by Max Jager
With a small laugh, Sanzo sat down and crossed his arms. He understood what Chiren was going through better than anyone else there did. "Well there is never a dull day in my life and I like it that way. Sit down Chiren. I have to ask. Considering what happened yesterday, why didn't you send a message to the South and the West and just have everyone meet you at the North. I am sure right now you want to get home as soon as you can."
Crossing his own arms as he sighed, Chiren nodded. "I do. However Father sent me on this and Kiyoshi seemed to understand his logic of going to the South, then here, then the West. And Kiara did have a point. If stick to what I need to do, what I set out to do. Then whether it was Noke, Kenji or both, they will won't know that he got to us as bad as he has."
Thinking for a moment, Sanzo sighed. It did make sense. It would show those two that his generation is not going to just go off of emotions only. "I can see your Father's logic as well. Showing that the four lands are still working together and that your generation has some sense about you is a good thing now I think about it."
Taking a deep breath to collect himself, Chiren closed his eyes. "Because that is what needs to be done. Had it not beef for Kiara being with me, I would have probably went off."
"I can understand that." Sanzo leaned back against the wall as he glared at his desk. Glancing up at him, Sanzo blinked. "Well like I said. I would have probably went off in a rage at your age. Maybe now still. What stopped you knowing that it had to be Noke or Kenji?"
A small smile, Chiren forced himself to relax. "Kiara. She tried to talk sense into me about how they were watching waiting on me to act like a fool. Even throwing what would happen to Nyoko if I got hurt in the mix. She was what snapped me out of the rage I was in."
"I can see that with Kiara. That pup could think through hundreds of different things for war in a few moments when she was only ten." Standing up though he went and looked out the window toward where Tikae and Toki would be at. "Two things. I won't just leave their home the way it is. You are staying here for at least two days you said. First thing in the morning I am going to send Atsana and a good chunk of my army to go and burry everyone. And second what started this little mission you are on anyway?"
Nodding with a sigh, Chiren closed his eyes. "I appreciate that thank you. I am sure mother will too. And it started a few weeks ago. Nyoko insisted on going on a hunt by herself. Of course Mother and Father sent her whole guard with her. They were attacked by wolves. The fastest member of her guard ran her home, and she wasn't hurt. Another member was killed, and another hurt really bad. It will take him a few more weeks to heal still. I lead some men and tracked them down dealing with them. They didn't use names but I didn't know any scents."
His gold eyes glaring out the window now, Sanzo took a deep breath. "With them attacking like that it makes sense that they work Noke then."
Nodding Chiren had his glare back. "Exactly. I had hoped that he was there, and listened long enough. Each one of them said that their 'Lord' was going to be cross with them for not doing what they were told to do. So I had to guess that he wasn't there. Seeing as how the only ones that know what he smells like is you here in the East and the West."
"So you wouldn't have been able to tell if he was there or not." Landing just inside the window of the library, Torakus's gold eyes were in a glare. He still wanted to get ahold of that wolf for Shian.
Nodding as he turned to Torakus, Chiren fisted his hands at his side while he stood up. "Exactly. That is why I went to get Kiara, here for you, The West for Isamu and then back home to the North."
Nodding Torakus walked over to join his father and Chiren. "And if we catch a scent of anything that has his scent on it, then you and Kiara can know it too. I will go that isn't a problem. I never got to actually beat that wolf like I wanted to when Hoshiko was a baby." Then his eyes narrowed even more as he took a deep breath. "And he will answer to what he inspired to happen to Shian."
"You sure son?"
Crossing his arms as he looked at his father, Torakus gave a hard nod. "I am Father. I want to do this. I have fully mastered my purification so I can use it like Kiara and Katana can. And I have mastered transforming as well."
Nodding as he thought for a moment, Sanzo sighed. Torakus was right about that, and he was good at what he did. But he was not about to do with him what Kiyoshi did with Kiara and tell him yes and then try to tell Imae about it. No way in hell was he that stupid. "Fine. If you can convince your mother you can go."
Flinching as he took a step back, Torakus had wide eyes. "Oh come on. Can't you just tell her that you are sending me? Or you talk to her about it. She would listen to you on something like this more than me."
Shaking his head, Sanzo smiled. "I don't think so chick. You want to go, you do it."
Dropping his head as he sighed, Torakus groaned. "Father that is so not fair."
"What is not fair Torakus?" Walking in the room, Imae was breathing hard, but she had Kiara by her hair and drug her in with er. Sitting down she pulled on her bread and pulled Kiara down with her.
Growling as she finally got her hair free from her sister, Kiara glared. "The fact that you get to do stuff like this to me and I can't do anything back to you. That is not fair."
Glancing at her sister, then going back to her son, Imae laughed. "No what I do to you is fun. Torakus?"
Taking a deep breath, Torakus turned and faced his mother fully. He wanted to go and do this for so many reasons. His mother wasn't as strict as his grandmother was. But she wasn't totally lax either. "I want to go with them. Chiren said he was going to get someone from the East, South and West. Noke may have been involved with what happened to Lord Tikae and Lady Toki. I know what he looks and smells like. I want…."
"Go." Falling over laughing, she couldn't help but smile as two shocked sets of gold eyes went wide as they looked at her. "What? Had this been even as soon as twenty five years ago, it would have never happened, Torakus would have stayed home with me, and either Sanzo or Atsana would have went. But he will be grown in just a few years. He knows his purification now, he can transform and has had some training from every adult in his life. I know he will be fine."
Though he was grown, and didn't show much emotion with his mother and sisters, nothing like he did with Shian, Torakus knew his mother liked it when he did with her. Something like this, he couldn't not do something." Going to her as she stood up, Torakus picked her up in a hug and spun around. "Thanks mom you're the best!"
X
Sitting outside in a cherry blossom tree, Kiara let out a sigh as she looked up at the sky. It was quiet out here. She loved her sister, her nieces and nephews. And she would stay with them as much as she could through the years. But part of her own personality craved quiet and order. That she got from her father. And it was that reason why she was outside. It was peaceful.
"Getting away from the noise too huh?"
Looking down into Chiren's smiling face, Kiara sighed with a soft smile of her own. "Do you really blame me? I love them but they can be a little much sometimes. And don't say 'I thought you would be used to it living it every day' like others do. I do this at home too. It is a personality trait I get from my Father."
Turning and leaning on the tree as he looked down with a sigh, Chiren smiled. "So you spend a lot of time outside in the trees then?"
Leaning back and looking up at the moon, Kiara sighed as she smiled. "As often as I can get. Especially when Mama is in full force."
Jumping up into the tree, just to the right of her and on a branch one lower, Chiren sighed. Once he got there, the sound of her breathing just seemed to set him at ease. Even with the turmoil and fighting emotions he had going on inside him after the loss of sex members of his family in a single day. He didn't understand it, but he welcomed it right now. Right now it was the only thing that was keeping him sane. "Kiara, thank you."
Rolling her head over to look down at him, Kiara had wide eyes as she blinked. "Thank you? What on earth
are you thanking me for?"
His eyes looking up at the moon as well, Chiren sighed. "For yesterday. Being there. Had you not been there to snap me out of the growing rage I was going into, I would have done something stupid and probably got myself killed. So for that, thank you."
Taking a deep breath with a smile as he looked back at her, Kiara nodded then looked up at the moon. "I am glad that I was there to help."
His eyes hardening, he heard that tone. He heard it yesterday too. He just wasn't exactly in the right state of mind to ask her about it yesterday. "What is with the tone? You had it at the fire and the hot spring. What's wrong Kiara?"
Looking back down at him, Kiara sighed. He had that same look in his eyes just like Nyoko did when she would latch onto something and not let go. He wasn't going to take nothing for an answer. Turning her eyes back to her lap she let out a long sigh. "It is just that. When we got to the fire. The state you were in. What was going on. Like I said yesterday. I didn't know what to do or say then. It was new."
"I didn't expect you too Kiara." When she didn't look at him, he sighed as he moved and sat on the branch she was on. "Unless you have gone through something, you wouldn't know what to do or say when it happens. Even if you do go through it, I doubt you would be able to know exactly what to say. You don't have to do this to yourself because of it."
Keeping her eyes down, Kiara shook her head side to side. "I can't help it. I have always known what to do or what to say. No matter what situation I was in. When dealing with Hiroko when Katana was a baby. Training. Dealing with Father and Mama. Everything. I literally felt useless at the time. I still do when I think about it. And I am not sure how to handle that."
With a sigh, Chiren reached out and put a finger under her chin and made her look up at him. His heart skipping a beat when she opened her eyes. Her cobalt blue eyes shined from the moonlight, her jet black hair had a streak of blue shine though it as well. Her ice blue markings looked like they were glowing right now. He knew she was breathtaking when he got to the South and met her in the court yard. But, it was more than that. She was stunning! 'Oh wow.'
Taking a deep breath to clear his head, Chiren sighed. "You are not now, and you were not useless then either Kiara. Sometimes the most useful thing that someone can do is just be there for someone else when they need it. That is exactly what you did. You were just there for me when I needed someone the most to snap me out of it. I am grateful for that." Dropping his hand now, Chiren smiled sweetly at her. "As I am sure my parents and Nyoko will be as well. Like I said, had you not been there I would have done something stupid and probably ended up dead. That is a far cry from being useless."
With a blush Kiara closed her eyes as she looked back down at her lap with a smile, Kiara sighed. "Thank you Chiren. I needed that." But then her eyes went wide as a feeling that wasn't hers washed over her. Looking up in his eyes as he kept them on her, she saw the mix of emotions that she felt in his eyes. Gratitude, excitement, turmoil and pain. She could now also hear how his heart raced.
Looking back down as he turned and looked up at the moon again, she had really wide eyes. Suddenly the talk she had with her mother once she came of age slammed full force in her head. Could that be what is going on here? Was she starting to bond with Chiren like she wanted to mate him? But what if he wasn't with her? What should she do then? Taking a deep breath to calm herself down she sighed. 'I just have to ignore it and fight it until I have a chance to talk to Father. Oh man why does this have to happen now.'
Branching Out Chapter 124
Her eyes narrowing, Kiara sighed as she ran side by side with Chiren in their transformed state. There sitting on the wall of the Western was her brother and cousin waiting on them. They stayed in the East for three days and then left. Giving the messenger time to get to the South and get them going. "They are here."
Transforming not far from the palace, Chiren blinked as he looked up at the wolf next to Katana. "The wolf smells like you're a….."
"My cousin Kuri. Koto, the dog that came to us when we left, she is eldest and was born dog after Aunt Yukani. Uncle Kamui has wolf in his background and he took after that." Jumping up to land on the wall the same time that Torakus landed, she was between her brother and cousin, Torakus on the other side of Kuri. Looking over at her brother when she heard him growl, Kiara blinked. "What?"
Crossing his arms as he glared at his sister, Katana sighed. "Because it sure took you long enough to get here. We have been here for two days now."
Growling as she faced him, Kiara crossed her arms. "Excuse me?"
Laughing as he turned his back to her, Katana sighed. "You just don't want to admit you were slow getting here." But hearing her deep growl he turned blinking eyes to her. "What is that for?"
Her eyes narrowing at him, Kiara kept her growl. "Don't make me hurt you."
With a laugh as he fell from the wall, Katana shook his head. "Whatever Kiara."
Looking down, Torakus blinked to see that the twins were there too. "Seiji? Santrix you two are here too?"
Nodding as she looked at her nephew, then over to Chiren and sighed. "When Father got the message from Sanzo telling him what happened, he sent us out right then. Literally he said get your weapons and leave. Grandpa and Grandma were working up to a rage when they found out just as we left. They always did like him." As Chiren joined in all the others in falling from the wall she sighed. "I am sorry Chiren."
A smile for her and a nod, Chiren sighed. "Thank you Santrix."
Pulling eyes to him, Katana sighed. "We brought Sanzo's message with us and filled Shone and Isamu in on what happened and why we all just sort of showed up here. Isamu is ready to move out soon as the three of you are, and more than a little fired up. Not only did Kaoru try to force Shone to betroth Cho to him, but when everything happened with Shian, Kaoru wen after both Yuriko and Cho and he had to kill her. He didn't like Noke's reaction then, but there was no proof that he did or knew anything so they had to let him go."
With a sarcastic smile, Kiara walked past Katana as she reached out and smacked him in the back of the head. "Would you look at that? You actually did something that required effort."
Growling as everyone else stopped by him, Katana crossed his arms. "Great! So then why the hell did you just smack me like that?"
Without even looking back, Kiara laughed. "I am your big sister and I can."
Shaking his head as she kept walking, Katana never lost any of his glare. "Great. You can tell you spent time with Imae."
Stopping and turning a glare on her brother, Kiara growled. "What does that mean exactly Katana?"
With a sigh as he dropped his head, Katana closed his eyes. "Because whenever you spent more than just the day at her place, she picks on you the whole time, and you can't do anything back to her. So when you get home you take it out on me, and I can't do anything to you."
Rolling her eyes as she turned and headed on toward the palace, Kiara sighed. "Like I care. I am going to go and say hello to Yuriko and Cho then I am going for the spring."
Shaking his head as he watched his sister for a moment, Katana then turned and walked a different way. "Come on. Shone and Isamu are on the other side of the gardens doing some sparing. The only ones inside are Yuriko and Cho."
Turning to Katana as Kiara vanished inside the palace, Chiren gave him an odd look. As much as he wanted to sit and cry for lack of anything better to do, being around the East, South and now them all in the West. He was finding it hard to do anything but wonder about them. "So this is normal behavior for her? She has spent a lot of time in the North, but I never really had much to do with her."
Laughing as he looked over at him, Katana nodded. "Well this is normal for her after she has been around Imae. Being there for three days before you left again, I am sure Imae picked on her really bad. Kiara can't do anything back to her. So then she takes it all out on me when she gets home. It has been like that since she mated with Sanzo."
Pulling Chiren
's eyes to him, Torakus laughed. "The funny thing is that Mama only acts like that when Kiara comes around. Not anyone else. Santrix doesn't have that same problem."
With a groan as he dropped his head and slumped his shoulders, Chiren had thought that he had the East and South figured out. Well until now that is. "I don't think that I will ever understand the ins and outs of the East or the South."
With a laugh as he walked next to him, Kuri sighed. "Don't let it get you down though. We all live it and still can't predict what is going to happen from day to day. Though I think I am the only here that you haven't met yet. My name is Kuri. You met my sister Koto just before you and Kiara left." He then held out his hand.
Taking his hand Chiren nodded as he smiled. "Chiren."
With a laugh as they rounded the corner, Katana sighed. Chiren grew up in a house sort of like what his father did. A typical palace of demons done the typical way. Total contrast to how they grew up in a place where anything can happen but never happen twice. "You know Kuri that is true, but even you have to admit, there is one consistant thing in the South and East. The same thing never happens twice. If it happens today, it won't happen tomorrow, and yesterday won't happen in three days. The only way someone else could ever hope to understand is if they mate into it. That's where I am screwed. Where am I going to ever find a mate that will mate into our pack after she gets a glimpse into it?"