Blood in Flame and Water

New Adventure

"The moon is up now, Ya-chan. " A childish voice exclaimed.

"Is that so, Mimi-chan? " A deeper voice asked sarcastically.

"Don't call me that! " The former protested.

"Then stop calling me 'Ya-chan', twerp. " The latter shot back.

"Over my dead body. " The child huffed.

"I could arrange that. " The deeper voice promised.

"I doubt it. " The child called the other's bluff. "

"Yes I could. "

"No you couldn't. "

"Yes I could. "

"Noooo~ you could not! "

Yasha sighed and rubbed his forehead. Mitski stood right in front of him, hands on their hips, tongue stuck out. Snorting, Yasha's hand shot out and grabbed the child's tongue. Mitski squeaked and grabbed the oni's hand, furiously trying to get Yasha's grip off of their tongue. The demon chuckled at the valiant but otherwise useless struggle. Bending down at the knee into a squat, Yasha kept his hold on Mitski's tongue and watched as the child finally stopped struggling and crossed their arms in defeat.

Snorting, Yasha let go. Immediately retreating their tongue, Mitski pouted up at Yasha with big teary eyes. Rolling his dark honey irises, Yasha turned his back towards the still pouting child. Still pouting with puffed out lips that reminded Yasha of a common waterfowl, Mitski sniffed before climbing up the tall oni's back. The climb was a struggle, as Mitski was still getting used to Yasha allowing them on. Yasha too was getting used to the feeling of Mitski climbing on him, it was odd, the feeling of hands and feet digging into his skin and spine.

Nevertheless, Mitski was happily seated on Yasha's shoulders and grabbing Yasha's hair. Once Mitski gave the all clear, Yasha stood up to his full height. Mitski giggled, clutching onto Yasha tighter and hugged the neck of the oni with their entire body. The demon huffed before walking towards the cave exit--entrance. Mitski giggled as Yasha bent down and weaved through the vines shielding the cave's opening. Bringing their hands up, they shoved the vines out of the way to make way out into the forest.

Once out of the cave, Yasha was allowed a moment of peace where he drew in a deep breath of fresh forest air. The moon, a sight Yasha was accustomed to and found comfort in, gracefully blanketed Yasha's already pale skin in a cool hue. Humming a faint melodic trill, Yasha's ears twitched when a bird tweeted back. Mitski pealed with laughter and tried to whistle a similar tweet, only to pout when no bird call answered back. Yasha chuckles and whistles a faint tune, snorting when a familiar tweet answers back. The sound of harsh wings flapping came from the right where a break in the trees allowed the lonely moon to cast its cool glow across the meadow. The silhouette of a bird appeared through the break of evergreens and a bird the color of the onyx night sky landed precariously on one of Yasha's antlers.

The old bird glistens in black and silver, cooing and squawking as it tries to balance itself on Yasha's horn. With a few beats of its wings, the bird finally found a semi-stable perch. Mitski gaped in awe and tried to reach for the old crow, but 'eep'ed when it clacked its beak at the little one's pudgy fingers. Pouting, Mitski tightened their hold on Yasha's hair and tugged it after every ten seconds or so; a grounding measure, Yasha presumed. But the child's poutiness quickly turned to excitement once more.

"Look, Ya-chan! Look! " Mitski excitedly points to the bird now cleaning its underbelly, "There's a bird on your head! "