Chapter 1: The wolf sat angrily in his seat, waiting for his parents to wake up for their morning tea. “Come on you old monsters.... wake up already.” His father, an aged Dragon with longer whiskers and a pair of wings, and skinnier body than Enishi, walked out in a golden looking robe with lotus blossoms adorning it. “Son...What did you do that Rin is so upset about? She claims you brought in an Iroue to the house without notice. Is this true?” Mataza asked. Adrian stood to bow to his father, and then he replied to him. “Yes, father. I brought Enishi here. His home was ransacked and destroyed so I offered him sanctuary. I never turn away my friends, and then she decides to call the guards on him!?” He shouted angrily. Mataza trailed along his whiskers in thought. “My son...It had to be done. He was an enemy... Enishi...Is an Iroue...Our long time enemy. He was never...On your side...He tried to manipulate you.” Mataza replied, sitting him down. Adrian refused to sit. “Those are lies! He was my friend since childhood! He would never betray me, you and mother are liars!” Mataza slapped him. “Don’t talk back to me, boy.” The wolf held his cheek; a red glow appeared from it. He held back the tears of pain as he sat down. “Cho... what is for breakfast...” he said trying to avoid further troubles. The mouse stuttered as she started to take him to the dining hall. “Your favorite. I’ll prepare it right up for you young Master. Follow me, so your father isn’t tempted to rage now.” She whispered hurriedly getting them downstairs. He sat down in his seat, holding a cold, wet cloth to his face. He was hit before from back talking... but this was different. Mataza... Looked more disappointed than enraged. He was...Holding something back... Cho suddenly served his breakfast as she bowed and quickly left. The young wolf ate his food quietly, not even making a sound of chewing his toasted roll. He finished swiftly as he went to the garden once more, ignoring his father’s looks. “Those fools, he was my best friend.... Only friend.... who accepted me...” He said tearing up, starting to sob. “Enishi... please forgive me.”

The wind picked up, as the cherry blossoms flew in the wind. A hooded figure stood on the wall as it was windy. The wolf wiped his tears away as he saw the figure. “Enishi...” he whispered, knowing his dragon ears would hear him. Something wasn’t right... He could smell it in the air. It was almost foul...And evil. The wolf stood as he ran to the wall, feeling awry. “Who are you, what do you want with me?” The muscled male drew a katana, and leapt at him. He could see...Red eyes in the darkness of the cloak. The wolf gasped as he dived toward the bench, drawing his katana in defense. Those eyes... they looked almost familiar... he couldn’t put a pin on it. “Explain this act of mutiny, why do you try to kill the Heir of the Morenatsu House!?” The figure Growled, almost ferally as he leapt again, his blade clashing with Adrian’s. No mistaking those scales and eyes. It was him. As ludicrous as it was...It was him. Adrian knew he had to find a way to escape his home so the guards wouldn’t try and kill him, he whispered to the figure, “I’ll let you take me as a hostage, just leave this place alone Enishi.” The dragon growled, as if he were savage. That was it. He couldn’t hear him... But...His eyes...They looked like a kanji character stood in them. It read... ‘Puppet.’ The dragon drew his other katana and swung swiftly slicing fur and skin on the wolf. He tried again but vines emerged knocking him back. The wolf was glaring at the dragon, his own magic coming into effect; all plants were under his control. The Vines wrapped tighter around the dragon, one around his neck, like a noose. “Go to sleep Enishi...” they suddenly froze as he broke free. “Must...Kill...Target...” He growled. He definitely wasn’t acting like himself. He sounded...Off. Adrian had to escape. He ran to the bushes from last night Enishi followed him there as he threw off the cloak. He had ripped open the crevice as if it were nothing with a wave of ice the ground cracked, and he jumped down, with a thud, trailing after the wolf with a slow stride.

Enishi rumbled as he launched more ice waves freezing the tunnel over in ice. He sliced apart the thin sheets of cold, searching for the winged wolf. “Where...Is Target...?” He rumbled still walking slowly, as he drew a small kanji on the wall. It froze the entire tunnel over again, only this time it was going to stay there, until that kanji was removed. He heard the wolf move as he blocked with his blades, and knocked him to the wall. “Kill...Target...” He rumbled, ice surrounding the wolf’s ankles. Plants wouldn’t be able to grow in this extreme cold temperature... This was it...He was going to die here...By his best friend’s efforts. “Enishi, please, you can’t kill me... stop this foolishness.” the Wolf said in a half joking, half desperate tone. Looking into the dragon’s eyes, he gave a terrified stare. He started tearing up, a droplet landing on the dragon’s bare foot. Enishi rumbled but suddenly was screaming holding his chest as if in pain. “Must...Kill...!” He roared, his eyes flashing, almost evil. His chest seemed to spark with a magic of sorts. A seal appeared to the wolf’s eyes. It meant, puppet. “Enishi, you will be saved.” His eyes flashed violently as he was attacking him...But now that Adrian looked...He looked as if he were holding back. Enishi was much faster than this...Something was very off now. “Save me...” He rumbled now. The katana connected with him...On his arm. Enishi was about to land the finishing blow. Fire billowed from the skies above as a wolfess howled, shooting more fire towards the dragon. He roared, retreating as he attempted to get closer. Lightning danced above, striking the ground near her, as her scaled mate used his powers to protect her.

Enishi, in his mindless state, retreated now. He changed into a fine snow and drifted off into the wind. Adrian lowered his guard and looked through the light to see two familiar forms. One was brushing his whiskers with his fingers; another one wore a matching kimono as him. “Mother, father?” was all the wolf said before getting knocked out. He awoke hours later in his room, his father asleep in a chair across from his, his mother walking through the door now. “Mataza dear, time to change shifts... Oh, Adrian you’re awake!” the wolfess said wrapping her arms around her son, the father awake, still sitting down though. “Mother, father, what happened last night?” He asked, backing away from his mom’s embrace. Rin sighed. “Enishi...Was trying to kill you my son...No. Last night was not a dream. Enishi was tasked with killing you by one of his clients. He’s...A professionally trained assassin...” She added. “Lies... more lies!” he shouted causing his mother to stand off the bed. “Enishi was cursed! I saw the marks on his body and eyes... you two know things and refuse to tell me, why are you doing this!?” he shouted, tears in his eyes. He looked at his father now, and spoke with a calmer tone. “Did you, or did you not, order the attack on his home?” Mataza was silent. “...” He left the room followed by his mother. The tea still sitting on the table, fresh for the cup. Adrian grunted in a mix of betrayal, aggravation, and annoyance. His only friend was not only nearly killed by his own parents, but now under some horrible curse? All he could do is nothing at the moment, his arm still hurt from the slash, feeling the sting again. He stood and walked around his room, he went to his chest that he kept all his precious items and memories in, unlocking it with his claw. “Dammit...Enishi why...?” Adrian asked to a small painting of the two done by a friend of theirs. It showed the two in the garden during two seasons. Adrian in spring and Enishi in winter. Both looked polar opposite...Yet... They certainly looked...Right with the other. He put it down, and then slammed his foot into the table, sending the tea ware everywhere, shattering it, and spilling hot fresh tea on the floor. Adrian sobbed, starting to tear up, at the image of Enishi attacking him. But...That one phrase suddenly made sense. ‘Save me...’ He heard the plea echo in his mind. He stood up, and looked at the painting again. “Hang on Enishi...I’ll save you...” Adrian silently vowed. A servant at his door listened in on him. A male Fox stood there, with a sly look in his eyes as he then turned around and headed off to find the mistress. She would certainly need to know of this development. Adrian, not noticing the fox, got dressed in his kimono. He grabbed hold of his sword and left headed to the entrance of the castle, not before stopping at the garden, one last time. He stood at the bench and looked around, remembering all the good, and bad, memories he had here. Most of them including Enishi and himself. He shed a tear, but wiped it away, “No more tears... “No more cowardice.” He vowed, He took a rose from the nearby bush and cut his hand on the thorn, he let the blood drip onto the white flower as he spoke in a whisper. “May this blood show that I will not show weakness on my quest... and may this help me achieve my goal...” He finished as he threw the flower into the pond, using his magic to create a bush of white roses, each blotched with red spots of blood. The pink blossoms...He’d never see them again. Well...For now. He had to find Enishi. And he had to find him before he did something completely foolish. He went to the kitchen before he left to stock up on supplies, enough for a week to live off of. He went to the stables and grabbed a horse and harness. With this, he rode to the front of the castled and looked at it once more before riding off towards the sun. “Goodbye... you liars...”