Yo! I'm actually really liking what I have planned out for this story, and there's no specific day I'll be updating. But I hope you guys like this chapter and, as always, thanks for the read. Please do leave a review so I know what I'm doing wrong, if I need to clarify anything, or if you see something. Thank you! ~ Wahyah
"So you mean to tell me that they're harmless?" Sakura whispered to Kiba later on, as they walked into the town.
He swiftly shushed her, "They have better hearing than you or I."
"Mhmmm, yes, ve do." A humanoid cat appeared directly in front. It's bright yellow eyes became narrow slits as it peered at them. "V'at business do you have here in Al-Esh?"
Malina stood up taller, facing the Khajiit, "We are here to purchase supplies, perhaps visit a blacksmith, and we will be on our way."
The khajiit stared at her, flicking his tail side to side, and pondering on a decision. "Very vell… humans are not... Mmm... Permitted, here; but I see you are mixed, yes?" He purred his question slowly.
Malina said nothing, simply nodded.
Sakura then felt utterly and totally confused. Not completely human?
The khajiit pinned his ears back and nodded back, as a sign of acknowledgement. "You have one that is it not….hmmm…of us?" he turned, facing Sakura. His nose twitched and he cocked his head to the side, much like a young puppy would do, when trying to figure out why something works. "Interesting…"
"What is interesting?" Sakura asked, slightly worried of being a possible target for attack, or for being kicked out of the town.
He chuckled and shrugged, "I do not know. You simply...are."
Malina growled lowly, "It is rude to ignore one in conversation, and even more so to avoid a question. What is your name?"
He hissed at her remark, "My name, or the name I go by? If you inquire my spiritual name, you need to seek it elsewhere." He cleared his throat, "You may call me Avec."
Malina snorted in victory, "Good enough; now, if you would please leave us be, Avec." She sneered his name.
"Vith pleasure, mutt." He fired back, stepping aside.
When they had taken a few comforting steps away from Avec, Sakura looked up to Kiba. "So, not human, huh?"
Kiba shrugged, "You were bound to find out sooner or later."
"That you're like, dogs or something?" Sakura grew more curious.
"Eh, not exactly. We take pride in our canine friends, but we only get the ears, eyes, and teeth when we're angry enough." Kiba answered.
"Sounds... Interesting." Sakura said, stifling a laugh.
"What's so funny? You're not all human either." Kiba replied, smugly.
"Nobody really is, are they?" Sakura said.
"True, but you seem human enough. Do you know what else?" Kiba inquired.
Sakura just shrugged.
The tribe's plans did not go as cleanly or as perfectly as they would have liked. Their initial intention was to find a place to stay for the night, but their welcome had already been worn thin the moment they arrived. Khajiit didn't take to kindly to dogs, nor to any half breed, as they had been called while they walked through the town.
"I hate this damned town." Hana muttered, as she angrily moved a strand of hair behind her ear.
"They don't seem to have taken too kindly to us, either." Kiba said nonchalantly.
Sakura was in awe at the people of the town, and even more so at the culture. The children looked mostly the same as the adults, and, somewhat unsurprisingly in retrospect, there were no signs of any dogs in the village. There were a few cattle mulling around, and some salmon smoking over some fires.
Not really so much different than us. Sakura thought to herself.
The clan had soon finished obtaining supplies, and had been hurriedly "escorted" out of the town. Not that it really affect them much - they were just as happy at the thought of leaving as the locals. As far as Sakura could tell, the quicker the clan got out of the town, the better; considering her newfound knowledge that she was practically traveling with a pack of dogs, lingering in a town full of cats was as smart as brushing her hair with a burning torch.
The clan had treated her and her brother well, for outcasts. They had clothed them, fed them, and taken them in. She was just worried what would happen when the spring came.
Does Spring even come in the North? She wondered.
She had never heard of anything glorious in the North; then again, nobody ever heard much anything from the North. The forest was too much of a suspicious group, rarely tolerating visitors. She was agitated at the realization of her ignorance. But, no matter how she looked at this, it was pure luck that she and her brother were alive right now. Perhaps she could ask Malina if she knew any magic, to pass the time and grow the bond between the two; of course it might wear out her welcome that much faster, if she hadn't already done so.
The group stopped a few leagues from the town, enough for the lights to be a blur just barely visible in the distance, and close enough they could rush back to it if something were to happen. They had planned to set up camp for the night here and continue to move. The mountains were in view, but even at the great distance they were from them, they still looked enormous. Sakura began to hope the animals they might find there weren't at the same scale as the mountains.
Kiba came over to side of the fire where Sakura was resting and sat cross-legged beside her.
"Nice necklace there, o'mighty one." Kiba teased.
Sakura remembered that he was talking about the claws, "Well, at least they're sharper than you, in several ways - intellect AND insults." Sakura teased back.
"Oooh touché. Score one for the young lady." Kiba smiled.
Kizashi was playing with Akamaru on the other side of her, and she began to notice more people were sitting by the fire without so much as a strange glance her way. They might finally have accepted that she was here to stay for the time being and gotten over it. Malina appeared to be in a position of leadership, and Sakura was sure that the clan members wouldn't dare challenge her decisions.
"Ah, speaking of which, Jeod has something to give you. As a thanks for... well, pretty much saving his skin today." Kiba spoke up.
Sakura turned her head in confusion, but Kiba said no more and gestured for her to follow him. He led her across to a brightly lit tent, sounds of whimpering floating out from inside.
As they entered the tent, her eye were drawn to a tall, muscular man with cut-off sleeves, sitting cross-legged and smoking a dark, wooden pipe. "Ah, you are the girl that saved me and my little ones today." He said, stroking his beard.
"Oh, it was nothing. I'm glad you and your children are safe." Sakura said.
The man chuckled. Sakura's ears felt warm with embarrassment.
"They're not exactly children, miss." He continued chuckling as he reached behind a curtain. pulling out a chubby, fluffy, odd looking dog. "He is a special breed; only two are born in each litter and the mother can only have one litter her entire life. I am giving him to you as a gift for saving me and the mother."
"You- you're giving me something so special?" Sakura asked awestruck.
"These dogs have only one master; he has chosen you." He noted as the ball of fur waddled over to Sakura, slowly wagging his tail. "Once you give him a name, a special bond with be created between you two, and he will serve you for all of his days."
Sakura knelt down and picked up the dog, feeling protective of the small animal. His fur was black as night but his left ear was as white as new cloth. She was honored to be given such a creature, and having been told of how special this dog was, she wanted to give him an honorable name. "...Sove." She decided.
Jeod blew a puff of smoke from the corner of his mouth, and his pipe glowed a strange color. "Now listen closely. He may be young, but he will still know your link with him."
I like you.
Sakura quickly turned her head, looking around for the source of the voice. It was almost child-like, and very distinctive. She looked at Sove and he licked her face lovingly. "Did he-?"
Kiba grinned, almost wolfishly. "Yes. Of course, I could hear him too, if I wanted to communicate with him, but he is yours. He hears you, obeys you…" Kiba took notice of Sove still licking Sakura's face, "...and loves you unconditionally. Kizashi will likely be pleased as well."
"Yes; he was asking for a puppy." Sakura smiled, bowing to the man. "Thank you."
He dismissed her, "No, thank you, Sakura."
Sove: "Soves" is the actual word in Draconic, but even though it messes with the meaning, I took off the "s" at the end. "Guide" is the words meaning.