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"I just don't know what to do, Haruto." Fuji whimpered sadly. "I love you...but I can't! I have to mate with Riki come morning!" Haruto's ears twitched with concern as the two rested under the porch of Daisuke's house. He had known her ever since they were very little; they had grown up together and it was only recently that they had realized their love for each other. But Fuji was possibly the only female Akita in the valley and Daisuke's family needed the money; they didn't get much business when there was nothing for their customers to ski on. Haruto knew Riki somewhat; he and his owner had teamed up with Gohei to hunt just last summer and the sexual tension between them was overwhelming. As the wind rustled the autumn leaves, Fuji rested her head on Haruto's forepaws, sniffling slightly.
It was at this moment that Haruto got a whiff of her scent. Her fertile musk flooded his nostrils, causing his pupils to dilate. No wonder she's mating with Riki tomorrow; her scent is overwhelming! Haruto thought aloud in his head. He clawed at the earth, desperate to resist the urge to mate with her, to claim her as his mate. But he knew the consequences; Riki had threatened him with violence if he interfered many times and he wasn't willing to risk his life over his childhood friend. But then again, she does love me more than Riki.... he contemplated, shaking his head to reset his thoughts. Fuji needed him right now more than ever!
Right then and there, Haruto made his decision. Even if it costed his life, he will mate with Fuji before Riki does! "Fuji..." he whispered softly in her ear "Please, let me help you." Fuji's ears flattened against her skull and she shivered "No...you cannot help me now, Haruto." Haruto persisted "Fuji, I'm your friend. Please, just this once..." Fuji locked eyes with Haruto, staring longingly into his emerald irises before giving a sigh that sounded like a whimper of regret. "Okay..." she said ever so softly, before she rose to her feet and presented her rear to Haruto.
"I trust you."
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The next few hours were a mix of sexual relief and awakening panic. Riki's sense of smell was significantly better than Haruto's and he will most likely go after him with a bloodthirsty rage. Fuji was covered in Haruto's scent, so she rolled around on the mat in the shed where she lived to mask his scent. After Haruto double checked that no trace of his scent was on her, he and Fuji spent a few more moments before Daisuke arrived to get her. "Haruto, what will you do now?" Fuji asked solemnly "If Riki finds out..." Haruto's heart sunk lower than ever before as he answered. "Don't worry. What ever happens, he won't be able to find me." Fuji's ears perked up in surprise and alarm. "What do you mean? You're not running away, aren't you!?" "I have to Fuji!" Haruto shouted, his tone quickly rising and falling. "I-I know a dog.... His name is Great; he'll help me get away from Riki." Fuji's eyes began to water. "So...this is...g-goodbye?" she whimpered quietly. At that moment, Haruto wanted to nuzzle her neck and take in her scent one last time, but he couldn't, as doing so will leave a trace of his scent for Riki to detect. He sighed sadly.
"It is for now."
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Haruto's plan worked. Riki did not suspect anything about Fuji's one night stand and bred with her as planned. Haruto left shortly before Daisuke appeared and had met up with Great a distance away from town; he gave one last look at his hometown before disappearing into the forest. Two weeks later, Fuji was confirmed to be in whelp to three puppies. As the weeks went by, Fuji's worries grew bigger and bigger. What will Riki say if one of her pups resembled more like Haruto than Riki? Her fears were confirmed when she finally gave birth to two boys and a girl. While the girl was white and the youngest a mahogany brown, her eldest was a silver brindle just like Haruto. She knew Riki would visit her before he left for a hunt, so she prepared for the worst.
Riki visited her two days later. Accompanied by his son Aka and Gohei's new hunting dog in training Don, they seemingly stormed the shed. Although Aka and Don cooed over the litter, Riki immediately tensed when the eldest pushed his way into view. "What...is that?" he growled, his claws scraping at the wood floor. "Wha-what are you talking about, Riki?" Fuji nervously replied "These are your children." Riki's gaze never wavered from her silver son as his face fell into anger. "A silver brindle...I knew it." His anger turned into rage in a split second, startling Aka and Don.
"HARUTO'S THE FATHER, ISN'T HE!?"
Silence filled the room before Don spoke up. "So what if he is? You're lucky she didn't-" Aka was quick to silence him, for he secretly knew about Haruto's departure. Riki's head slowly turned towards Don, his teeth bared for all to see. "She didn't what? Finish the sentence before I rip you to shreds!" Don fearfully raced out of the shed with his tail between his legs. Aka quickly followed suit, leaving Riki and Fuji alone in the shed. "Fuji, how could you do this?" Riki growled, his nose barely touching hers "I thought you agreed with what was planned for us!" Fuji grew tense and wrapped her body protectively around her children. "Unless you want your balls ripped off, I suggest you respect my personal space!" That was when Riki snapped.
In a blind rage, he grabbed Fuji by the throat and slammed her into the floor. Her pups cried out at the sudden loss of warmth and huddled together as Riki proceeded to beat the shit out of their mother. After what seemed like forever, Fuji was left bleeding on the floor as Riki stormed out of the shed. But suddenly, he paused just steps from the door. Speaking so low that only she could hear, he growled:
"Haruto is no bearhound. And that silver ball of fur you call a pup will never be worthy of being called my son."
As the snow fell outside, Riki left a bruised and broken Fuji on the floor of the shed to return to his master's home. Fuji whimpered in pain, tears streaming down her face as she rose to her feet and limped to her children's side, wearily collapsing around them. As the trio began to nurse from her, Fuji shivered, her gaze locked onto the silver pup. She swallowed several times before speaking; as her body shook with pain and her voice stammered, she made a promise to her beloved son.
The son of the one dog who truly loved her....
"N-no matter what, I-I will n-never l-let anyth-thing h-happen to you...G-gin. M-my beautiful...p-p-precious...son."