Characters:
Lobelia: Supreme Vampire
Leni: Supreme Werewolf
Coquelicot: a cub in Leni's pack
Maria: Alpha female of Leni's pack
Kanna: new wolf
Sumire: wolf in the pack
Glycine: Lobelia's second
Ichirou: Lobelia's human servant
Erica: a human servant
Orihime: a sultry Italian vampire
Hanabi: a vampire
Sakura: a werewolf
Iris: a werewolf cub
Kouran: a werewolf

Chapter 5

*******************************************

(Maria)
Back at the werewolves stronghold, Maria was being forced to rest, following near hysterics over the kidnapping of the cubs. Her maternal instincts were going haywire it seemed - she'd been determined to rush right out at risk of her own safety and that of her unborn cubs to rescue Iris and Coquelicot. Only Ichirou had been able to restrain her, and she was now under guard for her own safety.

(Kanna)
The large she-wolf was afraid for both Maria and Sumire. All werewolves were fanatical about watching out for the cubs of their pack, but it looked like pregnant bitches were even more so, and she didn't trust her own mate not to go tearing off after the unfortunate little ones alone. She approached Ichirou and voiced her concerns.
"Shouldn't _we_ try going after them?" she asked. "Would Leni allow it, or will she just give them up for dead?"

(Ichirou)
"Leni won't give any of her wolves up for dead," Ichirou said, sure of that. "No, Lobelia is going to want something in return. You for sure. Me too, I think. She's going to be mad that I defected in a matter of seconds. I was supposed to kill you," he told her frankly. "You were too strong. She was scared of your strength."
He looked worriedly toward the room they had Maria restrained in. "She's taking this badly."

(Sumire)
Sumire slipped out of the house. She just couldn't sit around with the two cubs trapped. Ever since the war began, Leni hadn't been letting the wolves go into heat. This meant that there weren't many cubs in the packs anymore. Most were growing up.
She had let Maria and Sumire, however. The promise of such strong cubs was too much to resist. And the maternal instincts were too much too bear. Cubs in trouble!
She shifted to wolf and loped into the darkness.

(Maria)
Pace, pace, pace.
The Alpha female couldn't take it much longer. She had already shifted to wolf form and was pacing circles around her room. Cubs were in danger. She couldn't just SIT there. Cubs were in danger.
She stopped, her one visible green eye focused on the window. Cubs were in danger.
Maria charged full-speed for the window and leapt through it, shattering the glass. Once outside she shook herself, glad to be freed from her prison, then sniffed the air. Sumire was nearby. She let out a short bark and ran to join the other she-wolf in their search.

(Sumire)
Sumire waited just long enough for Maria to catch up before running as fast as possible for Lobelia's castle.

(Ichirou)
Ichirou heard the crash and ran for the room Maria was in. Opening the door, he said something very nasty in Lobelia's mother tongue, something he had heard her say more than once when Leni had one-upped her.
"Maria's gone!" He sniffed the air. "So's Sumire! Kanna, the bitches are gone!"

(Kanna)
A cold stab of fear for her mate and unborn cubs ran through Kanna and she drew herself up. "We can't wait for Leni's permission, Ichirou. Those are our mates and cubs out there. If Lobelia wants us, she's going to get us, but she's NOT going to like it!" Shifting to wolf form, she galloped out into the night.

(Ichirou)
Ichirou answered by shifting to wolf and following. After running a moment, he began to glow white, using his power to boost his speed. His power reached out for Kanna's, and made her power rise as well.
He scented the bitches on the wind, and changed direction to follow them. He barked to Kanna to follow him.

(Kanna)
Kanna's spirit energy felt the touch of Ichirou's and flared as red as her anger at the thought of Lobelia's kind touching her mate, Maria, or the cubs. She followed Ichirou at his direction, her strong legs pumping under her, gleaming fangs bared and ready to do some serious damage to any vampires that got in her way.

(Ichirou)
Ichirou saw the gleam of snow-white fur ahead, and overtook his and Kanna's bitches. He ran beside Maria, and sensed Sumire. He felt their spirit energy as well, and caused it to flare, and join into the growing power force.

(Sumire)
Sumire smelled Kanna and Ichirou coming. Then she felt her spirit energy called by the man. It responded, and flared eagerly, purple light causing a St Elmo's Fire effect over her fur. The cubs! They would get the cubs back!

(Maria)
Her mate had arrived, and Kanna with him. Maria glanced over at Ichirou, fearing at first that he was trying to overtake her with a view to stopping her, but then she felt the call of his spirit energy, and her own flared in response. She could feel the combined power of the four of them channeling toward Ichirou and almost smiled. It seemed the man with spirit energy was also a catalyst for theirs.
Now to put it all to good use, she thought grimly and continued speeding for the vampire stronghold.

*****************************************

(Lobelia)
What had happened?
Lobelia sat up, her head spinning, but clearing rapidly thanks to the vampire healing factor. Orihime was a few feet away and appeared unconscious, but was beginning to stir. She couldn't even see Glycine, and the cubs were gone.
"Orihime, awake!" she snapped, getting to her feet. "Those cubs are gone! They must not be allowed to escape!" With that she took flight, her keen vampire senses honing in on the escapees.

(Iris)
Iris ran after the explosion. For the first time, one of her temper tantrums had been useful. "Coquelicot!" She called, then shifted to wolf, and ran for the exit. Seeing the drawbridge up, she sat at the window and looked out, waiting for Coquelicot.
Then she saw a large colourful ball of light hurtling to the castle, 4 small figures inside.
Shifting back, she went to the drawbridge mechanism and tried to lower the drawbridge.
Dangling from the handle, she realize she couldn't do it alone.
"Coquelicot!!!!!!!!"

(Coquelicot)
Coquelicot heard Iris calling and ran faster to follow her voice. She could smell Lobelia in pursuit, and that put an extra burst of speed in her step.
When she saw what Iris was attempting to do, she ran over and leapt up to grab the handle, putting all of her weight into it. Between she and Iris, it began to move, and she saw the brightly-lit figures charging toward them. Their scent reached her on the wind and she cried out excitedly, "Iris, it's the grown-ups! They're coming for us!"

(Lobelia)
"They're too late!"
Lobelia grabbed both girls by the collar and yanked them forcibly off of the drawbridge handle. The motion spun the handle enough that it continued on its own, lowering to allow entry. She could see the four adult werewolves now, Ichirou amongst them, and her pale eyes narrowed. Baring her fangs, she poised them over the youngsters.
"Not a step closer or they're dead!"

(Ichirou)
Shifting back to human, he put out a hand. "Lobelia-sama, please. They're just cubs. They aren't fighting in this war. Please don't make them casualties."

(Kanna)
Switching to human herself, Kanna called out, "Yeah, leave the kids alone! Pick on someone your own size!"

(Maria)
Maria shifted to human as well, her eyes filling with tears as she watched the vampire holding the children.

(Lobelia)
"It's you I want, Ichirou," Lobelia said. "You and the big redhead. The others can go, _and_ take the cubs. It's your choice."

(Ichirou)
"Is this war that important to you? Isn't there a way we can all live in peace? If I come back to you, will you end this war, Lobelia-sama?"

(Kanna)
The big werewolf spat. "Don't call her 'sama', Ichirou! You don't owe her any kind of respect, not while she's willing to stand behind little children and use them as bargaining chips!" She stepped forward, glaring at Lobelia. "Come on, Ms. Supreme Vampire, let's see what you've got! I'm not Supreme Werewolf or even close to it, but I don't need more than what I've got to take you apart!"

(Lobelia)
Lobelia laughed. "You can talk all you want, you great oaf! Your words do not affect me, and nor would your paltry attempts at violence. Werewolves are all about animal instinct and brute strength, but vampires are self-preservation incarnate. You can attack me, you _may_ even land a punch, but you will not hurt me." She turned her frightening eyes on Ichirou. "That is why I will not end this war. The werewolves multiply faster than we do. It is a matter of self-preservation."

(Erica)
There was a soft whooshing sound and then a 'thwack'. A pointed wooden stake was suddenly protruding through Lobelia's heart.
"My thoughts exactly," said Erica as she stepped out of the shadows, lowering her crossbow.

(Lobelia)
The Supreme Vampire released the two cubs, her expression one of shock as she stared at the wooden stake. She reached trembling hands up to grasp it, knowing that if any vampire had the strength and stamina to pull it out, she did, but her hands were scorched by slick moisture that coated the wood. "Holy ... water...," she gasped, feeling herself weakening. She sank to her knees and looked over at Ichirou with clouding vision. "Damn you," she hissed. "Damn you all."
She burst into flames and was gone in an instant.

(Ichirou)
"Lobelia!!!" Ichirou yelled, running to where she had been at the last. "Lobelia-sama, he whispered, kneeling at the scorch marks.
"Why?" He looked up at Erica, questioningly.

(Sumire)
Staring in shock, she turned toward Erica. Sumire decided they still might have to fight after all. But at least they had their cubs back. "Coquelicot! Iris, come!"

(Iris)
Iris ran into Maria's arms, frightened. "Iris was so scared," she whispered.

(Coquelicot)
Coquelicot ran to Sumire, her eyes wide with fright. "I want to go home!" she cried.

(Maria)
Maria gathered Iris into her arms and held them protectively, but watched her mate anxiously. The human girl was carrying more than just the crossbow - in fact she was putting that down and lifting some kind of gun shaped like a big red cross now. "Ichirou," she whispered fearfully, not trusting the girl at all.

(Erica)
The human girl released the safety on her machine gun, her eyes boring into Ichirou's. "You dare to ask me why?" she said incredulously. "You supernaturals are wiping the human race out one by one! Friends of mine have disappeared without a trace - I _still_ don't know if they were killed or eaten or changed ...." She drew a deep breath, fighting tears. "I won't be able to do it alone, I know that. There will always be vampires and werewolves. But I'll do what little I can to take out the strongest of you and maybe, just maybe, we humans can survive just a bit longer." She lifted the machine gun to his chest. "It's loaded with silver bullets," she said flatly. "Goodbye, Ichirou."

(Kanna)
Shifting to wolf form, Kanna gave one huge leap with her powerful hind legs and slammed into Ichirou as the world exploded in her ears.

(Sumire)
"KANNAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sumire screamed as the gun went off.

(Ichirou)
Ichirou rolled after being hit by Kanna. The gunshot rang in his ears, and he looked over towards Erica. "Kanna, my friend, I'm sorry," he whispered.
He launched himself at Erica's back, shifting in midair, teeth flashing. He grabbed the back of Erica's neck and bit as hard, and savagely as he could.

(Erica)
The machine gun fell from Erica's hands and she gasped. Red spirit energy flared around her momentarily, then faded, as her head dangled limply in Ichirou's grasp.

(Coquelicot)
The tawny-haired girl began to cry as she looked over at Kanna's still form. "Is she ... dead?"

(Ichirou)
He gave the body an extra shake, making sure the neck was broken before padding over to Kanna. Shifting, he knelt next to her.

(Sumire)
Sumire dived at Kanna's still form. "NOOooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!" she screamed hysterically. "Don't leave me! Kannaaaaaa!!!!!!!!"

(Maria)
Although in human form, Maria let out an audible growl at the scent of another vampire arriving on the scene. "Ichirou, Sumire, be careful!" she warned.

(Orihime)
"There is no need for that," the black-haired Italian vampire said softly as she walked toward where Kanna lay.

(Coquelicot)
"She's the one who helped take us!" Coquelicot cried.

(Orihime)
"You've nothing to fear from me anymore, child." She knelt beside Ichirou. "Lobelia's hold of evil over this place, over all of us, is gone. I know you can't feel it, Ichirou, but I am her successor. I am now Supreme Vampire." She reached out a hand and touched Kanna's soft hair. "And I can save this woman."

(Ichirou)
"But I thought it was Glycine!" Ichirou looked stunned. The sultry, and oft pouting vampire was the new Supreme Vampire?

(Sumire)
"How? She's been shot with silver! She's my mate and I'm bearing her cub!" Sumire began to sob harder. "My Kanna! Such a short time!"

(Orihime)
"Glycine will be my mate if I have my way, and I always do," Orihime passed a hand over Kanna's temple. "This one lives yet, but not for much longer. Not unless I change her, make her a half-breed." She looked at Sumire. "A vampwolf."

(Sumire)
With a tear-stained face, she looked up in horror at the new Supreme Vampire. "A vampwolf? But-- she'll never be accepted anywhere for the rest of her life!"

(Ichirou)
"Please, Orihime-sama. I know that Kanna would not care. She hasn't been among the supernatural long enough to gain that revulsion that pure breeds have. She loves to live to much. Please don't let her die." Ichirou blinked back tears. With the strength of Kanna being changed by the Supreme Werewolf and the Supreme Vampire mixed, perhaps it would be for the best. She could unite the vampwolves and be _their_ supreme leader.

(Orihime)
"Don't worry," Orhime told Sumire. "Your mate will not be rejected. Not all of us hold the same feelings toward vampwolves that Lobelia did." She looked at Ichirou seriously. "I myself vow to ensure that my vampires stop this war and that we all work _with_ the werewolves and yes, the vampwolves, too." Bending over Kanna, she pierced her neck with her fangs, drinking deeply. She sat back up and sighed. "It won't be long now."

(Kanna)
There were many familiar scents nearby, and one that wasn't so familiar. Was she dead? Last thing she remembered was trying to save Ichirou from the human's gun. Kanna's eyelids flickered. "S-Sumire ...," she whispered, and felt her tongue scrape against upper fangs. But why only uppers? Her eyes flew open and she saw Orihime - feeling at first fear and hatred, and then something else. Loyalty?
"What happened to me?" she asked, looking around. Ichirou was all right, good. "Sumire?" She looked past Orihime to her mate. "Is everyone okay? The cubs? Maria?"

(Sumire)
Tears stung her eyes. "Kanna, you're alive!" Sumire threw herself onto Kanna. What she most feared had not come to pass. The feeling of 'attachment' was still there. "The cubs are fine, Maria is fine. YOU were not fine!" Tears started fresh.

(Ichirou)
"You almost died," Ichirou kneeled down beside her. "We had to take some rather drastic action, Kanna," Ichirou looked at her gravely. "This is Orihime-sama. She is the new Supreme Vampire now that Lobelia-sama is dead."
He ran his fingers through his hair. "Orihime-sama had to bite you, Kanna," he told her softly. "To save you, she had to change you into a vampwolf."

(Kanna)
"A ... vampwolf?" Kanna repeated. She'd heard of the prejudice against vampwolves, although she'd never understood it as a human, and during her short time as a pure werewolf, it hadn't made all that much sense either. Didn't it matter most whether someone was a _good_ person who didn't hurt others? At least Sumire still looked at her with love in her eyes - THAT was the most important thing. She nuzzled Sumire's ear with her nose. The werewolf instincts were still intact, but she could feel some other, new ones, as well. She looked uncertainly at Orihime. "What happens now?"

(Orihime)
The new Supreme Vampire got to her feet. "Now we set about rebuilding vampire-werewolf relations. I must meet with Leni. I think she and I will agree that _you_, Kanna, should be Supreme Vampwolf." She smiled. "I doubt there are any of your kind who are stronger than you. You have been made by two Supreme leaders, and were no weakling as a human, either."

(Kanna)
Feeling her strength returning fully, Kanna stood and stretched. "Supreme Vampwolf? Yeah, I could handle that." She put an arm around Sumire and grinned at Ichirou. "No more war."

(Maria)
The Alpha female licked her husband's cheek and gave Coquelicot and Iris a protective squeeze. "All things considered, perhaps Leni will forgive us for rushing out without warning." She smiled.

(Leni)
"I'm sure I will," Leni answered, coming up the drawbridge. "I guess I'm a touch slower than the four of you, but then I didn't have the boost of speed that Ichirou's power ignited in you.
"Orihime, I'll be happy to talk peace with you. I didn't have any prejudice for vampires that Lobelia had for werewolves. I was protecting my people.
"I will miss you," Leni walked to the scorch mark on the ground. "You were my best friend, Lobelia. I wish we had never parted ways."

(Sumire)
"I think I will need to become a vampwolf," Sumire dried her eyes on Kanna's shirt. "It will be for the best, your mate being a vampwolf, and your cub will be one as well," Sumire smiled at her. "I love you!"

(Ichirou)
Slipping an arm around Maria, he smiled up at her. "And I love you. I think that this means we'll all live happily ever after."

And they did....

******************************************

(Glycine)
Hey! Don't I get a choice on mates?! Not fair not fair not fair!!!!!

(Orihime)
You should be happy that I chose _you_, you ingrate! Hmmph! Here I go and offer you a position of prestige rather than allow your part to slide into obscurity, and what do I get in return? 'Not fair, not fair!'

(Lobelia)
You want to talk 'not fair'? I DIED! And only _then_ do I find out that Leni and I were best friends! If she'd run a little faster, maybe I wouldn't have become the Supreme Scorch Mark!

(Erica)
At least you had a dramatic death, thanks to me. I was tossed aside like a rag doll. Everyone is walking around my dead body and no one cares. *sniff* At least you had people mourning over your scorch mark. And let's not even discuss how the supernaturals all prevailed over the human - what does that say about what happened to the world later?

(Orihime)
The vampires held a celebratory feast and invited all kinds of humans to be dinner ... uh, to dinner.

(Kanna)
Well, it was a happy ending for some of us, anyway! :D

(Leni)
It just seemed right to make us friends. It added an air of tragedy to the end of the story.

(Sumire)
Tragedy? I'll give you tragedy! I have to live with Kanna as a _vampwolf_ and bear her... cubs? What do you CALL vampwolf kids?"

(Iris)
Brats?

(Leni)
Probably. Any children Sumire bears will be brats anyway. batpups, maybe....

(Ichirou)
All right everyone, the story is over now.

(Glycine)
Gotta be Orihime's mate. Everyone is going to remember that and I'll be ruined.

(Leni)
At least you ended up WITH a mate....

(Ichirou)
That's it. I'm officially saying:

(Maria)
Are you going to be this bossy in our married life? Our cubs will be impossible to live with.

(Coquelicot)
Like Glycine and Lobelia?

(Kouran)
No, like Kanna and Sumire.

(Kanna)
HEY!

(Hanabi)
Oh dear....

(Sakura)
Maria! That was mean!

(Ichirou)
*sigh*
The end! The end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Glycine)
The end?

(Ichirou)
YES!!!!!