PLEASE READ!
I am a complete idiot! The Original third Chapter was merely the first chapter revised. I had not meant to do that. I'm so sorry for the confusion! I got a lot of hate email for it. I'm so stupid i didn't know how to work the doc manager at all, this shit is all new to me. I'm so so sorry. I thank you all for your messages, please feel free to cuss me out as much as you like. I really hope you will continue reading even though I' procrastinate and screw things up :]
Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee don't hate me!
Soooo here we go!
Claustrophobia- the fear of confined spaces.
This particular fear is one of the few I suffer from; so being surrounded by vines, trees and shrubs in what was, obviously, a human made entry and exit into the forest; wasn't very comfortable for me.
The extremely narrow path was clearly made by someone of Yukina's height. The path itself was bare soil, but the walls of greenery encompassing the path were dense and curved together to create an arch overhead.
Not that I really noticed.
I was too busy boring my eyes into Yukina's back to distract myself from the fact that I was close to being devoured by the forest.
Illogical?
Yes! Bite me! That's what phobias are!
I can't help but to squint my eyes as sunlight pours over me. Finally we were free of the forest. Standing at Yukina's side my eyes quickly focus on the behemoth of what appears to be a temple ahead of us. I'm no expert on temples and such, but this one…is faaancy. Huge and fancy. It made sense that Yukina would live somewhere like this, somewhere impressive, a modern day castle pretty much.
" Yukina!" Cringing from the rough booming voice my head snaps up to see a man bolting; arms stretched out, eyes closed with the biggest goofiest smile on his face, toward Yukina. O Ra. He's going to mow us over.
Just as he's a couple yards in front of us, the man skids to an abrupt stop, his arms falling to his sides. His goofy smile replaced by a deeply concerned frown
"Yukina, you're ok! I was so worried about you. Where have you been?"
All I can do is gawk at this odd man. He's a giant of a man with clearly defined muscles protruding from underneath his white wife beater, an elongated face with small beady eyes and a puff of curled hair laying atop his head. He smells of light cologne mixed with the sweat of a hard days' work. He was plainly normal. He didn't have the same unnatural air that Yukina sported and their differences were made quite clear by their proximity. But as he stared down at Yukina, eyes shining bright with concern, it was just as clear that he loved her deeply. My heightened ability to read people wasn't even needed to see that.
"Yea Kazuma I'm alright. I was trapped by a demon"
Kazuma goes rigid with a look of pure fear
"But Umeko saved me"
A demon!? So that's what that thing was. Of course! What else could it be? It was huge, disgusting and monster looking. Jeez, a demon, how weird is that? Thankfully, before I could really digest this new information, Kuzuma's rough voice attracted my attention.
"A demon? But I didn't sense anything and who's Umeko?
Kazuma's face twist between concern, confusion and strangely… determination
"I don't know why you could not sense the demon Kazuma."
Before Kazuma could respond to her comment, Yukina glides her hand across my head, effectively drawing Kazuma's attention down to me. A strange hissing gasp escapes him.
Wow how did he miss me?
"Yukina! That's a really big dog! Look at its teeth!" Kazuma yells pointing an accusing, shaking finger at me
Nope, nope not a dog.
I grin sheepishly up at him exposing more of my impressively sharp teeth, causing him to nearly fall back with an audible shriek.
" Kazuma, she protected me from the demon"
Yukina speaks softly as she places her small hand atop my head, staring up at kazuma with soft hurt filled eyes, but her (what I thought was pretty effective) adorability doesn't seem to fully convince Kazuma as he continues to stare down at me, as if he was mentally preparing himself for when I bit his face off. His fear was an unknowing beacon for my wolf instincts that were rapidly becoming keenly alert to the stark pungent smell of his fear, of his weakness. The sharp clarity that perforated my mind spoke of millennia of nature, of survival, of the hunt. With this ancient clarity came the self-acknowledgment that there were things…in me, I could not completely explain or control; like my adrenaline pumping, or the desire to chase, to feel the victory of a successful hunt. Yet I made no move to attack Kazuma and Yukina petting me like a faithful lap dog helps to quell my wolfy instincts. I may be a wolf, but my humanity has not been lost entirely to the nature of the beast. As if reading my thoughts Yukina assuredly declares
"She may be a forest beast, but she is not aggressive. She lets me pet her freely and she followed me all the way here"
Yeaaa that was mostly for the food…..which I have yet to see
Yukina strokes my head slowly, attempting to prove my friendliness. Kazuma's eyes shift back and forth between Yukina and I quickly. The uncertainty in his eyes cleared slightly, he couldn't help but believe her. It was clear only Yukina seemed not to know that she had Kazuma wrapped around her finger.
Stepping out from under Yukina's hand, I stare up at kuzuma as I sit back on my hunches; allowing my tongue to roll out the side of my mouth. There's a need to befriend this goof ball, but it's not like before; I wasn't being pushed by the old lady. I just wanted to befriend him and why shouldn't I? I was crippling alone without a way home and not to mention the fact that I was furry. A deep heart clenching sorrow grips me as I realize that I am completely depended on these strangers.
Damn Hag
Pushing away my sadness, I stare up at Kazuma with a hopeful attempt at puppy dog eyes. Whimpering I slide myself closer to him still on my hunches. The almost inaudible squeak that escapes him, warns me that any movement more would send him running, screaming in the opposite direction. To my surprise, Kazuma clamps his eyes shut and begins , what seems like, an attempt to reach out and touch me; but his body makes no movement at all beyond stretching out his arm and fingers down and in my direction….
Half ass I swear! Come on you big wuss! I'm not dragging my ass in the dirt to reach you. Just take like two damn steps!
Huffing, I give a half-hearted hop and ending up at the tip of Kazuma's hand. Without thinking, I gave it a giant, slobbery lick.
A half shriek, half yelp serves as my reply. Kazuma rips his hand away from me, stumbling from the sudden movement and falls unceremoniously on his butt with a grunt.
…
Phahahahahaha!
When I chuckle it may sound like a growl, but the rolling around on the ground laughter that rocked me now sounded more like I was snorting and choking at the same time. I was hunched from the laughter, so I didn't see Kazuma and when his hand brushed my head I flinched jerking my head up. Kazuma's hand vanishing. He was still on the ground siting on his knees leaning to me, his eyes as wide as saucers and his hand pulled close to his body. Grinning again I wagged my tail violently behind me. Giving a sharp bark and a whine I trotted in place quickly.
Come on! I'm cute! Pet me! You know you want to!
Happiness fills me as Kazuma chuckles with a lopsided smile and again reaches out to me. I whine softly and push my head in his hand; which is so much larger and burning compared to Yukina's.
"That's a good girl"
His voice was soft and gentle as he petted me. I like this Kazuma fella.
"There you are. I thought I heard a little girl scream"
Hehe a little girl!
I cut my eyes to the side
My vision swims with red. Old Lady... Pure, unadulterated hatred engulfs me. This is her fault. It's all her fault! A growl tears through my teeth, my fur hackles, my ears sleek against my head. Snarling, fangs primed, I was anxious for the glorious shredding of flesh, the crunching of breaking bones. She had to go, the thirst for revenge and justice sings through my blood. What had I done to deserve this? Who the hell was this Old Lady to come in and shit on my life!
" Woah, girl that's just Master Genkai"
Kazuma's voice registers and my mind clears as I quite literally deflate with guilt. This wasn't my Old Lady; it didn't even look like her besides being little and old. This woman looked far stranger compared to my Old Lady. This Genkai women wore what I could only guess was some kind of martial art training outfit. Her hair hangs in loose rivulets past her shoulders, her forehead and eyebrows are concealed by a hat that bares a manjii. The most notable difference between them though was the eyes. Genkai's eyes where narrow, acutely alert, and all encompassing, whereas the others had been large, spacey, and down-right oblivious looking.
Whining softly I sink to my stomach exhausted, feeling so much rage only to have nothing to unleash it on; plus the guilt for growling so maliciously at Genkai. It was too drastic of a swift emotionally, it was just too much. The events leading me here rained down upon me, zapping away any energy I may have had left. I was beyond tired, mentally and physically debilitated wasn't even enough to describe how I felt. Just to solidify my pathetic state, a deep rumble sounds from my stomach, bringing with it the gut wrenching pain of a deprived body. How long had it been since I had last eaten?
Ummm Yukina! I'm starving my ass off over here!
She had after all promised me food!
"Oh Genkai, may I please bring Umeko to the house and feed her? She protected me from a demon and followed me all the way here." Yukina's voice was near to heart wrenching as she looked pleadingly at Genkai. I followed her lead with my own attempt at puppy dog eyes followed by a soft whine.
Pleasseeeeeee!
What if she said no? What if Genkai wouldn't allow me anywhere near her house? I had after all growled at her. Hopelessness swirls within me along with the burning question; what would I do if she did say no?...The answer rang clear in my mind… I would die. I could no more hunt for myself then I could as a human. I was weak unskilled and starving already. I don't know how long a wolf's body could last without food, but I knew wolf or not I could not go much longer.
I stared up at Genkai, pleading with everything I was; hopping, begging that she would say yes. My life was literally in her hands.
Genkai sighs, spins on her heels and begins to walk back to her temple.
"You can feed her, but she better not piss in my house"
Utter relief swells in me. Yes I would not die today! Thank you old lady!
Kazuma chuckles, gives me a hard noogie pet as he stands.
"Thanks Grandma!"
"Kazuma!"
Kazuma just chuckles again and begins to make his way to the temple as well.
Looking up at Yukina my tongue hanging to the side happily, I yawn up at her. She giggles softly, looks to the temple then back to me
"Come on Umeko let's get you something to eat"
About time!
I bark sharply in agreement and we too begin to make our way to Genkai's temple.
One thought dominates my mind; what was going to happen now?