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It had been several days since the three watched there mother die. The event had different effect on each of them;
Kyouku, tried hiding the pain with bravery and a smile. Being the oldest he knew now it was up to him to protect what was left of his broken family.. He refused to let his little brother and sister see him sad. He felt he had to be strong to keep them together. With out his calmness and positive thoughts all three of them would fall apart. It was tough not to show the pain that burned in his heart, but he had to.
Royou did the only thing a sad five year old could do.. Cry. He cried for days at a time begging to someone, anyone, to bring back his beloved mother..
Shearis, she became quite.. She had always be quite but now, she hardly spook. It was as if she was dead. Her once bright blue and green eyes were now cold and lifeless. Her apatite left her, she hardly ate at all. Unlike the others she hadn’t cried since that day. Even Kyouku cried still but at nights when no one was around. She wouldn’t play the games Kyouku and Royou did to keep there minds off of everything. She only sat there staring into the sky. Often Kyo would wake in the middle of the night to find her wondering the forest alone..
This strange behavior worried both her brothers, but if ever they were to ask her what’s wrong she the only reply they got was an emotionless “I’m fine...”
With out a home or parents to take care of them; their mother is of corse dead and their father disappeared long ago, the children find themself wondering through the dense forest, that surrounded the area. No generale direction in mind Kyouku lead them around blindly, hoping to soon find a place to stay.
Their prayers were finally answered after 2 long years of roaming the forest. ((Just to keep track Shearis is now eleven Kyouku is fifteen and Royou is seven.)) It was early dawn when the older two woke to a crying Royou who clung to them scared after claiming to see something he had seen walking by their ‘camp’. Putting on a brave face Kyo got up to investigate.
A rustling sound came from somewhere behind a tree. “Who’s there!?” Demanded the eldest child with as much bravery in his voice he could muster. Branches sifted as a man came walking into the clearing, he looked no older than twenty-five or so...
He had shaggy dark hair that cover part of his handsome face, and blazing red eyes. His height was normal for a man his age, and body was lean with a bit of muscle here and there. Everything about him was just a bit...strange, his clothes, his expression, but most of all his ears.. Rather then having human ears, his were place on the top of his head. Not only that but they were fuzzy and dark brown..like a cat’s. Though I suppose haveing cat ears was no stranger than have wolf ears like Shearis and Royou had.
He looked curiously at the kids, shocked to see anyone, nonetheless a bunch of kids, this far out in a forest. His eyes seamed to sadden as he saw the tattered, torn, and much too small clothing they wore. All of them looked skinny from lack of food.. A smile appeared on his lips, it was sad and small but, still a smile.
“So sorry..” said the man, speaking for the first time, with a voice both smooth and gentle. “I didn’t mean to intrude..” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a goofy grin on his face. Kyo, who had been in a fighting stance lowered his guard slightly. “It’s fine..” he mutter turning back to Shearis and Royou. No longer afraid, the seven-year-old left the safety of his sisters arms and ran circle around the cat eared man.
“Hey mister cat man, I have ears like you!” Royou cheered, pulling on his two wolf ears. The man chuckled, and smiled “Yes you do.”
“Royou...stop that, your being annoying..” Kyouku apologized, picking up the little boy. “Oh no I don’t mind him.” Said the cat man, as Royou had called him, grinning widely. “I have a little boy of my own...Hum.. Would the three of you be interested in meeting him and hey while your there why not join us for dinner?” Offered the stranger nonchalantly. Kyo was just about to answer with a ‘No’, not feeling comfortable going to a strangers house, but his growling stomach beet him to it. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. ” Chuckling again man began leading the way back to him home.
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Neko, other wise know as the cat man lived in a old style Japanese home. It was slightly smaller then the place the children had once called home and was surrounded by think forest and grassy hills, truly a beautiful place to live.. The four entered the semi-large house. It was pretty well furnished. Again everything in the house had an oriental feel to it, complete with bamboo flooring, wall scrolls, and paper lanterns..
The smell of cooking food filled their noises, causing Kyouku, Royou, and even Shearis, to drool. It had been two years since they last had a good meal.. Living of plants and what small animals Kyo caught wasn’t exactly the best.. Neko chuckled seeing their faces. “We’ll eat soon don’t worry..” he reassured them. The sound of bare feet beating against the wooden floor and joyful screams of a child could be heard. “That would be my son.” Said the cat-eared man as young boy came running from somewhere in the house. “Daaad!” He yelled jumping into his fathers arms, a wide grin on his face. “What took you so long?”
“Forgive me Katjie.. But I found a few friends on the way home.” He explained motioning to the three standing nervously behind him. The little fuzzy brown ears on top of Katjie ((Neko’s son if you didn’t catch that.)) head folded down as he stared at the strangers. After a quick interdiction Neko led the now four hungry child into the kitchen.
During the meal, everyone got a chance to better know each other. It didn’t take the eight years old cat demon, known as Katjie, long to warm up to the visitors, and vice versa. Before they knew it Neko had invited them to stay the night. Soon their one night stay turned to a week, and from a week to a year.. The two family became like one. They had found joy again...the three where finally able to move on with their lives.. Even Shearis cracked a smiles every now and then. Though memoirs of the past still hunted her every dream, she found it easier to move on with life, the longer she stayed with the cat demon family.
((Reminder: Kyouku is sixteen Shearis is twelve Royou is eight Katjie is nine and Neko is twenty-nine. He looks younger than his age. ))
Early one summer morning Shearis awoke early unable to sleep any longer. After taking a shower, something she’d never take for granted after living in the forest for two years, she went down stairs. She was wear a black and blue kimono Neko had gotten her for her twelfth Birthday. The house was seamed so empty and dead with out the sounds of her brothers and ‘adopted’ brother. But this was to be expected, none of them were the morning type so it would be a few hours before the home was full of noise. Taking advantage of this quite she decided to go for a short walk around outside.
While on her trip into the woods, the young half vampire found herself sanding outside a building she had never seen in her year of living there. It was fairly big, resembling a Japanese dojo. It was built just above the ground. Three little wooden steps led to a deck the run the full length of the building. The sound of someone inside was muffled out by the paper screen doors. Against better judgment Shearis quietly enter the dojo. Peering around inside she followed the noise. When the voice got clearer she could tell that it was Neko. She opened the screen door a crack peeking inside.
Standing in the middle of the room was Neko. He was in a Karate uniform, drenched in sweat. Practice dummies painted with targets lay all over the floor, some pined to the wall. Kunai, Katanas, and other weapons protruded from every vital area marked on the dummies. She watched amazed as at his speed and accuracy, taking down every target. There must have been some kind of timer set to make the targets appear.. It was hard to believe, the kind and gently Neko Shearis and her brothers had come love was capable of doing harm to anything...even if it was just a dummy..
The floorboard she stood on shifted under her wight. Neko’s eyes narrowed hearing this sound. With out warning a kunai cam flying at the girls head. She screeched in fare and ducked down just in time for it to skim by the side of her face leaving a small cut on her cheek. Realizing just who it was he attacked he gasped. Quickly running to her aid, throwing open the screen door. He droop to his knees next to the twelve-year old girl. “I’m so sorry, Shearis!” He quickly took her into his arms, whipping the blood form her cheek that now ran down the side of her face..
“T-t-that..w-was..” Her voice was quite as she stammered with her words “....S-so... Awesome!” For the first time in a long time Shearis smiled, her eyes lit up with excitement. Neko looked dumbfound at the strange child.. She nearly died and she though it was awesome? He began to laugh. “You’re a strange one, that you are..” Her smile faded slightly.
“Would you teach me..?”
“...Huh..?”
“Teach me to fight., Neko-sama?”
“Oh..I don’t know..”
“Please!?” Begged the girl clasping her hands together staring up at him. Neko only grimed “Eh sure why not..?” “Thank you! Thank you Neko-sama!” She through her arms around him.
Neko found this whole thing a bit odd, but who was he to say what made her happy..? He was just glade to finally see her smile.
((Well that it for now..This one was a lot happier, but never fear, pain and suffering shale once again return to the story..^_^))
Hope you enjoy it and please comment..
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