Adamantium Rage

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, Wolverine, and Street Fighter do not belong to me.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

" ": Speaking

Chapter 2

Taming The Beast

Ranma Awoke with pain running through his body like his blood was on fire. He opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a forest somewhere. Ranma looked down at his hand as he used it to push his body off of the ground. That's when he saw the three adamantium claws coming out from between each of his fingers.

"What the _hell_?!" He looked at the claws in confusion, he had no idea what they were, he didn't remember ever having claws, let alone ones made off metal. Ranma's mind stopped and a painful memory flashed through his mind.

*Tests!*

*Pain!*

*Cats!*

The last memory came more painful than the rest. The cats. They had caused him more pain than anything had ever caused him. Large black cats tearing at his flesh with claws and teeth, teeth like knives. Ranma shook his head to get the images out. Standing up he walked down a path towards Weapon-X. He couldn't remember anything after the tests.

He walked slowly along the path of destruction towards the destroyed Weapon-X Facility. He stumbled here and there while holding his head trying to make the headache he had gained from his flight go away. He heard some rustling in the woods that surrounded him.

Ranma whipped his head to the right and unleashed the other pair of claws that he possessed instinctively. He then sniffed the air in the direction that he looked. *Food!* He thought as his stomach growled. He stalked slowly towards the woods unconsciously using his martial arts techniques to ensure that he didn't make any sound. As he neared the thick foliage that separated he and the noise, he licked his lips realizing that only now that they were dry.

Just as Ranma was about to enter into the thick greenery something leapt out at him. Ranma fell to his back and kicked the creature off of himself with his feet towards the other end of the clearing, he then got to his own feet and faced off with it both sets of claws out and ready to fight.

A large wolf stood on the other side of the clearing staring at the teenage mutant martial artist. The wolf stood about half of Ranma's own height, it was all grey with one large stripe of white fur running down the centre of it's back. Ranma began to circle the beast looking for an opening to attack, the wolf mimicked his motions.

The Wolf pushed off and leapt towards Ranma, growling in hunger and fury. Ranma ran towards the animal with a cocky confidant smirk. The wolf jumped at Ranma and tried to sink it's teeth into his flesh, but Ranma was not there to bite. The large wolf plowed into the dirt head first. It looked back to see Ranma taunting it.

Ranma was having a grand old time. His hunger was put off for the moment as he lost himself in the fight. If there was one thing he loved more than eating, it was martial arts. He pulled down one eyelid and stuck his tongue out at the oversized Wolf who growled with blind rage. It leapt at the martial artist who dodged out of the way.

The wolf leaning from his past mistake compensated for the loss of a target and extended his front paws to the ground to catch his fall. Ranma's stomach growled and he sighed. "Well looks like its time you died wolf." He said more to himself than his inhuman opponent. "Nice sparring with you!" He said more intensely running towards the wolf with claws extended for the kill.

The wolf tried to get out of the way of the human but Ranma was to fast and skilled. His claws pierced through the flesh of the animal which howled in pain. Ranma shifted his claws and jabbed them into the Grey wolfs heart ending it's pain. He bent down after saying a short prayer for the animal and lifted the carcass over his shoulders. He began carrying it over to where he had woken up deciding that it would be the best place to set up camp.

He stripped the animal of its hair and skin. He then went about making a fire. He found a flint and twigs, and cut some larger pieces of wood with his new claws, which were excellent for slicing up the wood. He stroked his adamantium claws across the surface of the flint sending sparks into the pile of many twigs that he had gathered up.

He remembered all of these survival skills from somewhere but for the life of him he couldn't tell where. He tried to recall some kind of memory of anything, of anyone. Ranma drew a blank. All he could remember was his name and a redheaded guy named Rob. But that was about it. Along with the memories of tests and cats Ranma had next to no memories at all. The ones he did have where foggy and mostly only gave away memory of emotions towards the images that were in his head.

He shrugged it off and cut a piece of wolf flesh from the carcass that lay beside the fire. Ranma stabbed a single claw into the flesh and held it out over the fire. He now had a purpose. To find his past.

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

The people in the village all stared towards the black woods that surrounded them with fright as an animalistic howl screamed through the night. The sound was so gut-wrenchingly inhuman that it turned their stomachs in knots. The chief looked towards the moon with a worried expression and put down his pipe. The sounds in the distance where cut off abruptly and the camp site turned deathly silent. The children cowered under their mothers embrace waiting for something to happen, waiting for some sort of monsters to burst from the shadows and devour them. An indian teen ran towards the chief with a panicked worried expression.

"Chief leaping wolf!" He called just as he arrived at the old Indian chief's side. The boy was brandishing a crude axe in one hand and Indian warrior markings covered his bare chest and face. His long black hair was tied back in a single ponytail that reached down to his waist.

"What is it Deep Water?" The Chief asked in a calm, intelligent voice that spoke of his age and wisdom. The young Indian boy, in his hurry, cut off the Chief from saying anymore.

"Is that the Windego's cry?" He asked with pure fear induced panic. The chief shook his head, his long feathered headdress rattling from the motion.

"No young one. This is a new voice that calls out in the night. One that has never been heard before." He said.

"But what if it attacks the village?!" Asked the boy. "What if while we're sleeping it comes in here and..." The boy was cut off by a stern glare coming from Chief Leaping Wolf.

"Keep your voice down! Do not spread rumors of monsters without proof! You are terrifying the children. Now, you are to take five of the most skilled fighters in the village and scout the surrounding area in search of whatever it is that made that sound. Do not come back until you have made sure what it is and whether or not it is dangerous to the tribe." Said Leaping Wolf sternly. "If you do not do this than you will be punished by Cooling Wind."

The young teen Indian shuddered with fear as his skin turned white at the mention of Cooling Wind. Her punishment was like no other and he was determined to never face her unless on good terms. "I shall go and return by early morning with news of the creature." He said with a determined strength to his voice. His voice faltered seconds later. "Just don't send Cooling Wind after me." He said fearful of the woman in question.

The chief nodded and Deep Water ran off to get the other five boys to go scouting with him. Chief Leaping Wolf looked into the fire and took a long drag of his pipe, letting it out a moment later with a heavy sigh. "Hunt Bravely my son. And come home alive." He mused to himself worriedly.

***********

He awoke screaming. His voice not his own but that of a beast. An animal full of Rage, Hate, Fear, and especially Pain. His mind was full of conflicting emotions but Fear took over. The images in his mind were so vivid it was as if they were real. Their piercing yellow eyes tore at his soul while their claws tore at his flesh. He tried to run, to hide, but they were everywhere he looked. Everywhere he turned their glowing eyes and gleaming claws glistened in the dark while their black furred bodies blended in with the shadows. To save his sanity, to get away he had to become that which he feared.

A deep throaty growl escaped his lips. Ranma Saotome was no more as he crouched down on all fours and let out a loud roar that traveled across the cool Canadian Night air. Echoing in the trees ominously. Ranma's consciousness was thrown into the deep recesses of his mind and the mind of a Panther took over.

Panther-Ranma looked at his surroundings and noticed the fire. He was unaware as to what it was and it frightened him. He ran off into the dark forest in search of shelter and food. Though his appearance was that of a human Male teenager, his mind was 100% Feline.

As Ranma rushed through the thick foliage of the Canadian wilderness. He sniffed the air hoping to catch the scent of a small animal that he could hopefully hunt down and eat. He soon caught the smell of a small rabbit he stopped running and crouched low to the ground. After checking the wind direction he moved down wind towards his prey silently. He soon caught sight of the rabbit which was grooming itself in a small patch of grass. It's back was turned to Ranma and it was completely unaware of his presence.

Ranma waited for just the right moment patiently and then he pounced. His claws extended from in between his knuckles and stabbed into the flesh of the rabbit pinning it to the ground. It's body spasmed for a moment and when Ranma was sure that it was dead he took his claws out and retracted them back into his arm. Ranma crouched down on all fours and picked up the small carcass with his teeth then he proceeded to trot off into the forest in search of a place to drink.

**********

Deep water motioned for another one of the Indian Warriors to move forward. Deep water had gathered together the top five fighters in the village to go scouting for the creature that had made the horrifying sound earlier in the night. They had all been reluctant to go after it each one thinking that it was the Wendigo. But in the end Chief Leaping Wolfs threat motivated all of them to go after the creature.

They had been circling the wilderness surrounding the village for about an hour. Each time they circled their circle got bigger. They were near the river now. And had decided to stop and get a drink before venturing forward. Flaming Sparrow, who was one of the villages best trackers and one of the largest with short black hair, dark tanned skin, and many white warrior markings on his face stopped suddenly and listened for a moment. He called quietly for his comrades to stop. As soon as everyone was still and listening Flaming sparrow motioned for the rest to follow him. He lead them to a clearing that looked as if it had been struck by a large meteor. All the others stopped along the edges of the clearing and simply watched as Flaming Sparrow walked along the clearing picking up leaves and smelling them. He also noticed the skeleton off to the side with little bits of flesh still clinging to the bones, as well as the inedible parts which had been untouched. There was an almost burnt out campfire next to it. The crackling flames are what Flaming Sparrow had heard. Flaming sparrow fell to his knees as he recognized the oversized wolf skeleton.

"This is the lone wolf." He stated simply as he stared at the skeleton in shock.

Deep Water walked up to Flaming Sparrow and put a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean Lone Wolf?" He asked. The larger Indian boy looked up at him. With a sad expression.

"This wolf," He said "is the same one that killed my brother and nearly me as well. He is what gave me this scar." He said as he pointed to the three diagonal scars on his chest. "I have hunted this beast ever since then to avenge him. It was the one animal I could not catch."

"Do you think..." Asked one of the other Indian warriors at the edge of the clearing, "That...the creature we are hunting is the one that did this?" Flaming Sparrow nodded.

"Yes! It is the same. I know which way it went. But I am not familiar with this scent. It is unlike anything I have ever smelt before. It is as if, it is human... but not." Deep Water was beginning to think that going after this creature was much worse than anything that Cooling Wind could have done to them. He had a bad feeling about this. Flaming Sparrow was one of the strongest warriors in the village next to Thunder Hawke, and his nose was never wrong. He could identify any animal on earth just by the smell. If Flaming Sparrow didn't know what it was that he smelt than for sure it was out of the ordinary.

The group progressed through the forest following Flaming Sparrow's lead. They came to a rocky moonlit stream that would eventually run off into the river. They walked along the bank of the stream as it began to get wider and deeper. They stopped to rest at a sandy beach Deep Water refilled a water container from the stream. He looked farther down the stream on the other side and saw a boy.

Deep water watched as the boy, who was no older than he was, ate the raw flesh off of a dead rabbits carcass. The boy was nearly, completely naked, with only a piece of a sleeve intact. The naked boy looked up at Deep Water with animalistic eyes. They were a grey blue color but they were feral and inhuman.

"What the?" He said as he watched the boy crawl on all fours towards the stream and began lapping up water now unlike a dog, but he moved with a more feline grace. It was fearless, and he could tell that it was ignoring him. It felt that he was not a threat at all.

Just then Flaming Sparrow shoved Deep Water to the side and aimed his bow at the feline boy. "Get down Deep Water!" He yelled just moments before he let loose an arrow towards Ranma.

***********

Ranma lifted his head up towards the disturbance in curiosity just before getting hit in the side with an arrow. He let off a painful roar and glared at the boy with hate in his feline eyes. He realized that the water was deep at this point of the stream and decided not to try and attack, the boy across the water had the advantage with his flying pointy sticks. Ranma fled into the jungle. In hopes that they would not follow. He needed to tend to his wounds somehow.

***********

(The next Morning)

A woman sat by a stream that ran close by to the Indian village. She was currently washing some clothes. In said stream. She was currently humming a very pretty tune. Her voice was soft and beautiful and seemed to match her physical appearance. She was very beautiful with long flowing black hair that ran half way down her back, her skin was a soft bronze color that reflected the sun giving it a beautiful glossy look, her eyes were a deep Crimson. She wore plain clothing consisting of light tan buckskin with beads hanging from the hem of her skirt.

She was being watched. Nearly all of the teenage boys in the village have made it habit to come out early every morning to watch this stunning beauty wash clothes. Each of the boys that watched had a major crush on the woman, even though she was old enough to be most of their mother. She was the most pretty woman in the village.

A voice rang out from behind the crowd of boys. "Everyone! It is time for a village meeting the chief has ordered that everyone be present! No excuses!" All of the boys groaned at the announcement and obediently, but reluctantly, followed the older man to where the village meetings were usually held.

*********

Cooling Wind could not help but smile. It was such a lovely day today. She enjoyed working in conditions like these. Especially with half of the male population of the village watching her. She liked to be admired for her beauty, her physical appearance was truly a blessing. Being eyed by so many men made her feel twenty years younger. She pretended not to notice though and opted for putting on that she was just enjoying the weather and her work.

When one of the older men came by announcing that there was a village meeting being held. Her smile faltered a bit. She didn't like the village meetings they bored her ever since she was a little girl. It was always the village elders talking about the politics of the village and other unimportant stuff. Most of the time it was about stalling urban sprawl and them struggling to keep their land and way of life.

She sighed and put down her washing equipment on the ground beside the stream. She was just standing up to go when she heard a sound from the opposite side of the stream. She looked back and forth from the retreating crowd and the forest on the other side of the stream where she heard the sound. She furrowed her eyebrows and opted for the road less traveled.

After checking to see if no one was looking she walked towards a more shallow part of the waters and began to walk across. She moved swiftly. Little did she know that she was spotted by one of the younger teens in the crowd.

Once hidden by the trees Cooling Wind stopped and listened once again. As she had hoped, the sound came again. This time she could hear it more clearly. She began to head off into the forest in the general direction of the sound. It sounded like an animal of some sort, like a cat only...bigger. She was getting really close now her feet crunched the leaves beneath her feet, she was too excited to notice all of the noise she was making moving through the thick foliage. She was very close now, she could hear it right around the next bunch of trees it sounded as if it were in pain.

As She crept around the next bend she gasped at what she saw. It was a boy. The boy was completely naked save for a tattered piece of a shirt sleeve on his right arm. She moved towards the boy slowly and this time a little more quietly. Once she was about a foot or two away she crouched down and turned the boy over. He didn't seem to care at all. It was in so much pain. There was blood all over the ground, soaking the leaves that he lay on and an arrow was protruding from his left side.

"Oh you poor boy." She said as she grabbed hold of the arrow and began to pull. The boy lifted his head and growled at her menacingly. The boy slashed at he with his right arm which had three metallic claws protruding from between each knuckle. As Cooling Wind jumped back to evade the claw swipe she unconsciously held onto the arrow that was lodged in his side and it was pulled from his body with one quick motion.

The boy yowled in pain but then to Cooling Wind's amazement the wound healed up instantly not even leaving a scar. The boy stood up from the ground on all fours and looked at the place where the arrow had once been. He looked over to the woman who was sitting at the base of a large tree looking at him in fear. He saw the arrow in her hand and realized then that she had removed it.

Cooling wind shivered as the boy stalked towards her on his hands and knees as if he were some sort animal, like a lion or a cougar. She didn't like the way he was eyeing her. It made her feel like a piece of meet he was eyeing for a snack. She clutched the arrow tightly in her hand and she tensed when the boy brought his head mere inches away from her own.

The boy sniffed Cooling Wind for a moment and then he licked her on the side of her face. She gasped for air not realizing that she had been holding it just a moment ago. Ranma, realizing that this female was a friend and not a foe, lay down and placed his head on her lap. For a moment she just sat there and said nothing then she began to stroke Ranma's raven hair and make calm soothing sounds. Soon Ranma fell asleep. His healing factor had closed the wound but he had still lost a lot of blood from it and was in desperate need of rest. This female offered safety at the moment so he took advantage of that.

Cooling wind didn't know how long she had been sitting there with the boy and she didn't care. This boy in her lap was in desperate need of help. He obviously thought he was some kind of animal. Most of the time she had been sitting there with the boy she was contemplating what it was that made this boy heal so fast. She had seen some of the village elders speed up their own healing ability using spiritual energy but never had she seen anything heal at this speed. The claws that the boy possessed were a whole other enigma in itself. She had only seen those claws for a moment but she knew that they were made of some sort of metal.

She jumped in fright as her mind was broken out of her revery by a hand being placed on her shoulder. She looked up to see one of the teenage boys standing over her. She put her hand over the one he had placed on her shoulder and sighed in relief. "Oh Deep Water. It's only you. You scared me to death."

"What is going on here Cooling wind?" He asked, "What are you doing with that boy?" Cooling wind was about to answer but the boy in question began to stir at that moment.

Ranma awoke slowly. He wasn't sure where he was but he didn't care, he was very comfortable at the moment. He tried to sit up but a hand pushed him back down gently. "You must rest child. You have lost much blood." Ranma looked up to the woman with the heavenly voice. She was very beautiful. He had never seen her before, but, he had next to no memory at all.

"Are you my mother?" Ranma asked the woman. He doubted that she would be but he had hope. He wanted to have some sort of link to his past. The woman nodded after hesitating but Ranma didn't notice.

"Yes." She said simply in her calm soothing tone. Ranma smiled and lay his head back in her lap. He heard another boys voice not to far away but he was to tired to look up he decided to take his mothers advice and sleep for a bit. Not long after closing his eyes he fell into a peaceful sleep.

Cooling wind smiled and stroked her new son's hair as he slept peacefully. She could sense a strong and kind spiritual force within the boys soul. She didn't regret telling the boy that she was his mother and she somehow knew that she never would. He had the heart of a hero.

Deep Water gawked at the short dialogue between the forest boy and Cooling Wind. "What are you doing Cooling Wind!? You can't just adopt this boy without the consent of the Elders!" The teenage Indian said in shocked disbelief. Cooling wind looked up at him with anger.

"Deep Water! My husband had died five years ago! I have not been able to have children of my own, no matter _how_ hard I've tried or how badly I've wanted to! The council of Elders will see things my way and I defy them if they see things any other way!" She finished that last part off with a very cold challenging glare. Deep Water backed down. He could see how protective of this boy she was. There was no way in hell that the boy would be able to convince the woman to forget about the pigtailed boy in her lap.

Deep Water sighed and slumped to the ground beside Cooling Wind in defeat. "Fine." He said. "If there's anything that I can do to help you need only ask of me." Cooling Wind smiled at the young boys declaration.

Deep Water couldn't help but smile back at the woman. Cooling Wind then cradled Ranma in her arms and stood up careful not to awake the boy as she did so. She and Deep Water then began to walk back towards the village. When they walked back into the village they carefully slipped past making sure not to be noticed by anyone. They didn't have to worry to badly most of the village was still at the meeting that was called earlier.

Cooling Wind entered her Tepee and carefully set Ranma on a blanket on the ground. The boy was still asleep and quite peacefully at that. Cooling Wind smiled down at the boy affectionately. She would finally have someone to call her own.

"Deep Water." She called to the boy who had accompanied her.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I want you to stay here with the boy If he wakes up than I want you to learn as much as you can from him. He obviously has some sort of memory problem so don't ask to many complicated questions. Merely ask his name and what he remembers about himself. I will go to get some clothing for him. Do you understand what you are to do?"

Deep Water nodded frantically. "Y-Yes ma'am!" He said enthusiastically.

Cooling Wind nodded and exited the wigwam in search of some clothing that would fit the naked mutant.

***********

"I FORBID IT!"

"But father!" begged Cooling Wind to the head chief of the village council. "Ranma is a good boy. He has a very kind heart and holds nothing but love towards me and the rest of his peers." She rationalized. Chief Leaping Wolf shook his head furiously.

"The rules of the tribe are simple. 'One can not adopt into their family without the permission of the entire council.' I have made my decision and that is final!" Said the chief.

One of the other Chiefs shook their head and smiled. She was an old woman around the age of seventy or ninety. "Leaping Wolf I believe that you are being to hard on the girl and the boy who this meeting is about. I have met young Wild Horse, he has captured many of the young females hearts in this village and made friends with almost every boy. Why could you not be lenient this one time and allow the boy full warrior status in the tribe."

"Because...He is reckless! I cannot allow him to stay with us any longer."

Another chief spoke up from his place. "I have seen the way young Wild Horse fights and I am quite astonished as to his ability to learn fighting techniques, he has learned our fighting style and is nearly invincible with that healing ability of his. He would make an excellent addition to the tribe. He would surely pass on those traits to his young."

Chief Leaping Wolf growled as he glared at the others. "That is what makes him such a threat to our tribe! If he were to turn against us then we would have no hopes for survival!"

"My Son would never harm another of our tribe! He is..." Cooling wind was cut off.

"ALREADY you speak of this boy as if he were your own FLESH and BLOOD!"

"And I feel the same way in my heart FATHER!" Answered Cooling Wind dangerously. "I love him as if he were my own, I care for him as if he were my own, so He is my own! When I first brought him to the tribe he was scared because he had amnesia. I gave him a family and that means so much to him! How could you now just decide to take everything away from him!?!"

One of the other Chiefs spoke from the darkness. "Chief Leaping Wolf, I believe that the council of elders is haveing trouble agreeing with each other what to do with one Wild Horse Saotome. The laws also state that when the council cannot come to a decision upon a subject then it must all come down to a vote." Chief Leaping Wolf frowned and breathed through his nose angrily.

"Very well!" The vote will be as such. All in favor of Wild Horse staying raise their hands on the signal, All opposed will raise theirs when the signal is called. If the vote ends up equal on both sides then a random mediator will decide the outcome." All of the village elders nodded. And the vote began.

"ALL FOR YOUNG SAOTOME'S STAY RAISE NOW!"

Three hands went up including Leaping Wolf's

"ALL IN FAVOR OF HIS LEAVING RAISE NOW!"

Three of the elders raised their hands. Cooling Wind breathed out a sight of relief. Leaping Wolf called out to one of the guards at the front of the large wooden cabin. "Flying Dog! Go fetch a random villager and bring them here to decide the outcome of the vote!"

The guard armed with the battle axe nodded silently and ran out into the village to do just as the chief had asked. Chief Leaping Wolf smiled as the guard left. He was sure that Ranma would be cast out. He had made many friends yes but he had also made many enemies in the tribe as well.

***********

(Just outside the council of Elder's cabin)

Ranma looked to the ground with a downcast face. He had been living in the village for about four months now. Just when he was getting to know his mother really well it turns out that she isn't his mother at all. Ranma began to walk away from the cabin not wanting to listen anymore. Just as he was leaving Flying Dog ran from the cabin into the heart of the village. Ranma ignored it and went back to his home. Or rather, the home of his fake mother. He could hardly believe that she had lied to him all this time. Was everything else she led him to believe also a lie? Ranma entered the Wigwam that he had been living in for the past four months now. He looked over to where he had set some pictures of friends and himself. There was a large picture of Cooling wind in the center of all the other pictures.

Ranma had only gotten a few pictures of anything, the village relied mostly on the environment. They preferred to live without the influence of the outside world. And only ever went to towns outside the village every once a month. They never bought much though.

Ranma picked up a framed picture of him and all of his friends, in the picture was Deep Water, himself, a few other boys, and a couple girls. Ranma smiled as he remembered back to the day that the picture was taken they had a lot of fun sparring in the family's martial arts style, eating, and just playing around. That was probably the day that Ranma had felt, truly, a part of the tribe.

Now that feeling was gone replaced with doubt. The same doubt he had when he first came here. In the beginning the others had thought of him as some sort of freak because of his metal claws that had been exposed one day when he was sparring with deep water. He hadn't hurt the boy but he could easily have done so. Ranma frowned as he realized that he looked nothing like his 'Mother' nor any of the other teens that he spent so much time with.

Ranma slammed the picture down and rolled over onto his side. He soon fell asleep but tonight was not going to be a pleasant one. For the nightmares came back with the doubts that he felt. And the Panthers came back as well.

**********

Chief Leaping wolf frowned as he saw who it was that Flying Dog brought back to the cabin to mediate the vote between the elders. Cooling Wind was smiling at the girl who had been brought in. She knew that Ranma was going to stay now. For the girl they have chosen was very fond of him.

Chief spoke to the girl menacingly. "Swift Fox! The council has voted evenly on both sides as to whether Ranma Saotome is to stay in the village or not." The girl was a little confused but she knew what side she wanted to vote for.

"I want Ranma to stay!" She said with a smile in a bubbly voice. The council that had voted for young Saotome's stay smiled. Those who did not frowned. Chief Leaping Fox sighed heavily and nodded for the young girl, giving her permission to leave.

"Then it is decided. Ranma Saotome is allowed to be adopted by Cooling Wind and he is to be given full warrior status as well. Cooling Wind was about to walk out of the cabin when an inhuman scream was heard right inside of the village.

"What was that!?" Asked one of the elders in a panicked voice. Cooling Wind ran out of the cabin towards the sound to see half of the village running in random directions in panic and fear. Cooling Wind ran against the crowd towards the disturbance. Some of the people that ran by were warriors, many of them had deep wounds and scratches covering their bodies.

Cooling Wind stood in the center of the village and stared in shocked disbelief at what she saw. *Oh god NO!*

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

(Meanwhile at the Council of Elders)

"WHAAAT!?!" Screamed chief Leaping Wolf. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE INSANE!?!"

One of the older Warrior males stood, holding a wound on his stomach that was bleeding profusely, in front of the elders. He was gasping for breath and there were many more wounds covering his body . His buckskin pants were soaked in the blood that dripped from his upper body. "Wild Horse was sleeping and, hungh, I went to wake him for our nightly spar over the fire-pit. When he, aargh, a-awoke he screamed like an animal and began attacking anything in sight. I was injured while trying to protect some of the younger women."

The council looked to each other with worry. "What shall we do?" Asked one. "Young Saotome has become a very serious threat to the tribe now. I with draw my vote for him to stay and am now in favor of him leaving."

Another one held his chin in thought. What if we cannot get him to leave? He may just kill the entire village! I withdraw my vote as well in light of this sudden turn of events, but I worry as I wonder if it will do us any good anymore."

"Daughter..." Chief Leaping wolf said with sudden fear and dread as he realized that Cooling Wind had ran towards the sound. He stood from his seat on the ground and ran to the front of the cabin. All of the other elders followed. At a speed that one would think people of their age were not capable of accomplishing. One stayed behind to see the injured warrior to the village's healer.

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

Cooling Wind stood Shocked ion the center of the village as she watched her adopted son Ranma take on the personage of a Panther. Many of the villagers were standing behind the Warriors who had all of their weapons unsheathed and ready for battle. Ranma had stopped fighting now and was just standing on all fours in a corner of a fence. His adamantium claws were unsheathed and he was ready to fight his way out if he had to.

Ranma was crouched low to the ground ready to pounce on anyone who got too close. Cooling Wind felt a part of her heart break as she looked at the fear and torment in Ranma's eyes. She decided to approach Ranma slowly but a hand grabbed her from behind. "Do not go near Cooling Wind!" Said one of the warriors. "He has been possessed! I cannot sense my friend within him at all. Ranma is gone!"

Cooling Wind shook out of the man's grip and glared at him. "NO!" She screamed right in his face. Her face became menacing in the flickering firelight off to the side. "Ranma is MY son and I KNOW he's still in there! He was like this when I found him!" With that said she took her gaze off of him and looked back towards Ranma who was growling at any and all who even looked him in the eye.

Ranma's gaze looked towards Cooling Wind who was slowly walking towards Ranma. He hissed at her though seeing her only as the one who betrayed him.

"Ranma." She said as she approached him. Something in her voice clicked in Panther-Ranma's head. He could hear nothing but love and worry. The worry was not for her safety but his. Ranma shook his head and glared at her as he growled, warning her to get back. The woman advanced. "Don't do this Ranma." She said soothingly. "I don't want you to be hurt."

The human part of Ranma's mind struggled for control with his Panther part. Ranma didn't want to hurt anyone, the panther did. Ranma was upset at Cooling Wind but he would never hate or hurt her. The Panther would. Ranma-Panther sat on his haunches and held his head in pain as both parts of his psyche struggled for control of the body. Ranma's adamantium claws popped in and out of his hand. His face showed two side of a battle one human one not.

Wild Horse fell to the ground in pain and lay still after giving off one more inhuman cry. Cooling Wind rushed to Ranma's side and gently caressed his back. She kept her distance still though not knowing if he would be the Panther or the Boy. The villagers all leaned in to get a better look. Chief Leaping Wolf rushed past the crowd and stopped as he saw His daughter kneeling over the Saotome boy.

Ranma's hand came up and pushed on the ground, putting the boy in a sitting position. He looked towards the villagers who all jumped back in fright thinking that he would still have the Panther's persona. He put his other hand on the ground and lifted himself to a standing position.

"W-What's going on?" He asked as he could not recall anything that he had just done while in panther mode. The villagers all sighed giant sighs of relief. Chief Leaping wolf stormed onto the scene, walking right up to Ranma and Cooling Wind angrily. Ranma growled at the Chief and his eyes flashed yellow. Everyone gasped and many fled as they saw this. They thought that he would turn into a Panther and kill them. The chief simply stood there frowning but not advancing.

Cooling Wind put her hand on Ranma's arm and his eyes turned back into their original grey blue color. "Ranma please calm down." She said. "What happened just back there?"

Ranma shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know. One minute I was sleeping and then I woke up here." Ranma wasn't really telling the whole truth though. When his Panther consciousness tried to attack his adoptive mother he suddenly woke up to find that his body was being used by some animal. He knew it was a Panther and he began to fight the panther for control of his body. After battling the panther took a more human like appearance in his mind while still looking very much like a panther. Mentally Ranma agreed to some sort of alternative with the beast inside of him and somehow they bonded to a degree that the Panther and the man were now one consciousness. He still felt generally the same only now he felt some more animal needs.

He latched onto his mother in a bone crushing hug. "I'm sorry Mother. I overheard you say that I wasn't your son at the elder council and then I was depressed and...Oh no...was anyone hurt?" Ranma looked at Cooling wind with his grey-blue eyes showing nothing but concern. Cooling Wind looked over to her father. Who nodded his head.

"A few of the warriors had been injured while battling you during your possession. Their injuries are not fatal and they will survive but the Council has made an important decision as to what to do with you Ranma Saotome. Your current problem poses a serious threat to the villages safety. You are being cast out because of the danger your presence poses to us all.

"WHAT!?!" Screamed Cooling Wind. "You said that My son could stay!"

"THAT WAS BEFORE HE DID ALL OF THIS!!" Yelled Chief Leaping Wolf as he indicated all of the damage done to the village. "HE IS DANGEROUS AND HAS BEEN ORDERED TO LEAVE!!" The Chief turned his back on her and began walking away. He turned around one more time and glared at his daughter. "He has until morning to be gone from here."

Cooling Wind turned to Ranma with tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry Ranma. I-I wanted to tell you but I'd fallen in love with you." She hugged Ranma and began to cry openly. Ranma wrapped his arms around the woman whom he had come to love as a mother for the last four months.

"Do you know who my real parents are?" Ranma asked as he held her back and wiped a tear from her cheek. Cooling Wind shook her head.

"I do not. But I know of someone who might be able to help you out." Cooling Wind then dug around in her buckskin blouse and pulled out a picture of a tough looking Indian man with many warriors marks. "This is my little brother. His name is Thunder Hawk. Our homeland used to be in Mexico, but an evil man by the name of M. Bison forced us to leave. Our tribe then moved to Canada and have been living here ever since. T. Hawk is currently fighting in street fights to improve his fighting skills. He is the only person from our tribe who has perfected our fighting technique and obtained inner peace. When he defeats Bison he will return to us and we can return to our home."

"What does this have to do with me?" Ranma asked.

"I want you to seek Thunder Hawk out when you are forced to leave the village. He can teach you much more than I ever could." Replied Cooling Wind as she grasped Ranma's shoulders firmly. "Please Ranma, Please promise me that you'll find Thunder Hawk."

Ranma reluctantly nodded. "Why don't you come with me?" Ranma asked. Desperately, not wanting to be separated from his mother. Cooling Wind shook her head.

"I can't. My place is here with my people. When you find your real parents it will be awkward. I will prepare some food for your journey in the morning. But please write to me as often as you can, son. Never forget me for I will never forget you."

Ranma now had tears welling up in his own eyes. He did not want to leave. For some reason he would not allow the tears in his eyes to fall. Men didn't cry. He told himself this in his mind but he was confused by it for he had seen his friends cry before and they were male. He nodded and his mother hugged him one last time. They stayed in that embrace for quite a while. Ranma didn't want to ever let go but he knew that he eventually would have to.

The couple walked towards the tepee that they shared together as their home to spend their last night together as a family. {Not like that, Jeeze she's pretty much his mother. Get your mind out of the gutter guys.}

***********

Ranma awoke with a smile on his face. Another glorious day in the village. He couldn't wait to show Deep Water the totem he had carved the other morning. The other day... Ranma's smile faded into a depressed frown as he recalled the words of the Chief. From the other night when he went ballistic. "HE IS DANGEROUS AND HAS BEEN ORDERED TO LEAVE!!" Ranma got up off of the ground and began packing what little clothing he had into a small leather satchel. A small smile formed on his lips as he thought back to when he first made the bag. White Lizard had struggled to teach him how to make the darned thing. Despite both his and her efforts it still turned into a messy heap of stitched leather. It hardly looked like a bag at all.

Ranma sighed heavily as he finished packing and headed towards the front gates of the Village. He heard his name called from behind him and looked over his shoulder. Three of his closest friends were running towards him frantically. Deep Water, White Lizard, and Drunken Crane.

"RANMA!!" Yelled White Lizard as she ran towards him. She ran up to the boy and leapt into his arms in a bone crushing hug, or at least what would have been a bone crushing hug had Ranma not had virtually indestructible adamantium laced to his skeleton.

Ranma spun her around as he lifted her up in the air after wrapping his own arms around the petite girl. The both stared at each other's eyes for a long time before White Lizard spoke. "I-I just couldn't let you go without saying goodbye one more time." Ranma then looked over at the other two boys who had called out his name. Ranma looked down and realized that he was still holding White Lizard in his arms. He let go swiftly and quickly, putting one hand behind his head instinctively and chuckling.

"IT's not what it looks like guys! We were just, uh saying good bye! N' stuff." Deepwater thrust out a hand and grasped onto Ranma's in a firm handshake.

"I will miss you my friend." Deep Water said with a smile on his face.

"Same here." Said Drunken Crane with a stupid looking smile.

"I Promise I'll write to you guys as often as I can. Look after my mother too."

Deep Water nodded his head. "Of course I will. May the gods be with you on your quest...Wild Horse." Ranma nodded and turned around to leave before he felt the familiar sensation of the tears welling up in his eyes. He stopped dead in his tracks as White Lizard blocked his way.

"A parting gift for you." She said simply before leaning forward and giving him a kiss on his cheek before running off in the direction of her home. As Ranma looked over to his other two friends he frowned at their goofy grins and then they turned around and started whistling to themselves as if they hadn't seen anything.

Ranma nodded and turned around. Without another sound he was gone from the village. Of course the wolf whistles and howls could be heard from the village as soon as Ranma left.

TBC...

***********

{ Whooo DAMN! Not as big as the last chapter but I wrote that all in one night so it was quite a chore. Anyway I finally introduced Bison as the Main Bad Guy. And Now Ranma is on a journey to find T. Hawk. Who has been looking for Bison for revenge for a while now. Now what would a fanfic be if the hero didn't find what he was looking for eventually. Of course there's also the issue on how he's gonna get from Canada to the US. Walking that far of a distance is quite a chore and would take far to long in real life so there'll be some other mode of transport. As for a meeting with the X-Men? Not likely in this story. From here on in it's mostly Street Fighter and Ranma. Deadpool may show up though. Considering he's an ex-Weapon-X employee. Maverick and Cable are unlikely. However I have a really cool idea for Bison. Oh you'll like it. You'll like it a lot.}

Please Keep reading and reviewing. I love to hear what you people have to say about my work.

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