Dark clouds gathered in the sky and it looked as if it was going to rain soon. Arashi was not particularly pleased; cats didn't like getting wet as it washed away scents and made it harder for them to catch their prey. The cat yokai couldn't deal with water for another reason: her essential element was fire. While normal water posed no threat, holy water and attacks of a water element yokai was something to worry about.
Still, she was very powerful and most yokai meant no danger. Such a being was Arashi, the cat-like yokai.
Today, she walked purposefully through the noisy crowd at the market. The strong scents were overwhelming but she ignored it. Taking a narrow lane hidden in the shadow of a large tree, she encountered a less trodden, muddy path. After a while, she reached her destination.
Even though it was midday, light barely reached this place. It was shrouded in darkness, even more so because of the dark weather. It was the home of several yokai. Most of them hid, because even though it was dark here, outside it was day time, the time of the humans. Come night, they'd rampage and scare them to their hearts' content.
The whole time, she remained in her cat form. Only a formidable yokai or one with acute intuition would be able to discern her real identity and strength.
She was here to look for a certain yokai. She prowled around for a bit, randomly entering bars, shops and houses until she found her target. The moment it sensed her, it freaked and frantically began making its escape. She was faster though, and she caught the rat in her mouth, bit it a little to shut it up and sprinted away, looking for a private place.
Putting the rat down, she fixed her golden eyes on the rat.
"Running, are we?" she said, still in her cat form.
The rat gave her a disdainful look and tried to bolt, but it seemed to be constricted by an invisible wall. "Who are you? What do you want?" it demanded.
"I'm sure you know a certain yokai named Nanamaru. Where is he?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, now let me go!"
"Maybe I will. If you stop lying to me. Tell me, where is he?"
"What do you want with him?" demanded the rat yokai in a squeaky voice.
The black cat laughed heartily and said, "And why would I tell you that? Just spill or else you'll be cat lunch."
The rat struggled more violently for a while as Arashi watched it wriggle. It was a pathetic sight; she took no pleasure in it. Actually, she had no intention of harming this poor thing; she just wanted to know where its great uncle was.
"Fine, fine! Just let me go ok?!"
"Once you tell me everything, you stupid rat," she snapped.
"There is a place in the outskirts of Kyoto. Hidden there is a rat mountain named The Mound; it's a rat yokai village of sorts. He'll be there!"
"Take me to it. I must see it with my own eyes," said Arashi, mentally laughing at how dramatic she sounded.
The rat squeaked some more and finally said, "Fine! Then will you promise to let me go?"
"Sure," said Arashi, smiling. The rat flinched at the rows of sharp, pointed teeth. "Lead the way."
"Poor rat must have been terrified," commented the yokai in a cool voice.
"Yes, it sure was," agreed Arashi. "But it wasn't particularly fun. Pitiful more like."
"I see. Did you find the place?"
"Yes, in fact- Oi! Stop splashing around so much!" said Arashi, glaring at her friend.
"Oops, sorry," said the kappa yokai. "I forgot."
"Sure you did..."
"You were saying?" urged kappa.
The pond was calm and it was a day after Arashi's secret reconnaissance of The Mound. Kappa was doing backstrokes in circles in the water and Arashi sat on a relatively dry rock, watching him in her cat form.
The two had been acquaintances since the time of Nura Rihan and their incompatible elements of fire and water wasn't a barrier. It was a strange combination but neither seemed to mind it.
"Yes. Nanamaru is there for sure. But really, I hate that place! So many rats! Creepy!"
"I thought cats ate rats," commented kappa.
"Yeah, a street cat maybe. I'm not exactly a proper cat am I? As if the stench wasn't bad enough. But still, I have business with that old rat."
"I see," said kappa. "But it seems like this job of yours is pretty strange and taxing. Why are you doing it? There are other ways for you to accomplish your goal," said kappa, swimming up to the bank.
Arashi fell silent and gazed at the water. While fire was her preference, the gentle pond did calm her a bit.
"Maybe because I want to be a part of this world... You'd understand. You're free to be swept away by the current anytime you feel like, but you don't. Why's that?"
"Is that so?" kappa looked at her, cocking his head to one side. "As long as you're not forcing yourself, its fine I guess."
The cat meowed gratefully and stretched.
Even though it was midday, the interiors of the Keikain main house were shrouded in darkness thanks to the heavy grey clouds dominating the Kyoto sky. It was a lazy Sunday, so the young onmyouji of the house were free to do as they wished. There was something about the weather which made them loathe doing anything though.
Yura was talking to the shikigami, Hagun of Hidemoto, the thirteenth head of the Keikain line. He had been teaching her new moves, telling her stories and tips and tricks.
Ryuuji was sitting outside in the lawn under the shade of a large tree, reading a book. Mamiru sat next to him, reading the book too though Ryuuji didn't know if he was actually at the same pace as him.
"I can lend you the book when I'm done," he muttered.
"But I want to read with Ryuuji. I'll know what you know then," said Mamiru.
Ryuuji clicked his tongue in annoyance and gave up trying to shake off Mamiru.
The peaceful day continued like this till an hour after noon when it was disrupted by a commotion at the gate.
A little boy looking dazed had appeared, claiming he was to deliver a letter to the Keikains.
"This is for you," said the boy, staring into space.
"What the heck?" said Ryuuji, marching up to the gate.
"Wait," said Akifusa. "Look at the boy; his gaze is blank, as though under a spell."
"Ok, give me that," said Ryuuji, grabbing the letter and opening it up. Nothing happened. He held the letter and read it out loud.
"Come if you dare enemies of all yokai. Find us at The Mound and meet the Nanamaru clan's challenge. Obliterate or be obliterated. What the heck? I've never heard of the Nanamaru clan. What's this mound?"
"The Mound is located outside the city," said a voice. It was the Hagun, Hidemoto."Though I'm not sure exactly what the surroundings look like now. And the Nanamaru clan is very much real."
"Oh? Then let's go and wipe out these insolent yokai," said Ryuuji, a devilish smile appearing on his face.
"Wait," interjected Hidemoto. "This clan is a quiet one that hides out in the mountains and the core group consists of information brokers. They don't pick fights in this manner. Something else is going on here."
"Whatever it is, the matter is worth checking up on. Yura, Ryuuji and Mamiru will do this," said Akifusa. "It will be a stake-out. When you're done, come back and tell us what you saw."
"Eh? Us?" said Yura. "But-"
"Let's go Yura-chan!" said Hidemoto cheerfully. As everyone scattered around, he bent low and whispered in her ear. "There are a lot of interesting things to be learned at The Mound. They may have information about our enemies."
"Are you saying they're not the enemy?" demanded Ryuuji overhearing them.
"They are a neutral party really," said Hidemoto. "Their leader, Nanamaru is a friendly enough yokai, but he's not to be underestimated."
"We'll see how friendly he is. Let's go," said Ryuuji.
"Well done," said a raspy voice. "Now we'll put an end to those human scum along with the pests."
"Grateful for appreciation. Honour," came a reply.
"Your way of speaking sure is strange. Well, whatever."
At the sound of metal, the other voice shrieked in confusion, but was cut short due to being cut in half by a long sword.
"Good bye, little friend."
