Daybreak Collision
By the late evening's ominous hues of orange and coral pinks, the decisive time for cover had been concluded when the skies opened up with a random soak fest. About two hours into the rapid sprint the clouds above gathered into a pile of puffy negativity and openly poured its adversity on the flourishing Makai lands. The Koorime was fortunate enough to navigate more than half way on their two day quest with the swiftest urgency. Spiked stings of the icy drops smacked viciously against his skin, the faster he darted between each perch.
With the assaulting storm in their wake the chances of contracting a sickness was increased drastically. An unharmful worry for him yes but the child's immunity left much to be desired. Being the age he was, he had a higher chance for illness than Hiei. Due to the aimless wandering the Koorime embarked on in the snow tops, days before, his strength was limited. His demonic health might strike most as something Hiei needn't concern himself with but even Class A ranks had to be weary if their statuses.
No demon, regardless of strength and power, was exempt from the natural elements and he was no exception.
"Mmm…mmm…"
Nor was the boy. They were going to need a proper shield out of this storm before it reaches its maximum. From the scent of rain in the air, this was going to last a while.
Hiei dropped down on a low level branch, scouting out the lay of the valleys for a worthy shelter. A thick tree top would suffice but a cave would be better. The chilly heaven's tears weren't exactly thrilling on the bare skin. And damn he'd dried half way only to be completely drenched again.
Under the cape of fur, Hiei could feel the pup squirming against his heavy cloak. At the earth shattering crashes of colliding thunder, Little Fool buried his face heavily against Hiei's back, whining his distress at the blaring noises.
"Calm yourself." Hiei mumbled still scoping the surface regions.
Still nothing. Hiei leapt from the sturdy post to another a higher branch, scowling through the beating sleets of needley frost. Hiei leapt over to another vantage point and flipped off its balance, to the muggy ground and bolted in an aboriginal frenzy, the splash of his steps echoing as loud as the child's whimpers. Fear was laced in and out the foxling's demeanor, a trait Hiei found to be strangely displeasing. The trembling wails were because of the rain's punishing chill, but all the same it created the burden of Hiei wanting to assure the kid everything would be fine. This, he frowned at since it was completely out of his characteristic personality to bother himself with the emotional issues for others.
Slight movements on his back stirred a rusting crack against his iron clad spirit that pulsed something oddly abnormal of his demonic nature. Or youthful nature for that matter. This building disturbance vaulted Hiei faster through the slamming sheets as he mentally shook away the perturbing nonsense with a spit of "Ridiculous," searing his lips, forcing away the chance of an unwanted emotion hammering at his soul and reconstructed the venomous wall with the clad of solid ice.
No one would enter the fortress built around the remnants of his soul. Absolutely no one. Not even the delicately despairs of this ailing kit will break through what no other has. Which was all the more reason Hiei needed to get rid of this troublesome brat before he resulted to second guessing his own motives.
Nearly thirty minutes of dashing through the artic blazes and gamboling under the crackling destruction, Hiei discovered a caved in fracture up a tree, shadowing off the brief nightly flashes of lightning. The instant gleam of repletion lit Hiei's oculus hue and boosted his body to canter his jump high enough to land on the extended branch in one fluid bound. The hole was a reasonable size for both to fit but more appropriate for the child than Hiei. He had to low crawl his way inside the dry chamber being careful the pup's head didn't scrape the opening and managed to find a leisure steady inside. The ground was solid enough to support their weight after a couple of fist pounds for assurance. So Hiei reached over to remove his cloak—kit and all—in one swoop carelessly tossing the soaking bundle to the back.
Little Fool yelped at the abusive handling and crawled around under the pile like a blind mole until popping his head free of the attire. "Eeep." He yipped to Hiei as if asking a question.
Hiei sat back, one leg draw up, right arm draped over as he stared out at the weeping heavens. "We'll stay here for now until the rain lets up." The stitching of his black shirt clung to his chest like a second skin and the puff of his pants lost their luster, hanging soggily on his thin thighs.
"Mmm." Little Fool maneuvered his way from the tangle of sopping furs and crawled on his fours to sit next to Hiei staring out at the rain as well. Curiously he'd peek up at the stone faced elder, sighing from time to time at the steeled silence. Being the frolic creature he was by nature, the presumption for constant affection was troubling when it wasn't offered as much as it should. Gradually— since he remembered how much his friend hated it—Little Fool discreetly scooted his tiny bottom across the rough wood, trying to get as close as he could without notice. This went on for a long while until he was pleasantly pressed under Hiei's elbow and unconsciously purred at the other's warmth.
This was the endearing attachment he desire. It felt nice being able to feel the pressure of another's body so warm and snug against his nudity.
"You're not hard of memory I'm sure, yet you still insist on fondling me." At that sudden sharp dialect, Little Fool braced himself for the predictable shove that would send him tumbling back. There was no justified explanation for him being so close this time like when riding the other's back, so he waited quietly for the eventual blow.
And strangely it came, but not in the scenario image he'd pictured.
The long arm over Hiei's knee, slowly draped its length around the kit's waist tugging him against his hip. For that single moment of flashing confusion, the foxling stared up at his friend completely rigid from the unpredictable reflex and mew his questionable move.
Hiei kept his gaze out. "What's the point of pushing you away when all you'll do is return?" At this he sighed annoyed with himself, for being reduced to a maternal hen. "You're nothing but a viral nuisance."
Despite of the fact of being openly insulted, the misunderstood terms only heightened the kit's glee as he curled into Hiei's side nudging his face in the wet shirt. Tiny peeps and mumbled gurgles expressed his gratification and wrapped his stubby arms around the long limb. Hiei rolled his eyes at the timid licks of a vulpine tongue and subtle mews adoring his arm like a best friend.
Suddenly a rumbling growl made Hiei lift his eyebrow at the person claiming his arm and scowled when he heard the gurgling noise again with more of a vibrate force on his appendage. The two bright saffron eyes blinked up at him and squeaked once.
"You're hungry I take it." Hiei said, stating the obvious.
At the shy nod, Hiei sighed. "A viral nuisance indeed." Peering out at the shattering heavens, Hiei didn't hesitate grabbing his sword and flitting from the hole, faster than the kit could blink. A moment when he gained a better understanding of the missing company, Little Fool sniffed the surrounding hole for his absent comrade. But he wasn't here.
Fear slithered up his spine as he frantically mewed out to his protector but there was no answer. His bottom lip poked out trembling, loneliness already gripping him in anxious waves as he crawled back to the furthest end of the wooden shelter and snuggled under the damp furs, silently to weep his distressing desolation of being abandoned.
"Why are you crying?" Came the beautiful tone of familiarity that shook Little Fool to his heart. A single saffron eye peeked out to see his protector's devilish glowing eyes, staring directly at him.
"Eeep!" The little fox leapt from under his pelt, landing full bodied on Hiei's chest, quivering with quailing relief. The blinked grievance idea of being left all alone hadn't sat well with his soul but to see his friend having returned? It really relaxed his frenzied concerns towards abandonment.
A bit taken back by the foxling's, Hiei shook some of the excess rain from his body, looped his arm around the nude body and settled back against the wooden wall. Unlike the opinionated belief of his cold demeanor he wasn't the sort to purposely cause anguish upon an innocent child, lest he were given the intentional reason to be so cruel. "Here." He grunted. The dusted clank of metal rung out as his sword clashed against the back landing in a muffled thud.
Little Fool, perplexed from the metallic rumble, lifted his head from Hiei's chest and squealed at the sight of two skewered squirrels bleeding from the injections of their chests. He squeaked his thanks and waddling clumsily over to the meat and sat down.
Hiei waited for the sounds of crunching to proceed but after no such sound came, he happened to glance up and noticed Little Fool simply looking at the food, not attempting to touch it. The evidence of childlike befuddlement pinched his button nose as if waiting for something important to occur.
For a tender moment of asininity, crimson eyes tempted to burn a hole of brazen words to through that chubby back, but with so much controlled restrained only murmured, "Now what is it?"
Without looking away, Little Fool peeped, the raise of his shoulders bouncing with each little chirp.
Honestly, as if he were gifted with the interpretation of a child's terminology. However if he were going to figure out the needs of an infant he'd have to succumb to abiding by his needs, by physically clarifying his questions. Since he wasn't going to be able to understand, he side-crawled his way toward the bubbly youth and kneeled beside him. "What is it?" Was his depicting question.
"Eeep." Little Fool gave a short pip and pointed at the bleeding meal.
Hiei paused for a moment, splitting his sights between the child and the kill. "What?"
"Mm, Mm." The pup frowned pointing a wavy finger at the food.
When all Hiei did was mirror a grimace at the food, Little Fool crawled forward and pulled the dead squirrel by the tale, tugging it through the blade till it sliced in two. The loss momentum thrust the surprised kit backwards with couple of slabs in each hand. He looked from one paw to the other, sniffed the left, than the right and—assumably by Hiei—picked the portion that smelled best and offered the least favorable to him. "Mm, Mm."
"How amusing." Hardly. Little cosset brat; opting to give him less of the spoils.
Hiei shrugged it off and ran a hand over his and Little Fool's share, layering it with a tinge of coursing flames searing through his fingertips. But at the smell of sizzling flesh, Little Fool began to squeal wildly. Hiei was awe struck from the rapid change in behavior. "What the hell is the matter with you?"
Little Fool tugged at his arm, shaking his head. "Eep, eep, mm, eep!"
Hiei loosened the grip, roughly pulling his arm free and went back to his previous task of cooking the food. Again at the returning odors of flesh being soured with licking flames, shrills of agitation commenced. "Eeeeep!" Little Fool was absolutely going out of his mind gesturing at the steaming meat before he pounced on the less cooked one.
Growling at the disrupted intentions, Hiei lashed out to evilly pinch the child up by the scruff of his neck. "What the hell is the matter with you?"
"Mm." Little Fool clawed at the meat trapped in his hands and began to sweep his tongue over the drops of blood still spilling from the middle. The tips of his dull claws scratched at the fuzzy surface and whimpered in frustration when the skin wouldn't tear.
So that's what had the pup's fur in a bunch. "Little Fool," He grunted, throwing the sterling bundle to the floor. The extra squirrel meat was fortunate to have not be blemished with his inner fire, was cut into sectioned bite sized cubes and laid on the floor for the pup's consumption.
How the hell was he supposed to know the kit only had his food raw? Yes being a carnivorous fellow, he too enjoyed the fresh flesh of his prey but preferred it roasted versus the messy blood spillage that normally came from choosing that method of eatery.
His portion of the meal was however charred to his liking and picked clean to the very skeletal outline. Most of the sterling kit's meal was eaten the best he could muster with growing fangs and discarded to the side as a puffy yawn expanded his cheeks. Ball sized fists rotated over the ecstasy laced eyelids created from a much provided dinner and settled a sense of gratification in the little kid's aura.
Little Fool licked his lips tiredly and clambered over to lie against his protector.
"Hn, so I'm your caregiver as well as a pillow."
One lowly peep said it all and he was done. By the lowering chimes of infant squeaks, seconds later Little Fool was wasting his innocent spirits into the dimensional times of restful dreams, coated in the purity of his child like fantasies.
With the subtracted distraction now blessing him with a moment of silence, Hiei was able to reflect on the past day or so regarding his decisions. So far each step towards taking this pup to his kin has been a maddening diversity after the next. Known for being a olc bloodied killer who found the sheer pleasures of hearing the melodic screams of bloody agony…. he was being far from one currently. For God's sake he was caring for a child that had absolutely no connection with. Neither blood nor martial ritual was forcing him into fulfilling the purpose of another.
So why not simply kill the kit off and be gone to deal with his own affairs? Why was Hiei burdening himself with this task when there was nothing for him to gain? No beneficial rhyme or reason stood persuading his intentions for something more worthy. Than what? What was keeping him from slitting this kit's throat and departing to complete his ventures?
He sighed and took one look out the drizzling downpour, wondering how in the name of the gods above he'd allowed himself to be caught up in the webs of this kit's guardianship.
One thing was for certain for the blazing inferno, licking the cerise iris of his eyes. The vivid priority of vindictive retribution would remain clear as the droplets pearling from the cloudbursts above. Revenge would come first—one red glare settled over the slumbering kit—after he got rid of this child.
Hiei took in a deep intake of the chilly dawns birthing purity; the stored air was savored over his ailing throat and oxygenated the purge of his burning lungs. The briefest moments of days like these were what he lived for. What he thrived to express his worth of.
By the aurora dawn of daybreak, the sun's rays kissed a blushing hue of corals and ravished oranges. During the petal drizzles of frigid rain sprinkling from the heavens, Hiei had already began his trip through the forestry. Much to the tiny kit's protests of being awaken before the sun, he was now sleeping soundly in the nap sack slung on Hiei's back. Ten minutes before the sun cracked a wink over the horizon, the Koorime had risen prepared for a potential day of gaining more ground. Little Fool had created a small tantrum, whining and curling into his friend's body for the depraved warmth.
Despite the brat's stubborn streak to stay sleeping, Hiei had come up with a profitable method that'd satisfy them both. The pelt of fur had been maneuvered to tie as thick backpack tied underneath Hiei's arm pits, looped behind his neck.
With the slickened moisture gingerly coating the emerald valleys, travel was slowed due to slippage on the crystal glaze littering the higher tree branches. Optioned outlets in-between the low grounds and frosted canopies made for better supports because of the thick shrubbery concealing their sturdiness from the bleak weather conditions.
Heedless to say of the icy obstacles Hiei was agile of the slippery steppers, firmly pressing the pad of his boot to each wooden base through the rainy journey. Plenty of ground was covered between the Halo's Mountain and the outskirts of the Eastern Territories. If he kept with this pace they'd assuredly make it to the heart of the sacred grounds by dusk.
Around mid-afternoon Little Fool had awaken from his cat like slumber and popped his head out gurgling whatever nonsense children said now a days. Occasionally a small lick would fondle the back of Hiei's neck, followed by a sneaky giggle. Whenever Hiei would growl loud enough for the kit to duck back inside, the pup was unintentional enjoying the timid game of hide and seek. At times when Little Fool grew bored with that, more infant wordings would progress against Hiei's ear or some surprised gasps at seeing a bird or squirrel leveled at their altitude. "Mmm…mmm…" He'd point and pull at the Koorime's collar to grab his attention at each astounding scene and each brazen disorder would go ignored or earn a chastised smack against his head to duck back inside and be silent.
Howver since he was a toddler demon, chances of a lengthy period of quiet harmony was asking a great deal.
Later on, a small break was proposed for the youth to stretch his legs out of the crunched up space and Little Fool was more than eager to get some playtime.
The scent of a frozen stream was pulsing from the west of their trail. Another sniff the air didn't pick up the odors of other demons so Hiei confirmed that the sector of the forest safe enough for the pup to step out for a few minutes.
Hiei leapt from an alpine stool, leaping to a step down outlet as a sight post. Down below was the crystalized twinkle of mirrored fluids driving from one end of the shore to the other. No obvious signs of previous activities from others were evident in the frosty grasses, so Hiei hoped down halting to a curtain of powdered sugar spouting the world in a fluster of ivory and glittering pearl.
He glanced down and stabbed his boot into the watery steel a couple of times to unbind the water's captivity. Hiei kneeled down, cupped his hands to capture a generous amount and brought it to his lips. The cool refreshment was a monstrous relief against his raw esophagus, quailing some of the blazing tenderness.
Suddenly the tiny silver mop of hair popcorned from his holding and yipped, clawing at Hiei's back.
"Keep silent." Hiei turned his face around to side glare the pup quiet and rolled his eyes at the pleading sunshine. "Fine." Hiei stood, shrugging off the packaged fur and shook it free of the little lightweight until he tumbled to his bottom, dazed from the sudden plummet.
Little Fool yawned stretching out his oversized poncho and steadily stood up on his chucky legs, staring up at Hiei.
Hiei returned the expressed blasé contact as he muttered uncaring, "You get lost, you get left." And went back to cupping more water in his hands.
"Eeep." Little Fool squeaked and waddled off to sit in a pile of fluffy frost, giggling at the chipped ice pinching his bottom.
When the unsettling squeal of entertainment tensed Hiei's demeanor the mentality of his envision on the child's personality slowly persuade his honest opinion. In the mere two days he's known this brat, a sense of playful ignorance was his normal conduct. Blissful and adoring as it may appear, he couldn't be more of a comical fool. Prime example being the way he was currently holding his arms out dancing in the drizzling sleet, singing some sort of disharmonic chirps and flopping backwards on the drenched ground. Seconds later after feigning a faint spell he'd pick himself right back up twirling around again peeping a new beat only to fall backwards once more.
Quite the little fool indeed.
Seeing the pup wasn't harming anything but the crunching grass, Hiei kneeled down for another sip of the polar fluids and as the residing clearness pooled in his palm, the prickles of course obsidian on his neck stood on end. He kept his face forward, silently scoping the surrounding compass for any foreign vibrations. Shifting cerise from left to right the disguised hilt of his sword taped the tip of his waist. The air thickened with the crackling rivalry of mutual peril as the electrical clash of danger pulsed angrily.
Hiei took a sharp intake, and shot up barely missing the barrage of harpooning thorns. Landing on the edge of the shoreline, Hiei braced his left hand on the ground to left his weight three feet off the ground to dodge a rapid blast of pine needles piercing the earth. There was a speedy attacker concealed amongst the trees, cleverly maneuvering his tactics between each fortress.
Hiei hissed savagely in his throat, hunkered low to the ground as on instinct he flitted off to pluck the swirling kit off the ground keeping a low profile sprint
Ear splitting rings of missed projectiles seared Hiei's eardrums. Blistering rage as hot as the fire licking his eyes, as the sword was quickly retrieved to reflect the pine thorns hurling his way, bouncing the glassy needless off his gleaming blade. Three ripped through the hems of his robe, tearing the cloth in a shattering screech. "Dammit." He hissed, a needle nicking the side of his neck.
A thick truck caught the endless round of shooters when Hiei slammed his back against the opposite side. The adrenaline rush kept two thoughts of his mind. Kill whoever was trying to kill him and to protect this brat from being injured.
"Mmm…Mmm…" Whimpered the terrified kit. The sudden change in the winds efficiently disturbed his senses that danger was near.
"Be quiet."
He was careless. The scent of his blood was assuredly printed in the nostrils of his attacker. Dammit if it weren't for his weakened submissions to the cold, he'd be in better health. Being in the newer territories the abilities of these forest demons were of higher concern than the past D ranks. Mostly Bs, Cs and the occasional As like himself littered these grounds and he'd be wise to heed his instincts against them.
However, the skills learnt from before would have to be put to test against this assailant. No doubt this opponent was as formidable as he was but they lacked his speed. Clever intellect was this creatures' forte based on his camouflaged assaults. Even now that there was a hesitate response to the slacking target, there was no smell of anyone near, which only furthered his theory that this was tricky character.
He'd have to be cautious. Hiei sunk down to his hinges, looped his left arm around the weeping pup and side crawled over to the next bush, careful of the many twigs and frosted grass plastering the ground. When he braced his back in the shadows of a larger tree, Hiei narrowed his eyes at the sight of a tall form confidently emerging from the shelter of his cover, calmly glancing around the spot he'd once been. Hiei blew out a steady breath as he lifted his Katana….
Than at the cold metallic music of polished steel slicing across a blade of grass, it was the perfect audio signal to the moss eyed raider of where his prey had escaped. "There you are."
TBC: Uh-oh. Stay tuned ^_^.
