{"id":662,"date":"2013-12-29T04:02:51","date_gmt":"2013-12-28T19:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/?p=662"},"modified":"2013-12-29T04:22:58","modified_gmt":"2013-12-28T19:22:58","slug":"b2part03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/b2part03\/","title":{"rendered":"Book II \u4e09 Part 03 (Egg)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"egg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Shichi could see a cat. It wasn\u2019t a demon, nor a monster. It was a typical gray house cat with a single tail and large, green eyes. The feline was laying in a sunbeam beside an open door, paying no mind to the dust specks floating in the light. His coat was clean and smooth, highlighted by the early morning sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cGin, you lazy thing,\u201d came an older woman\u2019s voice from the hall. Her feet stopped beside his head and she crouched to stroke the animal\u2019s ears. The cat released a sleepy mewl, nudging beneath her palm.<\/p>\n

\u201cFather is ill again, so I need to go to the market,\u201d she said, scratching beneath his chin. \u201cYou watch the house for me, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

The cat didn\u2019t respond, only stretching his legs before rolling over on the wooden floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a life,\u201d she mused, smiling to herself before heading out the door. The sunlight intensified, filling Shichi\u2019s vision until there was nothing but white. A moment later, he awoke.<\/p>\n

A fire lay crackling a few feet away. Chiyo was crouched beside it, poking at the kindling with a stick.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning,\u201d she said. \u201cSleep well?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shichi could have sworn that he\u2019d dreamt something, but the memory was already slipping from his mind. He rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath of cool morning air.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, thank you,\u201d he murmured, surprised that she\u2019d woken before him. \u201cYou\u2019re up early.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re cooking?\u201d the monk asked, eyeing the fire. \u201cWe\u2019re supposed to save our food.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I found an egg,\u201d the kitsune said, gesturing to her side. Next to her knees lay an enormous egg, its shell a pale, speckled green.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s as big as my head!\u201d she added, rather pleased with her find.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, then\u2014,\u201d Shichi began, then instantly shot upright. His feathers were standing on end and the sleep had quickly faded from his voice. \u201cW-wait! Chiyo, give me that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a tengu egg<\/i>!\u201d he blurted, his eyes wide with disbelief.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026Oh,\u201d Chiyo replied, glancing down at the egg. She cleared her throat, placing it into the monk\u2019s open hands. It was probably a good thing she hadn\u2019t started cooking it yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you find it?\u201d Shichi snapped. The panic still hadn\u2019t left his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust over there, through the bushes,\u201d she said, gesturing behind him. Since the encounter with the nekomata, she had made a point not to stray too far from his side. \u201cIt was just sitting there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tengu furrowed his brow, kneeling beside the fire and and carefully lifting the egg. He held the shell up beside the flame, scrutinizing it through the light. Luckily, the morning was still dark enough to give a hint of the egg\u2019s contents. His eyes focused intently on the vague shapes within, taking note of the blood vessels.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hot,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHot \u2014 it\u2019s the word we use for a live egg,\u201d he explained, already tugging open his jacket. Gingerly, he placed the egg inside, allowing it to rest between his body and the lining. \u201cIt needs to stay warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would have been pretty warm in a frying pan,\u201d she muttered, disappointed at the loss of her breakfast.<\/p>\n

\u201cChiyo,\u201d Shichi warned, narrowing his eyes before getting to his feet. He kept one hand low, holding the egg steady against his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d she asked, turning to watch him march out of the clearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe parents must be close,\u201d he said. \u201cYou didn\u2019t even try<\/i> to find them, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The kitsune rose to follow him, dusting her knees before coming up to his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if I found them then I wouldn\u2019t be able to eat it,\u201d she answered, crossing her arms in annoyance.<\/p>\n

At Shichi\u2019s request, she returned to her fox form to make better use of her nose. Their pace was rushed as they followed the scent. He desperately hoped the parents hadn\u2019t gone far \u2014 he wasn\u2019t sure what he would do if left with abandoned egg. They didn\u2019t go far through the trees before a spot of red caught the tengu\u2019s eye. He stopped in his tracks, kneeling to examine the bright trail between the grass.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s blood,\u201d he said under his breath, looking up to see more spots leading ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis way,\u201d Chiyo said, darting past him to follow the trail. It seemed the scent and blood belonged to the same person.<\/p>\n

As they entered a clearing, Shichi could feel his chest seize. At the foot of a large tree lay a woman \u2014 a tengu woman. Blood stained her clothing, pooling over the moss below her. It was no mystery why; an arrow lay fixed in her collar, protruding straight from her heaving chest.<\/p>\n

He hurried to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder as he examined the wound.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t move,\u201d he said, taking note of how deep the arrow had gone and how much blood she had lost. There was more than one wound \u2014 it seemed she had attempted to remove another arrow on her own. The bloodied shaft lay discarded to the side, the head still embedded in her frame.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-you found it,\u201d she whispered, her voice hoarse. \u201cMy egg.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Shichi said, his voice gentle. \u201cIt\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working quickly, he cut open the collar of her kimono, noticing the edge of the arrowhead. Something had stopped it from going deeper.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s in the bone,\u201d he whispered, his heart sinking. He didn\u2019t have the equipment to remove it quickly. The other arrowhead had disappeared beneath her skin; it would take time to locate and extract it \u2014 time she didn\u2019t have.<\/p>\n

\u201cTh-they\u2019re taking our eggs,\u201d she murmured, gazing up at the monk. \u201cPlease, keep it safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shichi returned her look, his eyes softening. The woman knew just as well as he did \u2014 she wasn\u2019t going to make it. Even so, he continued tending her, doing his best to stop whatever bleeding he could.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is?\u201d he asked as he pressed a torn cloth over the wound.<\/p>\n

\u201cHu\u2026 humans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chiyo exchanged a look with him, her expression hardening with concern. If humans were stealing eggs, it was likely this woman wasn\u2019t the only victim.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re here,\u201d the woman said, her voice already starting to fade. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to die alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

For just a moment, the monk paused. He was sorry that it had to be a stranger by her side \u2014 that she couldn\u2019t be in the company of loved ones in her last moments. She must have struggled terribly, hiding the egg before forcing herself to press on. Yet, despite her suffering, there was only warmth in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me your name,\u201d Shichi asked, taking her by the hand. Her fingers squeezed his palm, grateful for the contact.<\/p>\n

\u201cMai,\u201d the woman whispered. Her breath began to shudder and her back arched in pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cMai,\u201d he repeated, somehow managing to keep his voice even. \u201cWe\u2019ll take care of your egg \u2014 I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is the father? What is his name?\u201d<\/p>\n

At this, she faltered. Her eyes closed tightly, attempting to speak through the pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsamu,\u201d she whispered, gripping his hand. \u201cBut he\u2019s\u2026 y-you mustn\u2019t\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

Her words trailed, fading into a soft exhale. Shichi could feel her fingers go limp against his own as her head dropped to the side. She was gone.<\/p>\n

Shichi closed his eyes. The clearing was silent; no longer could he hear her pained breaths, nor did he feel her pulse on his hand. Once more, he had watched another of his kind die, unable to do a thing to stop it. All that was left of her was the egg inside the folds of his jacket. It was warm and solid, reminding him of the promise he had made.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis way isn\u2019t safe,\u201d Chiyo said after the moment had passed. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to take a detour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shichi gave a slight nod, finally meeting her eyes. Though he wished to offer the proper rites, there would be no time to bury the woman.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut first,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to find her village.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? You heard her \u2014 she said we shouldn\u2019t,\u201d the fox said, narrowing her eyes. \u201cIt\u2019s probably crawling with humans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe father might still be alive. We have to at least try, unless you want to adopt this child,\u201d Shichi said, lifting the egg to make his point. The kitsune snorted, her tails flopping in irritation. Without another word, she turned to follow another scent.<\/p>\n

The trail led them up a steep slope, making the journey all the more difficult. It was to be expected \u2014 tengu usually lived in mountains. It had been a long time since Shichi had stepped foot in a tengu village. There was, however, no room for nostalgia in his mind. Something told him he may not like what they found.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat scent are you following?\u201d he asked, wondering just how keen her nose was.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmoke,\u201d came her flat reply. He quieted, wishing that he hadn\u2019t asked.<\/p>\n

Using his staff to for balance, he followed the kitsune through the trees. The terrain grew rockier. It was only when his eyes caught a rising pillar of black that he knew they were close. His pace quickened, nearly slipping on the pebbles that lined the path. As they rounded a rock wall, the monk\u2019s expression blanked, unable to look away from the sight before him.<\/p>\n

At that moment, he could have sworn he could see his temple \u2014 its rafters burning and paint peeling with heat. The walls of the meditation hall were crumbling and the bodies of monks lay motionless in the courtyard. He could hear his friend Shusei whispering his name, his voice dry and weak. The scent of ash and blood sucked the air from Shichi\u2019s chest, leaving him frozen in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cShichi,\u201d Chiyo said, snapping him out of his stupor. The tengu closed his eyes, shaking the memories from his mind. There was no temple here \u2014 it was a village.<\/p>\n

Half of the structures had already collapsed, blackened and barely recognizable as homes. The others were still burning, sending columns of smoke into the morning sky. Even from a distance, Shichi could see the bodies of villagers scattered on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he whispered, unable to look away. Without thinking, he moved forward, continuing up the path to the town.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait,\u201d Chiyo hissed, using her human form to grab his arm. \u201cIt\u2019s not safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to look for\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

Shichi\u2019s words were interrupted by voices \u2014 human voices. One was shouting commands to the others; it seemed they were still looking for eggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cShichi, run,\u201d Chiyo said, tightening her grip as she pulled him back.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there might be\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cRun!\u201d she growled. \u201cBefore they see us!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t,\u201d the monk panted, his eyes still locked on the rising flames. \u201cI can\u2019t leave them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saw it yourself. They\u2019re dead \u2014 they\u2019re all<\/i> dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shichi could feel his spine weakening. Perhaps it was the smoke, but it was becoming difficult to breathe. His throat was raw, burning with every breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we don\u2019t leave now, you\u2019re going to join them,\u201d Chiyo continued, her eyes tightening as she spoke.<\/p>\n

The kitsune didn\u2019t give him time to respond. She wrenched him backwards, pulling Shichi past the rock wall out of sight. Luckily, she was much stronger than he was. Their feet swept over stone and moss, their breath short as they hurried back down the mountainside. The monk was silent, saying nothing as the village disappeared in the distance. Soon, he could no longer smell smoke, nor could he see the cloud of black that had lingered above.<\/p>\n

By the time they stopped running, the sun had risen higher in the sky. Shichi collapsed against a tree, gasping for air and fighting the pain in his lungs. His knees seemed to liquify and he slid to the ground beside the trunk. One hand held the tree for support, the other still cradling the egg at his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2026 we should be safe now,\u201d Chiyo panted, leaning forward on her knees.<\/p>\n

Shichi remained quiet, only opening his jacket to take the egg in both hands. His shoulders rose and fell with his labored breaths, but all he could focus on was the egg. Carefully, he checked it for damage, running his fingers over the shell. Satisfied that it was intact, he clutched it back to his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you okay?\u201d Chiyo asked, noticing his silence. His eyes were glazed and his motions stilted. Shichi gave a single nod in response, still not making eye contact with the kitsune.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do with it?\u201d the kitsune asked, crouching beside him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have to find another village \u2014 someone to adopt it,\u201d he said, his voice flat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen where\u2019s the nearest tengu village?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Shichi replied, his posture weakening. \u201cNot anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, don\u2019t worry,\u201d Chiyo said with a nod. \u201cWe\u2019ll find one.\u201d<\/p>\n

He finally looked at her, grateful for her words. There had been a time when his kind were plentiful, when living in the mountains was enough to keep them safe and secluded. Now, it seemed that every town he knew had fallen at the hands of men. He could only hope that his own village was still safe. It had been years since he had seen his family \u2014 but that was the way of a monk.<\/p>\n

Wearily, Shichi let his eyes fall back onto the egg in his hands. It was smooth against his palms, its pale green surface flecked with brown. He wondered if it would look like its mother \u2014 if the child would have the same warmth in its eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shichi could see a cat. It wasn\u2019t a demon, nor a monster. It was a typical gray house cat with a single tail and large, green eyes. The feline was laying in a sunbeam beside an open door, paying no…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-two"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=662"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":665,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662\/revisions\/665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}