Steel Fang
Chapter Five
*
Hakutou watched his mate finish the latches on the armor. They had planned on giving it to Kouga to celebrate his ninth year of life. He'd overheard some American traders talking about a "birthday" and how they gave presents. He wasn't going to follow the custom or make a habit of it... he just felt as though Kouga deserved something. But...
Back then, he demon blood had started to stir wildly. If he hadn't gotten control, he could have become berserk. Usually only filthy half-breeds went berserk, but if a demon went into the stage early, it could be deadly. But what had set him off? What had made his carefree, gentle son so angry? He didn't like it.
"Hakutou, something wrong?" Saikoubi asked, stroking the scar on his cheek. Hakutou frowned pushing her hand away.
"Are you finished with the armor?" he changed the subject.
Saikoubi returned the frown but nodded. "Hai, it's complete. I can only hope it'll fit him. We'll have to make more as he gets older. After all, he is still undeveloped."
Hakutou coughed loudly making her giggle. He loved her laugh.
"I meant his chest, Hakutou."
Another cough. Saikoubi rolled her eyes.
"You know what I meant! His muscles are-"
"Undeveloped," he finished her off. Saikoubi chuckled again and eventually fell silent. The forest held an awkward, deathly silence that made both wolves uncomfortable. Just as Saikoubi started to stretch her arms out Hakutou motioned her to stay still. His eyes scanned the sky as if something were watching them.
"Saikoubi," he whispered inaudibly, only loud enough for her to hear, "get inside the hut, quietly."
Saikoubi nodded and slowly pulled herself in. She silently muttered a curse at her limp legs. Hakutou stepped in and slid the door shut just as a Gokurakuchou flew over the sky blocking the sun.
"What was that?" Saikoubi asked, noticing the small beads of sweat forming on Hakutou's forehead. He raised his hand to his head wiping the sweat away.
"That was one of the Gokurakuchou." He extended one of his scarred arms. "The demons that did this."
Saikoubi fell silent as she backed up against the wall. She jumped back as Kouga suddenly began screaming in his sleep.
"Mother!! No!! Don't... mother..."
Hakutou cursed and ran to him. He grabbed him by the shoulders and jostled him roughly. Kouga only screamed louder and began thrashing. He grabbed his father's wrist squeezing it tightly. Hakutou winced. Saikoubi strugged to drag herself across the floor to them.
Hakutou's blood ran cold as the ground shook.
"Sai, hush him! There's a Gokurakuchou!"
Saikoubi extended her arms towards them. Hakutou shoved Kouga into is mother's arms. Kouga instantly locked his arms around her waist as crushed his face into her chest. His body shook violently from the few silent sobs and fear. Saikoubi gently stroked the small of his back making him shiver. He finally stopped crying as his tensed body relaxed against her hold. Hakutou kept his eyes on the sillhoutte of the Gokurakuchou outside the house.
Kouga opened his eyes and jumped with a start as he finally awoke. Saikoubi slapped a hand over his mouth just as he started to scream.
"Hush, darling, hush." She released him only to have him tighten his arms around her. His eyes were staring intently at the Gokurakuchou.
"F-father there's a..." he started to whisper but stopped. His body began to shake slightly with fear again. The deathly silence was disturbing.
"What are we going to do?" Saikoubi asked trying to scoot further back. Hakutou shook his head slowly as the demon continued to circle the hut.
"I don't know."
Chapter Five
*
Hakutou watched his mate finish the latches on the armor. They had planned on giving it to Kouga to celebrate his ninth year of life. He'd overheard some American traders talking about a "birthday" and how they gave presents. He wasn't going to follow the custom or make a habit of it... he just felt as though Kouga deserved something. But...
Back then, he demon blood had started to stir wildly. If he hadn't gotten control, he could have become berserk. Usually only filthy half-breeds went berserk, but if a demon went into the stage early, it could be deadly. But what had set him off? What had made his carefree, gentle son so angry? He didn't like it.
"Hakutou, something wrong?" Saikoubi asked, stroking the scar on his cheek. Hakutou frowned pushing her hand away.
"Are you finished with the armor?" he changed the subject.
Saikoubi returned the frown but nodded. "Hai, it's complete. I can only hope it'll fit him. We'll have to make more as he gets older. After all, he is still undeveloped."
Hakutou coughed loudly making her giggle. He loved her laugh.
"I meant his chest, Hakutou."
Another cough. Saikoubi rolled her eyes.
"You know what I meant! His muscles are-"
"Undeveloped," he finished her off. Saikoubi chuckled again and eventually fell silent. The forest held an awkward, deathly silence that made both wolves uncomfortable. Just as Saikoubi started to stretch her arms out Hakutou motioned her to stay still. His eyes scanned the sky as if something were watching them.
"Saikoubi," he whispered inaudibly, only loud enough for her to hear, "get inside the hut, quietly."
Saikoubi nodded and slowly pulled herself in. She silently muttered a curse at her limp legs. Hakutou stepped in and slid the door shut just as a Gokurakuchou flew over the sky blocking the sun.
"What was that?" Saikoubi asked, noticing the small beads of sweat forming on Hakutou's forehead. He raised his hand to his head wiping the sweat away.
"That was one of the Gokurakuchou." He extended one of his scarred arms. "The demons that did this."
Saikoubi fell silent as she backed up against the wall. She jumped back as Kouga suddenly began screaming in his sleep.
"Mother!! No!! Don't... mother..."
Hakutou cursed and ran to him. He grabbed him by the shoulders and jostled him roughly. Kouga only screamed louder and began thrashing. He grabbed his father's wrist squeezing it tightly. Hakutou winced. Saikoubi strugged to drag herself across the floor to them.
Hakutou's blood ran cold as the ground shook.
"Sai, hush him! There's a Gokurakuchou!"
Saikoubi extended her arms towards them. Hakutou shoved Kouga into is mother's arms. Kouga instantly locked his arms around her waist as crushed his face into her chest. His body shook violently from the few silent sobs and fear. Saikoubi gently stroked the small of his back making him shiver. He finally stopped crying as his tensed body relaxed against her hold. Hakutou kept his eyes on the sillhoutte of the Gokurakuchou outside the house.
Kouga opened his eyes and jumped with a start as he finally awoke. Saikoubi slapped a hand over his mouth just as he started to scream.
"Hush, darling, hush." She released him only to have him tighten his arms around her. His eyes were staring intently at the Gokurakuchou.
"F-father there's a..." he started to whisper but stopped. His body began to shake slightly with fear again. The deathly silence was disturbing.
"What are we going to do?" Saikoubi asked trying to scoot further back. Hakutou shook his head slowly as the demon continued to circle the hut.
"I don't know."