Mister Ōkami
An End To Our Pain

It’s been nine hours. Most the day is gone. I couldn’t eat so Moov threw up meat in my mouth and made me swallow it. To think, once I was the one giving out regurgitated meat, and now I am the receiver.

Presha is recovering. Ichigo still appears to be on the verge of death. Ziff is stable. Clementina is getting worse again.

“Is bed time?” Kibby asks with a yawn.

“Should I report to Alpha that we might lose one of our loaned wolves?” Springy suggests, leaning against the doorway.

“Yeah, we probably should,” Snoww comments, right, mom?”

“Be careful, Alpha tends to lash out when frustrated…” Frostt warns, still trying to get Ichigo to expel some excess air.

Hill is stable, she’s trying to see if holding Ichigo’s jaws open will help with pressing the air out. Jewel is asleep. Dollop is hacking, but nothing is coming out even though she just got force fed some predigested meat. I think I farted ten times in the last thirty minutes, but I still feel yucky inside.

“You’re stronger than your illness,” Ava encourages.

“Yeah! Yeah! You’ve all hung on this long! Keep it up!” Divide cheers.

“Our mighty warriors!” Viper says.

“Thanks you guys,” Cobra says.

Rip is stable, I haven’t seen his belly grow in the last twenty minutes or so. I can tell Cobra is growing tired again. Kibby stretches his tiny baby legs and yawns, snuggling up between us bigger wolves. Wall is getting better.

“Soon…the Omegas and Orenji will return soon…” Grammy says.

“How do you know?” Iddi asks.

“Yeah!” Banana exclaims.

“I can feel it…” Grammy says.

The storm is raging again, so I don’t think they actually will be arriving this hour. Pip is stable. Bound is stable, he’s licking Rip rather affectionately. If I remember correctly, Rip a little higher ranked than Bound, so he’s probably trying to gain some favor from him. It all leads back to the hierarchy. Perhaps Rip will slack so Bound can rise as thanks for the attention he is giving.

“I’m gonna puke…” Clementina mutters suddenly, hobbling over to an obscure corner.

“OOPS!” Toosh exclaims, tripping and tumbling into the healing room. She lands with her bum in the air, as usual.

“Uh oh!” Pip exclaims. “Careful Toosh!”

“Anything coming up?” Dollop asks Clementina.

“A little,” Clementina whispers as a little fluid drips from her mouth.

Bread is back to being slumped over, his tongue lolling out. This could be the end. I’ll let you know the next hour’s report if I survive to the next hour.

Hour ten. I’m alive, even if just barely. Where is the medicine? They should have arrived by now.

Presha’s condition is deteriorating. Ichigo is just barely hanging in there… Ziff is stable. Clementina is stable.

“WE MADE IT!” I’ve never been so happy to hear Earless’ voice.

The Omegas have returned! I hear Alpha padding over. From the doorway, I can see that all six wolves who were sent out have returned, unharmed. The weather has calmed as well as if welcoming them home.

“My heroes,” Alpha says with a sigh of relief. “We lost Bounce, but now I see it’s not too late to save the others.”

“We had to search for awhile and then that storm came out of nowhere. I did everything I could to protect your wolves, Alpha. At last, we have obtained not only turmeric roots, but a bit of rare Manuka honey,” Orenji reports.

“Quick, to the healing room! Ichigo is dying!” Alpha prompts. “And my Omegas, you will be awarded for your bravery.”

Hill raises her weary head from her paws. Jewel, as well, looks hopeful. Dollop groans in pain, forcing herself to sit up. My stomach groans loudly. GRRRRRRRKKKKKRRRRRREEEEAAAAKKKKKKK! BANG!

“Suisen,” a familiar voice calls out. “Rip.”

I turn, gazing around. Rip is standing next to me, no longer bloated. I notice the wounds on his face are missing as well. Glancing at myself, I replace I’m also healed.

There’s a bright light shining around me, but I cannot see the sun. Everything is breathtakingly beautiful, but…Rip and I are halted at these towering gates. A figure approaches like a lion and a lamb in one being. It’s The Lion!

“I’m not finished with you, yet. Both of you, return to your world and I will call you when I am ready for you. There still is much more you must do in Clawderwilde,” The Lion says.

Rip and I instinctively bow. His glory and majesty is too much for me to handle. The Lion cannot get too close to us, I understand it is because I am not holy. I’m dead, but it seems that I won’t be for long.

“Suisen. Speak to my messenger. I have placed her there for a reason. It is my intention that all will know me, and now before me, but how would they know if no one were to tell them? Share the news,” The Lion says.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I say.

I breathe. My eyes open and I replace Alpha on top of me, breathing into me. He lifts his head, looking relieved. There’s a huge mess everywhere because apparently Rip and I had exploded at the same time.

“You’re alive!” Alpha exclaims, getting off of me.

“My mission is not yet complete,” I say, smiling through the pain.

“I’m sorry for being mad at you, Suisen… I don’t want to lose you. Truth is, I still love you,” Alpha says.

“And I love you, Mr. Ōkami,” I say.

“Frostt, patch her guts. She’s going to die again if you can’t get her sealed,” Mr. Ōkami commands.

“Yes, Alpha,” Frostt says with a nod.

“And me?” Rip asks with a groan.

Wall had been breathing into Rip the way Mr. Ōkami breathed into me. Mr. Ōkami nods. The other patients are fed a cure to treat the bacterial infection. Well, Rip and I get our medicine after we are patched up.

“Gee wiz, it’s times like this I’m glad I’m a fruit bat…” Bat comments, shaking his head.

“Daaaaang man! There’s blood everywhere!” Squirrel replies.

The sun sets and the sun rises. After treatments, almost everyone has significant improvements. Ichigo, Rip, and I, are still unwell, but we are mending. Ichigo doesn’t smell like rot anymore, so that’s good.

“Hi,” Ivory says, popping into the healing room.

“Shhh, don’t disturb the patients…” Umi whispers.

My ears perk up and I say, “Heya, Ivory.”

“You guys are still alive, right?” Ivory asks.

“Yes, thanks,” I say.

“I miss seeing you around,” Ivory says.

Mister Ōkami shows up suddenly. Ivory gasps and goes into submissive pose at the sight of her Alpha. He chuckles and steps past her. He sits beside me, wrapping his warm, comforting body around me.

“My love… I’m so glad you aren’t dead…” Mister Ōkami says. “I need you.”

“Mister Ōkami…do you mind if I leave the den for a little bit?” I ask.

“What? Leave? Why? You’re still injured!” Mister Ōkami exclaims.

“I know, but there is something I must do,” I say.

“No. I can’t let you do that, Suisen. Not after you’ve nearly died,” Mister Ōkami says. “I can’t risk losing you. I’m going to go send out hunting patrol and border patrol, but I need you to stay here until you are fully healed.”

“Yes, Alpha…” I say, extremely disappointed.

“I love you, Suisen,” Mister Ōkami says, licking my face.

“And I love you,” I say, licking his tongue.

“Ahem,” Frostt says, clearing her throat.

“Sorry, Frostt…” I say, shrinking down.

“I’ll be back. If I catch you sneaking out of the den, I’m going to have to discipline you,” Mister Ōkami threatens and heads back to the main room. “Hunting patrol! I if you guys aren’t too sick, I need Cobra, Pip, Orenji, Dilly, and Burūberī. Presha, you can aid Frostt today in caring for sick wolves. Border patrol! I need Bread, Moov, Yapper, and Hash! Clean up crew, of course, Bat, Squirrel, Nora, Ellie, and Ivory! The rest of you, take it easy. I’m aware that a lot of you are pregnant or recovering…which is why I feel kind of bad about asking some of you to come with me today, but we must do what we must do, right?”

I wait as the border patrol and hunting patrol file out. Thirty minutes I wait. Then, I rise to my feet. Frostt perks her ears up, alert to my sudden movement.

“I’m going to use the bathroom and get a drink,” I lie.

“You better not push too hard or you might rip your belly open again,” Frostt says to me while massaging Ichigo’s belly.

“Guess I should take my time and go slow, huh?” I say with a smirk.

“Alpha will kill me if I let you sneak out of the den area. Don’t go any farther than the stream,” Frostt warns.

“Don’t worry…I’ve just got some business to take care of, you know?” I say, pretending like I’m about to poop on the floor.

“Go!” Frostt prompts.

I, of course, exit the den. I don’t need to use the bathroom. I’m going to found Sage and let her know I’m okay. Then, I’m going to grab some fruit for our herbivore friends.

I step out of the den. I can’t even see border patrol anymore because they move so fast. I blink, the bright sun shining down on me. My stomach still hurts, but I must do this.

My paws carry me back to the little place I’ve come to know so well. I screech to a halt just a few feet away. There, standing in a beam of light, is Sage. The tiny creature sees me and comes running on all fours, squeaking happily. I lower my face to greet her.

“Suisen!” Sage exclaims, hugging my nose with her tiny little hands.

“Sage, I missed you so much!” I say, tearing up.

“I had feared something bad had happened to you. I spent my time worrying and praying for you…and now you have returned!” Sage exclaims, crying.

“I’m so sorry… I delivered your message, but it wasn’t well received. Alpha was mad that I called him imperfect and he deranked me to Omega for quite some time,” I say. “And then I got sick and nearly died yesterday…”

“Not all who hear the message will have their hearts open to the truth,” Sage says. “There’s still much I need to tell you. There is good news to follow the bad news.”

“Really? I must know,” I prompt.

“So The Lion created the world, it was perfect, then humans ruined it, so then we all are cursed, right? We need a hero! And a hero we received! The Lion sent his son to Earth to save us!” Sage says.

“Oh wow!” I exclaim.

“The Lion became a Lamb, born from a Virgin. He was like us, but fully God at the same time,” Sage says.

“That’s incredible, how does that work?” I ask.

“God can do anything, well, anything but sin. That’s the one thing he cannot do. He and his son are one, so essentially he sent himself to Earth,” Sage says. “Unlike us, though, The Lamb never sinned. He never disobeyed God and loved others as himself.”

“So then he saved us?” I ask.

“He did. Even though The Lamb did no wrong, he was slain…but he did not stay dead. Three days after he died, he rose again!” Sage says. “And those who believe all these things to be true will also be saved from death as he was.”

“I want to tell you something,” I say.

“Oh yeah?” Sage asks.

“I saw God,” I say.