I grasped the seemingly hollow branch, felt it snap over the weight of my body. Yet I did not care. For it had served its purpose. Had lessened the fall that I would have received, if only for a moment.
For within the aches of my muscles, the headache that came from use of a technique too complicated for this body. I found myself stranded. Within wolves and creatures. Red eyes that glowed within the dark of this cold and stormy night.
And when my eyes faded back, blinked once and once more, there came Okami, his form the same as she had described.
"You came…"
My vision blurred into a thin line. A split within two realities, one where I reached out my hand, the little fox, in response, would run away. And the other, where I stood as still as possible, felt his snout against my hand.
A wary trust that I would give back ten-fold. For he was the son of my one and only friend. Who had been there even amongst the sea of enemies I had made.
"I did…?" There was a hesitant tone to his voice, yet it was fine, for he had not adapted to those vocal cords of his. So hushed words were the only true words he could speak.
I felt a giggle echo from my lips as he reached my lap, sat upon my knee. Paws set against the other.
"I do not… know why…" Okami hesitatingly spoke. His eyes set amongst my own. Red met gold… met white… met a whirlwind of colors. Each seemed to switch between one and the next.
Each as beautiful as the last. A divine beast… truly he was one.
And so the sun set, on that first day of theirs, each closed their eyes in different ways. Both mine own eyes… and his, a symbiotic relationship. For when one slept, the other kept watch. As if they had known each other for longer than was truly… truly true…
So when the sun broke through the canopy of trees above them, when the crimson red eyes that seemed to lurk within the bush, the edges of the woods, faded into the morning sun. Only then did I truly wake once more.
I let my hand limply fall to the side, where once it had sat amongst soft ears, now it merely touched hollow ground. Frozen stiff with the cool morning air.
For within that touch of mine, an ever shifting eye rose from within the confines of the shaded lid. His own back, along with his mouth, opened and stretched to force the kinks from his body.
"Good… morning…"
I drawled, my voice - it wasn't tired but merely exhausted. For it had not spoken within the moments of the night - not that I used it much to begin with.
Only when Okami echoed that same greeting, instinctively, a warmth gauged its way within my heart. A slight tilt of my head the only sign that I had even felt such measly emotions.
"Shall we depart… I fear that we must leave soon…"
He nodded, though there was a question between those curious eyes of his. A question that did not need to be communicated within words. For I recognized that look.
It was the same as his mother had given me numerous times. Acceptance at the situation but curiosity at the reason why.
"This realm - it is believed by the people here, to be made by their ancestors, however it was truly made by your mother to protect you. The only reason that I and others of such meager power are able to…"
I drawled further on, the only reason I had stopped was that my throat had felt particularly parched.
Okami noticed, his head tilted towards the slight pond that I had found him near before.
"Alright… we shall go there first…"
Sooner, rather than later, I needed to kick such a habit. I could no longer speak in the same way I had. It was… too old fashioned, even if it was a future habit, it still was seen as outdated within this time period.
And when I reached the pond, I cupped water to my face and drank from the flow of the river. I felt sated, not of hunger but of thirst.
It was enough to continue my spiel.
"Can you continue…? Please."
Okami asked, his head tilted up towards mine, eyes wide with questions within his mind.
"I want to hear about… my mother."
His voice was still the same, an unpronounced drawl that came from new use of his vocal chords. But I still indulged him.
I told stories of her power, dazzled him with vivid pictures that would make those storytellers go livid with envy.
And when I stopped, my hand reached to the portal which would bring us towards the inevitable end of this trial.
I braced myself for the harsh words and reprimands I would have to commit to memory. I needed to endure. There was no need for such violence against beings that knew nothing of the greater world.
"Either way, I must hide you… there is no telling what they might say, I still do not quite have a grasp on this sect's policies. They may be tolerant or they may be conservative to the extreme."
He nodded, his eyes such a determined thing. For within those cute, deadly weapons of his, he found peace. Among the sleeves of my robe. As I hid him further among my arms, curled tightly against them to conceal his presence.
Not that it would be particularly hard to do so. He was a genius, even I could admit so. Okami learned at such a rapid pace.
From the leaves that had a presence of their own, yet no signature that would tell of their life… he learned how to conceal.
It was not perfect… it could not be perfect for it was an imitation rather than an improvement. Yet it would be enough to conceal him from the meager instructors of this…