Chapter 20 - Now we hunt-Ginta

Ginta quickly found the storefront that was his target for this hunt. Baku had picked up on the scent trail from back at the shrine, which really concerned the young ookami youkai. It suggested that the 'Nightwalkers' were not only familiar with his pack sister, but that they had apparently been stalking her for sometime. Having lost their prey the night before, so unexpectedly, the trail suggested that they were looking to get back what they had lost.

This only angered Ginta all the more. It was bad enough that they had brutally, viciously, and with no manner of sanity by any standards he knew of, violated, beaten, and harmed one of his nee-sans. Not just any nee-san either. But the little Miko who had been an accepted pack sister for the past four years. One that no one was entitled to touch without her express consent or the consent of her immediate family.

As far as the young ookami warrior was concerned that family was Kouga's pack, the Inu brothers, and those who traveled with her. Anyone else who dared to touch her, or even consider harming her, was fair game for a pack hunt and right now, he was on the prowl and his prey was near.

The trail led him and Baku, his pack brethren, to a lower rear window on the eastside of the building. The place was not in the best of shape, but it looked like someone had found some refuse in a small part of the back of the building. The scent of blood was strong, suggesting that the male he sought had perhaps found himself another victim within the past couple of days.

Just the memory of the way his pack sister had looked, back in Kaede's hut, made the idea that this loathsome and vile excuse for existence of a ningen might be even now repeating the same cowardly acts against another victim sickening to Ginta. He forced the bile rising in his throat down, and letting his anger help him, both him and Baku entered the building through the broken window.

This lair had a bit of difference to it. It was one of the oldest homes in this area, but it was also one of the longest left abandoned. It was in very bad shape, and in many places looked to be a miracle and a prayer that kept some of the walls in place. Whoever had chosen this spot for a hideout, had been a bit creative. Where the floor against the back wall of the old store had caved through long ago, someone had taken the time to dig out a small passage of stairs and a room.

It consisted of nothing more than packed earth, but the benefits were immediately noticeable. The earth acted as insulation, against the cold, heat, wet, and even dry air. But it, also insulated sounds. This of course worked both ways, as sound inside didn't carry out, and sound outside didn't carry in.

Bare wires had been run from whatever the nearest source was along the short flight of four or five stairs, and into the room at the bottom. Several exposed light bulbs were the soul source of illumination.

With their superior senses, Ginta and Baku could tell that there was at least one onna in the room, and that the male that they were trailing was there as well. The smell of blood was almost overwhelming, and Ginta wondered how the ningen could stand it, for surely even he had to be able to smell the awful odor. It was not like the fresh smell of blood from a new kill during a hunt, nor even the warm smell of blood from a freshly killed enemy.

This was blood that had been spilt a while ago, and left to sit pooled on the soil and ignored. Strong, but stale and old. It was like bad meat, just plain awful.

So quiet did the two move that they were able to hear the male's breathing like he was right in front of them. The smell in the air as they got closer made it clear what the vile thing was doing. When they reached the foot of the stairs the scene before them, almost made Ginta heave where he stood. For it was obvious that the poor girl lying on the blood and dirty caked futon, being violation by the animal a straddle her, had been alive until but a few moments ago.

A wave of guilt that had no discernible reason, washed over Ginta like a man standing in the ocean at the beach. He felt like he was drowning, and could not find his way back to reality. He vaguely noticed that the man had frozen in the middle of his act of wanton lust. A noise seemed to almost flow from the very walls of the room, and it took Ginta a moment to realize that it was coming from him.

Upon seeing the horror before him, coupled with the memories of how the little Miko had looked when he last saw her, Ginta had slipped his controls. With eyes the color of blood and glinting in the light like rubies, his fangs bared, and his claws poised, he leapt upon the vile male ready to slash his throat and spill the ningen's blood. The male seeing what appeared at first glance an insane blood crazed maniac, panicked and tried to leap away from what he saw as impending death racing towards him.

Baku seeing his pack brother losing himself, gave a whine and bark. Whatever he said had the desired effect, because just as Ginta's claws began to sink into the soft flesh of the male's throat, his eyes cleared and the noise in the room stopped. The smell in the room, however, intensified. Now mixed with feces from the scared and snivelling fool at his feet, Ginta could no longer stand the odors that permeated the air in the room.

Despite the fact that the poor onna, body still warm, no longer able to feel any pain or discomfort, the young ookami youkai gently removed her bindings, her gag, and the blindfold that had covered her eyes. He didn't think that he would ever forget the once beautiful green eyes that lay beneath. The pain of her last ordeal still fresh upon them. He didn't even feel the tears of sorrow that rain down his face for the onna he never even knew or would ever learn of.

He gave a quick prayer to the kami he knew, hoping that it would be enough to give her spirit rest, and swore the he would personally see to the punishment of her slayer. He turned then, and once more approach the vile fiend still cringing in his own filth in the corner. He grabbed him, not caring that his claws pierced his flesh, and bound his hands together. He removed the belt that lay on the floor where the male had dropped his clothing, and with a few deft flicks of his claws he had a collar sufficient to fit snuggly around his prey's neck. Some rope lying discarded in the corner served as a leash and there was enough to bind his ankles, leaving just barely enough movement to walk.

Ginta surveyed his handiwork with a critical but satisfied eye, then pull the male to his feet. He grabbed him by the makeshift collar and pulled him forward until they faced off nose to nose.

"Know this ningen filth," he said heatedly and with all of the anger, hatred, pain and guilt that he felt at that moment, "you will feel her pain. I swear it by all the kami there are."

Ginta then yanked on the leash he had made and began leading the male from the building, Baku bringing up the rear. As he went, he neither cared whether the ningen was walking, crawling, or being dragged. He pulled and the male followed. If there were obstacles in the chosen path, so be it.

There was fresh blood left on the broken window that was the sole source of egress to that building that night. And one lonely and sad youkai was secretly glad of every bruise, claw mark, cut, and scrape that the ningen 'developed' on that last walk. When he got to the clearing where they were all to meet, he told Sango and Miroku of the little onna's body. He put his prisoner with the others there, and then sat near a tree.

If spoken to, he would answer as briefly as possible, but he neither spoke of his own accord, nor seemed aware of the others there. They worried for him, and even their ookami brothers and sisters were concerned for him.

When Miroku scouted out the area and found the body, he understood what ailed the young youkai. He explained as best he could to Sango, and between the two of them, they dressed the onna's body as best as they could in some blankets that they had found, and brought her body to the clearing so that Hidenori's friends in the police force could return her to her parents.

They all took a moment upon their return with their burden to gather around Ginta. None said a word, not did they pressure him with their presence. But they did bow their heads in silent prayer for the spirit of the tortured soul. Each did their best to let that soul know that justice would prevail that night to her tormentor, and that he would spend the remainder of his days paying for his vile crimes.

Something must have worked in that silent vigil, because Ginta suddenly felt the pressure of what might have been a hand on his shoulder, and a gentle touch of what might have been a palm on his face. He found himself closing his eyes, and for just a moment the soft pressure on his face was a hand. A soft, gentle, almost loving hand. It was followed by a gentle caress across his lips...what is a kiss? Was it her? Did she understand that he was avenging her death and trying to give her peace?

A soft scent of roses warmed by the midday sun, reached his nose. For a moment a sense of peace seemed to warm his heart, and touch his soul. He felt a bubble of laughter in the back of his mind, and soft, sweet feminine voice with a gentle bell like tone. It warmed his heart and eased the guilt he felt for not having arrived sooner to aid the onna. It gently reminded him that even if he had arrived sooner, it would have made no difference for her injuries were too severe. Its soft tinkle of laughter let him know that he had succeeded in what was needed most, he gave her soul peace and opened the door for her to seek the afterlife as she was meant to do.

With a sigh he smiled then, stood and went over to where the prisoners were currently lying or sitting depending upon whether conscious or not. He sat near the male he had caught. Sat, and with a gleam that sent chills of horror down the spine of the nameless coward, he stared at the male who was his prey. A stare that held a promise. A promise that whispered..."you will feel her pain."

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