Ushio & Tora Fan Fiction ❯ The Jaws That Bite, The Claws That Catch ❯ Chapter 3

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

--Ushio & Tora: The Jaws That Bite, The Claws That Catch

Chapter 3 of 5

Ushio could not move; time had stopped for him in a moment of frozen
horror. He was in Hell, not Heaven, he had to be...... His hand was
still before his eyes, the silvery claws glinting in the faint light
reflected from the stormclouds above; the black fur was short and
dense, like a cat's..... Like a bakemono's...... No. Like what the
bakemono in his dreams had.

Oh, no. THIS wasn't real. The dreams were only dreams.......

Slowly the Spearbearer sat up, leaning back against the bulk behind
him. *Everything* felt so strange, and he was afraid to look--- more
afraid than he had been even of the thought of death: This might be
WORSE. But he had to look..... Black fur, legs shaped as they had
never been before, a *tail*...... His eyes closed involuntarily; he
refused to look closer. There were some things that a guy just
shouldn't have to see change...... He could feel a groan beginning
deep in his chest; it came out deep and rumbling, deeper than it
should've been. Deeper than it *could've* been, before. And then the
thing that he was leaning against shifted, and he heard Tora say
quietly "So..... Awake at last." Ushio shivered as an unexpected wave
of relief washed through him--- Tora hadn't eaten him at all, Tora
wasn't dead..... And neither was he, apparently. He turned his head
(his vision was strange, too--- had the night been this bright before?
Or this *loud*?), and realized what he was leaning against.

Tora. Looking..... smaller..... than usual? No. HE was larger--- his
own black-furred hand rested on the earth near the bakemono's,
smaller, but not really by much. Thinner. Shorter claws. Slowly he
pushed away from the monster (*like me, like me* his mind moaned) and
rose clumsily to his four feet..... FOUR feet; it seemed natural.
Swaying slightly as his balance adjusted, he whispered "Tora....
W-what've you done? I-"; he couldn't continue. His very words were a
terrifying thing, a softer, frightened version of Tora's rumbling
growl. He could feel his voice in the depths of his chest, deep and
unfamiliar-he could feel his ears flatten deep within the shaggy mane
that sprang from his scalp and flowed like a torrent around his
shoulders. A ridge of something--- fur?--- stood up along his spine,
and Ushio sank back on his haunches, tail tucked.

He tried to continue: "I.... was dying.... You did something..... with
the lightning?" The bakemono nodded briefly, wrinkling his nose and
showing his teeth in a grimace; Ushio saw that he was clutching his
left wrist with his right hand, blood staining them both.

"I told you, Brat: Making a human into a bakemono is a difficult
thing--- you need blood, death, lightning and power. You were dying:
That was the death. I was bleeding: So, the blood. I borrowed
lightning from the sky, and the power was yours and mine each." He
licked at his wrist like a housecat.

The former temple boy was shivering with shock; "Did you have to do
THIS?!?" he cried. It came out as a hissing growl, low and painful to
hear. Tora simply sat there staring at him from inscrutable silver
eyes. "Would you rather have died, you ungrateful little bastard? Your
LIFE was running out all over the ground!! Hrrrrrrrrrr.... I should've
known better than to try and help a human; I should've eaten you
instead!" The bakemono spat on the mud between them. Ushio shrank
back; maybe death *would've* been easier to deal with than than
this.......

A sudden THWACK! rocked his head on his shoulders; reflexively he
swung a clawed hand towards his tormenter. Wrong thing to do; Tora
caught him by the wrist and pulled him skywards in a leap, holding
Ushio dangling. "GET OVER IT, BRAT!!" snapped the monster, flinging
him down to land sprawling in the wet grass. "Do you think that you're
the first human to ever be changed?!? I could have EATEN YOU if I
wanted--- I didn't have to do what I did!" Now lightning crackled in
tiny arcs between the hovering monster's outstretched claws; he
laughed sardonically, and Ushio stared up at him. The bakemono looked
peculiar to his eyes---- he could see better than before, clearly even
through the darkness. "I could have eaten you...." the monster said
again, softer now, reflective.

"Tora....... Yes. I thought--- you were going to"; he coughed, trying
to get used to his strange new voice. He kept feeling as if he needed
to clear his throat. In a very human gesture he rubbed at his eyes
with the back of one black hand. "This is like--- the dreams, this is
how I was in the dreams...." Ushio felt his lips drawing back from
sharp, sharp teeth. The first wave of shock was beginning to pass now,
and he slowly got back to his feet. Tora landed a little ways away and
sat watching him in the long river grass, his striped face curious and
faintly amused. Ushio hesitated for a moment and then, moving
carefully, walked unsteadily down to the river's edge to look
fearfully at his reflection in the shallows.

Oh, strange, strange..... A black, wide-jawed narrow-chinned face with
golden, pupil-less eyes stared back. His forehead was marked with a
single streak of white that split the shock of black, shining mane
like the lightning that had changed him. He was more angular, much
slighter in build than Tora was; here and there he could see tiny
streaks of white among the darkness of his pelt, marking the scars of
his young life..... And there, on his chest: a great blaze of silver,
his almost-death painted in pale fur. He turned his head to either
side, blinking; yes, his teeth *were* sharp, as sharp as Tora's own.
Sitting back on his haunches, he looked over his shoulder: that
tail-how did one manage a tail? In answer to his anxiety it was
flicking back and forth like a metronome. The quiet pad of footsteps
behind him made Ushio turn his head; Tora slipped up to sit beside him
on the shoreline, peering down at their two reflections as if looking
for answers in the darkness. Night-black, fire-orange, the bakemono
faces hovered in the rippling mirror of water.

He was somewhat *shorter* than Tora, too. Big surprise there.

Tora spoke: "So you thought I was going to eat you?" The bakemono
paused for a moment. "I could have, of course..... A strange thing; I
chose to save you instead." He snorted; "But if you're not happy with
being alive, I could remedy that...." He laughed again softly at their
reflections.

Ushio sat still, thinking hard. Life--- even like this--- was better
than death; he was alive! Not a corpse floating down the river, not a
water-yokai's lunch: Alive! Unnoticed, his tail lashed harder as anger
began a slow burn through his veins at the thought of the source of
all his grief, all his pain..... "That bitch" he whispered; "She
caused this; this is HER fault! Child-eating monsterrrrrrhhrarrrr---"
He realized that he was actually growling. Through a growing haze of
fury he felt his claws digging into the bank, scoring the mud deeply.
Beside him he heard an approving grunt. "Keep that in mind" hissed
Tora. "Anger will make you strong; self-pity makes you weak--- and you
can't afford weakness now." He stepped back a little and looked Ushio
up and down critically. "You make a good monster, Brat..... all black
like that. Better than being a pathetic little human, eh?" He chuckled
and reached out to tug roughly at Ushio's dark mane, much as he had
yanked his hair earlier that day.

Ushio swatted the hand away and nearly fell over; what was with Tora
anyway? He seemed almost--- what? Pleased? No, not exactly pleased,
but definitely in a wierd mood. Didn't he realize how terrible this
was? Ushio's world had ended! He wasn't human anymore..... but the
Spear had been going to change that anyway, hadn't it?

Was this so much worse? Was full measure easier to bear than half?

He didn't know; and now he could never know. All he knew right now was
that, one way or another, he would get his revenge on the thing that
had caused this. It was his right; he had earned it with his blood.
Revenge was perhaps not the best way to begin a new life, but.....
Maybe here, maybe now, it was appropriate. Ushio sighed deeply and
turned to look at Tora, who stared back, silver eyes into gold.
"Tora--- "

"Now what? More complaints, Ushio-Brat?" The bakemono shook his mane
back in an exasperated manner.

"No. No more complaints. Just.... Thanks. Thank you."

The monster froze for a moment, then cocked his head curiously to one
side. "..... Urrrrrm? Hrrrrrrrrhh." He seemed more than a little
nonplused and shook his head again, whipping his mane back from his
face. There was a moment of silence between them; then he laughed a
little to himself and looked out over the river. "We should go; no
bakemonotachi here now." None but us, thought Ushio sadly. He also
looked out across the dark water, then up at the cloudy sky above,
wondering. Go where? And.... how? Surely Tora didn't expect him to
*fly*, did he? He flexed his new claws in the mud again. Revenge would
have to wait until he had mastered his new body; he could feel the
desire still burning in him, firelight in the darkness--- but he
needed time. And he needed something else, too---

Golden eyes gleaming, he looked around; ahh, there it was, washing
gently against the shore. The Kemono No Yari's red silk streamers
rippled in the waves as Ushio reached a black hand out; he heard Tora
draw a sharp breath---

And he took up the Spear. Cloud-light reflecting off the river glinted
along sharp silver edges (silver like Ushio's claws) as he ran one
hand down the haft to wipe away waterweed and a dulling of mud. The
Kemono No Yari seemed to quiver in his grasp---- almost to protest, he
thought for a cold moment--- then it subsided, accepting its Bearer's
touch. Behind him, he heard Tora exhale in unmistakable relief.

*************

They walked home, keeping to the shadows; it seemed to take forever.
The problem of how to carry the Spear was solved by simply knotting it
into its bearer's black mane. Ushio slowly learned to coordinate his
movements to a four-footed gait (he kept tripping over his own feet at
first, providing Tora no end of amusement). There were so many things
to remember--- not to extend his claws as he walked ("You'll blunt
them, stupid"), to use his tail for balance ("Keep it level-- you're
not a housecat"), to keep his head up, not down ("Stop that, Idiot-are
you a dog?"). He found his new eyes easily adequate against the
darkness of the streets. There were so many scents: earth, almond sap,
asphalt, dog pee, fast food, humans; the stink of cars and a strong,
interesting reek that he eventually realized came from a butcher's
shop..... And the sounds! Tiny popping of insects and worms below his
feet, the sleepy rustle and chirp of birds overhead, a dull buzzing
hum from the power lines to either side. The dark streets were filled
with information that he could only barely begin to read; he felt
ridiculously ignorant.

By the time they reached the Aotsuki temple gates, Ushio was
stumbling; his new muscles required coordination that only practice
would give him. Tora paced in silence, eyes half-lidded against the
streetlights. He occasionally glanced over at Ushio speculatively, an
odd expression on his striped face; at last, the former temple boy
could stand it no longer. "What? What is it?" He brushed his black
mane back from his eyes.

Tora shrugged in a very humanlike gesture. "Strange to be with another
like myself" he said briefly. "Bakemonotachi seldom hunt in packs.
Fortunate for humans, eh?" He chuckled and moved forward to pass
beneath the temple arch.

*Good thing Dad's away* thought Ushio, his heart thumping a little
faster at the prospect of explaining THIS to his father. And what
about Asako? Better say goodbye to any prospects *there*----- Shit,
that'd be, what.... bestiality? or worse? *I'm not going to think
about it at all* he told himself, firmly squashing the wail that
seemed to be rising straight from his hormones...... or whatever a
bakemono had. Never mind. Tora had already slipped through the wall of
the house in his usual ghostly manner; could Ushio do that?
*Uhhhhhhh.....* He stepped forward and touched the stone; it seemed
pretty solid to him. How the hell did you move through stone?!? His
housekeys were (presumably) lying back on the shore among the ruined
and bloody tatters of his clothing; Ushio considered breaking the door
down--- he badly wanted the sanctuary of his room, but....

The matter was made moot by the abrupt hand that reached through the
substance of the wall, grabbing him by his shoulder and yanking him
through. God, what a weird sensation--- he gave himself a brief, hard
shake; it had felt.... rather like passing through a very cold
waterfall. "Thanks" he mumbled. Tora just shrugged. "You have a hell
of a lot to learn, Brat" was all he said, sounding pleased, and turned
away to rummage through the refrigerator.

Tora could eat if he wanted to; Ushio had rather more important things
on his tired, stressed-out mind. *Shit, what a HELL of a day* he
thought morosely as he slowly stumbled up the stairs to his room
(stairs weren't too bad, but they were awkward; he kept stubbing
his..... hands? forefeet?). His room, at last! Sanctuary; the familiar
clutter was paradise to his eyes. Propping the Spear in its usual
place, he carefully curled up on the bed (*Finally too big but not too
tall, huh* he thought), hearing the wood creak under his weight. How
much did he weigh now? Time for a little self-inspection......

Certain parts of this were to be dreaded, but Ushio sweated them
through; his, ummm, more intimate areas seemed to be working
adequately (although he didn't want to think too hard about using the
bathroom yet). He found himself marveling at the intricacies of
retractable claws--- just how *did* the damned things work, anyway? He
raked them carefully across a bedpost, carving deep grooves through
the wood; it felt--- good. His muscles were hard and supple, massively
stronger than before; they felt good too. Even rising to pace
restlessly across his floor felt good-though he couldn't keep it up
for too long. Shit, he was practically having to learn how to walk all
over again! But.... it still felt good just to *move*.

In fact, that was part of the problem. It *all* felt good--- too good;
he should be a tight ball of gibbering shock by now. But there was a
certain euphoria that went with sheer physical well-being, and he was
awash with it; after the pain of nearly dying, it felt..... good. Very
good.

Ushio sat on his haunches by his window, tail flicking slightly; the
sky was clearing now and the winds brought a strong scent of....
uhhhhm, rain-on-tar-and-tiles? Oh, yeah--- his neighbors' rooftops.
Funny, he had always thought that animals identified scents
automatically; you never thought they had to learn what they were.

But he wasn't an animal. He remembered that guy Hyou the Chinese
monster-hunter calling a bakemono `the animal that is not an animal'.
He was a monster. Like Tora. *Wonder what Hyou would think of me now?*
He sighed and rested his chin on the windowsill. With a careful claw
he delicately scratched `USHIO' onto the ledge, peeling away the hard
wood with ease. *Wonder if I can still paint? I've still got two
hands-- even if they are a lot bigger; I don't see why not.* He flexed
his fingers, extending and retracting the claws.

More self-inspection. Ushio padded into the bathroom (*Goddammit, I
can hardly fit!*) and examined his face critically in the mirror.
Hmmmmm. Tora was right--- he did actually make a `good monster', with
his sleek dark fur and white markings. His bone-straight black mane
trailed around him nearly to the ground, and he looked.....
terrifying. Beautifully frightening. Ushio bared his sharp teeth at
his own reflection; wouldn't *those* feel fine biting down on that
fucking bitch of a water-yokai? Well, he'd just have to see about it,
wouldn't he?

The prospect..... felt very good.

And, later, looking out into the night, it still felt good. Ushio
thought about it while the clouds blew away and the stars came out and
until he fell asleep, curled up around the Spear beside his window and
warmed by the steady, hot flame of revenge.

*************

..... slowly rising like a bubble from the depths of sleep, running
now: running, running and running, chasing after the stag whose rich
scent tantalized him so; claws barely touching the leafy ground,
springing through the air like a roaring, black comet to land across
the warm animal body, hot blood sweet in his mouth, sharp teeth
tearing......

.........!!!

And Ushio woke, to feel the floorboards splintering and shredding
beneath his claws.

With a distinct feeling of déjà vu, he stretched his full length,
yawning widely. There was no question of "What happened to me, am I
dreaming?" or any of that trite crap; he recalled EVERYTHING from the
previous day........ Ohhhhh, yeah. He remembered every little detail.

As if he could forget any of it. Not likely, not in this life or in
any other.

He slowly rose to his four feet, and then cautiously to two, wavering
back to four as his balance shifted; Tora seldom walked on only two
legs but could if he wanted to. Ushio could see why he didn't often,
though-this body was designed for horizontal movement, not vertical.
It was also apparently designed to have a horrible taste in its mouth
upon awakening. Urrrrrrgh..... Could he do something about brushing
his teeth? Maybe later. Scratching at the pale blaze on his chest,
Ushio looked ruefully at the ripped-up patch of floor. Great, just
great. He was *still* having dreams!

*What a way to wake up. You would think that I had earned a little
peace, wouldn't you?* Ushio thought with irritation. He stretched once
more, knotting the Spear into his heavy hair again and looked towards
the bathroom with a certain trepidation. Reflecting on the (hopefully)
reassuring fact that some things really couldn't change too much no
matter what shape you wore, he wobbled into the bathroom and closed
the door behind him.

.....Silence, then a faint clattering; thud of a too-large bakemono
whamming a body-part against a bathroom wall, accompanied by vile
cursing (Ushio was picking up Tora's habits). Bangs and thumps as
maneuverability became a rather desperate problem....... Quiet again,
punctuated by faint muttered swearing. Finally, thuds and liquid
splashes from the bathtub and the hissing of a bathroom shower......

Having dealt with *that* issue, Ushio slunk down the stairs towards
the kitchen a few minutes later; he would have to clean the bathroom
when he had the chance. He didn't want to think about it.

*************

*If I were a monster,* mused Ushio, *what would I eat for breakfast?*
As he WAS a monster now, he should be able to figure it out. *Keep
calm, now; too early for hysterics* he thought grimly. Hmmmmmm. He
wondered where Tora was; it wasn't like the ancient bakemono to miss
his morning coffee (though he tended to supplement it with the
occasional bird, squirrel or part of Ushio's breakfast). He carefully
flicked the refrigerator door open, trying not to overdo it (the new
strength and size would *definitely* take some getting used to!): some
rather hard cheese, a head of wilted lettuce, rice that had seen
better days, an open can of peaches, some withered carrots..... He
settled for the cheese and peaches, trying hard not to think about
birds or squirrels. The kitchen seemed so much smaller; even though he
was moving with care, he knocked an unwashed spoon off the counter.
With inhuman speed he picked it out of the air as it fell--- and sat
for a minute, regarding it thoughtfully. This..... wasn't all bad, he
supposed; it had its moments.

And he had better get used to it damned fast. There was this little
matter of revenge..... He could panic and mourn the loss of his
humanity later. That was one of the *good* things about being only
seventeen: you bounced back quickly.

Breakfast. Out of habit, Ushio started a pot of the usual coffee while
he ate. It took him three tries (he kept putting his claws through the
filters). Flavors were..... peculiar; apparently his sense of taste
had changed drastically. The cheese was OK, but the peaches seemed
oddly sour and unappetizing. Chewing was a bit difficult, too; his
teeth were designed more for biting--- no wonder Tora gulped things
so. Tentatively the former temple boy began experimenting; hmmmmm.....
Anything salty or very sweet was tasty, while bland or mild items were
not especially so, and uncooked vegetables were totally disgusting.
Strong flavors were definitely best. And.... What WAS that scent? Rich
and powerful, dark and complex, it stroked his senses.

Of all things, it was the coffee. *You're kidding* he thought. Ushio
had always disliked coffee. But it smelled.... wonderful. He eyed the
pot; Tora usually didn't bother with a cup or anything like that,
but.... Ushio fished a couple of mixing bowls from under the sink and
carefully split the coffee between them. Well, that looked good-it was
a pity he had pulled the cabinet hinges loose, though. Man, everything
seemed so *small*! His bowl felt like a sake cup in his hand; he could
palm it easily. As he inhaled the coffee's aroma appreciatively, he
felt a breath on the back of his neck and nearly dropped the bowl.

"Shit, Tora, don't sneak up on me like that! Are you trying to give me
a heart attack or what?"

The monster was leaning casually against the wall behind Ushio,
watching him. He snorted; "Bakemono don't get heart attacks, stupid."
Reaching past, he took his coffee `cup' and went into the living room
to sprawl across the couch in his usual fashion. Ushio grunted in
exasperation and took a taste..... Not at all bad; the bitterness that
he had always hated was still there, but.... It was different somehow.
Well, actually, the coffee was the same; *he* had changed. He took a
larger swallow; the heat felt good in his throat.

God--- how was he going to explain this to his dad? Ushio sighed. Most
fathers were good about accepting their son's idiosyncrasies (to a
certain extent, anyway). His old man was pretty pig-headed, but not a
bad guy; he had handled the whole Spearbearer issue with equanimity,
and even got along with Tora in a sort of minimalist way..... Ushio
swirled the last of his coffee around in its container, watching his
reflection flash light and dark on the surface. Sometimes he suspected
that Dad knew a lot more than he would say about the Spear and its
history; he hadn't really been as surprised by the whole thing as his
son would've expected.

He was sure in for a hell of a shock this time, though.

Tora was watching him again. Well, Ushio could give as well as he got.
Swallowing the last of his coffee, he leaned against the counter and
looked calmly back, gold eyes into silver. "Good morning, Tora." The
orange bakemono grunted briefly and glanced at the coffeemaker; Ushio
shrugged and started another pot (there were sure a lot of grounds
underfoot). The Spear was a little awkward bound into his hair like
that; he slipped it out and propped it against the counter, knocking
some more cutlery to the floor in the process. It still felt.....
necessary..... to have it near him at all times, but he had to come up
with a better way of carrying it; this was convenient, but got in the
way a little.

Propping the door open, Ushio looked out into the new day. The sun was
just above the horizon. Early swallows swooped through the still-cool
morning air, chasing their shadows across the yard; a faint hint of
growing things (bamboo? pondgrass?) ghosted across his senses to
mingle with the scent of the brewing coffee. He closed his eyes,
breathing deeply. It was very strange how much information he could
get without even using his sight. A tiny clink and rattle of ceramic
told him that this would be a windy day as tiles on nearby roofs
shifted- he could hear them as clearly as the windchime by his bedroom
window; the breeze brought him the first aromas of baking from the
pastry shop a block away. At least those sounds and smells were
understandable. He breathed deeper. Ushio could catch his own scent
(wood and metal, fur, coffee, cheese, peaches), his father's (human
sweat, cloth, dusty books) and a musky, faintly rank odor that had to
be Tora. Other scents too, so many that he couldn't even begin to
identify them: sweetness of flowers, mechanical stinks, animal reek,
lots of cooking food, something itchy that was probably incense--- a
whole world of information that humans could only faintly touch.
Intoxicated and a little overwhelmed by the sensory richness, Ushio
was only marginally aware of Tora moving up to sit quietly beside him.

"So, brat..... What do you think of it? Is it so different, being
bakemono?" For once, the monster's tone carried nothing besides
curiosity; Tora actually wanted to know.

The former temple boy leaned back against the doorframe, eyes still
shut. "Different...... yeah. Very different. I thought I'd hate it,
but... it's not so bad. Hard to get used to, though; I can hear and
smell so much better, and things taste different. I'm a lot stronger,
too." He opened his eyes.

"But I can't walk worth a damn, much less run..... How the hell do you
manage four legs all the time? I keep trying to stand up on my, uhhh,
hind legs, and I fall over." He scratched irritably at the pale blaze
on his chest again. "That bitch that caused this is still out there.
Tora, she'll keep eating kids.........." Ushio felt his lips peeling
back from his teeth..... Oh, how he'd love to sink those teeth into
the water-hag that was the source of his problems! How he would bite
her, how he would tear her---- *What the HELL am I thinking?!?"* His
breath caught and he dropped his makeshift coffeecup with a clatter.

Tora was watching him curiously. His partner shivered and leaned
against the counter, feeling a little panicky. "Tora--- I, I'm not
thinking much like a human anymore--- I keep thinking about how much I
want to, to *bite* her, to..... tear her into pieces. I can't--- " he
stopped for a moment, breathing a little harder. "I can't seem to help
it! ......... Do *you* think like this...... all the time?" His
question was barely audible.

The ancient monster had a most peculiar expression on his striped
face; Ushio could not, for the life of him, decipher it. Wonder?
Apprehension? Usually the bakemono was so full of himself..... He
scratched with one claw deep in his orange mane. "Hrrrrrrhhmmmmmm.
Maybe you're not as stupid as you look." He sounded grudgingly
impressed. "Those are body thoughts. Your body is thinking for you."
He shrugged. "That can be good; it helps you to fight-- but you need
to think with your head as well as your claws." Tora swallowed the
last of his coffee and casually dropped the bowl onto the floor to lie
by Ushio's.

"Anyway, Ushio-Brat, why *should* you think like a human? You're not
human now, you will never be human again. You are bakemono..... The
sooner you get used to that, the easier it will be for you. Stop
thinking about that foreigner and think about your body instead,
or......." Tora made a snapping motion with his jaws, the equivalent
of a human's `throat-cutting' gesture. Ushio swallowed.

A thought seemed to strike the ancient monster. "Hey, Brat: You spar
in the mornings, don't you? Practice with that damned Spear?" The
former temple boy nodded, still breathing a little quickly.

"So practice with me. You'll get used to moving that way--- and, just
this once, I promise not to kill you!" He grinned, white teeth shining
like a shark's. Ushio hesitated; this was one thing he and Tora had
never done--- practiced together. It seemed like a good idea,
though..... He nodded. "Sounds OK. Thanks. And..... I'll put the Spear
up in my room if you want me to."

The orange bakemono frowned; "No..... bring it. I want it where I can
see it."

*************

An hour later Ushio was wondering if he had lost his mind along with
his humanity, agreeing to such a goddamned stupid idea. Bruised,
abused, scratched and aching, he lay sprawled in the shade of an
almond tree and panted. Tora smirked at him from where he perched atop
a stone wall; the other bakemono had not a hair out of place and not a
single scratch anywhere.

And was enjoying himself *immensely*.

With a groan, Ushio pushed himself back to his four feet. He started
to wipe the blood from the back of one hand and then, giving in to new
instinct, licked at it gingerly. Eeewww... well, blood still tasted
like blood, anyway. Or his did, at least. But licking it seemed to be
the right thing to do. Tora just watched him, still smirking; if
anything, his grin widened a little.

His pride stinging worse than his scratches, Ushio crouched down in
what felt like a good fighting stance. Tora blinked down at him and
turned his head to one side. "Look, Idiot. You are NOT an animal, you
are a monster. You have hands-- so use them! You have teeth, use them
too!" He laughed wickedly. "Or do I have to show you how to bite
again?" The former temple boy crouched lower, growling; he had several
crescent-shaped rows of teethmarks to give evidence of Tora's
proficiency with his teeth.

The ancient bakemono continued: "Don't just leap at me; plan what
you'll do when you leap! Go for my throat with your claws, or my eyes,
or try to knock me off balance..... much good may *that* do you,
though..... You are fast; that's good. Your claws are sharp, your
teeth also. Good. BE fast, be clawed and fanged!" He smiled down at
Ushio again and seemed to come to a decision. "Here; I'll close my
eyes. Attack me!" And, still smiling, he closed his silver eyes and
waited.

The black bakemono bristled; he rose to his feet and decided to try a
different tactic. So far he had been leaping directly at Tora's face--
this had resulted in some major Kicking-Of-Ushio's-Ass, so maybe going
after another target would work better. He slunk back and forth in
front of the other, moving more easily now despite his aches; Tora sat
still, waiting. Ushio could see the very tip of his dark orange tail
twitching, flick, flick, flick--- and finally it proved to be just too
tempting......

So instead of going for his opponent's throat, Ushio leaped low and
grabbed the tail, yanking HARD! Tora's eyes shot open in shock: he
hadn't expected that! Off balance and flailing wildly, he fell off the
wall to land with a crash in front of his partner; Tora's yowl of
indignation made the few remaining birds around take flight hurriedly.
Still pulling, Ushio laughed; a thwack! against his jaw made his head
ring, so he decided to put his teeth to use while he still had
them....

As he bit Tora's tail with all his might, the other bakemono's howl of
fury made the tiles on the roof rattle.

The next thing Ushio knew, he was viewing the world upside down.....
He was lying in a tangled heap across the yard from where he had been
moments earlier, legs sprawling every which way, mane tangled across
his face and in his eyes. Tora sat on the other side of the clearing,
nursing his injury and cursing steadily in a stream of growling
profanity that was only occasionally understandable. "....goddam
shit-eating little akuma bastard, don't you EVER touch my tail
again!!!" he concluded, snarling. But the low, rumbling growl began to
break, staggered, and finally fell over into ragged laughter. Ushio
blinked bemusedly; he slowly sat up and felt his own lips twitching.
It *was* funny; if he had ever tried to pull Tora's tail while human,
he was certain that the bakemono would've had him for lunch. And for
some reason, that was funny too.... And he HAD actually gotten past
Tora's defenses. Grinning, he stood back up, rubbing at his aching
head. "Want to try again?"

Tora grinned back, eyes flashing silver in the sunlight. "I'll keep my
eyes open this time." And then (much to Ushio's surprise) HE leaped!

They went down in a tangle of black-and-orange fur, claws flying, long
limbs everywhere. Dust rose in clouds from the yard as the two
monsters rolled back with Tora's momentum to hit the wall behind them.
A swipe of claws across Ushio's short muzzle made him hiss in pain,
and he retaliated by kicking Tora hard in the stomach with both hind
feet. Tora's "Ooomph!" was music to his ears; so was the satisfying
crash! that the orange bakemono made as he landed on the ground a few
feet away--- Expecting a return attach, Ushio crouched low, teeth
bared, tail lashing. Instead, though, Tora lay where he was, panting.
After a moment, though, the former temple boy relaxed; he must have
taken the fight out of the older monster. *Not too shabby, yeah!* he
thought, grinning to himself and licking blood from the corner of his
mouth. He looked upwards towards Tora-----

WHAMMMMMM!!!

Later (after his head stopped ringing), Ushio would consider the
stupidity of letting one's guard down, even for a second, in a
monster's presence.

*************

Dinner was pizza, ordered over a carefully dialed phone, with the
money left on the doorstep. Well, actually it was *four* pizzas, and
the two that Ushio wolfed down gave him mild heartburn. But they were
filling, and actually tasted pretty good, all things considered. At
least he didn't have to kill them to eat them.......

*************

The next two days followed much the same pattern as the first in
Ushio's new life; he concentrated on the major business of Getting
Used To The Body. Both bakemonotachi ate quite a lot of pizza and
other take-out (or rather, drop-off) food. Sparring with Tora made up
most of Ushio's waking hours; the orange bakemono seemed oddly content
with the situation, almost..... happy, in a way. He was as rough and
bad-tempered as ever, but--- compared to earlier--- he was absolutely
*civil* to Ushio. This was pretty wierd, as far as the former temple
boy was concerned; and he found himself wondering: Do monsters ever
get..... lonely?

Late at night, three days into his change, he sat on the roof of his
home and pondered the matter as he looked up at the stars. Ushio had
yet to master the ghostly through-the-wall bit that Tora did but was
proficient enough with his new limbs now that a leap onto the roof was
easily done. It was oddly comfortable up there, with the cool night
wind blowing his mane back from his face and the stars winking above;
high places felt reassuring. He could see so well; raising his eyes to
the heavens, he marveled at the colors of the jewels that twinkled
there; Ushio could not recall ever seeing *colors* in stars
before..... He shifted; the tiles were cool beneath him where he sat,
and the Kemono No Yari lay still and peaceful under his claws.
Night-blooming jasmine scented the air.

The Spear had been quiet these past few days; almost Ushio felt that
it was waiting, waiting for its bearer to master his new form
before..... Well, before what? The black bakemono breathed in the
fragrant air and considered, golden eyes half-slitted. The longer he
waited, the more time passed, the more kids were likely to be eaten by
that slimy thing.....

Above him the stars shown down, cool and full of fire. The desire for
revenge, which had lain as still and cool as the Spear during the last
few days, grew a little hotter at the memory of a cold grip on his
ankle, cold water in his lungs, pain in his chest---- and he realized
that he was growling softly to himself. So what? He was a monster now,
wasn't he? Monsters growled.

The sound died away across the silent tiles, fading into wind.

Ushio was still the Spearbearer as well, and that carried
responsibilities that he could never, ever refuse--- no matter what
shape he wore. He looked down; the haft lay beneath his claws, and the
Spear's edges reflected back the light of many, many stars. As he
contemplated it the Spear rang faintly back at him, tattered red
streamers fluttering in the breeze.

Funny; he had to be the first bearer of the Kemono No Yari with fur
and claws. And he knew who he had to thank for that, too.

Revenge burned a little hotter, a little higher.

A nightbird called in the distance; it had to be pretty late, nearly
dawn. Ushio wondered where Tora was; hunting? flying? He hadn't dared
to ask about the flying bit--- he'd had a hard enough time *walking*
to begin with. Maybe later, much later. He had other things to think
about now. He sniffed at the wind. And speak of the devil........

Tora landed lightly on the roof a few feet away. He did not look at
his partner; instead he lifted his eyes also to the stars. Quietly the
two bakemono sat on the rooftop, contemplating the endless sky like a
pair of stone temple guardians.

Above them wheeled the expanse of the night, wide and open to the
winds of heaven. There was Corvus, the crow, starry wings spread in
flight; the Arabic constellation called 'the Leaps of the Gazelle'
picked its way in twin pairs of silver across the heights. And looking
down, arm outstretched, there was Orion with his dogs at his heels.
The Hunter himself.

As the night wind whispered across the trees, Tora said softly: "I
missed this most of all, Down There, trapped with that bastard Spear
through me-- the sky." Old memories darkened his vision for a moment;
then his eyes flashed silver back at heaven, challenging its fire with
Tora's own. "For a long time, it's what I wanted most, even more than
vengeance. And I have it now." He smiled to himself, a striped shadow
with a shine of teeth and eyes breaking up his darkness.

Ushio was silent; it was unlike his partner to be so... eloquent.
Wierd. Why now? Maybe because the ancient bakemono..... wasn't alone
anymore? It would explain a lot. He brushed threads of black mane from
his eyes and raised them up to meet the silver gaze of the stars.

"So, Ushio-brat. What will you do now? You're not too bad with the
fighting, once you put your teeth into it; what will you do now?"

And in the cool darkness a little before the dawn, Aotsuki Ushio,
Spearbearer and bakemono, turned golden eyes to his partner and said
softly "Let's go hunting."

*************

End of Chapter 3 of 5