Black Feather [Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East Fan-fiction]

Chapter Two: Murasame's Missing

For someone who knew Shino, it was quite like a routine for him to go to the Konaya's inn where he would have his breakfast sometimes. If there was something troubling him, he would sat by the pond and stared on his own reflection as the Koi swam here and there. When he has nothing to do he would either stay in there or ask Satomi to give him his allowance so he could wander around the town and buy some curry buns. Whenever they have a meeting he was always the one, aside from the demon brothers and Keno who seemed to stay there, who would arrive first together with Sousuke. However, it was already noon and Shino and Sousuke had yet to arrive.

"What's taking them so long?" chin on his palm and tapping on the table, Kabungo grumbled under his breath.

"He always comes here on time, right?" Daikaku said as he closed his eyes upon folding his arms.

"Maybe he overslept? Since he is still growing." Dousetsu guessed, adjusting his glasses.

"You're right. He is just like a cat, eat, play, and sleep..." Keno huffed.

"But we are not just talking about Shino. What about Sousuke? He is probably done with his errands if there is." Shinobu pointed out and everyone fell silent for a moment until Shinobu spoke. "Do you think there's something bad happened to them?"

"Hmm...Shino has Murasame and Sousuke is with him, I think, so they would be fine-" Keno said thoughtfully, a hand holding his chin as he looked up while the other was supporting his elbow. "-unless...there really is something wrong."

"Then, he would just send Murasame to inform us, no?" said Kabungo.

"He might have gotten himself killed again and Murasame has gone berserk and Sousuke couldn't handle it by himself." Daikaku said his thoughts aloud.

"Ehhh...!? No way!" worried for his friend, Shinobu exclaimed as he slammed the table and stood abruptly.

"Isn't that a bit too much?" Dousetsu asked, feeling a sweat rolled down his cheek.

"What are you imagining, Daikaku? Satomi and Kaname are there. And, if anything is wrong they would send the fox or something to tell us." Kabungo elaborated.

Genpachi, who was silent all the time, felt like their voices were drowned by his own thoughts as he, too, was worried. His instinct was telling him that something was not right. Fed up with the nonsense guesses of his fellow warrior, he made up his mind to go to the mansion where the Four Sacred Beasts live.

"Ah, aniki, where are you going?" Kabungo asked when he noticed Genpanchi stood and was about to walk out.

"I'm going to see them. There is no point discussing these trivial things." he replied without looking back and opened the door.

"W-wait! I'm coming!" Kabungo scrambled up and rushed outside.

"Me, too!" Shinobu seconded followed by the rest.

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"How are you feeling?" standing by the bed with Kaname while Sousuke gave him a glass of water, Satomi asked.

"I'm fine now." Shino replied after gulping the water and gave the glass back to Sousuke who placed it on the tray he was carrying and settled it on the night stand.

"You got us worried Shi-chan. What happened anyway?" asked Kaname.

"I passed out?" he said sarcastically and Sousuke sighed as he sat at the edge of the bed.