Walk of a Warrior - Chapter 2

Walk of a Warrior - Chapter 2

“Shi no tami ni shogai; shogai no tami ni shikei!” Slowly the hooded ones trudged onward toward the village, all stepping in measured time. They had begun nearing a plot of eagerly sprouting crops, the scents of buckwheat and rye overwhelming the many aromatic floras. All along the woods, birds nestled themselves close for the night, taking care to tuck in tightly; meanwhile, other signs of life began laying for rest, and all prepared for the impending rain suspended in the immense clouds overhead.

Kinan stopped briefly to look at the sky, becoming aware of the current weather and its severity. A look of disgust filled him as he contemplated their arrival. Noticing he was falling behind his pack, he quickly jumped back next to his squad, taking great care to keep them in line. He quickly moved to the front of his mass, hollering them on to speed up.

“Get a move on it! We can’t afford to get caught in this gale; forward ho!” His blood red robe waved relentlessly in the infrequent gusts of wind, thrashing itself into the nearly undetectable black gowns of his horde. He stood aside once more, re-evaluating their current position; he didn’t want to upset his master—Kinan couldn’t fail this time.

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“My lord, why have you summoned for me?” Kinan inquired, bowing low to the ground.

“Guards, leave us!” The two armed wolves at the door quickly and quietly shuffled out the doorway, closing the heavy, barred door behind them with a resounding clang. “I am in need of your service, Kinan; my thirst for blood has once again grown.”

A sudden chill ran through Kinan’s spine, causing him to shudder, “Was not your last sacrifice but only a week ago—”
“Fool! A sacrifice in itself will not sustain me!” the dark figure snarled, “I must have one pure of heart, unlike your last excuse of clean!”

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“Pure of heart, he says,” Kinan muttered under his breath as he neared the open square. Droplets began to fall unerringly from the dull, murky sky, spotting his hooded habit. A clap of thunder overlapped the ominous chanting fleetingly before the lull of rain purged the reverberating echo. “I wonder what that withered mutt needs this boy for.” Kinan was mumbling to himself again as muck began lightly coating the underside of his paws. He was the closest of all to his wolf lord; being his personal servant and second-in-command, he saw their ruler for who he was; or at least whom he thought he was…

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“You must bring me a small child this time,” Takai sneered from his perched throne, “I must have innocent blood.”
Kinan stepped back a bit while he made an attempt to appease him; “I shall capture a fine, young girl from the neighboring village, then—“

“Silence!” the frayed wolf growled, standing from his throne; he raised his voice to a ringing boom, “There is but a particular child I have my sights on this time…a boy in Yutaka. I must have his heart!”

“Why this boy? Can we not find any other child that is pure?” Kinan faltered, cowering away from his master toward the far corner of the dank, stone hollow.

“No! This child is different: I cannot place it directly, but there is something in his heart…something magnificent.” Takai sat back in his jeweled throne, massaging his temples in small circular patterns with the tips of his paws. “I cannot overlook this opportunity—you will go to Yutaka and bring me this child! Take a score of your finest and search out the last plot in the township; there…there the boy lingers.”

“Yes, my lord; immediately!” Kinan trundled towards the doorway, skittering across the smooth stone floor.
“Oh, and Kinan…” the frightened figure halted in his tracks, slowly turning his head toward where the evil one’s voice was pending, “do not fail me this time, Kinan—or it will be your last.”

The lanky wolf swallowed hard and dashed off through the already unbound door, taking no bother to close it as he hurriedly dashed off down the hallway toward the barracks; Takai was in an odd mood, and Kinan didn’t want to find out how serious he was.

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“A special boy; bring him to me; I need his heart,” he grumbled mockingly under his breath as he directed his troops along a narrow path toward the distant copse; “That’s the only orchard in this cursed settlement—he’d better be there…” As they passed along side the small town, every odd house began closing their shudders and windows, some locking their doors; the rain began to plummet more quickly, sending a sense of urgency through the lines of the throng; it began to drive them hastily down the narrow, dirt pathway.

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“Now you get yourself ready for bed, you little fiend or I’ll paddle your bottom ‘til it’s as red as my fur!” Lilly’s forceful voice roared. She had grown exhausted trying to get her son to comply with her instructions.
In the kitchen, Amos had begun to clear the table when Lilly stomped in fuming, hurriedly sitting at a vacant table chair. She sighed wearily as Amos planted a gentle kiss on her cheek; “When did we ever think raising this child was going to be easy?” She slumped in her chair more as she watched Amos return to his systematical rhythm in the sink.

Amos pondered it for a moment while he set a load of dishes in the washing bin and started the pump; “I think before we realized it was him we were dealing with; you know, he’s just like you were in some ways,” he chortled, drawing an expected reaction from her.

Lilly heatedly threw a used rag at him, it simply floundering halfway between them; “Oh, hush; you were no better as a child.” She began snap another nearby cleaning rag at the table, sending the remains of the spilled rice flying off in his direction; all the while, Amos had started soaking a small towel with water.

“Don’t you dare even think about it, or I’ll—” Splash! The soaked cloth was wrung quickly over her head before she could finish her sentence, lukewarm water matting down her once feathery coat. Amos let a snigger escape; Lilly stood transfixed for a moment, completely drenched, before she burst into laughter. Amos swiftly joined in, setting the wet fabric atop her head and grinding it into her fur. Their chuckles continued for a while longer before they collected the remains of their meal and began wiping the table clean.

In the other room, Ryoushin had put his nightclothes on and had setup his pillow against the wall. “So, you thought you outsmarted me, didja? Well, you’re no match for a samurai! Take this!” He swiftly clobbered and swiped ferociously at his upright pillow, batting it around the room; at the sound of upheaval, his mother perforated the dense hallway light.

“Now didn’t I tell you to get to bed?” Lilly barked from down the hall, “You haul yourself on that mattress and get some sleep!” She strode into the room and briskly snatched Ryoushin up in her arms, him flailing his arms and legs in disapproval; she smacked him across the rear a few times with her open paw, and when she had finished, set him down on his pallet, scolding him, “Now don’t let me catch you tearing that pillow up again; I’m not going to quilt another one for you.”

Ryoushin nodded unhappily as he rubbed his bottom thoughtfully; he started settling himself under his faded sheets with a yawn. He shifted for a few moments, trying to find a more suitable position before he laid his head on his feathery pillow; no sooner than he had put up a fuss had he slipped silently into his dreams.

“What was it this time, dear?” questioned Amos from down the hall; he had just finished rinsing his paws after cleaning the last of the dishes.

Lilly paced into the kitchen again shaking her head. “The little scoundrel was slashing at his pillow again; I swear, that young rascal goes through more pillows a year than an entire orphanage.”

“He’s just a boy, Lilly; you can’t expect him to avoid mischief like a plague.” Amos patted her on the shoulders after he dried his hands on a soft, clean towel, “You shouldn’t worry your head over it.”

“I know,” she smiled, hugging her beloved, “I just wish he would learn to put his energy to some good use; that kitchen floor could use a good scrubbing, you know.” Amos chuckled as they stood embraced for a moment longer; a moment later, they heard a knock upon their front door.
“I’ll get it dear; go back and check if little Ryu is still asleep,” Amos purred quietly as he slowly released her. Lilly nodded her head affirmably before walking down the garnished hallway back to her little boy’s room.

Amos, meanwhile, headed straight toward the door as another rap resounded. “I’m coming, please be patient,” he murmured under his breath as his paw reached for the latch and handle. As he creaked the door open, a rush of wind and water blustered into the entrance around a tall, shadowy figure looming under the threshold of his doorstep.
“May I help you?” Amos uttered, a bit startled by the gaunt stranger that swayed in front of him with the wind.

The figure snickered at him a bit before it forced itself through the entrance, dripping water all about the floor from his solid, black cloak. Amos was unable to keep him out, obviously unnerved by the creature; his strength had failed him. “Wh-what do you want?” he stammered, shaking slightly from both the cold rain blowing in and a horrifying chill he had from the emergent creature. “What have you come here for?”

The hood slowly pressed itself back until a luminous grin was fully visible, a large snout baring gleaming, white fangs. The creep replied, “I have come…for the party!” Suddenly, the cloak came buzzing off shedding a glisten of water throughout the room, revealing a large red fox from beneath the shadows where but a moment ago a horrible slink had stood.

“Boris, you devil! You gave me a terrible fright!” Amos briskly closed the door behind the newfound guest, taking his robe from the floor as Boris shook off the remaining water from his fur. Before Amos could hang it to dry, Boris began squealing with delight at his most magnificent prank.

“Oh, how magnificent!” Boris began chattering incessantly as he strutted joyfully about the cozy room, “Your home becomes more beautiful with age, as does your mate, I’m sure!”

Amos snorted and placed his paw firmly over Boris’s snout; “Keep it down, you little twit; Ryu still hasn’t the faintest about this party; we’ve only told him that his birthday will be special, and his imagination’s run off with him as usual. He’s expecting martial arts training.”
Boris’s eyes lit up as he removed Amos’s paw from his muzzle, “Oh, peachy good, I think. The little beast can take a lesson or what from me, eh?” Boris grinned slyly, his fangs bearing slightly as he elbowed Amos in the rubs playfully.

“I won’t have any son of mine cavorting about and destroying ours or anyone else’s property with martial arts,” came an annoyed tone from behind Amos, “he can wait until he’s older.” Lilly had made her way into the main entrance and had been listening to them prattle on; she was leaning casually against the wall.

“Oh, don’t be such a down, miss; he’ll be ready ‘n’ set to go in a sun-circle, and I can be setting him up for training and what.” Amos simply sighed, motioning the two to follow him into the main den as he wearily stepped out around the corner of the hallway. As the small group continued chattering, they ambled off to where Boris took his seat on the small, but comfortable sofa across from Amos, whom sat in his usual chair. Lilly stood behind Amos in his unexciting chair, laying her paws gently on his shoulders; she began mildly massaging his upper arms as she listened to the other two talk.

“You’re supposed to be staying at the inn a quarter-mile from here…what happened?” Amos asked as he quirked an eyebrow in slight confusion.

Boris began to explain his situation while twitching his ears about his head, “The bally inn-keeper told me all of his rooms were taken, and off he shoved me through the doors; so here I am, looking for a place to rest me old noggin.” He tapped his head slightly, accentuating the end of his sentence.

“A shame he won’t house you. Well, we have a room next to Ryoushin’s, but you’ll have to be quiet; and don’t forget that you need to be out of here before sunrise.” Lilly chimed, nodding toward the darkened hallway leading to the back of the house.

“Course, course ma’am; not a total fool is I,” Boris piped excitedly, “Just lead away milady.” He leapt from his seat to follow Lilly through the hallway, tiptoeing past Ryoushin’s room; they could hear his heavy breathing. ‘Asleep at last,’ Lilly thought to herself as she propped open another door connected to the hallway. She motioned the fox to follow her inside and they quickly entered before closing it tightly.

“This is where you’ll be staying for the night,” she explained, “you can use the window there to leave before it gets too bright out.”

“Right, then, and I suppose I won’t be a fancy of your company then?” Boris grinned as he let the words escape through his teeth.

“Oh, shove off to sleep, you old cad; and don’t let me catch you flouncing about in Ryoushin’s room--you’ll spoil the surprise!” Lilly’s words had been harsh, but she meant no real harm.

Boris sniggered to himself as Lilly quietly left the room before laying his small bag down and circling the mattress a few times; he laid his head atop the pillow and slowly drifted off to sleep. Just down the hall, Lilly had joined Amos in the bedroom and they both prepared for a night’s rest.