Windhound Wraith

Simultaneously the three in the room reacted as the now human man stood. The two youkai roared with laughter while Takashi whipped away from him before moving to the closet to find something to cover him with. 

“Misuzu! This is your best yet!” Madara cackled, rolling onto his back.

“He is even more pitiful as a human,” Misuzu mused from the window. 

“If you think they listen to me then you’re unobservant,” Natsume answered the demand absently as he struggled to pull a spare blanket from the closet.  

“Why should we fix you, ha?” the round youkai added, sitting up with a smirk on his face,”Now you can’t just run off instead of answering us. Besides, I think this look suits your smug attitude better.” 

“Enough, Sensei.” The teen finally pulled the blanket free and tossed it towards the now human. “Wrap yourself in that and lower your voice please. I don’t want Touko-san to get worried and come up here.”

The hound fisted his hands into a head of gently curling locks, red eyes brimming with betrayal. Was he going to be stuck in this awful form forever? He didn’t even want to fathom the horror!

And they were all laughing!

Ignoring the boy’s words, the hound grabbed the ugly piggy by his scruff and gave him a dizzying shake. “I’ll show you smug attitude, you ugly piggy!!” his voice practically a growl until a blanket was tossed over his head. With the gentleness of a bull, the hound dropped his captive unceremoniously to rip the blanket off his head.

“Touko? Oh, the nice lady! Yes, she should come up here! Then she’d see how much you monsters are bullying me!” the hound continued, his voice more whiny now. “Was minding my own business, even helped you up the stairs,” he muttered. “And this is the thanks I get. Now I’m as ugly as the piggy!” Clearly, he was still mourning the loss of his fur.

Natsume watched the hound with a tired curiosity as he moved about between him and the door as the two youkai spoke to each other. 

“Do you think you could do something about it?” Hinoe asked, bemused as she looked towards the window where the massive eye had come into view again. 

“With such a small thing? It may be strange but it is weak.” Misuzu rumbled with something akin to laughter. The trio in the room stiffened slightly in surprise at the wave of spiritual energy that flooded the room. Centralizing on the strange hound it gripped him down to his essence and began forcing his shape to change. 

“Misuzu?!” Takashi sat up quickly watching with wide eyes as the white dog changed from the lithe form to something more familiar. A human.

Weak?! Had that overgrown horse called him weak?! What was it with these demons? Did they think they could just continue insulting him without any concern for retribution? He was a fairy hound! He refused to take all these insults laying down!

As a matter of fact, he had a mind to give them each a taste of their own medicine!

“Think they can talk about me like--AAAAH!”

The hound came to the haunting realization that he was in fact no longer a hound. The crouched, naked man looked down his arms in horror, followed by his chest and his --

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Furious, he rounded on the demons.

“What have you done?! Where is my beautiful fur?!” he howled out, disgusted with his new appearance. The hound had always enjoyed the company of humans throughout the ages, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be one! He pitied them their looks - they were missing out on the regal beauty he carried so naturally. And now - NOW - he was just like them!

A drunken snicker came from where Madara had settled on a cushion, grinning smugly at the dog being turned away. There was some sense of victory in seeing his defeated look. No matter how very little he had to do with it.

The visiting youkai, meanwhile, sighed as the inked characters returned to them. Again it bowed low to Natsume with several words of thanks before standing and vanishing out the window. As it did so the small smile on the teen’s face slipped as he let himself slump forward with exhaustion only to be eased onto the floor by Hinoe. 

“So strong and yet so weak,” She sighed wistfully as the pale boy rested his arm over his eyes,”But for such a noble cause.” 

“Though now that the previous business has concluded, I am curious about this guest.” Misuzu’s voice rumbled from outside the window again, the tiny frog croaking from where it’d hopped to Natsume’s knee. “This presence is unfamiliar from any Youkai I have come across. It does not seem capable of speech.” 

“I just thought he might not know Japanese,” Takashi offered, moving his arm to look towards Hinoe who’d taken to watching the sulking hound,”If no one’s seen or heard of something like him, maybe he comes from elsewhere?” 

“Or perhaps he is too dog-like and simple.”

The hound lifted his lip subtly when he heard ugly piggy’s gleeful snickering. Of course he would rub it in! Hmph! Rather than give him something more to bicker about, the dog turned fully towards the door as if impatiently waiting to be let out. He didn’t need this abuse! Touko would give him love and food and gentle pets and tell him what a good boy he was. Better than this lot!

And yet, the hound’s red ear cocked as the boy slumped nearby. Concerned, the hound stood and padded over to snuffle at his face. He could find no hint of illness. Gently, he nudged at the arm Natsume had slung across his face before laying down flush beside him, chin resting on the boy’s chest.

If he couldn’t go to Touko, he would keep her boy company until he felt better. No one could feel better around someone like the ugly piggy...

Finally listening in, the white hound snorted at the suggestion he didn’t understand Japanese. How insulting! He understood all languages! He’d been alive for how long for this pup to insult him so! Hmph!

When Hinoe turned to find the specter so close she leaned away with a somewhat disgruntled look twisting her features. She shifted away from him again and glanced towards the window at the sound of Misuru’s bells from him shifting. In the open window a tiny frog sat watching the room. It bounced from the window towards the woman and stranger as Natsume began murmuring to himself and the pages of the book fluttered through themselves. 

“Move back,” The youkai woman hissed, not wanting to disturb the teen’s concentration but allowing the tiny frog to leap up and sit on her shoulder to look at the hound with little croaks. “Why must you sit so close to me dog?”Her attention was averted momentarily as the teen tore the single page that presented itself from the book, looking away from him again as he continued returning the name. 

The hound’s ears pinned back with disappointment when the target of his affection voiced her irritation with him being so near. His tail ceased wagging and his head drooped.

Did she just not like dogs? The hound never could understand those kinds of people. Dogs were practically heavensent. Well, maybe he wasn’t. But still! He was adorable! Noble and regal and beautiful all at once! How could she not want to pet his lovely head? It just seemed wrong.

Hinoe stared down at the white hound with suspicion in her gaze, her arms lifting slightly as though to pull the sleeves of her kimono from his reach. Near her the Youkai shrunk away from the strange beast. The mask like face shifted from the strange pair to Natsume, where he limped further into the room, as though trying to find it’s words. Madara started to speak again only for the teen’s hand to grab his head and use him as a prop to sink himself onto a cushion. 

“Are you here for your name?” Natsume asked kindly, facing the meek youkai with a smile.

“Y-Yes! I came looking for Natsume-sama with the hopes I could have my name returned,” A high voice left the creature as it quickly shifted into a low bow to the teen,”M-My apologies if I came at a poor time.”

“Natsume, are you sure talking about this… now, is alright?” Hinoe spoke up, gaze flickering to the dog before fluidly moving around him to the boy’s side. Madara gave a sound of protest as she easily pushed him to the side and knelt by him to speak quieter,” We don’t know what this can do.” 

“He hasn’t done anything yet. Besides, I trust the three of you to keep me safe-” A disgruntled noise escaped him as he was cut off with a high coo from the youkai and enveloped into a hug. “Hinoe!” 

“I’m sorry,” She sighed as she was pushed away cupping her face in her hands contently,” To be trusted by you is such an honor.” 

“I’m sure.” The teen sighed and shifted towards the desk where a green, hand bound notebook sat. When he turned back to the smaller youkai he shot Hinoe a look and, albeit disappointed, she turned away politely so as not to stare as he set the book open in his lap and faced the youkai across from him. 

The hound was undeterred by Hinoe’s apparent lack of affection for him. He would grow on her - he just knew it. Eyes only for the woman, the dog cared little for anyone else in the room at the moment. It didn’t bother him a lick that one of the youkai shrank away from him in fear. Instead, he continued to stare adoringly at Hinoe while she expressed her doubts on him.

He followed her to Natsume’s side so that he could press his muzzle close to her arm in the hopes for her to give in and offer him the affection he so clearly deserved. Hadn’t be been nice and helped her master up the stairs? Surely, she could see he deserved at least a little pat...

Takashi couldn’t help the surprised look on his face when he felt the hound nudge his way below his hand. With a quiet thanks he allowed the other to aid him up the stairs and to his room. Outside the door it was easier to hear the new voices and their conversation. The teen slid the door open to reveal the simple bedroom occupied by a red-faced Madara and two others. One might have been human, the purple haired woman looking bemused by the slurred speech of the round youkai waving his paws about. A meaker looking youkai sat near her looking about nervously and jumping when the door slid open. 

“Natsume!” The woman greeted eagerly, rising to her feet only to pause at the sight of the hound,”You-” 

“Y’MANGY MUTT,” Madara bellowed, whipping around and pointing accusingly at the wraith,” WH I tell you ‘bout coming?!” 

“Sensei! Enough!” Natsume snapped as he shut the door behind them. He looked over at the sound of a large chime to see a massive eye pearing in the window,” Misuzu? It’s unusual for you to visit as well.” 

“We were searching for the one’s that attacked you while the Mochi picked fights,”Misuzu’s voice rumbled, the eye shifting slightly as a hint of a toothy smile was just visible,”When Hinoe and I found the little one asking for you.”

“Yes… And it seems he’s even more useless than we thought, letting that strange thing in.” 

“OI ‘OO ASKED YOU?”

Helping the boy up the stairs was a simple task and one he required no reward for. The gentle hand on his back was reward enough, for the hound quite enjoyed affection no matter how unintentional it was.

The hound moved easily into the room, taking his cue from the boy’s rising irritation that he wanted privacy from the rest of the household. He ignored the whining of the ugly piggy, soft eyes instead finding the others in the room. Another female!

It would be a lie to say the wraith wasn’t partial to femles... Their presence was usually far more enjoyable. On light paws, the hound practically floated across the room to immediately seek out her attention, long tail whipping the piggy in the face in its wagging as he passed by.

( @windhoundwraith )

Death was no harrowing thing for Battle-Wrath, he lived and breathed the essence of death ( many a favored warrior had been laid to rest by his hand, offerings for valhalla that he had always cherished ). He himself is a harbinger of death, and welcomes the challenge of the concept. Perhaps that is why he is not alarmed by the presence of the hound. Instead, he continues with his meal, and a slab of raw meat is placed on a wooden plate, and offered to the creature. A welcoming gift of good will. 

The hound can see knowledge in this man’s eyes. Here is one who can look at him and see straight into his soul. At least he is kind - or smart - enough to offer him a meal. Does he realize what an olive branch it is to one like him?

Lowering his muzzle to the offering, it is met with approval at first sniff. Of course he prefers cooked meat. It has such a lovely taste! But he is no fool; the hound will never turn down a good hunk of meat!

Enticing, of course, to a wild animal — most individuals choosing to steer clear of these establishments, on account of their abhorrent smell. Meat, though delectable when cooked, wasn’t always quite as appetizing when it was RAW to the bone. In Emiya’s case, however, he’d been there to merely pick up a few things - the menu for tonight’s meal ( prepared for himself, obviously ), already being brainstormed in his mind.

He’d been thinking about going the simpler route, this time around; nothing so grand as going through the trouble of grilling, which was only done on certain occasions — something easy to prepare, that would still satisfy the five star chef within him. Pasta? Fried rice? The options were endless.

So endless, that it admittedly took him a minute to notice the hound that seemed to have been standing in his way for quite some time; tail wagging, and eyes fixated toward the windows of the shop. As the man cared for two dogs of his own, seeing one on the streets didn’t wring him out of his element too bad — but one cannot HELP the want to stare, for a little ( as he’d never laid eye on one like it before ).

Feeling eyes on him, the spectral hound turned to find the source. White hair made him look old, but he appeared young in his features. The hound supposed the same could be said of him. A baby, he bet, compared to his own millennia.

At least this man didn’t look ready to kick him as so many others did for being a nuisance. Maybe if he was cute enough...he could convince him to give him food.

In truth, the spectral hound had no need to eat. He couldn’t starve and he didn’t feel hunger, but he could taste. Food was one of life’s greatest rewards for the work he did and most often it was so readily available. Of course, it used to be easier to obtain when humans had it spitted by campfires compared to behind glass counters with hawk-eyed, cleaver-wielding butchers.

Fully intending to work his magic, the hound wagged his tail with enough force to cause his butt to wag with it and gave the most pining whine he could. He even pressed his ears back as his lips stretched into a smile, paw lifting as if for a shake.

After Touko disappeared from the room the teen had glanced back at the hound. Seeming to contemplate to himself a moment. Without much reaction to the possible threat the visible teeth offered, Natsume stood himself up from the table and moved over to where the hound positioned himself. Leaning against the wall he half slid down it to sit beside the white canine with a quiet huff. 

“Sensei isn’t quite fond of you,” He mused, watching his hands in his lap instead of the other beside him,” He came home complaining and talking about things you’ve done. But I get the feeling you aren’t as dangerous as I thought you might be… You aren’t from around here, but I’ve met plenty of others who aren’t either. Good and bad really.” 

The sound of voices on the floor above them caused Takashi to look up, brow furrowing as he sighed into the air. The familiar voice of the round Madara could be heard raising just enough to express his angry tone, which was shortly followed by laughter. 

“What are they doing here..” The teen groaned quietly as his hand reached up to rub his forehead,” It’s far to early for drinking.” With a huff, he began to struggle his way to his feet without jostling his ankle too badly. Pushing himself up from his knee he caught himself against the wall before excusing himself towards the door to the kitchen. 

The white dog watched as his forced companion stood to move closer. When he slid down and spoke of the fat piggy - he could only assume, only the piggy wasn’t fond of him - the hound tilted his head curiously. This boy had an old soul living in his heart. He wondered if it was a burden or not.

The sudden din above had the wraith lifted his nose in the air to scent at it for clues. It sounded like such a big voice. Another youkai, perhaps? The boy seemed irritated to hear them enough to get up despite his injury.