Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Blood of the Gods: Part One- When the Sun Sets ❯ The Start of What is to Come ( Chapter 7 )

The Start of What is to Come

 

 

The sun sat high in the sky, warming the earth below it. Aki stretched in the tall grass like a happy cat. Her tail moved lazily in her half conscious state. Her yellow- green eyes gazed half lidded at the sky. She had been laying here since sunrise, out in a field out of reach of the Capital. She watched the world go by, cloud by cloud. Birds flew in the sky, she heard rabbits and fox moving in the grasses around her; the world was at peace here. The grasses swayed with the joyful breeze that danced around her, sharing her contentment. She watched a lone hawk floating in the sky, its brown feathers moving with the wind. Kannashi. She couldn't keep herself from thinking about him. What is it about that man? I feel as if I know him from somewhere. She continued to watch the graceful bird fall and rise with the air. Like I've known him before… Or that I've always know him, but I just forgot. That doesn't make any sense. If I've always know him, then how could I have forgotten? She sighed, “You are a mystery to me Kannashi Fox. What is it about you that draws me?” She fell silent again, musing and thinking about the strange man in her mind. Far away, a bird screamed.

Aki walked slowly through the brush, her body hidden by the shadows cast by the towering trees around her. She looked up at a stream of dusk sunlight that managed to break through the thick canopy of branches. She came to the edge of the forest, the Capital walls just ahead. Her tail flicked around in its last moments of freedom before wrapping itself around her waist. Aki shook her head to cover her ears in a thin line of dark hair and smoothed it out, ears and all. She walked through the tree line and quickly made her way down the main path to the Capital gate, still uncomfortable being surrounded by so many unknown people. Her ears twitched nervously under her hair as the gate guards looked at her as she walked through the gate into the Capital. She went into a small ally between two huts and tried to calm herself. This is stupid. They're just people. She took a deep breath and looked back out at the crowds. “Screw it.” She sunk her claws into the side of the hut closest to her and pulled herself onto the thatch roof, wobbling a little on the uneven ground. She looked a round before slinking over the roof, keeping low so that the people on the ground don't see her. Once she was sure that she was far enough away, she got up and ran across the huts. Aki leapt down into another ally when she ran past the bazaar and sighed. These people need to work on their thatch work. She poked her head out and looked around. No one was around. She walked out and turned toward the south end of the Capital. I hope he goes back here a lot. She ran through the dirt covered streets, going back the way she came that night she left Kannashi to find her sister. The sun was just starting to go down beyond the Capital walls when she found where she last saw Kannashi. No one. She tilted her head and sniffed, hoping to find him. The only scent in the air is recent, but not his. She swore and looked around. The huts were old, but still sturdy. There were old stone walls every where, just like in the old days, when the towns were made of more stone then wood. There was something familiar in the air. It was old and it was faint, but she could feel it there. Aki walked around and old stone wall, feeling a pull from someplace close by. She walked cautiously around another wall and saw something very odd. Large claw marks in the rock. There were three of them and they looked very old. She moved closer, unsure of why she felt pulled towards these marks. What is this? She ran her hand over the rock, feeling the ware of time and rain. There was something about these claw marks, like somewhere deep inside of her, she knows what made these. Aki jerked her hand back and moved away from the marks. This isn't right. There was something, an aura about that place. Pain, anger, loss, sadness, rage- all these emotions were surrounding these claw marks. It's like they are a sign of something terrible that happened here long ago. She backed further away, her eyes wide with fright. Her tail tightened its hold on her waist, like it to was scared. “What is this?” The sound of her own voice was so alien to her, like she's never heard it before. The sun hit the stone and it seemed to glow, dimly, but glow all the same. She had never felt such fear in her entire life, not even when her village was burned and when they were hunted by those men. None of that could compare to the fear she felt now, it was unbearable. She continued to back away, seeing only the claw marks in the stone. She wanted to scream, to howl for her sister, to get away, anything. She stopped moving, like the pull of those claw marks had frozen her legs. What the hell is going on?! She held her arms in front of her, like something was going to hit her. Tears poured down her face as those emotions coursed through her, filling her. She closed her eyes, willing the fear to leave, but it remained, choking her like she was being drowned in her own panic. She tried to move again and almost fell, stumbling backwards. The hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end as she was overwhelmed with the feeling of being hunted. She felt something, it was after her; it was stalking her, like a tiger in the tall grass. Aki couldn't take it any more. She fell to her knees, arms wrapped tightly around her chest with her claws digging into her sides in their grip. She whimpered for a moment before screaming, the sound shattering the air. She took a shuddering breath, “Sister… Sister!” She coughed, feeling unable to breath in her panic. She finally took a breath, “Kannashi! Help me! Kannashi!!” She coughed again and then fell to the dirt, arms still holding her body. “Save me…” She passed out in the dirt, her body still trembling slightly and her face still twisted with her fear.

 

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Yellow- green eyes fluttered open, the paleness of the moonlight soothing in the air. Aki felt fogged over, but warm for some unknown reason. She snuggled deeper into the warmth and felt its hold tighten around her. Where am I? Her groggy mind tried to work out where she was and why, but came up blank. The warmth shifted and she felt something hot near her face. A rustle of clothing and she went still. Who? She breathed in the scent of the warmth, instantly recognizing it, “Kannashi.” She relaxed, closing her half- lidded eyes for a long moment. Kannashi grinned down at the woman in his arms when she whispered his name. He waited for her eyes to re- open before picking a cup back off the ground, “Here.” He waited for her to sit up and take it. Aki sniffed the steaming soup before taking a small sip. It was a little bland, but still good. “Thank you.” She sipped it again and savored the warmth of it for a while, the grey fog in her mind clearing a bit. “What happened?” He looked up, staring out into the abandoned street, his voice quiet, “I found you on the ground. You were terrified and unconscious.” “Why?” “I don't know.” She set the cup on the ground, an unsure look in her eyes, “Where was I?” “Do you not remember?” “N-no.” He stood, pulling her off the ground with him, “I will take you there.” She leaned on him for a moment, “Thank you Kannashi.” He waited patiently for her to get her legs back before walking out into the street, Aki right behind him.

Aki felt tense and unsteady for some reason. What is with me? She felt something in the air when he led her close to an old stone wall. He indicated the ground by her feet, “There.” Aki stared at that spot for a while before looking around, not really knowing what she was searching for. Her eyes glowed demonically in the dark. She froze; her eyes wide and her mouth open in a silent scream. She stared at the claw marks in the stone and felt the familiar waves of terror wash over her. She remembered the pain, the panic- it all came flooding back into her. Kannashi turned when her head Aki crouch low to the ground. She was covering her face with her hands and her tail writhed in the dirt behind her. “Aki!” He rushed over to her, kneeling in the dirt beside her shaking body, “What's wrong?” She instantly curled into him, begging for comfort. “The marks. It's the marks.” Her voice was shaky, but he understood her all the same. He looked at the old claw marks, eyes flashing violet for a moment. He gathered Aki and moved behind another old stone wall, broken and crumbling, but still able to hide them from the marks. He sat down and held her close. She burrowed into his chest and attempted to calm herself, her heartbeat hammering into his chest. Her breathing was shallow, but she seemed fine. “I'm sorry Kannashi.” He pulled her closer, “I don't understand.” “I don't understand it either, but that place, those claw marks in the rock… I don't know. They terrify me Kannashi.” He nodded against her hair and they fell silent. Those stone buildings were new when the war with the gods was still raging. There was said to have been a fierce battle here. Could that be where those claw marks came from? If so, why do they scare her so badly? Violet eyes narrowed in thought.

The two sat long into the night, the moon now high in the sky indicating midnight. Aki thought occasionally about how Kannashi was acting; holding her, comforting her. She barely knew this man, and here she was, holding onto him like he was her lifeline to the waking world and letting him hold her like they were lovers. She pushed that all aside and just tried to absorb as much of his warmth as possible. She was held tight against his chest in a protective embrace, her tail wrapped around his waist. He breathed in the scent of her, his nose in her hair. She smelled of wild grass and rainstorms, subtle and powerful at the same time. Why am I doing this? What is this woman to me? He looked down into her dark brown hair, comforted by her presence. The longer he remained aware of Aki so close to him, the more relaxed he became. She calmed him, just by being there, by being close to him. Kannashi felt her stir and sit up, her eyes locking with his. He saw something there, but she flushed red and turned away in embarrassment. “Thank you for being there for me.” Her voice was soft and breathy, like small feathers on his skin. He looked at her, searching her face for something, “Anytime.” She moved off his lap and slowly stood her tail reluctant to release him. She wiped the dirt from her face and looked down the dark street, her arms wrapping around her body more out of chill then fright. “I guess I should get back. My sister will come searching for me.” He watched her, eyes glowing violet and drowning out the usual blue. “What is it that frightens you Aki?” She looked back at him, “What do you mean?” He stepped closer, “What is it that frightens you Aki?” The question echoed ominously in her mind. “I don't know.” He put his arms around her waist and leaned closer until her skin tingled with his hot breath dancing on her face. “You can tell me. It's ok.” She searched his eyes, the odd color unnoticed, “I do not understand.” “What are you scared of, right now?” Her eyes grew dull with the thickness of the moment, eyelids dropping to half closed. “What it is that scares me…right now…is you.” Aki wrapped her arms around his back and kissed him. Kannashi pulled her flush against him, tasting her. She was sweet, like honey. Aki suddenly pulled away, “I'm sorry.” She backed away before turning around and running, the black greedily consuming her. He stared after her, mixed emotions flashing in his eyes until confusion won out. The feel of her soft skin under his fingers was burned into his mind. The violet faded leaving the deep blue in its place. What is it that really frightens you Aki? He walked silently away, a cold wind blowing regretfully around him.