“I think I know where we need to go then.”
After a late start, they got back on the road. They were making good time for once when Akane got the unmistakable feeling of being watched. More than once, she had scanned the forest, expecting to find an animal or a traveling merchant. But each time she found nothing. Shin must have felt it too because he signaled to her to stop.
They were in the middle of the woods with trees on all sides. Long shadows and filtered light drifted down from the treetops. Birds sang and wind rustled through the leaves. Shin turned in a slow circle, looking for their stalker. Then he froze in place.
“Akane, get behind me.” He made a slicing motion to direct her.
“What is it?”
He pressed his finger to his lips and then moved toward the nearby shadows.
“Come out. I know you’re there.”
A man strode out of the bushes. Long, black hair fell around his shoulders and he wore all black. It was the man who’d kidnapped Tomoe. There was a massive ax strapped to his back. He wore no armor, but his arms swelled with corded muscles.
“Have you gotten lost, Okami?”
He grabbed Akane’s hand and squeezed.
“Not at all. I was just about to report to Akio.”
“You’ve got the girl, now hand her over to me.”
Akane looked between the pair of them. Had Shin ever said why he’d come to the temple? She hadn’t really asked. But it all made sense now. Akio had sent Shin to bring her to him.
14
“You lied to me!” Akane took a step away from him. The hurt on her face was like a strike to his heart. After last night, he thought they’d come to trust one another, but maybe he’d been wrong.
“Akane, I can explain.”
She shook her head as she backed away. “Was this all a trick? You wanted me to trust you so you could hand me off to Akio?”
The huntsman strode toward them. “Enough of your games, Shin.”
He reached for Akane, but as he did, Shin knocked his hand away, meeting the huntsman’s bottomless black gaze.
“You’re not taking her.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Akane snarled and took off at a run.
“Get her,” the huntsman commanded, and the monkey yokai who’d been hidden among the trees prior, dropped down and chased her.
Shin transformed and pursued her himself. In wolf form, he could quickly outpace the monkey yokai chasing her. But when he got closer, Akane turned to shoot at an arrow at him to deter him. Shin swerved to one side to avoid the hit.
“Akane, I’m on your side. I swear,” he shouted.
The monkey yokai hooted and hollered behind him as they closed in. If they got a hold of her it would be that much harder to save her from Akio.
“I never should have trusted you.” Her voice cracked.
They couldn’t waste any more time talking. All that mattered was getting her out of Akio’s grasp. Whether she wanted to cooperate with him or not. Too bad they didn’t have any priestesses to back them up this time.
Up ahead, a river dissected the landscape, one bank sloped upward. A small trickle of water rolled through a mostly dry bed. Akane cleared the river bed, and then ran uphill. It would slow her down, but it would also give her the higher ground. Shin held his ground at the creek bed, while Akane climbed. His eyes scanned the surrounding forest. The spiritual energy of hostile yokai prickled against his skin, making the hairs on his back rise up. Shin was no match for the huntsman. He was much too powerful. But if he could bide time for Akane to escape it would be enough. He couldn’t bring another person into Akio’s twisted world. No matter what the stakes.
Akane reached the top of the hill and turned, drawing her bow to point it at Shin.
“Keep going. I’ll hold them off.” He nodded his head in the direction she should go.
Akane hesitated, her arrow drawn, poised to strike him through the heart. Shin turned his back on her. He trusted her to make the right decision.
The treetops rustled as the monkey yokai leaped from branch to branch, while the thundering steps of a boar yokai marched through the underbrush. Further upstream, debris blocked the flow of water, creating a large pool. If he could lure them here and break the damn at the right time it would send them downstream and buy Akane more time.
“You unblock the river. I’ll cover you,” Akane said.
Shin turned to face her and their gazes met for a moment. She’d decided to trust him it seemed.
The last thing he wanted to do was put her in danger. But there was no time to hesitate. Shin bound upstream where a large log had choked out the river.
The yokai broke through the line of trees just as he reached the log. They spotted him first and started in his direction, until Akane opened fire upon them. They growled and broke into two groups. Shin kicked the log, which moved hardly an inch at first. The yokai were grinning at him, their eyes hungry. He knocked his shoulder against the wood and a trickle of water was freed. He could see the whites of their eyes as he gave one final shove, before jumping out of the way. The pressure of the water behind the branch burst the blockage. Once it was cleared, churning muddy water swept down the riverbed, crashing into the yokai.
Akane disappeared into the forest and Shin ran up the hillside after her. She was panting for breath as he loped toward her in wolf form. Her eyes widened in a mix of fear and admiration. Knowing her complicated relationship with her wolf form, he resumed his form as a man.
“Thanks for that.” He nodded back toward the river.
“I don’t deserve your thanks.” She rubbed the back of her neck, avoiding his gaze.
“Akio did send me to capture you.”
She turned to him, eyes wide.
“If I was being honest with myself, I couldn’t ever go through with it.”
She scanned his face, searching him, and it left him feeling exposed. Shin turned away from her, he’d said too much.
Then an arrow zipped past him. A few of the yokai had made it across the river before the dam had broken. Shin pushed Akane out of the way of a second arrow fired their way, and it nicked his arm instead. The wound was shallow but bled freely.
“You’re hurt.” She reached for his arm.
“I’m fine, let’s get out of here.”
They ran. The landscape got steeper. Fallen trees and boulders made it difficult to navigate. Then their path ended at a sheer, stone wall. The shouts of the yokai called after them. Shin turned in a circle, trying to decide their best path.
“What happens if he catches us?” Akane asked as she scanned the forest behind them.
Shin looked back as well. Yokai were swarming the forest. Akio had sent an entire army after him. He must have figured out what Shin was up to.
“You don’t want to know,” Shin said, before offering her a leg up to climb.
Akane stepped into his cupped hands as he hoisted her to the nearest chink to grab onto. She scrambled up the side, and only once she was at the top did Shin follow after her. When they reached the top, she gave him a hand over the edge. The landscape was barren, and without cover before sloping back down into the forest. If they could get there, they might be able to escape.
They bolted downhill toward the cover of trees, but as they approached yokai ambushed them. They could fight, but it would waste precious time, the yokai’s back-up would catch up in that time. Shin veered to the right, Akane following close behind. They were heading back downhill, toward a gap in the earth where an earthquake had torn it open. If they went down that path, they’d be backed into a corner. He had to avoid it at all costs.
Another turn and they were blocked by another group that seemed to have anticipated their movements. They turned again, backtracking, fleeing like rabbits. The forest had to be swarming with Akio’s men. What now? But just as he feared, each turn led to more of Akio’s men blocking their way and their numbers were increasing. They were herding them and forcing them into the ra
vine. There was no other choice. Into the ravine they went. With fallen trees and exposed roots, the place was narrow, not ideal for fighting. Akane drew her bow and arrow, but he saw her hands shaking, the nails turned to claws and her fangs pressed against her lower lip. She was losing control over the wolf. After what happened, he didn’t want her to fight, not yet.
The yokai crowded in all around them, along the lip of the earth, and at the opening they’d just run through. They drew their swords and archers pointed arrows at Shin and Akane. If Akio had wanted Shin back, then he could command him to return. The priestess’ binding must have worked, which meant Akio was angry. He could face Akio’s wrath, but Akane had to get out of here.
“When I tell you to run, run,” Shin rumbled under his breath, hardly moving his lips.
“What are you planning?” she whispered back.
He gave her the barest shake of his head and thankfully she didn’t question him further. The crowd broke apart as the huntsman strode forward.
Shin bared his teeth in a snarl. Akane drew back her arrow and aimed at the huntsman.
“Stand down, Shin. It doesn’t have to be this way. Give us the girl, she will not be harmed,” he said in a gravely tone.
Shin growled deep in his throat. He didn’t believe that for a minute.
“I’d rather not, if it’s all the same to you,” Shin replied, placing himself firmly in front of her.
“She trespassed on the guardian’s land. She must return with us to the palace to face the guardian’s judgment.”
“This seems extreme even for Akio,” Shin said, making a sweeping gesture to the army surrounding them. “I’ll take my punishment for disobeying,” Shin replied, putting up his hands in a surrender pose. He gave the briefest look to Akane, trying to communicate with his eyes for her to be prepared.
“That’s not possible,” the huntsman replied without inflection. He nodded to the line of huntsmen behind him, their swords held in front of them just waiting for the order, and then to the bowmen on the edges of the cliff with their arrows notched.
“That’s too bad.” Shin transformed in an instant and rushed toward one of the yokai who was next to the huntsman. He caught the monkey yokai off guard and knocked him to the ground. The yokai exploded into action around him and swallowed him up like a dark, living cloud. He couldn’t see Akane through the press of bodies. He could only hope she’d gotten her cue.
Shin growled and then he lunged for them, engaging as many as he could. They fell back as the huntsman stepped forward. They had sparred hundreds of times. Shin had never won against him, not even once. But he didn’t need to win. He needed to keep him distracted long enough for Akane to get away.
They faced one another as if this was simply a friendly sparring match. The huntsman pulled his massive ax off his back and assumed position. Shin threw back his head in a howl before launching himself at the other man. He did not move and Shin’s jaws almost clamped onto his throat. Then he spun out of the way at the last moment and hit Shin’s shoulder blade. The blade did not pierce his skin. He ran past, skirting against the line of huntsmen who did not move. He turned to face the huntsman. He had used the back of the blade on him. What was he doing? He could kill him easily if he wanted.
Over the huntsman’s shoulder, he saw Akane scrambling over the rock fall. The yokai on the ridge had not noticed her yet. They were all busy cheering and hooting over the fight.
Not willing to take a risk of her being seen, he danced around, doing his best to keep their attention on him. The ax was heavy and moved slowly, and Shin dodged easily. It was a dance between them. The huntsman was a blur of movement, thrusting and dodging Shin’s attacks in turn. The yokai stamped the ground and knocked their swords against their armor as Shin and the huntsman battled. And then Shin’s opening presented itself. The huntsman had left a gap, swinging too wide with his ax, just enough space for Shin to sneak beneath his defense. He lunged at the huntsman but instead they got locked together, their faces inches apart.
“Akio asked me to pass on a message.”
“And what’s that,” he growled.
“You will never return to the dragon.”
The huntsman pushed him backward with a foot to his chest. Shin was pinned to the ground. The huntsman raised his ax. This was it. The moment he died. At last he would be free.
15
Akane fled. Her heart hammered in her chest. The shouts of the yokai echoed all around her. Their menacing voices rang in her ears. The wolf inside her stirred, woken by her panic and fear.
She glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see Shin following after her. But he wasn’t there. The wind whistled through the trees. She kept on running, a few more feet again checking over her shoulder, but once more he wasn’t there. The treetops rustled and the voices of her pursuers grew closer. They’d be upon her any moment, she couldn’t keep wasting time.
He’d given her a chance to escape by sacrificing himself. Tomoe was counting on her, and if she left now she could continue her search. But what happened to Shin? What would Akio do when he had him in his clutches once more? But the look on his face when he told her he couldn’t let Akio have her. It haunted her.
She headed back in the direction she had come. The wolf inside her was pressing against her bindings. She felt the brush of the raw power against her skin. The tingle of gooseflesh. She was standing at the edge of a precipice. If she took hold of that power, they might have a fighting chance. But the odds were just as likely she’d lose all control and hurt another innocent. She’d have to fight without it. She just had to come up with a plan.
The musky scent of monkey yokai wafted toward her. Akane slowed her pace, eyes scanning the forest. Her bow and arrow pointed at the canopy of trees overhead.
Eerie, disembodied laughter filtered down through the treetops.
“What fun is it if you don’t run?” said a monkey yokai from somewhere above her.
Akane backed away, head swiveling back and forth. She couldn’t place where the sounds were coming from.
Branches rustled to her left, and she shot an arrow in that direction. The arrow sailed through the air, landing harmlessly on the ground a few feet away.
The hooting laughter echoed around her.
“You think your arrows will be enough to protect you?” They taunted.
If she unleashed her inner wolf, she could trace their scent and tear them apart with ease. Her wolf stretched and growled within her, eager for the hunt. Instead she turned and ran.
The forest was a twisted labyrinth of branches and undergrowth. It all started to blend together as she ran, just a blur of green. The echoing laughter of the monkey yokai followed her as she fled. One dropped down in her path, and she came to a skidding stop before making a quick turn to run in a different direction. She slipped on decaying plant matter and her quiver slammed into her back. It was slowing her down. She slid it off and dropped it on the ground as she ran through the forest.
Branches tore at her clothes and her hair came loose from the ponytail. With every turn she made, the monkeys were there in front of her. Their jeering yellow teeth smiled and taunted her.
Akane ran until she came up short along a cliff side. The drop over led into a steep ravine, the bottom of which was obscured by a thick mist. She eyed the distance to the other side. If she had enough speed, perhaps she could leap over. She ran back the way she came but stopped dead in her tracks as the monkey yokai dropped down from the trees. There were four of them, armed in leather and with swords at their hips.
Akane’s back was to the ravine. There was nowhere else to run. Her inner wolf roared. On impulse she reached for her quiver, forgetting she’d left it behind. One by one the tethers she used to hold her inner wolf in check were being severed. Thick hairs sprouted along her neck and cheeks, her fangs descended and pressed against her bottom lip. There was an ache in her chest, a desperate desire to use her power. But as she imagined it, she also saw the innocent human she�
��d murdered in cold blood. Or Mei’s desperate cries as she was torn apart.
“There’s nowhere left to run, pup. Come with us quietly and maybe Akio will let you live.” The monkey lackeys laughed at the leader’s joke.
Akane closed her eyes. She couldn’t do it, not even when her back was against the wall.
The monkeys closed in, coming closer to her. As they did, she swung with her fist. It knocked one off balance and he stumbled back a few feet.
“You bitch,” he growled. And then he and his friends came at her all at once. She swung again, landing a punch, but at the same time another yokai grabbed her other arm. She kicked him in the groin and he dropped her. She stumbled, trying to break free, only to be grabbed from behind with her arms pinned to her back.
She kicked off the ground and slammed her head into its chin. He loosened his grip and Akane made another run for it. But more yokai dropped from the treetops. There were too many of them for her to fight on her own. Akane stood in the center, hands raised in a defensive pose, ready to take them all on at once if she must.
An arrow came zooming by. But it was no average arrow. It hummed with spiritual power, glowing green as it slammed into the chest of a yokai, who caught flame. It burned up in green energy before combusting into dust.
Akane spun just as a kitsune leaped amongst the monkey yokai and tore them apart, tossing three over the ravine’s edge. The remaining few scattered to the wind, leaving Akane standing to face the nine-tailed Kitsune and the priest with the glowing green energy.
“Are you alright?” the kitsune asked, transforming from a nine-tailed fox to a woman with auburn hair and a pair of fox ears perched on top of her head.
The wolf inside her was raring for a fight. “What are you doing here?” Akane snapped. This was the same woman Shin had met in the inn. The one he’d been very desperate to avoid.
Rin held her hands up in a defensive pose. Just because they’d saved her from Akio’s men didn’t mean they were on her side. What self-respecting priest traveled with a yokai?
Okami: A Little Red Riding Hood Retelling Page 11