"Great," ears twitching as he pats his knees excitedly, "It's etched."
Sanemaru jumps to his feet to dust out his robes, "I'll take you myself."
Umeko takes his extended hand, getting lifted to her socked feet. Wrapping his right arm around her shoulders, he seamlessly guides her in a new direction.
Watching him with concern while peeling his arm away from her body, "Sane," she prepares to deliver bad news to an overly optimistic yokai, "You can't go with me."
Frowning with a devastated hunch and pensive brow, "Why not?"
Horse ears point at her like daggers before relaxing at the sides of his head.
Brushing the air clean between them with defensive hands, "I gotta steer clear of Tsukiyomi anyways."
Raking his teeth over his bottom lip with narrowed eyes, "After all the freak-nasty shit the three of us got into, there's nothing he can say or do that won't make me cum."
Scrunching up her nose and cringing, shoving him away from her, "Too much!"
Chuckling playfully annoyed, "Way, way, waaaaay too much."
Turning away from him to start walking, I did need to get out of that place. He's starting to make me wish I could've been there. What's happening to me?!
The concern filling Umeko's face disappears when the sound of Sanemaru's lustful satisfaction annoys her.
With an, "Mm," beckoning her to face him, she witnesses pure pleasure flood the chiseled, 'morning shadow' face.
Drawn into the pink lightning flashing through the gray storm developing throughout his irises, "Even thinking about it too hard might make me–!"
Shivering blissfully, shamelessly, in front of the girl, rubbing his knees together, Sanemaru soon hugs himself with a far away gaze; growing weirded out by this new side of her fellow servant and play brother, Umeko's eye-opening experience causes her jaw to drop upon the sight of his hearty arousal pitching a tent in his trousers.
Was it so good he could really do that here? Right now? Just like that?!
Hearing a fly buzz by her ear, she snaps her mouth shut then shoves him back by the chest, "Go somewhere else with that!"
Glaring at him, she turns on her heel and hurries away. Shouting back at him without looking, she calls it like she sees it, "Sex Fiend!"
Catching up to her with ease, he crosses his arms with a pout. Stepping in front of her with white smoke swirling out of his nose, "Really, sis?!"
Throwing his hands up and looking around them, "After everything we've been through," he gets up close in her face, cupping her chin firmly so she can't look away.
After close inspection of her frustrated scowl, Sanemaru tilts his head, "It's like that?"
Grimacing, trying to struggle out of his grasp, she's forced to give up, "Don't get mad at me. . ."
Groaning awkwardly when he releases her, awaiting an explanation, Umeko scratches the side of her neck.
The edge of her dress scuffs at the sheen of sweat tickling toffee skin as it rolls over every indentation, "You live off the energy from–y'know. . ."
Glancing back and forth between his eyes, "Even though you don't eat my kind anymore," poking the valley between defined pectorals dusted with short coils, "Your kind can't walk on sacred land. I thought everyone knew that, I'm sorry."
Saddened by the whelming anxiety over-filling her stomach, she gets the peaceful calm of his eyelids. Revealing ravenous cyclones with cobalt lightning in the irises of his eyes after a molasses blink, "Is that all?"
Waving his right hand dismissively, "Pfft," he wraps the arm around her shoulders, "Only malevolent spirits are blocked from passing over blessed earth."
Flashing a cheeky grin and pointing his left thumb at his heart, "I've got good intentions!" Sanemaru's ears dance as he smiles proudly.
Shattered by this newfound information he's bestowed that disproves one of the core teachings she's always known about his kind, she struggles to believe it.
No, she struggles to accept it.
After the stuff you did! You cared more about your dick than Tsukiyomi! Ugh, but I really don't want to go alone. Not to mention. No. Fuck. FUCK!!!
Sighing heavily in defeat, Fuck it, it's not like I'm not guilty either. . . He had to kick me out because Ryu got me so close to begging for it while I was awake. . .
Contorted with a disgusted grimace, eyes burning as she fights to withhold tears, And I don't know how to live with how sick that makes me feel. . . At this rate, I won't be able to walk on Lord Izanagi's sacred land.
A gust of wind and blue green flames engulf Sanemaru; Umeko reacts just in time to shield her face from debris with one, sleeved arm.
Clutching her bag's strap to brace her shirt from flying open with the other, loose leaves and dirt swirl around them. In the quick flash of a bursting bonfire, smoke clouds pillow out and fade.
An oversized, chestnut-brown steed emerges, black hooves immersed in bluish green flames that spark with every step. Excited eyes of obsidian with bright blue pupils look at her enchanted smile. Fiery ombre twists flow down the back of his head with a matching tail; long enough to spectrum through black at the root, it transitions through red to orange with yellow-curled tips that nearly dusts the ground.
A loud neigh rings throughout the mountain, warning all in his path of the ferocity to come. The intimidating beast trots in place then shakes his head with a huff. Sanemaru lovingly nudges his muzzle close to her face after she remains frozen in awe for a bit too long.
Flaring his nostrils with a hot exhale, she sweetly pets his nose with a giggle, "You win."
I can't believe I was close to letting myself take this journey on my own. Even though we're very different. . .I really need his help.
Hurrying to her side, the unsaddled steed kneels for her, "Thank you Sane."
Grabbing fistfuls of wool-like locks, she jumps as high as she can to climb up to his back. Straddling the sweltering stallion's spine, she scratches the base of his left ear, "I'd be dead without you."
Whynning excitedly as Umeko hangs on tight, he tears through the sky. Headed straight for Izanagi Shrine located on Awaji Island towards the southern part of the country, Sanemaru hopes to arrive by nightfall.
*****
After the sun moves down about forty five degrees in the sky, peeking through pillowy clouds as Sanemaru flies a safe distance above trees and valleys, Umeko feels the strain on her body.
Sore deep into her core from straddling hot muscle that holds her legs open wider than any normal horse, she grows more aware of the cramps in her hands from knuckling his hair so tight for so long.
Rolling a sandpaper tongue around the inside of her desert-dry mouth from stripping wind that challenges any horse back rider. Wincing as dry and cracked lips peel dead skin away from raw flesh as they part, she recognizes her need for water.
Enticed by the glittering waters below, with scattered fruit bearing trees nearby, Umeko doesn't let the soreness from her loss be left in vain. Hollering over the wind filling their ears, she asks him to land. Nodding with a neigh, he eyes the perfect spot.
Hovering down at an angle as the flames around his hooves shrink from a burning blaze to flame around each hoof, his sprint through the sky slows to a gentle trot behind the bracing of his momentum-backed landing; settling still in a clearing large enough to build a fire and rest, the fiery trail behind grass-sunken tracks ember into nothingness.
Stretching her limbs out while on her way to the stream, Sanemaru shifts into his mortal form with a blaze before dashing to gather firewood. Scanning the area while kneeling at the water's edge for a drink, Umeko sips in mountain spring water.
Swishing crisp nourishment around the moistening pockets of her cheeks, she swallows with a satisfied smile.
Reaching for more as she looks over her shoulder to find Sanemaru breaking branches for kindle, she's startled by a large snapper grazing her hand in the water; falling back with a scream, Sanemaru jumps to her aid with a long, large branch in hand.
Verifying no threats have been made against her life, he sets the branch down beside the stream and glances into the water.
Flashing Umeko a cheeky grin, his mouth salivates at the variety of food he sniffed out before landing after finally seeing some up close.
"What's that look for? You can't eat any of them," Umeko's eyebrows bunch as she watches Sanemaru's ears droop. Half turning to face her as he squats closer to the grassy river bank, "Why the hell not?! You gonna try and stop me? I was going to cook enough for the both of us but now you can kiss my ass and fend for yourself."
Was I actually attracted to this child?
Pointing at the steed, "You said you don't eat meat!"
Pointing at the river without looking, "Isn't fish meat?!"
Breaking open a golden hoop adorning his braids, Sanemaru heats the metal in flaming fingertips to mold it into a pointed hook on one end and a tiny loop on the other, "Only a cruel god would give these defenseless things a personality. Forgot already? This domain's food goddess created the fish so they're as delicious and nutritious and guilt-free as fruits and veggies."
Is it really worth arguing with his logic? He has a point though. . . Lady Uke Mochi created fish as food before she was slain by Tsukiyomi-sama's brother.
Raising her eyebrow at the sight of a humanoid steed placing the hook sideways between his lips, she curiously takes in more knowledge of his power.
Patiently unbraiding his tail, she watches him pluck a single, ombre strand from the root before letting his crinkly, fiery tail fluff onto the ground behind his legs. Tilting her head, she watches him tie the strand of his horse hair to the loop end of the hook held safe between his lips.
Smiling at her past his right shoulder, his ears dance happily. Sending a happy nod to him, she places her hands on her hips. Keeping the hook between his lips, he pulls a wooden case from within the folds of his robes and opens it. Connecting three dark rods into a single pole, he tucks the case away before tying the line to its tip.
What the heck else is he hiding in his clothes?! I didn't know something like that existed!
Amazed to see Sanemaru pull a white bundle from another fold, he unwraps a piece of dried mackerel. Baiting the hook with a sturdy chunk, he plops down at the water's edge with his feet in before casting in hopes of catching a large snapper fish.
Wow. . .guess he had to be prepared on all his travels with Lord Tsukiyomi. Now what can I do to make myself look useful so he's not doing everything by himself on my mission?
Glancing all around, she decides the only thing left is to pick an armful of ripe peaches without straying too far from her protection. Setting them on the ground a short distance from their campfire, she takes the best one to Sanemaru. Checking on his progress while feasting on the second best pick, she walks up behind him to see two, red and silver scaled fish laying dead to his right.
I hope he plans on cleaning and gutting those things too.
Recovering from her yuck face, pulls in a third. Expertly handling his catch, Umeko quietly watches Sanemaru clean and gut the three large fish before wrapping them in the broadest leaves the two of them could find.
Setting them on a wide flat stone at the smallest part of an uneven bonfire, he cooks four halved, pitted peaches on water-soaked branches as well. As the two hash out a back-up plan in case Izanagi no Mikoto ignores their plea, the steed's ears suddenly twitch and he stops talking.
Aware and on edge, Umeko shifts from crossed legs to a squatted crouch, ready to run if need be, "What's wrong?"
Jumping to his feet and shifting into a centaur-like creature (upper half human, lower half horse), the girl is mystified by his half-dressed transformation with a radiant, fire ombre braided tail and a haunting neigh that echoes in the sky for miles.
Umeko hurries to her feet and Sanemaru holds an arm up in her direction, gesturing for her to stop moving, "Wait in the water."
Taking a step closer, Umeko reaches for him, "But I–!"
In the most serious demeanor she has ever seen on the horse, his stoic instruction demands she does as he says without question, "If I say, "Boom," ride the river to the fork and hide. I'll find you."
Sneering, a lightning storm develops in his eyes as the blue-green flames around Sanemaru's hooves spark and grow. A spear and shield of white swirling smoke with glowing flashes of prism (rainbow) light forms in his hands while shifting into an offensive stance.
"Wolf demons."
Star-struck and flabbergasted from the fantastical sight in front of her, Umeko's mind quickly works to connect the dots.
Understanding the brevity of their situation, she grabs the nearest leafy branch from the ground then disappears into the river's edge. Sinking with the foliage covered limb to cover her head from prying eyes, she watches Sanemaru from the bushiest section.
Shivering in the brisk, running water, trying not to trip through weeds or pebbled sediment, Umeko tightens her grip on the dampening wood and digs her feet deeper into the riverbed. Finding larger stones that nearly break her ankles to steal away her sandals, the sock covered soles of her feet mold to the rocks below.
Motionless in a sturdy stance, ominous howls echo on the wind all around them and Umeko swallows hard to remind herself to be silent.
Cinnamon eyes tremble when a pack of wolves appear one after the other to form a large circle around Sanemaru; bursts of lightning land from the sky with white arcs, a swirling blizzard sphere blows over with dissipating frost, bellows of smoke fall in, shadows rise from the ground, cindering fire roars as it lands like a meteor, and the largest wolf-like creatures she could have ever imagined runs up (some on four legs, some on two).
Enlightened by the variations of an arctic white, humanoid female; black shadowy humanoid male; a gray smoked male; lightning female with blue and white hair; red-flamed wolf; three black-brown werewolves; two massive, four legged wolves; all arrive with menace before the final wolf to arrive screams large and in charge.
He must be the alpha of the pack.
As large and muscular as Sanemaru is in his human form, the alpha stands with fair skin; salt and pepper gruff pairs well with suavely slicked back, matching hair. Furry black and silver wolf ears stick out the top of his head, and a long, thick matching tail hangs visible from between his legs as it hangs past the backs of his knees.
A right, winter blue eye burns carnelian with a hazy glow as a final howl escapes the face pointed to the sky; topless and clawed, he's covered in black and silver chains that hang around his neck, waist, wrists and ankles. Gruesome scars peek through the links all around as black leather pants hug his thickly carved legs above bare feet.
Taking a few steps closer, breaking the perfectly spaced out circle around their prey, the leader with a giant scar over his left eye growls at Sanemaru before his humanoid form shifts into a bi-pedal wolf covered in salt and pepper fur. Now holding an over-sized ax in both hands, his face looks like a wolf's with a long muzzle and fangs.
"Hey skank," a female dressed in a furry, brown bra and matching mini-skirt swoops in close to Sanemaru from the tree-covered shadows, "How's it hangin'?"
Bouncing his eyebrows playfully, Sanemaru lowers his arms and the weapons made of smoke and firelight dissipate, "With a curve that's ready to strike you out."
Winking at her with a buck of his cheval hips, he returns to his humanoid form fully clothed. Just as the transformation is complete, the arctic wolf transforms into a humanoid female with white paw marks painted over her breasts and a white, fur mini skirt just past her genitals.
Sliding over on ice that forms under her feet, he takes a step back from her sudden approach that lifts her eye-to-eye rather than eye-to-nipple, "I'd like to take you up on that."
Running a blue-clawed finger down his chest, the trail of ice that forms under a touch that drags his shirt open to the belt quickly melts from his body heat; drops of water trickle down cocoa gutters to the patch of ombre coils meeting in the center of his hips' 'V'.
"Sorry Led," smoothly licking his lips, the charismatic steed shoots her a smoldering smirk, "I might be too hot for you to handle."
A wolf appears from smoke behind him, blocking another backward step. Bumping into a guy with yellow eyes and spiked, ash blonde hair, Sanemaru nods with a smirk at the familiar face; ashy smoke flows from the tips of his hair, down his spine, and seamlessly dances with the fur of his bushy, upward-curled tail.
Reaching around from the back, sliding charcoal colored, fingerless-gloved hands with long, black claws across Sanemaru's shredded stomach, he bucks his hips forward into the steed. Receiving a soft hum and backward grind from the succubus, the wolf sniffs the back of his milk-chocolate captive's head aggressively before lapping up the side of his neck.
Growling low against the side of Sanemaru's head as horse ears turn to listen, "Can I be the buffer between you (two)?"
An electric female with blue-white glowing eyes and lightning sparking around her zaps herself near the four, carelessly making herself a fifth wheel; blue and white streaked, butchered hair that's wild like an animal's past her chest also flows in layers down her back.
Slipping her fingers behind Sanemaru's belt as she nudges into Led, she forces the fabric further down to reveal the venous base of his artillery; navy blue painted claws dive to grip the cloth near his bulge just to clutch him by the pants and pull him close to her.
Barking at icy, leafy, and smokey, "I don't care if ya'll watch or he goes out orgy style," she rubs her body against Sanemaru until she finds the perfect spot on his thigh to hump, "But I gotta have one more taste of the Prince of Dreams before we kill him."
"MUNJA (moon-jaw)?!" the alpha barks, "You mouthy bitch!"
Munja, the energetic wolf pouts at her alpha; sticking her tongue out at him, nimble fingers work to untie Sanemaru's clothes so she can push the wrapping away from her prize in front of anyone who cares to watch her carry out her intentions.
"Damn, Dag," Sanemaru shakes his head while wrapping his arms around the giggling, groping girls working to undress him from the front with the male caressing and grinding him from behind, "After all we've been through, you wouldn't've at least given me a head start?"
The one behind him runs his hands over Sanemaru's fully exposed, rippled torso; following the short trail of black hair from his navel to the 'v' of his hips, Dag frowns with his furry, wolf ears down.
Lowering the mighty ax, appearing to be deep in thought, the veteran battle-wolf's ears and tail shoot up, "Oh!"
Dag growls, "Like you gave me a headstart after blowing up that pyramid?!"
Pointing to the scar on his face where an eye used to be, "I had to barter an eye for my life to that hawk guy for what you did to his temple!"
Fuming mad, "Because a god took my eye it'll never regenerate!"
The alpha's aura glows and intensifies menacingly enough for Umeko to cower from the invisible-to-her oppression radiating over the entire area and sending her into survival sweats.
"You can't use that," Sanemaru points at Dag, "You fluffy fuck!"
Jump turning around, "Don't act like you fuckin' forgot," pulling his loosened pants down from around his butt and pointing to his tailed ass, Sanemaru reveals a misshapen brand that's still in the process of healing, "This coffee-ass saved you from being that love goddess' lap dog."
Shaking his head with a neigh while angrily readjusting his pants, "This perfect dark roast is still healing from the divinity brand she tried to claim me with so I couldn't leave her creepy sex-stable!"
"Coffee ass?" Dag barks confused, tilting his head.
"Bold," Sanemaru kisses Led's forehead, "Luscious," kisses the electric wolf's nose, "And strong enough," gropes the brunette tree-wolf's butt, "To awaken your soul," then grinds back into the male of similar height but more lean in stature.
Flashing Dag a cheeky grin with a single dimple visible, Sanemaru's eyebrows bounce once with a proud nod.
Shaking his head down with a sigh, Dag quickly locks his eye on Sanemaru before growling menacingly, his fur thickening and rising. As the intact eye darkens to a cindering red, the steed raises his hands defensively from the girl's shoulders as they kiss and fondle every part of his body the three of them can share.
Guiding fiery twists between his horse ears, "You'd still be in that cursed forest howling at the moon if it wasn't for," pointing at himself with gold-ringed thumbs, "This 'Prince of Dreams'."
Nodding excitedly, hoping he made some progress, Sanemaru's ears lower when Dag's growl grows louder and the wolves that seemed to be on his side for the moment break away to fall back in line with the others.
With every wolf of the pack facing him on all sides, his back straightens when the werewolf-looking wolves crowd in. Growling incomprehensibly, Sanemaru tilts his head while twitching his ears trying to make out if their sounds could be words.
Looking at the humanoid yokai closest to him in proximity, they shrug before raising their claws and licking their lips. Seeing they're no help to him now, Sanemaru glances over the upright wolves standing on guard as burning fires and shifting shadows; maintaining a four-legged form engulfed in the elements, they typically speak more clearly through telepathy with their mind– opposed to butchered, simple speech. They can fly, grow and carry up to three people on their backs without losing speed.
The one enshrouded by flames hovers closer, "Past over."
The shadow wolf sinks into the ground before rising from Led's shadow to growl, "Future gone."
The last one engulfs itself in a whirlwind then jumps into the space between Sanemaru and Dag, "Master spoken."
Glancing between the three elemental wolves that he knows can grow up to five times their current size, "And that means…?"
Without another spoken word, Sanemaru spins around, "Translator?"
Catching silent faces and disinterested shrugs, "Anyone?"
Dag shakes his head, drawing Sanemaru's stormy gaze back, "It don't matter what any of us had with you, dumbass," he gestures to the group, "Master said you left to bring back something that was His, but decided to fuck off with it instead."
"Welllll," Sanemaru slides between Led and Munja, wrapping his arms around their shoulders and shimmying with them in his arms, "I can't fuck off with something I haven't found, so," kissing over their bodies as they blush and moan, "Why don't we have some fun away from the palace until it turns up?"
Sanemaru gets zapped when he kisses Munja's lips, then shakes it off with a seductive smile.
Running his tongue along the arctic wolf's neck, "Take our time, enjoy ourselves," it begins to frost over and stick, "Then split up and find it." Licking his lips to melt ice, "We can meet back here and all go home together as a team."
Nuzzling the smoke one's neck before nipping over his jaw, Sanemaru grins when the wolves in his hands nod and beg the alpha for them to go along with his plan.
Dag steps forward and points his giant ax as black energy materializes around the broad blade, "I wish I could horseface," baring a mouth full of carnivorous teeth, "But because I smell his pet all over and don't see it, I know you're up to something."
Shrugging without a care in the world, "Couldn't hurt to try," Sanemaru does a high jump and back flips, his pants falling down to his ankles when he stands upright, defensively.
Half of the wolves cheer and whistle or cackle and howl, begging Dag to reconsider. Dag tries to step forward with a launching attack that throws his ax at Sanemaru, so he responds by bracing with blue and green flames sparking to life around his feet.
Howling in frustration, Dag disappears out of thin air before reappearing right in front of Sanemaru with the tip of his ax just grazing his nose, "C'mon fuckface, have you finally shit out your brains?"
Spreading his feet shoulder width apart then stomping, Dag holds the ax in both hands, "Why risk your life to hide one worthless fucking ningen?"
The other wolves close in disheartened, conflicted, and offended, "Yeah."
"Why?"
"How could you?"
Dag groans, "Can't you tell we don't really wanna fight you," and his circling crew crowds in closer, not leaving Sanemaru much more space to work with.
Munja chimes in by slinking up against Sanemaru and cupping his groin, "Unless you promise to fight me with this dick."
"Ooh yeah!"
"Fight me with it!"
"And me!"
Glancing around excitedly to see who agreed with her, Munja catches a few disgusted snarls, "What?!"
Defending herself by pointing to his crotch, "You've seen that fucking thing!"
Dag shakes his head and mutters under his breath, "Alpha over the horniest fuckin' wolves in the Seven Realms."
"Yeah pony-prince," a golden female snaps, gathering everyone's attention, "You don't want us to tie you up, do you?"
Stepping forward, her claws elongate as she runs her tongue over her bottom, green-painted lip, "And take everything you have to hide."
"Ooh, and everything you know."
"And everything you have left."
Sanemaru jumps high into the air to backflip away and whistles long as he gracefully touches down onto the ground, "I dunno. . ."
Sighing doubtfully, "Sounds like you're threatening me with a good time when you put it like that."
Getting a spear rested on his shoulder, he eyes the entire group of rugged, leather and fur clad wolves that already encircle him again. A deep voice from behind Sanemaru, "If you're thinkin' you're tough 'cause of who you are and where you come from," a slate gray, bipedal wolf steps forward.
Letting a weighted chain slide through his fingers until it almost hits the ground as he looks up from under the brim of a wide conical hat, "You gotta ask yourself. . ."
A mangy, rust colored wolf with a graystone eye patch carved to display a red-jeweled eye moves in to sniff over their meal. As the treacherous second-hand to Dag with a damaged right ear approaches the fire, he snickers arrogantly, "Can you take all of us?"
Whipping out his dick to piss on the cooked fish and peaches, he shakes it twice to dry it; spinning around to kick the dirt back, spreading around his offensive scent, he puts his dick away with a bastardly chuckle.
Sanemaru grumbles, having been looking forward to the sweet, tenderly broiled fruit, "What'd they do to deserve that?!"
The half-naked, leafy dressed brunette runs her finger along Sanemaru's stubbled jaw, bringing his eyes to her, "As much as I want to protect you, my iron unicorn," her eyes glow and her muzzle snarls, "I can't disobey my alpha."
Kissing his nose, she quickly turns him around in time to face two wolves lunging at him.
Shooting purple fireballs from his hands, they all try to fly back into the trees. Instantly covered in purple flames as their bodies remain suspended in the air, the three sneak attackers' eyes roll into the backs of their heads and they groan with their tongues hanging out.
Multiple disgruntled howls echo, "PURPLE?!"
Dag points from the fire to the werewolves before telling them to bolt at Sanemaru with the point of his ax and a stern nod.
Kicking behind him, the steed's feet strike up yellow flames that ride the dirt to land on their faces; quickly enveloping their entire bodies in yellow fire, they drop to the ground. Rolling left and right with muffled screams, it sounds as though they're trapped under water.
"Damnitall!" Dag shouts disgruntled, gripping and waving an ax that now glows red, "Don't you know going easy on us won't convince anyone?!"
Running a fur-padded palm over the ax, slicing his hand open, Dag's blood runs along the blade before pointing the dripping red, shadow metal at Sanemaru, "You know we either come back with the package," running his thumb across the front of his throat as his aura intensifies, "Or not at all."
Sanemaru looks Dag straight in the eye, "I've got no other way out of you unleashing your strongest attack?"
Witnessing the seasoned fighter shake his head no once, storm gray eyes scan each full-blooded wolf demon as they charge up for their most powerful attack as well.
"Such a shame," Sanemaru shrugs nonchalantly, "I'll have to take my newest joke to the grave."
A few of the wolves' ears perk up and their energy wavers, "Huh?"
"Really?"
"Why?"
"You sure?"
Shaking his head regretfully, "Would've been nice to hear one more laugh outta my best friends."
"Oh?"
"A laugh?"
Watching a couple more hesitantly lower their claws or conceal their fangs, Sanemaru sticks out his bottom lip, "You're probably not interested."
Hanging his head with all hope lost, he misses even more ears twitching to face him with bushy tails raising in playful sways. "I am."
"Me too."
"I've got time for a joke," the rust-haired wolf now at his right mutters.
One of the females chime in with a sultry growl, "Who doesn't have time for a joke?"
Dag smirks while pulling his glowing ax back to cup the blunt side of it in a resting position; staring into the steed's eyes with a simple nod, he gives the fiery steed the go ahead.
"What did the thunder whisper to the sky?"
They look from him to each other, everyone thinking of an answer before they all stand perplexed enough to completely lower their guard; looking amongst themselves, checking to see if anyone has the answer, they all end up shaking their head no or tilting it in confusion while looking between their newest friend-turned-enemy and their pack master.
Genuinely at a loss, Dag shrugs with his hands up, "What?"
Snapping his fingers, "Boom."
The flames surrounding Sanemaru's hooves enlarge, turning blue and green as the air around him swirls in an instant reaction of powerful, fiery energy that amasses like an up-close sun.