Warmth 8

~*~*~*~*~* Sequel chapter eight... *~*~*~*~*~

The winter season was right in the middle by then... Tora and the rest of the beasts have built a bond good enough to be called neighbors at least... Ushio and the others, Asako, Mayuko and Shigure helped the innkeeper and his wife rebuild their home, thanks to the beasts help, it merely took five days... sadly, Ushio and the rest of the humans had to return to the temple, school was merely starting...

"Sigh..." it's been two weeks since school started, and winter was in the middle... Tora was beginning to miss having some thing to do, like hunting or such... craning to one side, the ancient orange beast eyed the golden female looking after the young white female and her little new brother... it's been a reason for Ann to do so cause Muma, Toramaru, the two skeleton samurai's and Betty-Su went out towards the big city to rescue the red-headed man and to free the other trapped female...
"Ashley! Strop being mean to Yuji!" the golden female scolded as the white female hissed in the younger child face making him cry...
"(Hissing)" Ashley lashed her tail... it was known to every one now that the little white female can't talk though her vocal cords were fine! It seemed that she had no will to speak what so ever...
"Leave her alone female!" the ancient beast softly said, sprawling on his side on a huge bolder with the snow brushed off it...
"But uncle Tora! Ashley's been nothing but a pain in the ass!!!" the younger female growled, feeling the need to swat the little white one on the noggin...
" T___T X" hissing still, Ashley leaped on Ann's tail and gave it one nasty bite...
"OUCH!!!" cried the golden female, swatting the white female off her tail and nursed her self "why you twany little..." Ann sneered...
"...?" Startled, Yuji flicked his ears back as Ashley took the chance of Ann being busy nursing her tail and pounced on the little child... with a squeak of pain, Yuji trying to escape...
"HEY!" growled Tora plucking the little one off the young beast who started crying... "Why'd you go and do that for?" Tora growled...
"Grrr..." having one good bite of the orange beasts forearm, the little white female gabbed her teeth well...
"OUCH!!!!" throwing her far, Tora shock his arm then started nursing "why-you-twany-little-f***ing-sh** eating-bit**! That hurt!!" whined the orange beast...
"That's it!!! No more miss nice girl!" Ann growled "your dead!" leaping towards the white female, Ashley dodged Ann leap and took the chance to give the golden female a fare bite down her legs...
"AH!" falling to her side, Ashley widened her eyes, calmly glaring and hissing at the sprawling golden female... fangs showed as Ashley paced soundly at Ann, aiming a jaw-bite at the arm...
"OH-no you don't!" Tora growled, grabbing the white female and placing her under his arm "I'm teaching 'you' to bite 'me' you little half-byte!"

"!!!" With a yelp of pain, Ashley had just got her first spanking!
"(Sniffing and sobbing)" Yuji was frightened, until Ann walked in and picked him up hugging...
"Are you okay bro?" softly asked the female placing a hand on her brothers head, soothing down his crimson mane, his head resting on her shoulder "Don't cry! I'm here!" with a kiss on the forehead, Yuji slowly stopped...

"Tora!" stunned, Kage gasped as she walked into the picture, "why on earth are you spanking Ashley?"
"This little bit** bit me! And she tried to slaughter Yuji again!"
"Again? Sigh..." Kage craned to the young white female eyeing her with eyes in ivy green... a single tear drop rolled down the little frowning females face "O' Tora I told you... don't punish her... if she dose any thing wrong tell me!"
"What? You expect me to wait until you show your dainty face to take care of such a devil! FEMALE! Twany troublemakers like her never learn! Only pain makes them understand!"
"But the more you punish, the more they become careless!"
"Says who?"
"Says me!" barked the female picking the white little child from the beast resting her on her bosom "are you okay honey?"
"..." Baby eyes, Ashley dropped her gaze... every time she did some thing bad, even if it was on purpose, or vile --(like the big orange fuddy-duddy as she thinks of Tora!)--, Kage had never punished her once, and simply settled by scolding her or trying to reason and understand why she's doing so...
"Ashley!" why do you keep hurting my little baby?" Kage softly asked, flicking away a teardrop from the little females face, brushing back a little of her white mane "Just cause your older doesn't mean you can pick on him!"
"..." Snuggling her face into the light brown females bosom, Ashley just missed her human mother... she was feeling jealous of Yuji being always comforted by his mother and actually having a sister...
"If I were you, female, I'd throw her in a volcano!"
"Tora!!!" scolded Kage "how can you say that!"
"With my mouth!!"
"Uncle Tora! I don't think torturing Ashley is gonna do any good!"
"Why not? It worked with the brat!" flickering his tail the beast chuckled...
"First of all, Ushio is a boy, second, he's 15 year old, third, he's a human, fourth, he's stubborn and pain doesn't work with him, fifth, why are earth do you want to do so any way?" stated Kage cocking an eye brow at the beast...
"Because it's fun!"
"To pick on some one younger than you?"
"Not exactly, but yes!"
"Uncle Tora!" groaned the golden female...
"..." Baby eyes stared at the orange beast, Yuji blinked once as Ashley glared him again... frightened, Yuji ducked his peony frightened face into his sisters bosoms with a frightened moan...
"Yuji! What's the matter?" Ann asked, "What's wrong? Did mean old Ashley scare you again?"

"Hey! Is the little kid scared?" chuckled the orange beast "come to uncle Tora and I'll make a man out of you!" the beast extending his hands wanting to pick the child out of his sisters arms, but then, Tora chuckled as the golden female drew back hugging her younger brother...
"Oh-no-thank you uncle Tora! I'd like to leave Yuji survive on his own!"
"Now Ashley!" softly said the light brown female "be a good girl and make friend with Yuji!"
"(Shaking her head saying no!)"
"Why?"
"(Pouting)" the white female frowned and dropped her gaze not facing the female...
"Don't you wanna make friends?"
"..."
"Ashley, sweetheart, Yuji is your younger brother now! Ann is your sister! Don't you like that?" questioned the female, just wanting to make sure if the younger white female knew her truth...
"...?" It seemed that Ashley didn't know, her confused face showed...
"You didn't know?" Ann was surprised while she asked in confusion...
"She was there wasn't she?" the orange beast asked...
"Maybe body... not her soul..." whispered the light brown female...

~*~*~*~
Flash back...
~*~*~*~

"Muma... promise me you'd be careful! Cause if you get hurt bad, and manage to come back here in one piece... I'LL F*** YOU UP GOOD!! Got that?" scolded the light brown female hugging her child, daughter and friends standing around in a horseshoe like position...
"I'll be careful Kage! I promise!" smiled the dark brown beast, hugging his mate one last tender time, then extending and arm for his daughter who couldn't stop crying...
"Please come back safe daddy..." sobbed the golden female, hardly keeping her tears from meeting her fathers shoulder...
"..." Treasuring that, Muma kissed his mate and daughter softly on their foreheads before slipping out of the embrace...
"Are you gonna be okay Muma?" the beast-barrier asked, "Maybe I should join!"
"No thank you Ushio! We'll manage!"
"But Muma!"
"Ushio!" Toramaru called "we are going to be alright! I'll make sure Muma and Betty-Su manage to reach their destination!"
"Yes! Besides! Since Muma and Toramaru are with me, I'm sure every thing is going to be alright..."
"Ahem!!!" the two skeleton samurais coughed wanting attention...
"Oh-yes! ^.^ sorry guys!"
"T___T (Green/red) T_T "

"Muma!" Kyofu started "do be careful!" a frightened tone disturbed the black beasts voice...
"...?" Yami said nothing, tears formed in her eyes... "Be careful Muma, wont you!"
"Relax every buddy! I'm gonna be alright!" chuckled the dark brown beast "it's not like I'm going to face death or any thing!"
"Muma!" whispered the light brown female...
"...?" A tear almost showed in the dark brown beasts eyes as his mate walked closer to him again...
"...Yuji!" was all she said as she extended her confused child to his father... tears burned the light brown females face, ivy green eyes hued in white from all the crying...
"Kage..." breathed the dark brown beast, taking his child, softly nuzzling and eyeing his face "Okay Yuji, be a good boy and listen to your mommy okay!" the beast drew in a breath "I love you!" whispered Muma, printing his lips on his child's forehead, then quickly placing his child back to his mate...
"Muma!" softly called the female...
"..." Twitching and feeling some thing irritatingly bothering, Yuji started crying, hovering his baby hands to his father...
"..." Frowning and clearing his throat, Muma looked at the sky "I'll meet you guys back at the river side..." was all what the beast growled not tuning around, leaping a run towards the river side...

Sparkling wet stars fell on the soft snow shimmering like diamonds...

"Dad!" cried the golden female, only to be clutched and slowly drawn back by the light brown male "...Jiaaku!" whispered the golden female, breaking into a case of mad crying over her friends shoulder...
"..." Comforting her with a hug, Jiaaku wanted to cry him self... but he fought back the need...

"..." Saying nothing, the temple boy gulped in clearing his throat, then craned to the absent minded ancient orange beast fixing his eyes on the broken hearted golden female...
"..." Drawing in a deep breath, Tora closed his eyes, facing the great blue sky...
"..." Craning to the light brown female trying to stop her child from crying, Kage drew her self back into her den, where every thing was dark, silent, cold and alone...

"Poor Kage!" whispered Betty "I wish if Muma didn't have to come with us!"
"Muma had made his choice Betty!" replied the risk breaker...
"I know..."
"..." With big baby eyes, Ashley eyed her mother with a whimpering voice...
"Oh-Ashley!" crouching down to her hugging tenderly "I'm sorry baby! I'm afraid I can't take you with me this time!"
"(Shaking her head)" tugging onto her mothers clothing, the little white female had no interest to leave her mother...
"Sigh..." Betty couldn't convince her child, so she craned to the tanned female "are you going to take good care of her? She can be quite a handful!"
"It's all right! We've met worse!" smirked the tanned female eyeing the two absent minded temple boy and beast...
"Oh..." with a little smile, Batty picked up her child and walked up to the tanned female "she's in your hands now!"
"...!!??" startled, Ashley hovered her hands with twany mouse like squeaks trying to grab hold of her mother that quickly stepped back...
"I love you baby! Be a good girl, okay!" whispered the golden haired woman, tears blocking her words...
"Farewell!" calmly stated Toramaru walking after the golden haired woman, followed by the two samurais...

~*~*~*~
Flash back ended...
~*~*~*~

"-U__U- I give up!" the beast shrugged giving a sweat drop "you female enjoy talking your selves to death! Me! I'm out hunting!" mumbled the beast, then leaped away towards the forest for some thing to gnash his fangs in...
"Sigh..." breathed the golden female, and then felt her brother scrolling his hands on her bosom... "???"
"Ann! Here, carry Ashley!"
"What? No way!"
"Ann!" scolded softly the light brown female "make friend with her!"
"I don't want to!"
"And why is that?"
"I don't like her and she doesn't like me!"
"Sigh..."
"(Yuji started patting his sisters bosom)"
"What is it Yuji?"
"I think he's hungry Ann!"
"=O___O= uhh... huh?" heart leaping into her throat, Ann eyed her brother biting on his twany fist making sounds of feeling uncomfortable...
"(Giggling)" Kage exchanged her baby boy with the white female "Okay now you two girls make fronds okay?"
"..."
"-T_T-"
"(Patting on his mothers molds)" Yuji gave a small squeak...
"Okay sweetie! Are you hungry?" smiled the light brown female walking back to her den baby-talking her child making him giggle...

Pause...

"Okay..." mumbled the golden female, "Should you start or should I?"
"(Humph!)" Ashley craned her face around with a pout...
"O_O Oh!" frowning showing her teeth "well I never!!!" sending her arm wide open releasing her grip of the white female, Ashley fell right on her tender rear splattering snow...
"O___O!" startled the white female looked up at the angry golden female...
"If you don't want to make friends, then nether do I, you little furry maggot!" growled the golden female pacing towards her light brown friend den...
"..." With a glare full of nothing but hatred, Ashley jerked her head around, heart squirming in pain... it didn't seem like any one cared about her... it was what she felt... it's what she saw... feeling like the need to cry, the white female whipped away her tears and shifted her sight only to blink the orange thunder beasts foot steps... perking her ears, she followed them...

~*~*~*~
Talking about the thunder beast...
~*~*~*~

"(Humming to him self)" walking towards a near by frozen waterfall, the orange beast sat back and watched the ice shimmer with the sunlight... peeking his head over seeing his reflection, the beast started gazing at his face, hand cupping and feeling his chin and cheeks "Hmm... I'm getting shabby! My face is full of wrinkles and my fur is a mess!" the beast mumbled to him-self "it's either the ice or I lost some weight! I'm beginning to be as scrawny as the brat!"
"..." Walking towards the waterfall as well, the light brown male blinked the orange beast looking at his reflection making faces and mumbling un-heard words to him self...
"Hmm... I need to fix this! I'm beginning to look old!"
"Tora?"
"-O___O-!!!!" startled the beast jerked around "Wha~? Jiaaku!" -T.T- "you twany pip-squeak! Don't do that!"
"Sorry!" chuckled the young male "what are you doing here?"
"Nothing much! Just looking at my self!"
"Why?"
"Why do you look in the mirror boy?" the beast mocked, really not expecting an answer...
"To try and understand my-self better... you?"
"...?" Pause, the beast needed some time to sink the words into his mind "understand your self better? What?? Is looking in the mirror doing any good?"
"Kind of! When you think about it!"
"...?" Really not getting that, the beast craned back to the frozen ice... with a smirk on the side of his face, Tora drew in a deep breath...
"Tora? What are you going to do?"
"..." Smirking, the beast shot out a gust of fire right towards the ice slowly making it crack from the sudden heat and fall like shattered glass, showing the secrete hidden cave behind it, but slowly, water still flowed down blocking the path...
"Oops!" whispered the young male "you knew about it, eh?"
"Yup! You and the female probably come here often, right?"
"Me and the female? What female??"
"Hello!!! (Knuckles on the scull) I'm talking about Ann dummy!"
"Me and Ann? Well yeah, we come here some times, when we get sick of Kage's scolding, but nothing much happens here any way!"
"You mean you don't have lemon?"
"-O____O- M-mh-me and Ann?? Oh-I wouldn't dare!!!"
"Why not?" wickedly grinned the beast...
"I-I-I-just..."
"To make it easy! Drink your self to death then try provoking her!"
"WHAT??? I don't drink! I'm not crazy like Kyofu ya' know! I don't drown away my worries that way!"
"-O.O-? Old blacky drinks??"
"Oops! -O_O-" hands slapped his lips "he's gonna kill me for this (-~_~-) I know it!!"
"What he doesn't know wouldn't hurt him! Right?" snickered the orange beast...
"I'm the only one who knows about it Tora! If 'he' found out that 'you' found out then he'd know it was me for sure!!!"
"Oh-now that is a problem!"
"I know..."

"...?" Cracking a twig under her feet, Ashley blinked in startle as the two males jerked towards her, "!!!"
"Hey! What are you doing here?" Jiaaku asked in surprise "aren't you suppose to be with Kage?"
"..."
"Don't bother! She wouldn't talk even if she wanted!"
"... -T__T- X"
"Geez! She's glaring us!"
"Ignore her!" murmured the orange beast "some times ignoring the child makes it easier to get rid of him... or her!"
"I don't like being ignored... I'm sure neither would she, Tora!"
"What ever..."
"Tora! Do you like being ignored?"
"Brat! I'm always ignored! No one listens to me!"
"Because your methods are old fashioned, Tora! Live up a little!"
"Easy for you to say! YOU weren't trapped in a pig-stop for five hundred years only to end up being bossed around by a twany speck of a human hundreds of years younger with no respect!!!!" growled the orange beast crackling thunder... it's been some time since he last did that, hasn't it?
"Grouch!" hissed the light brown male pacing away towards the white female "I'm heading back home, wanna join?" softly Jiaaku asked...
"..." Ashley slowly shock her head saying (no)...
"Okay... but be careful! Tora can hurt!" chuckled warning the young male as he walked away...
"Baka!" growled the orange beast, then gave an evil grin to the young female in white...
"...?" Noticing his grinning glare, the female felt alert...
"Are you as dangerous as you look girly?" the beast said with a snickering tone "I bet you wouldn't last a minute if I got a chance at you! You can bet your soft behind on that!"
"(Snorting, the female hissed)" tail lashing, glaring and tiny shark teeth showed...
"Say, how old are you any way?" the beast asked, "older than Yuji that's for sure! (Pause) talking about which, you'd better behave your self around him, got that?" the beast scolded...
"..." Glaring still, Ashley said nothing, then simply paced towards the beast with a hunters gaze...
"...?" Wondering what she was aiming at, Tora knew she wanted something, he hoped it wouldn't be some thing painful! "Okay! What do you want? You want a bite out of me? Come and try to get it!" the orange beast hissed, dark orange tail lashed...
"..." Still pacing towards him, the little white female sneered...

"Ashley!!!" the tanned female called, her voice echoing through he forests "honey, where are you?"
"...?" Jerking around, the white female gazed at the tanned female as she appeared...
"Oh-so there you are!" blinking the orange confused beast, "Oh-good morning Tora!"
"Um, yeah... morning!"
"...?"
"Ashley, C'mon! You shouldn't be out side in such weather, you could can a cold!"
"So?"
"Tora! She's a child! It's easy for her to get sick!"
"Says who?"
"Every one knows that!"
"..."
"Some thing the matter?"
"How old is she any way?"
"Ashley?" the beast gave a nod "well, Ashley is merely ten months old, almost a year older than Yuji! Why do you ask?"
"Just wanted to know why she was acting to annoying!"
"Jealousy! It's only normal for a child in her age!"
"Jealousy?"
"Yeah! Since Yuji is with his mother and sister, Ashley doesn't have any one right now, making her feel alone, thus feeling jealous of Yuji having a family that would love him, while she doesn't!"
"...!!" Ashley was confused...
"(Whistle/rubbing the back of his neck) Ouch!"
"Tell me about it!"
"No not the pip-squeak! You!"
"M-me??"
"Yeah! I never thought you knew about children psychology!"
"Oh-I had lots of practice! I used to baby-sit Jiaaku and Ann when they were younger! Remember?"
"Yeah, they were brats went they!"
"Weren't all of us?" she smiled "besides! Ashley just wants to feel wanted!"
"Dead or alive?" tail lashed and a smile showed...
"No!!!"
"(Chuckles)"
"(Pout)" Ashley felt offended...

"Ashley!!!" the light brown female called...
"...!" The little white female stood on her hind legs and waited...
"...??" confused at her reaction, Tora and Yami shrugged at each other...
"Oh! So there you are!" smiled Kage pacing towards her with a lovely smile "what are you doing all they out--(blinking the two beasts)--here?? Oh-hi guys!" she grinned, "what's happenin'?"
"Good morning Kage!"
"G 'morning! G 'morning Tora!"
"...what ever..."
"(Tugging onto the light brown females hand)" Ashley extended her arms wide open with a baby smile...
"Aw-how cute!" Kage smiled, then picked up the little female nuzzling her "was my sweet little angel a good girl when I was busy?"
"..." Dropping her gaze, Ashley said nothing...
"...?" Kage blinked, and then eyed the two beasts whispering to each other "some thing the matter?"
"Huh? Oh-no!!" Yami smiled "I was just asking Tora if he'd join me, I'm gonna go give Lady Siren a visit! It's been a week since our men left!"
"You have a point..." sighed the light brown female...
"Oh-I'm so sorry Kage!" soothed the tanned female "I forgot about that!"
"It's okay! I'm sure he's gonna be okay..."
"Think so?" the orange beast asked "cause I'm not really sure about this subject at any case!"
"It's life Tora! You live and learn!"
"Says who?"
"Tora!!" soothed the light brown female "I may not be you, but I have my own methods in life that I follow!!" after a nuzzle, Kage put down the little white female...
"..."
"Can't argue there!" Yami slurred...
"Believe in fate, and have strong faith!!!" Kage smiled saying those words "they were my fathers last words..." tears dripped from her chin, still the smile was there...
"Oh-Kage!!!" huddling to her friend, Yami cupped her friend shoulders softly soothing "it's okay, calm your self..."
"Calm my self?? Calm My Self??" tears streamed down her face, fangs showing, "I've seen my father die right in front of me Dammit!" she growled "how can I calm down when I couldn't do a damn thing about it??"
"Kage! It was in the past! Forget about it!"
"Forget about it?? FORGET ABOUT IT??"
"Remember Yuji-sama's word! *Anger build hate, and hate makes distraction!* *the past is an ugly soul you have to go around when you walk through road of life!*"
"..." Speechless, Kage said nothing... gasping and trying to stop Kage fisted her hands wanting strength, only for a pair of strong build arms to clutch her shoulders...
"Stop the water works already! Crying isn't doing any good right now, is it?" the beast hissed softly "control your self! Your freaking out the girl!"
"..." Ashley was half frozen; this has been the first time for her to see Kage crying...
"I-I'm sorry!" breathed the female whipping away her tears "thank you Tora..." she whispered...
"?? (Snapping) Oh!!!" drawing his hands back quickly, the oaf didn't realize he was holding her...
"(Giggling)" Yami couldn't help the embarrassed gaze on the orange beasts face...
"(Pout)" Tora said nothing...
"...?" Feeling a pat on her feet, Kage saw the little white female looking scared holding her crimson tail...
"..." With pleading baby eyes, Ashley gave a small squeak...
"!!!" All shot their eyes at her...
"Ashley..." Kage called softly, crouching to the little female "can you talk?"
"..." Extending her neck a bit, the female whispered in the adult females ears [where ever they are!]
"Oh!!!" stated Kage "is that so?"
"(Ashley gave a nod)"
"I see..."
"What??" excitedly asked the tanned female "what did she say?"
"Um-do you understand German Yami?"
"G-German?? No!"
"Well... she was talking German, and all I understood was she cant use her voice!"
"Why?"
"I don't know! Maybe her vocal-cords are weak or some thing, and talking loud hurts them?"
"It's possible!"
"German??" the ancient orange beast questioned, then craned to the white female "ahem... ich bin Tora!" [I am Tora]
"!!!" Blinking in confusion, Ashley gave a shy grin "ich... Sa-bi-shi-i!!" voice hardly clear, the two females almost lost their eyes out of their sockets...
"T-Tora! I didn't know you knew German!"
"I don't!"
"Then, how did you...?"
"I didn't!! The author did!"

[Me Jessiy: yep! I have interests in learning new languages, at the moment; they're Japanese, German, Italian, and Spanish!! So, if you gotta problem with that? Talk to my lawyer! If you can find him! XP]

"Crazy dame!" Tora hissed...
"Stick to the plot!" T___T
"What ever..." craning to the child again "Ver stehen sie ich??" [Do you under stand me??]
"Ja!" [Yes!]
"Heh!" chuckled the beast, "okay... Hallo, mein liebe!!" [Hello my love!!]
"!!!" Snapping with a frown "Ist das ihr ernest gross vater?" [Are you serious grandfather??]
"F***??" stunned, the beast growled "oh your a tricky one!"
"Danke!" [Thank you!]

"Okay! Knock it off!" Kage whined, "It's no fun to hear you talk yet not understanding a thing!"
"Tell me about it! I feel like a deaf person in a wedding/funeral ceremony!"
"Warum?" [Why?]
"Ich weiss nicht!" [I don't know!] Replied the beast with a shrug...

"That's enough! C'mon! Let's go home!" Growled the light brown female... "Show off!" she whispered...
"Hey Tora!" the tanned female stated, "Can you teach me that?"
"Speaking German?"
"Yeah!!"
"I'm sorry! You gotta go to that crazy author of yours!"
"Oh-fudge!"
"Sigh..." with a white thing, Ashley followed the rest back home... all said nothing, and every thing seemed okay...

Things seem to be going smooth... aren't they??

=====================================================
A/N: sorry... it might be some time before I update this fic, or any of the others at any case... I'm kind of busy with other stuff at the moment, but please don't forget to R&R okay?? Buh-bye!! ^___^