| [Feb. 9th, 2011|08:42 pm] |
To the border between Coal Country and Snow Country, and then straight across Snow until they hit the edge of Lightning, where Ryouma had failed to meet his contact.
Kakashi nodded once.
A whistle and a slap to the haunch set Baiji moving at a graceful lope, body stretching out long and smooth. Ginta grabbed his collar to hold on, head whipping around when Kakashi didn’t instantly follow. Pakkun made to go after the pair, but Kakashi caught him by the scruff, hoisting him off the ground.
“Did you take Ginta’s watch?” he asked flatly.
Pakkun’s teeth bared in an awkward grimace, like a human trying to smile. It was one of the many weird quirks that marked Kakashi’s summons as not-quite-dog. “You needed to sleep,” he said. “You both did.”
With great effort, Kakashi didn’t shake him. “That wasn’t your choice.”
“But--”
“It wasn’t your choice,” Kakashi snapped, tightening his grip in Pakkun’s fur until the pug winced. “This is your only chance, Pakkun. You listen to me in the field, or I don’t summon you again. It’s that simple.”
A stifled whine slipped from Pakkun’s throat. “I’ve been with you all your life,” he said.
“Then you should know better,” Kakashi said, and dropped him back to the frozen ground; Pakkun landed with a stumble.
Kakashi swept one last look over the camp, making sure every trace of their presence had been wiped clean, then took off after Ginta. Pakkun watched him for a moment, ears flat and tail down, something softer than a whine still twisting in his heavy chest.
He sighed.
Then he followed. |
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