The Shadow's Beckoning (Arius LaVari x Lithël Aelfwine)

[UnAngelVerde]

@Arius LaVari

The Kagemuchi Family had been hunting demons for over 600 years. From the first generation, their expertise as martial masters and hunters was the horror of the demons and Yokais that haunted the villages in the interior of the great nation of Yamato.

As years passed, two branches of the family separated: the ones that where the "Real Family" who possesed the power of the "Dark Eye" that allowed them to avoid any treachery or illusion the demons threw at them and to see their real form, and the "False Decendants" who were the families that joined the original one to hunt the demons and had no such powers. They could be recognized, because the Dark Eye made the members of the Original Family to have their eyes completelly black instead of white.

The Real Family, however, has seen in it's last years a disminution of the children with the Dark Eye. Although respected and feared, they're not as powerful as they have been and have seen their numbers lowered by their work: they're always less and the places to take care are always the same, so they have to spread and many fall in the effort.

In a certain road, two youngsters walked along. They both had the Dark Eye, for they were part of the Original Family. Shougo Kagemuchi walked along the path sniffing the place. He used a couple of Wakizashis in the Obi, and a bow rested in his hands. He was white haired and looked like a common boy, if it wasn't for his completelly black outfit. He was far more loaded than the girl next to him, but he didn't even grinned at it. His thin smile was his only answer to the bright day.

 

[Hitomi Forsyth]

Ayaka Kagemuchi had been reading a scroll as she and her companion traveled the roads of their country, it was a simple history of thier family and the black haired girl sighed quietly, they two were some of the very few left of the Original Family and neither of them could die, so they had adopted the view of 'safety in numbers' so they began to travel together some time ago now. Upon Ayaka's back was a quiver of arrows and a bow, the only weapon that kept on her person, though she was adept at wielding a staff and naginata she didn't carry either of these weapons, which she had been scolded for but carrying them around was such a hassle for the young girl.

Sighing she turns her attention to Shougo, "Hey, where are we headed anyway? You didn't tell me before we left that nice little village behind, in the dead of night may I remind you. I really wanted some more sleep..." Feeling put out the girl grumbles while lightly plucking at her bow string while she waited for her companions answer. Though her black eyes were traveling all along the forest that surrounded them keeping an eye out for any...disruptions in the scenery. Being a demon slayer had made Ayaka pretty much constantly paranoid that they were going to run into demons everywhere.

 

[UnAngelVerde]

It's nightime, Ayaka-san, we need to move at this time. They're more active at night. We need to be in the next village by tomorrow morning. Kikinasai is it's name. I think you were a liitle too asleep. I'll let you asleep once we get there if there are no enemies.
SHougo kindly said to her with a warm smile, but kept going.
You're okay with that?

 

[Hitomi Forsyth]

Ayana stuck her tongue out at him childishly before sighing and nodding, "As you wish then, Shougo-san..." She goes quiet again and keeps plucking the now string which made a small sound in the quiet night life that surrounded the pair. "You know...it's actually scary quiet isn't it?" As she said this she slid close to Shougo and grabbed his sleeve lightly sticking close to him.

 

[UnAngelVerde]

Aye. Maybe... it's an ambush, or it's deserted. both of them carried on waking, and after a turn of the road, they could feel a smell. Blood. Draw your weapons, be ready. He started looking all around them, but it was closed night and they couldn't see further.

 

[Hitomi Forsyth]

The tinge of copper on the air had her wrinkling her nose before she pulled her bow from her back and notched an arrow onto the string ready to pull it back and fire as soon as they saw anything dangerous; though now that she had her bow out she was backing away from Shougo keeping eyes on the surroundings to offer optimal protection for both of them, she had her back facing his and was walking backwards. "Have you seen anything yet..." Ayaka asked feeling nervous with eyes darting all over the place.

 

[UnAngelVerde]

Nothing yet, but there's another turn ahead. Shougo had the Wakizashis out and was ready for anything.
They kept moving with all the paranoia and takibg care of every step until the clouds cleared and they could see clearly the turn of the road, where a dark stained dyed the ground.

 

[Hitomi Forsyth]

Realizing the smell was behind her Ayaka turned to see the stain, wide eyed she moved closer to it as she knelt down and touched the stain lightly, the smell had told her it was fresh but the blood was still warm, maybe they could save whoever had gotten attacked. Ayaka wiped the blood off onto her red yukata before untying it and she now stood there in a much less constricting outfit that was also red but had odd little belts and straps on it, to make it as form fitting and unrestrained as possible. She could move much faster in this if she needed to escape, she did however just leave the yukata on the ground before glancing over her shoulder at him and sighing a bit, "This blood...it's still warm so what ever has happened was very recent Shougo-san."

 

[UnAngelVerde]

We must seek the source. There might be wounded that we could still save. Shougo knew his partner was covering him so he started looking, following the blood. It came from a side of the road like if someone was injured and bleeding but had enough strength to drag itself outside the road.
Shougo entered the bushes and moved between the trees. With little light it was difficult to go inside the woods but soon he found what he was looking for.
We need help. It's a Ki-rin, and it's wounded. The beast was no more than a foal but it was strong. It's guts were on the floor, all over it, and it was kicking trying to put them inside again.
Let me help you, friend. Shougo started getting closer to it but it started snorting and moving without control so he couldn't get close enough

 

[Hitomi Forsyth]

Ayaka followed the sound of his steps into the woods and was surprised to see a Ki-rin monster trying to save it's own life and Shougo didn't seem able to get close enough to save it at all so she frowned slightly and stepped forward cooing at it with a soft voice that radiated with kindness and gentle intent, "You're going to be fine, but you need to let us help you...You are a fine and powerful young ki-rin right? don't let your fear and pride be your death..." She moves closer to it, her voice having some affect on the creature apparently and calmly she kneels beside it and continues her cooing, "Shougo-san...could you bring me the yukata I left behind we can use it to wrap it's wounds..." Unfortunately the ki-rin was snorting at Ayaka as she sat close to it and it snapped at her but the young Kagemuchi girl doesn't flinch locking eyes with the proud creature and not moving from it's side; her bow was set down fairly far away from her though, out of reach in case it did attempt to kill her but...so far it just snorted at her apparently surprised by her unwillingness to leave it alone.

 

[UnAngelVerde]

Aye. Said Shougo and went to get the Yukata in a rush.
Why would you help me? Your kind did this to me. Go, get away. Let me die with dignity. I don't need a peety human helping me. The Kirin Said. It's mouth didn't move, but you could hear it's voice as if it was talking aloud.

 

[Hitomi Forsyth]

Ayaka smiles as she tilts her head down, bowing in front of him, "I do apologize for that, not all humans are like that. This I swear. My companion and I care about your kind, we've saved others before and we will seek out proof before assaulting a creature such as you. We don't judge based on appearance but crime." She sits up from her bow and smiles slightly, "And we listen to both sides." Her black eyes remained unwavering as she prayed the kirin would trust in her, at least a little bit.

 

[UnAngelVerde]

Your kind are evil creatures, monsters, worst than demons! Go, leave me! The kirin was extremelly scared, but it looked like he wasn't going to let her touch it.
Here, i looked and found some herbs that could come up in handy. Said shougo when he came back.
Come on friend let us help you. It's not like that you have more options.