Chapter 19 - Now we hunt-hakkaku

Hakkaku had to fight the urge to stare and gawk at the strange sights around him. He would never in a million years, have guessed the ningens could build, created and make so many strange and wondrous things. But right now was not the time for the luxury of sight seeing. No...the packs' nee-san was badly hurt and beaten. Those who hurt a female of their pack were a threat to the pack and had to be dealt with.

It didn't take long for Hakkaku to reach the place Kagome's family had called, 'Nightclub', whatever that was. It was not an overly impressive building, large because it had once been a storehouse, but other than a couple of broken signs on the front of the building, and a number of broken windows, it was just not impressive at all.

Hakkaku and the ookami Genya found the entrance that they were advised to look for. It was near the back of the building on the north wall. Considering the state of the rest of the building, this door was surprisingly intact. But with a little creative use of his claws, Hakkaku soon had the hinges removed from the door and carefully and quietly set it aside.

As silent as the shadows the two ookami brethren moved into the depths of the dark and almost foreboding building. He had caught the scent of his prey, and from the scent markers that Inuyasha had provided, Hakkaku knew without question that he had found one of those responsible for his nee-san's current unhealthy condition. Suppressing the urge to growl, he followed the trail, which lead him to a door in the back south wall of the building.

Here he was presented with the problem of getting inside, preferably without his prey having even the slightest risk of getting away or getting the upper hand. Deciding that having his prey come to him, rather than the other way around, he quickly came up with a plan.

He motioned Genya to fall back into the shadows and remain quiet. Reaching to the door, he softly knocked and then followed Genya, to also stand in the shadows.

The response was almost immediate. Footsteps could be heard making their slow approach to the door. The knob turned, and ever so slowly the door creaked open. It opened just enough for the male that Hakkaku had scented, to stick his head out and look around to see what had made the noise.

That was all that Hakkaku needed. Before the male could even blink the door was slammed against him. As it rebounded back, he fell to the floor. Hakkaku quickly pulled him to the side, and gave Genya instructions to guard him. While the ookami watched their prey, Hakkaku enter the room just recently vacated by the male.

To his horror there were three females in the room. All bound, gaged, blindfolded, violated and beaten. One was so bad that if Hakkaku had not heard her heartbeat with his youkai hearing, he would have suspected she was dead. The other two were conscious, and he could hear their whimpers of pain. The smell in the air was more than enough to tell him of their ordeal. He fought hard to keep down the bile in his throat.

He softly approached the joshi, "Can you walk?"

At the sound of his voice, both joshi jumped and almost screamed. But they were too afraid, and from their appearance, they had been beaten for screaming. So they tried to keep themselves under control. Hakkaku tried again.

"Onegai! I am not here to hurt you. I am here to help you. But I need to know if either of you can walk?" he continued speaking softly.

One of the onna gathered what courage she could to speak, "Hai, I...I...I t-hink I can. If someone could help me stand, an-n-d it means getting away from here, I would crawl." Tears of pain and horror etched the poor girl's face, and Hakkaku's heart went out to the obviously brave onna.

The second onna's face mirrored the first. She was still too afraid to speak, but managed to nod her head to show that she too, would do whatever was necessary to get out of there.

"Alright! Onegai, before I remove your blindfolds, you need to understand that what I am, is not something you are used to. I mean you no harm. I am a friend, and I have already obtained my...prey.... I can get you all to someone who will take care of your injuries and get you back to your families, however, I cannot carry the three of you, and the male who was hurting you," he told them.

"W-w-hat do-o-o you mean, 'not something we are used to'," asked the first onna.

"Nothing you need fear. My brethren and I are here to help. My brethren is an ookami," he said. "But he will not harm you in anyway. He will help you, just as I will. I do not wish to leave the three of you here alone, as I do not know where the other males are," Hakkaku said. "So I need the two of you to help your sister to walk out of here. Do you think you can manage that?"

By now the second girl had found her courage, and with the first onna both said, "Yes".

"Ok! I will remove your bindings, and blindfolds. All I ask of you, is to please not scream or be afraid when you see me," Hakkaku instructed the onna.

Both nodded their heads and lay still, as Hakkaku approached them. The first onna gasped when he first touched her. He quickly drew back...

"I have to touch you to removed your bindings," he told her softly.

"Gomen nasai! I just didn't hear you approach," she said. "It was unexpected."

"I understand," he replied. "Onegai, understand. The way I move is because it is in my nature to do so. It is part of what I am. I am proud of that, but I am not something from your....country..."

"Okay! You sound kind," said the second onna. "Your voice makes me feel safe. I am not afraid anymore. I will let you touch me."

"Good," said Hakkaku. "I will remove your bindings, but when I remove your blindfolds, please keep you eyes closed for just a moment longer."

"Hai," both onna said.

He quickly and efficiently cut their bindings with his claws. Just as with the victim Kouga had run into, their bindings were wire. As he had asked them, they kept their eyes closed when he removed their blindfolds. It gave him the time to step back to the door so that they would not be too, afraid of being in the presence of a youkai.

"Okay!" he said. "You can open your eyes now."

Both joshi slowly opened their eyes. They were not sure what to expect or what their rescuer meant by his words. All they really knew, was that he was helping them, and his voice had a kindness that made them want to trust him. When their eyes had adjusted to the light, they both took a moment to look around the room.

The room was not much to look at. Bare walls, and unshielded lighting was the norm, and a small table against one wall. There were three filthy and bloody futon's along two walls, and it was here that the third onna lay. Both gasped in shock at the sight of the girl.

"Is she alive?" the second onna asked softly.

"Hai! I can hear her heartbeat," came the voice of their rescuer.

In unison, they both turned to the door to see the owner of the voice. Hakkaku slowly stepped out of the shadows of the neighboring room, and let himself be seen.

For a moment, Hakkaku waited, expecting the two joshi's to scream. After all, youkai were not known in 'nee-san's era', though she believed that they still existed. At least according to her Okaa-san, Ojii-san, and Otouto. This they apparently believed very strongly about, because of an encounter with a 'Soul Piper'. Hakkaku had to agree with their assessment, it was very likely that youkai still existed, but were more likely in hiding for their own privacy and security.

The two joshi saw the odd looking boy. It took them a moment to realize that the somewhat 'punk' looking boy, was not a boy at all. Well, not a ningen boy, anyways. They finally noticed his ears, and then his claws. When he shyly smiled, thet got a glimpse of his fangs, and both onna gasped.

Hakkaku cringed, expecting the two joshi's to scream at their first sight of a youkai. He hung his head, and started to step back into the shadows, however, he was stopped when both girls limped painfully forward and each took one of his clawed hands. He looked up, only to be greeted by two painful, but warm smiles. It warmed his heart and he stood just a little taller and prouder than before.

"Okay! We need to get moving. I do not know how long he will be out, and I do not know if any of those who are part of his pack will show up. I need to carry him, but your 'sister' over there, needs help," he said pointed to the unconscious onna, who looked almost dead.

"I am going to bind the one that hurt you," he continued. "While I am doing that Genya, my pack brother, will watch over you. He will not harm you, he is here for added protection."

"What are you called?" asked the first onna.

"I am ookami...an ookami youkai," he said hesitantly.

"Gomen. Iie, I meant your name," she said shyly.

Blushing at her forwardness, "Hakkaku!" came the reply.

"My name is Masayo," said the first onna.

"I am Ichiho," said the second. "I am not sure, but I believe that I heard her," she pointed to the unconscious onna, "say her name was Nayuko. She was here already, when I was brought here. I am not sure, because I can't tell how many days I have been held here, but I think she was here at least a week before me."

"I can get you all help," spoke Hakkaku, inwardly pleased that the onna were both so calm in his presence. 'Now to introduce them to Genya.' he thought. "But we need to get outside first. Then I can send Genya ahead."

"Genya?" inquired Masayo.

For answer, Hakkaku took some of the wire that he had removed from the joshi and pulled the still unconscious form of the male back into the room. He didn't really need the light to see by for tying up the male, but felt that it would further help the joshi if they saw what he did. It also permitted him to introduce them to Genya.

"Onegai. Kneel and hold out your hands. Genya needs to imprint your scents," he told them. Not sure why he asked such an unusual request, both joshi nevertheless complied. "Onegai, do not move, and do not fear. My pack brother will not harm you."

He gave a low growl, which surprised both joshi. At once a huge black wolf stepped panting into the room. Hakkaku barked at the wolf, who promptly went over to the onna on the futon, and softly sniffed her hand, and gave a small lick to her palm. He seemed to consider what he found for a moment, and then approached Masayo and Ichiho.

The first instinct of the two joshi, was to draw back in fear. But the gentle voice and calm presence of their rescuer gave them the confidence to stay as he had requested. The black ookami, easily as big even on all fours, as any one of the joshi, walked right up to them much like a happy inu. His ears perked up, tail high and wagging for all it was worth, tongue lazily lolling out as he panted like any common inu.

He laid his nose in the palms of their out stretched hands, and just as with the unconscious onna on the futon, he grazed their palms with his tongue. As they watched him more closely, it appeared as though he was trying to commit their smell and taste to memory. He almost appeared thoughtful as he performed this simple act.

Once done, he immediately stepped back to where Hakkaku was standing, and sat down like this was an everyday thing. At that Hakkaku stepped forward and carefully, but easily lifted the unconscious onna, and held her long enough for the other two to slip one of her arms around their respective shoulders and brace to support her weight.

It was difficult, especially with their injuries, but with a look of agreement between the two of them, they forced their aching limbs to bare the weight and with determination held the onna up. Hakkaku smiled is approval of their spirit and bravery, before returning to the side of the male and easily throwing his unconscious weight over his shoulder. With that the group proceeded out of the building, for the joshi, it was the first time in days that they had breathed free air.

Once out side, Hakkaku immediately barked and growled a command to Genya. He in return whined back at his pack brother, and with unexpected skill to the two joshi, faded in to the shadows as though he was the dark itself, soon lost to sight.

"Hakkaku," said Ichiho almost timidly. She was impressed with the being before her. "Do you truly talk to the ookami?"

"Hai," was his simple response. "All ookami are brethren to ookami youkai. We share the same spirits of nature. Thus we are easily able to understand each other and share all that life offers to us."

If the joshi had any other questions, they had not the chance to voice them, as seemingly out of nowhere a huge neko, feet and tail ablaze of fire landed right in front of them. It startled them so that they almost dropped their unconscious burden. Luckily, they caught themselves and her before that occurred.

"Hakkaku, Genya told us you had your hands full," said a remarkable young woman from the back of the enormous fire neko. "Seems he was right, and your hunting was good."

"Hai, Sango-san," he replied. "As you can see, your help is much appreciated."

"Sure," said Sango. "Who do you want me to take with me? Or if you prefer, we can put two of the joshi on Kirara, and we can walk with you. I could help the third."

"That sounds like a good deal, nee-san," said the young ookami youkai. "Arigato!"

After a few moments decision, it was decided that Kirara would carry Nayuko, and Ichiho, who would hold onto Nayuko so she would not risk falling off. The two were the worst injured of the three. Sango offered to let Masayo lean on her, however, the young teen seemed more comfortable with Hakkaku.

At this, Sango decided to finish that last bit of the trip by carrying the unconscious male, and Hakkaku, blushing the whole way, although standing quite proudly, let Masayo ride on his back. It was only about another 15 minutes and they were at the clearing meeting up with Kouga, who had also just arrived with his own prey in hand.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment