Involute
2/16/17

Faded colors disable his footing, whistles of foreboding winds chilling his fallen ears. Still yet, even immersion of icy, nipping waters did not deafen him to the seer's parting words. He knew, already. He need not be reminded; destiny would deny him entrance to the cursed ark. It stung worse than the biting waters void of her reflection, now absent of even the light of the rainbow bridge.

It troubled him this way. He meant to leave on his own accord, his back to the fallen vessel and origin of all darkness. Yet her eyes never left him, as if disbelieving of his reluctance. Was he afraid? Why should dismay deflect he who plunged with her to the very depths of Orochi's stronghold? Inside the great Water Dragon? To the elusive Oni Island? Through time and back? How could he leave her like this? Her inky eyes reflected hurt. She'd been torn from her thirteen children and come to adopt one more. She couldn't lose him now! No matter how her paws scrabbled, her claws gripped, she couldn't fight her fate.

Quite involute, she whimpered. The luminous patterns that lit her way ebbed at her in mock pity. It was as if the emperor that waited for her knew the sun couldn't light its own way. She hadn't felt this lily-livered since Orochi abducted Susano. Well, there was no helping it, furball. That's what he would say, she knew. It became her peace of mind as she centered herself, rediscovering her steadfastness. Such a good reminder! Be resolute.

As the mouth of the ark closed, the wandering artist felt part of his soul rupture; cold, circulating blood sinking with his tiny body into the quivering lake of Laochi. Ah, but it was not the Lake of Demons that was shivering, but he. If only he could feel his legs, he would skip across the desolate waters and back to the snow-covered ground. Alas, the one-inch was sluggish, his efforts barely succeeding him.

Even as his own aura threatened to dim, destiny would not have it, for the sharp eyes of an Oina girl had spotted him. There was a reason this girl was renowned for her speed. With a hasty shift, she dived into the freezing lake hurriedly, with no second thoughts — if she left him any longer, he may not make it! As unpleasant as it may be, she had no time to think before gingerly carrying the Poncle in her jaws and paddling back to land.

His quiet could only indicate he was starving off unconsciousness, to which the girl quickened her pace, backtracking to her home inside Wep'keer. Her little sister yipped after Kai with much more trouble pushing through the snow than the bigger canid did. By the time Lika had followed, Kaipoku had begun treating him in her futon, her tail curling around him protectively. "Issun! Issun, please stay with me. Can you feel your hands? Your feet?"

At first, he offered her nary a response minutes upon minutes going by, until his feeble arms wrapped around her warmth. At least he appeared to be conscious. The poor butterbur was in shock. "…H-heh…l-looks like y-you sa-saved me this t-t-t-time…s-so we're even now!"

Kaipoku gingerly nuzzled her friend, her ears wilting upon hearing the chattering of his teeth. "Oh, Issun…what happened? Keep speaking!"

"M'fine, Kai, I p-promise. How long was I out?" Issun's words dithered as his wobbly legs struggled to lift his body from its rest. As much as he enjoyed the comfort of a well-wisher from the old days, he didn't have time to dawdle anymore. Enough fooling around to doom the world, he's done.

"Issun, you mustn't get up! You'll freeze to death out there! Please, you need to rest. The Day of Darkness is here! Even with the eruption of Ezofuji, the sun will soon be covered by the eclipse. It's cold and dangerous to go outside!" Pinning the male with a forepaw, Kai attempted to reason with her companion. "Obviously you haven't been out long enough!"

Wearing eyes as sharp as her own, Kaipoku only could see how Issun's body language grew rigid, the violence of his shivers beginning to comply with the heat she shared. "I can't stay here, Kai! Ya really saved my neck out there and I'm grateful, but you gotta take me back! There's no time to sit around! You're the fastest of all of the Oina! I need more help!"

Though she could not see, she could feel the heated stare Issun bore into her. The look in his eyes alone could be his warmth. If there was one thing she knew about Issun, it was the fact that there was no stopping him once he's made a decision. Still, she was alarmed. She'd never seen the little guy go into shock before, almost believed it couldn't ever happen before her eyes. "Take you where, Issun? You can't go back to the ark! Please, you can't. You're in no shape to fend for yourself!"

As she lifted her paw, her pleading eyes were just the gems he needed. She was correct. Without Ammy, he didn't stand a chance out there alone. Ever since that shade first began to ensconce the sun, monsters only became hungrier. "You're right. We need to go through Yoshpet," He urges, leaping atop his dear friend's head and stifling his shivers. Kaipoku herself could not fathom it. She had not ever seen this side of Issun. Yes, he had his stubborn ways, but it was Oki who normally rejected her protests. Just what was scaring him?

"Issun, are you certain? The forest's dark power will only be that much more treacherous," She asked, her eyes now on Lika. Her kid sister had been listening quietly, making no sounds other than stinging gasps. Sharing her questioning gaze, Kaipoku shook her head. There was no bringing Lika back outdoors. It was too much for a pup! She couldn't very well leave her…

"So we'll take a few shortcuts. Y'know, like the good ol' days. Kai, Ammy's counting on us. The gods are counting on us! We only have one chance," Issun admonishes without missing a beat. There would be no protecting anybody if they didn't move now.

Lika watched as Issun hunkered down in her older sibling's fur. "You both c'n make it, right? I'll be okay, promise! Mr. Oki and mean old Samickle will check on everybody! That way Issun can be with his fam'ly in Ponc'tan!"

Dubiously, Kaipoku nodded. "Stay inside where it's warm. I can't lose you again, Lika."

"The sooner we get outta here the sooner you can come back, Kai!" Issun pressed hurriedly. It wasn't as if he didn't worry for the kid, far from it in fact. Issun hated the idea of putting either of them at risk, but he had no choice. He wouldn't survive a trip to Yoshpet alone in the coming weather. Kaipoku sensed his incitement and left the hut in active agreement. Dashing through the white dust of Wep'keer and on through the bottom of the great mountains, the willowy Oina galloped rhythmically past wild deer. She always had fit in with the spirit of those animals for as long as Issun could remember.

As she neared closer the eastern forest, ice clinging to her paws and her slender legs riding the wind, she emitted a self-empowering bark; "O spirits of the air, the earth, and the sea! Guide us through and defend us from evil!"

Author's Notes: Just filling in a couple of gaps. I always liked to think about Issun's journey back to Ponc'tan, assuming he went there first...which honestly wouldn't be surprising considering how bad Ishaku wanted to see him, Issun's encounter with Miya, and the harshness of his separation with Amaterasu. I also personally have my doubts that Issun could travel all of Nippon fast enough without help from his and Ammy's old friends, too.