`ll hear from my leader and regret it`` in a flash the wolf vanshed,"what should we do now Smith-san?" asked Gb

Good so far? Think I should write chapter 2? Let me know gang! I got another GDW story. Here!

It was a bright sunny morning, the flora coloring the landscape with many hues of color. Fauna, prey and predator, roamed the mountain pass known as Futago. This place was the territory of a legendary pack, a pack that had come together to defeat a giant, demonic bear by the name of Akakabuto. This pack, led by a silver tora-ge by the name of Gin, all lived together under the ways of peace and justice. Each and every one of them were brave males who had helped in the giant bear's destruction, though not all of them had chosen to stay in paradise. Others had come from distant homelands in Japan, and had bid their farewells soon after the war ended. They remained allies of Gin and were willing to come to his aid if necessary. But, soon after a brutal war between two wolf packs, Gin had decided to pay all of his friends a visit and to express his condolences along the way. He left the pack in the safety of three kagemusha in hopes that paradise would remain safe until his return. These kagemusha were identical to the three leaders, Akame, John, and Gin themselves. But they were not nearly as skilled as their counterparts, but were thought to be ample protection against any enemies. This mistake soon proved to be fatal.

"What? What the hell is going on?!"

The demanding call of Smith, one of the chiefs of Ohu, sounded into the night air. A brown mutt dashed out into the open to meet the English Springer Spaniel, escorting a female white Kishu mix. Smith listened intently as the mutt gave his report in between gasps. A trickle of blood ran down from his shoulder, dripping steadily onto the ground.

"A large monster is attacking paradise, chief! We are holding off as best as we can, but it is stronger than we have seen since the fall of Akakabuto!"

Smith irritatedly barked back,

"Fool, then why are you standing here? We should get back there and fight it, no matter how strong it is!"

The mutt nodded towards the Kishu mix, who timidly stepped forward. Her eyes shone with distress and fear as a cry of anguish pierced the air. The brown mutt continued,

"Sakura is pregnant with the leader's pups! We have to get her to safety for the sake of Gin-sama's legacy!"

Before the officer of Ohu could reply, a roar sounded through the air and a monster burst into view. It was a large monster, unlike anything he had ever seen before. Blood poured out of its open mouth as it tossed the carcass of a soldier to the side and let out a joyful roar. Flames that seemed to appear out of nowhere outlined it silhouette, but the most distracting feature was that the eyes seemed to glow red... with fury, rage, and blood lust. However, it seemed to not have noticed them as a group of young soldiers immediately went into action, clawing and biting at the monster with vigor. Smith snapped out of his stupor and then barked out orders,

"I...I understand. I would never forgive myself if Gin came back and found his mate and children dead... Sakura, follow me."

With a grunt of agreement the Kishu mix ran past Smith, and he followed. Over his shoulder he cried out,

"I will escort Sakura to safety, hang in there!"

The male nodded in agreement and then yelled to the fleeing dogs,

"Chief! By the name of the leader... help us!"

His cry echoed into the night air, and then he turned and launched himself back into the battle, fire burning all around, soldiers dying left and right, and a monster more powerful than they had ever encountered....

- One Year Later, the Southern Alps -

A black-and-white English Setter was waiting in the bushes. He patiently moved his way closer to the flock of unsuspecting pigeons, not willing to let any escape his grasp. If he took a bird to Nero, hopefully he would gain the Siberian Husky's satisfaction. He remembered his master's words all too well, If you can't get a bird, don't bother coming back at all! Ha, if only he could leave Nero...but he was his slave now, and unless he wanted a beating, he'd better be a good little slave and catch his master's meal for him. He narrowed his eyes, preparing to leap out, when he heard a yell. He looked up in amazement as a silver puppy flew into the air, and then landed right into the middle of the flock. He watched as the puppy leaped back and forth, attempting to catch a bird. With a cry he leaped out of his hiding place, just in time to catch a bird that had attempted to escape,

"Damn!"

He landed on his feet steadily and then glared at the silver puppy before him, who appeared to be three months old. His words sounding slightly muffled, he chastised the puppy,

"Idiot! What do you think you're doing? This is my kill!"

The puppy bared his teeth and shouted back,

"No way, this is mine!"

To his surprise, the young male ran straight towards him, attempting to snatch the pigeon in his jaws. He moved his head left and right, watching the pup fail again and again. Still he was persistent, and he was annoying. Loosing his patience, he dropped the bird and grabbed the pup instead by the scruff of the neck. Growling, he threw the pup hard, in the direction of a tree.

"First, never fight anyone bigger and stronger than you! That's your first lesson!"

But as he finished speaking, the pup was already back on his feet, and heading straight towards him! He watched in bewilderment as the puppy raced forward with amazing speed, snatched up the kill, and proceeded to run off. He snapped to his senses and chased after the silver puppy, crying out,

"That tears it, you brat! No more kid stuff!"

In no time at all, thanks to his breed's endurance and speed, he had caught up to the silver pupy. He grabbed the back of his neck in his mouth and slammed the smaller dog to the ground, careful not to sink his fangs too deep in what was probably too soft puppy skin. He did, however, sink them deep enough in to give the pup something to remember him by. He listened in amazement as the pup stubbornly cried out,

"No, this is mine! I won't let it go!"

Angered a little by this puppy's persistence, he bit a little harder, causing the other dog to drop in the kill as he cried out in pain. He grunted and then barked,

"Shut up and take your medicine, brat!"

Still the puppy struggled beneath him, growling as best as he could at the English Setter.

"If I were a little bigger, I-I-I'd..."

Then, the puppy trailed off and sagged a little, as if he were giving up. He heard a little sniffle and what sounded like a sob as the silver puppy whispered, almost to himself,

"I'm sorry mother, I don't think I'll...be making it back."

His eyes widened as he realized, that this puppy was a mother, and taking the food back to her. He dropped the puppy more out of shock than anything, remembering a repressed memory that had involved puppies he had attempted to rasie...and then they were killed mercilessly for a crime they hadn't committed, neither him nor Nero...

I won't be like him... I could never...

Then, he remembered the silver puppy was still on the ground, panting. He prodded the pup with one paw, and then questioned,

"What do you mean mother? Where is she?"

In tears, the silver puppy cried out, more angry than sad,

"She's ill, and cannot move! She hasn't eaten or had a drink in days!"

In his heart, he felt pity for the young puppy, and his unknown mother. His subconscious was demanding something, something he very well shouldn't do if he didn't want to encourage Nero's wrath. So he reasoned his thoughts aloud,

"That gives you no right to take my kill. What you just did is called stealing."

He put extra emphasis on the word, watching as it sunk in. The silver puppy drooped his ears, as if seeing the sense in his words. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the sight plucked at his heartstrings. With a grunt and a thump, he tossed the pigeon in between the younger male's paws. Turning to go back the way he had come, he said flatly,

"Take it and hurry up, before I change my mind."

The three-month old pup happily picked up the bird in his mouth, and then offered him a smile as in thanks. He was just turning to leave before he remembered something.

"Wait, before you go... get off of this mountain. This is Nero's territory, and it doesn't matter if you're a woman or a child, he will kill you."

The puppy let out a grunt in acknowledgment and then asked,

"Oh, what's your name mister?"

"GB, GB the English Setter!"

He replied, watching the puppy dash off, but not before the puppy had smiled and said,

"GB... okay, I can remember that. Thank you, GB!"

GB watched the tiny male dash off, and then began to return back to where he had come. Then he remembered, that he hadn't asked for the kid's name. Then, he was a stray. Perhaps he didn't even have a name. Before he could put much more thought on the matter, a loud, annoying call sounded for him.

"GB! Where the hell are you? Get your ass back here!"

Oh, damn, it was Nero. What a pain in the ass. Putting on a facade of obedience, he rushed forward calling out,

"Was my name called? I'm coming!"

He skidded into an open clearing and was instantly surrounded by Nero himself, along with three of his guards. The Siberian Husky wore an irritated look as he barked,

"What do you mean 'was my name called'? Such insolence!"

The Siberian Husky circled GB menacingly, and then angrily barked out,

"You will show respect when talking to your superiors!"

Then he stood back, waiting for GB to cower in submission. Which was exactly why he did. Hell, it was the only thing to do, if he didn't want to get a beating.

"I'm sorry, sir. How can I be of service?"

He almost sighed in relief after he finished his apology, maybe now he would have Nero off his back. But no, his superior had noticed he had come back empty handed.

"Worthless piece of shit! The sun's almost gone down and you're still empty-handed?"

He flinched, visibly. Why, why, had he had to be so generous? Thankfully, Nero was giving him another chance.

"You'd better bring me flesh before sun-down, or else you'll be the kill of the day!"

He stood up quickly and then uttered,

"Yes, sir!"

GB turned to leave, but then he was stopped by the sound of Nero sniffing the air. Oh, crap...

"Huh? What's that? I smell something odd... something suspicious..."

A guard lifted his muzzle to take a sniff, then nodded in agreement.

"I smell it too.. it smells like another dog..."

Another dog... oh no, they smell the scent of that kid! What am I going to do if they find out?

Thankfully, the suspicious scent was overpowered by a more disturbing one. Nero and his cronies covered their noses in annoyance as the awful smell of GB's gas hit their nostrils full-force.

"Oops..."

"ARGH, GB! Dammit, you could have at least been down-wind!"

GB licked his lips nervously, then replied,

"I don't have much control when nature calls..."

Thankfully, Nero seemed distracted by a bunch of birds flying into the distance. He grunted, looked at GB, then ordered,

"It seems the crows have found a kill. GB, go get it! That's your job!"

"Wha?"

"DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD!"

"Y-yes sir!"

As he made his way to Okega-Hara, GB ranted angrily in his mind. Who do they think they are? Jerks... But otherwise he continued to run speedily, hoping to beat the crows to the kill. Then, he finally reached the spot, but what he saw there amazed him. It was none other than that stray without a name! He was fighting off the crows gallantly, muttering a string of childish curses and yelling as he attempted to catch them.

Is his mother...dead?

Then he watched silently as a crow took the pigeon he had given up eariler. Dismayed, he watched the crow make its retreat, but then, the stray leaped high, demanding the crow give back the kill. GB narrowed his eyes, crouched low to the ground, and then leaped high into the air, intercepting the crow in mid-flight. He snatched the bird and landed gracefully onto the ground, a smirk on his face as he held the dead black bird in his mouth. He spat it onto the ground, then began to attack the crows one at a time.

"The crows will take your precious kill away from you! They know how weak and helpless you are!"

"GB!"

The stray cried happily, pretending not to hear the insult. GB continued his assault, offering advice as he did so,

"One at a time their nothing, but together they're murder! They're obnoxious, but if you stand your ground they'll leave you alone!"

Then, as if to emphasize his words, the crows began to back off, flying in some other random direction. The stray watched for a few moments before taking the pigeon and running off to a motionless shape lying on the ground. GB followed, a frown on his face as he thought his assumption was correct. However, the female dog then raised her head and then looked at her son with loving eyes before laying her head down again.

"Mother, he's helped us again. This is the one I've told you about."

Then he turned to face GB, a smile on his face.

"Thank you, GB!"

"You're welcome, kid. How's your mother doing?"

"Oh...so you're GB?"

He watched as the female dog rose into a comfortable position, but still lay on the earth. She raised her head and looked him in the eyes as she spoke,

"Please excuse my son's brashness. He is only three months old and has a lot to learn, but I do not know how to thank you enough."

"Oh please, you're lucky to have such a courageous son!"

A tired look seemed to reflect in the Kishu-mix's eyes as she began to speak again,

"I know that this maybe a bit much to ask, but can I ask one more thing of you?"

"Yes?"

He inquired, wondering what this strange woman could want from him. Again the tired, sad look swamped her gaze as she lowered her head a bit.

"If I die..can you..."

"Whoa, hang on lady! I don't understand what you have in mind...but are you sure I'm what you're looking for? And what's this about dyi--"

He was interrupted by the female, who had begun to cough uncontrollably. Her son let out a couple of concerned cries and cuddled next to her unhappily.

"Please... I beg of you... take my son to see his father, the noble Gin of Futago Pass, in Ohu!"

"WHAT?"

The legendary Gin of Ohu? The silver tora-ge bearhound that decapitated Akakabuto? That guy is this kid's father?! And he's still alive for that matter? But if this kid is Gin's son...then why are they living so far from Ohu? I thought it was paradise there!

However, he was soon torn from his thoughts by the tiny puppy's cries.

"Mom, please don't leave me!"

"I'm sorry... but you must live, my son. Tell your father... when you meet him..."

Sadly, the female never finished, instead she trailed off and died, leaving the silver puppy, alone. The puppy let out a long, mournful howl that sounded long through the night. Then, when his throat had grown too hoarse to cry out once more, he and GB, began to dig. They dug a shallow grave for the dead mother, then sat silently for a bit. The kid was mourning, crying for his mother, but GB, was fearfully thinking of what he should do. This lady he had known for barely a minute had asked too much of him, a lowly slave of Nero. There were plenty of reasons he shouldn't go to Ohu... it was too far away for one thing. Then there was the consequences of leaving Nero... and being found out... besides, how would he and this little puppy make it all the way there anyway?

He looked at the little male, still sniffling. This really isn't any of my business, and I'd better think twice...being nice doesn't count for anything these days! I'm no fool, I'm outta here!

Then, with a quick dash, he was gone and out of sight, ignoring the puppy calling his name. Finally, they faded and he was back on the route towards Nero. Nero... the very thought of that dog made him skid to a stop, then look back at the forest. I'm such a fool. A worthless, cowardly fool. This is my one chance to escape from him, and I'm too afraid to even take it! But I can't help it... no. I won't run back to him...never again.

He stepped out into the clearing, watching the young dog turn to look back at him. He nearly ducked his head in shame for abandoning the kid. With a sigh, he said,

"I can't just leave you alone, kid... oh, that's right, you don't even have a name."

"GB!"

The puppy cried happily, now realizing that GB was going to keep his promise. The silver dog eagerly ran up to him and nuzzled him affectionately, causing the older dog to wear a confused expression. How could the kid forgive him so easily, and change moods so quickly? With a shrug, GB began musing aloud for a name for the puppy. After all, he couldn't think of the young dog before him as a kid forever...

"Something powerful and strong, but still small... no, that's not right... hmm.."

"Anything will be fine as long as you choose it, GB!"

The silver male said with a wag of his tail, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.

"Wait, that's it! Your name will be Weed!"

"Weed?"

"In the country I was born, wild plants were called weeds! Just look around, weeds are everywhere! Now you'll know you're never alone, or far from friends!"

He exclaimed with a smile. The newly dubbed Weed smiled in return and without a word, they began their journey towards the utopia.

-- Meanwhile, at Nero's Territory --

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

A young Shiba male cowered as his meager offerings--a couple of dogs, accompanied by a snake and lizard--where thrown into his face with disgust.

"This is barely fit for the crows! I even gave you three extra days...and THIS IS ALL YOU CAN COME UP WITH?!"

"B-but Boss..."

"WHO COULD EAT THIS STUFF?!"

"But Boss! You sent me to the swamp, and... and this was all I could find!"

"SHUT UP!"

Nero growled, silencing the young Shiba Inu. The much smaller dog cowered visibly, tail tucked between his legs, as the Siberian Husky continued.

"The town is nobody's turf, and I have a craving for bird meat..."

Catching on to the demand, the Shiba Inu, known as Saskue, opposed fearfully,

"But, if I roam around the town, I'll be put into a pound for sure!"

"Ugh... Saskue, you are as stupid as you are useless. There's a farm at the end of the mountain stream. Lots of geese. So, you will take GB as a guard. Tell him it is my orders and he will follow!"

"But GB is a coward! What good will he be as a guard?"

"SHUT THE HELL UP AND DO AS YOU'RE TOLD!"

He lowered his head in obedience, and then scurried off before he, somehow, managed to Nero even angrier than he already was. As he ran off to search for GB, Saskue couldn't help but wonder, Why me?

GB stood on a cliff, looking at the horizon with a troubled look on his face. Weed began to run down the cliff side, and then turned back, realizing GB was not following.

"GB? What's wrong, GB?"

There was no reply from the English Setter, and Weed decided to ask,

"We aren't going to Ohu, are we?"

GB turned to face the silver puppy, about to answer, when Weed continued,

"Well, I don't care if we go or not. Dad was never there for me, and I don't know anything about Ohu... but that doesn't matter as long as I get to stay with you, GB!"

On the one hand, GB was touched that Weed thought so highly of him, considering how much of a coward he was...quite unlike Nero's treatment of him at all. But this was Nero's territory, unsuitable for any living thing, much less themselves.

"Don't speak such nonsense! This is Nero's territory and is hardly the best choice for a suitable home!"

Weed looked distraught, and he silently cursed himself for upsetting the kid. Geez, he wasn't good at dealing with kids... he hadn't since... the incident...

"Oh, I'm sorry Weed. Look, can you wait here for a bit? I'll be back soon."

"Wait, where are you going?"

"There's a dog in town I owe my life, and I want to thank him for looking out for me before we leave..."

"Wait, I'll go with you!"

"No way, the town's no place for a little guy like you. Too dangerous."

GB argued, but before Weed could reply, a different voice called out with a laugh,

"Heh heh, don't be fooled little one! GB is a liar. Don't listen to him..."

"Huh?"

"Hey, you can't talk about my friend like tha--umfh!"

GB quickly grabbed Weed's tail in his mouth, not wanting Weed to inflict damage on Saskue, who was now standing before them. After releasing Weed he quickly asked the puppy to wait, which he thankfully did so. Then, he began his explanation,

"Weed, this is Saskue. He's my friend. He's also a runner for Nero..."

Then there was a mock cry of anguish from the Shiba Inu, and then he groaned,

"Thanks for reminding me of that unpleasantness... and speaking of the devil, we've got orders from him."

"Orders? What orders?"

GB questioned, looking at Saskue. Then, remembering Weed, he cut the Shiba off before he could answer.

"It doesn't matter, I'm done with this place. Whatever it is, no longer concerns me."

Saskue, however, didn't seem to think he was serious, and continued anyway,

"Come off it, GB, we've got work to do! Quit trying to impress the pup and help me out!"

"What exactly are these orders that are so important, Saskue?"

"There's this farm with lots of geese, and I'm going to get them! Nero ordered you to be my guard, so come on!"

"Are you insane, Saskue? The moment you try this little plan, it will be the end of you! I don't know about you, but I'm not sucidial!"

"Neither am I, you moron! But if I don't come back with the geese, Nero will kill us both! So are you in or not?"

GB sat still for a moment, but then realized, that Saskue was dead-set on following Nero's orders. If there was nothing to change the Shiba's mind...

"No, you can do it yourself, but Weed and I are done with this place."

With a nod, he gestured Weed to follow and they began to walk away from Saskue. The Shiba stood dumbfounded for a moment, then called out after them,

"Hey, GB! Hold it! You can't do this, I'll report you to Nero!"

At that, GB stopped and looked over his shoulder, disgust in his eyes as he retorted,

"Do what you have to, Saskue. But that just proved to me you belong with that tyrant!"

"GB.."

"I'm going to change, starting today. I have a new purpose, and if I don't change, then nothing in the world can. Goodbye, Saskue."

"G-GB... you aren't fooling anyone! Not me, not the kid, not even yourself! You'll be sorry, and this charade won't last!"

--At the Town, with GB and Weed--

"Weed, be careful!"

zooooommmm

The tiny Akita hid behind GB as a car rushed by, and listened with huge eyes as GB warned him of the danger. Storing the knowledge carefully in his mind, he set off after his guardian and friend to look for the old dog, that GB identified as Smith. But, out of respect, he was to call this dog, 'Uncle Smith'. When he had heard this, he had figured that Smith must have been really important, so he decided to be as polite as he could be. He didn't want to disappoint his mother... mother...

"Ah, there he is. Look there, Weed, he's on a walk right now."

He turned his brown eyes towards a spaniel, limping steadily. Wait... limping? The male was black and white, but old, but Weed could tell that it was not the reason for the limping. Then he spotted the front leg, how it had been... cut off? He had no words for what he saw, but strangely enough, he wasn't scared. It looked... odd... but not frightening.

"What's wrong with his leg, GB?"

He asked, not taking his eyes off Smith.

"He lost that leg...trying to save me."

He now turned, astonished, to his friend, who sat back and began,

"I was once a pet, just like him. I was happy, because I had good, loving humans to take care of me. But with my luck, things took a turn for the worst. I don't entirely understand what happened... but one day my owner set me loose in a forest... but I didn't want to leave. Then he started hitting me with the leash, begging me to go. I ran. But eventually, I came back... only to find that he had hung himself. Like a fool, I chased after him, and nearly got hit by an oncoming car...but then Uncle Smith saved me by sacrificing himself... so instead he took the full force of the blow on his leg. "

Then he led Weed forward to where Smith now lay, chained to a post. He nudged Weed, and then asked,

"This is Uncle Smith. Weed, where are your manners?"

The young Akita nodded respectfully, then with a cheerful smile, he barked,

"Good afternoon, Uncle Smith!"

The reaction he got confused them both, as Smith sat bolt upright, looking deep into Weed's eyes. After a few moments (which felt like an eternity to the not-so-patient Weed), the spaniel lowered his gaze and looked at GB instead.

"GB, whose kid is this?"

--At the Farm, with Saskue--

QUACK! QUACK!

Saskue licked his lips as he hid in the grass, watching the geese intently. After GB had left, he had been forced to go by himself. Unlike GB, he knew his place in Nero's pack and didn't feel like incurring the Siberian Husky's wrath. He wanted to keep his life, and so here he was, waiting for his time to strike. He quickly looked around, searching for any humans. Satisfiyingly, he found none. Well, no time like the present...

But, unfortunately, Saskue did not have the best of luck. A large tosa inu was hidden out of his sight, watching the tiny Shiba with a large grin on his face. He was the guard dog of this farm, and, unfortunately for the hapless Saskue, he was very good at his job...

-- In the Town, with GB, Weed, and Uncle Smith--

"It can't be... oh.."

The spaniel murmured, looking at Weed with pure shock in his eyes. Never in all his life, had he expected this... but apparently, GB and Weed did not know, for they shared a look of confusion before turning back to him.

"Is there something wrong with Weed, Uncle Smith?"

"No, no, not a thing. Just my mistake..."

He reassured, thinking to himself... but I have no doubts you are his son. That strong-willed look, not to mention the aura... you remind me too much of him...

With an audible sigh the elderly dog mused,

"It's been more than ten years..."

After a long chat with Uncle Smith, GB and Weed were now ready to set off. But, then...

"Wait, GB, Weed."

"What is it Uncle Smith?"

"I'm coming with you."

"But, Smith, you are..."

"Old? Yeah, but I'm not a weak fool!"

The spaniel stubbornly retorted, hopping to his feet. Then, with a quick pull, he was free from his chain and at their sides. GB shrugged, but couldn't help but ask,

"What about your owner?"

Smith merely shrugged, then with a grin, replied,

"It's my life."

GB merely nodded in assent, knowing there was no arguing with Smith. The older dog took the lead as they set off to leave the Southern Alps as quickly as possible. But even as he ran alongside Smith and Weed, GB couldn't help but think the old spaniel was hiding something...but nonetheless he kept running, until they reached the farm that Saskue had been talking about. The loud, obnoxious quacking of geese was heard as they began to pass by, but this sounded different. Was Saskue really going through with this foolish plan? GB skidded to a stop, as did Weed and Smith, when they heard a large splash. Then they saw Saskue, attempting to capture a goose in his mouth before they could fly away...and he was failing miserably.

"Saskue!"

GB cried out, just noticing the large brown tosa making its way towards the tiny Shiba. Saskue however, couldn't hear him, his attention was still on the geese. Just then a silver blur ran by, and before he could react, Weed was racing towards the tiny Shiba.

"Weed, get back here!"

The puppy stopped, but didn't return to them, instead he said over his shoulder,

"I have to stop him, GB!

"No, Weed!"

He yelled, running to Weed's side and grasping his scruff firmly in his neck. He tossed the puppy to the side, next to Smith.

"If we stay here, the humans will think we're with Saskue! Then they will capture us as well!"

"But GB!"

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

All three dogs turned to see that Saskue, had been caught and was being shaken roughly by the massive tosa inu.

"Wait, wait wait! I'm sorry, I was wrong, please stop!"

His pleas were unheard, and the tosa slammed the smaller shiba to the ground. With Saskue's throat in his mouth, the tosa began to choke the little shiba. To his horror, it seemed Saskue's struggles were growing weaker by the moment.

"GB, Uncle Smith, we've got to help him, or else he'll be killed!"

"Don't be a fool, Weed! This is his own mess!"

"Are you scared GB? He's your friend isn't he? It's not right to leave him there!"

"No, I'm keeping my promise! Your mother said for me to protect you, and that's what I'm doing!"

"Well if you won't help him, I guess I will!"

Then without another word, Weed dashed angrily off to face the tosa and save Saskue. Smith, speechless, merely sat by and watched with amazement as the pup ran forward to face a dog many times his size, and more or less to save a stranger. He's just like him...

"Aw, damn it Weed! Wait here, Uncle Smith, I'll get him!"

Smith was about to retort that he wasn't any old geezer, but held his tongue. If this really was Gin's son... then perhaps the best thing to do was watch and wait. So that's what he did, he watched from the shadows, left alone with his memories.

GB had finally managed to reach Weed, only to see the silver puppy slam right into the side of the large tosa, without the slightest hesitation. Weed grabbed the tosa's ear and began to pull, growling and demanding that Saskue be freed.

"Stop it now, you little brat! Or else it'll be your turn next!"

"Th-thank you... little one..."

Weed rolled one eye over to glimpse Saskue, who had an appreciative look in his eyes.

"No one... has ever stood up for me like that. You're the first..."

To Weed's horror, Saskue fell limp in the tosa's mouth, and his eyes began to close.

"Hang on, Saskue!"

"Heh heh, don't worry kid, it's almost your turn..."

GB watched fearfully, not sure what to do. Then, the tosa shook Weed loose and kicked the puppy hard in the face, sending the much smaller dog flying. In that moment, GB growled angrily, and jumped right into the fray!

"How dare you! Pick on someone your own size!"

"GB?!"

"Hmph, hunting dogs keep coming at me... the nerve."

The tosa growled, taking GB's neck in his jaws and forcing him onto the ground in one fast movement. Weed shivered a little, but then did his best to force the fear down as he ran back at the tosa, this time demanding GB was freed. The setter rolled and thrashed in an attempt to free himself but to no avail. Then, the tosa finally got tired of Weed biting his ear, and grabbed the pup instead.

"Little brat! DIE!"

He yelled, throwing the puppy full-force into a wooden wall. Weed crashed through it, and GB scurried away, calling his friend's name. Then, he saw Weed... looking pissed as hell. The puppy's eyes seemed to glow with anger, his breathing became labored, and a deep growl came from within his throat. Then with a loud yell, he ran towards the tosa, who, for a moment, looked scared as hell. But, too stubborn to back down, he faced Weed. Bad choice. Weed, overtaken by his anger, struck hard with his fangs, and succeeded in cutting off the tosa's ear. The larger dog let out a cry and proceeded to yell about his injury, while Weed fell to the ground, exhausted.

"Weed!"

GB yelled, running up to the silver puppy. Then, he realized Saskue was still unconscious. How would he manage to carry them both out of here?

"Bastard... how dare you do this to my ear! When I'm through with you, I'll... oh no!"

To his surprise, the tosa ran in fear, running into a doghouse and cowering with his tail between his legs. GB looked over his shoulder and saw no one but Uncle Smith. He tipped his head to the side, then shrugged.

"Is he okay?"

Uncle Smith asked, prodding Weed with one paw. GB shrugged again, not entirely sure.

"That was quite an attack he used...one a great leader of Ohu once used."

"Really?"

Smith nodded, recalling his younger days when he had served as a platoon commander under Gin's father, the holy founder of Ohu. He shut his eyes briefly, then gestured towards the unconscious Saskue.

"He a friend of yours?"

"Yeah... that's Saskue. But he's unconscious now... what should we do?"

"I'll take him, you carry Weed."

"Where should we go?"

"You made a promise, to bring Weed to his father. I know him personally, and he is a great guy."

"But what about Saskue?"

At this the spaniel merely shrugged. GB, dissatisfied with the answer, picked up Weed in his mouth and followed as Smith led the way out of the Southern Alps. Before long, Weed had awoken, though was still too tired to walk. He had asked what had happened, and they had told the young puppy about his powerful attack, an attack that his father and grandfather had both used against bears. When Smith had called them both 'bearhounds' this had prompted confusion from the young Akita. And so, Smith began to tell the story of his father, who had been raised by humans to be a hunting dog, specifically, a dog to hunt and kill bears. Just when Smith had finished telling the tale, Saskue had woken up, mumbling something about his old owner. After about fifteen minutes he awoke completely, much to Smith's relief.

"Wait, where are you going?"

He asked, looking at the landscape in confusion. Smith responded,

"We are searching for Weed's father, Gin of Ohu."

"Ohu? But that's so far away!"

Saskue protested, but before the Shiba could complain further GB reassured him,

"You don't have to come if you don't want to..."

"Oh, wait! I remember... you and Weed saved my life... I owe you too much to back out, but..."

"But?"

"I want to look for my old owners."

"Owners? You were a pet dog too?"

Saskue nodded somberly, then launched into his story about having been separated by his human owners over two years ago. When he had finished Smith was nodding thoughtfully.

"I believe this campsite you are talking about is not too far from here, to the west. And pretty soon it will be camping season, so perhaps it would be best to wait there for your humans to return."

"I think that's what I should do, but I can't leave without thanking you properly! Weed, GB, and Smith... thanks for all the help you gave me! Without you guys I would still be a slave for that pain in the ass Nero!"

Then, Saskue ran out of sight, leaving Weed, Smith, and GB to continue their journey to Ohu in search of Gin. They ran for hours, leaving Nero's territory far behind. They at last came to a river, thankfully. The sun was high in the sky and the weather had grown unbearably hot, and the sidewalk had begun to burn their pads as they tread on it. And, the river had fish in it as well, Smith had realized. He then remembered an age old survival technique, to always drink water that had animals in it. Otherwise, it could be contaminated. Just as they had each finished taking a long drink to quench their thirsts, they heard a female voice break the silence.

"Excuse me, is that water safe to drink?"

They all turned to see a female golden retriever standing at the top of the steps, steadily making her way down towards the water. With a nod, Smith explained,

"Ah, it is miss. Look there, you can see that plenty of fish swimming about."

The golden retriever nodded in understanding and bent her head to take several long drinks of the water. After she had sufficiently quenched her thirst, she stumbled a bit, but did not regain her balance. She landed rather roughly on the cement, wincing in pain. Weed, concerned for the stranger's well-being, rushed to her side in an instant.

"Lady, is something wrong? Are you ok? Do you need help?"

The questions rushed out, it seems, by themselves. In a dark corner of his mind he was reliving the horror of his mother's final moments, watching her waste away in his memories and passing on... he shivered slightly, but thankfully, no one seemed to notice. The golden retriever however, had turned to look at him with gratitude and something like a mix of sorrow and longing in her eyes.

"Such a kind boy you are, young one. You remind me of my own son... he should be your age about now..."

Then GB, with a gasp, ran up the steps and from the top, called down fearfully to Weed and Smith,

"Weed! Smith-san! It's not safe down there, I think she has distemper!"

"Distemper?"

"It is an illness that is highly contagious, but..."

"Weed, you must get away from there before you catch it!"

"GB! Hold your tongue and get back here!"

"Uncle Smith..."

"Idiot! This woman may be a little ill, but she does not have distemper!"

Then, GB had promptly come back down and had to listen to Smith's lecture on how the golden retriever indeed, only shared a few symptoms of distemper, but lacked plenty more that ruled the disease out. From Smith's diagnosis, it seemed the stranger was dehydrated and partially starved, but otherwise was perfectly healthy. Shamefully the English Setter had apologized to the stranger, who introduced herself as Lenny.

"But, you mentioned you had a son. Where is he?"

Smith asked cautiously, settling down as Lenny began her story. It turns out, that she had been a pet dog with a kind family. She had been used as a breeding dog, and had recently given to a wonderful litter of Golden Retriever puppies. She watched as they were all happily sold and went off to good families, save for the last, the runt of the litter. Her son, which she had named Mel, stayed by her side until one day, he was finally given away to some family of her owners. He didn't want to leave her, and cried over and over as he was taken away. She could only watch with sadness, but she knew that her son had to grow up eventually.

" But then, every time I would try to fall asleep, I would worry about him. If he was truly happy in his new home...and so I set out. I had been there plenty of times by car, so I know where it is, but I didn't imagine traveling on my own paws to be so tough."

She ducked her head, somewhat ashamed that she hadn't even gotten close to her destination, and already she was weak with hunger and thirst. Then, Weed stepped forward and boldly proclaimed, that he wanted to help. Hearing this, Smith had to suppress a smile as he thought of Gin. He couldn't help but wonder where his friend was now. He desperately wanted to return to Ohu, especially since he had last seen it being ravaged by the terrible monster. But he couldn't let his impatience get the better of him. If there was one thing he had learned all those years ago, under Riki's army, was that helping others held its own value. So, he nodded in assent when the young silver Akita had asked permission to help Lenny in her journey. Overjoyed, the brindle pup ran off, yelling over his shoulders that he was going to get Lenny a meal. GB chuckled as he headed off after the young male, leaving Smith and Lenny to their own devices. He sat himself down next to the water, staring mindlessly at the fish as Lenny slept. He was thinking of how Gin had fished into a raging river for him and Chutora once, and then, his mind drifted to the second-eldest Kai brother himself. Chutora...

:: Futago Pass, Eight Years Ago ::

"Shouji! What did I tell you about going into that part of the woods?"

"But Father, I'm big enough to take on that stupid ol' bear!"

"I don't give a damn what you think! You won't be taking on any bears today!"

"But Kage told me his dad brings him there all the time! Why can't you be more fun like Uncle Kurotora?"

"Because I actually give a shit about your safety!"

The younger Kai Ken looked taken aback, but it was only for a short moment. In no time at all the rebellious glare had returned, and he huffed indignantly. Then, with an arrogant gleam in his eye, young Shouji dashed straight off into the forbidden wood. Chutora immediately set out after his wayward son, shouting curses as he dodged brambles and leaped over fallen logs, all the while calling Shouji's name.

"SHOUJI, DAMMIT! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU I'LL--SHIT!"

The brown Kai dog had skidded into a small clearing, and there in its center, stood a giant brown bear, the very one he had warned his children about. Shouji stood, apparently growling at the bear, but due to his age, he was becoming nearsighted. Shouji actually stood shivering in fear, as he hadn't been expecting the bear to be so much larger than himself.

Unfortunately for him, he was spotted and the grizzly let out a roar, freezing the hapless Kai to the spot. Fortunately, his father was ready and burst into the open, sinking his fangs in the bear's shoulder. Fierce determination swept over Chutora as he sank his fangs deep into skin, feeling blood swish in his mouth and fur brush against his teeth. He would not let his son die at the hands of a bear, like his brother had so many years ago. So he fought bravely, still skilled despite his age, but as luck would have it, he was slower than he used to be. He was swatted aside by a huge paw and knocked into a nearby tree, and took a hard fall. Gasping in pain, Chutora slowly but surely rose to his feet.

Then, he jumped as high as he could in one last attempt to get the bear away from his son. The attack succeeded, and he sunk his fangs deep into the grizzly's throat, causing the bear great pain. It thrashed and clawed, many hits missing, but the few that did hit him hard. Then, as the bear itself was dying of bloodloss, it gave one last shove, effectively tossing the brown kai dog against a large stone. With a sickening CRACK, Chutora's spine was broken against the sharp stone and he crumpled to the ground, lifeless. And there was little Shouji in the midst of it all, watching with speechlessness as his father's blood ran between his paws...

:: End of Flashback ::

As soon as Lenny had regained some of her strength, their group had set out to find Mel. At first Smith had been hesitant about waiting for Lenny to recover, but then realized that they were going at a fast, steady pace that wouldn't have been accomplished if they had decided to move on without letting the golden retriever gain some of her strength. But hard as he tried, his mind wouldn't stop wandering back to his old friends of the Ohu Army. Hakuro, Moss, Musashi, Bill, Kurotora, Akame, Ben, Cross, John... memories about each and every soldier ran through his mind, until he at last came to the end of the memories, to the recent ones. The monster's invasion of Ohu, escorting Sakura to safety, said Kishu's death...

"Ah, here it is! Right here is where I think he was taken too..."

"So this is a human's place?"

"Weed, be careful!"

The young Akita Inu listened carefully as GB started to ramble on about the dangers of humans, although Smith could tell that he was over-exaggerating some of the details. Nonetheless he remained silent as they passed around one side of the human home and at last, came to the backyard. A doghouse with a chain sat in one corner, and in front of it were set two bowls. Attached to the chain was...a husky. He was a young dog, older than Weed but not much older than two or three years. Smith eyed the youngster warily, while Lenny spoke his thoughts aloud,

"But, where is he? My son, Mel... he's not here!"

Then the black-and-white husky noticed there presence, and growled angrily. With an aggressive bark, he announced,

"Oi, this is my place! There ain't no 'Mel' here! Just me, Golvy!"

"But, there must have been a golden retriever here... please, he's my son..."

Golvy sat with a disinterested look as Lenny began to tell a shortened version of her tale, but as it drew to an end he scratched one ear carelessly. With a huff, he growled,

"I don't know no golden retriever called Mel. I suggest you get away from here before I--"

"Oh come off it Golvy!"

The husky turned his head to look at the speaker, a pale Lab with dark brown spots and brown eyes. He too, was attached to a chain clipped onto his black collar. The Lab sent a sharp glare towards the young husky, who held it for less than a moment before he backed off, muttering something unintelligible. Weed, highly curious of the stranger, rushed forward to make friends with him. Slowly, the others followed.

"My name is Hook, and I think I know this 'Mel' you are talking about."

"Oh, you do? Please tell us, Hook-san!"

With a chuckle, Hook grinned down at Weed and sat back on his haunches.

"You can just call me Hook. Now, you see those mountains there?"

He pointed with his muzzle towards the not-so-distant mountains, large and looming over the human town. Weed couldn't help but feel something odd was going on over there, but little did he know it was a sense of foreboding. But he shook it off, resuming his happy grin as he nodded to Hook.

"They are owned by a wild dog called Blue. Ever since he and his goons have taken them over, they have been forcing children into slavery. He would lure them in with false kidness and promises of protection, and then he would force them to do work for him. Stealing food from the humans and taking their beatings were only a small part of it. But, no one could ever leave Blue. He would kill any who rebelled against him, and any who tried to escape were given the same punishments."

"Oh, that sounds awful...but what does this have to do with my son?"

"Ma'am, I do believe your son has become one of Blue's slaves."

She was apalled at the thought of her son, her poor son, becoming a slave. She dug her claws into the cement, gritting her teeth and trying not to burst into tears at that moment. Then, she raised her head and signaled for Hook to continue.

"I suppose you may be asking why I would know so much about Blue. The thing is... I was one of his slaves."

"What? How on earth did you manage to escape then?"

Hook gritted his teeth, as if repressing bad memories, and then somberly started his own story,

"My brother and I were abandoned by humans, thrown into a river to die with our litter mates. My brother, Kuro, managed to drag me to shore, but only he and I lived. We had no food, no parents, no shelter. But then, we came across Blue. At first he treated us very well, but it wasn't until a couple months later we became his slaves. It started with simple games... could Kuro dodge all the cars in the town? Could I take this piece of meat from Bell when he wasn't looking? Little did we know it was training for our slave work. We did it willingly at first, that is, until it became more dangerous. The humans began to notice us, waiting to capture us. We were injured numerous times and barely escaped. But we could do nothing, for we didn't have any way out. Until, my brother decided to rebel against Blue."

"My brother was very brave, but very foolish. The minute he opened his mouth, Blue took his neck in his jaws and snapped it in two."

A tear slipped out of the corner of his eye, and he shut it, the image forever ingrained in his mind. Weed gasped and nuzzled against GB for comfort, Lenny wearing a shocked expression and Smith a disgusted one. After a moment of silence, Hook lifted his head and continued,

"So from that day on, I was on my own. Every time I thought about running away, or rebelling, Blue would always know. He would remind me, with a sneer on his face, 'Remember Kuro, little Hook. Remember what will happen if you dare disobey me.' I would tuck my tail between my legs and obey, but on the inside I wanted nothing more than freedom. I finally got it when the humans captured me and sent me to the pound. I was thankfully, adopted by my Master. And... I've been here ever since."

"So...the only way to free Mel, would be to defeat Blue?"

Hook turned to face Weed, who had a look of determination in his eyes. There was no way he was possibly thinking...?

"Don't even think about it! Blue is way too powerful for a small group to take on!"

"I don't care how powerful or how scary he is! I'm willing to fight against him if no one else will!"

Hook stood back with a gasp, as the silver Akita inu dashed off in the direction of the mountains, GB and Lenny following close behind. The only one to remain was the old Springer Spainel, Smith. The older dog gave Hook a knowing look, and then stated,

"You've let your fear of him corrupt you."

He found himself feeling ashamed, and merely lowered his head in response. Smith merely grunted and then spoke gruffly,

"That chain locking you there is weaker than the one locking up your spirit."

Hook merely looked confused as the elderly Ohu Soldier began to limp away. He called out to him, wanting to know what he meant by those words. With a bemused shake of his head, Smith replied,

"That big coward and that little puppy just went to fight against Blue, on their own. And you're just sitting there?"

Hook didn't reply, fidgeting in his backyard, watching as Smith faded into the shadows. Then he was left with nothing but the broken memories of his childhood slavery, pressing down on his shoulders like a heavy weight. A brutal weight that was suffocating him. He shut his eyes and tried his best to stop the flow of tears before they began. He had thought he was past all this now...but here it was again, haunting him. Kuro... why? Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he just let his brother rest, let Blue go? Why?

--In Blue's Territory, With Mel--

The young golden retriever was warily making its way towards the small clearing, surrounded by cliffs. This was the place Blue had told him to go, wasn't it? Dropping the stolen bag of dog food at his paws, Mel scanned the cliffs warily. Was this is a trick? Or did he show up at the wrong place and was he angering Blue? Oh, no! He didn't want to anger Blue... and be punished...

"Ah, there you are Mel!"

"Well done Mel!"

Bell and Ned, Blue's 'brothers' appeared on his left and right, smiling greedily as they eyed the dog food that he had stolen from the humans' pet store. Bell, a mastiff-mix with scars on his face and chest, began to drool as he discovered it was a new kind: lamb-flavored meat. Ned, a mutt of an unknown breed, also began to drool. Then, a shadow flickered, and then Blue himself appeared on the cliff Mel was facing. The Alaskan Malamute was large in size, and with his scarred face along with his torn ear he was very intimidating. Mel automatically shrank back in fear, making sure to bow respectfully as all slaves were required to do in Blue's presence. Blue cleared his throat, and then with a shallow smile, told him to raise his head.

"See? I told you that it could be done."

Mel made no reply at first, but then explained in a hesitant tone,

"But I was almost caught... by the human."

Blue snorted, then replied,

"That doesn't matter. The point is, you got it."

Then with a grunt, the malmamute launched himself into the air and landed steadily in front of him. He sauntered over and bared his fangs for a second before he tore open the bag of dog food. He mumbled something in pleasure as he chowed down. Mel already knew not to get his hopes up, but couldn't help but feel sorry for Ned and Bell as Blue backed away from the bag, which was empty save for some scraps. As he walked away, Blue said over his shoulder,

"Alright, you lot can chow down now."

"Alright!"

"I can't wait!"

Then they came down and had to swallow their disappointment, for Blue was probably still listening and most likely watching. They looked at each other for a second, and then began to eat slowly. Mel backed away slowly, but nearly bumped into Blue, who was staring down at him. Mel began to stammer an apology, but Blue spoke up first,

"You'll do it again tomorrow."

Mel shivered, and then whimpered,

"But I don't want to get caught... I can't do this anymore..."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"

Suddenly Mel was being hurled through the air, Blue's fangs clenched around his front paw. The golden retriever was thrown into a tree and he yelped in pain as he fell to the ground, none too gently. Blue began to pummel him, shouting curses of some sort that he wasn't too focused on. Then, Ned finally caught on to what was happening and began to shout to Blue,

"Please, Blue! The poor kid has had enough!"

"Yeah," chorused Ned, "I think he's had enough. Mel, apologize to Blue, quickly!"

Mel grit his teeth, but obeyed.

"Blue, I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry!"

"Don't say sorry, Mel!"

Mel turned his head, and his eyes widened. There, entering the clearing, was a silver Akita inu, surrounded by adult dogs. Determination burned in the male's eyes as he stepped forward, but what surprised Mel the most was that this kid, no older than himself, was leader of the small pack of dogs. He recognized some of them as the pet dogs of the town, but one of them, an English Setter, was a stranger to him. But then, an all-too familiar face appeared. Joyful tears leaked out of his eyes as he recognized his mother, to the left of the Akita puppy.

"Mother!"

He cried out, but then Blue dug his fangs into his neck, and threw him one last time. He landed on the ground with a thump, and Lenny rushed forward, worried for her son's well-being. But Blue jumped forward, growling.

"What are you doing in my territory? Get out of here this instant before I rip each and every one of you to shreds!"

With a flick of his tail, Blue's pack emerged, surrounding the pet dogs. Bell and Ned proudly took their places at Blue's side, but their boastful expressions soon turned to anger as they faced the other dogs.

Then the silver Akita stepped forward,

"Blue, this is wrong! How can you turn Mel into a slave, and then treat him so poorly? If Smith-san were here, he'd be disgusted with you, on behalf of all of Ohu!"

Blue cocked his head, surprised this puppy knew so much of Ohu, let alone one of their commanding officers. How could they have survived, after the wreckage he had discovered there? He his his surprise with a growl and threatened,

"I don't give a shit what anyone thinks, brat! As long as I am boss of these mountains, what I say goes!"

The Akita puppy took another step forward, teeth bared angrily. He frustratedly shouted,

"Then I guess we'll have to do this the hard way!"

--Below the Mountains, With Hook and Smith--

Hook still sat in his backyard, fidgeting. He had been thinking over what Smith and Weed had said, and it wasn't giving him any peace of mind. He felt the urge, the desire to go help Weed, GB, and Lenny with their battle, but yet his fear... his fear had a hold on him that he couldn't shake off. He looked dumbly at the chain that kept him there, that led to his doghouse. This chain... what was it that Smith had said about the chain?

He found himself feeling ashamed, and merely lowered his head in response. Smith merely grunted and then spoke gruffly,

"That chain locking you there is weaker than the one locking up your spirit."

Hook gripped the ground tightly underneath his claws, and shut his eyes. Kuro... he had spent all of his life grieving for his brother, but he had never done a thing to avenge him. Kuro had been the bold one, the one to save his life. Maybe... maybe by avenging him, he could finally repay the favor. To be forgiven for what he hadn't done...

His eyes snapped open, and he threw back his head and howled loudly. Grabbing the chain his jaws, he pulled hard with his fangs and heard a satisfying snap. Then, he was free. Finally realizing the time he had wasted, he hurled himself over the fence, muttering curses as he ran down the street that led towards the mountains. Then, out of the shadows, was none other than Smith-san, with a grin on his face.

"I knew you'd come."

--In Blue's Territory, with Weed and Mel--

Weed had flung himeslf straight at Blue, and now he was paying the price for it. Blue had easily overpowered him and was bashing him against the ground. Finally he was thrown against a large stone. Blue slapped him across the face and then dug his claws into his cheek, pinning him there. Weed growled loudly, but Blue took no notice. Instead he spoke to Mel,

"Mel! You asked for my forgiveness, right? Then kill this brat, and I'll forgive you! Do it now!"

Mel shook fearfully, looking from his mother to Blue to the Akita. But above them all, Blue remained dominant. He lowered his head and nearly whispered,

"I will."

Then, with a pained yell, he threw himself towards the silver puppy and began attacking him, like Bell and Ned had taught him. He sank his teeth into the Akita's neck, squeezing as hard as he could. He shut his eyes, hoping to stop the tears from falling. He failed miserably, but he opened his eyes to hear the Akita speaking to him in ragged breaths.

"Mel... you know that... killing me won't help you..."

He didn't reply, but silently listened.

"I want to help you Mel... you can free yourself... but only if you have the willpower... to do so..."

Mel felt a couple more tears slip down his cheeks, but he still remained silent. The puppy didn't speak anymore, just waited. Mel was shocked, that this stranger was letting his life slip away, trusting that he would make the right decision. Then he looked at his mother, who was also crying. But she was disappointed in her son, upset that he had allowed himself to do such things. Then, something changed, he felt it blazing inside of his very soul, his being. With a growl, he dropped Weed and flung himself at Blue, grabbing the Malmamute's snout with his fangs and biting hard. Blue let out a yell, and from that yell, the two packs went head-to-head. GB was seized by Ned and was held against the ground, whining in pain. Lenny was trying to make her way to her son, effectively dodging some of Blue's pack but finally being stopped by Bell. She let out a hiss of pain as the mastiff mix bit down hard on her neck.

"I've had enough of your orders!"

Mel screamed, but he was thrown aside by Blue. But before his former leader could attack again, a loud yell pierced the air. Then out of nowhere, Hook and Smith came flying towards the adult dog. Bell released Lenny and gasped as he recognized Hook.

"You, what are you doing back here?"

He asked, but all he got for a reply was a shove as Hook ran into the middle of the clearing. He skidded to a stop and narrowed his eyes at Blue.

"So Blue... "

He started, but then the other dog rudely interrupted,

"Who the hell are you?"

Hook narrowed his eyes in disbelief and anger, and then coldly replied,

"Don't tell me you've forgotten me... I haven't forgotten you, Blue."

With all the strength he could muster, the Lab sprang at Blue, jaws open and fangs exposed.

"MY BROTHER'S MURDERER!"

And so the battle raged on, until they had taken all of Blue's pack down. But, then Blue had turned tail and was now running through the forest, down to the highways that lead down to the town. Weed, followed by GB, Smith, Mel, Lenny, and Hook, had chased after him. They were gaining on him now, but then, all of a sudden, he disappeared before their eyes. Weed skidded to a stop and nearly ran into a steel fence that blocked their way to an open road on the other side. Blue stood on the road, smirking as Weed began to paw at the fence in frustration.

"Try as you might, brat, you haven't got the strength to get through that fence! And by the time you find the entrance, I'll be long gone!"

Weed growled angrily, and shouted,

"Get over here and fight me like a true male!"

"Heh, I think you've taken enough of a beating, brat."

"Weed, stand aside! This guy killed my brother!"

He barely jumped aside in time as Hook barreled into the fence, leaving a large dent in it. The lab bounced back, grunting as he pushed himself to his paws. However, the fence remained steady. There was no way to get over it unless he could fly. Or maybe... if he got a good jump in...

Then a loud car horn rang in his ears and with horror he saw Blue walk straight in its path. Weed's eyes widened in horror as the truck ran over Blue, leaving the dog lying