Akatsuki

Author's Note: Hello and welcome to my latest story Akatsuki. I'd like to thank all of those reading this and hope you make it all the way through to the end. For those of you that manage that you have my highest respects, so please, comment and vote at the end as your criticism helps me improve my writing and furthers the progress on the next chapters! Enjoy. 

p.s- cover was designed by the amazing talents of @LifeLustingDreamer - check her out!

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Lucifer and his scouting party found themselves in the company non to pleasant company. This was without a doubt a do or die situation because the winning side gains a valuable advantage with the night of the full moon just one night away. The wolves howled and growled as they circled their prey. Hidden in the woods they moved quickly and quietly in an unpredictable pattern. Every move, every sound, was carefully planned to strike fear into the very core of the helpless prey. The only sound climbing higher than the deathly howls and snapping twigs, in the wolves’ ears, were the sounds of four hearts beating hard and fast on drums.

“Ha-ha they think we’re scared lads” cried one man, as his hand gripped tightly around his claymore. Each member of the party kept a steady grip on their weapons waiting for the enemy to strike.

“What do you think Cee, a scouting party? They haven’t run off to cry to their masters.” The second man reported, drawing a large steel broadsword from the scabbard hanging by a belt at his waist, “Lu don’t drop your guard, remember your training and keep both hands on that Katana of yours.”

Lucifer, or Lu as Logan addressed him, was the youngest of the group and lacking any form of real battle experience left him vulnerable to the effects of the wolves’ howling and stalking. He may be young and inexperienced, but far from weak. This was his chance to prove himself as a worthy member of the Akatsuki Guard which served as the villages one and only line of defence against the plague of werewolves.

“They underestimate is’ Logan; they think we’re no threat t-them that’s why they won’t scammer off t-whatever cave they crawled out a’! Lucky for us, this gives is’ a chance to find and count their friends that be after is’ this full moon.” Cee, as Logan addressed him, said in brutal voice and the corners of his mouth stapled as far apart as they could from the excitement that commanded the grin on his face.

Lu strained himself to keep up with sounds that leaped from the forest as the wolves haunted around them. He tossed and turned on the spot with the dead leaves crunching under his feet the jumping paws revolving around them, unseen in the darkness of the maze of trees. The only light shed on the small opening they stood in was the small beams of moonlight that penetrated the thick canopy of leaves high up in the sky.

“Relax Lucifer, they’re using t-trees as cover but that doesn’t mean we can’t do t-same; t-trees have em’ some nice, thick trunks that their claws can’t reach around. Relax you’re using your eyes too much boy.” Said Cee, and drawing confidence from this piece of advice Lucifer relaxed slightly keeping his body still and instead of his eyes, focused more on his other senses to detect an attack.

With a vicious snap of fangs the wolves sprang for the throats of their prey for a quick and rather messy kill. The defenders were quick to react and drew their weapons up to parry the attack. Two more wolves waiting for this opening dashed from the bushes and aimed for the feet of Lucifer and Cee. Before they could reach their target however, one wolf, who aimed for Cee, found himself whelping in pain as he was delivered a thrashing blow from one of the party.

“Find your own pets to slaughter Eli!” snapped Cee, who hated think people thought he needed saving. Eli, a man of few words replied with only a mocking grin and dashed back towards the first wolf he fended off whom was left stunned from a winding blow when Eli had delivered a quick and forceful boot to the wolf after avoiding the fangs with a swift side-step.