Dog-Cat Conflict (Kogoro's Identity)

"What are you doing here?" Uchiha Toru narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Our previous campsite was taken over by the Cat Clan; this is our new campsite."

"You know perfectly well what white means to the Dog Clan." Uchiha Toru's hand was already on his Kunai, "But when you saw Shin-chan transformed into Shiro, your first reaction wasn't to send him away, but to bring him in."

"I meant no harm," Gray Ridge sighed. "If I had, you would have already suffered in the camp."

Uchiha Toru did not relax because of the statement "no malicious intent".

"I've actually been a little concerned about this. After Shin-chan turned into Shiro, he fell asleep as soon as he ran out into the street." Uchiha Toru's gaze fell on Gray Ridge.

Gray Ridge's ears twitched slightly.

Shin-chan stood to the side, looking left and right, his mouth slightly open, not quite having reacted yet.

"That's a special sedative drug made by the Dog Clan." Gray Ridge was silent for a moment. "It's effective against small animals within a radius of thirty centimeters."

Uchiha Toru's finger touched the handle of the Kunai: "Shin-chan's size is similar to that of a small animal, so it works too."

"I'm sorry," Gray Ridge lowered his head, "I just—need a royal family that my people can trust."

"Aren't you looking for a prince?" Uchiha Toru's fingers tightened.

"I have found the real prince."

Shin-chan's eyes widened suddenly.

"Where?"

"It's in a human-run hot spring inn."

Shin-chan's mouth opened wide.

"When I found it, it was turning its belly over so the human could touch it." Gray Ridge's voice changed slightly. "I waited until the human left, then went over and called to it."

Gray Ridge's voice lowered. "Then it said, Gray Ridge, I'm called Kogoro now, I'm no longer a prince, life here is good, I don't want to go back."

"Kogoro?" Shin-chan's eyes widened.

"It's this one." Gray Ridge's tail drooped. "The prince said, 'It has found a better life in the human world and will no longer Refine Chakra.'"

Shin-chan- chan stared, his mind racing for a while before he could finally make sense of what had happened.

The little dog he rescued was a prince of the Dog Clan, and—and it didn't want to go home because it was living too comfortably?

Uchiha Toru's gaze remained fixed on Gray Ridge: "So you need another white dog."

"Yes." Gray Ridge did not avoid his gaze. "The Dog Clan is in a terrible state. Only the prince remains of the royal bloodline. If the prince does not return, the clan will inevitably descend into chaos sooner or later."

"But the prince is still alive, why don't you tell everyone he's at the hot spring inn?"

"Because it's no use talking about it." Gray Ridge's voice deepened. "If the prince doesn't want to come back, no one can force him."

Shin-chan scratched his head. "Then you'll find a fake one?"

"It's not that I'm looking for it." Gray Ridge tucked his ears back. "Someone is already looking for it."

Uchiha Toru's gaze sharpened slightly.

"The Dog Clan is now divided into several factions," Gray Ridge said in an even lower voice. "After the chieftain fell seriously ill, some dog leaders advocated going to bring the prince back, some advocated electing a new chieftain, and one faction acted the fastest—they've already announced that they've found the prince."

"You found the prince?" Shin-chan blinked. "But isn't the prince at the hot spring inn?"

"So what they found was a fake. The leader of that group was a guy named Black Fang. He found a white dog and claimed that it was the lost prince."

Can't they tell?

"Perhaps they can't tell, perhaps they can." Gray Ridge shook his head. "The tribe needs a prince, needs a banner to raise; whether it's real or fake isn't that important anymore."

Uchiha Toru loosened his grip on the Kunai handle slightly. "So you need one too."

"White dogs are easy to find, but white dogs with Chakra are very difficult to find," Gray Ridge sighed.

Shin-chan suddenly exclaimed "Ah!"

"Shiro has Chakra."

Gray Ridge's body visibly stiffened.

"That white dog you mentioned." Gray Ridge's ears perked up. "Does it have Chakra?"

"Yes," Shin-chan counted on his fingers, "It can also use Ninjutsu, create clones, and transform..."

Gray Ridge's pupils narrowed to slits. "That so-called prince does indeed possess Chakra."

"Isn't that Shiro!"

Shin-chan turned to run away, but Uchiha Toru grabbed him.

"Wait a moment."

"I can't wait any longer." Shin-chan flailing his legs in mid-air. "Shiro's been captured, mistaken for a fake prince, it must be..."

"You don't even know which direction it's in."

Shin-chan's legs aren't scratching anymore.

Gray Ridge turned around. "The camp to the north is about a half-day walk from here."

"You go back first." Uchiha Toru patted Little Orange.

Little Orange glanced at Gray Ridge, hesitated for two seconds, and then started running back.

After walking for a while, Gray Ridge suddenly slowed down. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Shin-chan asked.

"If that Ninja Dog really was brought back as a prince," Gray Ridge's ears twitched back, "Then its current situation might not be good."

Uchiha Toru's expression changed. "What do you mean?"

"The leader of the northern camp is a dog named Black Fang," Gray Ridge said. "It was he who brought back the so-called prince."

"What's the background of Black Fang?"

"One of the clan's elders," Gray Ridge's voice was devoid of emotion, "The pro-war faction; it was the first to propose war against the Cat Clan."

For Shin-chan didn't interrupt, but he quickened his pace.

"Black Fang needs a prince," Gray Ridge continued, "A prince who can unite its people around it, yet won't hinder it from making any decisions."

What if they don't listen?

Gray Ridge didn't answer, but simply sped up.

The camp to the north was larger than the previous one.

At the highest point was a platform covered with flowers, which served as a small throne.

A white dog was lying on the throne.

It lay there, its tail not wagging, its ears drooping.

A large dog with black fur and a robust build, like a small calf, was standing next to it, holding a piece of meat and bringing it to Shiro's mouth.

Shiro turned her head away.

"Your Highness, it's time for you to eat," Black Fang's voice was deep. "Only when you're full will you have the strength to lead us and reclaim our water from those despicable Cat Clan."

Shiro still didn't move.

Black Fang swept its tail across the ground with displeasure. "Don't forget who rescued you from those lowly humans. You should be on my side."

"Shiro!"

Shin-chan's voice was so loud that even the dogs in the camp turned to look at him.

The Shiro dog on the throne twitched its ears, then looked up and saw Shin-chan standing at the camp entrance. Its dim eyes instantly lit up.

"Woof!" Shiro raised its tail and jumped down from the throne.

The dogs surrounding it paused for a moment, then quickly followed.