Clandestine (Erityian Tribes Novella, #6)

07 : Lingering Thoughts

I felt good after feeding him. Kapag susubukan niyang magreklamo ay isinusubo ko kaagad sa kanya ang kutsara. I think his tongue even got burnt. Feeling ko tuloy, nakaganti ako sa Shinigamis, even just for a little.

He fell asleep right after. I had to clean and dress his wounds again because they started bleeding when he moved a while ago.

Sa totoo lang, gusto ko na siyang gumaling para makaalis na siya. I didn't want to be with an enemy for so long, lalo na matapos ang lahat ng nangyari.

Napaupo na lang ako sa sahig matapos 'yon. I stared at him and remembered how this was supposed to be Akemi's house if we managed to save her. I immediately pushed that thought at the corner of my mind. Tumayo ako at lumabas sa cabin.

That was right. I was still weak. I needed to train more.

I went to Green's Bane and waited for the beasts to find me. A minute later, a tiger the size of a bear fixed its gaze on me. It was a sabretooth and based on its pattern and coloration, this must be one of the three that survived the enhancement. Damn, I got myself a tough one.

Agad akong tumalon papunta sa isang puno nang sumugod iyon sa akin. It was fast and agile and if I was just a second late, my foot would have been torn apart by its teeth and powerful jaws.

It bared its fangs at me as it let out a majestic growl. Suddenly, it felt like facing that rude Shinigami. Agad naman akong napangiti. This could be a good image training. I'd give you hell.

***

Well, it turned out the beast had adapted well to high-level battles.

Ngayon ay na-stuck na ako sa taas ng isang puno dahil napuruhan niya ako. I was careless earlier and its claws dug into my thigh. Fortunately, I managed to wound its chest and eyes, and I used that to escape. But I was surprised when I saw two more tigers in the vicinity. And those were sabretooths, too.

Hindi ko alam kung na-sense lang ba nila ang presence ko o naramdaman nila na kailangan ng kasama nila ng katulong. I had been fighting against the tiger for hours but I only landed two clean cuts. With my current condition, I don't think I could face all three.

"Shit," I cursed under my breath as the tigers lingered below the tree where I was.

Napasandal na lang ako habang tinatalian ang malalim na sugat ko sa binti. I didn't want to risk escaping by jumping on trees because it was already dark. There might be more predators who were active at night. Dala na rin ng pagod ay naramdaman ko ang pagbigat ng mga mata ko.

Oh, well. Might as well rest here. Saka na lang ako aalis kapag sumikat na ang araw.

***

'Kill to protect. That's the only way.'

Mitsuo's face came into my view, but something was strange. He looked . . . murderous. Halos mapasigaw ako nang makita ko kung gaano karaming Shinigami ang nasa paligid niya. All of them were either headless or killed brutally.

He looked at my direction, blood splattered on his face, and smiled at me.

'Michiko, protect them for me.'

But a spear suddenly pierced his chest and his blood splashed all over me.

Agad akong napadilat habang hinahabol ang hininga ko. Panic rose to my throat as I saw the blood on my hands. I started to sob and tried to calm myself, reassuring everything was alright. It took me minutes before I realized it was a dream and I was still on the limb of a tree.