Rain poured from the emotionless, pale sky above, beating down upon the bamboo forest with a vengeance. Wind howled, shaking the bamboos, tearing leaves from it and even uprooting several stalks. Once or twice, I had been in danger of being smacked by those freefalling shoots-nay, I had already been buffeted by the wildly swinging shoots; these bamboo forest though thick, offered no semblance of a shelter.

In the distance, beyond the waving bamboo thicket, there was my temple. Eagerly, I bounded the last, few metres towards the waiting temple, it being mouldy and perhaps, forgotten meaning nothing to me. I was a cat, and for sure, I saw a lot more otherworldly things than humans ever thought they saw. Legends of yokai hiding in the darkness, waiting to lash out at unsuspecting humans were true, but most contained more fiction than fact. The world I saw was in grey tones, yet I could see what humans did not. Painters had driven themselves crazy to take a quick peek into the unknown where I, could so easily see them all, the thought made me snicker a little to myself. We were not the mindless creatures humans thought us to be.

Delicately, I walked up the steps up to the temple, past gateways guarding its entrance; pass its wooden shutters which were already falling apart. Every step I took induced a creak in the cracked, rotting wooden boards, the stench of rot and must arising from the boards. Wood splinters lay everywhere, formed when that ungodly smashed part of the rood of the shrine, most likely. Too bad, I had been fond of this temple having stayed here for the past thirty years.

Letting out a yawn, I settled down and waited for the rain to past. Such a cold and gloomy weather it was; I longed for the warm sun to come out. Even the air was heavy with humidity.

Lightning split the sky apart, roasting a hapless bamboo tree.

Through the shadows it cast in a brief second, I saw the silhouette of a man hurrying towards the direction of the temple. Boiling above him was the sky, seeking out another target to vent its rage upon. That stupid human must have been blinded by the rain; he paused in front of the temple for awhile as though wondering where he was. From my post, I could see flashes of lightning drawing closer every second. Slinking towards the steps leading up the temple, I was once again in full range of the wind. Perched up there, I lifted up my paw and waved towards the human, beckoning him over before the tree he was resting on became struck by lightning…

That was when my story started.

Rain, it was raining again, just like the first day I met him. Rain had seeped into my fur, matting them into huge clumps; I was a sopping mess. My vision was blurred, I blamed that on the rain; what did these rain droplets think they were, making such a mess of my originally pristine white fur.

The priest had died? So that was why he wouldn't wake up even after I shook him all day.

'Master… I had even gone through the trouble to make you porridge. Even then, you won't wake up wont you? Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.' How odd, the mirthless smile still rested on my face as always. How odd, the pain in my chest was growing; was I becoming sick too? How odd, why was I still wearing the smile even though Master was not going to get up anymore?

So this was what it meant to lose a loved one. Humans shed bucket loads of tears during funerals, usually a boring event with a monk chanting prayers; sometimes what they said didn't even make sense. Those sessions seemed of no importance to me, I had been alone and was very happy being so-humans though, called funerals the last significant event of a person's life.

That was when I had thought, 'Humans only had one word to describe them, weak. It's better to be alone, without such trouble.'

Why did you have to die? My master had died. He had died. Death, such a terrible word, so impartial and terrible to all those whose time was up. Teeth bared into a snarl, I tried to slow the tears which ran down my cheeks without my invocation, a silent show of the pain boiling deep down in me. It was growing in me like a scar, a stab wound which time could never heal. Why did you have to go on and die? Now even I myself am not sure of what I am capable of. Why? Why? Why did you have to die when others could live on? Is this the endless cycle of life you've always spoke about? That won't numb the pain beating in my chest, my heart being painfully squeezed in my chest? Why?!

Was it a wrong decision then, to wave the priest over from the rain that day? A human's life was so painfully short, his shortened even further due to his illness. So fragile they were, I could outlive my master thousands and thousands of times if I was not killed first.

Even with all my nine lives spent, now I had gained an eternal life of loneliness.

I had not thought myself capable of shedding so many tears. Before I realised, I had reverted back to my old form, my cat's body trembling with anger and sadness, a weird concoction of despair welling up down there. So yokai's could feel such emotions too. Body tensing up, I lifted my wet nose to the air and yowled out all my sadness. A single peal wasn't enough, ten weren't enough, and thousands may not be enough still. My spirit was overflowing with sadness and regret, but most potent of all, self-loathing. My aura, normally so pristine and white was now fluctuating out of control, growing out of shape, tearing my cat form, the manifestation of my diseased soul was taking place.

Spasms ran across my body, muscles ripping as my body contorted, growing out of proportion. Bones protruded from places it was not supposed to be in, punching holes out of my skin as red coated my fur. Pain, pain, pain was growing on me, spreading from heart, infecting my body like a disease. Agonised howls filled the air, as blood rained down on my master's body, some landing on his eyes, looking as though he shed tears of blood at my expense. The pain spiralled out of control; I did not want him feeling sad! Not after I've been so worthless to him. The last to go was my tail, splitting into two neatly; it felt as though I had been ripped into two halves neatly. Losing control of myself after that, a beastly cry echoing throughout the forest, throughout the entire world itself it was said. A shiver of fear and revulsion was felt through people around the world.

'Protect the temple'

Those were the only words that rested in my mind as I bathed everyday in the blood of the humans I killed, those luckless ones who wondered too close. Children, men, women, even yokai who came too close were all sliced to ribbons by my claws which were as long as rapiers and as sharp too. Kill, kill, kill; eventually that became sport to me, as bloodlust filled my soul up, taking away the emptiness of death. My form was now that of a giant snow leopard, though obviously not one those humans though they knew so well. My hands-paws were crusted with blood, they were permanently dyed pink. The pristine fur I had been so proud of was now soiled with spots of pink, now on its way to becoming scarlet.

Then, he came. His yokai form was as stunning as it was, but what lay beneath it was exquisite.

'Ah, have you come to stop me at last? But, I have no intention to lose despite being the empty shell I am now. Allow me at least, a last dance to the death.' Projecting my thoughts directly into his mind, I allowed my head to dip a little, acknowledging the power within him, despite him being half yokai only.

'A pleasure to dance with someone as old as you, I wonder what your human form looks like.' A mocking smile curved his lips while his raven hair fluttered with the wind, as black as mine had been white. Looking at his hair, my heart gave a painful wrench again, a memory of my Master rising unbidden.

A dance with the devil; my claws versus his exorcism blade, who will win I wonder?

Without giving a second thought, I lunged at him, a growl rumbling deep in my chest. His amber eyes flashed while he parried with his sword, catching my outstretched claws and bared fangs with it. For a few seconds, it was a test of endurance while we both held our ground, refusing to even budge. Straining closer to his face, I opened my jaws wider while shoving against his sword with my claws, it being caught between them. His face contorted; perhaps the pressure of trying to combat me with strength was taking its toll on him. Muscles bunching, I managed to force him back, long enough for my teeth to lay its mark upon him. That was when he shifted his blade, it biting deep between my claws. Feline eyes widening, I spared not a moment scrambling clumsily away from the blade. With a few nicks from it, would increase in power while mine leaks out in the form of blood. The aura around him stank of fear from his previous opponents, all lying beneath the earth now, I was sure.

It was back on his face, that annoying smirk of his face. Briefly stumped, I noted that the small nick I managed on his face had closed up already. My paw continued drooling blood from its wound, his sword stained red, with my blood. The iron taste of his blood in my mouth reeked of fear; fear he collected from his other opponents while in the midst of killing them. Just who was he?

I refused to die here, being unable to fulfil master's last wishes. I refused! Again, I leapt, silent on my paw pads, changing direction rapidly at random notions. While he was trying to pinpoint my attack, I split myself into two halves, each half filling out to become a complete though albeit smaller snow leopard. Appearing at his rear and front, I batted at him with my claws outstretched, taking away his head and part of his back. Strangely, his scent did not disappear from my nostrils. A mirage of him melted away from my sight as I heard the blade of his sword singing in the wind, arching towards my back while I turned to look at him, shocked. Slowly, too slowly, I tried to lift a paw, armed with serrated claws to guard. Sloth like, the arch of his sword's swing cut deep into my unprotected belly, spilling scarlet blood. Being unable to guard is attack, I retaliated instead. Who cared if my life's blood was spilled from an opened wound? If I were to be hurt, I would return it a thousand fold if I could.

My form rippled as both cats joined into a whole, and then melting away into that of my human form. Blatantly, I reached out, ignoring the pain as the sword bit into me while I held on to it firmly. His master's face was a sight to behold; obviously he had not thought I would resort to this method. Twin tails snaking out from my kimono, its fur hardened to form needle-like blades, just as I struck him on the face with my hand, decorated with curved claws at the tip. Heaving, he sought to pull his sword away from my grip as blood from my hand flowed down to its hilt, turning his grip slick. Before he decided to let go of the sword, my tails struck, whipping him back and forth, aiming for his neck and vital points.

Already, my white kimono was being soaked with blood, this time turning scarlet, dyed with my own blood. Vision blurring, I barely registered it as he caught my tails neatly, knocking me away with a kick to my wound. Pain blossomed throughout my abdomen; doggedly I still tried to stand, taking a shaky step forward, only to find him standing right in front of me. Grabbing the front of my kimono, he pulled me closer to his face, much to my outrage and bewilderment. An undignified yowl of surprise escaped my lips as I lifted a hand to strike him again. With his other hand, he held my hand in an iron-grip while I swished my tails in annoyance, running out of the strength to even retaliate.

"Oi yokai, what's your name?"

"Wha- Asking for my name before you've even properly introduced yourself; has you mother ever thought you manners?!"

"You haven't heard of me? Has your mind grown mould in this abandoned temple? I'm Rihan Nura."

"Huh? This temple isn't abandoned yet you imbecile! At least not by me… Tamakime Mononoke is what I am called. Nope, never heard of you before, guess you're not as great as you thought huh."

"Right, Tama, will you join my-"

"Don't just shorten my name as you please!"

"Will you join my clan and help me create a new Hyakki Yakō under his banner of "Fear"… Are you listening?!"

"Die, why should I join you? Besides I have to protect this temple for my Master…"

"I'll become your new master then. I've got something for you to protect too…something better than this temple. It's my son, Rikuo. If you do that, I'll put this temple under my protection, deal?"

"…And what if you kick the bucket?"

"OI! Don't just curse me right from the start you demon cat!"

"But I AM a demon cat…"

"…Screw you!"

That was how a second chapter in my life began, as part of the Nura clan.

"…And so you have it! Tama will be a new addition to our family!" An announcement was made by him, accompanied by a large grin on his face as he showed me off to his clan.

Sounds of incomprehension echoed around the room as they stared at my sleeping form, that of a small, white cat with pinkish markings across its body and a bandage across its belly. I had given up trying to get him to call me by my full name, since his memory had been too short-lived to even make it out. Halfway during the journey back to his clan, I had fallen asleep while he carried me in my original form; his chest had been warm and his kimono rather soft, almost like a bed. Yawning, I snuck a glimpse at his face, seeing as he was on the verge of being embarrassed. Take that!

Abruptly, he picked me up by the scruff of my neck and turned me to face him, his face being an interesting mix of embarrassment and anger directed towards me. I nipped the tip of his nose as my pink tongue lolled out, a semblance of my human body laughing at him. Depositing me beside him again, he tried ordering me to transform, much to the amusement of me and his clan. It looked like he was trying to command a white cat to transform but to no avail. Then, my comical side did the better of me.

Shape shifting into Rihan's form, I bowed low, "Please take care of me," adding some melodrama into my-his voice. The look on his face was a cocktail of incredulity, shock, bewilderment and some regret behind it all. I fished out the phone he had given me previously for connection purposes and took a snapshot of it, silently promising to blow it up if I could and use it to haunt him forever, the head's candid, shocked face

Time passed. Slowly, I merged in with the family, dissolving into the substance of the Nura family. I became one with them, laughing with them, smiling with them, crying with them when Rikuo pulled another of his famous pranks on us. Yukki-onna almost froze my tail off once when she sneezed, and Aotabo almost crushed it under his feet while I tore across the field trying to corner a small rat.

My freedom in chains; All I had been asked to do was to protect Rikuo, same as all the other demons living in this household, yet my loyalties rested with Rihan, my master. Every part of me belonged to the Nura family, under Rihan, but, I was free to roam anywhere I wished. I was free to go. The cache was that, I had to protect Rikuo, currently a bouncy 3year old. How can I leave him behind and wander outside?

A snow leopard prowled the forest hidden in the shadows of the Nura clan's mansion. Stalking animals in the dark, concealed in shadows, I found a healthy source of entertainment behind the main stage.

Contentedly, I stretched my back on Rikuo's lap, the charge that I had been left with while Rihan left on some business, whatever it was. With Rikuo, everyday was a lazy one full of rubs and hugs and scratches; bliss for me. Today though, something was off with my senses. Warm rays of sunlight warmed my skin while gentle gusts of wind lifted my fur. Today, the weather was at its very best, so peaceful and tranquil it was. Yet, a little something I can't pinpoint nipped at my senses, sending shivers of chills down my furred back. Flicking my tail with annoyance, I leapt off my vice-master's lap silently, padding off into the woods near the clan house. Today, something was not right; something bad was coming perhaps, either way I tried to distract myself.

Then I knew that which was bound to happen one day or another. Today was the day Rihan met his end.

The news of his death came and went. As expected, everyone in the house was distraught over his death; Rikuo was too young to lead his house and his aging grandpa may not be off shape in a few years. Being afraid to tell me of his death, fearing a second rampage, the members of the family averted their eyes whenever I went near them. Ah, Rihan must have told them of my rampage when my first master had died. Emptiness filled my heart then, not now. Then was then, now was now.

Heaving a sigh, I wrapped my arms around Rihan's grieving son and whispered into his ear, "He left me with a task that will last me forever, the task to protect you, which I'll gladly do." My heart wasn't empty now. There was Rikuo and everybody in the clan with me now. Now, was not the time for me to go berserk and leave everyone behind, now, I had my own obligations. Rihan had given me freedom in chains.

"Young master!"

"…it's the supreme commander's orders."

Tsurara's cry woke me up from my afternoon nap. Irritated, I opened an eye and flicked my tail in annoyance. An unfamiliar smell assimilated my nostrils as I took in the air, alerting me to the presence of an unknown clan carrying Rikuo away. Instantly, my hackles rose, my form morphing into that of a snow leopard mid-air while I leapt towards the would-be perpetuators only to be stopped by Kino's hair. I broke through her hair's grip easily as my twin tails sliced them off like butter. Growling in my throat, I settled into a defensive stance while I tried glaring at Kino without letting the perpetuators out of my sight.

"Come with us. Your commander has given permission for a bakeneko to come along." His voice rasping and scraping against his throat, one of the unknown yokai turned, his hat nodding towards me.

Still unconvinced, I shrunk down to my form as a white cat and took my place upon Rikuo's sleeping form. No way was I going to let him get hurt!

Tono arc:

'Rikuo! Wake up! Rikuo?!'despite projecting my voice in his head for the past hour, Rikuo still had not woken up.

Getting desperate, I swiped at his face with my paw, claws unhinged. They were contemplating eating him if he did not wake up in the next hour! That slept got the reaction I wanted. Rikuo jerked to a seated position and looked around him wildly. It was strange that he was still in his yokai form even in broad daylight-at least I think that was his yokai form; I've never seen him in it before.

Turns out Rikuo's grandfather sent the both of us here for training; I had been dragged along too since I was rather young for a bakeneko and that old geezer wanted to ensure that I could take care of myself. If that was so, why did he have to add that he did not care if we died? Hmm, but then again, I guess it's my duty to be beside Rikuo at all point of his life. Still, this was a bother. Why? Why am I being forced to chop firewood here?! How in the world is this training?!

The clatter of a washer board dropping caught my attention, seems that Rikuo had snapped from washing clothes. In yokai form, Rikuo seemed more forceful and wilful, not in a bad way though. He began stalking off towards the forest in a very determined pace with me perched on his head; had Rikuo grown taller too? A bridge came into view before us, a very strange one if I might say since it had no smell to it. Thinking to alert Rikuo, before I could form a thought though, he sat foot onto the bridge which promptly disappeared. Our surprised yells filled the air for a moment before I snapped into action, sinking my teeth into his clothes and extending my tails to coil around the branch of a nearby tree, seconds before a net formed below us. Flinging Rikuo up to safety, I landed gently beside him after I used my tail to lever myself up.

Perched on a tree branch was a yokai in human form, appearing slightly disapproving of Rikuo's miscalculation previously.

I took on my human form, I snapped at him without mercy, "Don't expect us to thank you for trying to save us, as you can see, we can take care of ourselves."

A hand rested on my head, Rikuo calmed me down before asking a few questions of his own. The yokai, whose name I later learned of as Itaku seemed pretty spirited in answering his questions, even leading Rikuo to chase him so he could bring him to a combat sparring practice ground.

Not satisfied, I prodded Itaku, sniffing, "Hey, pointy eyes, you sound pretty spirited in teaching Rikuo even though you look neutral don't you? Maybe you are supposed to be Rikuo's personal instructor or something?"

Instantly, Itaku stiffened, glaring at me with his eyes which were half shaded under his bandanna, "How did you know that?" a slight blush seemed to have crept up his neck to his tanned face.

"Heh, have I hit the mark?" smirking at him, I closed one eye and turned my back to him.