Growing Pains

Chapter 35

Shinrai's cries kept bouncing off the walls as he slouched to the ground. His throat was raw from the shouting, but he kept shouting. He didn't want to believe that the girl slumped on the ground in front of him was dead. Araile-his Araile-couldn't be dead!

His eyes kept going to her still form. Blood was still flowing from numerous gashes that littered her body, and her colour became paler and paler.

A sound suddenly came from the mouth of the chamber, and Shinrai's head snapped up. His green eyes squinted when he concentrated in the sound. It sounded like...dogs? Why would dogs be here? A howl sounded and echoed throughout the chamber. Shadows began to paint the walls, and a group of dogs came charging through. 

"Hey! Get away from her!" Shinrai shouted as he watched the group of dogs surround Araile.

They paid him no mind as they sniffed and whined around the still teen. Shinrai watched with confusion as some of the dogs whimpered as they continued sniffing Araile. It was as if they knew her. Hurried footsteps echoed, and Shinrai's muscles tensed. Was it Seishin and Kazoku coming back? He tugged at his restraints again. He needed to get out of these chains now.

With a final hard pull, he broke the metal cuffs around his wrists. Shinrai stumbled, but regained his footing and rushed to Araile's form. He knelt beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Her skin had become cool, and her head lifelessly rolled back. Tears stung the back of his eyes as he pulled Araile close. Blood began to stain his clothes but Shinrai didn't care.

He lifted a shaking hand and caressed the side of her face. He wanted her to open her eyes; those sparkling golden eyes that always looked at him with love and adoration.

Voices echoed, and Shinrai tensed. He looked up with a glare as he pulled Araile in closer to his chest. He would protect Araile with his life. The dogs sat down around him, some looking at him with a strange expression.

"Shinrai? What are you doing here," a voice said in surprise from the entrance.

Shinrai blinked as Araile's old caregiver and her older brother walked through. He dropped in gaze to Araile's face as shame washed through him. He couldn't protect her, and now she was gone forever. He continued gazing at her almost peaceful face as Kakashi walked up to him. Shinrai looked up at the Jonin's face as he clutched Araile tighter. His one eye looked from Shinrai's sorrowful eyes to Araile's closed ones.

"I couldn't save her," Shinrai whispered as he closed his eyes against the flood of tears.

"What happened?" the Jonin asked softly as he placed a hand on the teen's shoulder.

Swallowing, Shinrai opened his eyes. Kakashi gave a soft sigh as he looked at Kane and shook his head. Kane clenched his teeth as he looked down at the ground. Kane growled lowly and stalked up to Shinrai and grabbed the front of his shirt.

He shook the teen back and forth; his eyes blazing in anger and sadness. Shinrai released Araile's shoulders in surprise as Kane started yelling. Kakashi quickly grabbed the girl before her body hit the ground.

"What did you do to my sister?! Why isn't she awake?!" Kane yelled.

Shinrai blinked as Kane kept shouting. The young teen's brain couldn't comprehend why he was being shaken. Couldn't Kane see that something was wrong? It felt like Shinrai's brain was hitting the back of his skull, making his ears ring. Finally Kane released the teen and growled low, gold eyes darting around. Strands of his black hair stuck to his face as he gazed towards his lifeless sister in Kakashi's arms. His eyes softened and he hesitantly walked towards Kakashi.

Kane gently took his sister from her old caregiver and hugged her close to his chest. Shinrai blinked when a few tears slid down Kane's cheeks before splattering onto Araile's face. He turned away from Shinrai and Kakashi and slowly walked out of the chamber. Shinrai began to protest, but Kakashi stopped him. Both men were silent as the footsteps began to get quieter and quieter.

Kakashi said a couple words to the hounds, and with a 'poof' the animals disappeared. Shinrai clenched his fists as tremors began wracking his body. The tears he held back came rushing through, and streamed down his face as he fell to his knees and sobbed his heartbreak and loss.

After a couple minutes, Shinrai felt a hand being placed on his shoulder. He raised his head and hastily rubbed his eyes with his arm.

A noise suddenly caught their attention, and Shinrai's heart stopped. It sounded like an unholy roar, as if something from the depths of hell came crawling out. He heard that roar before, but it came from Araile who he saw be killed. The same roar sounded, and both men started running to the entrance.

Light streamed through the opening, and when they rushed through the entrance the teen and Jonin stopped dead in their tracks. Kane was on the ground and bleeding from a severe head wound in front of two figures. A large amount of chakra swarmed around another figure who was growling fiercely. Shinrai's eyes opened in fear when he saw the growling figure.

"Araile...?"