| [Jun. 30th, 2008|12:06 am] |
It hadn't seemed nearly that violent last time. But last time, he'd had his own concerns. Now Kuromaru had his full focus.
Kuromaru, and the seriously creepy henge Tsume had set up for the kids. Raidou winced slightly as the creation's message was undercut by a howl that glided into a scream; full-throated and full of real pain. He wasn't laughing now.
Bone snapped with a series of crunching sounds that made him wince very faintly. It was a little like someone had popped every knuckle in a fist, and magnified the sound through a whole body. Raidou watched flesh twist for a moment, then he let himself look away. He fixed his eyes on distant trees until the sound died and Tsume's quiet murmur replaced it. Then he looked back.
Kuromauru's human shape was surprisingly delicate. All the brawn and solid muscle of his canine counterpart were gone. Instead he was built like Tsume; crafted from angles and sharp lines. A little wilder, a little less human.
Because he's a dog, Raidou reminded himself, and crouched down. He acknowledged Tsume's request with a flick of his fingers, and looked into slit-pupiled eyes. "Alright, bucko," he muttered, uncomfortable but willing, "I hope you can hold on."
He slid one hand under Kuromaru's heaving torso, another under his legs, and used a flash of chakra to help him haul the former-dog up and twist him so that he landed neatly against Raidou's spine. It was a move that almost needed an edge of kawarimi to make it successful. Raidou was fairly well practiced at it.
He shifted, making sure Kuromaru's head was on the shoulder away from his scar, and got back to his feet. He tried to ignore the vibration of a whimper that trembled against his back.
"Can we give him painkillers?" he said quietly to Tsume, ducking forward to put his mouth near her ear. "Something to make it easier for him?" |
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