A ninja to remember

26.

Toru

We stepped outside the castle, a harsh wind nipping on my cheeks turning them instantly pink. I shivered, getting closer to sherlock for warmth. Our "trainer" led the way, the wind barely affecting him, or Sandā for that matter.

We continued, climbing a steep hill, rocks rolling down with each wrong foot we took. But the tiger walked effortlessly. Feeling giddy and excitable, I hummed the Rocky montage song, my voice going slightly out of tune.

We arrived in the middle of a forest, the trees swaying I the wind slightly. It was completely empty, save for us four. The topaz denizen walked to Sandā, leaning his head down to her height. I got a proper good look at him. He had beige fur, soot black stripes ran vertically up his body. His yellow eyes were wise and harsh. His claws deadly sharp and his teeth enormous and well kept.

He finished his conversation with Sandā and turned back to me, his tail flicking in annoyance or content. I'd go for annoyance.
"Before I can train you, I'll be in need of testing you. As this is not an official animal summoning, the test will determine on your attitude to the test, and not whether you do it or not" he told me, his deep voice rumbling.

"Alright then! What's my test?" I asked him, feeling slightly worried. He seemed to ponder a bit, then confer with Sandā through eye contact. I didn't know what to expect. I'd only seen Naruto make a contract with frogs. And that was in the show.

Again, I waited patiently, cracking my left hand knuckles. The conversation between the two stopped and Sandā came to stand in front of me. She bent to my level and placed her hand on my shoulder, her eyes looking into mine.

She did this for a few seconds, freaking me out slightly and I pushed her hand away. A gooey warm sensation spread over the back of my hand, reaching my elbow before I looked down. A brown substance, with a thick consistency, flowed from Sandās arm to mine.

I leapt in surprise and shook my hand, frantically trying to get it off. I reached my hand over and wiped it clean, my tongue coming out in disgust and my arm producing goose bumps. While this was happening, the surroundings in front of me melted, dribbling in Great Lakes down to the floor.

I jumped in surprise, my feet squelching on the liquid floor.
"Guys this isn't funny any more! I want out" I shouted, titling my head back to look at the sky. It was grey in colour, as if the clouds would open up and shower what they contained on my head.

Toru suddenly appeared, his expression angry and disappointed and his claws retracted into his paws. He prowled around me and I stretched out my hand to him. It passed right through, the image of him rippling. He continued to pace, as if that didn't happen.

I tried shouting, but nothing came out. I moved, bringing my feet up, finding them stuck and my shoes full of mud. What I saw next was so strange, and unbelievable. The are in front of me convulsed and shuddered, it rippled and waved, coursing violently until an image that was so familiar to me popped out.

It was my room, messy, as usual and the door to mums painting office stood wide open. My mum sat at her desk, painting on her easel and paints by her side. I stood outside, my violin under my chin, a grey suit coat around my shoulders.

I remembered this. I was going to a concert that my mum wasn't able to go to. She had to stay home and finish an assignment. But, I gave her a taster to what was to be that night. My bows horse hairs stroked the strings lovingly, the notes mozart slaved over for months coming out of my instrument.

My fingers pressed into the positions, creating a thick, rich sound ring through the room. Mum sat just listening, enjoying the mother daughter time. Until it was brutally interrupted. My phone buzzed from the beside table, a message coming in from my friends saying they were outside.

I jumped and left, apologising to my mother as I went. What happened next was strange. My mother turned and watched me leave, her blue eyes flashing red for a millisecond as she turned back to her painting.

I started sweating, scared for what I just saw.
'No! Calm down! Toru said it's about the attitude, not that I pass' I thought to myself as I sat cross legged and performed a hand sign.

The weird atmosphere disappeared, replaced by the calming forestry.
"Alright! I will train you! But, if I see one bit of doubt, I'm gone" said Toru, motioning us to follow as he went back to the castle.

Edited as of 3/2/2017^^