Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Soul Calibur.
Chapter Four: Getting to Know You.
The sun was just sinking under the horizon. The great battlefield, where countless battles between human and spirit were fought, was littered with bodies of soliders killed in action. Ones who made it out of the battle alive left and going to clean and identify the following morning.
From the forest, came a white nine tailed fox. The fox was taller than it should be; ranging to about six feet in height. On its face was a mask, a purple line painted below and above the eyes. A red circle was painted on the cheek, simulating a blush. Eye holes revealed the beast's red eyes. Each of the fox's tails were long and looked as if they could reach half-way up an average sized adult tree.
The fox trotted over to one of the bodies on the battlefield. It lowered its head and sniffed a soliders lifeless body. Underneath the mask, a satisfied snarl came across its lips.
The mighty fox lifted its head to the sky and let out a powerful howl. Then, the sun disappeared and the crescent moon appeared in the sky. With that, the fox shook its pelt and ran back to the forest.
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Pale sunlight entered the cave and shone on Siegfried's face. He opened his eyes and was nearly blinded by the sun's light. He quickly closed his closed his eyes and moved away from the light. He opened his eyes and looked about the cavern he was held captive in. Every once in a while, a breeze will come into the cave and the cavern would create a moaning sound. None of the guardians were up. No traces showed that Ookami returned.
Siegfried sighed and laid back down on his hay bed. He closed his eyes and went into a light slumber.
Then, he felt a cold hand touch his shoulder. His eyes flew open and turned to see who was touching him. It was his captor, Ookami. Her red eyes glowed in the darkness of the cave. Her long, red hair even shimmered. Her eyes sparkled but no smile was on her face.
"Come on," She said briskly. "You're going hunting with me."
Siegfried narrowed his eyes. "Why should I?"
The girl glared at him. "Because I said so."
Ookami crawled to the place where his shackle chain met the cavern floor. Siegfried watched in awe as she effortlessly pulled the chain out of the rock. The rock floor was not even scratched by her action. He looked at her, eyes wide.
"How did you do that?" He asked Ookami.
The girl just looked at him and stood up. The chain was in her hands.
"Get up and follow me," Ookami ordered.
Siegfried obeyed and stood up wearily, for he hasn't been active for at least two days. He got his balance and the girl narrowed her eyes. She turned her back and began walking. Siegfried followed her. As he walked through the cave, he could see the animal guardians sleeping undisturbed in their tiny caves. Teranika, the hot-tempered wolf, was curled up in a ball. She looked peaceful now, but Siegfried knows that the wolf would be her normal angry self very soon. Morag, the powerful dragon, was sleeping in his cavern not far from Ternaika's. His long neck was arched while the rest of his body lay on the ground. Kallias, the kind golden eagle, was sleeping in the cavern that was in the ceiling. She was posed elegantly in her nest of moss, twigs and leaves. On the opposite side of the cave from Teranika and Morag's dens, the dark horse Delano was laying on the floor of his cavern. In the den next to him, Sappho, the hyperactive tiger, was sprawled out on the floor. Siegfried could here the young tiger snoring very loudly. The captured knight was surprised that Teranika wasn't wakened by Sappho's loud snoring.
Then, Ookami jerked his chain, forcing him out of his thought. The girl had a scowl on her face.
"Well? Are you going to make it up the stairs or do I have to carry you?" Ookami growled.
"I'm going," Siegfried said, returning the same look and tone.
Ookami snorted and walked up the stairs. She nearly dragged him up the stairs. Sunlight flooded the cavern's mouth. Siegfried, since his eyes were so used to being in a dark cave, winced at the sight of the light. He stood next to Ookami, a hand over his eyes. He turned his head to look at her.
In the sunlight, Siegfried was suprised by how beautiful she was. The sun's light made her red locks shine vibrantly. Her eyes twinked as she looked at the forest, focused. Her pale skin looked even lighter. Siegfried blushed at the sight of his captor. Even though he despised her because she took him as prisoner, he couldn't help but admire her beauty.
Ookami turned to look at him.
"Um...are you ready?"
Siegfried didn't answer, he just mumbled something that no one could understand. Ookami chuckled. She yanked the chain lightly and Siegfried came out of his delusion.
"Uh...what?"
"Come on, lets get a move on!" Ookami said.
Siegfried nodded slowly and Ookami walked on. Siegfried followed her as she walked into the forest. The morning birds were singing lovely tunes. Butterflies, with colorful wing patterns Siegfried has never seen before, floated around flowers. Ookami walked on quietly. A rabbit ran in front of her and she didn't even so much as stop or notice. Siegfried stopped and looked at her a brow raised. When Ookami felt the chain tighten, she stopped and turned around to look at him.
"Aren't you going to kill that rabbit?" Siegfried asked. "I thought we were hunting."
Ookami cocked her head, then her eyes widened and sparkled with understanding.
"Oh! I only said that so you would come with me. I brought you out here because I wanted to chat with you."
Siegfried narrowed his eyes. "A chat? Why should I talk to you?!"
Ookami sighed and walked closer to him.
"Look...." She started out softly. "I know we got off on a bad start. All I want t do is get to know you."
"Yeah right!" Siegfried snapped. "You're probably going to kill me when you get the chance!"
"If I did want to kill you, I would've done it by now," Ookami pointed out.
Siegfried couldn't argue with that. If she did want him dead she would've done it already.
Ookami smiled warmly and held out her hand. Siegfried could see fangs in her smile.
"My name is Ookami," She said warmly. "What is your name?"
Siegfried looked at her hand. He slowly reached for and took her hand. Her hand was cold. He gripped her hand and shook it quickly.
"Siegfried Schtauffen," Siegfried said quietly.
Ookami took her hand back. "Nice to meet. So, where are you from? Are you from anywhere near here?"
Siegfried shook his head. "I'm from a place very far from here."
Ookami nodded her head. "I see...how old are you?"
"I'm eighteen. How old are you?"
"Same age as you."
Ookami continued to ask him question ranging from 'Who was your first love' to 'What is your favorite food.'
When Siegfried tried to ask her a question, she would give a simple answer and switch the topic. By the end of the session, Ookami had enough information about Siegfried to write a book about him. Siegfried, on the other hand, had only about a page length, if that.
On the way back to the cavern, Siegfried asked the question on why the girl captured him.
"Ookami...why did you capture me?" Siegfried asked.
Ookami stopped walking and looked at the ground.
"Hey, Ookami. Why?....Why did you capture me?"
Ookami turned to face him. A breeze blew.
"Sometimes..." Ookami started. "You are taken and brought to a place you don't want to be. One....you will learn."
Ookami turned and started walking. Siegfried followed, angry that he didn't get the answer he wanted. The two made it back to the cavern, silent the rest of the way and the rest of the day.
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Nighttime fallen on the forest of spirits. Everyone in the cavern was sleeping. Ookami was sleeping in her den, a wolf pelt over her body. She had been sleeping peacefully all night...so far.
The waxing crescent moon was high in the sky. Ookami sat up and began coughing and gasping violently. The girl threw the pelt off her and she tried to stand, but couldn't. She continued coughing violently. The animal guardians were awake now and poked their heads out of their dens. They watched Ookami crawl out of her den and crawl up the stairs; still coughing and gasping badly. The guardians quickly scrambled out of their dens and went to their master. She was leaning on the wall of the cavern's mouth. Ookami took a deep gasp. Her eyes rolled back and she fell to the ground. All her guardians gasped and stood around her. She was still breathing; she only fainted.
The guardians helped get Ookami onto Teranika's back and brought her to her den. Thankfully, Siegfried wasn't waken by the ordeal. Morag and Sappho gently set Ookami back onto her hay bed and placed the pelt over her. Sappho's blue eyes were filled with fear.
"Will she be okay?" She asked nervously.
"I don't know," Kallias answered. Her brown showed her nervousness for her master.
Then, Ookami started to violently cough again. Kallias placed a wing over her master;s mouth. Ookami coughed for a minute, but that minute seemed more like five minutes.
When she finished, Kallias withdrew her wing. She looked at the golden feathers and saw a crimson spot on it. It felt sticky and smelt like blood. The others saw the red spot and exchanged worried glances.
"No..." Sappho said in disbelief. "She can't be...That's impossible..."
"Mistress...." Teranika whispered; bowing her head so no one could she her eyes which were beginning to flood with sadness.
"Delano," Morag said to the elderly horse. "Will Mistress Ookami be okay?"
"I...I don't know," Delano admitted. "Only time will tell, I guess...Kallias, go wash off the blood on your wing and anywhere else blood is. And, everyone, do not tell the boy of what just transpired."
Sappho looked at Siegfried and then at her master, who was sleeping normally and taking shallow, slow breaths.
"Oh Mistress....." the tiger whimpered.