Welcome readers to my next installment. This chapter reveals the reasons behind the female Tengus hatred and also takes a slightly humorous look at Sugino. The idea behind his behaviour comes from his Japanese voice actor...Hoshi Souichirou... who also provides the voice of Son Goku from " Saiyuki" For those who have seen later eps of Tactics, Sugino does take on some of the baka saru's traits and I thought it maybe fun to throw in few of them here.
And now...drum roll...a word to my dear reviewers! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and review my fic! It is greatly appreciated!
Nicotine Gum: First, great to see you working on your own wonderful Tactics fic again. It's excellent! Second, Charms? Wait and see as I hate to rush into things and delight in building up suspense. As for her being a vile, hostile creature, she does have a good reason, as you will see. Yes, there is plenty of angst hanging before their eyes and the smoldering forest fire is about to burn hot with plenty of eye stinging smoke!
Kireina: Thank you for your kind comments and I hope you enjoy the unfolding drama.
Eclipsed Rose: Very happy to see you love my fic. I also like original characters as long as they don't over run the others. This is something I intend to avoid, even though she is more prominent as the story progresses.
Ruji: I have worked as a vet nurse and wildlife carer, so I'm very familiar with the treatment of injuries and I have used herbal remedies on the animals in my care.
" Because Hawks and Wolves Mate For Life"
Story: Tora Macaw
Chapter 3
" For a Tengu to cry at..."
" Haruka!" Gasped Youko in a scandalized tone as the dark Tengu brushed past her. Gazing after him in stunned disbelief as he vanished down the hallway, the Kitsune sadly shook her head and apologized for her friend's inexplicable behaviour. " Honestly, I have no idea what's gotten into him!"
Shrugging her shoulders, the stranger worked up a sad smile. " I would say it's because I threatened his precious human." Noting the sorrowful expression in the fox spirit's eyes, she hastily added; " No offence to you, but..."
" You must have truly been through something," said Youko softly with down cast eyes, her left hand resting on her chest " to hate humans so much."
Glancing up, she was quick to catch a glimpse of intense emotional pain searing the Tengu's eyes before a veil dropped over them and only hardness remained. Large wings rustled as they curved forward to conceal the woman's trembling body and her bleak expression told the young Kitsune all she needed to know, as her caring heart instantly went out to doleful youkai.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Kantarou wandered the streets without thought or direction, as he acknowledged the greetings of those who knew him with the barest of nods and bluntly ignored the side on glances of passing strangers as his soul stormed in a tempest of churning uncertainty. Pausing to purchase a deep fried Octopus ball, he drew several calming breaths that cleared his mind thus allowing him to think.
"The strange Tengu must have come from far away." he thought as he slowly chewed on his snack. No reports of an active new youkai in his district had reached him and that spear Youko had pulled out of her was definitely the work of a human. Plus, there was her obvious hatred of his kind that added a bit more information to Kantarou's brain as he sought to piece together what both his eyes and feelings told him. Only evil youkai ever caused such terrible pain to sear through his chest pain as it was due to the malicious intent behind their actions. " And that female certainly proved that when she tried to attack, but why did she try?"
Walking and pondering, the young man made for the river; then stopped half way across the ornate bridge spanning its width to lean his elbows on the red railing and gaze down at the quietly flowing water. " It looks so calm, so harmless." he told himself as a small dragonfly hovered just above the tranquil surface. " But it can hold its deadly surprises, just as a youkai does. The dragonfly may think he is safe as he holds his place above the river. However..."
Kantarou had spied a large shadow moving behind the insect and as he watched, it reared up from the depths to manifest itself in the form of a huge carp that erupted from the water in a sudden lunge...then it was gone in a swirl of brightness as the sunlight danced upon the last of the ripples and the unsuspecting dragonfly was no more.
Turning away from drama of natures stage, the silver-haired scholar firmly resolved for he himself not to become prey to the potential lurking predator recovering in his home.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Opening her eyes, the resting Tengu saw a tray baring Youko enter the room, gave her a small smile then struggled into a sitting position as her nostrils flared from the tantalizing odor of hot food. Placing her burden on the floor, the kitsune propped the woman up with a few extra pillows then firmly tucked the robe she had lent her into place before handing her patient the food and settling back to watch her eat. A shadow fell across the room and the woman's chopsticks froze halfway to her mouth as she gaped at the face framed by long black hair staring from the window. Large emerald orbs blinked as they gazed at the stranger in wonder, then a small green creature leapt onto the ledge and broke the spell with a drawn out "Muuuuuuu"
" Sugino sama." exclaimed Youko as she motioned for the white Tengu to join them. Cocking her head to one side, she then smiled at her guest. " This is our friend, Sugino and Muu chan you know."
Not bothering with a door, the long haired youkai entered through the window then crouched down to peer sternly into the female's eyes. " I don't know you." he rumbled, then his face spilt into a friendly grin. " But when Muu chan told me a strange Tengou was here, I just had to come and see for myself." Eyeing the plate of food on the female's lap, the newcomer turned pleading eyes to his fox spirit friend, who laughed at the sad, hungry look and stood up.
"I'll see what I can find for you."
" Thank you Youko chan! and please bring something for Muu chan!"
Chuckling over the semi wavering tone of the mildly starving male, Youko hurried away as Sugino turned his gaze back to the occupant of the bed and frowned so fiercely that the female shrank back from the intensity of his grim expression.
" That stupid Kantarou." he muttered, then once more broke into a happy grin as he reached out to lightly grasp a finger full of the woman's stringy hair. " They fed you, but they haven't bathed you and your hair could do with a good wash."
Momentarily lost for words over the male's fussing tone, she slowly lifted her right hand then grimaced at the gritty, dirt encrusted tangles.
" And your poor wings!" her companion all but yelped in dismay. " They are full of dried mud!"
The female bought one of the flight limbs forward for inspection and sighed heavily as she realized for the first time since her revival that she was indeed a bedraggled mess.
Pushing to his feet, Sugino fussily smoothed down his robes and fixed her with a reassuring smirk. " Soon as lunch is over, we are giving you a bath!"
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Haruka lay on his back, studying the familiar beams of his ceiling as he had done countless times before. He knew where every knot, every little crack in the timbers was to be found and as he idly stared upward he knew exactly where to look to see a spider emerge and begin to creep towards its webs decorating one corner.
The female Tengu's presence was having a profound effect on him as curiosity over her origins and why she hated humans so much, waged war with his all consuming desire to protect Kantarou and get her out of the house as swiftly as possible. But not even he was heartless enough to just ruthlessly drive her out when she was so desperately in need of help. " But," he whispered to the spider as it pounced upon the fly entangled in its net. " one more threat, no matter how small and I'll make her wish she had never come here."
The sudden eruption of raucous laughter, loud calling from Muu coupled with the splash of water and alot of silly giggling cut through his thoughts, bringing a deep scowl to his face. For a few minutes he tried to ignore whatever mayhem was taking place, but as it gradually grew louder he gave in to his grudging curiosity and left the solitude of his room to march down to the bathing room then glare daggers at the merriment within.
The female sat on the low washing stool, a towel wrapped about her torso while Sugino stood behind her; fussing and primping over her long damp tresses like a society hair dresser. Completely ignoring his fellow Tengu's blazing stare of doom has he drank in the sight of thick, dirty soap bubbles oozing in every direction, the emerald eyed youkai; his own long hair tied in twin pony tails, dipped the woman's hair into a fresh bucket then proceeded to carefully scrub out the last of the grime. Accepting a large hair brush from an enthusiastically assisting Muu chan ( that Haruka at once recognized as Kantarou's favourite ) the white Tengu groomed the tangled mass until it had transformed into a gleaming silken mane all shot through with bright sliver highlights. Beaming happily over a job well done, he suggested they move outside so he could tackle the hodgepodge that was the females mattered wing feathers.
Outside in the garden, the warm sun shone brightly to aid in the drying of the female's hair and bring its healing warmth into her pale, milk coloured skin. Standing behind her as she chattered with Youko, Sugino's brows furrowed; his eyes intense in his concentration as he worked a large, awl like object roughly the size and shape of a heron's beak through the messy feathers. With a skillful flick of his wrist, he lifted; then separated each one, repeatedly dragging the tool through a seeping oil gland in the center of her back and continuing the process until he had tamed them.
The sun lazily passed overhead as a few white clouds drifted and shadows lengthened. After a long time, Sugino finally stepped away to raise his arms in a triumphant flourish as he loudly proclaimed the task complete and to see how her wings felt now. Easing herself up, she discreetly swopped her towel for a spare robe of Youko's then snapped her wings out with an exclamation of delight.
The black and silver feathers lay in an orderly manner as they neatly overlapped each other and were gently ruffled by the cool breezes as her stiff primary feathers stood proudly from the tips. Giving them an experimental flap she laughed from sheer joyful exuberance as several fell about her in a loose cloud, but her cheerful mood evaporated as she met a pair of brooding dark orbs and she turned away with a stricken expression as the stern male spoke.
" Now that you are better, leave at once."
" Now just a minute ogre eater.." began an indignant Sugino as he slipped his normal green and white robes over the short sleeved shirt and trousers he had worn while tending the female. But he never got to finish his outcry as the woman broke in.
" You!" she breathed as she stared at Haruka in open mouthed astonishment. " You are...him? The legendary Ogre eater?"
A sharp nod confirmed her question, but the sudden arrival of Kantarou on the scene drove away any further comments as the woman glared and Haruka stepped up to his tamer's side. Holding out a hand in an open gesture, the young man spoke quietly.
" Are you feeling better?"
The only answer was a bared tooth hiss that bought about an angry response from Youko. Drawing herself to her full height, the Kitsune's hands firmly met her hips as she launched into a huffy speech about bad manners and lack of gratitude. To her credit, the female Tengu had the grace to look ashamed; but she refused to back down when the fox spirit demanded an apology.
" I will never apologize to a human! " she spat in a tone dripping with venom. " I hate humans! ALL HUMANS!"
" Well I'm not overly fond of them myself." said Sugino calmly while stroking Muu chan's head. " But I would like to know why you are so full of anger."
Both Kantarou and Youko nodded in agreement as Haruka merely glared in irritated silence.
Feeling tired and a little sick as pain nagged at her innards, the female's great wings sagged; then vanished as she sat down with a sigh. " Very well." she muttered. Muu chan leapt from Sugino's arms to settle in her lap and purr encouragement. For a moment she gazed sadly at the little youkai, then she lifted her head to meet four pairs of curious eyes. " I'll tell you, but I warn you, my story will strike frost into the hearts of you youkai and as for the human..." she spat the word like a curse "..he may even be sad, thou I doubt it."
Swallowing down his irritation, Haruka sat beside Kantarou as the youth nodded grimly then the female settled herself to begin her story.
" I was born a long way from here, in a place were the mountains meet the sky and the air is clear as crystal as the stars blaze with a beautiful silver radiance in the night. There were forests of towering trees and the territory of the Tengu was filled with the pure sents of pine, ferns and flowers."
Tipping back his head, Haruka closed his eyes at the picture she painted with her words and he felt a surge of longing to live in such a place stir within him as her wistful tone toyed with his soul. Sugino also sighed within as he remembered such a place and glanced sadly at his fellow male youkai as knew the Ogre eater was incapable of feeling such memories. Youko was nodding encouragement for the woman to continue and Kantarou was merely staring, as a flash of anger charged through the emerald eyed Tengu at what he considered to be a deliberate sabotage on Haruka's mind. Muu chan's stunted arms tapping on his chest jerked him out of his dark thoughts and he listened intently as the female spoke on.
" Although my home was a paradise, I grew bored and decided I would leave to explore the world." Breathing a heavy sigh, she whispered; " It was my biggest mistake..." Collecting herself with an effort, she continued her tale.
" I flew far and wide, free as a leaf on the wind and as wild as the thunder over the churning seas. I saw many wonders of nature, and many humans. But humans didn't bother me as I could easily avoid them by flying away. I travelled about for a time, then finally decided to return home." For a long moment she paused as she stared into space and collected her thoughts, then, with a deep sigh she spoke quietly.
" I had flown for an entire day and night. I was very tired, so I landed beside a beautiful great lake and fell asleep in the long, soft grass. When I at last woke up...a human...was standing over me." Drawing a shuddering breath, she went on. " I tried at once to flee, but he had stuck a long paper with strange words to my forehead and to my horror, I found I couldn't move. That's when he gave me a name and told me I belonged to him. I tried to fight as I was no humans property ..but.." her shoulders sagged as her voice and eyes filled with sorrow, "...it was no use. I couldn't fight him or escape. I had to go to his house and..." she turned her head to glare at Kantarou, "...I hated it."
Five heads nodded with understanding and the woman was temporarily surprised by the misty look in the human's eyes before speaking further.
" But even though he made me help his old mother, my captivity was not unbearable. She was very kind to me and I enjoyed her stories of when she was young and how she had travelled by ship to other countries I had never known existed. I still had a certain degree of freedom and I came to love her very much. It was the son, the one who had caught me I was wary of as sometimes he would look at me strangely or try to touch me in a way I detested. Once, he demanded I...share his bed..."
There was a sharp intake of breath from her audience and she shot a second hateful glare at Kantarou. " Nothing happened...that time."
A sudden chill of ice water lanced down the scholar's spine to snap freeze his senses and fill him with a horrible sensation of foreboding. He was loath to hear what he felt without doubt what he knew she was going to say and judging from the dark expression on Haruka's face, he could feel it too. Waiting a moment as she studied the reactions of her listeners, the female Tengu regained control of emotions that threatened to escape her and grimly forged ahead.
" All I did was act as a warmer, but it was enough for a Tengu to cry at and I hoped he would never make such a demand again. Several weeks past by without further incident but just as I was starting to relax, his mother fell ill. I tried my best to help her, but old humans are so frail and she died."
Pausing in her narration, her audience noticed a look of genuine sorrow slide across her features before being replaced by an expression of desolation.
" Her death was the beginning of the end for me." she said with tremor in her voice. " My... master went crazy from grief and I almost broke down myself. I tried to comfort him but his mind had snapped. He started to drink heavily and gamble all the time, and I... I longed to get away, but he..." the Tengu shuddered as she wrapped her arms about herself then spoke in a very small voice. " He placed a sealing charm on my back where I couldn't reach and I lost what small powers I have." Looking straight at Youko, she cried out; " I couldn't even make my wings appear! I couldn't fly!"
Burying her face in her hands, she began to sob quietly. Youko moved up beside her to slip a comforting arm around her shoulders and traded a worried glance with Sugino as he sat on her other side. Haruka's face had become a forbidding mask and Kantarou was overwhelmed by a feeling of intense dread of what was about to be told.
Giving her comforters a grateful look, the woman hugged herself then lifted her chin to talk. " His behaviour changed completely then. He told me in no uncertain terms...that I had to...submit to his desires."
" What!" Sugino was instantly aghast and indignant as he leapt to his feet and stared at her in shocked disbelief. All the colour had drained from Youko's face as she clutched at her chest in horror and Kantarou looked as though he was going to be ill. He could understand it now, her hatred and her pain. The scar across his chest seared in agony as she glared at him as though her experience had all been his fault and doubling over, he cried out in his own pain. He felt a large hand rest on his shoulder and glanced up, only to gasp and recoil at his Tengu's savage expression.
Haruka had beyond simple anger that a human would dare to abuse a youkai in such a foul and twisted manner. His lips were curled back in a fixed snarl as his dark orbs blazed with unbridled fury. Stalking away from his human charge, the tall male leaned down and spoke directly to the female in voice filled with terrible menace.
" Who is this human? Where is he now?"
" His name was Tekeo, but he is no more." she answered firmly as she wiped her wet eyes with the back of her hand. Shaking in her anguish as her wings reappeared to fold about herself, she spoke in tones of sorrow and rage.
" Have you any Idea at all of what it's like to suffer a man's touch and to be forced? I wanted to die, I wanted him to seal me away! Then I would never have to endure such a degrading ordeal ever again! But he refused, even when I attacked him! He would just call my name and I was helpless in his grasp!"
She stopped to draw many shaky breaths as her listeners gazed at her with pity, anger and sorrow. Moisture glistened in Kantarou's large amber orbs and he felt as though a knife was twisting at his heart from the female's suffering. With a great effort, she gained control of her churning emotions to explain her master's sudden demise.
" His gambling finally caught with him in the form of a large group of men breaking into his house and demanding he pay them, but he had no money and nothing left to give. A fight broke out and Tekeo..." here his name was spoken with intense hatred, "...Tekeo was cornered and stabbed. Once he was down, they turned their attentions to me. One of them ordered the pack to take me as payment, but they didn't know my name nor could they control me. I fought at once and I..." she paused to chuckle in a manner that chilled Kantarou to the bone. "...killed them. Oh yes, I killed them all, then I rushed from the house and attacked the entire village. The human fools fought back and one of them..." she placed her right hand carefully over her wound. "...got lucky. He stuck me with that accursed spear and forced me to flee. I hadn't gone far when I ran into the storm and ended up here."
Lifting a trembling hand to her brow, she felt her head whirl in a wave of dizziness as agony lanced through her side to rip throughout her innards. Crying in pain, she collapsed sideways to gaze up glassy eyed at a teary eyed, concerned Youko. " I...It...hurts..."
She rasped then fainted.
" Sugino Sama!" cried the kitsune urgently as she half lifted the unconscious yokai. " Help me carry her inside.."
Abruptly shoving his friends aside, Haruka knelt down, scooped the limp female into his arms and stood in one smooth, flowing movement to stride wordlessly toward the house.
" Ogre eater..." began the white Tengu, his arm extended, his palm up in a pleading gesture, but he let his arm drop to his side as he caught sight of the dark Tengu's forbidding expression and turned instead to gaze sorrowfully at Kantarou as the human stared at Haruka's retreating back, his large amber eyes overflowing with tears as an unexplained feeling of dread suddenly washed over him.
The woman in Haruka's arms moaned, sweat beading on her brow as her head tossed feebly and her eyes peeled open. Gazing down at her, the dark-haired male spoke quietly. " Stay still. You said you have a name. Tell me it."
Fighting to breath as pressure gripped at her chest, she nodded then answered in a painful whisper. " Hikari. The human... Tekeo, named me...Hikari."
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Watching in helpless despair as his Tengu carefully bore the injured female of his kind into his house, Kantarou shook as he wiped away his tears then fixed the staring Youko with a grim expression. Muu chan trotted in the Ogre eater's wake and Sugino joined the kitsune in looking down at youth vibrating so hard his teeth chattered.
" I can't believe it." he muttered darkly. " That someone would do such a thing."
" Humans are cruel." remarked Sugino importantly. " It's why I don't like them."
" Not all humans!" said Youko in a tone bordering on despair. " Kan chan would never do a thing like that!"
" Humans and youkai can never be friends!" the white Tengu spat back at once. Flinging his right arm in the direction of the house, he added; " And her story today proves it!"
Youko was about muster an angry retort when Kantarou abruptly stood up and silenced the argument with four quietly spoken words. " The female is dying."
" What!" cried both Tengu and Kitsune as one. Rushing up to place both hands on her human friend's chest, Youko asked urgently;" Kan Chan...what do you mean she's dying?"
" That spear you pulled from her." began the silver-haired youth seriously. " It had been coated with a powerful contact poison. I fear she has only a week or so to live."
To be continued...
Note: The idea for Hikari's bath and grooming scene was borne out of an MSN convo. I mentioned to my friend that in anime, you never see a winged being preening and having spent many hours bird watching...( and keeping birds) ..the act of preening is vital to good feather health. I was told; put a preening scene in a fic then. Now I get this lovely image of Haruka preening his beautiful black feathers...oh yes, and Sugino does strike me as the fussy type who likes to be neat and well groomed!
