Chapter Five: Gift and Guardians

"Well that was intriguing…. Do you allow men to kiss you often like that King?" Chuckled out a deep pitched voice, the Black wolf wearing a toothy smile, with its eyes closed in a mischievous fashion. Both of its large ears perked straight up, while his tail sway lazily in a relaxed manner. Ichigo only stared in disbelief as the wolf spoke. "What's the matter? He got your tongue too King?" The voice chuckled out it seems as though he might be going insane no way can animals speak. The wolf only snorted at Ichigo like he was some kind of toddler that found his way into a candy store and is having a panic attack from all the delightful treats.

"What are you…?" Ichigo chokes out. This is just what he needs a second strange thing in his life, as it seems the supernatural world has deiced to greet Ichigo in a chain reaction. Not only does Keaghen have some explaining to do but so does this new hound. Ever since Ichigo can remember he has been able to see things most others are ignorant too… the only word decent enough to explain it would be Supernatural a gift that seems to have a very steep price.

This causes the wolf's wide grind to slip into a small frown, "Don't cha 'member?" The wolf's eyes are now open and gazing upon Ichigo. Searching for something located deep within Ichigo, what that maybe though Ichigo hasn't the slightest clue. The wolf only tilts its head to the side before snorting again, with a single elegant stride the wolf is now standing on all four of its legs. "You know what I am King… you always have. After all this isn't the first time you called upon… my… kind." The voice is low and sounds almost hurt. Hurt from being forgotten about, hurt from his King no longer remembering him and even more so forgetting who he is.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo speaks again his voice still soft not in fear though, no it is shock. Ichigo's brain is fighting to prevent him from remembering what ever happened those seven years ago. It isn't a lie about human nature for the brain to erase certain events to protect its host and body. The same can be said of a soul, the difference between a brain and the soul forcing memories into remission is that smallest events can trigger the mind to remember what it has blocked out. A soul however takes more… much more, only when the soul is truly threated would it trigger a surge, which in time would turn into awakening. It is now the great wolf knows this as fact, and it is the soul that has put Ichigo's true potential to hibernation. Now what event could have triggered protection mode on Ichigo's potential?

"Truly you are dense." The wolf sighs out while turning his face to the side no longer looking at the boy in front of him. The boy seeming a bit slow for a being who is living life in the fast lane, it truly is a wonder how the boy was able to summon him in the first place. Something about the kid's soul is off, no way in all the seven hells and nine heavens would he be able to summon a hound such as him unless he has some kind of memory of it. After all his kind isn't something that comes to just anyone and the summoning ritual for them normally kills the fool dumb enough to try to call these beasts into the realm of flesh.

Ah how many lives have been lost to such arrogance and ignorance? The number of humans that died with no physical ailments or abnormalities, even then out of all those numbers of sacrifice a vast majority of them failed to even create the wormhole to the Realm of Shadows. Even those few who managed to create that gateway to the shadows had fail to catch the hounds within attention and many wasted lives for nothing at all. He and his kin do not just see a door and much is the same with all other creatures that live within the Realm of Shadows.

A beacon of powerful spirit energy is the only way to pull a creature out into the open. Much like Ichigo the boy may not be aware of the mighty spirit energy that lurks within, but that power is not only useable as a beacon to things with in that shadowy world but things with in the flesh world as well. That would be the events that have played out before the massive wolf before he had chosen to respond and even chosen to accept Ichigo as his new king and master. Ichigo's past the puzzle that is well on its way to piecing back together again. Though even with great power such as this kid the being who opened the gateway died for the stress is too great for a body of flesh to bare.

That's right then how come this boy is still breathing when he has summoned him, and his two brethren that still watch over him to this day. Slowly the wolf turns his head back to the mortal before him, is he truly mortal having survived summoning three of his kind? No the body may seem human but the aura and the soul… something is different… something he can't put his finger on just yet.

That still doesn't make sense though the body still should have died to the trauma of materializing a wormhole into the shadow realm and not killed that body. No matter how strong no matter how powerful the spirit energy they body always, always died. So if the body looks mortal but isn't mortal the question is what is he really?

"The question you should be asking King is… what you are? A different smile graces the wolf's snout now intrigued by its new master. Ichigo only stares at the wolf even more confused than he was before. Insult and then a statement as well as a question being the response how do you come up with a comeback for that chain of comments, truth is you don't. It is meant to make you stop and think, what is it that the person who asked that chain of comments possibly knows about you that you have yet to discover.

A strange feeling overcomes Ichigo something that has him far more confused than with the words of the wolf before him. This one seems to be making his chest tighten its harder to take a single breath without feeling like he is being crushed under some unseen force. A fire something inside has been ignited and brought to the forefront. Is it anger? Is it rage? No it's not an emotion at all… it does not feel in the way of emotions it's more like in way of body or maybe mind? A strong pulling sensation though it is not strong enough to move him, not just yet.

After a few moments of stunned silence Ichigo only answers with a heated glare. The wolf seems bored of the childish antics and only rolls its eyes at Ichigo huffing, this causing the jowls to flap a bit. The two refusing to back down and give an inch to the other sitting in front of them, it is at this awkward moment Keaghen walks back into the room. Ichigo's glare is full heartedly heated and the red tint to the kid's cheeks is from anger. Wondering just what had happened while he slipped out for a few moments to put away the first aid kit, bowl, and washrag.

Still there isn't much Keaghen understands about the boy he has chosen to keep a watchful eye over, while his truer god form has chosen to claim the boy as its own. That strong pull sensation from a child who is but a newborn compared to him has an ability that takes gods a decade to master. Ichigo, aware or not calls to greater beings with his soul. It is screaming for something, someone to come forth and dare to lay claim to the soul that lurks within. Challenging them with such an air it is almost considered arrogance beyond rational reason.

It is just one of the reasons why Keaghen has chosen Ichigo as his. Something that humans haven't the slightest clue about to this day, sure they have their flings but most humans do as well… it is very rare to come across one who hasn't listened to those basic needs of body contact. Much the same can be said of all others like him of flesh and blood. It is only natural after all for the most part. Gods are no exception and even they look for another to share those powers with and their life with.

Funny how times have changed and the mere idea of this a few thousand years ago would anger him. If only he could have stopped some of his rage outbursts back then. Maybe some of those missing cultures might still be around and had evolved much like the rest of the world today. It is on that train of thought Keaghen is pull out of his mind from a strange sound emitted from the orange headed boy.

The wolf lets out some kind of growl which causes the kids face to heat in anger even more so than before. "You're an asshole!" Ichigo snaps at the wolf afterword, the wolf turns his head to its rear and is looking pointedly at its posterior before turning back around and growling some more. Ichigo slams both his fists on the coffee table in front of him, "You know exactly what I meant, you flee bag!" Keaghen watches as a smile glides smoothly across its whole maw before growling again making the boy turn beat red and cast his head down.

Odd just who is it that the kid is talking too? I don't see anything around other than this wolf but is he really talking to a fur ball? No couldn't be even I can understand animals on the mortal Earth. That begs the question just what is it that Ichigo can talk to that I cannot.

Seeming to take pity on the boy Keaghen speaks, his voice richer than before for what reason only Keaghen would know. "Ichi… just who is it you are speaking with so intently?" Perhaps something that the kid can see only, that he himself cannot see?

Ichigo only allows his head to somewhat twist where Keaghen can only see a bit of the warm chocolate brown eyes. Well they are normally brown but with the odd shadowing from bright orange locks and a deep blush from blood rushing to his head the orb seems to have changed in color, inferno orange. The eyes no longer belong to the lad he has been getting to know over the past day, no those eyes belong to something else. Ichigo with drained energy points at the hound before him.

That eye… I've seen it before. However that is impossible the owner of those eyes disappeared before even Zeus and them had made a rise to power. That and the fact that even though they are in the correct section of the planet they are not in the correct region where this god or goddess was in power. Mother the sun, Father of all life, keeper of balance and the flow of elements. This god was known to be living, protecting, and even making a comeback in China not Japan.

"I'm positive I would hear that wolf speaking…. Ichigo," Keaghen sighs out head swaying to the left and right in a repeated lazy like fashion. He watches as Ichigo lifts his head back up the strange inferno orange eyes completely gone maybe it was Keaghen's mind playing tricks on him then?

"He's been speaking this whole time Keaghen." Ichigo states slowly earning a snorting sound from the wolf before turning to send another glare its way. Boy if looks could kill that wolf would be in a billion tiny pieces. Wait it has been speaking?

No way and no how, Ichigo has to be running some kind of fever or something. I know for a fact I would hear and understand a creature from here, my former realm, and the realm Hades rules over. Surely something is wrong with him… or maybe that was also something I lost as well because of my brother.

"Ichigo are ya alright?" Keaghen whispers out placing the back of his hand on the soft velvet flesh of Ichigo's forehead. No his body temperature feels just fine even to his own body. Ichigo's response is a slap to Keaghen's hand for treating him like he is mentally unstable. Sighing Keaghen continues, "Look all I'm hearing from that fur ball over there is grunts, growls, and snorts." He points at the hound with his thumb while shrugging.

"Wait… you don't understand him?" Ichigo looks at the pale man shocked. Surely someone who also isn't human would be able to understand another supernatural beast. His response in a soft hum from the man who now looks at the wolf, the reason as to why is because the wolf has begun to cackle at them. The wolf finding this whole scene being played out before it a tad too entertaining.

"How adorable… you assume too much pup." The wolf laughs even harder at the comical express displayed on Ichigo's face after being called a pup. Taking another deep breath, "Only ye can hear me. Consider it a tiny piece of what slumbers in that vessel." With that comment causing an eyebrow to rise on Ichigo's face now he is interested in just what the wolf isn't telling him.

"You mean to tell me there is more than…. than summoning you?" Ichigo's voice breathy from displeasure discovering that his gift has more to it than he originally thought it had. Ichigo rubs his temples thinking hard to himself about what he was going to do if he accidently summoned more of… whatever this beast was before him. Was that why Hades was after him all those years ago?

"Much more you are in what is called the slumbering phase. As you mature your powers do so as well, in essence it cries out for something to balance it out. Hence the fact that unexplained… events that have been happening to ya." The wolf yawns out bored explaining something that should be pretty straight forward to the pup before him. Seems that the human mind is trying to block out this fact, making Ichigo kind of blind to his own abilities, which would explain why he had not summoned him till it was almost too late. In most cases that might be the strength for a human but a few cases it gets the human killed.

Ichigo says nothing just frowns deeper. The wolf turns its face to the passive expression of Keaghen. Must be intriguing to only hear half of a conversation between two parties, though now Keaghen knows Ichigo has inhuman powers. For whatever reason it may be Keaghen is keeping his mouth shut and now staring at Ichigo. Just what is it that you're thinking fallen one?

"For example…" The wolf smirks looking back at Ichigo, "You can pick another canine form for me to take while on mortal Earth." This time he watches Ichigo pointedly awaiting the boy to pick a new form for him to harbor and continue to watch over the mortal. Unable to help the sway of its tail and the twitching of muscles that await their new form in excitement, one small command isn't that funny?

"You can't be serious." Ichigo mummers out now completely uncomfortable with that fact he has such powers. For as long as Ichigo can remember he had suppressed any memories of being able to commune with things that most people would be disturbed by. After his mother had told him the nasty truth about the world he lived in now, Ichigo had stopped reacting to the spirits around him. In time while forcing his body and mind into forgetting about the things around him, his powers went to sleep and he stopped seeing and even hearing the other worlds.

Though his powers have been sealed by their owner the seal wasn't perfect and still leaks out the extra energy, that leakage is what causes his soul to attract greater beings to it. You see sometimes it isn't just a weapon that cries out to be used by another, something calling out for a balancing pillar that will prevent the power from destroying its self. A blazing and out of control inferno that destroys everything in its wake even its source. Much like Ichigo's soul now… though it isn't just some power that is freely given.

"I am deathly serious. For what reason could I possibly have to make something like that up… now pick a form for me to continue my watch over you." The wolf snarls out growing impatient with the boy before him. If he does not pick soon the wolf will be forced back into the Realm of Shadows. Something the wolf would rather not return to now that he is out. He watches as Ichigo shudders at the growled out words. That same growl also puts Keaghen on edge the man's fingers twitching. One thing about wolf and his kin is that when they growl it does not sound normal by any means.

When his kind is angered, displeased, annoyed, or impatient another type of growl emits from their vocal cord vibrations. Something that scatters anything that can feel the aura of things around, mainly animals that causes them to flock around a certain space if the vibe is off. Though it is not limited to just wild life by any means or immortals either, nor is it limited to humans that are aware to the supernatural. Everything no matter how great or how small can feel this one reaction, it is what has driven life to the point it now is at.

Taking a deep breath the wolf then settles the aura back to normal and carefree that it once was. "My apologies King I did not mean to react that way. Nor did I mean to cause fear within your heart." Ears down as the wolf hangs its head upset that it let its emotions run it that time, most of the time he is better than losing control of his emotional state. "You must understand I do not wish to return to the realm whence you have summoned me from. If you do not choose soon I will be forced to do so and no longer able to watch over you. That is until ye summon me again, though I fear it may be too late. Even though I might have saved ye this time it was just by the skin of your teeth."

With those words being the final thing said by the wolf Ichigo lifts his head to look upon the hound. It is then he can see how tense the wolf is with the thought of having to return and no longer able to keep a personal eye on Ichigo. Also remembering how close he came to meeting Death himself today. If he had summoned that wolf a fraction of a second later Ichigo knows full well he would be dead. Making him indebted to yet another being which makes Ichigo upset at needing to be protected yet again.

Ichigo wanted to do his name proud not tarnish it as he has been as of late. Number one protector meaning he should be the one saving those around him that he cares about or takes an interest in. Instead however it seems everything of that nature has had to protect him. It is not so much about pride or ego for Ichigo, it is about doing his family proud after the horrible death they all were put threw. Stronger Ichigo has to become stronger to become a guardian he wishes to become.

No matter how Ichigo looks at it, no matter how much Ichigo wishes to forbid it… perhaps just perhaps awakening his powers maybe for the best. Though how would he go about doing that exactly? The hound might have an idea but if he goes away then he will not be able to help Ichigo to relearn how to call upon his gift. So that means he must choose a form of a dog breed for the beast to assume to walk among man. With his mind made up Ichigo lifts his head back up. Eye contact between both man and beast seems to have everything slow to a stop.

Both trying to understand what the other means by this stare off of wills, it is within those moments of the tense air a wordless pact is made between the wolf and Ichigo. The room seeming to drop a considerable amount of degrees, a cocky smile gracing not the hound but Ichigo's lips, something the boy does not seem to realize nor will he ever for the eye color has changed again… the inferno orange taking over the warm chocolate brown.

This causes the wolf sitting before the boy to tense even more so than before. Keaghen now dumbfounded by the sudden change in the boy as well. For some reason it isn't the boy he saved last night or this night… no this boy is someone completely different. The air about him, the cocky grin gracing pale pink lips, and the way eyes narrow in satisfaction at the awe, fear, and new found respect of those in the room for him. Keaghen knows that feeling all too well, for it is the way all gods hold themselves when standing before a lesser being.

"Newfoundland," is the only words that leave the boys mouth again however it is not Ichigo who speaks. The voice is much softer, much richer, and far more delicate than the reckless boy. The wolf only has one second of looking bewildered before his form shifts.

The larger muzzle begins shrinking a considerable amount, the large shoulders and smaller head instead becoming a matching thick and stockier build. Narrow and finer legs becoming thick and fluffier toes now webbed to provide better tracking in water and even snow. Instead of a huge wolf as black as the shadows a huge and massive, stocky and powerful, wispy and bear-like dog known as the Newfoundland in the same shadow black color stands before them.

The face thicker than any other dog breed greets them both. The fluffy dog no longer looks threating in the least, even though in stark contrast it is far more deadly than any weapon known to man. Instead of having ears which stand the now are floppy and rest upon the sides of the hounds face. Ichigo smiles a much larger and toothier smile than before and then continues, "And the name you shall go by is Molimo." It is with those words the wolf is now bound to Ichigo and the realm of flesh.

Another new Guardian to join the family and even Keaghen in protecting, teaching, and guiding the boy before them, who without realization can tap into powers that he has been blessed with since his birth twenty-three years ago. Everyone under this roof now knows that something great is lurking beneath the human form façade. It is with every last breath in each creature that they swear till their death they will figure out a way to bring forth this power.

It is here as Ichigo slips back to his hide away from as inferno orange eyes turn back to the warm chocolate brown color. That life just got a hell of a lot more interesting….

~Author's Note~

Here we go with some much needed information or starter information on Ichigo's gift and a tiny look into the hound. I'm still going to have tiny hints here and there of Ichigo's alter ego (Inferno orange eyes) taking over and causing him to do and act totally different. This chapter is more for information and giving the hound a suitable mortal world form, I mean come now a wolf that size would surely get calls of a wild beast in a neighborhood.

I really don't have all that much to say about this other than that, and we will be getting an in depth look at Keaghen's past either next chapter or the following chapter. I still wanna leave you all guessing so I haven't put anything completely on the table yet. (Tease I know.)

This story is going by faster than I want it to but I already knew it wouldn't be super long like some others I am in the process of working on max chapters maybe 15-25. (This is not including some specials that will be tagged on after the end, and/or special requests like lost bets and such between these two.)

I thank you for taking the time to read my story and I do hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I had typing it. *Bows*

P.S. feel free to leave a PM for special requests related to this story. After all I don't bite…. hard. *Wink*

~ Molimo – (Native American) Miwok name meaning "bear walking into shade."