Choices

My eyes are tightly shut as I feel branches scrape by tear stained face. Even if I end up his dinner, I know I made the right choice. Sakura's life was in danger because that yokai was drawn to me. At least now I could die knowing that my friend was safe and could live a long happy life.

After what seemed like hours, the sounds of breaking branches was replaced by the gurgling of water as we slowed from the break neck speed of which we had been traveling. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes to see that we were in a small cave that opened up to a river, which looked to be about 150 meters across with no bottom. On the other side of the river was more dense forest. Had he jumped the river to get here or did he jump from the top of the cave down.

The second though seemed just as unlikely as the first since the cave's ceiling was at least 50 meters high and no man could jump that. However, I was not dealing with a man. I had concluded that my savior must be another yokai who wants to eat me, but must be one who has to have the victims permission before doing so. A foolish thought, but that is the only reason I could think of, since he saved me once before. Perhaps he was just saving his meal for another time.

While I was lost in thought, my savior placed me on the floor of the cave. What I had expected to be hard rocks was actually soft grass when my hands touched the ground that I now sat upon.

A loud voice pierced my thoughts. "Kami, why did you call us here so suddenly?"

"Yes my lord, I have many things to attend to right now and do not need to waste it chattering with these fools" another voice coons.

"Who are you calling a fool!" A gruff voice followed by a large shadow exclaims.

"You are the leaders of the three great clan. I have called you here for a matter of great importance. This girl has the gift of great spiritual energy. One of you will pair with the girl so that energy may help our nation prosper. "

"Pair.." I barely whisper as I go pale and cold.

"Pair with a human, I think not" states the second man who spoke. As he steps into the light I can tell he has large black wings, like those of a raven. His features are sharp and his black eyes hold nothing but contempt.

"If it means strength, sure" the third man states. He moves closer to me and I can see that he is larger than any human man. His shoulders are as wide as I am tall and filled with straining muscles. As he leans over, I can see two small, black horns protruding from his forehead.

I quickly scramble back, so that I am almost at the river.

"I doubt you would get much strength from her before you frighten her to death" the first man to speak cows as he gently offers me a hand. I just stare at the claws at the end of his finger. He laughs and I notice a pure white tail dash like a cats tail as he walks away after retracting his hand.

"One of you will pair with her, and the one who does will become the next king of the forest." My savior, now Kami, declares. "You will have until she comes of age in two months time. On the full moon of her sixteenth birthday, one of you will be chosen by her and ascend to the throne."

At that, all three men look at me with different looks on their very different faces. The winged man looks like he wants to throw me into the river but finds the though of touching me disgusting. The horned man looks as if he is staring at the best stake dinner in all of the world. The last is looking at me like a cat would look at a mouse, intrigued and deadly serious.

"She is to remain on this cave until her 18th birthday. Until that day, no one is to pair with her, under threat of death. The choice of her partner will be up to her. Now introduce yourselves." Kami states.

The wing man steps ford and unfold his wings so that they are spread wide like a bird soaring in the sky. " I am Nobu, leader of the Tengu tribe, lord of the sky!"

The horned man steps in front of Nobu and states proudly, " I am Arakan, leader of the Oni tribe."

The cat like man softly purrs " And I am Teruma, leader of the Kitsune."

At that Kami turns towards me, while still wearing his expressionless mask and states ". You have until the full moon of your eighteenth birthday to choose one of these three to be you partner. If you fail to choose, your friend will die a painful death and you will be split into three for each of them to consume. Do you understand?"

I feel vile rising in my throat as I choke out "yes".

"Then I shall take my leave. You three must provide for her until the full moon on her birthday. If she does before then, all three of you will be executed. " With one jump, my once savior is gone from the cave and my view. I slowly look up to see three pairs of inhuman eyes glaring at me.