Bamboo Thicket

[Kochou Mari]

Karu, almost as if responding to Miyako's hands about his tail, curled up around her, almost forming a protective barrier against the darkness of their nightmares.

Almost as quickly as Yuzuki appeared, Haru was in between the two, quickly freeing Kurakouhi's wrist and replacing it with his own. Karu could almost feel the pain of the flames eating into the handsome kaibutsu's flesh, but...

His thoughts were interrupted by a cold splash of water over he and Shiromaru. The force was enough to get the huge tiger off of him, which was good, considering one of his heads was already limp and lifeless, the second was vomiting up blood and wasn't to last much longer, since its throat had been torn, and the third, his center head, had one eye already clawed out and half the skin on his muzzle missing.

Shiromaru, on the other hand, besides a few scratches, burn marks, and a large bite wound to his back left leg, was doing fine. Shaking, the huge tiger sent droplets of water and blood all over.

Meanwhile, his elder brother now had his attention set on Yuzuki. A second blade appeared in his other hand, and he pointed both at the elder kitsune kaibutsu.

"I thought you loved me..." he heard Haru snarl in his usually smooth voice. "You bitch...May my blades slice through you!"

[Sato Koemi]

Miyako nuzzled into Karu, as if to hide herself.

Yuzuki's eyes widened at the sight of Haru "Haru-sama.." She released Haru's hand immediently, staring at the damage she did, and frowned irritably, dashing backwards to try and dodge the oncoming blades, shouting out, but most likely in vain, "No, Haru-sama! Kurakouhi's poisoned your mind!!"

Miyako rushed over to Karu, to run from Kurakouhi, and held her hand and narrowed her eyes at him "I'll do it again.."

Her other hand suddenly snapped out and shot a large ball of her water-magic at Kurakouhi herself. Miyako was angry. It was apparent in her non-third person speak. She didn't care much for violence, but once pushed far enough, the little one would fight back with all that she had.

The elder kitsune kaibutsu watched the watery ball, wanting to cry out 'no', but somehow couldn't find her voice. She had a very bad feeling this wasn't going to end very well..

[Kochou Mari]

Karu snarled softly in his sleep, batting out with a paw at an unseen enemy, all while keeping a protective paw on Miyako.

Kurakouhi watched with undaunted gaze as the ball of water got closer and closer to her. Finally, at the last moment, a cloak of darkness swallowed the beautiful kaibutsu up, making her disappear as the water splashed harmlessly behind her.

Almost just as quickly as she disappeared, the Queen of Eternal Darkness reappeared, right behind Haru. One hand was up against the kaibutsu's head, tilting it to face her, while the other was on his right wrist, keeping the blade pointed at Yuzuki.

"I hope you like my little Haru-sama... He certainly is quite amazing, both on the battlefield and in my bedroom..." she whispered, her voice soaked with noxious poison. She was just trying to get to Yuzuki, just to see how she would react. If necessary, she could always order her beloved Haru to release into his final form... Then there would be trouble.

Shiromaru, on the other hand, stood undaunted before the torn and broken Karu and the angry Miyako. A snarl was on his maw, and his eyes gleamed with the intent of tearing open another pair of throats. Taking a step back, the huge white tiger leaped forward, going straight for Miyako.

Two massive, dragonlike tails sent him flying backward into a tree. The sound of his back snapping like a twig echoed throughout the clearing, and Shiromaru's limp form slid to the ground.

There Karu stood, a fearsome sight to behold. His two heads that had passed were now alive, breathing, and snarling. The third and center head seemed the most ferocious of all. Around each of the necks was a collar with spines hewn from animal's claws. Similar bands were found around each of Karu's wrists and ankles (I guess you can call them 'wrists' and 'ankles', and down each of the two thick, reptillian tails that lashed back and forth.

But what may have been the most impressive part of it was the two dragon wings that sprouted from the dogbeast's shoulders.

Swinging his heads from the dead tiger to his wicked mistress, Karu snarled softly, then threw his heads back and howled.

[Sato Koemi]

Miyako seemed to relax a little, as if this terrible nightmare was over.. but it was far far from such..

Yuzuki glared angrily at Kurakouhi, visibly shaking "You.. poisonious bitch.. You.. you're just using him.. in your little game.. You're a disgrace to the rest of us kaibutsu!!"

The fox woman gasped and fell to the ground in shock from the loud roar, gaze turning and affixing itself on Karu, eyes wide ".. K.. Karu-san..? It's.. another form... The power.. so.. strong.." She seemd in a daze from such a sight, both beautiful, and deadly-looking.

The big-chested kitsune turne dher looks back towards Kurakouhi and Haru, her eyes staring, deeply, pathetically into Haru's eyes, as if silently pleading for him to recognize her, to come back from the depths of the poisonous seeds Kurakouhi had sewn.

Miyako gasped, ducking low as she saw the two massive tails swish, covering her head and she blinked, looking up to her Karu-niichan and giggled, clapping her hands enthusiastically "Karu-niichan!! She smiled to herself and felt giddy. Maybe this horrid dream would be over soon..?

She glanced over to her big sister and gasped, eyes wide "Yu.. Yuzuki-neesan!" She started forward and then paused. She wanted to be by her sister's side.. but felt like this was a battle Yuzuki would rather do alone. The little kitsune kaibutsu didn't know what to do. She looked up to Karu, then to Haru, wondering if her doggy-friend would help his brother out.

Her fears deepened.. What if Haru were to release himself into his final form..? She clasped her hands together in hopes no such thing would happen... Miyako saw the pained, angry look on her sister's face and whimpered softly, ears folding back. She'd at least distract Kurakouhi from her sister.. but at the right opportunity..

[Kochou Mari]

Karu gave a gasp (that sounded more like a mix between a snarl and a snort), and flexed the muscles in his back, almost as if he were trying to move the wings that weren't there.

"I am a disgrace, Yuzuki?" Kurakouhi asked, raising an eyebrow. Lashing out with her sharp nails, the feline kaibutsu shredded through Yuzuki's sleeve, revealing the scar marring her shoulder. "At least I am still pristine and pure...unlike you. Your once porcelain skin has now been marred...making you the disgrace..." Stepping back, the feline demon waved one hand and smirked. "Kill her, Haru-sama..."

"As you desire, my queen," the handsome narcissist replied, preparing to cut Yuzuki down, without any emotion marring his beautiful face.

Stepping away, the beautiful feline kaibutsu raised one hand. Looking musingly at Karu, who had shifted into his final form. "Oh dear..." she murmured, staring at the dogbeast with unchanging eyes. "I suppose I will have to bring in my newest pet..."

Out of nowhere, a huge wolf pounced down from the sky, landing before Karu and Miyako. Snarling, the beast stood before the two. The beast's pelt, black as night, shone in the pale moonlight. The wolf's head donned a mop of reddish brown hair, with the bangs falling into one eye. The one visible eye, of a dark green, narrowed at the sight of the dogbeast and the little fox girl. However, the most shocking part about the huge wolf was the scar on her left shoulder.

It resembled a butterfly.

"Now, my pet. Attack!" Kurakouhi shouted.

The wolf lowered her head, snarled, and lunged, fangs bared.

[Sato Koemi]

Miyako shifted uneasily, eyebrows furrowing, murmuring 'no' in her sleep.

Yuzuki's eyes widened, gasping as Kurakouhi slashed at her sleeve and she jumped back, only to have her skin still be revealed. Her slitted green eyes narrowed and turned, glaring at Kurakouhi "I wouldn't call you pure at all, whore. My body has been undefiled.."

She blinked as her normally narrowed eyes widened to their fullest as Haru was commanded to kill her, shaking her head as she backed away ever so slowly "Haru-sama.. please.. don't.. Miyako needs us.. needs you to help save her.. Kurakouhi plans on killing us all! Haru-sama!!"

Miyako threw up her hands and created a barrier of water immediently as the wolf lunged, and began to freeze the thick barrier ito an icy wall of protection. She glared menacingly at Kurakouhi, and before she even put another thought into it, the child yelled out to the witch "You're a lazy kaibutsu! You don't even fight your own battles! You send others to their death in your stead! You.. you meanie!!"

Little Miyako really didn't have a very large vocabulary, she was still very young.. and she had -much- unlocked, hidden potentional..

One of the many slaves that Kurakouhi had, took a couple steps forward as the huge wolf-like beast lunged forward and spoke rather timidly "My Goddess..? I.. have an idea.." This one was very much like a gargoyle, a pair of winged were folded in front of her body like a cape and had a rather human-shaped face, despite the dark-green color of her skin, and flowing black hair that looked rather untidy and two short horns protruding back from the top of her head and oddly shaped, pointy ears.

[Kochou Mari]

Karu snarled yet again and almost leaped up in his sleep, but his limbs were so heavy, he could just barely raise a paw to defend Miyako.

"Pure or not, it won't matter soon..." Kurakouhi said to Yuzuki, her eyes narrowed. "You will die soon, and purity will have nothing to do with my little Haru devouring you as you die..." Haru, who listened to everything his beautiful queen said, smiled. "As you can see, he never loved you, and he never will..." the feline kaibutsu hissed, her eyes narrowed.

The huge wolf beast, who had begun to freeze in the wall of water Miyako formed, thrashed about, cracking the ice around her, and barely managed to free herself. Patches of fur were gone from her body, and the bangs covering her eyes were torn, revealing the eye hidden behind. It wasn't the same dark green as the other eye. It was a dull shade of lavender, with no pupil whatsoever.

She was blind in that eye.

Karu raised his three heads, snarling at the wolf beast that tried to attack little Miyako. "Get on my back, Miyako. I have an idea..." the dogbeast growled at the girl.

The feline kaibutsu narrowed her eyes at the sight of the gargoyle kaibutsu address her. "Speak, then," she commanded, crossing her arms. "I do not have all night..."

[Sato Koemi]

Miyako curled into a tiny ball, almost like as if it were instinct.

Yuzuki growled, narrowing her eyes as she ignored Kurakouhi, rasing a pillar of flames around herself in protection as she tried to think of a way to stall time. She bit her thumbnail in thought, frantically thinking to herself.

Miyako blinked and quickly, as fast as her foxy-self could make her go, scurried and sat atop Karu's shoulders, grasping his fur lightly, but tightly enough to where she was secure, but wasn't going to fall off anytime soon, "But.. what about Yuzuki-neesan and Haru-sama..?" Miyako stared outwards at the wolfbeast and felt a pang as she saw the lavender eye and frowned sadly, "Poor thing.."

The gargoyle lowered her gaze respectively, bowing low "Many apologies, O Great One.. but.. the little kitsune child.. She is young, yes? You could make her another one of your pets.. She has much potential I believe, yes. Why not take her and use her against the brothers and kitsune sister, hmm?"

Apparently, this slave wasn't as abused as the others were for her clever and sneaky ways. Or something of that sort..?

[Kochou Mari]

Karu growled yet again and flexed his back muscles, as if those non-existant wings of his final form's were flapping.

Kurakouhi raised her eyebrows in shock. "You think so? Excellent. I will leave capturing the fox-child to Mari and you, then," she commanded, immediately turning her gaze to the huge dogbeast who was attempting to now take off in flight.

"Oh no you don't!" Kurakouhi snarled. "Mari! Attack!"

Almost as if she recognized the name, the wolfbeast raised her head, snarled, and leaped at Haru, her razor claws latching into his shoulder. Just as soon as she got hold of the dogbeast's shoulders, she began slowly climbing up his back.

Howling in pain and rage, Karu began cracking his tails at 'Mari,' and finally succeeded in scoring a blow on the back of her head. Knocked out, Mari fell from the dogbeast, landing on her side.

"Damnit..." Kurakouhi snarled. "Very well. You will go alone," she ordered her gargoyle kaibutsu. "And quickly now."

[Sato Koemi]

Miyako whimpered softly, but fell quiet, sucking cutely upon her thumb.

The gargoyle nodded, "Yes, Dark Mistress. As you command." The woman faded away, like a bad dream..

Miyako smiled triumphantly "Karu-niichan did it! We can go now and be free from this bad nightmare..!" She giggled and nuzzled into Karu's body, hoping he was okay after being hurt so badly.

The same gargoyle from the dream shot through the forestry with impressive speed. She wasn't wearing much other than a belt that held a tattered skirt around her nether extremities and a tattered tank-top like shirt to hide away her chest. She landed, perching in a tree and tilted her head at the sleeipng dog and fox-girl, smiling "Right where I thought you would be.."

She landed even more gently upon the ground and tilted her head in thought. She didn't want to spoil her mistress's dream-fun, but then again, the gargoyle-woman was issued an order to take the girl.

The gargoyle kaibutsu then decided that Kurakouhi's new plaything were Haru and the foxlady he was going to kill in the dream of theirs, because, of course, all participants who were in the dreams were of course asleep to some extent or another.

Kneeling lowly, as she is most used to, the gargoyle woman began to nudge ever so gently Miyako, so as to not disturb Karu.. hopefully.

The little fox girl stirred, edging slowly ito being woken up.

Miyako blinked and shook slightly, and disappeared before she could say a word.

Miyako rubbed her eyes and blinked into waking up "Mm..?"

"Ah.. little lady.. your elder sister requires your presense.." the gargoyle said slowly, softly.

[Kochou Mari]

Karu gave a snort and rolled over onto his other side as Miyako was being nudged. One of his heads awoke, stared at the little fox girl and the gargoyle, yet hardly regarded them, and fell back asleep without a word. Grunting, the dogbeast was fast asleep once more...and was paying no attention to the gargoyle or his little friend...

Karu could only watch, dumbfounded, as Miyako disappeared.

"Where did you go?" the dogbeast asked, his heads craning around to search for his little friend. The wolfbeast Kurakouhi called Mari was now on his back, and was trying to bite down on the back of his neck in an attempt to silence him forever. Thrashing, Karu tried to throw the large wolf off, finally managing to get her off with a massive blow from one of his tails.

Flying through the air, Mari landed on her feet, snarling at Karu. Again, the two leaped at each other, clashing in midair. Karu's claws scratched at the wolf's underbelly, while Mari's did the same. Their jaws snapped, trying to land a blow on the other's throat. Until...finally...

Karu's jaws snapped forward, catching Mari's throat. Biting down, Karu shook vigorously and threw Mari across the clearing like a ragdoll.

Struggling to her feet one more, Mari shifted back into her human form. Bleeding from her throat, as well as from several other wounds, the shinigami just barely took a step toward Kurakouhi before she collapsed once more.

"You promised..." Mari murmured... "That I would be able to protect Soi-chan in this form..."

"And yet you cannot stand up to a mere kaibutsu attack..." Kurakouhi growled. "Worthless."

[Sato Koemi]

Miyako blinked once again, rubbing her eyes as she sat up "Yuzuki-oneesan..? Why.. didn't she come for Miyako herself..?"

The gargoyle bowed once again, as if ashamed, very used to doing this almost constantly "M'lady Yuzuki is busy tending her wounds, little lady.. but if you will come with me, I will take you to her. I fly very calmly, so you may sleep more on the way there if you wish..?"

The little foxgirl tilted her head and stood, stretching out with a yawn "Miyako will be okay." She held out her arms to the much taller gargoyle, rather cutely and smiled "I trust you won't drop Miyako?"

The gargoyle, seeing how adorable the child was, forced a smile onto her lips and picked her up, holding her close as her large, tattered, leathery wings expanded and suddenly, they were lifted off the ground in a flash.

Yuzuki, meanwhile, leaned against a nearby pillar in the collisieum-like arena, gasping softly as blood was dripping down from her mouth, "H.. Haru.. -s.. -sama.. Please.."

Even if it was just a dream, and there was no pain, it still felt real.. Yuzuki stared at Haru with her slitted, now sad, green eyes, quivering from bloodloss, "I s.. still love you.. I.. If you mu--" she coughed a little, spitting up more blood as she held her side where more blood was at from barely missing Haru's sword. She slowly regained herself and continued, "If you must k.. kill me.. know that I.. I willing die for you.. only you. And that.." she swallowed a load of her own blood, "that if you must finish me.. at least.. hold me while wou do..?"

A sad request as she began to slide down the pillar. Yuzuki looked over to Mari, not very far from where she was at, and suddenly felt a slight bond with her from Mari's statement alone.

Both Yuzuki and Mari would willingly die for the one they loved, they'd do anything, become a slave to their beloved if it came to it.

Yuzuki looked back to Haru as she continued to bleed from her fatal dream-wounds.