"Regain your strength, Ichimatsu," I couldn't hold back the quiver in my voice, the bitten palm throbbing with pain as I spoke, "Find us again."

"I promise," Ichimatsu's response was just as tender as his hand cupping my cheek, his thumb briefly brushing under my eye, "I swear that I will find you when I have fully recovered."

My body was forced upwards and onto someone's back, my eyes watching Ichimatsu as he faded into the darkness of the cave while sunlight swallowed my vision. With a soft whimper, I buried my face into the person's back while my fingers held onto what fabric I could while the one who carried me darted into the forest.

I could hear the screams and yells deep within the woods, fluttering leaves and biting wind lashing out into the surrounding trees while I focused on the exerted panting of the inugami holding me, "Jyushimatsu...don't let me fall."

His only response was a flex in his grip.

The blinding snow made it difficult for me to keep track of my surroundings, the white-barked trees blending together as the sun slowly became obscure while the skies darkened with clouds that threatened another storm.

A flash of red stood out amongst the white.

Jyushimatsu moved the instant I saw the spot of color, his full attention on jumping away from the large spiked club that slammed down on where his next step would have been. The inugami didn't move to arm himself as he firmed up his stance from the diverted jump, my eyes seeing the oni move between the trees and step out into the clearing.

Osomatsu remained in his human guise, but the red aura wafting off his body threatened his real form.

"Quite spry for a stray dog," The oni grinned as his hand fell on the club's handle, lifting the massive thing with ease to swing it around before resting the metal club on his right shoulder. Osomatsu's eyebrow raised in curiosity, "Nothing to say, pup?"

The inugami only tilted his head forward a little.

"Drop the meat and I won't hurt you too badly. Maybe I'll leave a limb intact for you."

I fought to steady my breath, using the knowledge that Karamatsu -- the ao-andon that wished to devour my fear -- must be nearby. Kind memories of Ichimatsu flooded into my head, alleviating my worry with the promise he just made. The pain in my palm slowly faded as I rested my forehead against Jyushimatsu's back.

A growl that I could only describe as acknowledgement escaped the inugami's lips, bracing me against himself as he suddenly charged towards Osomatsu.

An unbearable heat rolled from the oni, instantly melting the snow around us and causing sweat to pearl on my skin.

Still Jyushimatsu pressed on, the muscles in his legs coiling and violently releasing to spring him into the air. His hands gripped my legs tightly to his hips as I felt his back arch, expecting some kind of dodge.

Instead, Jyushimatsu's upper half lurched forward before a 'crunch' sounded out, the hollow thud of bone against bone echoing against Osomatsu's yowl. A cursory glance under my arm saw the oni reeling below us with a bloodied area right behind his left horn; a slightly curled horn that spun away from him as bone shards told the short story of where the collision had been.

Gravity gripped Jyushimatsu firmly as Osomatsu grew larger in my vision, only seeing the inugami correct his trajectory and affixing his feet onto the oni's exposed face. Once more, his leg muscles sent him upwards and away from the danger as Osomatsu was forced to fall backwards onto the damp grass underneath him.

The set of booted footprints on Osomatsu's face was humorous to see.

As Jyushimatsu sped away from where he landed, the oni's heat fell away to winter's cold, the sweat freezing on my skin and sending a shudder through my frame as I buried my face into the fabric wrapped around his neck.

"Master," The title fell from Jyushimatsu's lips carefully, "Are you hurt?"

"No...no, I'm not," I couldn't shake my head, grateful for the show of concern, "You did well."

Snowfall sped past my field of vision, growing ever more into thick clumps that blinded me. Another shudder tore through my nerves before I felt a warmth wrap around my back, blinking away my frozen tears to find that Jyushimatsu had laid a thick pelt of fur against me.

"Rest, master. I will keep you safe."

----

A loud snap startled me awake, my eyes quickly taking in the immediate scenery.

Wooden panels were arranged into four walls, a ceiling structure enclosing the space I was in. There was a small door on one of the walls, barred on the inside to prevent entry. A gentle glow of orange was cast upon the surfaces I could see, my eyes falling down to a black form that was seated between myself and the source of the glow.

Another snap told me that it was a small fire casting the light, shadows moving with every flicker.

I gently lay my head back down, feeling soft fur rub against my cheek as I took in a breath.

"Was your sleep restful?" A voice pulled my mind from the thought of sleeping, drawing my attention to the black form in front of the fire. His ice-blue eyes were focused on me.

"Yes..." I gently folded the fur that lay on top of me over, sitting up and adjusting my clothing as needed, "It wasn't the best sleep I've had, but I needed it."

Jyushimatsu barely moved from the fire, his attention now back on whatever he was doing, "Then that's all I can hope for."

Another 'pop' from the fire drew my attention, stretching my tired muscles before crawling over to sit at his side.

In one of Jyushimatsu's hands was a stick, prodding at two packaged things in the coals of the fire. The wrapping appeared to be burnt.

"Is that for both of us?"

"Yes," The simple word reminded me of what Jyushimatsu had attempted to do when I first awoke in the cave, not flinching away this time when he pulled one of the burnt packages from the coals to rest in front of me, "It's not...what the cities can provide, but it'll meet your basic needs."

I only hummed in acknowledgement as I gently pried open the burnt wrapping, quickly discovering that it was a large leaf that had been folded over the food many times. Fluffy rice, berries, and various root vegetables tumbled from their bound state, catching me by surprise as Jyushimatsu began to open his little package.

With no eating utensils at hand, we both ate in silence while enjoying the food with our fingers. I caught Jyushimatsu looking over at me a few times before he felt assured enough that I was actually eating the food he prepared, not speaking a word and tossing the leaf back into the fire for fuel. I enjoyed every pinch of food, letting it speak for him as my stomach filled with the simple yet nutritious mixture.

When I had finished, I followed his example and threw the leaf onto the fire.

"Here," Jyushimatsu held something out towards me, my eyes catching the reflective surface before I took the simple clay cup of water.

I drank the cup dry, intending to give it back before Jyushimatsu refilled it to the brim, "Oh...thanks."

The crackle from the fire spoke in the silence between us.

"Jyushimatsu," His name on my lips drew his attention, the inugami pausing in drinking from his own cup, "What...what happened to you after your brush broke?"

Jyushimatsu's eyes lowered to his drink before swallowing the remainder, putting the cup near the bucket of water that he had drawn from somewhere and moving towards me. His hands deftly pulled the fur blanket around my shoulders before he looked over my form, my mind confused as to what he was doing until Jyushimatsu seemed satisfied at my comfort, retreating to the other side of the shed and resting his back against the wall.

"I wanted to kill you."

The sudden confession was startling, my fingers tensing on the fur before I realized that my fear was growing. Jyushimatsu patiently waited while I calmed myself down, his eyes never leaving my face.

"...why?" I could barely get the question out, "I thought Choromatsu had said you were...wanting to serve me?"

"My loyalty to you didn't start that way," He took in a breath, closing his eyes for a moment before gazing at the fire, "The fight that Osomatsu and I had was...taxing in many ways. After the gifted brush snapped, the only thing on my mind was your family. When I had recovered from the battle and returned home, I found only the dead. Presuming the worst, I searched for answers as to what happened to you and Ichimatsu, whether you had been killed by him or not. With the silence as my answer, my anger against you festered and I destroyed what remained of your family home, devoured the bodies of your kin, and chased your faint scent until I became lost in a blinding snowstorm."

My heart dropped at the mental image, quickly pushing the thought of Jyushimatsu eating my parents out of my mind.

"My path eventually crossed with Choromatsu's, my brother suggesting that we travel together while wandering. For two years, we remained in the wilderness until I caught your scent borne on some wild wind nearly nine days ago," One of his hands lifted up and tugged at the fabric resting around his neck, stiffening the cloth to hide his mouth once more, "Choromatsu claimed that it was a mockery of what he could do, yet your fear was soaked into that breeze."

I had been in Tokushima nine days ago, memories of the disguised Todomatsu sending chills down my skin.

"We were cautious and kept our distance, unsure of the scents that we detected until the air became tainted with blood two nights ago. I had decided to go see what was happening, finding you rushing blindly through the storm while Karamatsu gave chase. That's when my rage became clear: I needed to keep you safe from every other danger. So I intervened, entrusting your safety to Choromatsu while I kept Karamatsu away from you. When Karamatsu had decided that it wasn't worth pressing the fight, he retreated and I fell back to where Choromatsu put you."

"So, your desire to protect comes from a wish to kill me?"

"I do not wish for your death at this moment," Jyushimatsu stated matter-of-factly, his ice-blue hues shifting back to gaze at me, "My loyalty to you is unwavering, and I will destroy myself on your order."

There was no doubt in his intense look, the pressure nearly overwhelming me like he was challenging me to test him. I blinked a few times before shaking my head at the unspoken demand.

The fire crackled more as some of the sticks fell to coal, dimming the light and accentuating Jyushimatsu's eyes more.

"There is...one thing bothering me," I braced myself before meeting his eyes again, "How do you know for certain that I'm still...pure?"

Jyushimatsu blinked once, as if he was taken aback by me asking the question, "An ao andon doesn't eat anything else other than fear. There's no greater meal than making someone think a terrifying event happened."