Five. Five is the number that sticks out in my head when I try to remember. How long ago it was I don't know. I long forgot my age in that….circus. I suppose I can blame Seiryuu for it…being that way I mean. By "that way" I mean this way.
Touch the puppy. That was how I said it. I was still learning the term "I want to." Hah. I was a foolish child. I loved everything. I would never harm a flea unless it hurt me first. Mother told me to be careful. That little dog had to be in a cage for a reason. I didn't think so, and I ignored her warning, and that of it's keeper. I reached for the dog, and then I got bit. It hurt, of course. But it was nothing compared to the pain I felt the night of my 17th birthday. I smile as I remember my beloved's face. A beautiful woman. She was two years my younger, but we were in love. That day, she gave me a necklace. It was beautiful, made by her own father. It was what betrayed me. That night, I felt tremendous pain. My skin was pricked with a thousand needles. My head was on fire. My spine was being bent unwillingly by an overpowering force. I blacked out from the pain.
The next morning, when I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by villagers. Before I could ask what was going on, only moments after I realized I was in the open street, I found myself being beaten unmercifully. I shouted for help. I begged to tell me why. It was her father who told me. My love had been murdered. And my necklace had been found lying beside her. I noticed my hands were covered in blood then. Her blood. I couldn't explain what happened but I knew I was in pain from all this. A club was brought down on my back, and I screamed. It was broken, I could tell. The blood surrounding my hands was now my own. I was dying. I felt my life pulling away. I wasn't scared, I don't know why.
The next thing I knew, as I felt my life fly away, I felt fine. I could see from the same position I was in. There was no pain. Something felt like it was missing. People were backing away from me. There were mutterings about a blue glow. I opened my mouth, and a strange growl came out. Everyone, even the men, screamed and scattered. Bloodlust flowed in my veins as I looked at the covered ground around me. I was dead, yet alive. The bloodlust was revenge. And I had it. On the entire village. Those who arrived at the village days later found everyone murdered by some wolf in their sleep. Those who had killed my human form. They deserved it. I hadn't known what I did first. They killed that side of me. They murdered my human side, my side that knew compassion. Now they had to deal with the animal part within me. The one who would be known as Ashitare. The wolf Seiryuu pitied. May the other gods damn him for his pity.
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Ashitare's short is doooone! ^^ Okay, here's the deal. I plan on every seishi we know having a "short". Tomo, Tasuki and Tamahome have been done. Each short is no more than a page in length. So expect a lot more like this. Ja!