Lavender Light - [HakuHina]

Scroll Three: Hogosha-sama

I_Love_All_ - Another Scroll Opens! Please, enjoy, my friend, and let me know your thoughts or any assumptions you have about the later scrolls to be opened.

[Unknown Settlement/Village]

Hinata's eyes widened at the sight of the massive tiger bolting in her direction with anger swimming in its sky-blue eyes and an echoing roar flowing from its open jaws; Hinata's body reached on its own as she reached down and wrapped her arms around the child before she leaped out of the way in a vanish before the tiger could barrel into them while the rest of the villagers who scattered away from the approaching predator. Hinata reappeared a few feet away as the tiger started chasing a a group of men who attempted to use pitchforks to fight the creature off, alas, with one swipe of its mighty paw, 2 of the 3 men went flying into a nearby building, breaking through the already broken wall before landing through the floor.

"What is the meaning of this? What is that tiger and why is it attacking you all?" Hinata asked the child as she sat him down in the soft but dead soil; he looked at the ground before he looked up into her pale eyes.

"That is the Tiger Spirit - Hogosha-sama: The Former Guardian of our village." The child explained.

"Former Guardian? What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"When this village was founded, there were many hardships; the ground was barren, there was no protection, and we lost many to the unforgiving winters. However, one day, our Grand Leader traveled into the forest and found an injured tiger with an arrow in its hind leg; against the council of his guards, he aided the creature and fed it from his pouch. The tiger was grateful and revealed itself to be Hogosha-sama: The Guardian Spirit. As thanks, Hogosha-sama offered to be the Guardian Spirit for our village and provided everything we needed and desired: Fertile Land, Strong Warriors, and prosperity; everything in our village was grand. Until something happened..." The child whimpered.

"What happened? Why did Hogosha-sama begin attacking you?" She asked.

"We are uncertain. We were preparing for the weekly offering when she suddenly erupted from her shrine and roared at us in a fury. She demanded that we return what we had stolen from her but none of us knew what she was talking about; this only angered her more and she swore that she would continue to attack us until what was stolen was returned...or she took the last one of us and leveled the village to the ground." He explained.

"Something was taken and you all don't know what it could have been?" Hinata asked.

"No. Hogosha-sama has taken so many of our people to the Spirit Realm since she started attacking our village when she killed the Grand Leader. We just want the attacks to stop. We want to survive but without her, everything has gone to hell." He began sobbing and Hinata's teeth locked as she looked at the child before her gaze turned to the nearby explosion as Hogosha-sama destroyed yet another house. Hinata rose to her feet and looked at the cowering child before her.

"Remain here. I am going to end this." Hinata stood before she added chakra throughout her entire body and vanished before the child could call out to her, all he could do was send a silent prayer to the gods above that nothing would happen to her.

Hogosha-sama growled at the fallen before her as she reared her large claw back and shot it forward to capture her prey when a powerful yet gentle aura appeared before her, causing her to still her hand just before her claws could pierce the eye of the newcomer before her.

"Hogosha-sama! I beg of thee - cease your assault upon the people of this village!" The girl shouted as she threw her arms out to act as a shield between the tiger spirit and the woman cowering on the ground. Hogosha-sama's blue eyes narrowed as she retracted her claw from in front of Hinata's face and placed it on the ground before growling at the girl - who was soaked in fear but didn't display it.

"Who are you and what are you doing here? You do not smell like this village and i have never seen you before during my previous hunts. Who art thou and what right have you to stand before me?" Hogosha-sama growled out through locked fangs.

"I am Hinata - A Rogue Ninja from the Land of Fire. I have traveled here to seek what was at the end of this path, only to come across this village. I understand you were once the Guardian of these people, but now you act against them because you were wronged." Hinata spoke.

"You are correct, Girl. I have been wronged and I shall take my vengeance upon the rats that have stolen that which is most precious to me." The Tiger hissed out as her face neared the girl.

"Hogosha-sama, if I am allowed to ask - what has been taken from you that would warrant the capture and imprisonment of the villagers here?" Hinata asked.

"I shall allow you to answer that question yourself, Little One. What is most important to someone? The one thing that they would kill and die for to keep safe?" Hogosha-sama asked with a snarling tilt.

Hinata thought for a moment before she spoke her answer with confidence. 

"A Child." She answered.

"I cannot decide whether you are wise or foolish for standing in the way of my prey. What was taken from me is indeed my Child. My son was imprisoned in a Tiger Statue, embedded with sapphire gems, and placed at my shrine. This way, we were able to be together in the spirit world. However, one day, I woke up to find that my son's statue had been stolen. This severed his link to me, and though I can track him, I am too far away from my shrine to reach him. When I demanded that what was taken from me be returned, the villagers pretended ignorance, and I retaliated in anger. These rats, whom I have blessed, have stolen from me, and I shall take the most precious thing from them - their freedom!" Hogosha-sama roared but Hinata stood firm.

"Hogosha-sama, from what I have collected, these villagers knew not the reason for your anger towards them. They have been living in fear and confusion for Kami knows how long. How do you know that the one who stole your son remains here? If your son were still in this place, you would be able to find him, but seeing as you cannot leave your shrine to reach him; it is clear that he is too far for you to reach. The person who has him is no longer here and is getting further by the day." Hinata explained. The tiger narrowed her eyes before Hinata nodded.

"Your logic is sound and makes more sense; none of them would have kept my son from me for this long, I admit, you have proven their innocence in this matter, but that doesn't excuse what has been done to me. My son is lost and frightened. I must be reunited with him or all shall suffer." The Tiger demanded.

"I agree, thus, I offer a deal." Hinata said.

"What deal do you offer, Child?" Hogosha-sama asked with a raised eyebrow [If Tigers have eyebrows and I don't think they do.]

"I shall find your child and return him to you - in exchange, you stop your vengeful attacks upon the people of this village and release the ones you have trapped in the Spirit Realm." Hinata offered. The Tiger looked at her for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, I need you to find my child and bring him back to me. In return, I'll be eternally grateful. However, your Kekki Genkai isn't strong enough to locate him. Therefore, I shall lend you my insight." Hogosha-sama said as she lifted her paw and placed her dagger-like claw tip in the center of Hinata's forehead before flooding the girl's body with power - a power unlike any other, causing her body to flood in a white light.

[Scroll Three Closed]