Steel Fang
Chapter Three
*
Hakutou stopped walking and lifted his nose into the air. Kouga mumbled something softly in his sleep. Slowly, Hakutou slipped the young boy from his shoulders and set him into a tree. The demons wouldn't be able to find him there, hopefully. He turned back sniffing the air. What was that strange scent? He took off at a sprint towards it.
He wasn't sure how long he spent running, but he stopped near the peak of a mountain. His eyes narrowed to slits, his hair stood on end, and his mouth hung slightly open. There wasn't really a word to describe them...
A few of the large flying demons spotted him. A few swooped down. He expected a greeting. He calmed his racing heart.
"Obayo," he greeted calmly, waving a hand slowly. The demons glared daggers at him. One larger one, a twin combined together, stepped forward.
"The Gokurakuchou hereby claim this land as their own," it roared. Hakutou raised his eyebrow.
"You can't do that!" he yelled, "This is my land! My tribe lives-"
He let out a high pitched yelp as he was suddenly pinned to the ground. He let out a ear piercing scream as the talons of the demons ripped at his arms. He ground his teeth together hissing through them.
"Release me!"
He could feel the demons hot breathe against his body. He screamed again as darkness covered his vision. He cracked his eyes open and gagged. Instinct filled him as he thrashed violently. He wouldn't be eaten by some stupid bird!
From the outside, it litterally looked like the demon had exploded. The leader of the group laughed. "Kill him!"
Hakutou stood up quickly. Dark red blood covered his body but he ignored it as he bolted for the forest. His arms were throbbing, but he couldn't stop now. He began travelling by trees, branch by branch. He thought he'd lost them. Just as he started to slow a branch beneath him snapped. He yelled as he hit the hard packed floor from below. The Gokurakuchou surrounded him.
He pulled the sword from its sheath by his waist. His head spun around at the five, no six surrounding him. With a weak sword... he didn't stand a chance!
Anyone in the vacinity felt their blood run cold when they heard screams and howls of agony.
*
Kouga whimpered softly, thrashing violently in his sleep. He was having the same dream he always had... his mother dying... then his father of grief. He was only three years of age... he was helpless. He flipped to the side, his head bumping the inside of the tree. He screamed, awakening with a start. His head shot from side to side, panic filling him. Where was he? Where was his father? What was... that smell...?
His stomach churned making him moan softly as he cluched it. Something was wrong, he knew it. He caught another scent... not a bad one. He looked following the scent and saw two yellow eyes staring at him. He heard a screech as the bat flew out of the tree. Kouga screamed, his terror rising with every passing second. He began screaming at the top of his lungs for his father, recieving no reply. He soon gave out and collapsed to the forest floor, his body shaking with sobs and screams alike.
"Kouga wants Papa!!!" he wailed. He was scared, alone, lost. Slowly, he lifted his tear streaked face and looked around. His vision focused slowly, his eyes finally adjusting to dusk. The sky was orange. He'd never been away from the cave at night... his father never aloud it. He always wondered what color the sky was at night. He couldn't wait until he was old enough to walk out on his own. In the morning, it was grey, in the day, it was bright blue, unless it rained, and now dusk, it was orange, pink, and purple.
The strong, coppery scent increased as started forward again. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand. He stared at the lump in the middle of the path. A dark, redish liquid was smeared over his body and the scent was pouring from it. It was motionless. Kouga cautiously stalked the lump, headed sideways to get a look at the face. He crept in closer, getting onto all fours in case of a quick escape. His nose was inches from the lump when he suddenly recognized it. He screamed louder than he ever remembered as he leapt upon the bloody lump, sobbing, shaking, screaming, and cursing the few words he'd overheard his father say at time. His small hands grasped the large hand of his father. He shook it gently.
"Chichiue, up... up! Onegai!" he pleaded continuing to shake and rattle it. He screamed again, burying his face into his father's shoulder.
"Chichiue!!!"
Chapter Three
*
Hakutou stopped walking and lifted his nose into the air. Kouga mumbled something softly in his sleep. Slowly, Hakutou slipped the young boy from his shoulders and set him into a tree. The demons wouldn't be able to find him there, hopefully. He turned back sniffing the air. What was that strange scent? He took off at a sprint towards it.
He wasn't sure how long he spent running, but he stopped near the peak of a mountain. His eyes narrowed to slits, his hair stood on end, and his mouth hung slightly open. There wasn't really a word to describe them...
A few of the large flying demons spotted him. A few swooped down. He expected a greeting. He calmed his racing heart.
"Obayo," he greeted calmly, waving a hand slowly. The demons glared daggers at him. One larger one, a twin combined together, stepped forward.
"The Gokurakuchou hereby claim this land as their own," it roared. Hakutou raised his eyebrow.
"You can't do that!" he yelled, "This is my land! My tribe lives-"
He let out a high pitched yelp as he was suddenly pinned to the ground. He let out a ear piercing scream as the talons of the demons ripped at his arms. He ground his teeth together hissing through them.
"Release me!"
He could feel the demons hot breathe against his body. He screamed again as darkness covered his vision. He cracked his eyes open and gagged. Instinct filled him as he thrashed violently. He wouldn't be eaten by some stupid bird!
From the outside, it litterally looked like the demon had exploded. The leader of the group laughed. "Kill him!"
Hakutou stood up quickly. Dark red blood covered his body but he ignored it as he bolted for the forest. His arms were throbbing, but he couldn't stop now. He began travelling by trees, branch by branch. He thought he'd lost them. Just as he started to slow a branch beneath him snapped. He yelled as he hit the hard packed floor from below. The Gokurakuchou surrounded him.
He pulled the sword from its sheath by his waist. His head spun around at the five, no six surrounding him. With a weak sword... he didn't stand a chance!
Anyone in the vacinity felt their blood run cold when they heard screams and howls of agony.
*
Kouga whimpered softly, thrashing violently in his sleep. He was having the same dream he always had... his mother dying... then his father of grief. He was only three years of age... he was helpless. He flipped to the side, his head bumping the inside of the tree. He screamed, awakening with a start. His head shot from side to side, panic filling him. Where was he? Where was his father? What was... that smell...?
His stomach churned making him moan softly as he cluched it. Something was wrong, he knew it. He caught another scent... not a bad one. He looked following the scent and saw two yellow eyes staring at him. He heard a screech as the bat flew out of the tree. Kouga screamed, his terror rising with every passing second. He began screaming at the top of his lungs for his father, recieving no reply. He soon gave out and collapsed to the forest floor, his body shaking with sobs and screams alike.
"Kouga wants Papa!!!" he wailed. He was scared, alone, lost. Slowly, he lifted his tear streaked face and looked around. His vision focused slowly, his eyes finally adjusting to dusk. The sky was orange. He'd never been away from the cave at night... his father never aloud it. He always wondered what color the sky was at night. He couldn't wait until he was old enough to walk out on his own. In the morning, it was grey, in the day, it was bright blue, unless it rained, and now dusk, it was orange, pink, and purple.
The strong, coppery scent increased as started forward again. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand. He stared at the lump in the middle of the path. A dark, redish liquid was smeared over his body and the scent was pouring from it. It was motionless. Kouga cautiously stalked the lump, headed sideways to get a look at the face. He crept in closer, getting onto all fours in case of a quick escape. His nose was inches from the lump when he suddenly recognized it. He screamed louder than he ever remembered as he leapt upon the bloody lump, sobbing, shaking, screaming, and cursing the few words he'd overheard his father say at time. His small hands grasped the large hand of his father. He shook it gently.
"Chichiue, up... up! Onegai!" he pleaded continuing to shake and rattle it. He screamed again, burying his face into his father's shoulder.
"Chichiue!!!"