By A. C. Williams
The creature snarled in the darkness, a thunderous sound in the humid, alien forest.
Kosuke pressed his back against the rough bark of the towering tree and drew a slow, deep breath, releasing it softly. The air smelled like wet dirt and pine, moist and dank, along with a vague coppery scent like blood.
The growl came again, nearer to his hiding place behind the broad tree trunk. Twigs and dead leaves crunched and crackled as the menacing presence of the creature closed the distance between them.
A warrior’s death will restore my honor.
Kosuke curled his fingers around the hilt of the leather-wrapped katana. He wasn’t a gifted warrior, not even a samurai anymore since his master had been killed, but he refused to meet his end cowering from a faceless beast in the gloom of an alien world.
He’d been crossing Lake Biwa when a sudden, violent storm had thrown him into a churning pool of light beneath the waves, knocking him unconscious. The strange forest with sinewy, gold-leafed trees and its monsters greeted him when he woke.
Perhaps the gods had sent him here.
He gripped the hilt of his sword and leaped out into the darkness, raising the blade to strike.
The beast had vanished.
Kosuke strained his ears and his eyes, searching the eerie forest around him. Where had the creature gone? Surely a beast of that size couldn’t move without sound.
His feet made eddies in the dense fog that swirled along the loamy floor. Already the dampness had soaked into his split-toed socks, his sandals doing little to protect his feet.
He stood motionless in the ominous silence of the trees. Overhead, low-hanging clouds brushed trembling fingers through the jagged forest canopy.
Has it fled?
A distraught whine pierced the dirt-flavored air, and he redoubled his grip on his sword. He stepped over a tangle of gnarled banyan roots and peered up into the spreading branches of a gigantic silver tree.
A tiny white kitten yowled angrily at him from its awkward perch on a limb.
He scowled and lowered his sword slightly. “Neko.”
The kitten squalled louder, big blue eyes wide and little claws tearing up the rough bark in an attempt to keep its balance.
The animal had attached itself to his heels weeks ago, shortly after Lord Satoshi had been killed. She hadn’t left his side once.
“The gods are punishing me.” He slid the katana into its sheath. “Perhaps they are punishing you as well.”
The kitten wailed piteously.
With a sigh, Kosuke placed his hands on the towering tree trunk. “Menace.” He wrinkled his nose. “Come.”
The kitten opened its pink mouth and wailed, longer than before, likely to express just how unhappy she was with her current predicament.
Kosuke arched an eyebrow at the animal.
Always a test of wills with this one.
Crunch.
Leaves crackled like dried seaweed behind him. A puff of hot, decaying breath spilled over his back and down his shoulders as a rumbling growl shook the air.
Kosuke shut his eyes, slowly reaching for his sword. He clutched the sword hilt and spun, drawing it from its sheath and whirling on the ball of his foot.
His sword glinted in the sparse light that fought its way into the forest and shimmered off the blade as it sliced through the nightmarish creature poised behind him.
The animal screeched and reared back on cloven hooves, slashing at the air with eagle talons. Its smashed, wrinkled face—something between a tiger and a giant bat—cracked open to show a maw of teeth like daggers.
The beast lunged for him, and he swung his sword again. His blade nicked the animal’s scaly hide but didn’t pierce it.
One of its front talons caught his leg as he dodged and tore his thigh open. Kosuke toppled off the gnarled roots and rolled to his knees in the damp dirt, sword clutched in one hand and his other pressed against his wounded leg.
The monster crept toward him, surprisingly graceful for all its mismatched parts. Its sleek body blended in with the dismal night of the forest, and a long, prehensile tail swished back and forth as it took position to pounce.
I was wrong. Kosuke stretched the katana in front of himself. This is no punishment. This is my redemption. He clutched the sword hilt, his own blood squelching between his fingers. “I shall regain my honor!”
The beast leered, its hiss splitting the fog.
And a white cotton ball with flashing claws dropped out of the sky.
“Neko?”
The kitten tore into the creature’s face with all the ferocity of an airship propeller, tiny claws ripping through flesh and sinew. Neko yowled louder than the beast had.
Whining and whimpering, the thing thrashed, trying to unseat the kitten from its face.
Finally, the monster snapped its head sideways, and Neko came loose. The white furball landed against a tree trunk and stuck as though its feet were covered in glue. Neko caterwauled threateningly.
The creature flailed in the underbrush and scurried away, breath heaving, dropping flecks of indigo blood on the ground.
Neko leaped off the tree trunk and trilled happily, pushing her fluffy white head into the fabric of Kosuke’s hakama.
He sighed. So much for his honor.
“Menace.”
Neko flopped on the ground, purring proudly.
Though this useless creature may not be as useless as I thought.
Kosuke scowled at the seeping wound in his leg and sat down to wrap it with strips torn from his haori.
“The gods have sent me here for redemption, foul beast,” he said. “Leave the next monster to me.”
Neko chirped happily.
Once his leg was bound and his sword sheathed, Kosuke scooped Neko into one arm and limped deeper into the woods.
The kitten meowed.
“No, I will not carry you all the way.”
Neko clawed him in the chest fondly.
But, of course, he would.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
It took me a bit to recognize the innocent in this story. Enjoyed the plot and characters immensely.
I believe Innocent is in December. This was Everyman. Thank you so much for reading!
Indeed…kudos to you for a story that works so well with character types.
Oh, thank you!! I sure had fun with it!
great way to end the week! enjoyed the story…
Thank you!! I’m so glad!
LOLOLOLOL!!
Naughty kitty.
Good for her! X)
She’s a tough one for sure!! Lol