1 Chapter one

She struggled fighting for air to enter her lungs. She couldn't seem to draw air into her already cold body nor fight the coldness seeping into her bones. She couldn't even open her eyes or move an inch. It was as if she was frozen but she could vaguely hear someone calling out to her. It was the only thing that moved her to keep fighting; the voice sounded so desperate making her struggle but as time went by she could no longer hear them and had no fight left in her. She fell into the darkness no longer feeling the cold….

A young girl yawned as she woke in a small room in her home hut. She got up nearly tripping over the large black cat-like beast lying on the floor. She caught her balance and grumbled at it.

"Huiku can't you sleep against the wall?" The large beast lifted it head and without speaking spoke in the mind of the girl 'it's cold sleeping next to the wall. Besides don't you need me to keep others safe from you?' The girl frowned, "you make a good point. Sleep next to the door then"

The beast pinned its ears speaking, 'don't frown like that. It's unnatural. Besides, it's only the two of us here. I don't like seeing such fake emotions on your face when you truly don't feel them.' The girl stopped frowning and her face went slack, "Right. Although you know why I fake them." The beast nodded it's large black furred head, 'indeed, but it's just the two of us so do not fake anything with me; we are bonded for life.'

The black furred cat-like beast was called a bonded. A creature whose life was linked with the person it bonded with. In the girls village everyone had one. The beasts had the ability to shapeshift after they bonded to someone but before they bonded they could only remain in their true form; that of a black furred cat-like beast with serrated teeth and long black claws that could slice through metal. Most of the beasts, much like the girls, liked to stay in their original form although it could cause some troubles.

The girl nodded to the beast before getting dressed for the day choosing the nicest clothes she had. Today was the biggest day of her life. The day she would be betrothed. She was the only child of the chief of the village of the assassionce; her father, Masuta. This also meant she was to be the next chief and to ensure the chief's bloodline would continue she would be betrothed.

She had no choice in the matter as did all of the previous chiefs. The dracions or our ancestors made the choice for them. They would choose the best bride or groom for the future chief. The person they chose would balance the chief and often it was a person who was the opposite to the chief. In the end if the chief was bold and rash their bride or groom was sly and calm creating a balance between the two most of the time.

There were a few times when this was not the case but it was seldom. It made her wonder who would become her betrothed. She shrugged slightly before finishing getting dressed just as her mother, Danitu, came into her room.

"Kiaken, its time." The girl nodded, "I'm ready." Danitu nodded, "let's go out then." Kiaken nodded and followed her smiling mother out the black furred beast behind her.

Kiaken followed her mother out of the hut they had as their home. They walked over to a stone stage made for making announcements and for ceremonies. Kiaken could see her father already standing on the stage and walked over with her mother. She jumped up on the stage with her mother and they went and stood next to her father.

Masuta nodded to them before looking over the crowd that had gathered. Everyone from the village except those on duty was there. Masuta looked over at them and raised a hand after a bit and the noise from them talking went silent. Masuta nodded and looked over them once again before starting to talk.

"Today is a special day. Today is the day Kiaken's betrothed will be announced! The dracions have told me who shall be her future husband! As we all know the Dracions have always chosen the best person to be paired with the future chief and their choice cannot be changed."

There were murmurs from the crowd. Normally it would be announced without explanation who the future chief's groom or bride was. With this it made everyone wonder who it could be to make even the chief remind them it was the dracions choice. When kiaken heard this she couldn't help but frown slightly in wonder.

Masuta continued after a pause, "with this said I shall now announce Kiaken's betrothed! Kiaken's betrothed has been chosen to be Okami Kanji!"

Almost immediately a commotion was heard as there were gasps and shouts of shock. It was common knowledge within the village that Okami was the weakest and most shy person in the village. He had no ability to fight or hunt. He was clumsy, weak and couldn't remember even simple things. Out of everyone he was the least qualified to be married to the next chief.

Although the dracions chose him to be Kiaken's groom so the people could only think of why this could be. Within a few moments someone in the crowd asked if it could be because Kiaken would be too great and needed to be balanced with a weak person. This soon was the common concept among the crowd and they finally settled down.

Kiaken watched all this with a slight frown on her face in shock. This had never happened before. She looked over to the petrified Okami who was standing by the side of the crowd. To her he seemed like a scared little rabbit that was about to be eaten. She couldn't understand how someone so weak and scared could have been considered as her betrothed but unlike the others she swiftly got over her shock.

Unlike most people she had been born with numbed emotions. As such when normal babies would laugh or cry she wouldn't and this had concerned her parents. As such she had been faking emotions around others since she was little. She could still remember her days as a baby. She could remember everything since she was little. She knew this wasn't normal as she asked her father once during one of the many training sessions she had with him.

Kiaken watched as Okami was ushered up onto the stage and stood next to her while her father spoke in length about their betrothal and what it meant. She could care less about such things as she was more curious about the dracions decision. She was three years old while Okami was five. Normally their betrothed wouldn't be older than the next chief but this wasn't the case this time. Although it wasn't normal it wasn't unheard of but even then it was rare.

She wanted to know why the dracion chose Okami to be her betrothed. He was frail and weak looking and looked scared to death but at the same time she could see in his eyes the determination. But she had no clue what he was determined about. He was like the complete opposite to her.

He had a thin yet strong muscular build although it was strong looking when she looked closely it was the complete opposite to the bulky muscular builds of other boys his age. He had strong ice blue eyes that contrasted his dark brown hair that was almost black. He had a round nose, thick lips and high cheekbones.

While so thin, to Kiaken she didn't feel he was as weak as she had heard others say. Due to her constantly training or studying she hadn't had time to interact much with others in the village. As she looked at him from the corner of her eyes while half listening to her father speak she could feel Okami was not as weak as everyone said.

Although she didn't understand why she felt this way, she knew to trust her feelings as they had already saved her life more than once already. They lived on an island where it was kill or be killed and everything would try and kill you as such one had to grow up fast and strong. She certainly did especially since she would have to become the chief of the village.

Her father finally finished his speech and spoke to her and Okami. "Now is the time for the two of you to get to know one another. Go spend the time from now until the celebratory feast tonight to get to know eachother better." Kiaken nodded, "of course father." Okami nodded silently.

Kiaken went and jumped off the stage and started to walk, hearing and sensing Okami following her. She walked towards the edge of the village wanting to leave the village to be able to get away from others' view. She walked swiftly but hearing Okami ask her to slow down she slowed her pace for him.

She glanced at him and saw him catch up to her side as they walked into the forest surrounding the village. She could see he seemed slightly breathless and frowned slightly. That was certainly not normal. Not only was he older and larger than her, he also had longer legs. So, why was he unable to keep up with her walk and even seemed breathless?

She could tell something was wrong. He gave her the feeling of being strong yet seemed so weak. She couldn't understand it. She walked deeper into the forest thinking of why this could be but unable to find reason as to why. She walked into a meadow and looked at Okami.

"How about we sit here and talk." Okami stopped and smiled shyly, "er.. sure.." Kiaken nodded and sat on the ground cross legged, "lets talk."

Okami sat on the ground and nodded softly. He didn't really look at her. She looks at him thinking. She could tell something was off but couldn't figure it out. After sitting in silence for a long time she finally spoke.

"Why are you so weak?" Okami looks at her shocked and stutters, "er.. well.. well I… um.." Kiaken stopped him and spoke, "Let me ask differently; why are you giving me the feeling of someone strong yet seeming so weak? You couldn't keep up with me just now while I was walking yet I can tell even though you are so thin you have a muscular build. You are not as weak as they say yet you are. Why?"

Okami stared at her for a long while before smiling softly, "you saw right through me… I have bad lungs… My father forbade me from training trying to protect me but I train in secret. I don't want others to protect me. But, as you said; I couldn't keep up with you."

Kiaken blinked before looking at him and thought, "what about the healers?" Okami sighed, "tried but they could do nothing…" Kiaken frowned slightly, "have you tried training your lungs?" Okami looks at her, "train my lungs?" Kiaken nodded and then shook her head, "just a random idea probably wouldn't help…"

Okami paused thinking, "that idea just might work. Train my lungs!" He grinned. Kiaken looked at him confused, "what do you mean?" Okami grinned, "exactly what you said. I will train my lungs so I can take deeper breaths and hold my breath."

Kiaken frowned, "how would that help?" Okami grinned, his original shyness seemingly gone, "how? It will help because right now I can't take deep breaths or I start to cough. This is why I can't train in fighting or hunting. I cough and give away my position in hunting and can't attack when fighting. If I could fix this I could fight and hunt!" He suddenly started to cough.

Kiaken looked at him, pursing her lips together unsure how to help, but he soon stopped coughing. He grinned at her seemingly in a good mood but over what, she couldn't really understand. Although for her she still had much to learn and that was especially true for her when learning about emotions. But she did understand he was happy and seemed to have fire in his eyes that showed his determination.

Okami spoke, "sorry, didn't mean to worry you. I'm fine though. I'm just super excited because If I can better my lungs I can actually train. Thank you for giving me the idea to train my lungs." Kiaken nodded slightly, "it was just an idea…" Okami grinned, "just an awesome Idea."

Kiaken shook her head looking at him. She decided to just talk with him for the day since there wasn't much else they could do since he was so weak currently. As they talked their bonded played together nearby while also keeping dangers away from them.

She learned a lot about him as they talked. She knew he was from the Kanji family that was best at hunting but he was an only child. Okami had never really been allowed to train due to his lung issues but he tried training and would smile not because he felt like it but because he wanted to make his family smile. Okami was stronger than most. But he also didn't want to bring shame to his family and this is why he always came off as being shy.

When it was finally time to get back to the village for the feast they both stood and walked to the village. They ate and talked with the others in the village. It wasn't often the village had a feast so everyone did their best to enjoy it while it lasted. The feast went well into the night and when it finally ended everyone went to their own huts to sleep.