Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; they belong to the vastly talented Rumiko Takahashi. I simply own this little plot line and its twists.

A/N: Okay so I know I haven't done much with Ayame, and I decided to do a good old fashioned one shot of her. This takes place shortly after Ayame's grandfather died- please enjoy XD

Ayame's emerald eyes filled with tears and she knelt beside the recently churned soil. Her heart lay filled with deep sadness and grief at the loss of her beloved grandfather.

She placed a slender hand lovingly over the grave and her eyes slowly closed. She angled her head back, and took a deep breath, before pouring her immense loss and sadness into a single mournful how which filled the air.

Around her the few remaining tribe members and their wolves, joined her in howling out the loss of their leader.

After the burial ceremony was completed, the demoness shed her tears, as she crushed a few of her precious leaves over the earthen bed and whispered, "Good bye grandfather."

Her head dropped forward and her shoulder shook with silent sobs. Though she yearned to crawl into a cave and lock herself away from the rest of the world, to be alone with her grief, she knew she had many responsibilities that needed addressed.

Shaky hands lifted to her face, wiping away her tears. She took a deep calming breath, straightened her shoulders, and stood to her feet. She faced the remaining tribe members and ordered, "Return to the cave and see that the wounded are cared for."

She turned to her two remaining strongest warriors, instructing, "You two, guard the others, while I get our dinner." promptly leaving to hunt, with her wolves at her heels.

Knowing that their princess was far from helpless, the guard's nodded and returned to the cave, guarding the mouth of it, with their weapons in hand.

Ayame whirled off searching out a large enough boar, to feed the few remaining demons and wolves. With her grandfather now passed away, the entire weight of the tribe rested on her shoulders alone.

She sighed thinking, "Not that it matters anyways we're down to the two strongest warrior, myself, a handful of badly injured people, and a small band of wolves."

Gritting her jaw she thought bitterly, "If only Koga had come back with me, we may not have lost so many in the ambush." Snorting she muttered, "Whining about it isn't going to change anything."

Stopping as she spotted a large boar up ahead, she instructed firmly with small clear yips, "Taka, Naru, I want you to both fan out on either side of it, and heard it towards me."

Adding, "The rest of you follow their lead and make sure it doesn't escape." Before whirling off to the spot where she would try taking it down.

Obediently her wolves moved into position and began emitting low growls, scaring their prey into action. The enormous boar picked up its head and began flaring it's nostrils as he scented the predators.

He began running to the right, but was cut off by Taka, who bared his fangs snapping his powerful jaws a few times. The boars eyes widened and it snorted, but slowly began backing away from the threatening wolves.

It spooked as more wolves appeared out of the trees and began slowly circling around it, leaving only one direction to take. With only the thought of escaping danger in its mind, the boar sped off in the only clear path, pouring all of its speed behind it's hooves as it ran for freedom.

The wolves easily began shrinking the circle making it tighter and herded their prey towards their waiting mistress.

As Ayame saw the boar charging towards her, she leapt from the tree branch and used her claws to tear at its throat, before rolling away from its pointy tusks as the boar began thrashing its head in a last desperate attempt to gain its freedom. The wolves snarled lunging at the large animal, sinking their fangs into its haunches.

Seeing her chance, Ayame lunged towards it with a dagger in her hand, sinking the dagger deep into the top of its skull, resulting in the sickening crunch of breaking bones, accompanied by the boar's frightened shriek, before the massive animal ceased breathing.

It flopped to the ground and Ayame jumped off its head, landing on her feet. Her pink tongue slid along the blade savoring the taste of the fresh kill and she licked her chops.

She returned the dagger to her waist and walked using her claws to rip each of her wolves off a piece, tossing them to the wolves, she praised, "Good job guys." Before slowly dragging the kill back to the cave her small clan had taken refuge in.

Once she reached the cave, one of the warriors had been instructed to begin cutting it up and feed the people and wolves, while the other was to remain on guard duty.

As she sank her teeth into the raw flesh of her portion, she thought, "At least for tonight we will be okay." After eating her fill, she instructed her wolves to stay and guard their people, and left for a walk needing to clear her head.

She walked over to the edge of a cliff and stared up at the moon, just enjoying the sight for a while, trying to forget about all of the problems her people now faced.

Her red tresses blew softly in the wind as her green eyes stared up at the moon. Tears shimmered in her eyes, as she wondered whether or not she was truly prepared to lead them.

Sighing she closed her eyes and emptied her mind, allowing the night air and the sounds of the insects to soothe her dampened spirit. The plight of her people weighed heavily on her heart.

Her determination to do what was best for her people, caused her to clench her jaw shut. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, now glowing with sheer strength, and she confidently vowed, "I will hunt down Koga, and this time I will make him return with me and keep his promise."

Feeling her spirits lift a bit she added dead seriously, "Together we will lead our people, and if he doesn't like it, then I will drag him back by force." She had been indulging his need for revenge long enough. But tomorrow that would all change... It was time for him to return to their people and take his place at her side.

With renewed confidence, she smiled up at the moon and assured, "Rest in peace grandfather, for our people are in good hands."

A/N: I am considering working this into an Ayame/Koga fic, but for now it shall remain a one shot. I hope you liked it.