A demon slayer story

Chapter 17:Tsuzumi Mansion

Zenitsu panted harshly as we walked through a forest, his arms swinging back and forth."Hey, guys...Maybe I should just hang back for now.Even if I tag along with you I'm not gonna be able to do anythiiing" he complained and I rolled my eyes.Tanjiro, on the other hand was completely focused on following the scent of the demons he had picked up so I was just dawdling beside him with Atlas on my shoulder.

I heard a slight gasp from Tanjiro and looked up "Ah house..." I took in what he was seeing.It was, in fact, a house.Granted, it was quite a nice house but a house nonetheless.I wasn't too sure what made him gasp about it so I stayed quiet for a moment, Atlas pecking at my shoulder.
We stopped in front of the door, all three of us looking at it intently as if something were going to pop out as shout 'boo' at us.But it didn't, so we just stood looking at it.
"Lovely exterior, don't you think?"
No one said anything so I just closed my mouth .
"I can smell blood"
"What a surprise" I said sarcastically.He said that as if he couldn't always smell blood whether it be demons or just his undercooked dinner.

"But it's strange."
"Wait, you can smell something here?" Zenitsu pondered, his big yellow eyes starting to squint."Yeah but this is...a whole new smell"
"A smell?I can't say I'm getting that...What about that sound?You're able to hear that right?"
I furrowed my eyes, focusing in on it.
"Sound?" Tanjiro asked, looking around.His eyes widened when he spotted the two children huddling together in bushes.Their faces were wet with tears.
"Uh...are kids here?"Zenitsu asked, his face blank.
"No wayyy, Genius" I rolled my eyes, walking towards the two kids.
"Hey uh, how come you two are out here all alone huh?"
They just shuddered and huddled closer.their eyes were wide, as if they had seen a ghost.
I crouched down in front of them, a soft smile on my face"I have something really cool, wanna see it?"
I shuffled around for a moment before pulling atlas from behind me and presenting him to the children.

The kids just sighed, their eyes welling up with tears as their grip on each other loosened.They slumped to the ground, still close to eachother while sat on the floor.
"Talk to me...did something happen?Is this your house?"
The little boy gulped, his face covered in sweat."No, no it's not this is...this house is...I-it it belongs to a...Monster"
I could already tell Tanjiro had caught on before he had even finished the sentence."Our big brother got taken away,We were walking down the road at night and this...thing appeared in front of us.It went straight for our brother, never giving us a glance"
"Did it take him into that house?"Tanjiro asked while I had stood next to Zenitsu and started to try listen to what he could hear.

"Hey Tanjiro...Uh, what is that strange sound?It's really unnerving,never stops.It sounds like... a drum?" Zenitsu explained, his face halfway between horror and a face you'd make when you just soiled your pants in public.
"A drum?"
"I hear it too..."
I agreed, cupping my ears.
"I don't hear anything?"
Tanjiro said, his eyebrows furrowed.
The drumming persisted, seemingly getting faster at each beat until, finally, a different noise was heard.The sound of a grown man flying through and open window on the top floor of the mansion, his body mangled and covered in blood.
We all gasped.
Blood splattered on the floor as he landed and Tanjiro hopped in front of the children to shield their eyes.

Zenitsu began to shake in horror while I just froze in place.
"Cover your eyes!" Tanjiro instructed the children and they turned away while he rushed towards the very dead looking man.
"Are you alright?!"
Well obviously not genius.
"Can you hear me?"He asked, scooping the man into his arms."hang on!"

The man mumbled a few words that I couldn't quite make out.They were clearly very moving and I could tell by the way Tanjiro started to hug the man.I made my way over to the children', making sure they weren't looking and keeping them occupied.

There was a big rumble coming from the mansion and we all whipped our head around to see where it was coming from.

That insistent drumming continued and it was starting to build a sense of unease inside me.
The kids huddled together and I took off my Haori, draping it over them.
"It's okay, we've got this don't worry" I soothed, patting the children's backs.Zenitsu was now trembling in fear and Tanjiro was still holding onto the lifeless body of that man.

Tanjiro lifted his head and looked at the kids "hey is this...is this your brother?"
"N-no that isn't him.He was wearing...an orange coloured kimono"
Tanjiro sighed in relief."Zenitsu,let's go.Anza you stay with the kids"

Both mine and Zenitsu's eyes widened."oh I see how it is, leave the women with the kids while the men do the work huh?" I complained teasingly flexing my as I said men."You know it's not like that, plus you've already settled the children down."
I just rolled my eyes and turned back to the children.
Zenitsu was making noises that clearly said 'nope, never,Nuh uh' but it came out as more of a strangled pony.
"Look we're the only people that can help them, alright?You and me now"
Zenitsu was frozen in place and shaking like he'd just been tossed into snow naked.
"Alright then, have it your way"
Zenitsu shrieked as Tanjiro turned to go into the mansion, grabbing onto his Haori and eventually agreeing to go into the mansion with him.

Tanjiro first sat beside me and the kids, placing Nezuko's box in front of us."incase you run into trouble, I'm leaving this box.If you need help, it'll protect you"
He stood up.Explaining that they'd be back soon...

————————————————————————
A/N:Im sorry I haven't updated in so long, I went offline for the holidays and then I only just remembered about this story, I have it a lot of words this chapter to feed the people 🎀