Nya paced in the front of the Garmadon household, waiting for Lloyd to come outside. It had been three days since Kai had gone out hunting, far longer than he had ever been away for a simple trip. Finally the door opened, and the blond stepped out into the chilly sunshine.
"What's going on?" he asked, skipping the greetings when he saw her distraught face.
"Kai's still in the forest!" she began, spinning to her friend and running a hand through her hair. The girl had been so worried about her brother that she did not even attempt to put her hair up that morning. She never wore it down, but in her haste to get the news to her companion she had let it slip her mind. "I'm not sure if he's okay or not, and I wanna go look for him."
"You want me to go with you?" asked Lloyd.
"Yeah," Nya replied. "Those bandits from a few weeks ago could still be hiding out in the woods, or a yokai could've picked a fight with him, or... look the point is that I want some backup just in case something goes wrong."
"Of course," the younger boy assured her, quickly flitting back inside to grab his tome. Being the son of one of the two village elders, he was training to use the magic that they used. The spells came in handy for any situation, perilous or otherwise. He darted back out with the book and a coat. "Let's go." The pair ran down the streets of Jamonikai Village, still rather quiet because it was only about eight in the morning.
The cobblestone roads gave way to dirt as they exited the town and soon they passed by the snow-covered rice fields. In the morning light the white expanse was almost blinding, and they were thankful when they got to the cover of the trees.
"We should take his usual route," said Nya, slowing down to a walking pace. As they turned off the beaten path, the young woman took notice of all the beauty around them. Icicles hung from bare branches, creating a glittering masterpiece under the sun. A few birds sang their bright songs to the entire forest, waiting for an echoing tune. A nearby stream flowed with a few plates of ice here and there between smooth stone banks. Winter was a very gorgeous season around Jamonikai.
"Nya, look!" Lloyd shouted, pointing in the distance to a tent. They brought their pace back to a hurried run, and had to hold back their breakfast when they reached the makeshift campsite. "Oh god what is that smell?"
"Old meat," the huntress told him, looking around until she found the rotting animal carcasses. A flash of panic ran down her spine. "Kai! Kai where are you? It's Nya and Lloyd!"
"Kai!" the blond boy cried out into the trees. "Where're you at, buddy?" They split up, looking around the clearing for any sign of him. Nya checked his tent and saw a lot of his gear just sitting in the center of the shelter. His lamp was long burnt out. A big lump of worry formed in her throat.
"Nya!" came Lloyd's distant shout, very urgent and terrified. She sprinted towards the sound, and found the boy kneeling in the snow. She reached him and gasped at what was in front of him. His bow and arrows were scattered all over the expanse. Although it had snowed a little last night, there were obvious signs of a scramble. Foot prints were all over the place, and then they just disappeared when they tried to follow them and reached the edge of the clearing.
"What do you think happened to him?" the apprentice sage asked. Nya shrugged, then froze as something caught her eye. There was something buried in the snow, just barely visible to make out. She plucked a large, black feather from the powder. Kai's coat was made from the same type of feather, but because the garment was years old the feathers were more brittle and fuzzy from all the constant exposure to the elements. The one she was holding, however, was glossy and somewhat pristine. It was clearly freshly dropped.
"I think he was kidnapped," Nya squeaked, gulping in perturbation. "By a... a yokai." Lloyd dropped down beside her, wide-eyed with concern and hands trembling. He reached out and examined the feather himself.
"This is too big to be from anything but a yokai," he whispered, mostly to himself. After a minute of silent, fearful contemplation, he turned to her. "We have to tell my dad and Uncle Wu."
"Kai," a soft voice gently woke him. "It's time to wake up." The hunter, now knowing that he had to share a bed every night, slept on his side with his back facing his soul partner. Deft fingers brushed over his bicep as the weight distribution on the mattress shifted closer to him. He slowly opened his eyes and felt Zane press his palm onto his upper arm as a sign that he needed to get moving. He was not a morning person, and the amount of light coming from the windows showed that it was far too unreasonable to get out from under the covers.
"Why?" he whined, resigning to a sitting position. "It's early." Seeing that he was making an effort to get out of bed, the half-falcon stood and walked to the dresser.
"I figured that you wouldn't want to stay cooped up all day," Zane responded. "My friends will be expecting you in a few hours. I will drop you off with them so that you can get acquainted while I work." Oh great. More yokai that he would have no idea how to interact with. He flopped onto his back and yanked the covers back over him. He heard the beast sigh and step back towards him.
"Oh come on, now," the yokai whispered. "I promise that they're nice folks, darling." Kai quickly opened his eyes and shot the taller boy a glare.
"I mean, Kai," mumbled Zane, covering up his mistake. "I'll make you some pancakes for breakfast. How does that sound?" The huntsman surrendered with a sigh, dragging himself to his feet.
"Sounds good," he muttered, crossing his arms to show how unhappy he was with waking up so early. The yokai gave him a patient smile and handed him the copper-red sweater they had purchased the day before.
"You should dress warm. My friends do not live in Kyoboku," he told Kai as he took the apparel. The human nodded and ducked out of the room so he could change. Along with the top, his jeans were rather western for his usual attire. Ninjago was a melting pot of cultures, and in contrast to the oriental style of Jamonikai, Kyoboku clothing was very relaxed and comfortable.
He combed through his bedhead with his hand and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he entered the kitchen. The half-bird was quietly putting together a meal. Kai grabbed a glass from the cupboard and yawned, attempting to energize himself with a stretch before pouring himself some orange juice. Zane beamed at him and set the plates on the table. The hunter counted himself lucky in this moment. If he had refused even once to get up, Nya would have badgered him until he did. However, here was Zane giving him sweet grins and a delicious breakfast.
"Did you sleep well?" the yokai asked. Kai took a bite of his pancakes and nodded, deciding not to tell him that he had been woken up in the middle of the night accidentally with a face full of feathers.
"So, who are these friends of yours?" the human wondered, curious as to who he would be spending the day with.
"Ah, I thought that I would leave that a secret," Zane grinned. He was surprised to see it, but there was a glint of mischief in his eye. "All I can say is that they are a bonded couple." Kai nodded, savoring the tasty meal as he thought.
"I have a question," he said. Zane leaned towards him with inquisitiveness. "How did you tell them I would be coming? You were with me all last night." The yokai perked up, and reached around his neck. He placed a white crystalline pendant on the tabletop which was cut into a small cabochon disk.
"This is a communication crystal," said the falcon. "I can talk to anyone else with one of these necklaces at any time." Kai wrinkled his nose, realizing that this was an arcane object. Yokai greatly exceeded humans in their magical knowledge and abilities, and this pendant was intriguing to say the least. He picked up the stone and studied it, looking at the multicolored flecks inside the crystal.
"That's really cool," he smiled, handing the jewelry back to his partner. "Does everyone have one of these around here?" Zane nodded, clasping the chain back around his neck.
"I will get one for you as well," he grinned at Kai. The brunet's brows went up.
"You'd do that for me?" the human asked.
"Well, it would be highly beneficial for me to be able to contact my mate if I am at work," his husband smirked. They finished the rest of their pancakes with happy expressions, and washed the dishes together despite Zane wanting to do it by himself. The yokai packed up everything he would need for the day. Kai put on his old coat, reminiscing in the familiar feeling of the fabric. It was like seeing an old friend after all the craziness that had ensued over the past few days.
"Shall we go?" asked the half-bird. With only a curt nod in reply, Kai allowed himself to be picked up. They took off, flying in the complete opposite direction that they usually went. Over Zane's shoulder, he watched the tree trunks slowly start getting smaller as they exited the Kyoboku Forest. Finally, snow appeared below them. That meant that they were out of the range of the enchantment. A few yokai settlements drifted beneath them, chimneys creating puffs of smoke against the cold winter air.
After a few more minutes of flying, they began to drift towards the ground. Once Zane landed safely, Kai jumped away and looked around. They were near the base of a mountain, where one side of the rocks dropped off into a cliff face. On the forest floor sat ginormous boulders, at least the size of the homes in Jamonikai. He looked to his soul partner, confused. The falcon grinned and led him around a few trees. Kai gasped when he saw a porch made entirely out of a rock face. A quaint, cherry wood door with was in the center, and a large window was in the side of the stone wall. The architecture looked like something straight out of a medieval fantasy novel. Zane knocked, and they waited for only ten seconds before the door opened.
"Hello!" a cheery voice called to them. He had chestnut hair, a pale pink complexion, freckles, a very distinct pair of rabbit ears, and a bushy tail. His azure blue eyes were innocent and inviting. He was dressed in blue winter wear and a slate grey obi, tied in a bow that was adorned with dangling beads. The boy looked positively friendly, a warm nature radiating from him. "Oh, you must be Kai! I'm so sorry I didn't meet you at the bonding ceremony! My name is Jay Walker, nice to meet'cha." He put out his hand, and the human tentatively grasped it. Jay had a firm grip, and shook his hand with an abundance of vigor. How was he so energetic this early in the morning?
"Nice to meet you too," Kai replied.
"Well, it's no use standing out in the cold!" the rabbit yokai smiled. "Zane, do you need anything before you go?"
"No, but thank you," said the half-bird. "I must depart immediately, otherwise Pixal will have to handle the first few items on her own. Goodbye, darling." Kai bit the inside of his cheek in anger, turning to his partner to give him a sour look. Zane flinched with a small laugh, realizing that he had just embarrassed him in front of a stranger.
"See you this afternoon," the human responded, keeping a false happy tone in his voice. The winged boy looked like he wished to kiss him farewell, but then stepped backwards, remembering their agreement. Nothing in public was the golden rule. Zane turned, spread his wings, and flew away.
"Bye, Zane!" Jay yelled after him. "C'mon in, Kai." On the inside, the home looked incredible. The living room was cozy, with a plush-looking sofa and chairs, a fireplace that helped heat and light the space, multiple bookshelves, and a piano that sat in the corner. The dining room was connected to the kitchen. A skylight was directly above the cooking area's middle, giving a bright glow to the place.
"Nice place," Kai told the bunny.
"Thanks," he replied, stepping into the kitchen. The rabbit put away his coat while the tea brewed, and once it was finished they sat down in the living room. The hunter knew he was in for a lengthy conversation from the excited expression on Jay's face. "So, you're a human. Where're you from?"
"Jamonikai Village," said Kai. The yokai's ears pricked, catching the statement with some form of recognition.
"Oh, that's not too far from here!" he grinned. "Easily a day's walk." The human's heart suddenly lurched. A day's walk? If he left now... he could escape back home by next morning. He could hide out there and hope that Zane would never find him.
"Did Zane find you there?" Jay asked, taking a sip. "I mean, no yokai really take humans as mates, like... ever. I can't think of anybody that ever did that. He must really love you." The thumping in his chest ceased, causing a tightening sensation of guilt. He had promised himself that he would start getting used to this. The falcon truly cared about him, he was respecting his boundaries and sharing his home and food with him.
"I guess," the hunter mumbled into his cup. Looking to quickly change the subject, his eyes darted to the bookshelves. "You like reading?" Jay followed his gaze.
"Oh! Yeah, most of those stories are fictional," the half-bunny told him. "I work in a bookstore combined with a library, and I read to kids on the weekends." The occupation seemed to suit the yokai's personality perfectly.
"What do you do?" the beast continued. Kai sighed and drank a little more tea.
"I used to be a hunter when I lived in Jamonikai," he said. "But I dunno anymore. I can't exactly go anywhere if I'm living in the Kyoboku Forest. Don't have wings."
"Well, is there anything that you really like to do?" asked Jay. "You could always take up a hobby." The human thought for a while, wondering what he would take up if he decided to just do things around the house.
"I've always enjoyed drawing and painting," Kai shrugged. "I guess I could do that. I just don't like being restricted." The sound of the front door opening interrupted their thoughts. Jay leapt up and set his tea down, quickly making his way towards the entrance. The hunter looked in the same direction and saw another boy standing in the door. The rabbit was shorter than Kai, and the newcomer had at least five or six inches on him. His skin was a golden olive color and his hair was long and black, pushed back with a headband and tied up in a partial bun. This specific yokai was like Jay, where he sported the tail and ears of an animal, although he had an Asian black bear's features and claws. His outfit was less cheery than Jay's, made entirely of charcoal and ash brown tones, and his eyes held a more distant shine. He was focused on the bags he was carrying and had not noticed the human yet.
"Here, I'll help you," the half-bunny smiled, taking some of the groceries. "Did you find everything?"
"Mhm," said the bear.
"Thank you for getting all this," Jay told him. They set everything down in the kitchen, then the rabbit spun around, holding out his hand to indicate their guest. "Zane's mate is here."
"Oh?" the other yokai said. "I'm sorry we couldn't meet you at the ceremony, I was sick and had to get home before my medicine made me fall asleep. My name's Cole-" He paused mid-turn, eyes widening as he studied the human. Suddenly, he ran straight towards Kai and grabbed him by the collar, hoisting him in the air with an astonishing amount of strength and pure rage in his eyes.
"You!" he spat, pulling the hunter up and over the back of the couch. He pulled him close so that their noses were mere inches apart. "You nearly shot Jay! Twice! You almost killed him." He growled and spaced out his words. Kai had never felt so threatened in his life. The claws that were so near to his throat startled him almost as much as the fangs that were visible in Cole's snarl. He looked over at the panicking rabbit. His ears and tail were instantly familiar. Jay was that bunny he had been hunting mere seconds before Zane swooped in and took him away.
"Oh dear, I knew this would happen!" Jay fretted with a quiet voice, trying to pull away the attacker's arm. "It's okay, he's just a human who was out hunting. It was my fault, I shouldn't have gone into human territory in my fauna form. Shh, it's alright, he didn't kill me. He's actually a nice guy, you don't have to hurt him." Cole broke away from the other half-beast, holding up his free hand and flexing his fingers, readying a strike with his claws. The bunny jumped right back over to him and pressed his hands to either side of his face, tugging his head so that he looked at him.
"Cole," he said, making sure that he was focusing on him. "I'm right here. I'm okay. Breathe. Let him go." Jay's soothing voice seemed to help calm the bear down. Finally, Kai was dropped to the ground, landing on his back and taking deep breaths, hoping to lose the adrenaline rush.
"But he could've killed you-"
"But he didn't." The rabbit kept his hands on Cole's jaw, using his thumbs to stroke his cheeks.
"I could've lost you... What would I have if you were gone?"
"Oh, don't worry about that now," Jay assured him. "Just breathe." Kai jumped to his feet, startling the pair. He straightened his collar with a flash of anger.
"What the hell!" he snapped. Cole raised his hackles, and the partial bunny had to hold him back by pressing his hand against the bear's chest.
"Sorry," the rabbit laughed nervously. "Cole can be a little... protective."
"Really?" Kai hissed. "I couldn't tell!"
"What's wrong with being protective of my mate?" Cole growled in response. Jay finally tugged the tall yokai away, and Kai huffed as he sat back down on the sofa. He angrily drank the rest of the tea in his cup, wondering how in the world a nice guy like Jay was possibly the soulmate of such an aggressive yokai. Besides their personalities, the fact that a predator and a prey animal ended up being matched by the spirits boggled him.
A few minutes passed, and Jay came back with Cole in tow. The half-rabbit plopped his soul partner on the couch by Kai, giving the human an anxious grin.
"I think I might have left something at the library," Jay said. He was unable to tell if he was lying. "I'll be right back, I just need to call my coworker."
"No problem," the hunter replied, reaching over the coffee table towards the tea tray. He picked up the kettle, poured himself some more of the hot beverage and leaned back, eyes locking with Cole's as the shorter yokai left the room. The staring contest was intense, a subtle glower on both of their faces. Neither person seemed like they were going to back down, but soon enough the partial bear sucked in air through his teeth and leaned forward, brows knitting as he closed his eyes.
"We got off on the wrong foot," Cole grumbled, sticking out his hand. "I acted... not very, uh... charming. Let's just put this behind us, huh?" Kai tipped a brow at the beast, leaning back and giving him a snarky look, but then surrendered to the handshake.
"Deal," he replied dryly. The bunny popped back into the living room, worry spread over his features.
"It turns out that I did leave something back at the shop. It's a book I'm supposed to be looking over for the kids this weekend," he sighed. "It's gonna be a while before I finish this next call. Y'see, the guy's a jiangshi, and you know how slow they are..."
"It's fine," Cole promised with a sympathetic grin. He looked downright worshipful of the freckled boy. "I can always run down there and get it for you."
"No, you've already been in town once today, and it's really cold," Jay told him with a sad look. "I'll just get it tomorrow." The bear nodded to him, watching his mate leave before turning back to Kai.
"You really love him, don't you?" the human smirked, leaning back and crossing his legs.
"Who wouldn't?" said the bear, giving him a smile that showed his fangs. It was obvious that he was trying to remain threatening, and to an extent it worked. However, now that Kai knew that he would not hurt him as long as Jay was around, his mind was at ease. "Everyone loves him. Well..." Cole leered at him, a peevish air about his expression.
"I suppose some people don't like him," he continued, smiling huffily. "Maybe they hate him enough to, oh I dunno... attempt to murder him?" Kai nearly slammed the cup back on the tray, although he stopped himself last second.
"How was I supposed to know that he wasn't just a rabbit!" he snapped. "I was just hunting! He shouldn't have been so close to Jamonikai!"
"Jay hops his fluffy little tail wherever he wants," Cole growled.
"For someone so over-protective of their partner, you sure don't keep a good eye on him," the human jeered. The bear's grimace deepened. He looked ready to tear Kai apart. A little voice in his head begged him to stop instigating, but another one relished in this chaotic conversation.
"Like you'd know," the beast grumbled with irritation. "You're just a human."
"Just because I'm a human doesn't mean I don't know how to protect the people I care about," said Kai. "You'd better be careful. I'm not the only guy who would've thought he looked like a tasty snack."
"Why you little-!" Cole dove forward, but the hunter was able to push him away. This guy was so easy to mess with, it was hilarious.
"Ooh, careful," he hissed with a condescending smile. "What would Jay think if he saw you try to kill me? I think his little heart would break. But I guess it's to be expected, what with you being a vicious bear and all."
"And you're a destructive, vile, inconsiderate human!" Cole barked. "You're all the same. You torture our families and think we're all just killing machines while you take our land and hunt our prey. How could Zane be your mate? You're infuriating!"
"I could say the same about you and Jay," the human retorted. "You've proven that you are a killing machine. What does he see in you?" The sound of footsteps silenced them both, even though they clearly had more to say to each other. They sat back in relaxed positions as Jay walked in. The rabbit gave them both a grin.
"Well, that was a call I never wanna repeat," he chuckled, sounding somewhat tired. He sat down next to Cole and nuzzled into him, much akin to a pet. "So, anything interesting that I missed out on?"
"Actually," Kai piped up before the bear could say anything. "I couldn't help but notice that you being a rabbit and him being a bear... It's an interesting combination. What do you like about Cole?" The black-haired boy wrapped his arms around Jay, glaring at the hunter as he shielded his soul partner. The partial bunny grinned and blushed, allowing himself to be held tightly.
"Well, he's cuddly," he beamed. "But in all honesty he's a nice guy, once you get past the claws and teeth. He defends what he loves, and helps me get past my fears. He's a fantastic singer." Cole cleared his throat, losing the icy expression for a moment and gaining a flustered look.
"It's true!" the smaller yokai giggled at his companion's red face. "You should hear him sing, his voice is amazing! Plus, he's drop-dead gorgeous-"
"Okay, I think we're done here," the bear cut in before Jay could gush anymore. The rabbit laughed and snuggled into Cole. The lovey-dovey way they acted around each other was surprising to Kai.
Is this what it's like when you fully accept your forged bond? he thought. I know that forging bonds is a lifelong thing, but is it meant to be this... sappy?
"What about you, Kai?" Jay asked. "What do you like about Zane?" He had to think about that one, considering that he just met the guy a few days ago. Thankfully, there was plenty to enjoy about him.
"He's been really patient with me," the human said, pushing out a deep breath. "I mean, I'm a human, and I don't know how any of this stuff works. He's taking everything slow so I can get used to being... well, being married, really."
"Married?" Cole wondered aloud, wrinkling his nose at the unfamiliar term.
"It's like bonding," Kai replied. "But you choose who you want to spend your life with, and you can break the vows. There is no spiritual anything, really. You don't know if you found your soulmate when you marry someone. I mean, I've forged a bond with Zane, so I guess I just call it marriage because I'm used to that word."
"Marriage sounds awful," Jay said, patting the human's arm. He broke into a genuine grin. "Well, luckily for you the spirits found you the perfect match!" Kai smiled back, knowing that he would never have to struggle with finding someone.
They continued to talk for hours, and upon request the hunter told them every detail about their few days they had spent together, particularly the fact that he had not spent that much true one-on-one time with Zane. They would give him pointers about how he should really start learning more about his mate, and he listened, taking in the knowledge of what a true soul partnership was usually defined as.
Nya and Lloyd sat in front of Garmadon and Wu who were silently thinking over the grave information they had shared. The brothers glanced at each other with a knowledgeable look.
"The spirits fail to tell us whether anything wrong has happened to Kai," the younger sibling sighed. "But he is alive." Nya let out a heavy breath, a little bit of her fear trickling out of her system.
"Then we've gotta find him!" Lloyd burst. "He's out there, and we can save him!" Garmadon put up his hand, and his son sat back down.
"The yokai territory is vastly unknown, and we are unsure whether or not he is in the docile portion of their land," the older man explained.
"All we need to know is how to find him," said Nya. She looked over at the blond, who gave her a worried frown. The two elders were obviously not keen on them going into the largely unexplored world. "I know it's dangerous, but I'm not about to let my brother die out there." The siblings considered this for a while, then Wu stepped forward. He took the tome that Lloyd was using, and flipped to a specific page. The ink was scrawled in a very old language, although it was only a little difficult to read considering that the language of Ninjago was based off of it. The elder pulled the tassel that acted as a bookmark and placed it in the central valley.
"This spell will allow you to see the trails of certain people's auras. Nya, do you have anything that you can use to activate the enchantment? It must be an object that Kai has recently used, at least within the last week," said Wu. The girl nodded, turning around and grabbing the bow that they had found in the snow. "Lloyd, place the bow on top of the book and activate your powers." The boy did as he was told, brow furrowing as his hands began to glow a dull green. He started mumbling some sort of mantra, reading the main portion of the spell aloud. The weapon was encased in glittering lights, and suddenly a rush of air pushed past them. A trail began in the center of the room, and then led outside.
"That stream is the route that Kai took," Garmadon explained. "You will see other, fainter trails as you pass areas where he has been in the last few months. Stick to the brightest one and you will find him. Only you can see these lines, and they will glow even in the darkest of night. As long as Kai is alive, they will remain bright."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Nya cried, jumping up and grabbing the bow and quiver. Lloyd quickly followed her, opening the front doors and seeing the brightest path leading back into the woods. "We won't let you down!"
"Bye Dad! Bye Uncle Wu!" the young sage called over his shoulder. "We'll be back when we find Kai!" The old men waved at them, watching them depart with a mixture of fear and pride. They had watched the two grow up in Jamonikai, and now they were going on the most perilous journey of their lives, possibly of anyone in the village's lives.
"We'll need to pack a lot of food," said Nya, jogging up the steps of her home. "We've always got some long-lasting meals for when we go on long hunting sprees, so we should use those. And we'll need to bring a tent, and I'll pack his arrows, and we'll take lamps and plenty of candles and oil just in case. And matchsticks, we'll need those."
"Sounds like you've got everything down," the young man laughed. They packed up everything they would need, and even a little more just in case. They thought of anything else they would require and checked their supplies at least four times before setting out. Clouds were moving in, promising another helping of snow. Thankfully, they did not have to follow tracks.
Passing by the houses of friends, Nya wondered if she would ever see them again. Yokai were known to be either friendly or war-hungry, and it was more than likely that Kai had been kidnapped by one of the nastier beasts. For what reason could an evil spirit need an entire human other than a meal or slavery?
The forest loomed ahead, and soon they were swallowed by its shadows. The late afternoon sun was beginning to dip down, causing the light to bend the forest floor into a pattern of elongated stripes. The brook swished and bubbled, contrasting the harsh crunches of their boots in the snow. Following the aura was easy, and they were rather confident they knew the way when they reached the clearing of the crime again. However, their hearts dropped into their stomachs when they saw the glittering red line suddenly rocket skywards. It went on for what looked like miles, and they were surprised they had not seen it before they left.
"Crap," Lloyd breathed in awe. "How are we gonna..."
"I guess we just walk under it until we find him," Nya replied, shoulders slumping just slightly. They looked in the direction the path seemed to lead, and pressed on.