Misery Loves Its Company

[shadow]

Requesting InvaderPhantom, but if you'd like to join, please ask ahead of time. We are open to others, but we don't want a horde of people. Thankyies. >3

It had been a long, painful journey to come this far away from Shikoku, her previous home of terror and misery. Kasumi had recently stumbled upon this old barn... abandoned. She wasn't planning on staying for too many days, but she was weak and warn from her constant battles with other dogs and her human.

Three, slow, empty days had already passed where Kasumi could freely rest... and she could still not motivate herself to continue onwards from the safety of the barn. It was quiet and peaceful, and there were no other dogs, a relief to the paranoid wolf-dog....

And yet....

Kasumi had not spoken a word since she left her home... months ago... to anyone. No dogs, and especially no humans. The closest she'd come to any sort of interaction was with the occasional snow rabbit that she'd have to kill for food.

This was no life.

But Kasumi was scared to live any differently. Her life was a vicious circle of paranoia and grief. She was forever cursed to live within her own mind... so wary of others that she couldn't even bring herself to say a word to them. Everyone, everything... was a threat that either had to be eliminated or escaped.

And the rustling in the snow from outside the barn was no different. Something was coming Kasumi's way. A quick sniff to the air told the Shepherd mix that indeed, there were other dogs coming towards her. Quickly, Kasumi hid herself in the shadows of the barn, narrowing her blue eyes to slits to avoid being seen.

Keep walking. Don't come into this barn... Kasumi thought, hoping her silent prayer would be answered... yet, there was also some part of her that wanted them to come towards her.

Kasumi's muscles tensed in preparation, as if they were excited to be leaping back onto the battlefield. She'd promised herself that there would be no more rink fighting... ever.... but her body wanted to feel and cause pain again. It was like a hopeless addiction.

And so, Kasumi curled her lip up into a silent snarl as two dogs finally made their way into the barn. They were shadowed over by the darkness, but Kasumi could tell one of them was at least twice her size.

If a fight were to unfold, she would have to be careful.

[★Ryuujin★]

Pouncing on imaginary creatures, Ayase leaped through the snow, tail wagging happily. One bound, two bounds, three... his muzzle was buried deep in the snow. Pulling it out with a soft sneeze, he whirled around and looked behind him at Kanou, who was picking up his trail. The large wolf-dog easily made his way through the snow to Ayase's side, the smaller looking up at him as he came to a stop, reddish brown eyes focused on the abandoned building ahead of them.

"Is this the place you told me about, Kanou?" Ayase questioned, looking out over the snow covered field at the same building Kanou was focused on. It seemed so odd to him, that humans would abandon something like this. Then again, his entire life was lived on the streets of Tokyo, and that place was just crawling with humans. It wasn't until recently that he had been exploring the world outside of Tokyo with Kanou. If it wasn't for the other, Ayase wouldn't ever set paw outside of the city... nor would he be alive, but that was a different matter entirely.

Narrowing his eyes, Kanou nodded, "Yes." His answer was short, but it served its purpose. Kanou had been here only a couple times before, hunting on his off excursions when he was a guard dog. The memories still left a bitter taste on his tongue, and it made his whole being go rigid. A strange feeling filled the air, and Ayase obviously felt it as he looked up at Kanou once again, nudging his chest gently with his small nose. Kanou blinked and looked down into the big blue eyes of the smaller dog. He couldn't help but to smile at him, causing Ayase to brighten up, a wide smile growing on his face before he bound forward once again.

"C'mon Kanou!" He slid to a stop in the snow and looked over his shoulder at his companion, "Let's go check it out!" And with that, the young shepherd leaped down the hill and through the fence that bordered the small pasture in front of the barn. Sighing, Kanou shook his head before quickly running after him. The boy just couldn't wait for anything! Reaching the bottom of the hill, Kanou took off at a dead run, trying to catch up with Ayase as he trotted through the buildings rotting doors.

The moment Ayase padded in, he paused, taking a look around. It was rather dark inside the barn, hay covered every inch of the floor, and the smells - Ayase took a deep breath, his tail wagging - there were so many new smells! He padded forward, out of the snow near the doors, his nose pointed toward the ground as he took in everything he could. Just how many creatures have been here? Ayase wondered, his tail wagging again. There's been more than just other dogs in here!

Kanou walked through the large doors moments after Ayase, barely winded from his run. He released a deep breath as he himself looked around. The place hadn't changed much, except for its musty smell - which seemed to have gotten stronger. Wrinkling his nose at the scent, Kanou's eyes finally landed on Ayase, who was happily exploring. Smiling softly, he looked down, and what he saw, surprised him. Canine tracks, fresh, and he could easily tell that they belonged to neither him or Ayase. A deep growl erupted from deep within him and Ayase's head shot up, turning to look at him.

"K-Kanou - san?" His voice was shaky, his heart suddenly engulfed in fear. Kanou never growled like that without reason. Lowering himself, Ayase quickly shied away behind Kanou, shaking softly in a mixture of fear and anticipation. Whatever it was, he was sure Kanou could handle it, there wasn't much the larger dog wasn't able to handle. Laying his ears back, he looked around Kanou and up at his face. He was focused on something, that was for sure, which meant - something... or someone else was here.

"Stay behind me, Ayase."

Ayase nodded before following Kanou's focused gaze into the shadows, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes as he tried to focus on what he thought was a form of another canine.

Kanou stood tall, his stance was one of a friendly matter, yet still told of his "power" and will. His ears were erect, listening for any movement. Whatever is to happen, I will protect you, Ayase. His next action, was not one of a question, nor a request - "We know you're there, come out."

[shadow]

"We know you're there, come out," the bigger dog said in a way that wasn't exactly threatening, but also not kind. Kasumi did not feel any more at ease with the way Kanou was presenting himself, and debated whether she should even listen to him, or stick to the shadows.

Regardless, Kasumi knew she was caught. If she didn't make herself known, she would surely be attacked anyway, and so, slowly, she emerged from the darkest corners of the barn, her blue eyes shining through the darkness. She said nothing, instead letting her body language speak for itself. Her upper lip curled back even more, revealing teeth sharper then nails. She was trained to be able to tear through flesh like it was paper. No matter what size the dog was before her, its skin would be just as easy to penetrate as any other canine.

Kasumi stared at the two dogs between narrowed eyes. The smaller one seemed to be a German Shepherd, one of the breeds of her origin, and the larger one looked very wolfish, only... much too large to actually be one. Actually, now that Kasumi was studying him more closely, there was an air of familiarity about the large dog....

And let's just say, that did not reassure the paranoid she-dog at all. If anything, it made her even more wary. If this dog was familiar, that could only mean he was from the rink... or a guard dog....

Her pupils dilated in fear and rage all at once, giving her the look of what some might think a psychopath would have. Kasumi dared not make a move just yet. She had to know first what she was up against, and then, she would decide if it was worth it to shred these dogs to little, satisfying bits.

"Wh-Who are you," Kasumi stuttered. Not in fear, but because her voice had not been used in months. It was gruff, and the feeling made her throat feel sore. It was uncomfortable to speak physically as well as mentally. "State your business here."

Kasumi finished by letting out a vicious snarl, her tail automatically tilting up to assert dominance. She dared to take a step forward, but resisted the urge to go all out and attack. It was not the time....

Yet.

[★Ryuujin★]

As Kasumi walked out from the shadows, Ayase laid his ears back, his maw falling open as he hid himself a little more behind Kanou. The female surely didn’t seem to be friendly, and it scared him. Swallowing harshly, he looked up at Kanou – who hadn’t moved an inch. He held his ground as he looked at the female. She was indeed smaller than he was, but size usually didn’t mean a thing. Kanou felt himself tensing as Ayase retreated a little farther behind him, ready to fight for the younger dog – if need be, he would give his life to save Ayase. Seemingly feeling these thoughts from Kanou, Ayase released a small whimper and nuzzled Kanou’s hip gently, his blue eyes looking up at him.

With an ear twitch, Kanou looked back into the eyes of his companion and smiled softly, “It’s alright, Ayase, We’ll be fine.” These words of comfort seemed to have their desired impact on the shepherd as he nodded and his ears rose again, looking more defiantly at the female. There would be a time where Ayase would have to fight again. It wasn’t like he couldn’t fight, he could fight just fine, and he had speed on his side – his lithe body helping with agility. It was just that he didn’t like to fight, more or less that Kanou prevented him from doing so. If he had too, the shepherd prepared himself to fight. He flexed his paws and lowered his shoulders in a long stretch.

"Wh-Who are you," The female stuttered, Kanou’s keen ears heard the misuse in her voice, absent from her muzzle for lord knows how long. “State your business here.”

Kanou responded to her snarl with a deep rumbling growl of his own, the fur on his back raising slightly. Who was she to act like this was her territory? It belonged to no one, it belonged to everyone. Keeping his assertive stance, Kanou narrowed his eyes and focused on the female. Something about her was familiar, her looks perhaps, her scent, the way she carried herself, it was all familiar. Did he know her? He snorted, doubtfully; everyone he knew was either dead or had moved on, away from this country. “My name is Kanou.” He spoke, his voice as deep as his growl, his reddish brown eyes looking straight into her blue ones, “And this is Ayase.”

At mention of his name, the shepherd walked out from behind Kanou to his side, his own blue eyes focusing on the female. He stood as tall as he could. As he did so, he noticed that he stood taller than the female. Not by much – but it made a difference in his confidence. Kanou had told him once that size didn’t matter, but to Ayase, it made some difference to his shrunken ego.

Smiling at Ayase, Kanou looked back at the female from him, his smile fading quickly, “Our business here is of our own.” It wouldn’t have been hard to tell the female that they were merely visiting, exploring – but seeing her attitude toward them, Kanou felt less inclined to give the female any extra information than what was necessary.

“We gave you our names, how about yours.”

[shadow]

Kanou responded to Kasumi's snarl with a deep rumbling growl of his own, the fur on his back raising slightly. “My name is Kanou.” He spoke, his voice as deep as his growl, his reddish brown eyes looking straight into her blue ones, “And this is Ayase.”

At mention of his name, the shepherd walked out from behind Kanou to his side, his blue eyes focusing on Kasumi. Kasumi noted that Ayase stood a bit taller then herself, but she wasn't concerned that this gave the skiddish shepherd false hope. She was confident enough that she could shred both the dogs before her if she had to. Besides, Ayase was of no real interest to Kasumi. She was more focused on Kanou, and Kasumi couldn't shake the feeling that she knew him from somewhere....

Her eyes followed Kanou carefully as he smiled down at his smaller companion. Things suddenly slowed down for Kasumi, as if everything was being looked at frame by frame... and then suddenly, one faded memory came back to her... and let's just say, it was not a pleasant memory at all:

Kasumi stood as close to the wall as possible, her eyes narrowed and her upper lip curled into a vicious snarl. She was young, a pup still, but used to the brutality she had to show for her master. A low, grumbling sound erupted from her chest, sending vibrations through the air strong enough to bring a chill to her enemy's spine... if she knew who her enemy was.

"Kasumi, I want you to attack Kanou," a voice said with the utmost seriousness. Kasumi stared up at her master momentarily, before staring back at her opponent. With a start, she realized how much larger this dog was then her. She was severely outmatched... and her master knew it. One look at his sadistic, smirking face, and she was sure of it.

Still, she could not disobey her master. Kasumi charged forward, ready to bring down the huge dog, but things would never turn out how she wanted back then. She was weak, ignorent.... This dog... was at least a year old, and had far more experience then her. Almost immediately, Kasumi found herself with teeth to her neck, just poking through her skin and making her bleed.

She let out a cry of fear, but dared not utter a word to the giant dog. Her master would surely save her, right?

"Kanou, enough! You are ready for the rink. I have trained you well if you can attack a puppy without mercy," the human said, his voice more vile then anything Kasumi had ever, or would ever hear. The giant dog let her go, letting Kasumi scurry away to the safety of her dog pen. Her heart was screaming in her ears.

But unfortunately, it was only the first of many more mental scars she would receive in that facility....

“Our business here is of our own,” Kanou spoke up, snapping Kasumi out of her own mind. She blinked several times, and then, suddenly, everything turned into fury. Kanou was not just any dog. She was one of her master's lackies.... The one who had traumatized her so as a pup. “We gave you our names, how about yours."

"Y-you," she snarled, her voice cracking once again. Her eyes lit up suddenly, as she snapped her head above her shoulders. This time, she didn't do a typical snarl, she opened her mouth wide enough so that Kanou and Ayase could see her razor sharp fangs in all their beauty. Sharp enough to shred like a knife.

"You," she repeated. "Want a name? You fucking come in here, and you ask me for my name. You bastard, you should remember me. I remember you too well for comfort. I was known as The Black Mist for a long while, but before that I was a pup... named Kasumi..."

She trailed off, letting the words sink in, if they meant anything to Kanou at all. It was only then, did Kasumi think of why he might be here, "You're here to take me back to him... to the human...."

And before Kanou could even answer, Kasumi had made up her mind about his intentions, "Y-you're not going to take me. I'll fight to my death if I have to!"

She let out another snarl, and then, without warning, charged forward, knocking Ayase to the side of the barn so she could freely battle with Kanou. While Ayase got up from under a pile of hay, and Kanou was distracted with making sure he was alright, Kasumi rushed forward again, her jaws wide with the intent of shedding blood. She however, did not go for a vital spot on Kanou, though she easily could have shredded open his neck while he was distracted.

Instead, she ducked under him, her jaws ready to bite into his back leg. However, Kanou anticipated the move, and barely got his leg away in time. Kasumi dashed opposite him before he could counter, and let out another snarl. Her teeth had only grazed his skin, giving him little more then a papercut.

"I will not be swayed by the wills of humans anymore!"

[★Ryuujin★]

With curiousity, Ayase watched as the female sank into her own world, what she was so focused on, he didn’t know. He looked at Kanou once, as if trying to figure the two out. Something was off, he could tell that much for sure. D-do these two know eachother? Letting his pride to sink behind his now cautious stance, Ayase let a soft growl escape his maw. Something wasn’t right, and what little could possibly be right at this moment, was about to go horribly wrong – he could feel it.

"Want a name? You fucking come in here, and you ask me for my name. You bastard, you should remember me. I remember you too well for comfort. I was known as The Black Mist for a long while, but before that I was a pup... named Kasumi..."

Kanou laid his ears back. Kasumi… the name sounded so familiar, so damn familiar, but he just couldn’t place a paw on it. He released sigh that sounded more like a growl as he closed his eyes, where the HELL do I know that name from? Ayase looked at him, eyes narrowing slightly as he tilted his head. This wasn’t the time to be wigging out like this, they could be in danger. He could have released a bark to wake Kanou up, but that could only make things worse around the jumpy female. Instead, he took a step forward, standing a bit before Kanou. If Kanou were to do this now, Ayase would fight if he must, he would protect Kanou, like the elder had done so many times before for him.

"You're here to take me back to him... to the human...."

Eyes snapping open, Kanou snarled, his entire being went rigid as he curled his upper lip back to show his own fangs – so sharp and experienced. How DARE she accuse HIM of working with those filthy creatures? He had left them, long ago to suffer and rot in his wake. He didn’t need them, he never did, not after what they did to him. “Listen, missy,” His voice dripped like poison, his anger seething. This was one thing he couldn’t – wouldn’t let slip, “I’ve NO clue what you’re talking about! I would NEVER go back to those filthy beings.”

"Y-you're not going to take me. I'll fight to my death if I have to!"

Laying his ears back suddenly, Ayase let out a fierce snarl, one that he had never heard himself make before as the female darted forward, “KANOU!” His usually calm voice was now strong, bold and full of tension. He lowered himself closer to the barn floor and snapped up at the female, his maw closing inches away from her neck as she hit him away. With another growl, Ayase landed on his feet and slid across the barn, stirring up the hay.

Kanou released a roaring snarl at this action of the female. Attack him, he was fine with it, but attack Ayase, and you don’t get out alive. He watched with a careful trained eye as she darted toward him, taking an attacking stance as she slid under him, going for his leg. No, this would not do. He pushed against the ground suddenly, soaring over her. Landing on his forepaw, he twisted his body so that he would land facing her. His ears lay back as his eyes, now shades darker with anger, focused on her. Between his adrenaline and anger, he barely noticed the small wound on his hind leg as it barely trickled with red – not that it would have affected him anyway.

Ayase lowered his head, his own blue eyes much darker with anger. His face shadowed as his body trembled, never had he felt such a feeling as this before. It tore through him like a knife, the tension building. He couldn’t let this get to him, he had to hold his cool. Kasumi was quick, and Ayase knew he could easily match her speed if he had too, her strength may have been a different matter, but the female was in no position to rule him out quite yet. He knew he could fight, he had it in him, every dog did, and Kanou had been training him. Using these skills and his speed and agility, he may have been a decent match for the female, even with his untainted maw.

This female, where did he know her from? She knew him, obviously. It couldn’t just be the collar he donned that had set her off. If it were, his size surely would have made her think twice. No, she obviously had some reason to be attacking him like this. But why Ayase too, is she afraid of us ganging up on her? It wasn’t like it was completely impossible, he knew that Ayase would have his back in an instant if need be, and judging from the way the shepherd looked now, he was on edge.

It surprised him. Ayase was a gentle soul, he didn’t like to fight or harm any other dog. But now, he looked so full of hatred, he looked like he had been trained as a fighting dog since he were born. Kanou focused back on Kasumi, wondering if the shepherd could hold his own against her. He had torn through a small pack in Tokyo when they had Kanou pinned, he wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. But he wasn’t about to put the female out of her place either. Place. THE RINK!

Realization hit him. She was a fighting dog. He was a puppy back when, it wasn’t a wonder he didn’t remember. She was his final test into the ring. But, he didn’t kill her when he could have. Because you were a cold, heartless killing machine. You didn’t do it because it wasn’t what you were ordered to do. Don’t forget all those innocent dogs that you murdered. A voice in the back of his head reminded him and he growled. He was a slave back then, a whim to humans to use for their own pleasure – their entertainment. But, he was different now, he didn’t want this.

His eyes flashed over to Ayase momentarily before darting back to Kasumi. Ayase didn’t know of all the dogs he had killed, he knew he was a fighter but… he didn’t dare think what the shepherd may think of him once he found out. No, he couldn’t think like this, not now. Steeling himself, Kanou released another growl, “Times are different, Kasumi. I’m not the dog I once was.”

[shadow]

“Times are different, Kasumi. I’m not the dog I once was.”

Kasumi snorted in disbelief, her eyes darting to Ayase momentarily, to make sure he was not going to try something, and then back to Kanou. To any other dog, one look in the giant dog's eyes would make them believe he was being truthful... but not Kasumi. Looks were deceiving, as she had learned time and time again the hard way.

"Why do you still wear a collar if you are not affiliated with those rotten creatures?" Kasumi spat, disregarding the fact that she herself, still had the spiked collar from her old days as The Black Mist. Still, she was different then the mutt before her. He... he was the dog that first started her nightmarish days as a trainee for the rink. With that thought in her head, Kasumi's eyes darkened, and she said in a low voice, "You could still be the same, horrible mutt that held my neck in their jaws when I was still an untrained pup. How do you justify such cruelty? Even I could not when I was being ordered by our human. The moment I saw an opening for escape, I took it, and I made a...."

She trailed off, her eyes trailing to the floor. What had she promised herself? She had promised to never fight again, if she was recalling correctly.... Wait, what was she doing? She wasn't paying attention! At that, Kasumi snapped out of her trance almost as soon as she'd gone into it, curling her lip back up to show that she would not be fooled. They were here to take her back... and Kasumi would not have it. Self defense was an entirely different matter then fighting in the rink.

"I'm not going to be fooled by a filthy fighting dog. Not... ever.... again!" Kasumi roared. "Go back to your human! Leave me in peace!"

[★Ryuujin★]

Kanou felt a deep growl rise from the lowest pits of his stomach as her cold eyes shifted from him to Ayase. It was probably his greatest weakness, and would be more than likely be his downfall - his love for Ayase, but it was also a strength to him. He may have been overprotective, but it more often than not gave him the will to keep going when he felt to be at wits end.

But this...

This was different.

Different entirely.

He knew this dog, and he didn't want to fight her, much less kill her. He did regret his past, especially all the young ones that he killed, taking away their chance at life - including her. He may not have killed her, sparing her life at his "masters" command - but he felt the same, sinking regret and self hatred for the act. As her eyes fell back on him, Kanou steeled his expression to one of an impassive feeling.

"Why do you still wear a collar if you are not affiliated with those rotten creatures?"

He couldn't help but snort at this. Kanou was one to keep his cool, even seeing that he once had a lust for blood, it would seem hard for one to believe. But that was then, this is now. Besides, how ignorant was she? For as clear as the day itself, anyone could plainly see that she adorned a collar of her own. Closing his eyes, Kanou felt his muscles twitch. "You're one to talk." His voice wasn't cold, but it didn't hold the same fondness that he so easily conversed in with Ayase. "Or are you just being ignorant, Kasumi? Just because I adorn my collar now, doesn't mean that I still associate with those filthy rats"

"You could still be the same, horrible mutt that held my neck in their jaws when I was still an untrained pup. How do you justify such cruelty?"

Ayase raised his head and looked at Kanou, confused. D-did he try to... He shook his head, tightly closing his eyes. He knew that Kanou was a fighting dog, he knew from the moment the elder took him in. But.... he's just too gentle to kill at command. Ayase opened his eyes, focusing on Kanou once again, Right?

"Kanou?" He questioned his packmate in a gentle tone that quivered ever so slightly "Kanou, what is she talking about?"

Shit... Deep down, Kanou had hoped that it would never had come to this. He didn't want the younger to know... to know of all the horrible things he had done. He didn't want to see the gentle face fall with disappointment in him. "Ayase..." Even though his words were directed to the shepherd, he kept his focus trained on the female before him, "There were some things that I left out about my past... I was trained to-"

"NO!" The shepherd yelled, closing his eyes tight. "I-I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, KANOU!"

Kanou risked a glance at the younger, his heart engulfed in a sinking feeling. "Ayase... I.... I'm sorry." He himself knew that apologies rarely made a difference, and he could only hope that the young Shepherd would forgive him. He would do his damnedest to make it up to the younger, he would do whatever it took, He just... he just couldn't lose the shepherd.

"Go back to your human! Leave me in peace!"

Something inside of Kanou snapped and he looked back at the female, fire raging clearly in his eyes. "How many times must I tell you." His voice dripped out from his maw rugged and sharp, "I don't associate with the filthy things anymore!" His voice quickly slurred into a raging snarl, his lip curling back fully to show every one of his sharpened fangs as he leaned back, preparing himself to pounce the female. Pushing against the ground, he leaped into the air, flying straight for her, maw parted - ready to tear into flesh. Part of him was screaming at him not to do this, not in front of Ayase. But the other part.... it egged him on, screaming for the feel of blood running down his maw, flesh splitting around his fangs.

And the half screaming for blood was winning. His eyes turned shades darker with the returning blood lust, his muscles tightening as his mind began to turn feral again. He was losing it, he was reverting. The part of him that was still conscious of his actions was thoroughly repulsed, rejecting every ounce of his being.

Eyes widening suddenly, he felt another being slam into him from the side, both of them tumbling into the hay below. Quickly finding himself pinned, Kanou looked up - vision blurred with rage and long forgotten lust for an all out brawl. A quiet crying slowly reached his ears and he slowly felt himself begin to relax as a soft tongue ran over his lower jaw, its possessor trembling above him.

"Kanou..." The voice was barely more than a whisper, cracking as it sliced through Kanou's rage. "Kanou, you cant do this... I-I don't care if you were a killer. It-It shouldn't... no... it doesn't matter anymore. You've changed! I know you have! The past doesn't matter. What matters is your future, and living for today!" As he spoke, Ayase's voice grew stronger and his trembling quelled. His confidence grew inch by inch as he saw the rage and anger leave Kanou at his words, realization sinking into the wolf-dog. Finally stepping off of Kanou, Ayase turned to Kasumi, his blue eyes focused on her, the look in his eyes thoroughly defiant.

"And you." His voice was indeed strong now, perhaps stronger than it had ever been, but it still held a kind edge to it. "You're no better than the fighting dogs now! Kanou was offering you the truth! He's changed, we havent seen a human in weeks!" He looked down, trying to search for the right words. "You're free now! You don't have to worry about anyone taking you back! Even if you still do, I'm sure you could fight them off!"

His gaze rose back to Kasumi, his stance showing that he was becoming more sure of himself as Kanou slowly sat up behind him, looking at Kasumi from the corner of his eyes."Kanou isn't that dog you used to know anymore, he's changed for the better, so why cant you!?"

[shadow]

Kasumi watched the scene unfold before her, her heart welling with sympathy for the German Shepherd known as Ayase, however, no such emotion made its way to her face or demeanor. Instead, her eyes became more cold, distant if you will, as she became lost in thought. The arguing seemed to vanish into mere muttering as her brain tried to work out the situation at hand.

It was only when Kanou charged at her that she woke up from her trance. Immediately, Kasumi dropped into a battle ready stance, ready to counter whatever hit Kanou was trying to make. Thankfully, or maybe not, Ayase did not let the hit even come close to connecting. Kasumi blinked several times in surprise, but her teeth stayed bared, just in case Kanou got back up to attack again as many fighting dogs do.

"Kanou..." Ayase muttered quietly. "Kanou, you cant do this... I-I don't care if you were a killer. It-It shouldn't... no... it doesn't matter anymore. You've changed! I know you have! The past doesn't matter. What matters is your future, and living for today!" As he spoke, Ayase's voice grew stronger and his trembling quelled, and Kasumi started to relax as well. She stood up normally and stopped baring her fangs as she watched everything before her.... that is, until she herself was addressed by the shepherd:

"And you," he exclaimed, his voice radiating confidence that it didn't have before. "You're no better than the fighting dogs now! Kanou was offering you the truth! He's changed, we haven't seen a human in weeks!"

Kasumi wasted no time in letting out a snarl. How dare this mere pup had accused her of being no different then a fighting dog. She had changed. She had more self control now then she ever did in her entire lifetime. With that thought in mind, Kasumi was ready to retort, but was promptly cut off by Ayase again: "You're free now! You don't have to worry about anyone taking you back! Even if you still do, I'm sure you could fight them off!"

His gaze rose back to Kasumi, his stance showing that he was becoming more sure of himself as Kanou slowly sat up behind him, looking at Kasumi from the corner of his eyes."Kanou isn't that dog you used to know anymore, he's changed for the better, so why cant you!?"

"You're a fool!" Kasumi spat as soon as Ayase stopped. "No more than an ignorant pup! How dare you call me no better then a fighting dog! If I had had the intent to kill or seriously injure your precious Kanou, I'd have gone for his neck when he was off-guard! When he leapt at me, his intent was pretty clear!" Kasumi paused, waiting for the words to sink in. "I was merely acting out of protection. You clearly have not met a real fighting dog Ayase. If you'd have encountered the same kind of hell either I or Kanou had, you'd know exactly why I was being so aggressive now."

She turned her gaze to Kanou, her blue eyes narrowing on him. Another snarl erupted from her chest at the sight of him. She didn't trust him. She didn't trust Ayase either....

But they were not a threat to her right now.

"I apologize for my behavior," she said bitterly. With that, Kasumi got up and walked towards the front of the barn, her ears pricked for any movement towards her. She stopped at the entrance and turned around, her eyes connecting with Kanou once again. She stared at him coldly, but there was an emotion in her eyes aside from hatred; understanding perhaps, or... maybe not, for it was gone as soon as it was there, replaced by everlasting rage. "And I forgive you for creating my hell all those years ago."

With that Kasumi walked out the door. Her ears were still pricked in case either Ayase or Kanou started to follow or attack again however....