The air around him was thick with summer heat, bugs buzzing in the distant. The forest he resided in kept him cool enough though, despite the heat. He lazed about in a tree, casually waiting for his guest of honor to appear. He hadn't known what her appearance was like, but he knew her scent well enough. A few of his scouts gathered a scrap of her clothes. It was mostly covered in their scent by the time he got it, but hers still lingered enough for him to track her. And here he was, perched up high in a tree, biding his time for her arrival.
Idly, he fiddled with the piece of cloth. Reassuring himself that he was in the right area, he brought it to his nose and breathed in deeply. It was faint, but the smell of cedar, lilies, and sweat filled his nostrils. He stuffed the fabric back into his chest plate, keeping it safe for now in case he was in the wrong place. But he was certain this was it, he could smell her all over this area, as if she was setting something up. His eyes scanned the ground below him, making sure not to miss anything.
He relaxed. 'Ah, there she was.' Her small body crouched low behind shrubbery, masking herself from sight. He sniffed the air, double checking that it was her. It was; the tangy smell of her sweat along with the thick cedar and sweet smell of lilies drifted into his nose. It was stronger than the fabric he had. He shifted in his spot, gaining a better view of her from below. She concealed herself well. Her hair was the color of the bark surrounded her, her dark attire hid her in the shadows, and her pale face hid behind a gas mask of sorts. Her body was extremely small, he noted. He hadn't realized he was going after a kid. He huffed, silently cursing the council for their lack of information for him.
The council was the highest ranking authority in the wolf clans. They decided the fates of all the clans. They usually consisted of the heirs of each clan. Only a few of them came from nothing, gained their rank by the approval of the clansmen. He himself was close to being a high ranking official of the council. He wasn't one that had to fight all the way to the top, instead he was the heir to one of the clans. It granted him easy access to reaching the role of a leader. He achieved to gain the approval of his men and woman before he took his rightful place among them.
His attention went back to her, noticing that she moved over to a tree. Her eyes focused ahead of her. He followed her gaze, them landing on the animal she was hunting. A stinky boar. Crinkling his nose, it was clear that the pig reeked. At least the council didn't leave him completely in the dark on this one. He knew she was here to test her abilities as a slayer. Despite the little tidbits of information they decided to give out, the council needed to change. Too many old demons sitting on their asses claiming to know everything about the world. Well the world was changing. And he wanted to be the change the council needed.
Returning his icy gaze back to her, he noticed that she was holding a rock now. She fiddled with it, deciding what her next action will be. He silently awaited her, getting lost in thought again. Although he didn't always agree with the council, he did trust them enough to obey. Of course they had their own seer prodigi among them. Well, not completely. She was different. A mere pup from the clan toward the north had visions from time to time. From his knowledge she was of royal blood as well. Her grandfather was a council member, older than almost everyone. Her name was Ayame. She was a loud girl in appearance. Her hair was the color of scarlet. And her eyes matched the color of a clear pond, reflective in the way she stared. Although most of her clan was tan, she was pale. Freckles marked her skin, just like the stars did the night sky. He would admit, she was attractive, and her smell was a unique one. She smelt like a fresh mountain stream catching nature in its path. It was like life clung to her form.
He jolted out of his thoughts when the girl beneath him moved. 'Right,' He thought, readjusting himself so he had a better view. He couldn't get lost in thought and lose sight of her. He wouldn't screw this mission up. Ayame was the one to put stress on this. He remembered the day she arrived, extremely exhausted but determined to hold a meeting that instant. She informed everyone that their life was in danger because of a demon slayer. She would ruin the war between demons and humans. It was the strangest statement she said after that. She looked him right in the eyes and stated I had to kill her in order for their fates to flourish. No one else could do it. Of course he agreed, he could handle any pathetic human.
Although in thought, he watched the girl below him moving around. His eyes adjusted to her, taking note that the boar had moved to an open area, munching on a few greens around it. The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a spotlight unto the stupid animal below. His eyes grazed over to the girl, having moved closer. Her whole body was tense, hand gripping the rock until he was sure her knuckles turned white. A moment late, she exhaled, her posture visibly relaxing. She had closed her eyes, muttering under her breath. He couldn't tell what she was saying, only hearing her whisper. In a second, her eyes snapped open, determination shown in them as she flung the rock as hard as she could toward the boar. The piece of stone didn't hit it, instead bouncing off the ground near the animal. In turn the pig ran off. Kouga internally groaned, disappointed that she missed such an obvious target. It was only until she was running off to the side, shadowing the frightened boar, that he realized that was only the beginning of her trap.
He followed in her step, staying in the trees. Watching her intently, he took noticed that she grabbed this huge boomerang shaped weapon, almost staggering when she ran past it. It was heavy for her, he could tell as she leaned it against her back. She only faltered for a second, never taking her eyes off of the animal. The pig squealed while sprinting to what he assumed was safety. She grunted, sweat glistening off her forehead, attempting to keep up with the boar's pace. Kouga didn't have any problem keeping their pace. With strength he didn't know she had, she swung the giant weapon toward the pig.
The end of the boomerang sunk into the soil, tearing up the grass around it. Again, she didn't hit it, which caused him to lowly growl in frustration, only to realize she was leading the pig somewhere. The second the pig snorted and switched directions, the girl sprinted with speed that seemed abnormal for someone her age. A glint caught his eye as she drew her sword at her side. She was running close to the animal, dodging trees and bushes that might cause her to trip. He paused in his journey above her, noticing the acceleration she suddenly acquired. She sped past the boar, breath coming out in gasps. She was struggling to keep the pace.
He was mesmerized by her and he couldn't understand why. Her arm jerked toward a tree, the sword she wielded slicing against it. Bark flung off due to the momentum she had. He couldn't understand what in the world she was doing. It was only when he heard the sound of rope rubbing against bark that he grasped her carefully laid out plan. Loud squealing erupted from the pig as it was slung up into a rope cage. It struggled ferociously, failing to escape. Sweat slide down her face, bouncing off her mask. Panting loudly, she sheathed her sword. He stood there, digging his claws into the tree he was perched on. He was actually amazed by her actions. He would never admit it to anyone else, but she had power within her. Maybe this is what Ayame meant. If they trained enough people like she did, they might not have a chance in the future. That put a sinking feeling into his stomach.
Swallowing roughly, he observed her more closely now. She staggered over to the pig, it shifted inside the rope prison. Surprising him even further, the stupid animal quieted as she approached. He leaned forward, watching intently. She brought her hands up to the boar's face, finally getting control of her breathing. It was in that moment that he realized the whole forest was quiet. The only sounds he heard were their breathing. He strained his ears to hear anything else, realizing it was useless to do so. She brought her forehead to rest near the snout of the beast, whispering words he couldn't hear. It was strange, he felt deaf in this quiet world. His icy eyes, followed her every move, from the moment she took out a bone dagger, to the second she slowly slid it against the pig's throat.
It was absurd and he was definitely seeing things, but the stupid pig closed its eyes, accepting that it was killed by her. It didn't really have a choice anyway the moment she trapped it in there, but it didn't struggle toward the very end. He couldn't believe this. It was impossible to him. He mimicked her movements, squatting as she did, nails trailing down the bark to keep himself steady. She cleaned the dagger against the grass before sliding it back into its sheath. She sat there, letting the boar bleed out as much as possible before lifting herself up. She pulled her sword back out and sawed the rope that was holding the beast. Expertly tying a few knots, she lifted it so the fat pig rested against her back.
Even though she was strong, he knew she was going to have trouble with this. He could hear her exhale. Hunching over, she supported most of the boar's weight on her shoulders. He was surprised that she could move at the pace she did as she backtracked her steps. He watched until she was almost out of sight before trailing after her. The boar was practically her size. She reached where she left her boomerang. There was no way she could carry both. Crouching down, she wrapped one arm under the boar, keeping it in place. She fiddled the cloth around the boomerang and pulled it over her head, securing it under the pig. Hoisting both up, she slowly brought herself to stand. He was impressed by her once again.
He stalked after her as she made her slow trek to her destination, wherever it was. Kouga became deep in thought. This kid would somehow become this all powerful demon slayer that would cause disarray in their future. He could see why. She had a certain grace about her as she fought. Her strength wasn't something to be messed with either, considering she is training with a giant bone boomerang. Of course she had a limit, he noticed it right away. She liked to over exert herself in order to achieve her goals and in turn it caused her to become fatigued more quickly.
Even now as she attempted to walk over a hill, he could tell she was struggling. He heard her panting as her knees seem to give out. The brunette dropped to her knees, pressing one hand against the dirt as her other one supported her cargo. He could smell the sweat soaking through her suit. For some reason he felt his eyes wander down her body as she sat hunched. He couldn't see much of her back, due to the boomerang and the boar resting against it, but he could see the curve of her bottom. He just stared.
He jolted only when she finally stood back up, causing him to curse in his mind. What the hell was he thinking? He stayed there until she was out of his sight to continue after. He couldn't get distracted like that, in any way, toward a pathetic human. As they descended down the hill, he took notice of two things. One was the sun setting and two there was a river down below. She couldn't travel in the nighttime, he knew that much. It would be too dangerous for her, especially considering she had a heavy load to carry. He smirked, knowing the exact moment he would strike.
As they drifted their way toward the river, the sun was barely out, causing the sky to be blanketed by darkness. Stars flickered against the darkened sky like little fireflies. By the time she reached the edge of the river, he took note of a basic made camp already. She must have scouted here before going to kill that boar. He could tell she was drenched in sticky sweat by just the simple walk back. Not only that, but her backside was caked in dried blood from the dead pig. She didn't stop to rest until she made it to the tree by the rushing water. She was smart to camp out near water, it usually drove the scent away from her. No one would really be able to find her unless they scouted every inch of this river. Lucky for him, he didn't have to do that.
She allowed her boomerang to slid off her back, stepping over the cloth that was attached to it as to not trip. From his perspective she was on her last leg trying to get that dead boar where she needed it to. Dropping her heavy load on the ground, she straighten her back, it popping in response. Groaning, she rotated her neck and arms, easing the ache in her muscles. He could clearly see each of her muscles moving under her suit. Even with her petite frame, she was fit. He could only imagine how she would look in the future. She pulled out a long rope and tied it to the rope cage before she hoisted it over a low hanging branch. With all her strength she lifted the dead weight and secured the end of the rope to a stick in the ground.
Wandering around her camp, she lit a fire, set up her boomerang against a tree, laid her sword in the fire, and made a makeshift bed out of leaves. Kouga had settled into a nearby tree, observing her every move. His moment would arrive as soon as she lets her guard down and he would end this. She sauntered her way to the river, moonlight glaring overhead. Even without the moon, he would have been able to see her perfect. Enhanced sense just comes with being a powerful demon. As she knelt to the ground, he noticed that her backside was still coated in blood.
She pushed her hands behind her damp ponytail, untying the knot that held her mask firmly against her face. His eyes widen at the sight. The moment her mask fell, it revealed a explosion of freckles across her nose. He licked his lips as his eyes trailed down the rest of her exposed face. He thin nose was upturned at the end, giving it its own personality and her lips were puffy red, likely from her biting them during her struggle earlier. For a brief moment, he felt his heart beat in his ears. If he thought Ayame was beautiful, than this girl was even more so. Not understanding what came over him, he dug his nails into the tree branch. With her mask freely off of her, the sweat that clung at the edges of her cheeks fell down her gentle chin. Her face appeared too soft to be a demon slayer. No hardship whatsoever marked her face.
She reached down into the water, allowing her hands to soak there before she gathered up as much water as she could. For a moment she just stared down, exhaustion hitting her. She pressed her face into her hands, holding her breath as she scrubbed. The water slipped between her fingers, falling back into the river before she released all of it at once. Her eyes were closed, allowing the water to drip from her face and fringe. Again, he was mesmerized by this human girl. He was completely flabbergasted with himself. He was better than this. He would betrothed to a fine wolf demon and continue on with his clan's tradition. Kouga gulped at that thought, straightening up on his branch.
He had to end this.
She pulled out a piece of cloth, wiping her face clean of any water. Dipping the cloth in the river, she reached around and attempted to clean the blood off of her. He watched her every move, hypnotized by her every action. She didn't remove all of it, but enough to where it wouldn't stick her suit to her skin. As she dipped the cloth back in the water, he pinched himself with his claws, drawing blood. Snapping out of his stupor, he jumped down, landing behind a bush. This was it, she was relaxed enough that he could make his move. Even if she was a young demon slayer, she still was one nonetheless.
She continued her cleaning as he prowled closer on all fours. He sucked in a long breath through his nose, disregarding any scent of hers that poured into his nostrils. He crawled forward, not making a sound. When her shoulders relaxed and she was wrapping the cloth back up into her pouch, he pounced; quite literally. She barely had time to react as he jumped her, pinning her down against the mudded bank. She gasped loudly, voice cracking. She responded extremely well to the position she was in, even surprising him with a hidden blade attached to her arm. It popped out, ripping through the fabric and slicing his cheek as he rolled off of her.
At the corner of his eye, she rolled to the opposite side of him, heading for her boomerang. A grin appeared on his face as he was one move ahead of her, slashing at her with his claws. The demon slayer barely moved out of the way in time, rolling in another direction. He was already in pace with her, clawing at her once again. Her eyes widened as she ducked under him as he flew over her. He paused, turning around to stare at her. On one knee, she stood firm, the blade attached to her arm held out in defense. His tail twitched, flicking back and forth in annoyance. She was good at dodging, but for how long? Her dark brown eyes were filled with hatred as she glared at him.
"Who are you demon and what purpose do you have here?" She demanded, a shake in her voice. He stood up to his full height, an eyebrow perked at her question. Although she was clearly smaller than him, she stood her ground.
"And why would I tell you that?" He mused, taking light of her talking. Without hearing her answer, he bounced forward, claws slashing out toward her neck. He could hear her grind her teeth together as she narrowly dodged once again. He didn't waste anytime, lurching forward once more, thrusting his other hand against the sword at her forearm. He shattered it, but his hand was damaged. Nothing he couldn't handle with later. He pinned her underneath him, claws digging into one of her shoulders. She grunted out in pain, harshly glaring at him.
He pulled back his other arm, nails glinting in the moonlight. He could see the fear in her face. She was trapped and all he had to do was lower his hand and rip out her throat. It was a mere moment as the world went into slow motion for him. His hand lowered, his eyes locked onto her throat. It was only when he flicked his gaze upward, locking eyes with the girl beneath him that something changed. Time seem to freeze for him and suddenly he was in another situation entirely. It was the same girl, except not. Her face was older, more mature, more loving? 'Sango..' The name drifted into his mind. And then the older version was gone, replaced with the hostile appearance of a young girl. His hand was paused mid-air, hovering over her throat. He noticed she had shifted underneath him, arms thrust upward. He pulled back, shocked eyes glancing down to his midsection. To his surprise, there was her sword stabbed through his stomach.
He gasped out, sliding back. The metal weapon was searing hot inside him and he realized they were positioned by the fire, where her sword was lying in. He didn't even feel it go in. He howled out, grabbing the sword by the blade and pulled it to him. He saw her grimace from the volume of his voice and let her grip slip from the hilt. She realized too late her mistake. He raised up on his knees over her. She immediately leaned up as well, reaching for her only savior, her sword, in this situation. He ripped it out of him, blood flying at an angle as he tossed the stupid thing away. His hands went for her neck, fingers curling around it. Choking, her much tinier hands went to his wrist, struggling against his inhuman grip. All he saw was red, nails piercing the delicate skin of her neck. He could break it in half with ease.
And then it happened, again. He was somewhere else, choking the older version of her. A knot formed in his stomach as he loosened his grip on her. He blinked and she was gone again. All he heard was the soft whispering of that damn name. 'Sango… Sango… Sango…' He wanted to curse the name. It was only when a small hand scratch him against his cheek that he remembered the demon slayer. Growling he reached up, and slapped her across her face, claws scraping against her cheek. The kid's head followed the motion, staying to the side, motionless. The marks immediately swelled up with blood, dripping off of her chin. Panting, it took him a moment to comprehend that he knocked her out.
He sat up on his knees, staring down at her. She had a good amount of blood pooling from her neck and face. He raised up his hand and noticed he had her blood on him. Jumping off of her, he paced a few meters away. He ran a clawed hand through his hair, conflicted. He couldn't kill her. Something was stopping him from it. Something animal inside. Panic rose up his throat as he glanced at the fallen slayer to be. He couldn't do it, no matter how stern Ayame was. He just couldn't. He was going to punch himself in the face later for this. He was going to let her live. He was going to lie to the council. Liar. His stomach bundled up with nerves from that thought. His worse fear was that Ayame was going to find out and declare him a traitor. He would have to make sure that didn't happen. Grunting in frustration, he leaps away from the camp, striving to get as far away as possible before he traveled back to the clans. He needed to compose himself. As he dashed away, all he could hear was her name pounding around in his head.
He prayed it would be the last time he ever saw her. And as she laid there, her wounds slowly clotting, it might have seemed it would be. Just a bad dream for him and a grueling task for her. Alas, fate had other plans for their future. They were destined to be.
Thanks for reading! Please review if you do or don't like it! Constructive criticism is okay. I might be slow with getting chapters up for this