Trial Of Yoshimune

Chapter 4. Hitomi

Cold winters were the worst. Many died during those, freezing to death. Especially the mountains were dangerous when the winter came and the yukionna walked the earth searching for another victim. A woman runs in the forest, she's followed by wolves and on her arms is a precious cargo.

She comes to a shrine, lays the tiny bundle onto the ground and resumes to her escape from the wolves, doomed from the very beginning. The night passes and the child waits for a saviour. But nobody comes. She freezes to death and the winter has claimed another victim.

Or did she?

A large dog went about the place, sniffing it's way through the snowy area. It came across a fress cropse of a woman, clearly killed and ripped to pieces by the clan of Okami Daio. The creature couldn't help but to wonder what she'd done in order to deserve such fate, but ultimately decided that it wouldn't be worth it. Who know what the Wolf King would do to a dog after all.

The dog followed the trail the woman left behind and came across an abandoned shrine of the former god of the area, dog god who'd become corrupted and had to be killed to keep the village of Namimori safe. She smelled the cold air, a scent of an infant filled her nostrils and she pressed forward. Out in the snow was a bundle and in the bundle was a child.

At first, she thought that the child had died and prepared to leave, but then she heard a childish giggle from behind. Shocked by this, the dog assumed a form of a human and cradled the white baby in her arms. She took in her appearance and deemed her to be the most adorable being ever. She then noticed that the ground beneath her had been frozen and looked back to the infant whose giggles had ceased to look at her now with very serious eyes.

"Tsuraraonna", she whispered to the baby who seemed to understand her. It was honestly spooky for her to come across such a serious baby.

As she stared at the infant, the Wolf King made his appearance, walking out of the shadows. He supported once again his warrior robes and chest plate but now he'd also wear fur around him to stay warm. Daiyokais weren't immune to the climate changes after all. He looked at the Inugami, noticing her markings.

"You're part of Yoshimune's tribe", he observed to which the woman answered with a steady look. "Unhand the infant to me please", he said but earned a headshake. "I was sent by Yoshimune to retrieve the child, she has been accepted", and true to her words, the infant also supported her own set of the markings. Each of them were bright red in colour, the pair of stripes on her cheek, the red makeup like additions on her eyes and her forehead had a whirling symbol.

Okami's shoulders dropped as he heard this, knowing that he wouldn't get what he wanted now, especially since the child was an ice woman. "That child is also the future mate of one of mine", he stated to the woman who nodded in understanding, "Tsukuyomi chose her upon her birth to be mated with Jyonosuke. Take good care of her". With this he left her with the child.

The inugami assumed her original form and ran to the new Namimori shrine holding the child as gently as she could in the form. She soon arrived to the opening spot of the gate and wiggled her way in, fast as a lightning. Yoshimune blinked at her appearance and looked between the child and her before he groaned.

"Jun...could you please raise her?" he said as he gestured to the large amount of children who were now demanding his attention. Jun laughed at her brother figure's struggles in her dog like way earning a sleep deprived glare from the said male.

She then walked to her little space and laid the infant down, who then proceeded to take her finger with her chubby little hands. "Hmm~ What should I call you little one...", the serious look in those eyes challenged her as if to dare her to give her an idiotic name like "Hime" or "Kaguya" making Jun chuckle a little.

"How about Hitomi?"

The baby giggled in accepting manner.

Hitomi marched over to the wolf father and slapped his face making the other yokais flinch. Yoshimune merely looked into her way, confused as to how and why it happened. She glared daggers at her brother/uncle/third father figure as her painted lips formed a thin line.

"Why didn't you tell me that there is a group of fake children?" she hissed through her teeth to the man, who kept staring at her without understanding what was going on. "Fake children?" she had the huge urge to facepalm but Chihiro had spent a long time making her makeup, she didn't want to spoil it. She then made gestures as if attempting to explain her thoughts with them. "Adults. That are cursed and look like children. Fake children", Yoshimune raised a brow at this making Hitomi groan at how stupid the man could be.

"I just met several infants that were actually adults trapped in the bodies of children", she explained, this time Yoshimune's eyes shone with understanding, "And I tried to adopt them". Yoshimune slowly took her hand and showed her a vision of a red haired boy in a city alone. "Yes, those are called Arcobaleno if I am not mistaken, they are part of something mortals call Trino-Sette which is keeping one of the elder demons at bay. Anyways, this boy over here is called Kozato Enma", Hitmo looked at the man in confused rage. Had he known about it? Seriously?! Jun sighed and explained the situation to her.

"The Arcobaleno always gather to the older shrine of this region known as the Dai Inu shrine. The god of that shrine has been long gone, slain by your sister Chihiro upon him turning into a corrupted god. The fake children hold meeting in there", Jun bore her teeth as she thought about it more, "I was born on that shrine, and the deceased god was my parent. And those fools keep partying and meeting there as if nothing happened, drinking wine and tainting his memory". Hitomi nodded slowly in understanding and wondered how the female dog hadn't yet killed the insolent mortals.