#n_n;

The child would have little problem hearing the approach of the youkai this time, for his steps were heavy and the usual clatter armor sounded worn. Indeed he’d been gone for quite some time, taking off in a journey that took him over land and sea. Wherever ever his target fled, he’d been close behind and leaving a trail of death in his wake. It was a Wild Hunt like no other and his quarry, the Panther Demons would discover that there was really no place to hide from a determinedly Nightmarish Okuri-Inu. 

Though this wild hunt was not without is cost to him. The reek of old blood clung to him like a morbid perfume, while dust and grime from nearly endless travel darkened his silver hair and caked over his skin. Even his mood seemed tattered upon arrival, instead of seeing his mate for a well overdue reunion he simply waved away the idea and handed the spoils off to be delivered to her. A generous bundle of treasure and the skulls of six panther demons that once made up the ruling family he massacred. Fresh from the mainland!

Thus it was with a heavy mind that he opened the sliding door of his chamber, never expecting the little one holed up inside until he pounced!

“Hn!” Stopping dead in his tracks it was all the old youkai could do to stop himself from reacting in a terrible way. As his eyes fell upon the pup attached to his hakama the realization washed over him and slowly he lowered his clawed hand. 

He was home. Sometimes it took a bit for the gravity of that reality to sink in and override the on-edge instinct he relied upon while on a hunt. An instinct that only grew stronger the more blood soaked his path. However it taxed him heavily the longer he endured, leaving him empty and weary when it was all over.

To think the pup had caught him off guard and how did he react? Goodness he truly needed to rest if he was raising a hand to his own son! Drawing a deep breath he closed his eyes and consciously released his tension with an exhale.

// O.0; 

Wow. Thank you!