It had been long. So very, very long. It wasn't that they needed her, he guessed, it was just that he missed her. It wasn't the same, stowed away in a merchants blanket, perched atop a pilgrims hood. Not the same as riding on the back of a white wolf, not the same as riding on the back of a goddess. He'd told himself he didn't need that old furball to be inspired, that he could be the celestial envoy no matter what. But recently, things had been getting in the way.
It wasn't her fault that she couldn't come back. But her replacement just wasn't the same. That camaraderie, that chocolate eyed stare, the way she seemed to space out and disappear from him, from everyone, just for a moment, gone. He'd tried to help. He really had. But there had to be a celestial envoy on this Earth, Poncle lore dictated that the celestial envoy had to spread the word of the Gods. To spread the word. No matter what.
Miya had tried. But even she couldn't quite muster her brush to paint the God's the way he could, the way Ishaku could. Two owls, yet two clocks. He could still picture their faces as they tore his grandfather apart. The Oina were shocked. The Poncles, distraught. But no one could tell him why. No one could tell him how, after their years of imprisonment under the icy peaks of Ezofuji, they'd suddenly returned. Even Tuskle hadn't heard them awaken beyond the stony silence of the Affun Gate. One moment they were there. The next Kamui was smothered in ice.
It still was. He shuddered a little and tried to huddle into his clothes. Soon, he told himself. Soon. Soon he would be back. The lake outside was completely frozen, inside the tent wasn't much better. Hopefully the big navy outcast wouldn't be too long. The wind snapped. Issun turned half from the smouldering fire pit. There he was.
Oki hadn't changed much. At least not as a wolf. His red and navy fur was bushier, he supposed, than when he'd last been here, but his red eyes still had the same 'fuck off' attitude they'd had when he'd met him all those years before. The Oina pendant hung free from the fur, more battered, more worn than he'd seen it before. He shook, and the ice and snow fell off him in waves. Outside, wind filled the silence. "So, how's Kai?" Oki gave a soft growl. Not now. First, he had to shift back.
He heard a snap. A low crack that rose into a crescendo of rustling fur and melding bones, the song of a Oina. "She's fine." His tone was short, clipped, terse. His hairs still stood on end. He knew why Issun was back. He knew Issun why Issun was in his tent. "I had to."
"Had to..." A glint, a single sliver of silver reflected the embers. Kutone. He'd removed Kutone.
"I had no choice!"
"No choice!"
"I didn't know they were after your grandfather! Kamui was in danger... And Kai!"
Issun froze. "From what?"
"We didn't realise. The prophet, he told us..."
"Waka?" What had the half baked prophet been doing in Wep'keer when he was supposed to lounging around on the celestial plain?
"Lika, she's not one of us."
"What do you mean? She's Kai's sister!"
"He foretold that the demons would rise again, and that 'The leaf will turn and pave the way for the rebirth of Orochi. Darkness will flood the plains of Nippon as the Dark swells. Only a fiery spirit will burn away the threat.'"
The leaf. Lika's mask was a butterbur leaf. There had to be another choice, another path. If Yami was to return, then that meant celestial plain was in danger, and the celestial plain meant only one thing to Issun. Ammy. If darkness returned they'd have to pray for a miracle.
"Who've you told?"
"They all know of the prophecy. But only you know of Kutone."
"Not even Kai?"
He paused. "Not even Kai."
No one could know. He'd seen what fate had done to even the sanest men; they didn't need Lika to end up helping Yami. No, she had to turn away from that path on her own. Issun ran his hand down the silvered edge of Denkomaru. From the corner of his eye he saw Oki brush the snow of Kutone's flat. If Yami was returning, not even Kutone and Denkomaru could keep him out of Nippon forever. If only...
A smile spread across his face. His glow slid back to its normal, spritely green. He knew exactly what they were going to do to help. And he knew exactly how they were going to do it. Oki glanced up, confused. "How long do you reckon it would take us to get to Kamiki Village?"