by Max Jager
Looking up at the window, Kiara sighed. "So let's go and grab some bow and arrows from the room and go after them. Mother always says that there is safety in numbers."
With a smile as they moved, Hoshiko laughed. "Mama says that too. Must have gotten it from Grandma. Let's hurry so they don't get too far ahead of us."
Rushing back to Hoshiko's room, they all grabbed their bows and arrows and then slipped out their window. Zig zagging through the garden and over the wall same place the boys did. Hoshiko could see them moving still so she lead the way. Kiara leaving traces of lavender behind them to cover all their scents.
X
As they raced around the back way, almost to where they could slip out of the light trees and up itno the mountain, Katana growled as he looked over his shoulder. "Stop."
Slidding to a stop, Torakus gave him a glare. "Why stop now? It is way too soon. If we stay here they will spot us for sure."
Turning his glare to Torakus, Katana crossed his arms. "I agree but we have a tail. Our sisters are coming."
His eyes going wide then glaring, Torakus fisted his hands. "Damnit! Tell me they are the only ones coming?"
Focusing, Katana didn't smell anyone. "It is just them. I can smell lavender behind them so they are at least covering their trail like I was ours."
"But still!" Torakus then turned and focused on his sister and Aunts. "This complicates things. They won't listen if we tell them to go back and not say anything. So they are going to have to come with us. Damnit!"
His eyes glaring in their direction, Katana crossed his arms. "There is more numbers, more safety. I just hope that they don't demand that we go home with them or threaten to rat us out." Looking at the glare on Torakus's face he sighed. "That would be where the real complication comes in."
"I agree." Torakus then narrowed his eyes into Hoshiko's as she slid to a stop before him. "What are you doing here Hoshiko?"
Crossing her arms, Hoshiko stomped her foot at him as she glared up at her brother. "Do you realize the trouble that you are going to get into for this Torakus? I mean really!? Sneaking out!?"
"We Hoshiko. You snuck out too. But you didn't have to follow us you know." Keeping his glare as he narrowed his eyes, Torakus hissed. "I really had hoped you wouldn't of."
Rolling her eyes, Hoshiko sighed as she shook her head. "Yeah I know but whatever. I thought at first you were going to see Shian. Who lives this way that you never told us about?"
With a sigh as he kept his glare for his sister, Torakus was so mad right now that he couldn't hardly see straight. "I am going to check on Shian. This is a different way up that she showed me last year."
Blinking as she let her head fall to the side, Hoshiko was no longer glaring, but gave him a perplexed look as she thought for a moment. "Really? But I don't get why. I know her Mama died a month ago. But we haven't gotten any messages saying anything happened or anything. You know if we would have that Papa would have went to help and took you with him."
Looking up then glaring back at his sister, Torakus hissed deeply making her flinch. "That is the reason! We haven't gotten anything from her for the entire month! The last time we saw her was when we all went to see her and Yusuke a couple days after. I mean whenever she was upset we would get three, sometimes more in a week from her and nothing! That doesn't worry you?"
Shaking her head side to side, Hoshiko looked down. She was never going to have to know what it felt like to lose her mother to age. Her mother would live forever with her father. "Not really Torakus. She wasn't as lucky as us, and Kiara and Kishiko and Amaya. Mama, Grandma and Uncle Senri are going to live forever. Kaori didn't bond like that with Yusuke. I wouldn't want to do anything if that happened to Mama. It is most likely just that Torakus."
With a sigh, Torakus shook his head. "I understand that Hoshiko, but it isn't that. I can't tell you exactly what it is, but I know it isn't that. Call it a feeling. One like Grandma gets."
Glaring up at him again, Hoshiko pointed her finger at him as she hissed. "But then why didn't you go to Mama and Papa? They would have gone and checked on them for you. You know that."
"I did Hoshiko!" When she flinched again and stepped back from him, Torakus sighed as he dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "I am sorry Hoshiko. But I did. Both Mama and Father said that I should give it time that I was just worried about her because of what happened. That they were going to give it a little while before they did anything. I have to go and do this. I promised Shian, and I promised Kaori that if she ever needed my help I would be there and do all I could to protect her. I was told I was overreacting so many times all month. I have to check on her for myself and see that's all it is. I have too."
Hoshiko could see how serious he was just by looking in his eyes. Moving to stand next to him, she gave him a smile as she nodded. "Well then lets all six go check on her instead of just three of us. Besides, like you said, we are all going to get in trouble anyway now."
Looking over at Kiara and Santrix, Torakus relaxed then looked back down at his sister after they nodded in agreement. "Thank you. But we need to move and at least get on the mountain before dawn. Otherwise they will spot us. Let's go."
Leading the way again, Torakus lead all six of them now and raced for the thick woods at the back side of the mountain. He knew in his gut that he wasn't just going to check on her. Something really bad happened. The closer he got to her, the stronger it got. He just hoped that he wasn't too late to save her from whatever it was that was wrong.
X
Crying and shaking, Shian had her head down as she sat in the small cage that the humans put her in. She had tried to get out of it, but whatever it was made out of was too strong for her to break. Three weeks now she has been in this thing. And she didn't know why.
A month ago she lost her sweet mother to old age. She welcomed Torakus and his flock coming to see them. They were gone long enough to make it to the Eastern Palace when he started on her first message to him. She could talk to her father, but she could talk to him about more. She got two words down on the paper and the attack happened. Humans from all sides and eagles falling from the sky.
It was so unexpected that they caught them fully off guard, and everyone was killed. But her. In a single day she lost her entire flock and father. Not even a week after her mother! But it is the thought of her father that causes more tears to fall from her eyes. No one was stronger than her father to her. But yet she was forced to not only watch her entire flock killed, but her father as well. Then for two weeks she had to sit and watch and smell as they burned all the bodies and ransacked their homes.
Taking a nervous breath, Shian hugged herself tighter. 'They are all gone and I don't even know why. What are they planning for me?'
"You know filth. You might enjoy where we are taking you."
Hearing the human voice, Shian jumped and looked up to see the human that seemed to be in charge. Shaking even more she moved to the back of the cage as she let her eyes meet his. "Why did you do this to us? We never did anything to anyone. What do you want from me? Everything I had and everyone I cared about are gone now!"
With a glare as he walked over and looked down at the bird, Mitsunari fisted his hands. "No you yourself didn't do anything to anyone but your father sure as hell did. He stole my grandfather's sister. No one ever got over it. Not my great grandfather, nor my grandfather. And now my father is the one to finally rid the world of the demon that ruined our royal family by taking the princess. We were too late to find her alive at all. But we still go thim."
Breathing hard, Shian shook her head. "But Mama loved Papa! She wanted to be with him and be happy! Why couldn't her father and brother be happy for that?"
"Because he was a damned demon you wench!" When she jerked her head down he growled. "Had she left for a peasant and lived a hard life, but with a human they wouldn't have cared. But he was a damn demon. I don't care if he stole her body or stole her heart. She never should have been with him to
start with."
Dropping down to look at her eye level, he laughed at her. "You were just the abomination result of that union. You are nothing. We did this because my father remembered his Aunt had sent word to her father about a daughter. We were paid handsomely by the leader of a wolf pack in the West to deliver them a female to mate with his grandson Noke. That is where you are going."
Shaking her head as tears and sobs shook her, Shian closed her eyes. "But I don't want to go anywhere with you! You killed my father! My entire flock! I have nothing now because of you! I just want you to let me go and leave me alone!"
Standing and kicking her cage, pulling a scared hiss from the girl, the man smiled as he turned to leave the tent she was in. "You filth have no choice in the matter. You will just do what you are made to do anyway."
Once he was gone, Shian once again dropped her head down to her knees as she sobbed and hugged her legs. He was right. A messenger was sent out soon as the attack happened, but he was downed by eagles soon as he hit the sky. No one knew what happened to them. No one was going to come and check in on them thinking they were mourning her mother still. And worse yet, the very next night was her one night of weakness. She would be human. 'That's it. I have no chance of rescue. I really don't have a choice in this at all. Oh Papa. Mama. Please help me somehow. Please.'
X
Hearing footsteps coming in the den, Dai looked up and saw an eagle coming toward him. Standing he gave him a glare. "Well? How did it go then?"
Holding the scroll out, the Eagle nodded. "It is done. They are taking their time, and the humans are bringing her. She will be here in little over a month I would gather."
Smiling as he crossed his arms, Dai nodded. "That's fine thank you."
Once he was gone, Kaoru smiled from where she sat next to her son and gave her father a hopeful look. "They got her then?"
Reading the scroll, Noke nodded. "They did. This is exactly what we need to make that damned bird do things our way after all."
Rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms, Noke would go along with it when they were old enough. So long as he got a son when he was ready that was wolf out of it, he didn't care. Once he had a son, she would just be killed. They had plans for him to be a Lord of one of the Lands. He aimed higher. Much higher.
Branching Out Chapter 117
Shooting up in bed, Imae gasped as her eyes went wide. Her entire body tense. Something was wrong. Looking first to her right was her day old son sleeping soundly in his bed. To the left was her snoring mate. It wasn't them. But something was wrong with someone!
Slipping from bed, Imae was shaking as she slipped her robe on and fumbled with the sash. 'I have to check on the others. I know something is wrong I just know it.'
Cracking an eye open once he felt her move from his side, Sanzo gave her an odd look as she was nervously trying to tie the sash of her robe. "Imae what are you doing?"
Not even looking up at him, Imae growled as once again the sash didn't stay. "I don't know Sanzo. Just, something is wrong."
Wide awake now, Sanzo gave her an odd look as he stood out of bed as well. "What do you mean something is wrong? What happened?"
"I don't know exactly what it is yet." Looking up at him as he came around the bed, Imae finally got it tied. "It's like Mama. I just got this feeling that something is wrong and I need to check on the kids." However just as she started to walk around him, they both jumped and looked back at Hajime as he let out a wail as tears fell from the corner of his eyes.
Watching as Imae lifted their son to calm him down, Sanzo turned and headed for the door. "You calm him down I will go check on them." But half way to the door he stopped and tensed as he went into full on work mode now. "It's Ayame. She is coming fast and her heart is racing."
Moving to the door he opened it just as she got too it. His eyes meeting her worried gold ones. "What is it Ayame? What happened?"
Pushing on in the room past her brother Ayame looked at Imae with the baby and then to her brother. "It's the kids. The pups and chicks. They are all gone! Torakus, Hoshiko, Santrix, Seiji, Kiara and Katana! They are just gone!"
The color draining from her face, Imae sat down on the bed as she bounced her still crying son. "Gone? What do you mean that they are just gone? How could they just be gone?"
Going to sit with Imae, Ayame had tears of her own falling down her face. "Atsana wanted to get the boys up early and take them hunting today. I was going to take all the girls to get breakfast ready. The two of us were going to keep them busy so you both could spend the day with him. But when we went to get them, they were not in their rooms and the scents are really old."
Pulling eyes to him as he walked in the room, still respectfully bowing, Atsana sighed as he then crossed his arms. "None of the beds were slept in. Before we came here, we searched the grounds and the palace. They just aren't here. They left."
A deep sigh as he closed his eyes, Sanzo fisted his hands at his side. He was absolutely livid right now. All six of them knew better than to do anything like this. But then the sudden feeling of guilt washed over him and he turned to see Imae crying as she rocked their still crying infant. Going to the bed, Sanzo pulled her into his arms from behind and kissed her head. "What is it Imae?"
Shaking her head side to side, Imae took a few deep breaths. "But I think I know where they went. A couple of days after Kaori passed, they didn't get any messages from Shian. The last month Torakus was more and more worried about her. That has to be where he went."
Rubbing her arm with one of his, Sanzo sighed. "Do you really think that they are headed up for Yusuke's?"
Letting Ayame take Hajime from her, Imae turned and looked up at him as she tried to catch her breath and nodded. "I do. He came to me a few times and said he wanted to go and check on her. But I just thought wither not sending the messages was because her mother just died and she wasn't up to it. But what if it is different? What if his feelings are like mine and Mama's? Then that would mean that Shian might really be in trouble and they are all headed right for it!"
Framing her face, Sanzo sighed as he kissed her forehead. "Don't worry Imae. You stay here with Ayame and Atsana and I will head up that way and look for them. If that really is where they went, there is only one way he knows to get there and back so we can find them."
Nodding as he kissed her head again Imae held her breath. "Right. Hurry."
Watching as her brother got dressed faster than she had ever seen him before, then go out the window with Atsana, Ayame sighed. She turned to Imae and gave her a sympathetic look as she bounced her nephew. "They will find them Imae. If anyone can find them, it is those two. If they went for Shian, no one knows that mountain better than they do."
Nodding as she pulled her upset infant into her arms, Imae was trying to force herself to calm down. "I know that. I just blame myself. I should have though of that sooner. With the way I am, and Mama. And Torakus as he is. He wouldn't have said he was worried about her if he wasn't really worried about her you know. And Mama and Father are coming today to get the pups and see Hajime. What am I going to tell Mama about it?"
Giving her a reassuring smile, Ayame sighed. She couldn't believe that this was happening at all. And she hoped they would have them back as well before that. "Don't worry. Our mate's will find them and have them all back here before your parents get here I am sure."
Looking down at Hajime as she whipped his eyes, Imae sighed. "I do hope so."
X
Coming to a stop, well up into the mountain, Torakus was breathing heavy. He knew that he, Katana and Kiara could go on. But Hoshiko, Santrix and Seiji were breathing heavy and looking really tired. He didn't need to have to worry about them if they were overly tired. "We will rest here for a few hours before we go on."
Breathing hard, Hoshiko fell backwards on her back as she groaned. "Oh thank you. I am exhausted. I don't know how much further I could really go before I fell."
A glance at his niece, Katana then turned hi
s head to the right. From what Torakus had told them about this mountain, something wasn't right with what he could smell. He smelled humans. "Torakus let me ask you something. Other than Shian and her flock, who else lives on this mountain?"
Shaking his head as he gave him an odd look, Torakus crossed his arms. "No one. The stray rouge demon here and there yes, but no one else. Why what is it?"
Growling as his eyes narrowed, Katana kept his eyes to the right. "From here we are four days from the top?"
His eyes narrowing now, seeing what his uncle was doing, Torakus tensed. "Yes. We could push it and make it in three if we had to. What is it?"
Turning his still stern eyes to his nephew, Katana had his arms crossed. "Humans. They are to the right of us. Focus and you should be able to smell them too."