The thrill of the hunt

Looking back at Al I got out of our lovely bed allowing my tails to lovingly brush against his arm sticking off the bed.

That girl was attacked by cultivators.

She told us as a thank you for treatment and I just happened to know just the type who would do something like that.

I moved as quietly as I could making sure not to disturb him in any way possible. 

slickly hopping through the window and dropping to the ground, my feet hitting the earth.

It is time to hunt.

The moon held itself high above the sky, a white tear in the endless black void.. The forest buzzed with the sounds of animals.

Rustling leaves, the occasional distant howl of a beast, the whisper of wind serenading my ears as the wooded fortress that I was moving through flowed by me.

A beautiful night for many.

A death sentence for my targets.

I moved through the trees with practiced finesse, my bare feet leaping tree limb to tree limb quietly pushing off the rough bark to my destination.. 

My tails swirled in rhythmic motions in anticipation, the thrill of the hunt sending an intoxicating rush throughout my being.

 The scent of blood still trailed through the forest leaving a path right to my prey, a indicator of the bandits who had injured the girl and the horrible stench from the "Mutt" that tried to snatch me from Al

Albert, my beloved, sweet Al… He was too weak of the heart, too forgiving. If it had been up to him, he would have healed that woman and sent them on their way, believing justice will be served through karma.

But I wasn't him.

I knew what had to be done for the betterment of us.

Perched in the shadows of a tree.

Watching the dead men make crass jokes at the cost of others…

A group of eight sat around a dying fire laughing and relaxing, their weapons resting far enough out of their reach that most wouldn't get a chance to respond

 They were providing themselves a luxury they couldn't afford.

 laughing, drinking, completely unaware of the guillotine hanging above their heads..

"That stupid girl actually survived," one of them ridiculed, taking a swig from a silver flask.

"Should've just killed the girl," another muttered. "I don't like leaving loose ends."

A third, a bald, scarred man who looked to be their leader, scoffed. "Relax, there is nothing to worry about… Perhaps we would feel better if we got a piece of that foxy lady… with all of us they wouldn't be able to do anything"

Cheers refunded from the men spread around the fire all excited at the prospect.

"To tomorrow!' The men all drank to the future, thinking about their prospects in life.

I smiled.

How amusing they thought they had any chance of seeing tomorrow.

Dropping like a rock in water, I landed behind them, my tails fanning out like a peacock, casting a menacing shadow in the flickering campfire.

"You really should've finished the job," I whispered.

If nothing else the men weren't deaf… one of them turned to the commotion behind them

I kicked of the ground heading for the person in front of me

"Who is this bit—"

My claws sliced through the man's vocal cords, before he had a chance to finish speaking. Blood sprayed from the open geyser in his neck, warm against my fur. His body collapsed on itself hitting the ground with a wet thud, gurgling on his own blood as he suffocated on the dirt.

It was chaos.

A smile spread to my face as I bewitched another to stab his companion in the neck when he was looking for the perpetrator

My bewitched pest then swiftly disposed of himself so I didn't have to

Weapons were rushed for. Panicked hands sliding against their blades scrambling to gather a semblance of defense, feet moved to take a stance. But it was useless.

I twirled by the overhead swipe aimed to kill me, Taking my hand I rammed it hard against his head...

with a sickening crack the man dropped to the ground.

I felt my lips curling into a grin. Slow. Sloppy. pathetic.

A second man lunged at me with a dagger fueled by fear, he missed by a large margin.

 I parried his lunge with a swift punch to the elbow from the outside angle.

The dagger flew past me as it slipped out of grasp, standing before me gasping for air in between his cries of pain.

"Worthless," I murmured before discarding the trash in front of me with a backhand sending him crashing through the woods.

The leader barked orders, trying to use his military to protect him but I wasn't concerned. 

My tails moved like snakes, wrapping around constricting the neck of another who thought he would try to run. 

He choked trying to draw more breath, clawing desperately at the soft silver fur constricting his airway. I watched as the strength dwindled from the man's prying hands and his face turned a delightful shade of purple as I released the limp corpse. 

six down.

The last two backed away, their bravery crumbling before my eyes.

 I revel in the fear these trash are showing . 

They should be scared of me.

"You should never have never crossed paths with us…. Now die," I said sweetly, wiping the blood from my claws.

The bald leader contorted, making a hideous face, masking his palpable fear behind a attempt of intimidation.

 "You're just a beast. A monster hiding behind a pretty face. We're cultivators, you stupid animal. We don't fall to creatures like you!"

I tilted my head. "Oh? Is that what you think?"

Wind stood in my place as I closed the distance between us, a speed unable for either of them to react. My fingers wrapped tightly around the leader's neck, lifting him effortlessly off his feet. Kicking against my legs the man tried freeing himself using his fingers to pry my hand off him…..

but I barely felt the struggle.

I leaned in, my lips whispering my sincere intentions. "You will die by my hand."

With a thought I conjured a fire to the hand I held him with using my skill of pyrokinesis.

I Channeled the increasing ravaging fire as the smell of burning flesh filled the air. 

In mere moments the man was nothing more than ash surrounding the now burnt tree. 

He didn't even have time to scream.

I shook my hand allowing any residual ash to cascade into the wind, I knew the last one would run…..

I let them.

Just for a moment.

Just to allow them to think they had a chance of getting away.

Then, with the speed only Yokai could possess, I decided to chase the last one...

The last one made it the farthest… a true coward, stumbling through the underbrush tripping over any and every root or branch, panting, weeping for the gods to save him.

I dashed behind him watching as his face contorted into fear, claws tearing into his back, severing his spine.

He tumbled, losing control of his body twisting and bouncing off the forest floor, paralyzed, his body twitching in the dirt.

I crouched beside him, brushing his dirtied hair from his eyes… I wanted him to see my face. 

His lips trembled as he tried to speak.

"P-please… I wouldn't have done it if I knew"

I ran a finger against the familiar scar on his face. 

"Shh," I whispered. "It's already over."

And with a swift stomp to the ground, it was done.

The forest fell into the same rhythmic sounds of howls and wind.

Standing before the scene, I exhaled softly, letting the high of the hunt settle.

Blood caked my body, my skin, my tails, and the ground beneath my feet.

 It was intoxicating, exhilarating.

But more than just pleasurable, it was necessary.

Because Al wouldn't. 

Albert would never raise a hand against those who wronged him unless pushed to the edge.

 He would forgive, try to heal, and move on. 

That was why he needed me and that's why I needed him.

To deal with the world that dared to threaten him.

I wiped my hands clean and turned back toward the town, my work here finished.

By the time I returned to the clinic, Albert would be waking up, completely unaware of what had transpired tonight. He would greet me with that soft smile, his voice warm and kind.

And I would smile back, content in knowing that he was safe.

Because no matter what it took, no matter how much blood I had to spill, I would always protect him.

Whether he knew it or not.