Aang seemed to take forever to fall. One second he had been laughing maniacally, his eyes alive with triumph, the next a blade had thrust itself through his body and sent his blood splattering into the snow.
Hopelessness consumed Saras as the bat fell to the snow, the blood welling up around him in a crimson puddle.
Chibiki blocked the next arrow, which spun away, he then swung the kusarigama at his opponent, but Denko had already moved out of range.
Aang's killer was roaring with laughter. One moment it had been Chi, the camel's blood dripping grotesquely into the snow. The next it had been the Weeper, his red eyes alight with malice. And finally it was the monster of his childhood. Lord Temujin.
Chibiki swung once more at the raven, who had a new arrow drawn, this one crackled with energy. The ninja avoided the weapon, and loosed the arrow. It missed Chibiki, but connected with the bear's katana, sending a shock of lightning up the bear's arm. With a cry of pain he dropped his sword, his arm hanging uselessly at his side.
"What did you do to me!?" Chibiki growled, sending his scythe flyimg at his opponent, who once more flapped out of reach.
"My aether lightning travelled through the metal in your sword up your arm, shutting down your nerve points." Denko explained, loosing two shuriken at the bear, who only just avoided both.
A new emotion took over Saras after the initial shock left him. His eyes were wet with tears and his vision was blurred by them. Rage coursed through him. He sliced open his paw with a single claw, the blood dripping out in beads, which he caught in his open mouth. Then he went on all fours, a low growl reverberating in his throat.
Denko drew back the bow-string to release another arrow at the glaring bear. Before he could loose the shaft Chibiki roared in pain, dropped his weapon and tried to bat something off his backside. Out of sheer surprise the arrow missed entirely, and it soon became apparent as to why the bear was suffering.
Teeth clamped firmly shut over the bear's buttocks, his claws digging into the flab with unforeseeable savagery. Saras had gone feral.
"What on earth scares you?" The raven mused aloud.
Chibiki finally succeeded in tearing the fox off his backside-along with a large chunk of his pants-and threw him to the floor.
The vulpine rolled back to his feet, and circled his opponent.
Denko noted the bared teeth, raised hackles and mad eyes. The fox was feral…
Chibiki swung at the animal, but it dodged to the side, before attacking Chibiki's paw with even more fierce brutality. To Denko's surprise the bear responded in a similarly wild way, clamping his teeth on the fox's back, shaking his head from side to side while the vulpine whined. Chibiki was suddenly forced to let go of the fox as three shuriken connected with his butt. He turned, roaring, to face Denko, who sliced at his belt, freeing the scroll, which landed in the pile of other scrolls, before throwing another shuriken.
Chibiki dodged reflexively, tripped over his pants and teetered over the waterfall with a loud yell followed by an even louder splash.
Then Denko picked up the scroll from the pile, and turned to the fox. Saras was growling once more, circling the raven.
Primal instinct told the avian to flee, but ninja training told him to let the fox make the first move. He sheathed his blade, and dropped the scroll at his feet, letting the energy crackle in his wings.
The fox pounced, but Denko was ready, and ducked under the attack, before raising a wing into the fox's stomach. Saras landed on his front, frozen by the nerve attack. The raven removed the antidote from his belt and shoved it down the fox's mouth. A few moment's later the mad fear in his eyes stopped, and was replaced with simple-minded confusion.
"Don't worry kid, the nerve attack will wear off after an hour or two. I'd take you with me but you're a little heavy." To make sure he had the right one the raven opened the scroll. It was the right one. Then Denko took to the air. "Sorry about the fight and all, but I need this! Sayonara!"
"I'm bored." Han Guan grumbled after Hei Zei beat him in their eighth round of shogi.
The raccoon yawned. "I could do with a rest as well. I think I'll take a nap." He rose to his feet and walked off.
His mind was still reeling from everything that had happened that day. He was surprised he hadn't fainted the second he caught sight of Jin. Ten years… He had written the fox off as dead for ten years… Another reason to hate the Wus... And Jin's tale was a bit…bothersome. Another Jin? Another lanky fox with a penchant for crossbows? And being chased after by his duplicate? 'Jin the Assassin' sounded like some half-assed lie, and yet it was so unconvincing that Hei Zei believed it. Jin could have come up with a better excuse if deception was what he wanted, which meant deception was not what he wanted. Then why was it bothering him so much?
The raccoon reached a plain bedroom, undecorated and small, with a single bed squeezed into a corner, a minute circular window, and a white table with a stool next to it in the other corner. He flopped onto the bed, his mind still racing.
Lang had been quick to believe Jin's tales, but the wolf had never been the brain of the group, that had been his role. Yet now his was malfunctioning as it wrestled with the possibilities. If Jin was lying that meant... What did it mean? Jin had been at Chor Form when Wan had escaped... Had he let her loose? But this was Jin... He wouldn't do that! His mind wondered back to memories long buried. The two had been close as children, or had they only seemed close when placed next to Wing and Lang? There had been a time when he and Su Wu had been close. His paws curled into fists in anger. That had been before the fire. He got up and paced the little room, his blood curdling.
Or maybe Jin had just made the best of a bad bargain and become an assassin because it fit into his line of work. But that was also unlike him... Jin had learned how to undo nerve-points, he wasn't a killer. Or maybe he hadn't been... But what could have possibly driven him off the edge?
From the corner of his eye he caught sight of Jin and Lang walking together, both looked deep in thought. Hei Zei sighed. He was most likely just over-thinking things.
Han Guan was practically skipping across the estate when Denko flew in, holding a scroll. The raven looked dishevelled and a bit tired, but happy at the same time.
"I have good new Han-san. I know exactly who is trying to rob us!"
Chibiki slipped across the trees, dripping wet and in a furious temper. That infernal bird! As he made his way towards his Brotherhood's camp, dangerously self-aware of his tattered pants and dead arm. The bear stomped past the other three, drawing raised eyebrows and odd looks from them, though they knew better than to comment on it, especially considering his temper.
"Sutoaraiki-san, head to the waterfall, remain hidden and follow the fox. I want to know who he is, what he is and why he's here!"
The hornet didn't need to be told twice and buzzed off.
Footnote: This feels a bit choppy and all but I had to conclude the fight and move on to the next mini-arc, so yeah, a choppy chapter :)
