Fan Fiction ❯ The Lycanthrope and the Assassin ❯ You're a What? ( Chapter 6 )

Kamiara struggled to roll up her bedroll and tie it to Neko's saddle. Her shoulder burned fiercely, and blood was still trailing sluggishly from it. Gritting her teeth, she jerked the straps for the final pack tight, and exhaled in relief. She slapped a palm on Neko's firm black neck, and said softly to him. “Neko, osuwari.” The large stallion obediently folded his front legs under him, so she could mount without jarring her shoulder or leg. As soon as she was settled, she tapped his shoulder and muttered “Lets go my friend”. Gathering himself, Neko struggled to all four feet again, and looked reproachfully back at his mistress. Grinning slightly, she leaned forward and scratched his neck affectionately.

 

“We'll find some different grazing grounds for now. You wouldn't want to share with some unfriendly carnivores would you?” Neko snorted, and lowered his head to briefly touch noses with Oni, who was passing by. Raising his head, the alpha male acknowledged Kamiara's presence, and brushed against her mind briefly. ::We move out. Miko and Mariko will accompany you to the next campsite. Worry not, for Kiba will find his way to us in his own time.::

 

Kamiara flushed, and rather than inadvertently shout in his mind, just nodded and grasped the pommel of her saddle, as Neko began to follow the two gray and black females. Oni quickly bounded out of sight, and Kamiara was left to her own thoughts.

 

Kiba ran through the forest, his mind filled with turmoil. He had….assaulted an assassin! Not just any assassin, but a beautiful, fiery, hunted assassin who made him feel more like a raging beast than a man. Finding an appropriate refuge several miles away from his camp, Kiba hid himself under the exposed roots of an ancient tree.

 

As he lay in the dappled sunlight, Kiba began to feel the effects of his battle. He had several nicks and cuts, most notably the vertical slash down over his eye. Some god of fate must have been watching over him, because he had been a hairsbreadth away from losing that eye. Releasing his wolf body, Kiba returned to his human form, and crawled out from under the tree's roots. Fortunately he had followed the river once again in his flight, and took a moment to dunk himself in the river, in order to wash off the stench of blood.

Looking down at his rippling reflection in the water, Kiba saw that there was no way the cut on his face could be hidden. Starting from the hairline, it was laid open until the peak of his eyebrow, then skipped down past his eye, and started again at his cheek-bone, gradually tapering off closer to his jaw.

 

It had not seemed so large on the wolf, but, as Kiba recalled ruefully, his wolf-self had a much shorter face than that of his human self. Grimacing at the blood oozing out of the gash, he gingerly ducked his head under the water, and scrubbed at the dried blood that coated most of his face, and matted his silvery hair.

 

“What have I done?” He wondered aloud. Finding no reply in the waters beneath him, he turned his face to the darkening sky. As the sky faded from a brilliant scarlet, to the deep indigo of nightfall, he watched the stars winking into existence, laughing at his mortal pain. Swearing vehemently, he pulled himself out of the river, and lay down on its grassy bank, contemplating this rather drastic turn of events.

 

His wolf-self had wanted the girl so badly…but that had been fueled by his lust for her, along with the intriguing scent of her arousal. And when he was slaughtering the men hunting her….he had actually reveled in the spray of blood, the screams of death. And finally, when he thought he had her, that scent….that scent of fear was so intoxicating… it made him feel powerful.

 

But she did not know he was the wolf. She did not know, and unless she put two and two together of the silver wolf with golden eyes, then she need never know that it was he who had attacked her in a fit of animalistic possessiveness.

 

Swearing again, Kiba decided that he would not tell her. He would not lie, but he would not go out and tell her either.

 

Sahn was quite fed up with Kiba. He had been gone for three days, and the girl was getting more and more concerned about him. Not to mention that her thoughts were extremely loud and offensive to the wolves delicate ears.

 

Snorting, she trotted towards the river and followed Kibas' scent. Her emotion-sensitive nose picked up the scent of despair like a beacon. That was Kiba all right. The damn pup didn't know when to get over his misery and set things aright.

 

Finally she came upon his sleeping form, stretched out in the dappled sunlight. Fool. She thought Letting himself get snuck up on. I should punish him for being so careless. Carefully the old wolf crept up close to Kiba's slumbering form, and with the speed of a striking snake, she had his throat in her jaws. Seconds later, he awoke.

 

Kiba woke in a panic when he felt the jaws close over his throat. Faintly he could hear the low growling of a wolf. Great he thought. I'm to be done in by one of my own. Figures. I've been such a damn idiot

 

::Of course you have, foolish pup. And your idiocy will kill you if you aren't careful. Now get up! You and I have some business to discuss.:: Slowly she released his throat from her jaws.

 

Kiba was marginally relieved to hear Sahn's voice in his head. But only marginally. He realized from the tone of her voice that she was not pleased with him. And when the pack elder was not pleased with you, you were in for a rough time.

 

::Now face me as a wolf! I will speak with your human side later.:: Kiba grimaced. This was not looking good. Reluctantly he arched his back, and willed the wolf inside to shape him.

 

Warily, wolf-Kiba eyed Sahn, who had her hackles raised, and was still growling furiously. He had barely registered the bunching of her muscles before she had leapt and tackled him, taking his throat into her jaws once more. And squeezed. Kiba wriggled frantically, trying to get away. Still her jaws held like steel. As his breath got shorter, and he found it hard to breathe, he lay limp, trying to conserve his oxygen.

 

::YOU FOOL! Attacking a prospective mate! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? You have violated courtship laws! You are an idiotic pup, and I will not permit such foolishness!:: Abruptly Sahn's jaws left Kiba's throat. He lay there, panting, trying to regain his breath. Sahn stared down at him coldly. ::Now stand and accept your punishment!::

 

Kiba winced. He knew what was coming next, but had no choice in the matter. He rather did deserve this. Slowly he pulled himself to his feet, and ducked his head. Again, she had moved before he could register movement. She lunged forward, and bit his nose. His sensitive nose! Kiba yelped, and let his head fall to the ground, covering his wounded nose with his paws. She had not bitten him viciously, but a calculated nip to the tip of his nose.

 

Sahn stared at him impassively, then allowed a small bit of compassion to leak into her mind-voice. ::Now stand pup. Your punishment has been administered. Feel no resentment, for what I have done was done out of love. Now Kiba, return to being a man. We will discuss how you may redeem yourself in her eyes.::

 

Kiba shut his eyes, and let his human side take over. When he had returned fully to his human form, his nose was still bleeding, but not badly. Sahn trotted up to him and sat next to him, rubbing her head against his chest. Kiba crossed his legs and reached out a hand, to scratch behind her ears. Sahn sighed blissfully.

 

Kiba rubbed the tip of his nose with the back of his hand, and looked at it. A bloody smear came away on his hand, he sighed ruefully, wondering if his lady assassin thought a man with scars was attractive, then immediately berated himself for thinking foolish thoughts.

 

Sahn seemed to pick up on his irritation and nudged his thigh with her nose. ::Now about this woman you desire to mate…:: Kiba looked out across the river. “There is nothing to talk about. She is an assassin. She has no room for love in her life.” Sahn snorted.

 

::Then why does the girl mope and sigh when you are away? Why does she whisper your name to herself as the light of day dies, and emanate such a scent of loss that I must cover my nose else I drown in her smell? Baka, she desires you. Tell her what you are, what you have done. Then mate her and start your own pack.::

 

Kiba stared at the old wolf, wondering if such simple logic would really work as easily as it sounded. Eventually he decided that he would agree with Sahn - if only to get the old wolf to stop pestering him about such things.

 

*****

 

Kamiara was fed up. She was fed up with wolves, she was fed up with men, and she was fed up with being injured. Muttering darkly to herself, she tightened the bandage around her thigh, and hissed in pain when she jerked on the bandage.

 

“Cursed thing. I was never a good patient to begin with. Throw in a lot of crazy shit and I'm about as cheerful as a bear in winter. Isn't that right Neko?” The black warsteed looked up from his grazing and graced his mistress with a low `whuff' before returning to his meal.

 

Kamiara grinned ferally and pulled a knife out of her boot, examining its' well-honed edge. “You know, I've about decided to go back to Narutu, and tell good ol' Dostan just what I think of his betrayal, eh Neko? I learned quite a few interesting things about our priestly friend that he really wouldn't want out in public.” Kamiara toyed with the dagger, balancing it by the hilt on one finger.

 

“As a matter of fact, I think I might do him the favor of murdering him slowly, rather than let some of that information leak out. After all political death is slightly more painful than real death ne?” Flipping the dagger over, she let the blade sink into the soft dirt with a dull `thunk' before baring her teeth in a smile that held little mirth, and much bloodlust.

 

“After all, what kind of employee would I be if I could not choose the lesser of two evils for my dear master, hmmm?” Pulling the knife out of the dirt, she wiped the blade clean and stuck it back in its' sheath.

 

A low rustle in the bushes set her already-frayed nerves on edge, and Kamiara snarled. Pulling the knife back out of its' boot sheath, she balanced the blade in between her fingers. A soft brush inside her mind alerted her to Sahn's desire to speak with her.

 

::I return with Kiba. He has defeated his demons, and wishes to speak with you.:: A low growl emitted from her throat. He wishes to speak with her? Oh how lordly of him. `I'll show him what I think of his particular gender at this moment!' Kamiara thought fiercely. A low chuckle echoed in the back of her head, and she realized that Sahn knew what she was up to, and approved.

 

Kiba stepped through the bushes, ready for a hot meal and his bedroll. Thus, his mind was not on his surroundings. Why should they be? After all he was with Sahn, and she would surely scent danger more clearly than he could.

 

THUNK!!

 

Kiba back-flipped into the bushes and stared up at the space that his head had been occupying a split-second before, and saw a dagger quivering fiercely, embedded almost to the hilt in the trunk of a tree. Kiba flashed his fangs, and sought out his assailant.

 

And found only Kamiara sitting nonchalantly amongst her packs. However she was cleaning her nails with another dagger identical to the one that had been thrown towards his head.

 

::Sahn! If this is the kind of welcome I get from a `lovesick' bitch, how do you suppose she'll react when I tell her that I'm the same wolf that threatened to rip her throat out?!:: Kiba could hear Sahn laughing lowly in the back of his head and snarled at her mentally.

 

Deciding to save whatever dignity he might have left, Kiba straightened up, dusted off his black leather trousers and pulled the dagger out of the tree, flicking it with his wrist so that it buried itself in the dirt right next to the girl's knee. Kiba shook his silvery locks out of his eyes, and stared impassively at the girl with his golden eyes.

 

“I believe you misplaced that.” He said lowly. Smirking to himself, he did however notice the way she shivered at the sound of his voice. She calmly pulled the blade out of the dirt, and wiped it clean with a cloth she produced somewhere out of that voluminous cloak she wore. Carefully re-sheathing it, she looked up into his eyes, her black bangs partially obscuring her face.

 

“So kind of you to return it to me.” She said in dulcet tones. Then she noticed his face and its' half-healed wound, and frowned. “What did you do to yourself?” She asked in a voice that was almost irritated. Kiba swore inwardly, and tried to change the subject.

 

“You're all packed. Going somewhere?” His mouth almost curved into a smile when she pursed her lips in annoyance. She too decided to ignore the question and pulled a long red strip of cloth out of another pocket in her cloak. Carefully she wound the cloth across her forehead, tying it in the back, effectively creating -what he believed to be- a sweatband. The stark red against her black hair gave her the image of vengeance incarnate, and Kiba repressed a shiver.

 

“I asked first. I believe that's a fair trade ne? An answer for an answer?” She quirked an eyebrow at him, and he moved further into camp, settling himself on his blankets that had been laid out for him in anticipation of his return.

 

“Very well then” He said calmly, crossing his legs in front of him, and resting his hands on his knees. “Someone cut me. Your turn.” Kamiara snarled at him. Two could play this game. “Hn. Well your observation was correct, I am going somewhere.”

 

Both were feeling rather thwarted at that moment, yet neither really wishing to reveal what was going on. However it was Kamiara who broke first, because she could not stand that hurt, almost insulted look on Kiba's face. For some reason, it made her feel guilty.

 

“I'm going to take my vengeance. I'm sick of running. I'm going back to Narutu to destroy my former master. Even if I die, so long as his death precedes mine, my family can rest in peace.” Kamiara found she was unconsciously clenching the blade of one of her ornamental hair daggers. Looking down, she noticed a drop of blood hit the ground and opened her palm to find it smeared with blood.

 

Cursing silently, she began to search for a cloth to wipe it off with, when suddenly Kiba was at her side, gently holding her wrist with one hand. “May I?” He asked with such intensity in his eyes, Kamiara could only nod, and then watch with a mixture of apprehension and arousal as he began to lick the blood off her palm.

 

Kamiara let herself be lulled into a slight daze as he cleaned off her palm with short, gentle laps of his tongue, his saliva working as a coagulant to stop the bleeding. Kamiara wondered if he might be willing to administer a similar `treatment' to other parts of her body. The thought sent waves of arousal coursing through her body.

 

Kiba could tell the instant she gave in. He could smell her arousal, even with his pathetic human nose, he could almost taste the heat that was radiating from the woman before him. However when his work on her palm was finished, he found he could not help but nip at her slender wrist, and place a soft kiss right over the veins.

 

Kamiara would have thought she had imagined the feel of his lips on her pulse point, had she not been staring so intently at him. Finally he pulled away. Reluctantly? She could only hope that was the case. But when he looked up into her eyes, all previous thoughts were shattered with one realization.

 

Those eyes. That wild feral look in his eyes. The cut on his face. Her mind kept replaying the images she had seen in the clearing almost a week ago. The man with the tanto, slicing the silvery wolf. Those feral, golden eyes staring into her own, as a drop of blood splattered onto her cheek.

 

He was the wolf.