Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Blood of the Gods: Part One- When the Sun Sets ❯ Cornered ( Chapter 11 )

Cornered

 

 

 

Snores sang out quietly into the thick mid day air, warm and humid. Kannashi dozed against the trunk of an old oak tree, Aki sleeping contentedly in his lap with her tail wrapped around his waist. They were all tired after traveling through the forest for many moons now. Everyone felt like they needed to take the day to just rest. The sun shined from its perch in the sky and Kannashi spent a good while glaring at it since he blamed it for him being so hot. A shift in the air and he was fully awake and ready to grab Aki and bolt at a moments notice. Moriko moved from her sleeping position to a low crouch, her eyes flicking around the clearing like a predator waiting for its prey to come crashing through the trees. There was something nearby. Movement caught her eye and she looked over at Kannashi and Aki. He stared at her for a moment before forcing himself to relax a little more before he woke Aki, the woman unaware in her deep slumber. He nodded. Moriko was going to go have a look. She heard her soft whisper of comfort to Atama before she darted across the field of heavy yellow grasses, her feet almost silent on the ground. Kannashi watched her wearily as Moriko crossed the field and paused before running into the shaded forest.

The forest was cool to the touch, even the air around her was cool; a relief from the hot sun she had been sleeping in since morning. Moriko listened for any sounds of movement. There was something not to far away. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. She moved quickly as she could without making to much noise, making her way toward this thing so she could get a look at it. She paused. It was close by. She could feel it. Her body tensed to run as she moved closer. It was just beyond that brush. A loud sound rang out, like a small explosion. Moriko immediately turned and ran as fast as she could go through the forest, passing a large hole in a tree where something hit it. Her eyes were wide and her ears were laid back, hiding in her hair, trees and under brush nothing but various green blurs as she ran. What the hell was that? She slid into the field and ran to where Kannashi and Aki were trying to calm a wailing Hikari. She dropped to her knees as Hikari and Atama ran to her, burrowing into her chest. She watched Kannashi and Aki gather themselves while she cooed and mumbled things into her children's hair, comforting them as best she could. Another shot rang out close to where the first one had been, only a little closer. “Damn.” Kannashi scooped up Atama, the boy grabbing onto him with small claws. Moriko paused to growl a small warning to Kannashi before picking up a now quiet Hikari. They glanced towards were the shots had been once more before taking off in the opposite direction. They ran through the trees, Kannashi taking the lead with the sisters immediately falling in behind him. He looked around for a suitable place to hide as they ran, all of them feeling vulnerable out in the open. He swerved off and made for a large tree, thick with leaves. He glanced around for a moment and then leapt up to the lower branches of the tree. Atama watched for his mother and sister as he clung to Kannashi with immature claws. Aki leapt up next to Kannashi and he slowly climbed up higher into the tree, hidden by the dense foliage. Moriko jumped up next to her sister and they expertly made their way up the tree with Hikari looking franticly around for Atama. Kannashi used his free hand to help pull each of the sisters onto a large branch, his other hand supporting Atama. Aki moved next to him while he let Atama scramble along the branch to his mother. Moriko picked him up and moved to a still higher branch, plenty hidden by the leaves and the shade. She sat on the branch, leaning against the trunk while Hikari and Atama huddled in her lap. They all were panting after running in this hot weather, but still attempting to be as quiet as possible so they would not be heard. There was a loud rustling of the brush below them and they froze, listening for what it was that caused the sound. More rustling and then the smell of sweat hit Aki's nose. She wrinkled up her nose and glanced at Kannashi and Moriko in turn, both had the same look as she did. She leaned over a bit to try and see who it was now that they knew it was a person and felt Kannashi's arm around her middle, holding her steady. She peered through a break in the leaves and saw a man below them. He had short messy black hair and tan skin. He wore dirty brown leather hunting armor over an old green shift, common brown trousers looked worn out and muddy over black leather boots. A sword hung from a thin reed belt at his side and a heavy looking gun was swung over his shoulder. It was simple, but looked like it could put a hole in somebody. He was middle aged by the look of his face and his mustache was rough and dirty looking. She leaned back and made a face, Hikari trying not to giggle behind her mother's hand. He yelled something to someone else further away and walked into the brush again, grumbling about something. They waited until none of them could hear anything anymore before Moriko let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Hikari waved her hand in front of her face, “He was smelly mamma.” Kannashi chuckled quietly and shook his head, “He was.” Moriko turned to Atama, “What do you smell Atama?” The boy's nose was twitching a little as he smelled the air. He glanced at her, “I smell more people mother. There are many.” She sniffed. The faint scent of other men that were approaching was on the air. She turned to Kannashi and Aki, her face sober while her eyes were lightly panicked, “We have to go. More are coming and I do not want to be here when they are.” Kannashi looked at her, “Are you serious?” She glared and pulled Atama to her, “Come on.” Aki picked up Hikari and they quietly climbed down to the lower branches. “I can smell them strongly now. They are close.” Aki nodded in agreement and they dropped to they ground, pausing to wait for Kannashi who was moments behind them, before they ran. They moved through some brush, the thorns and small branches slowing them down. Mantras of frantic anger and panic romped through their minds, almost dragging them into a more primal state of mind. Moriko wanted to turn and look behind her, just to make sure that they were actually chasing them, but knew that if she did, it would only slow her down more. Atama curled into her, his small hands holding her in a death grip. She growled. I feel like some cornered animal. Katsura snarled, the sound rumbling in her mind. Moriko shook it off, the sounds of Aki and Kannashi panting behind her spurring her on. They were following her; depending on her to lead them to a safe place. She slid around a tree, leaves flying into the air like startled roosters. They froze. The game hunter they had been watching earlier was nothing more then an arm's length away, peering curiously at them from the other end of the gun barrel. Crap. Moriko hissed quietly at the weapon being pointed at her, her eyes narrow and dangerous. The man stared at them with a hard look on his face, his mind chewing on something for a moment. He stared at Moriko, both Aki and Kannashi tense and silently wondering what it is about Moriko that triggered something in this man. “I have heard of you.” His eyes went wide with the promise of great reward as his gaze focused more on Moriko, “I will get a good deal for bringing you in-” “Bastard!” Kannashi's fist shot out and connected with his face, sending the man stumbling back a few steps. He paused when the sounds of growling reached his ears. They were surrounded. Four other men, hunters by the look of them, each armed with a gun that was currently pointed at them, the same as the man grumbling on the ground. They wore the same brown leather and green shifts, mud brown trousers and leather hunting boots; obviously, they were all apart of the same hunting party. Kannashi backed up so that he was closer to the sisters, his eyes bordering dangerously on violet. Aki glared daggers at them, but held her tongue in favor of keeping her head. She shifted slightly when Hikari whimpered into her chest, her grip on the girl tightening as a reflex. Moriko stared coolly at the hunter in front of her, yellow eyes like sheets of winter ice. Atama growled at them, holding onto his mother possessively. “You will come with us.” Atama's growls grew louder when one of the hunters stepped closer to Moriko. “Why me? I do not even-” “You know perfectly well why. Now, come with me or I blow some extra holes in your friends here.” Kannashi snarled loudly and pulled Aki closer to him. She growled in distain, but knew that she had no choice on the matter. “Atama. Hikari. Behave for me.” She looked down at him, her eyes soft and warm, “Can you do that for me?” Atama blinked, “Mother? No!” He growled weakly at the surrounding men, “I will protect you! I promise!” “Atama.” He looked at her, eyes wide, the expression making tears want to prick at the backs of her eyes, “Take good care of you sister.” He buried his face into her chest, “No mother! Do not go! Please!” She crouched down so that his feet were on the ground and began to softly undo his grip on her, his whimpers filling her ears. Hikari reached for her, tears falling down her face, “Do not leave mamma! Please!” Moriko turned to her, Atama sniffling at her feet, “I am sorry baby.” The little girl strained against Aki's hold, tiny hands reaching out to Moriko, “No! Mamma! Mamma!” Moriko smiled sadly, still fighting the tears behind her eyes, “I am sorry.” She was vaguely aware of Kannashi stepping closer and lifting a struggling Atama away from her. Be good for me. I love you. She blinked slowly as she turned to face the hunter again, leveling him with an icy glare. He pulled a thick hunting rope from his waist and she walked stiffly closer to him. They tied her hands behind her back with a leash of the rope being held by someone else. “Mother…” She flinched at the heartbroken sound in her son's voice as he reached out to her, tears spilling down from his eyes. She let them lead her away, her mind still trying to convince the rest of her that this was the only way, the image of Atama reaching out to her with such misery in his eyes burning into her memory. As Moriko vanished from sight, Hikari wailed, calling pitifully for her mother. Aki stared, eyes large and blank, “Sister.” The shock of having Moriko taken away from her overwhelming her mind, tears not even able to fall from her glassy eyes. Kannashi pulled Aki to him and sat on the ground, Hikari scrambling out of her arms and curling into her brother. He flinched as Aki started to cry into his chest, the wet fabric of his cloths sticking to his skin. He turned and stared down the path Moriko had been taken with mixed emotions in his eyes. What have you done Moriko?

Angry yellow eyes searched the wooden walls around her, a silent snarl pulling at her lips. Moriko sighed lowly when her claws finally broke through the ropes on her wrists, her ears flicking with the sound of the hated cords falling to the floor. She rubbed the red skin of her wrists and looked around. There was nothing in the room except blank walls and a sliding door that she was sure had been locked when those men had left her in here. What the hell is going on? Those were game hunters, so why did he know me? How did he know me? Her eyes narrowed with heavy irritation. And what did he mean when he said that I knew. What do I know? She froze when someone walked by the room, their heavy boots loud against the wooden floors of the hall outside her door. She leaned back against the wall with a frustrated sigh, “This is turning out to be one hell of a day.” She let her eyes slide closed to block out the sight of the walls around her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Katsura shifted.