Chapter 3: Kimi….
Kimi had brushed a strand of dark, almost purple, hair out of her face as she walked down the street, looking warily at the humans proceeding around her. She was finally beginning to resister that she was on earth. Making failed attempts at finding out where she was specifically. ' I don't even know what city this is' she thought crossly, but knew she couldn't be to upset with the people that ignored her. Though her outfit was normal for the demon forest, it wasn't that normal of Earth. The more time she spent roaming the streets among the busy humans she began to think of the accident that had landed her in the demon forest. ' It has been a long time' she thought as she her mind started to stray to thinking of the incident.
" Let's go on a camping trip" had been the simple suggestion from her father. At the time Kimi was excited enough at the time, being a child of twelve. " Satu! Satu! We are going on a camping trip!" she had yelled busting through her brothers room. He was lying on the bed reading a book and peered over the binding to look at her. " Oh really and why does Kimi seem so excited?" Satu asked with a smile. Kimi grinned and out of nowhere jumped up on her brother and wrestled him off the bed and onto the ground. " Cause we are going together". She pinned him down " And we will have fun". Satu smiled up at this sister then grabbed her arms flopping her down on the ground and lightly pinning her. He was sixteen and quite strong, pinning his little sis was no venture for him. " You still can't beat me Kim-Kim" he teased knowing she detested that name. " Maybe not right now" she said struggling under him " But I'm going to get strong, and one day you will on the floor".
The family of four had planned for weeks and looked forward to this one trip. They hadn't had a vacation together in a while and were due for some quality time. The day of the trip finally came and they set out to the camp grounds that they had reserved. Kimi and Satu spent all day swimming in the lake and their parents stood off on the shore, relaxing and enjoying each others company. She remembered how she could hear their laughing over her and Satu's splash fights. Anyone would think that a family as happy and functional as this would be invulnerable to any danger, but the fact that they were was found out very abruptly. Kimi sat there eating her S'more looking at her parents and her brother " I want to go on a night hike" she finally said. Satu looked up from his hotdog " Why would you want to do that?" . Kimi thought about this and figured that ' because I want to see the forest at night' was going to get her anywhere so she stuffed the graham crackers, with marshmallows and chocolate, into her mouth and mumbled something. Satu crossed his arms over his chest " I really don't feel like going on a little hike through the woods in the dark". It was at this point Kimi's mother intervened " Kimi doesn't ask for much, why don't we let her choose the activity tonight?" Her father nodded an approval and Satu sighed in defeat " Whatever".
They hit the one mile in silence. Satu didn't like to lose, to anyone, and Kimi was to busy being entertained by the forest. ' I would live here, if I could' she thought with a smile. Her father stopped and the rest did the same. " I think we should head back for the night." the other members of the family nodded an agreement, but someone else had another idea. " What's the rush?" a voice came from a shaded area of the forest. " Yeah we were just going to have some fun" another complied to the first and there was a group laughter that followed as a group of men stepped out of the shadows of the trees into the dimly lit path lights and moonlight. Kimi's father stepped forward a bit. " You boys should be inside, the woods aren't safe at night" this caused another roar of laughter from the group of men. " We know" the apparent leader of this little pack said as claws formed on his hands and his bones began to shift " We are what makes these woods dangerous" the leader managed to say before his vocal cords shifted.
This was no group of normal of guys. Welcome to the area's local were-pack. The history of this odd bunch was unknown, how a varied bunch such as them got together was a mystery. The group consisted of two were-lions, two were-wolves, a were-bobcat, and a were-panther. Which all showed to their true colors to this little family on this night of a full moon, with murderous intent. Kimi watched in horror as the men changed and let out a loud and long scream. Once they took on their forms, they sprung into action. " Run the both of you" he father said pushing her to move forward. Kimi ran, it was am instict she had then, she took off and heard Satu's footsteps behind her. They might have made it back to the campsite at least if Kimi hadn't have stopped and looked back when she heard the scream of her mother. " Kimi don't look" Satu said trying to get her moving again.The were's that had been pursuing her and Satu where then given the time they needed. The panther lunged at Kimi but Satu pushed her down moving her out of the way as the panther's claws raked into Satu's flesh. " Satu!" Kimi yelled trying to get to his aid, but she had her own problem to deal with. The bobcat stood behind her and attacked, in minutes Kimi was riddled with fresh, deep gashes that streamed blood. " Satu! Help me!" she said tryng to get back to him, not getting far before passing out on the ground. From fear, exhaustion, shock, and blood loss.
She roused awake finding herself in an ambulance. " Where is my mom and dad, where is Satu?" The EMT looked sadly down at the little girl. " Your brother is in another ambulance, I'm afraid your parents didn't make it, dear" he said trying to sound as comforting as he could " They were attacked by animals that weren't tagged" Kimi's face scrunched in anger " They were killed by monsters" she retorted laying back down., as she looked at the huge gash that was bandaged on her arm. Once at the hospital, here and Satu was placed in the same room. " Satu…" she started when they were finally alone with no doctors fussing over them. " this is all my fault…." she said starting to cry. Satu looked over from his bed " Don't ever say that Kimi it wasn't your fault. We will get through this….me and you" She remembered the smile he had put on his face for that moment to try and make her feel better, even though he was hurting from the inside and out.
Kimi was shaken out of her session down memory lane as she raised her head, and a scent hit her nose. It didn't belong to here, it didn't belong to this world. Just as she no longer did. She looked up to in time to see what to her eyes behold but a kitsune coming out of alley. " What the heck is a kitsune doing here?" she muttered irritably " and why she pretty much displaying herself to the humans, her ears and tail are still out in the open". Kimi shook her head and started to walk away when she heard the sudden noise of squealing tires and hitting brakes. " She didn't" Kimi looked behind her seeing the kitsune walking out into oncoming traffic, narrowly avoiding a collision with a car " Idiot".
Alivia looked back wearily at the street where cars were still speeding by " What in the name of an Oni's mother was that!" she gaped as she sat on the sidewalk looking at the speeding vehicles. " I-It almost hit me" Alivia thought for a second then gasped " I might have offended the poor creature." she scrambled to her feet and waved at the cars " Sorry honorable creatures of this dimension. I meant no offense. Please accept my full hearted apology." But the cars didn't stop and Alivia's ears went down like they always did when she was confused or sad, which she was currently both. She was beginning to dislike this world. " All alone again" she mumbled with a sigh. Alivia went to go back to the alley, but stopped midway as she picked up an aura and a unique smell among the generally stereotypical smell that came from all humans. Turning she found her the obstruction, a girl walking toward her across the street as cars stopped. " A were-bobcat?" she said happily as the girl drew closer . Alivia ran up to her meeting her halfway " it's a relief to see one of my own here!, Who are you? What forest are you from? Do you know where we are? Do you want to be my friend?" she asked beaming to the Were.
All Kimi heard as the kitsune came to her was a squeaking noise that she assumed was her try to communicate with her as she was bombarded with questions, only catching some. " I'm not one of your own" Kimi said a little coldly. She was once a human, and now a were due to unfortunate events. She would never admit being anything to any demon, especially a ditzy kitsune. A chill went down Kimi's spine as she felt the piercing gazes of the humans walking around them and looking in on there little display. They were given strange looks by the human bystanders ' Oh that's new' Kimi thought bitterly as she grabbed the kitsune's wrist and hauled her back into the alley. To the humans it probably looked like she was going to rob her, or beat her to death out of aggression; though Kimi didn't care. She was stressed and confused, and being those just made her flat out irritated and angry.
