Countdown: 5
Here we go! Only 5 updates left until you get a new fic! Unfortunately... I haven't worked on that fic lately ^^; Don't worry, I'll figure the rest out eventually. For those of you with questions about this fic... I'll try to answer them as well as I can. Someone asked me about Isshin searching for Ichigo. He's not searching for Ichigo, persay. He's looking for clues on what happened to his wife in case she happened to survive these last nineteen years. He knew she was pregnant, she was heading to join him wherever he was at the time of the accident. I'm sorry I didn't explain that better, that's one of my big problems when I write. Since I know what's going on, I have difficulty remembering to explain it to my readers ^^; That's one of the reasons I need people to read my books before I decide to get them published.
Shiro: That's 'cause yer too eager ta get ta the good stuff!
Ichi: ... What good stuff?
Grimm: The part where I pound you into the nearest flat surface XD
Ichi: 0/0
Grimm: Then again... I have to admit I'm quite eager to get to that part myself =3
Shiro: I just think it's funny that Ichi actually thinks he has say in it all ;p
Ichi: I hate you all so much. *sighs*
Shiro: Ya keep sayin' that... an' we keep ignorin' the fact it has no more steam =D
Chapter 10
Ichigo is awake the next morning, purring happily at the arm around his waist and the hard body curled behind him. Shiro is across from him, growling in his sleep at the distance of his twin. Carefully, Ichigo scoots away from Grimmjow and snuggles with his brother. The growling stills. Grimmjow, however, wakes at the loss.
"Ichigo?" he mumbles. "What are you doing?"
"Shiro is upset," Ichigo smirks. "He growls in his sleep when he's angry. If I don't stop him, he'll lash out at anyone that gets too close to him. He did that to Shinji once, it took three of the dominant males to pull him off… and my mom. She did most of the work."
Grimmjow frowns, yet gets up to stretch languidly anyway. The den seems much smaller now that there are three tiger clans and a jaguar clan inhabiting it; however it's much more comfortable. Ichigo slips away from Shiro and hurries outside, Grimmjow hot on his tail. The orange head usually heads to the river to bathe if he's awake before Shiro, which doesn't happen often. That's where he heads now, though he didn't expect the company.
"Ichigo, stop," Grimmjow growls. "You're to stay within sight of the clans."
"Why? The humans are at the beach, they won't bother us out here," the other comments innocently. "Besides, I want to bathe in the river. I'm okay as long as you're with me."
"Ichi, I'm not… part of your clan," Grimmjow finishes. "They'll be worried about you and if something happens that I can't stop, they'll blame me. Let's not make more bad blood between our fathers, okay?"
"We'll be fine. I'll only be there long enough to bathe."
With a hesitant groan, Grimmjow gives in. He can finally understand why Aizen never tells Pantera 'no'… it's impossible to deny the pleading eyes you love. He brushes off the thought quickly, racing Ichigo to the river. It's not too far away, so they can get to the den quickly if they need to. The problem is the fact they'd be bringing danger home should they run that way.
Ichigo wades into the cool water, enjoying the chill of the water against the humid air. Grimmjow joins him, cyan pools alert for any threats in the area and ears searching for displaced sounds. The orange headed tiger is smart enough to keep quiet as he washes up, allowing Grimmjow complete silence that will make keeping guard easier. If there's a footstep that shouldn't be near them, the jaguar will hear it with ample time to hide them.
Grimmjow just sits in the water, unmoving and intent as Ichigo ducks under the water to cleanse his hair. Seeing that the other is doing nothing more than finding reprieve from the heat, Ichigo moves closer to wash Grimmjow's still body. Grimmjow purrs quietly as thin fingers are drawn along his skin, the only sign that he's enjoying Ichigo's ministrations. Once they're clean enough, they begin to move away from the water… and a twig snaps. Grimmjow tenses, turning his head to pinpoint the noise. Ichigo doesn't move a muscle, the jaguar keeping himself between the tiger and the direction of the noise. Carefully, he pulls Ichigo back into the water and toward the cattails that group near the other side. The two of them hide within the plants, Ichigo tucked close to Grimmjow as he searches for a safety he only feels with his twin. Grimmjow's eyes are ferocious, brimming with bloodlust at the thought of anyone taking away his tiger.
"Find anything?" someone calls.
"No, I think we may have gone the wrong way."
Ichigo's amber eyes catch sight of two humans, one in glasses and a white coat and the other a burly male with dark skin and curly hair. Ichigo's interest and curiosity are immediately piqued. He moves closer to the edge of the weeds, yet Grimmjow is quick to drag him back. He gives the tiger nothing more than a warning glare and Ichigo wilts beneath him.
"We need to collect whatever remains of those bodies, or we'll never know the identities of those lost here," the bespectacled man sighs as he looks around. "This place gives me the creeps; to have stolen the lives of so many… it's sad."
"No one knew there were survivors of the ship wrecks, Uryu," the larger man comments. "They would've been rescued had people known about this island."
"I'm just glad we can finally give them a proper burial, Chad. It's the least we can do for them. And Isshin seems so broken up about his wife… she was pregnant, you know. It would've been their first child together, a little boy."
The two named Uryu and Chad walk away, Grimmjow keeping Ichigo close to him as they get further out of sight. Once they can't see them anymore, Ichigo is scrambling out of the water and moving toward them. Without a second thought, Grimmjow pounces on the tiger.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he growls.
"To follow them. They look like us," Ichigo comments. "I want to see if there are more like us."
"Not happening! Those humans are dangerous, Ichi! I won't lose you to them!" the jaguar hisses. "Now turn your ass around and head back to the den!"
Ichigo pouts, big pleading amber eyes directed at Grimmjow. It doesn't help him get what he wants, unfortunately. Grimmjow holds Ichigo's safety above his wants, so the tiger is firmly directed back to the den. Their parents aren't very happy with them when they arrive, all four of them glowering heatedly at the cubs. Ducking their heads, Grimmjow and Ichigo head over toward the den's opening to stay out of trouble.
Shiro doesn't leave Ichigo's side the entire afternoon, hissing at anyone that comes too close… no matter what clan they're from. It's a little after lunchtime when things begin to feel eerie for Grimmjow. He's sitting with Ichigo, the orange head snacking on berries that grow near the den, when footsteps sound far too close. The tigers have agreed not to harm the humans if they show no signs of aggression, so the cubs are ushered near the den's opening and Grimmjow's and Ichigo's parents lie close to them. The two scientists step into the clearing absently with the woman and that muscular man with dark hair. The growls of warning are what catch their attention.
"Time to backtrack," Uryu murmurs in fright.
"… Wait," the older scientist comments. "Look at them… they're not all tigers. Those are jaguars. They shouldn't be in the same den; they should have their own separate clans. And over there… those two are leaders. You can tell by the way the tigers are separated into two groups around them. There's more than one pack here. This is extraordinary!"
"Isshin look! Those two… they're human," Uryu gasps.
The man with dark hair turns toward the spot Uryu points, his eyes growing wide and his jaw dropping at the sight of orange locks. The boy is a replica of his mother, beautiful with an unnatural hair color and brilliant amber eyes.
"M-my boy," he utters.
He steps closer to the two humans among felines, gasping when a white tiger leaps between them with a hiss. Shiro bares his fangs, swiping a paw in rage, and Ichigo mewls at him. The tiger looks back to his twin, glaring at the humans once more before backing off. The white creature retreats to Ichigo's side, curling up and draping a paw across Ichigo's back in an attempt to keep him close.
"It would seem these felines raised him," Uryu comments. "I believe we should study them from afar for now, Isshin. Perhaps they'll come to trust us enough to interact with their human cubs."
"Perhaps."
Though he agrees, there's a certain amount of pain in his voice. He stays where they are, ordering the others to erect a small camp there. It's as close as the tigers will allow for now. Ichigo watches curiously as the humans move about, his body trying to gravitate closer and Grimmjow making certain that doesn't happen. It doesn't matter to the young jaguar that their clans have decided against violence, if those humans get within ten feet of his tiger he'll kill them.
Ichigo whines when he's pulled back yet again, his insistent curiosity demanding he interact with the humans that look so much like him. Grimmjow isn't having any of it, though. His actions remind Ichigo of a mate, something their parents catch on to as well. Though Pantera is overjoyed at the interaction, the others are slightly unnerved. They hadn't even thought about combining clans through their cubs before, but it's easy to see Grimmjow isn't going to let Ichigo go easily.
Treaty! How exciting! XD I do believe in the next chapter, you guys get a bit of GrimmIchi Lemonade! I did promise you a bit, didn't I? ;p Anyway, I need to get back to staring hopelessly at my outlines while my brain remains blank. I should just go back to watching Avatar: The Last Airbender. I love that cartoon! I've been watching it before bed for the last few nights =) It would be so easy to do a crossover between that and Bleach. I actually already had an idea, but I don't think I'm gonna do that. Until next update, everyone! XD
Shiro: I wanna be an Avatar! *whines*
Ichi: I feel sorry for the world you're Avatar for... you'd use your power for evil -.-
Shiro: *dramatic gasp* How could ya say somethin' like that, Aibou? T^T
Grimm: I'm gonna have to agree with him. I know I'd certainly have fun with that much power! =3
Ichi: Idiots. I'm plagued with powerhungry idiots. T^T