Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  Crossing his own arms, Isamu nodded as he stepped back with a sigh. "That would be helpful." He had no clue what they were talking about, and wanted to know.

  Turning to Senri and Kamui, Umarus growled. "Get over here you two. You started this so your asses get to demonstrate."

  Laughing as he went with Kamui over to get the practice blades, Senri looked at Umarus with a wink. "Watch yourself Umarus. If Sorae hears you talking like that in front of Kiara, it will be your head."

  Growling Umarus pointed as he moved to stand right behind Isamu and Kiara who already had wide eyes fixed on Kamui. "Just do it." Looking down at Isamu he sighed. "When you see something basic you copy the basic move, and as you practice it you learn the workings on how to make it effective right?"

  Nodding Isamu looked up at him with a half glare. "That is typically how training is done isn't it?"

  "Yes you are right about that pup. I want you to focus on Senri. Pay attention to what he does, and we will see if you and Kiara can come out to the same conclusion. Kiara you watch Kamui." Umarus then nodded to Senri and Kamui.

  A smile for each other, Kamui and Senri took a stance, and the moved, a fraction of a second later, locked in a deadlock stance as the wind around them settled. Standing, they turned to the pups, and Senri smiled. "You saw what I did right Isamu?"

  Nodding Isamu had his own wide eyes. "I did."

  Pulling the eyes of the pups to him again, Umarus sighed. "Alright then. You do what Senri did, and Kiara you do what Kamui did. Isamu if you can do what Kiara does, you will in with a deadlock like they did. If not pup, you are going to get thrown for a loop." Laughing as all he did was glare, Isamu stepped back and crossed his arms. "Well then by all means let's see it."

  Nodding Kiara took the same stance that Kamui did as Isamu did Senri's. Then they moved, Kiara mimicked exactly what her uncle did. Even down to the flex of what muscles to get his body to move and the force behind it. When they came together, the force did exactly what Umarus said it would do, and Isamu was flung backwards about fifty feet. "You alright?"

  Standing and dusting himself off, Isamu sighed. "I am. I don't know what happened. I copied him perfectly. Why didn't work?" When he reached them he gave Kiara an odd look. "How did you do that?"

  With a sigh, Kiara crossed her arms. "Mama calls it a perfect memory. Everything I see, hear and read is etched into my mind and I can never forget about it. You copied Uncle Senri's basic moves. But your footing was off, the placement of the foot and how he used his legs to give himself more force, and how he tensed his arms when they attacked is what made the deadlock. I copied everything Uncle Kamui did, even flexing the same muscles that he did as he did it. I could see each tiny detail that went into it and copy it perfectly."

  She then turned to the side and showed him. "This is what he did basically. But it was more detailed than that." She then slowed down and showed him exactly what she did, that wasn't a basic copy. When she connected to one of the trees it shook to the core and some of the flower petals fell around them. "See?"

  With wide eyes, Isamu got it now. "So you really could see all of that in that fraction of a second?"

  With a sigh as she crossed her arms, Kiara closed her eyes. "Yes. I don't know how, I just have been able to since I can remember. That was why when Kado attacked while Mama and Father were gone before the presentation I snuck out to watch Imae. I can remember every move she did, and Reijiro."

  "That's so cool. I wish I could do that. Show me that again, just slow."

  "Alright."

  Moving to stand with Kamui and Senri as they all watched Kiara and Isamu, Umarus smiled as he kept his arms crossed. "What do you think? I would say that the Lands are going to be in some good hands when they are ready to step down don't you two think so?"

  Laughing as they watched the pups, both Senri and Kamui couldn't agree with that statement more. Each kid was going to be strong, smart, and kind. And friends with each other so peace would reign for a long time to come.

  X

  Shaking her head as she bounced her daughter, Yukani looked over at the training fest. "I swear. I doubt that Kiara will ever take to doing anything that a girl is supposed to do. Just like her sister, she would rather be training with the boys than anything else."

  Looking over at her daughter, Sorae blinked as she held the wiggling Katana on her lap. "What are you talking about Yukani? I do remember another pup at her same age that was elated to be finally training with her father and big brother. Now I wonder who that could be."

  Rolling her eyes as she turned to her mother, Yukani half glared as she smiled. "But I didn't stay like that now did I Mama? Imae is going to change the standard of mating for the East, and I just feel sorry for whomever Kiara mates with, if she does."

  Giving her an odd look, and her sea green eyes blinking, Zokeni stood next to Yukani. "Why would you feel sorry for him Yukani? At least with the way she will be, she won't get pushed around by a mate that thinks of her as his property."

  Rolling her eyes as she looked up at Zokeni with a sigh, Yukani shook her head. "It isn't that, I welcome that. But the way she is, I can see her in a relationship. Her mate would lean in to kiss her, and she would end up slapping him and tell him that he has to win a sparing match with her before he is allowed to kiss her. And with that, I think she will me mated for a few thousand years before we finally get a pup out of her. Katana may be a great grandfather by the time she has one of her own."

  Turning to Katana Zokeni smiled as he reached up for her. Lifting him into her arms, she laughed as he giggled and touched her face. "I don't know about that Yukani. I think she may just shock all of us and be mated and have pups before her brother. You never know."

  Laughing again as she looked down at her own daughter, Yukani then looked up at Zokeni with a smile. "I doubt that. Just think about who her father is after all. He didn't take a mate till he was nearly a thousand years old. I say that Kiara easily doubles that before she mates, and even longer before she has a pup."

  Pulling eyes to her as she covered her mouth with a giggle, Yuriko met Yukani's eyes. "You can't always go on that one Yukani. And I think that you yourself are a testament to that one are you not?"

  Blinking as she let her head fall to the side, Yukani just blinked at her as she let her mother take her daughter. "What are you talking about?"

  Smiling down at her newest granddaughter, Sorae smiled as well. "You know what Yuriko I hadn't thought about that but that is very true. Very true."

  Crossing her arms, Yukani growled as she turned her glare on her mother. "Well I wish someone would explain to me what that is supposed to mean."

  Smiling up at her daughter, Sorae winked as she smiled a bright smile. "You were well over six hundred when you and Kamui mated. Now at just over three hundred years of being mated, and nearly a thousand yourself, you finally have a pup of your own. I wouldn't underestimate your nice. Bonding and a mate may just finally bring out the girl in her and she mate and have pups faster than you or your brother."

  Rolling her eyes as she turned to look back at her niece, Yukani smiled. "I highly doubt that but I guess stranger things have happened. I never did think that Kiyoshi would be a parent before I was being mated first. And our pack has defied the odds with Kiara and Katana. So I will just say who knows but I doubt it."

  X

  His eyes narrowed as he growled with his arms crossed, Sume glared down at his nephew and the others. He hated that pup with all he had. Everything was perfect with his princess the center of attention. Then after he was born and Yuriko slapped her over that mongrel of a pup. That was the day that everything changed. But he knew one thing for sure, his daughter would have ultimate power over them all one day. And everyone who had ever done or said anything about her will pay when they are at her mercy. "They all will pay."

  "Sume?"

  Not even looking at her as Kisa came up next to him, Sume kept his eyes fixed on Isamu as he trained with the bitch. "Kisa yo
u know for what we both want for Hiroko they are all going to have to go at some point. I am tired of them treating her the way they do and nothing happening in return."

  Dropping her eyes, Kisa half-closed them as she stood next to him. "I want to see things go back the way they were too. But at the same time my brother….."

  Turning a hard glare to his mate, Sume sighed. "Who is more important to you Kisa? Your brother or your daughter? You want to see her stand high over the rest just like I do. She is a true princess no matter whose bloodline you look at, yours or mine. I am Lord of my tribe, and you are a princess yourself. It's her birth right more so than it is Isamu's."

  Looking over at where her daughter now napped on the bed, Kisa let out a sigh as she smiled then turned back to Sume with a serious look. "I know she is Sume. I just don't think I could turn on my brother myself. I can't get over what my parents would think about that." Dropping her head then turning to fully face him, Kisa smiled into his stern amethyst eyes. "But I can promise you that while I refuse to take part in it. I will stand at your side, and behind our daughter no matter what happens. Can you understand that Sume?"

  A soft smile as he pulled her close at her waist, Sume sighed as she leaned into his embrace and closed her eyes. "Whether you do anything or not doesn't matter to me Kisa. So long as you stand at my side while I make good on the plans for our daughter. That is all I need."

  Rubbing her back, Sume then turned his eyes back outside and let them flick from the boy to the girl of the dog pups. His eyes narrowing at the bitch that thought she could dominate his daughter. 'We start with you and your brother you little wench. You two will die first in my quest to make sure Hiroko rules everyone.'

  X

  A few days have passed since they started their training. As Isamu walked out of the room he now shared with his mother, he looked up to see his cousin walking toward him with a glare on her face as she looked at him. "Is that ever going to get old for you Hiroko? You should know by now cousin that your glares do not bother anyone and I doubt that they ever will."

  Crossing her arms as she turned her nose up at him, Hiroko growled. "I can and will glare at whomever I want Isamu." When she woke to hear her parents talking the other day, she wanted a part in what was going to happen. There is a few moments after Kiara and her brother are sleeping in the room with the new pup that no one is in the room, and no one under the window. So tonight she was going to take the first step, and kill the pup. Seeing a she would go less noticed than her parents doing it.

  With a sigh as he crossed his own arms and closed his eyes, Isamu knew that look on her face. She was plotting something. Something that he had no doubt had to do with Kiara or her brother. Maybe even both of them. "You do know Hiroko that they are not stupid and neither am I. I know that look. You and your parents are planning something stupid. And you should know that it won't work the way you think."

  "Don't assume that because your father is Lord of the West you get to tell my daughter what to do Isamu. She is above you." Walking out the door and toward his daughter, Sume glared down at his nephew. "She will do just as she pleases. You would be wise to stay out of her way mongrel."

  Narrowing his eyes at his uncle as his aunt walked past without so much as a look for him. "And you should know that no one here is going to just let her do what she wants. Even less than Father does at home. No one here is stupid and they don't trust any of you three."

  Looking over his shoulder just before they rounded a corner, Sume smiled a sadistic smile for his nephew. "That is good. To trust me on their part would be most stupid."

  With a glare as he stood there, Isamu growled. "I guess they will all have to learn the hard way. I had to. To underestimate this pack would be the wrong move to do no matter who you are."

  X

  Just as night fell, Hiroko quietly left her room. She, her mother and father spent most of the day walking around, and slipping into empty rooms to put her scent everywhere. Once she was in the room next to where her target was she smiled as she clutched the vile of poison that her father gave her. It was strong poison and would kill the pup nearly the instant that it touched his lips, so she had to get out of there quickly. 'I can do it though. This is the start of it all. I am tired of being treated like nothing because they have to be here. They will learn tonight that I won't stand for it anymore, nor will my parents.'

  Slipping out to the balcony, she watched from an angle as Yukani laid her pup in the small bed, then she left the room with her mother. Yoite would just now be stepping up to stand at the door. Looking down she smiled as Senri stood there with his mate for a while before Umarus came and they went to their room. But she would serve as his distraction.

  Quietly and quickly she slipped from the balcony she stood on to the next one. Standing with an evil smile as she silently approached the bed, her eyes fixated on the pup. She would take him out first, then a glance at the small one sleeping, she would be next.

  Stopping next to the bed, she couldn't help but feel excited as she took the lid off the poison and started to reach out for his mouth. But no sooner did she get within a foot of him when she gasped when she felt her face once again being pinned to the floor. The bottle falling from her hand to the floor. She watched with wide eyes as it spilled onto the floor only to vanish as it soaked into the wood. The menacing growl over her, and the shooting pain in her arm drew her from her thoughts. She started shaking and thrashing around as she sucked in a wild breath and let out a blood curdling scream for her father. Pulling startled wails from both the infants in the room.

  A deep throated growl in her chest, Kiara bore fang down at this wolf pup. She went after her brother once in the West and she let her go. But now, tonight in his own home she tried to poison him! When she screamed again, along with the frightened cries of her brother and cousin, Kiara tightened her hold on her arm. "You bitch!"

  With frantic eyes, Hiroko looked up to see everyone rushing in the room. Sorae and Yukani rushed to the infants, but everyone else just stood there looking! Then she finally saw her father pushing his way through. "Papa help me!"

  His eyes narrowed, Sume started to go toward the pups as he growled. "Get your damned filthy hands….." But he was stopped when he felt four different blades touch him. His neck, chest, back and stomach. Growling as he looked at Umarus he pointed to what was going on. "You get her off of my daughter or I will!"

  A glare and a growl at the wolf, Umarus let the blade of his sword cut into the flesh of his neck pulling a small amount of blood. "I don't think so. Lady Kiara is no fool. At this time of war, she would not have touched her if she was not provoked. I am curious to know first what your daughter did to warrant such an act?"

  "I didn't do anything to anyone! I was going to tell her I was sorry for what happened!" But then Hiroko's eyes went wide before the shut again as her arm was twisted even further back, and her heel dug harder into her back, sending pain screaming through her body. "Someone get her off of me already! She is crazy!"

  Digging her nails into her arm now, Kiara growled louder as she leaned further down toward her. "Liar! You were trying to kill him!"

  "No I wasn't!"

  Breathing hard, Kisa looked around at everyone just standing around. Even more men around her mate with swords drawn, and no one was trying to stop it but her mate. 'Maybe he is right about everyone after all. Even Yuriko isn't making an effort to stop it this time.'

  She then started toward the pups, but was stopped when Yukani and Zokeni moved to block her only path. With a glare in her eyes she crossed her arms. "I merely want to talk to them. Seeing as no one else here seems to notice the pain my daughter is in."

  With her hands on her stomach, Zokeni glared at her then turned back to what was going on with her niece and the wolf. "You and your mate stay out of it. It's just that simple. The two of you raised her to be how she is. So the last ones to try and step in here are you or him."

  Taking a deep breath again, and hoping that she c
ould reason with her like she did before, Yuriko slowly walked up to them. Keeping her eyes on Kiara and not even glancing at her niece. "Kiara sweetheart you remember what I said last time….."

  Turning eyes that were bleeding to Yuriko with a growl, Kiara saw how she flinched with wide eyes. But she still refused to move and tightened her grip as the pup tried to struggle again. "Before she wanted to give him to leopards. Tonight she brought poison into our room and tried to kill him. Why shouldn't I kill her?"

  Taking another deep breath as she tried to compose herself, Yuriko didn't think that she would see eyes bleeding in a pup that small. "But honey think of your father, and Shone and…."

  Turning her glare back down at the pup she had pinned, Kiara narrowed her eyes with a snarl. "Father will understand and Shone can get over it."