The Witch's Husband

by LostInTheMystery

Twin brothers, twin problems, are faced with the issues of a food shortage and dark intent that lurks around them. Left alone in the woods, they face death when they come upon, of all things, a witch – in a house made of candy. Is this a blessing to the starving village or is the witch looking for more?

16. Three is Company

Chapter 16: Three is Company

Saguru lost his balance when Shinichi pulled, or was pulled away. He landed face down on the floor and was sure he heard the door slam behind him. Kaito was going to call him an idiot for sure this time.

Toichi moved Kaito back a little. "You wait out here, I'll go get- Saguru!" Toichi jerked up when Saguru cried out just in time to see him pitch forward and out of sight. He started toward them just for the door to slam into him, forcing him out and almost to the ground. Even with Kaito there, he could not stop the curse at losing the two boys.

Kaito yelped, having to back away from the door and his dad when he almost stepped on him. He looked at the door, blinking. If Saguru was so afraid of him being in there, had even stayed outside the door when he was exiting, why had he gone back inside for some boy that he, himself, didn't even know? Knowing anger, if not betrayal, Kaito looked around. He didn't like bullies that upset his brother.

Akako quickly looped a collar around Saguru's neck, magically. There wasn't time to talk to him with the others here. She snapped her fingers, making the blanket rise like the carpet had and got on, helping Saguru up and seeing the other boy hold his hand up to her as well. She had to smile. "You really want to come?"

Shinichi smirked. "It's interesting."

He looked over as the other boy came up, not sure what was 'interesting' and not really caring. He sat on the blanket as it rose higher.

Toichi had stepped back for Sharon to get to the door and break the new lock on it when a bright flash caught his attention, drawing it to the sky. He backed away from the house to see what had caused it only to see what looked like a large piece of cloth, like a carpet or blanket, rising higher until it was over the trees. He felt in his heart that Saguru was on there and called out for him before it turned and took off.

Sharon heard Toichi yell after she had gotten the door open and was in. She backed up and sighed. "A variety of magic carpet. I can't control the physical like that." That was one powerful witch. She could have killed them if she had really wanted to, and she hadn't. "I can't put a tracking spell on it that far away. I need to touch it." She could follow the trail though, for a few days at least. She just wasn't sure how well that would work with the forest. "I have an idea." She looked down at Kaito. This was still going to be a little tricky and she needed time.

Akako waited until they were far enough away and let out a breath. She wasn't totally sure what Saguru's mother, as it could be no one else, could do. She reached over and snapped the collar off of Saguru. "Sorry, I didn't want you falling off."

Saguru shook his head and looked around. He could feel the fear welling up but this time, he was not going to fall a part. Shinichi and Kaito had both got that out of him. He had overheard Shinichi and Kaito... he did not want to let him down either. He met Miss Akako's eye and made sure to sit up straight. "Why are you doing this? Kidnapping is not the way to keep friends."

Akako smirked and sat sideways instead of just looking over at him. The blanket could fly itself. "Do you know why witches hide? It's not just from humans. It's very easy to live on your own and make humans scared of you. We hide from other witches too. Can you guess why?"

Saguru recalled his mother not wanting to face Miss Akako. "A stronger witch can beat you in a fight or even kill you."

"A little worse than that, but that's a reason too. Why do you think we don't stay together? Even I'm not with my mother any longer. Think about those deer, what I did to them. They didn't want you to ride them, but you did. It's a small bending of the will and I make it so that it doesn't harm the animal. It feels natural to them. That almost makes it worse. Can your mother do anything like that? What do you think would happen if she wanted me as her 'deer'?" Saguru had hardly made her seem like someone that she would ever want to be around.

Saguru was quiet for a moment because he knew she had done that to them when she used magic in front of them. He still did not remember it even now but he remembered why she had and why she said she had not helped before. "If you had stayed nice, she would not have wanted to do it. She would have had no reason to. You did it to me just now to make me come with you."

"I did it because I wasn't about to talk to you with another witch breathing down my throat, asking questions later. The same witch you seemed scared of. And 'stayed nice'? What have I ever done to harm you? In fact, I noticed you were hurt a while ago but I was busy." Akako pulled out a pouch with some liquid in it, to help heal the skin since she had no healing powers of her own. She'd used the same on his brother. "Here. I have some new bandages too if you need them."

"She admitted it was a mistake and she was scared. I forgave her and I know Kaito never held it against her anyway. When we found out she was a witch and told her, she promised not to use it on us unless she had to and would tell us before and after. You made our father forget us and, once he remembered, you kidnapped us from him and then separated me from Kaito. Those were not nice things to do either and now you did it again. It makes you the one I no longer trust right now." Saguru kept a hand over the bandages, looking between her and the pouch.

While Akako had separated them in order to get Saguru to want her company more, it seemed someone had been thinking in that time. "Very well. You're not asking me nicely." Akako took her bag back. "And you're being rude. I never out-rightly harmed you and if you're being that much of a baby about everything, I'll treat you like one."

Saguru narrowed his eyes. "Not liking being betrayed by someone they liked is not being a baby. I really did like you, Miss. Akako, and I trusted you. You never answered my question. Why?"

"I thought I had. I took you away the way I did because I didn't feel like being controlled or killed by your mother."

"If you had not kidnapped us from father, you would not have to worry about this anyway. I thought we were friends and could have hung out with you when you wanted. If this is about being lonely like Kaito said and you just have no idea how to be friends with others, this is not how you do it. This is wrong and you are being selfish."

"Can't I be a little selfish? After all, I'm not human. We do have a bit of a different standard there." Akako offered him her hand. "And I can't really 'hang out' like you can. People just aren't that nice."

Saguru frowned slightly. "Hm. I thought we showed you we, at least, were not like that. Even father was all right with you when we told him about you. I am sorry, but you will need to earn my trust back, like mother did."

"There's a difference there." Akako rubbed her fingers together, making small cuffs that she formed around his wrist - insurance to make sure he didn't do anything to try and escape her company. A necklace, tight to his skin, ensured he wouldn't be telling anyone who didn't know her about her or his situation. "I'm not your mother."

Saguru felt the foreign items on him and grabbed at his wrist, trying to get that off first and then reaching to check the thing on his neck. The 'dog' comment his mother had commented on to his father came to him. He had a collar like a dog. He quickly went over his family, his home, everything he could think of. They were his reason to get home and he would not forget them. He calmed a little when he recalled everything and met her eyes. "True. I thought you were better than her but you just proved me wrong again." He turned his back, glancing at Shinichi as he did so. He wanted to say something. Ask how he could trust her still, but he had no way to say it. He sighed and sat, looking behind them and hoping his family would try to find him.

"I did not. Thatis so you don't fall off and so you keep your promise, even though you're mad at me."

Shinichi let out a breath. He could kind of see both their points. It was why he hadn't tried very hard to get her to leave the house with him when he was trying to figure out how all this magic worked. He could also see why Saguru felt so bad but he was kind of being annoying. "Hey, it's magic. Do you know how often someone gets to see magic? She's not hurting us... well, I don't think she is. And this," Shinichi waved his hand around him, his eyes sparkling. "This is amazing. If she wants a little privacy with us, I don't see why not. I don't see my parents for stretches at a time anyway. It's not that bad."

"Maybe... but Kaito is the one that goes off and any adventures I have, we did together. Last time we flew, I loved it. Miss. Akako would remember, we talked and pointed to everything. It was fun and I had looked forward to doing it again." He held up his wrist. "'So I do not fall', when this is my second time this high and fifth time flying on household items and this is your first. If you remember us leaving, you have more memories than I do. I would rather be doing this willingly and knowing I can go home when I wish then to be forced to and have no idea when I will see them again." Saguru knew he had been a little sarcastic there but it was true. "You may be running away from home on your own but in the books I read, if you were a little older, you could be an accessory to kidnapping."

Shinichi was having a hard enough time getting his head around magic at all, and having it pertain to any existing laws was even harder. He shook his head, not willing to stand up on this thing, but he got to his knees and stared at the witch. "You... I'm not sure about you but do you really want to hold him like this? I admit, he might be mad, he might do something stupid, but even I will like to go home at some point. Please, he's got something about the spelled jewelry. Can you just take it off?"

It was strange, hearing someone so honest and straightforward. Shinichi was a strange child though, stranger than he knew, but she'd save that information for herself. She let out a breath and snapped her fingers, breaking the spells. "Fine. If the baby is going to be a baby, there. I'm showing you the world right now and all you're doing is complaining. I'll take him home, in a while, okay? I can't tell you when because I don't know."

Saguru checked his neck and re-felt his wrists, just to convince himself it was real. He smiled and sighed in relief, really hating the whole 'controlling' thing. He looked over, turning a little. "Thank you."

"Hm. I don't think you've thanked me very often, even with the house, food, magic... all of that. You seemed too caught up in it." Akako had noticed he was more polite than Kaito but he had been a kid through and through. "Do you want to go back right now? Is that why you're acting like this?"

"I want the choice. I hated feeling like a prisoner when I knew I had committed no crime. It is the second worse feeling to being betrayed. You made me feel both with what you did. I felt you had done the same to my brother and now, even if he had been on your side, I have no idea if he will see it the same way anymore. Right now, I doubt I would ever want to see you again, but," Saguru looked back and then at her. "Kaito still liked you and Shinichi does too. I guess I know you have some good in you but, like you said, you are not my mother so keeping me against my will is wrong. I will give you some time, to prove yourself, but I do not want either of our families to worry. I know mine will be and my father will take the blame for Shinichi, no matter if his parents would be alright with this trip or not. Is there a way to let them know? If you gain my trust, you can come with us and, when we get back, I will help explain. If they still doubt, mother can break spells, as you know, and she can do it to me, to prove I am not controlled. Will you accept that, as your second chance?"

"I will not. I am not out to gain your trust back. If you give it to me, fine. If you don't, oh well. The second I go near your mother I'll be hers and humans would have no way of telling the difference or stopping it. No matter how much you trust her, I don't. And obviously I don't trust you. First thing you did when I left you was speak about me to everyone - in a town you weren't even familiar with, so obviously you'rethe one who has to gain my trust."

"We said we would tell everyone they were wrong about witches and everyone thought you were sweet and nice to help us. If you really did not want us to do that, you should have told us. I admit, I knew you were afraid of being hated, but that is why we told them how great you were." Saguru turned more to face her. "We thought we were helping make you be accepted so you could come and hang out with us in our new home town. Besides, we were scared and trying to find you because father did not remember us. We needed you to help him remember us." Saguru sighed and bowed his head. "I will apologize for it though. I guess we let our fear get to us. I am sorry."

Akako still couldn't picture a witch living among humans. At least, not a full-blooded witch. Power came in ever aspect of her life. If she wanted someone to do something, they did it. If she wanted to take something, she took it. If she wanted someone out of the way, they were gone. That was the way that life worked for most witches, even the few that found their way among a small group of humans. "You're cute. Naive, but cute. Just as there are some people who like dogs and some that don't, it doesn't matter if you get most of them to like me. The consequences of even one not are dire to me and my kind. Besides, I'm sure they all thought you had made me up as some part of a story."

3:40:20 AM

Shinichi shrugged a little and met Saguru's eyes. "I didn't think she was real, not for a while anyway."

"I never believed it to be real until I saw her either but father knew we were telling the truth and your father believed us too." Saguru looked at Shinichi. "They may not have all believed us, but they would believe them at least."

Shinichi could see dozens of problems with that, whether they believed her or not. "So they'd either be scared of her, like you are, and were, with you mother. Only this time she's not family and they don't have that trust. Or they'd want to use her, have her magic, and get her to do work for them. People tend to be good as a whole but this is something new, something I don't understand. I'm curious but... there was this spider one time. I'd never seen it before. It had these red strips on it's back in the shape of a star. I thought it looked so cool and I wanted to catch it. The others saw it and the first thing they did was want to smash it. As a human, I'll take our faults, but something potentially 'dangerous' is going to have the same results that Shuu and your mom had, only your dad can't always be there."

Saguru looked down. "I guess I always figured if something new came up, people would read and learn about it. I read about spiders so I know that one you described and it is dangerous. I thought Kaito was rare in his 'ignore books and learn about things ahead of time' thing."

"And look where they can turn. Have you ever read a good book about a good witch aside from maybe The Wizard of Oz?"

"I thought that would help. If bad witches are ugly, beautiful witches are good. Now... I guess they are no different than humans. They can be good or bad no matter how they look or act."

"I don't 'know' know. I don't think your mother is really mean and I don't think Akako is really mean, but I haven't met enough witches to tell the difference. Adults don't tend to accept that kind of answer but I'm sure you can understand so I didn't keep it to myself."

"Saguru, did you want to go back home right now or not?"

Saguru closed his eyes, thinking. He did. He really wanted to be with his parents and his brother too. After all this time, why would he not. There was no reason now to stay away from them... except one. "I can not leave my friend behind. It is why I reentered that house." He looked over at Shinichi. "I will go back when you do, I just want a way to leave a message so my family does not worry. Is there a way to write something down and send it to the house?"

Akako thought about it and shook her head. "Not easily, not now that I lost most of ingredients."

"What do you need?"

"Nothing that's easy to get." Shinichi thought a bit. "How far away are we?"

"Hm... four, maybe five miles by now."

"You told me to work with fire magic." Shinichi pointed to the sky. "Smoke. We can just write them a message."

Akako smirked. That kid was pretty smart, and fast about it too. "Okay, what should it say? I can do that."

Saguru thought for a moment before smiling, blushing a little. "Hm, you would not think to ask for a secret word or anything, right? Kaito will know it is me if you write 'Olly olly oxen free'. We used it to let the other know we were safe, usually in games but I hope takes it the same way."

It was a strange word that she didn't know so she had to have him spell it for her but she easily wrote it in the clouds. It should be seen for dozens of miles. "That good enough for you? I still can't tell you when I'll be able to take you home or when Shinichi will want to go back."

Saguru nodded. "Thank you, that should work. Kaito will let them know." Besides, it was not like it would be that long. They spent a week the first time and Shinichi could not have that many more questions than he did at the time.

...

Mom was busy looking for something in the forest while he stayed with dad and the other new person. It was fine and all and he was having an apple while he waited, but he didn't like just standing still. He had been trapped in a basement, in the dark, for a week, and he wanted to move. Climbing a tree or two, his dad watching him like a hawk, Kaito went as high as he could, just to do it, and stared at the strange phenomenon over the tree line. "Hey." He pointed towards it, looking down at his dad. "That's really there, right?"

Toichi moved under Kaito and looked in the direction he pointed. "Unless we are both seeing things, yes. What it means, I have no idea."

"Umm either someone else who knows a witch is playing some sort of game or Saguru is? I mean, I don't think Akako would use that phrase. Maybe Shinichi would. It means he made it to home base, or that I couldn't tag him. He kind of used it the wrong way but I never got around to correcting him."

Toichi thought a second before letting out a breath. "So he used it to mean he's safe or he's telling us he's out of our reach." He looked up at Kaito. "If he used it with you, which way would he mean?"

"Usually he used it with tag and that he reached the tree."

"So he's safe. That's good." He looked up at Kaito and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you two. I never thought this would happen but," Toichi tilted his head. "I think we both need to find our own way to deal with magic."

Kaito tipped his head, looking down. "I have. I like it. I haven't really had it used against me besides trapping me in the house and I don't think I'm really mad about that. Akako didn't want us to leave and I knew you had to be helping mom." He grinned, crouching on a branch and jumping so his dad could catch him.

Toichi reacted and grabbed Kaito out of the air, swinging around and putting him on his shoulders. He returned the grin and nodded. "Saguru says he's safe and Sharon is the only one that can track her, for now." Toichi knew he had to get back to the mill or there wouldn't be a home for any of his family. Besides, if he and Kaito were going to do this, the millwork would give them more ideas than running through the woods.

Sharon noticed that the atmosphere had changed drastically since she had taken off. She put one hand on her hip and looked at the two of them. "I'm not sure what's going on here but I can get something to follow them, something I can put a tracker on. The only problem is only Kaito will be able to go."

"How soon do you have to send it?"

"Before their out of sight." Sharon waved her hand and a large black vulture that she had called to her landed. "It can't hold any more."

Toichi looked up at Kaito before holding the few small tools he had up. "If you're up to it, you can take these and go. It's your choice."

"I'm good." Kaito didn't want to risk losing any of his dad's stuff. "Are you okay with it? You've been scared and I'm not used to that. I'm not scared."

"I had no idea what happened to you two or what was going on. Now, I have a better idea and you both have grown up since I left our home. Take these, so I know you'll come back, and good luck."

Kaito took the stuff anyway, shoving it in his pockets and sliding down his dad's back. His dad was about to let him ride a huge bird controlled by magic. He wasn't sure about growing up but a lot had changed. He grinned, running to the bird and waving. 'I'll be back!"

...

Saguru had been unable to resist watching the stars, tracking and timing the trip while listening to the questions and answers between the other two. He looked around as they dropped into a clearing he barely saw until they were right over it. The sun, now rising just over the treetops, hit the top of a small, crescent shaped lake at one end. There was what looked a rocky shoreline between that and a grassy area that covered the remainder of the opening, but it was harder to tell in the shadows of the trees and the low light.

Shinichi noticed that the blanket didn't quite touch the ground when they stopped and it gave him time to wonder what they were going to do in the middle of no where. It seemed magic didn't quite make something out of nothing, but what it did make required a lot less materials than he would have ever imagined. He didn't think she could just make another house or something, not with so little, or she likely would have been moving more.

Akako got up, stretching. She didn't mind sitting for a while like that, but the evening had been rather stressful. "I'm going to need to get some sleep before I do anything else. So, where do you prefer sleeping yourselves - underground, level, underwater, or up higher?"

Underground made him think of being dead and buried, sleeping underwater might be just as bad. He knew, after all the time on the roof, there was an appeal to being higher. "Up higher please."

Shinichi shrugged. "I don't care much."

Akako wasn't up to teaching them right now and making a place to sleep was too difficult. That left her with one choice. She has some basic magic she could perform without her house, though she was going to need to do a lot tomorrow, and alone, but she'd worry about that later. She put her hand on both their heads, creating a small spell to last a dozen hours, looking down at two small squirrels a second later. She took another second to spell herself as well. Letting someone talk with an animal body was too hard so, yet again, she didn't care to.

Shinichi had assumed that he'd be faced with more magically created phenomenon. The house has been amazing, but it had been physical. It hadn't all had to be magic. He'd been expecting something like that now. He hadn't expecting to be turned into something magic. He looked from much lower to the ground, the world much bigger and much brighter. Wow. If this was a trick, it was an impressive one.

Saguru turned his head toward Shinichi and his head tilted. Tails again. He was not going to lose control again but he was jittery. He could only think this must be how Kaito always felt. The need to move, look at every shadow. Trees were good and safe. He made a strange chirping sound and knew when his tail twitched. He kind of hoped Shinichi was able to keep control of himself.

Kaito landed and came around the trees in time to see everyone turn into squirrels. He couldn't help going over to Saguru and picking him up, the soft honey fur kind of like his hair color. "Aw, you're so cute!"

Saguru mentally thought 'cute!?' and scrabbled to get out of the hands and fully intended to get him back for that and licking him. If he needed to crawl into his hair or tickle him by crawling up his sleeve... oooo, it was a small dark hole, explore.

Kaito had been hoping to surprise Saguru but not that much. He yelped, not wanting to hurt Saguru but his brother had just crawled into his clothes and his little rat feet both hurt and tickled. "Hey, hey! Stop it!" He took a few steps backward, trying to get Saguru out without making him scratch him.

Akako dropped her magic quickly, looking around. She had far better sight than even many witches, being that her powers lay in darkness, but she wasn't sure another couldn't hide from her. "Kaito? How'd you get here?"

Kaito had tears in his eyes and was choking on laughter, unable to answer with Saguru still on him.

Shinichi didn't know why but he was breathing hard, tempted to either run up at the tree or run after the other squirrel. In his head he knew it was Saguru but he didn't care for some reason and he found his legs moving and his body seeking the other to chase them down.

Kaito had to fall to his knees so it at least gave Saguru and whoever an easier path to the ground. He knew there were tears on his face from the mix of the tickling and pain and he wanted them to stop.

Akako sighed. "Enough of this." She put a hand on Kaito's head as well, considering she couldn't reach the others, and let his speech go with his shape. Three confused squirrels were left before her. "Get a hold of yourselves."

Kaito was suddenly much smaller but he felt much better and let himself take in a few deep breaths, enjoying the feel of the grass.

Before the kids could run off on her, now that she had them all calm and they weren't about to show up inside of Kaito's shirt, she turned them back, hands on her hips which helped more with the fact that she was her current age. "I thought 'going nuts' was just an expression."

Saguru did his best to not blush and shifted from foot to foot. He wanted to tell her it was just getting him back but he knew he had lost himself and went beyond his intentions, which he did not want to admit to either but was less embarrassing. "Sorry, I guess I was more tired than I realized and it got away from me. Squirrels are more excitable than Kaito."

Kaito punched his brother. "That's for clawing me with your teeny tiny claws."

Akako sighed. She didn't think she was in danger but there were still a lot of questions. "Kaito, I have to ask again. How did you get here?"

Kaito kept his eye on Saguru, making sure he could doge any retaliation. "Mom did something to a bird and I kind of flew here. It could only carry me though, if that's what you're asking not so subtly."

Akako was a bit startled by that. Saguru seemed the more... keen of the two. She did let herself relax though. "I suppose your mother won't be far behind. Here, don't move a second." She touched Kaito's forehead, putting a shield around him so there wasn't a way for their mother to track him. She did the same to Saguru and Shinichi. "Okay."

Kaito folded his arms and glared at his brother. "I thought you would be happy to see me." He spared another glare at the other kid. "And what was that for?"

Shinichi shrugged. "Animal instinct I suppose."

Saguru finally gave up trying to get him back. "It is your fault for calling me cute. I really did lose myself or I would have curled myself in your hair." He smiled though and hugged him. "I am really happy to see you though."

Kaito hadn't been around people for a while, and even the time spent with mom and dad just now was short. He relaxed a lot and hugged Saguru back. He had to admit, he did miss his brother, even though he'd rather be out with other people and doing other things as well - not spending twenty-four hours a day with him like he was before. It was better than that dark basement though.

"If I give you any less instincts you'll fall out of the tree." Akako thought about it. "I don't have enough materials for more either. All of you had better behave this time." She cast the spell, simply with a bigger circle so she didn't have to touch them.

It seemed squirrels could hug and he found himself closer to the ground once more and a lot of fur touching his own fur as he was a small animal again. He couldn't smile at Saguru but he let him go, touching him lightly with a... claw? before running up a tree. Tag, you're it.

Saguru was not going to let him get away that easily and, in these bodies, he would be just as good as Kaito when it came to trees. He took off, tiny claws digging into the wood as he climbed the tree. He wavered a little and hesitated briefly when it came to going to the limbs themselves. His mind torn between reminding himself he was smaller and lighter to the part that insisted the limb would never hold him. So, this tree thing was a little more tricky. He shoved the fear away and took off after Kaito, stopped, took a few more steps, stopped.

Saguru would have had a heart attack if he were not trying to catch Kaito. The black squirrel was doing things only real squirrels could and as much as he thought about it and tried to just do it, his attempt to jump on one of the branches for the one Kaito had just jumped on left him clinging to it with his front feet and hanging there while he tried to figure out how to grab the underside with his back legs and crawl back on top. He chirped at Kaito, hoping he got the message that he would get him.

What are they doing? Shinichi thought to himself. He watched the other two, Saguru trying to cling to the branch as if he had only hands and no back claws and Kaito jumping around like a monkey instead of a squirrel, digging his claws in too deep. He let the two of them run around like idiots while he ran up the tree and went from branch to branch, testing out his own claws and the new length of his body. The other two weren't stretching like they should be, making them run far too slowly. He easily passed them, jumping to a few other tress and testing running upside down and around before stopping near them, flicking his tail at them - an instinct he didn't really want to show off. He wouldn't attack them so he settled on using it as a show of dominance over them.

Kaito blinked a few times. He was good in trees. He had always been one to climb up anything high and just have fun. The other kid, someone he took for a friend of Saguru's and another bookworm, just ran past him like the wind. Watching him was almost... amazing. The other kid was fast.

Saguru tilted his head, his attention pulled to the brown squirrel and felt a little smug that someone, finally, could show Kaito up at something his brother was usually the best at. At the same time, it made him feel even more pathetic. His tail flattened behind him as soon as he got up and he huffed. He needed to figure out how to use the thing for more than the knee-jerk reactions it made on its own.

Shinichi jumped down and over, going back to the other two. He walked a line back and forth a bit, one paw going over the other, the rhythm of it and showing how he was actually wasn't moving more than one foot at a time, though they were only off by the littlest of margins. He then sat on the tree branch, the thin part not holding him well, and tipped his nose at Saguru.

Seeing it done that way did help, since it was different than Kaito even. Saguru tried the pattern, missing a couple times when a foot was still up when another rose. It was harder to do, even if he could both picture and describe the steps and motions involved.

Kaito saw Saguru practicing and decided he may as well try it like that too. Shinichi seemed to be able to walk better on the thinner part of the limb than he could - or had been willing to risk trying.

Akako watched them and their teacher. She could find a good tree for a nest and make one while they ran around. It would have been easier but it looked like they needed to do a bit of learning still anyway.

Saguru was sure he could describe ever movement possible and the meaning behind a squirrel's actions. He saw Kaito improving and while he was moving better, he knew he kept second guessing his own moves but he at least caught the branch with his claws when he came up short on a jump, even if it left him hanging upside down for a few seconds until he climbed back on.

Once they had the basics down and weren't about to trip over their own paws, Shinichi took off. There was so much of the forest to explore with new eyes and nose and ears that could see and hear and smell so much better than he normally could. While studying magic would be equally as interesting, he doubted that there'd be any spells added to the animal one and he wanted to test his own limits.

Kaito was having a lot of fun. Squirrels could, of course, climb better than he could and it was fun being upside-down, even if it seemed to scare Saguru when he did it. He was sure he was smiling but it didn't really feel like he was. Could a squirrel not smile? He didn't care, having fun still running around his little brother, though Saguru was getting a lot better.

Saguru managed to get his feet under him again, frustrated with himself over the failure of getting his new body to do what his head wanted it to do. He tried going after Kaito again but, even if he managed to run along the top of the branch, his mind kept him from circling the branches or making the longer jumps that Kaito was able to do, keeping his brother out of his reach.

Kaito loved having a small, fast body. He could do so much he couldn't before but he was still smaller and found himself growing a bit tired. While he would have gotten tired anyway, he hadn't been doing much all day and that sandwich wasn't enough to keep him happy. He sniffed the air, in search of something small and hopefully edible.

Saguru was ready to sleep and had given up directly chasing Kaito. He settled down and watched his brother sniff around. He wanted to roll his eyes when he realized that he was looking for food and that made him hungry. On the other hand, Kaito must have burned more of what they ate the previous night running as much as he had. He tilted his head and looked around, debating on seeing if squirrels actually could eat any kind of nut or if a pinecone would due since he doubted any kind of meat could be eaten.

Kaito found some weird berries on a tree. He had eaten berries off of bushes and tress before and, even hearing warning, hadn't gotten sick on them. He was sure animals could eat more than he could anyway so he didn't mind trying it. Eating them was weird though. He found he had to hold onto it or it would go back too far in his mouth, where he couldn't chew it. That though, was fun. He ate a few, getting bored and partially full, and stuffed a few in his mouth before looking around for Saguru. This way he could have breakfast without trying to find the tree again, and he didn't know where they were going to sleep.

Saguru curled around a nut he had found, wrapping his tail around himself and finding it comfortable. He was amazed the nut could be eaten so easily, even if it was a little awkward. The front teeth were stronger than his own because there was no way he could do this as a human. He wondered what Kaito ended up finding.

Kaito spotted Saguru, his tiny fingers scratching at the tree bark. He wondered how quiet he could be and slowly started to walk towards them. His vision might be better now but Saguru wasn't looking around and, hey, he was a lot darker than Saguru and blended easier with the tree.

Saguru was not sure what triggered it but he suddenly bit the nut, held it in his mouth and got all our legs under him. It took a moment for his mind to catch up to the reaction to realize he had eyes on him. Cover. Safety. Or stand and fight. No, this body could not fight well enough. Unless it was one of the others watching him. Likely. But could he know that there was no danger? He had seen a small hole formed by the roots near the base and that would be safe. Saguru was really wondering how he could do anything when each thought could be countered so fast. Saguru blinked when things went dark and realized he had lapsed too much and instinct sent him headfirst down the tree to the hole, nut and all. Flighty thing, that's for sure.

Kaito laughed. It came out as a chirping noise but it still sounded very much like laughter to his own ears and he'd never heard a squirrel sound like that before. He even lost one of his berries but didn't care. Saguru was so afraid of going down the tree and he'd just got him to do it, upside-down.

Saguru twitched his ears and heard a squirrel chirping, knowing it was the sound Kaito had made before. He knew, if he were still human, he would be blushing. That was embarrassing. He curled around his nut again, glaring at the opening and certain Kaito would show up there to gloat sooner or later.

Kaito followed Saguru down the tree, paced a bit more simply because he wasn't running. He peeked his head around the bulges that his brother was hiding behind and tipped his head, his mouth still full, hoping that made it look like he was grinning more at him.

Saguru had just taken another bite of his nut when Kaito, as he expected, stuck his head in front of the opening. He could not believe Kaito managed to grin that wide with his mouth full and found he could not stick his tongue out at him in return. He twitched his tail instead and returned to his nut.

Kaito shook his head and crawled in beside him, spitting out some of his food. He was surprised it wasn't really wet. Apparently he didn't have a lot of saliva. He pushed one over to Saguru, curling up beside him and letting out a contented breath. This would be the first time in a while he'd actually been with someone as he was going to bed.

Saguru tried to make a face but it did look all right and the smell with the heightened senses was tempting. He sniffed it before pulling it closer. He had no idea how to say thank you but he managed to get his body to give in to tapping his paw on the other squirrel's head before curling his tail over them both and eating, happy to have his brother back too. He had no idea where the other two were but he was fine sleeping here.

Akako watched the other two from on high. It was cute, in it's own way, but she badly wanted to put a collar on them or something. They wouldn't go far, not like that, and she was sure the other boy would come back at some point in time. If he didn't, she was no baby sitter. Curling up in her little nest by herself, she spoke a few quiet words of a spell to protect them from anything out there during the night while she slept. Just in case.

…

Saguru wanted to groan when he woke under a warm but heavy body. It was comfortable but fur was in front of his eyes and he knew it was not his. It took a moment to remember they were not human anymore. He rolled his eyes, wondering how he thought Kaito would be less restless this way. He squirmed a little, trying to get the tail out of his eyes and maybe wake Kaito by giving his ear a tug if he took too long waking.

There was a bright light that he knew he recognized as the sun and movement that shook his sleep-filled world. He hadn't missed waking up this way. Turning over so he was on his stomach and harder to get off, he shifted his head and settled his face near what he had to guess were Saguru's shoulder blades. It was comfortable.

Saguru mentally groaned and, after trying to get him off a few more times, relented and experimented with moving his tail to see if he could tickle his brother somehow.

Kaito sneezed when something brushed past his nose. He shifted, realizing he still had the berries in his cheeks from last night and spit them out to the side. Shaking his head he got the rest of the way off of Saguru and kicked at him with a tiny foot.

Saguru squeaked and spun to face him, mentally rolling his eyes and making a face at the additional berries that were now next to where he had been. He could not believe Kaito slept with his mouth full.

Shinichi had slept, for a little bit at least. The noise woke him and he went over, soon discovering it was only the other two and not more squirrels, running back off to see what new sights the morning had to offer.

Akako came down, hoping to catch all of them before the one boy ran off again. That was a bit annoying but she was at least able to get the other two before they ran off. "This was only for the night. Come here." She wasn't about to change them back in the tree roots.

Kaito moaned and it came out as some kind of weird chirps. He liked being a squirrel. There was so much more freedom. Not having words though was a bit of a downside. While he was still small he quickly went and took one of the berries, eating it so he would, hopefully, not be hungry.

Saguru paused midstep before wondering if Kaito had the right idea. Eating the small amount now with a smaller body could work, as oppose to being changed back and needing to eat more. Besides, it would serve him right if he lost out on one for laying on top of him. He darted his paw in and grabbed one, eating it quickly before dashing out and sitting quietly in the grass.

Saguru was such a pushover, being a nice, good, little boy to even their kidnapper. He quickly ate a second before follow his brother out, spitting what was left of it at Saguru's face before sitting next to him.

Saguru instantly started telling Kaito off as he wiped the pieces off his fur, the chirps and squeaks mixed and, even without words, he was going to make sure Kaito knew what he meant.

Akako rolled her eyes, speaking a few quiet words and weaving magic around them. The chirping was so loud.

Kaito snickered, once he felt he had the vocal range to do it. He couldn't help it.

Saguru huffed and crossed his arms, glaring at his brother.

Akako had to wonder why Saguru was so bothered at all when she had separated them. They hadn't brought up that conversation so she'd let it go. "I have more magic now, and time. While I'd like to set up a house, doing so in the middle of nowhere with nothing is still near impossible. I suppose doing something like this every night will be easier while I slowly make up a new home." She wasn't going to stay where she was, with that other witch knowing. Akako smiled, her age yet again around theirs. "Before that, and as I don't have that other boy with all his questions right now, are either of you interested in anything at the moment?"

Kaito shrugged, nudging Saguru. He felt the strange urge to tackle him still, holding off only because it might get violent.

Saguru had been wondering some things but still had no idea what was safe to ask or how to word things to get at the differences between her and their mother. He did not want her to know what their mother could do, what she was limited to, just in case Miss Akako still turned out to be bad. When Kaito nudged him, he glanced over, realizing Kaito knew less of mother than he did. He turned back to her and swallowed. "Not right now, thank you."

"Feel free whenever. You are with me for a while, unless, of course, you're going to leave while I'm not looking. You'd go back on your word though, and I don't think you would." Akako let out a breath. "I have no kitchen or books or anything anymore. I do need to gather some things. Would you mind a few hours in the forest on your own?"

Saguru shook his head. "No, we will be fine." He reached for his brother's hand and tugged him. "Come on, we can wash up in the lake."

Kaito had no idea what Saguru was doing but he certainly wasn't going to throw him in the lake. "See you later." Then his attention was completely on making sure Saguru would get wet long before he did.

Saguru glanced over his shoulder at Kaito and, past him, Miss Akako. Since they had been squirrels, Saguru could not tell Kaito what he knew, now, he had that chance.

Kaito stopped them before they reached the water. "You're not getting me in there with clothes on."

Saguru rolled his eyes. "You need to wash them anyway and we need to talk. I have a lot to tell you and I do not want her to know, just in case."

Kaito knew he had a point there but there was a difference between going in there naked and washing his clothes, and being pushed in there with even his shoes on. "Okay, but before the lake then." Kaito didn't really know what he had to tell him but he had been locked up for a while.

Saguru shook his head. "No revenge for when you knocked me into the creek, promise. I still feel berry in my hair though so I am going to wash while I talk." He continued on and knelt by the water, cupping his hands and taking a few sips first before he started to tell Kaito, in a very quiet voice, about what mother could do and what he overheard Miss Akako telling Shinichi.

Kaito had noticed mom doing some weird things and everything Saguru said just finished putting the pieces together. He got off his clothes, bathing a little ways away from Saguru while he spoke. There wasn't much that he could tell in return besides the fact that he'd been in the dark and really bored while they were separated.

Saguru was glad to be clean but smiled a little at being back with his brother. He waited until he was turned away and splashed some water toward him before making sure he acted like he had done nothing.

Kaito grinned, ducking under the water and going after his brother. It wasn't like he could get any more wet and he wasn't wearing clothes. It had been a while since he'd had the chance to do something like this, and, though not as long, a while since Saguru seemed just as interested in playing with him and not just being a victim.

Saguru took a few steps back when Kaito dove, knowing that he was coming for him but this time, he would be ready.

Kaito was able to open his eyes under the water and chase Saguru faster than he could run with the water. He was afraid he'd kick him so he did the next best thing, flipping backwards easily and making his legs stick up and kick water at him.

Saguru held up his arms when the splashing started, crouched and began to circle Kaito to minimize the amount of water that could reach him and maybe sneak up on him.

Kaito needed to come up for air and noticed Saguru close to his side. He didn't want to kick him, pushing forward with his hands and turning to spray him more, this time to take off. He made sure he was a few feet away at least before coming up for air and smiling.

Saguru swung some water at him but he was laughing. He missed this a lot and, even if he got on his nerves sometimes, he was not going to let them be separated again.

Kaito splashed Saguru back, Saguru really needing to work on 'playing' more often. He wiped his eye where some water had gotten into it, feeling something brush past his leg as he looked down, the hair on the back of his neck standing up as he froze. Shivering, Kaito pulled his leg back and looked closer at the water.

Saguru smirked. "Is the water too cold for you?"

"Ah, yeah, a little." Kaito would rather admit to cold water than that he was afraid of the stupid little things in it. He was never sure if his brother had found out about that one failed prank that had left him trapped with the slimy things for hours before one of the others decided to help him out. In any case, he wasn't staying in the water any longer.

Saguru shook his head, enjoying the water and deciding to swim a bit more. "I guess you need to wait until the afternoons to swim if you can not stand it in the morning."

Kaito didn't answer him, drying himself off as best he could and dampening his clothes as he put them on. He shivered again, knowing it would be a while until he bathed again. There was no way he'd go back in there willingly. With all the water near them having far less of those things than it had in the past, he had forgotten just how many there were.

Saguru rolled his eyes. The water was not close to cold to him so he dove under himself and smiled as he looked around before swimming.

Bored and not wanting Saguru to figure anything out, Kaito looked to the trees instead. Akako seemed gone now, and as much as he wanted to be an animal again, he had to wonder if some of his talents weren't a little magical. He was faster, more athletic, than a lot of the other kids. Saguru and he were both far smarter, if he ever wanted to put any effort into schoolwork. Was magic really just for girls, or did it just take a different form with them?

Saguru explored the water after swimming from one end to the other. There were a lot of fish here and he knew they could be cooked. It had been a while since they last ate fish with how hard they were to catch. He drifted face down, glancing around at them and wondering how to herd them to the shore.

Shinichi had had to sleep but exploring the forest and its animals was amazing. As small and lithe as he was, he was a possible meal to many of them but a hard one to catch. There didn't seem to be any shortage of game over here and he wondered if that town shouldn't just all move up and leave to somewhere like here. He didn't care about that much though, and had no say in it, smelling new plants and berries, watching both sleeping and awake animals that he'd never had the chance to observe this closely before.

Saguru managed to form a pile of dirt and branches to form a corral to put a few of the fish and let them swim until he made a fire. He knew rubbing sticks should do it and now, without Miss Akako, he could try it for himself.

Kaito flipped around for another tree branch, feeling how easy it was. It wasn't easy for Saguru though... or at least, he didn't know. His brother had never really tried so it was hard to tell. He dropped down, staying far away from where he noticed a splash. "Hey, I've been wondering... we're twins and that's weird enough, considering we look nothing alike but are we more than different? We're not really like the other kids." He used to take pride in that fact. Now he was just confused.

Saguru looked up from where he was trying to get some smoke and frowned. "Shinichi is like us. He picks up things pretty fast and knows a loot of what I do. To be honest, I thought the other kids in town must have just never really tried. How you kept up with me goofing off, I never figured out. Why?"

"Well, he probably tried hard, like you said. I don't think I ever did, or do. And I know everything the second I'm taught it. You don't study either, so you can't say stuff like that." Kaito tipped his head towards the water. "And you're one of the only people who can keep up with me, when you actually want to try. No one else can. Unless they're a squirrel, maybe,but I'm talking about normally. I never really had totry with anything. Once I know it, I just kind of know it. I can even outrun our teacher. I don't think kids are suppose to be able to do that, are they?"

Saguru paused, thinking about how he had, at times, thought the teachers and most adults were ignoring things that were right in front of them. He brushed it off as them thinking he would not notice or something and enjoyed proving them wrong by pointing things out. Now, he had to wonder if they really had not known or figured out whatever it was. "So, even if magic is in women like mother and Miss Akako, maybe you and I are in between?" That was strange. "Hm, we can ask Shinichi when he shows up but he took to being a squirrel better than either of us. I wonder if his mother is a hidden witch too. She was apparently the one that mentioned the necklace."

Kaito shrugged. "I don't' think I would have believed in witches at all. Thinking that they might just be running around and we didn't notice isn't that much of a bigger step. Isn't he a squirrel still though?'

"I think so. He was not with us so unless he came across her while she was out, he is still scampering around." Saguru felt a small tug at his mouth. "You know, maybe you do have some of mother's abilities. Our parents were the only ones that were immune to your smile and fast talking to get out of trouble."

Kaito smirked back. "Well then I'm not, seeing as I couldn't get dad. You were the one who always wormed me into trouble when I didn't really do anything."

Saguru smirked. "You did enough things without being caught, I was balancing those out."

Kaito shrugged, wanting to push Saguru if he were closer. He looked up at the sky. "You know, I like being away from home right now, as much I liked seeing mom and dad. There's was something scary about them..." Kaito lost a bit of his smile. "What do you think is going to happen to us? We were going to move but now everything's all confusing."

"Well, Mr. Suzuki will be building that house for us so I think we will still move there once we get together again." Saguru sighed. "I would rather we could do this but closer to one of the towns. This far away, with no way to see them if something happens. It has felt like an attempt at a fancy prison."

Kaito could understand that, but there was something he understood far better. He had met a girl in town and several others, people who often avoided him. Those in the back, the ones who weren't smiling, like his brother, were always the ones who caught his attention when he pulled something. It was why he didn't really distrust everyone. Even the quiet ones who only complained about him were lonely, and being alone was sad. To the witch lady, even if she was the one responsible for keeping them stuck there... He didn't think she felt the same way about it that they did. She was always alone. "I don't know about a prison, but it made me sad for Akako. I don't think she knows what it's like to have a family, like we do. Mom and dad... they were scary when I saw them, only cared about us. I know why, we're family, but then I think that, being out here and with no larger contact, that there would be no one missing the witch lady if she were to go missing." He smiled. "Except us. I don't think she's being mean, or was. I think that it's a lot nicer to think that people aren't mean and we're all just confused. If it hadn't looked like her and mom were about to hurt each other, I wouldn't actually mind having a big sister."

Saguru sighed. "Before, I would have agreed right away but I do not trust her that much anymore. Maybe your trust in her will help both sides."

Saguru sighed. "Before, I would have agreed right away but I do not trust her that much anymore. Maybe your trust in her will help both sides."

Kaito shrugged. "You're my brother first, whether I like her or not. If you don't trust her, that's fine. I still have you and mom and dad. You used to like her though. I guess I haven't really noticed much about her aside from the fact that magic is pretty cool and I don't like that she made me be alone down in the basement like dad says she did. She could have left a light on or something. She didn't try to hurt me though and, even though mom has, she's mom. She was scared and said so and she came to find us so..." It was hard for him to really hate anyone aside from the bullies form school, and they didn't feel like bullies.

Saguru smiled and looked down. "Well, I am not going anywhere without you this time and if we are together, maybe we can figure out everything."