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    ~*~ Heartless Wind: Unrelenting Supremacy ~*~



    Ayumu let out a sigh, his gaze wandering across the forest before him. Since his banishment he had relentlessly been trying to find a way in, to have a chance to infiltrate the forest and rejoin his clan to make it great once more.

    His pale empty eyes closed as he stretched out his magic, feeling from his clan. He felt the faint pulse of magic from their imitation crystals. His magic drew back, repulsed.

    This was what his people had been reduced to, forging their own crystals to maintain their power. The other clans had had no mercy on them, caring not if they had perished along with their crystals.

    His eyes opened slowly as his magic drew back into him. Two were coming, the two he needed.

    Two giant black panthers slipped through the edge of the forest, cautiously exiting.

    They had heard his call, they had come to see their master.

    Ayumu slipped gracefully through the long grass, letting his hands trail over them, caressing the soft tops. The two panthers bowed down low as he approached, their forms started trembling as their ligaments shrunk and formed back into their original shapes.

    Two boys, no older than eighteen stood before the approaching figure now. Their looks were cautious.

    The one on the right had black spiky hair and his eyes were a deep glinting red. He was tall and well muscled, he wore a blue jacket trimmed in the imitation crystals, the sleeves stopping just below his shoulders were also encrusted in the crystals. His chest and midriff were bare, showing off a well developed six pack. He wore shorts of a darker hue which were covered by boots that engulfed his calves.

    The one on the left had long hair, silver with black streaks throughout it. His eyes were silver and did not reflect the light as the others had done. He was shirtless but on his left arm he wore a glove with three evenly spaced blades protruding from it, the one in the center larger than the two that surrounded it. On the knuckles were silver bolts and his crystal was placed over his hand. He had an array of weapons strapped to his body. He was taller than the other but as equally muscled, his pants hid shoes.

    Ayumu stopped before them a smile stretching across his lips.

    Yes, these two would be perfect.



    ~



    Osore was sitting in front of the fire place, arms outstretched trying to capture as much heat as possible. Her fingers were skimming over the flames as she tried to warm herself up.

    Her hair had been undone and it fanned around her shoulders, and was pooling in a wet puddle at her feet. It was too long to possibly do anything with it other than pray that it would hurry up and dry itself.

    Kohaku was sitting opposite her, though no where near as close to the fire as her friend. She was biting her lip, trying not to laugh as Nemo got tangled up in Osore’s hair. She was still smiling when Taomus, Osore’s twin brother walked in.

    He gave Kohaku a shy smile and placed a cup of raspberry juice in front of her. Taomus could not have been different to his sister, Osore enjoyed killing things and setting things on fire. Although she denies the latter, Kohaku has noticed a new ‘ash ornament’ which had replaced a much loved tree in her garden.

    Taomus was gentle and shy, he was also kind and caring. It wasn’t necessary for Taomus to be a fighter as Osore would risk her life to keep him alive and safe from predators. He was Osore’s height, his hair was a pale purple, so pale that it was almost white and his eyes were the palest of greens. His complexion was a sickly pale colour as well.

    Kohaku smiled as she picked up her drink, Taomus was always very kind to her.

    “Where were you two last night?” Taomus asked quietly as he handed his sister her drink.

    Kohaku choked on her drink and Taomus quickly came over and petted her on the back, hoping (in vain) to help dislodge whatever had been caught.

    Osore glanced at her brother warily and sent Kohaku a cautious and unnecessary look. She was not going to tell Taomus where they had been, he would have been angry and would have alerted certain entities who did not need to know.

    “We were picking flowers” Kohaku said lamely once she had recovered her breath.

    “In the middle of the night?” He asked, his voice was quiet and he avoided their gazes.

    “Yeah, in the middle of the night.” Osore said, standing up, and bringing a still tangled Nemo up with her. She glanced down at the little tiger who was now staring up at her glaring.

    “It is not my fault that you get stuck in my hair. You should keep away from it” Osore said, huffing.

    Taomus was looking from one girl to the other, he didn’t like that they were keeping things a secret from him.

    “I don’t believe you” he said. Osore stopped and Kohaku looked up from her drink. He had never said such a thing before. His cheeks were a flaming red.

    “I don’t believe that you went to pick flowers.” He said, louder this time, more assertive.

    Kohaku and Osore exchanged glances and a slow smile slid across Osores face.

    She walked over to her brother and placed an arm across his shoulders.

    “You see Tao,” she begun, “when a girl reaches a certain age and her body matures-” Taomus jumped and covered his ears quickly, his skin going a deeper red.

    Osore grinned, when you don’t want a guy to know anything you just have to refer to certain female attribute and you’re on easy street.

    Taomus was muttering under his breath and apologising profusely for ever assuming different as Kohaku had her hand over her mouth, trying to smother her laughter.

    Taomus quickly left the room and Kohaku raised an eyebrow at Osore.

    “What on earth does that have to do with going outside at midnight?” She whispered, still laughing.

    Osore shrugged “no idea, I’m sure we can think up something.” She rolled her eyes “picking flowers. Tao knows me well enough to guess that I would have destroyed flowers before I considered picking them”

    “hey! It was the best I could think of!” Kohaku cried out in indignation, “It makes more sense than your excuse!”

    “Ah,” Osore deliberated for a moment, “Yours raises more questions to be asked, mine no ones wants to know about” She flashed Kohaku a smile and laughed.

    Kohaku rolled her eyes, “you have to do the laundry you know” she said.

    Osore’s eyes went wide and innocent. “But I helped wash the tigers! The least you could do would be to do the laundry for me!” Nemo had long since fallen out of her hair and she pulled it around and began tying it into a long plait.

    Kohaku put her hands on her hips “I am not going to help you with the washing!” she said and then skipped out of the room, leaving a very annoyed looking girl in her wake.

    Kohaku entered the kitchen and saw Taomus carefully washing up the dishes. He hadn’t been out of bed for a week and she was glad to see him up and about. Taomus froze as she came closer, but it wasn’t because of her presence. His eyes were focused on something outside.

    Kohaku slipped up next to him and peered out of the window, trying to see what he was looking at.

    A bush in the distance moved and she saw the large figure of a large cat quickly stalk away. Her breath caught. There was no telling whether it was a friend or foe. She cast out her magic, sensing the area trying to tell whether it was friendly or not.

    Her magic hit against a resistance and she was blasted back across the room.

    Her vision blurred and she saw a fuzzy image of Taomus leaning over her, his eyes wide in panic, his hands covered in blood before there was darkness.



    ~!~



    Kohaku awoke in a daze. Her vision was blurry and she could barely make out the figure of a person that was sitting next to her.

    "Kohaku?" The person asked. Kohaku recognized the voice but thought it was impossible for it to be who she thought it was. She pulled her hands to her eyes and rubbed them a few times. Her vision was a little bit clearer. She batted her eyes a few times then looked at the person sitting next to her, it was the person she thought it to be, her father.

    "Father. . .what are you doing here?" Kohaku tried to sit up but someone on the other side of her pushed her down gently. She looked over and saw Taomus. Before her father had gotten there, he was looking after her.

    "Osore and Taomus said that you had been hurt so I came back." Obviously, her father was not thrilled at her absentminded actions. He was meeting with the other clan members it was about the "disturbance" that had recently occured at the border between the forest and the wind clan territory.

    "You didn't have to come home because of me father." Kohaku looked at her father with saddened eyes.

    "Even so, you are my daughter. I will always be here when you are in danger or ill." He brushed his hands through her hair and looked at Taomus.

    "Tao, could you give us a moment alone please?" Lord Shitsui asked nicely but still sturn.

    "Yes sir." He said as he stood and made his exit. He hated to leave Kohaku but he knew that with her father here she was safe. He closed the door behind him and went to the main room to join his sister.

    "Now Kohaku, tell me what happened. Tell me everything that you remember before you blacked out."

    "I joined Taomus at the window and noticed that he was looking at something outside. I took a look and saw a huge beast. . ."

    "Continue" Kohaku's father said as he took the damp cloth from her forehead and wet it with fresh water and put it back on her forehead.

    "I could not tell what breed it was nor what clan it was from but. . .I released my magic and the next thing I know it is repelled back at me and I wake up here. . ." She held her chest in pain as she coughed a little bit.

    "Relax my daughter. Do not strain yourself." He held his daughters hand as he stroked her hair.

    "I am sorry that I had to call you away from the meeting, I know it is an urgent situation. I hope it didn't anger everyone too much. How did Dannen take it?"

    "They will understand and Dannen understood. When I told him that it was a possible attack from the enemy he told me to go back and tend to you and also to look after Tao and Osore." Kohaku smiled as she looked at her father. She had never seen him so caring before.

    "Thank you father." She said as she brought her hand to his cheek. He touched his daughters hand and pulled it away from his face and laid it down on her chest.

    "Get some rest." He stood and walked out and joined Tao and Osore in the main room. Osore sat at the fire place trying to dry her hair without burning it off and Taomus sat on the couch twitching impatiently worrying about Kohaku.

    "How is she?" Osore asked without even turning to look at Lord Shitsui.

    "Stable. She will be fine in a day or so." Taomus breathed a silent sigh of relief.

    "That's good." Lord Shitsui took a seat next to Tao.

    "Listen you two, I need to inform you of something." Lord Shitsui said sternly.

    "Yes sir?" Taomus asked a little worried. Osore turned and looked at him. Even Memo and Nemo perked up their ears to listen.

    "Enemies have been spotted at the border and we fear that maybe some outsiders have entered the forest and are concealing themselves somewhere in the wind's old territory."

    "What?!" Osore snapped.

    "Calm down Osore, we have not yet learned what their intentions are but all the upper clan members are on high alert and ready if an attack is exerted."

    "Do you think they are planning war?" Taomus asked.

    "Again son, we are not sure. We have no idea if they are here to simply recover crystals, take someone hostage, or worse. All we know is that we all need to be on our toes."

    "What about Kohaku? Do you think that attack was set purposely by the enemy?"

    "That is very possible Osore. But for right now I want you all to stay indoors especially you Taomus." Taomus hated when Lord Shitsui talked down on him like that it made him feel like a weakling. But he knew he only commanded him to do so for his safety.
    "And if you need to go outside make sure that either Memo or myself is with you. Understood?" Osore was not fazed at all. She was not afraid of the Wind.

    "Yes." She said with a somewhat confidence in her voice. Taomus just nodded.

    "Now you two stay inside and look after Kohaku for me. I have to return to the main clan house and finish my meeting with the other clan leaders. If anything else happens contact me or any of the other clan leaders."

    "Understood." They both said in unison. Lord Shitsui made his leave.

    "You heard that Osore. So no sneaking off in the middle of the night." Taomus said as he stood to go and check on Kohaku.

    "Yeah yeah." Osore said as she poked the fire with a stick.



    ~!~



    Copyrights:

    Written By: EMS Otaku 13 and Lordess Of Rusty Spoons

    Kohaku Shitsui, Nemo, Kiyoshi, and Lord Shitsui (C) EMS Otaku 13

    Osore Kirai, Taomus, Memo, Xanthus, and Lord Dannen (C) Lordess Of Rusty Spoons