Chapter 11 / Kiyan’s hunt

The sun begins to rise as Arianna is outside tending to the horses while Hiroshi is sleeping. Kiyan walks outside to do his morning stretches. "Morning Kiyan" as she approaches him after attending to the horses. "Morning my lady." he says without even turning around continuing his routine. She chuckles "what are your plans for today " as she makes a nice sized firepit. "I'll probably hunt some food down to do my part for the trip. " He says as he is touching his toes. "Sounds good, be safe when you do go hunting " as she gets done setting up the firepit, she has dirt on her face and clothes. He nods and grabs his bow walking into the woods forgetting his quiver like an idiot. She goes to the wagon for logs and notices he left his quiver behind. Meanwhile Kiyan is in the woods hearing some wildlife roam around. He looks about reaching for an arrow as he spots a rabbit but realizes he has no arrows or quiver.... He sits down and begins to think how he will get food now without backtracking and wasting time... He feels an urge to catch it with bare hands as a voice whisper ~catch it~ "Could I catch it by hand? I am not sure I am not that fast, am I?" he mumbles to himself looking down at the grass. ~There is only one way to find out~ as parts of his hands begin to feel stiff and cold.

He stares at his hands.... He sees that his nails are now longer, and his hand looks like it has dragon scales. He stairs for a moment before he snaps listening to his surroundings. He had been so quiet the wildlife had come to him. He can hear some of the animals leave. ~Are not going to hunt now boy~ the voice speaks to him. He stands "I'm going to hunt." he mutters to himself. He then takes his clawed hand and places it on the tree digging deep into the bark he starts to climb. ~Good~ as he chooses to climb up. He gets a better sense of the forest floor and the animals there. He perches like a cat and his balance begins to slip. As he feels like he is slipping weight is felt pulling on his back and it curls giving him balance. He waits to shift his balance as a rabbit leap under him standing and sniffing the air. The rabbit moves around and nibbles on vegetation not noticing Kiyan's presence. As light wind passes through, bringing other scents as well. Kiyan inhaled deeply and then pounced on the rabbit. Kiyan catches the rabbit in his claws as it is struggling to get free. a feeling of Pride and achievement wells within him from his bare hand catch. He silently snapped the neck of the rabbit heading out to hunt more. The sounding footsteps of rabbits can be heard some distance away. He chases the rabbits catching a few of them as some dart at odd angles while his tail sways here and there. He gathers up the rabbits putting them into the bag, he catches a glimpse of a daemon jogging through the woods heading to water.

His whole aura shifts as he starts to hunt the daemon now. He catches the daemon's scent smelling like sulfur as he gets closer to it but staying out of its detection range. The daemon leans down over the water and says "where should I look for the caravan to attack my sin lord Gluttony" Kiyan can see the daemon looks to be a rank two. Kiyan leaps up into a tree for a better view. he can see over the daemon's shoulder to see the image of the sin lord Gluttony "the caravan should be in those woods find them soon, so they don't interfere with my plans" as Gluttony growls out in anger. Kiyan perches listening intently unlike normal. "And what if the seer is not there and they left the caravan" the daemon questioned his lord. "if so, hunting the seer down will be easier to kill or use for my benefit" as Gluttony a devious grin with dark ideas forming into his mind. "Now go search and end the seer soon" as Gluttony's image disappears. Kiyan shifts reaching for his bow, and he forgets he forgot his arrows to shoot down the daemon. He recluses back into the shadows once he realizes his arrows are still gone. Then like a slap in the face he bolts attempting to find Arianna before the daemon does. The daemon hears a rustle but disregards it as a wild animal in the woods. Kiyan moves through the woods; he can faintly hear Arianna humming in the distance as well as movement around the wagon. Then it dawns on him that he has dragon hands and tail as he reaches the edge of the woods. He then stops dead in his tracks and looks down at himself. ~think with your mind for them to disappear~ as the voice growls a bit like the voice has an intimidating gaze on Kiyan. He looks around then backs down and mutters aloud. "Disappear...." He feels his tail disappear and the scales return to normal skin.

Panicking a bit, he shoves his hair down pacing. "Shit. Shit. shit." He curses before going after Arianna again. He sees Arianna's back is facing him as she looks to have gathered herbs a few minutes before he got there as the sound around the wagon was Hiroshi getting one of the horses strapped to the wagon. He tackled her and scrambled surveying the area while his dead catches littering the ground. Arianna appears startled by Kiyan's reaction and stutters "is everything alright k-Kiyan?" "No, we need to leave as fast as possible." he says quickly without revealing details to her. She nods, looking concerned. " I'll help Hiroshi finish getting Baira ready" as she runs to the horse getting the straps done with Hiroshi looking Kiyan's way looking concerned. He mouthed daemon behind Arianna's back. Hiroshi nods and says "everything is ready to go Kiyan" as he leads Arianna into the wagon. he lightly closes the door as she decides to work on her herbs. Hiroshi gets on the couch seat and moves the horses to Kiyan.

Kiyan grabbed the rabbits putting them in the bag and mounted the free horse. He steers the horse and Baira to a steady canter as he looked around paranoidly. "What did you see Kiyan? Arianna is in the wagon" trying to calm him down some. "It was a pack of wolves." he said looking to Hiroshi. Hiroshi looks at Kiyan not satisfied with his answer "Kiyan, she can't hear us talking. what all happened?" As he looked at Kiyan watching his behavior. "There hunting her specifically. I do not know why but Gluttony is ordering a rank two after her caravan I saw it myself." he tells Hiroshi as he places a hand on his sword. Hiroshi nods as he has his blade ready "that is concerning news indeed. I am not sure what he wants to do with her. From what the elder told me seers cannot always control what they see" "what she does not know will not hurt her." Kiyan mutters... "I won't tell her what you found out today. but she may ask questions later for you even me in time" Kiyan slinks back and locks the door to Arianna trailer for her safety. Hiroshi looks at the sky seeing it getting closer to sun set " we will need to let the horses rest soon. night is coming and we would be bigger targets than if they are close and you will need to find a reason for her to stay inside the wagon" He nodded, and they went a little further ahead close to a river to make camp.

Kiyan takes the horses and ties them up as he lets Hiroshi clean the rabbits. He opens Arianna's trailer door to help her down. Arianna slaps him walking away to the river to clean the mud off herself from Kiyan's sudden outburst. He grasped his cheek turned looking at Hiroshi with what did I do look. Hiroshi looks at Kiyan "well she did have to move quickly without question and get into her wagon without knowing what was going on" Hiroshi hinted to him. "Alright I will go apologize. you going to be all right brother?" He says to Hiroshi like was his big brother even though he was not his brother. "I will be ok brother" as he points to the part of the river Arianna is at. He jogged off with a nod to Hiroshi. He sees she had gotten most of the mud off and did not notice him yet. He starts to push some vegetation aside to walk onto the riverbank to her. He sees her turn around with a small dagger in her hands thinking he was someone else. He puts his arms up. "Just me." he states as the dragon voice speaks to him ~hmmm what a good mate for us...~ "oh sorry Kiyan what can I do for you?" She sounds sincere but also upset. he thinks to himself *I am far too young to be choosing a life mate* ~she is the one I want her, and we will make her ours~ *what the hell am I thinking apologize idiot* he clears his throat breaking a sweat. "I'm so sorry for earlier Arianna I was just concerned for your safety is all. You are so important to your caravan being a seer and all." the voice replied to his statement. ~idiot she will never want us now~ ~who is us! ~ Kiyan thinks back. Arianna blushes "oh thank you that is kind of you Kiyan. most people I have met were not the greatest" as she put her hand on his shoulder in kind manner.

He shoves his hair back. "Let me walk you back." The voice states ~That actually did work you fool~ ~yes, I was being honest. ~ He replied to himself. "Ok lead the way" as her blush is still there, she is thinking to herself ~what kind man he is~ as the sun begins to set lower turning to dusk. He walks her back to camp and looks at Hiroshi like Bro what do I do. She stands on the tip of her toes and kisses the cheek where she smacked earlier heading inside of the wagon. as Hiroshi raises an eyebrow and asks, "how did it go" "Ummmm...." He stands there holding his cheek in a daze now. ~hmmmm, I like her~ the voice says. Kiyan in a slightly growl tone saying it aloud in his dazed state. Hiroshi looks startled by Kiyan's growl "I'm guessing it went well and you like her?" as he has the rabbit meat cooking. "Hmm what? no wait. did I say that aloud?" he turns various shades of red. "Yes, you did are you ok did something happen that I should know" as Hiroshi finishes speaking a rustle in the trees could be heard. Thinking its wildlife Kiyan continues. "No, I just apologized is all." "I believe you brother you just seem to be acting different is all" Hiroshi pulls out the cooked rabbit when a stranger appeared at their camp "can you help me I'm lost and searching for someone" the stranger appears to be human. Kiyan jumps startled by the sudden appearance of someone in the middle of the woods. The stranger puts up his hands saying, " sorry for startling you sir" Hiroshi watched them in silence thinking ~this is odd~ Kiyan's gaze narrows ~he smells funny ~ "State your business."

"Deimos is my name. I am looking for a lady who can help with fixing illnesses and see into the future " Deimos keeps eye contact with Kiyan and Hiroshi looking like he is on edge by them. "Why do you need to see her." his voice comes out as a deep growl the voice in his head in thought matching what he said. He gives a sly smirk "for many reasons and none are of concern to you" Hiroshi slowly stands with his hand on the hilt of his sword ready to fight. Kiyan feels a gentle tug on his cheeks with a hot feeling in his building in his stomach. "You're going to make it my business daemon." he growled deeply, his voice and himself feeling the same. Deimos grins revealing sharp teeth "of course a person like you can tell." his form fully shown before them "Gluttony will be pleased after I have my fun" he purrs sounding Lustful. Kiyan's blade rings as he draws it. the angelic gleam shimmering down the white blade. his own canines lengthening as smoke curls from his nose, scales line his cheeks with his hands forming into clawed hands. Hiroshi draws his sword as well in a battle stance. Deimos summons his two short swords lunging at Kiyan "what's wrong smokey did I hit a nerve" he laughs tauntingly at Kiyan. Kiyan holds his ground going low he pushes hard with his boots digging in the ground. he whips his blade sideways as he leaps up with the hilt slamming into Deimos's gut sending him skidding back towards Hiroshi. Kiyan wipes the blood on his cheek from the rouge daemonic blade nicking him. Kiyan starts walking towards the daemon. Hiroshi blocks the daemon from escaping them. Deimos "my, my what should I do first to her" he taunts as Hiroshi see his swords have red crack marks of damage on the blades. Hiroshi looks to Kiyan "I'm going to oversee the food cause this daemon is pathetic" as he puts his sword up and backs away.

Kiyan smirks Deimos growls pissed off " like hell the lizard breath can't handle me this will be easy, and she will be mine" as his tail flicks about to tackle Kiyan. Kiyan's temper flares "How dare you!!!" His bright blue eyes turn deep red as he shouts sparks flicker from his mouth, and he drops his sword. Deimos darts to Kiyan laughing as he gets closer and whispers, "what's wrong lizard breath Maybe after this I will de-flower her before she goes to Gluttony " and lunges his swords to Kiyan. Kiyan grabs the daemon by the throat as the sword hits his chest and it clatters to the ground. Deimos struggles to get out of his grasp as he snarls at Kiyan. Kiyan slowly lifts the daemon by the throat off the ground... Deimos tries to claw at Kiyan " even if you do kill me. He will send more " he growls out "protecting her is a waste of your time let her die" Kiyan's grip tightened around Deimos's neck. "You tell Gluttony I will kill everyone he sends. Now go." he huffed a flame across the daemon's cheek. Deimos disappears while Hiroshi stares back at Kiyan in shock "w-when did you get dragon features " as rustling can be heard like Arianna about to come out of the wagon. "What?" Kiyan asked looking at Hiroshi then he fainted, his body becoming normal once more the cut on his cheek bleeding worse now. "Kiyan!" Hiroshi runs to him Arianna comes out hearing Hiroshi yell. She sees Kiyan pass out rushing to help. They both carried him into the wagon laying him on one of the beds "he will need rest Arianna can you watch over him?"

"Yes, I can" as she brings a bowl with water in it to clean his cuts. "I will be outside if you need me" as Hiroshi exits the wagon to patrol the area around them. Hiroshi pulls the food from the firepit to make it into a stew thinking deeply about what he just saw. the stew continues to cook Hiroshi can hear a light flapping of wings as a messenger angel appears before him "greetings Hiroshi I have a message for you" Hiroshi bows gently. "What prayer do you bring?" "There have been leads on other sin lords making their presence known and underlings are searching for things" the angel nods back to Hiroshi. "Send word back that Gluttony has targeted a seer named Arianna. We should be secure when we reach the city. Her safety is of utmost importance." Hiroshi states urgently "I will pass the word onto the others. Is the seer aware of the circumstances? Do you need anything before I depart back to heaven?" The angel questioned Hiroshi "The seer has no idea of how bad it fully is, and I may need help with Kiyan... He isn't himself I think he is coming into his draconic abilities far too early."

The angel looked surprised "that is news indeed. I can pull records from the archives to help with Kiyan" as the angel's wings fluff some. "Please." Hiroshi speaks in a gentle tone. "I shall return some time after you get into the city. use this to let me know when you do" the angel holds up a feather with a bell on it. "This will help me find you easier " "thank you" Hiroshi takes the feather putting it into his coat pocket. The messenger angel disappears to speak to the high heavens. Hiroshi gathers the food by putting it in special containers he puts out the firepit. He enters the wagon locking the door behind him after he puts the food away, he turns seeing Arianna is fast asleep with her head laying on Kiyan's chest with the rest of her body is in the chair she is sitting in. He shakes his head side to side putting blankets on Kiyan and Arianna. Then he turns around to head to bed himself.