Drop by Drop (4/4)
Title: Drop by Drop
Prompt: Here Be Dragons
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: language
Please see the bottom for any notes as they will have spoilers.
---
So Kurogane, the strange man who lived out in the woods was some sort of folklore creature. Fai had slept on it back at the inn and realized he was surprisingly okay with it. Kurogane hadn't eaten him, which was a plus and while some of the people had asked him if he'd found anything nothing too serious had happened.
Fai got out of bed early and had breakfast once he'd cleaned up and dressed. Sakura had still been asking him about him running off into the night four days ago, but he kept to his story of not finding anything. He was conflicted though on what to do with his work. He couldn't oust Kurogane, people would come from all over the world to hunt him down, maybe cage him or make him into a trophy.
When he walked into the main area of the inn where the guests ate and the bar was against the wall he noticed there were more people up and about than usual. Sakura was darting around tables filling orders.
"What's all this?" Fai asked when she drew close enough.
"Someone sent a telegram out to the military base up north about the monster sighting the other day. I think they're here just to prove there's nothing out there and to keep people from panicking." She explained as she balanced a tray in one hand.
Fai gave her a rushed smile, mind racing. "Strange, but I'll see you around later, I have some errands to run." he explained and with that was hurrying towards the front door. He had to tell Kurogane.
He wasn't sure how he hadn't woken up earlier. The little town was bustling as military men, all dressed in uniform waited around the docks while boats were being prepared, others were unloading wagons and Fai could see a gatling gun peeking out from a tarp. Trying not to flat out run, the blonde caught a man going out along the road, on his way to the next town over. for a ride. He hoped Kurogane wasn't out in the loch now. Fai wasn't sure why he was so worried. The man was much stronger than he looked and would take a lot to overpower Kurogane. They were barely friends, if that much really and it just kept him more in the dark about his motivations.
When he came to the edge of the woods he usually stepped into to make his way to Kurogane, he hoped off the cart and waved in thanks for the ride before leaving the road. Thankfully he didn't have to go far to find Kurogane, the man sitting on a large boulder, a tree had grown around it, it's roots forcing the rock apart down the middle of it. "Kuro-reed. Have you heard the news?"
"I saw them, this morning as the sun rose." It had made him angry seeing the caravan coming down the road in his forest, by his lake, his home. He had wanted to pull them one by one into the waters depths watching as the air left their lungs and filled with the murky water. Though he remembered his place and knew he parents would be ashamed if he lashed out in anger like that no matter how much they deserved it.
"What are you going to do?"
"Nothing."
"What if they find you? You can go into the lake until they're gone." Fai urged as he stepped aside so Kurogane could step down.
"I have to protect this place." He told Fai giving him a hard look. "They'll run amuck in the forest and be all over the loch. I'm the guardian here and it's bad enough I've let it get as bad as it has. With the land being developed there won't be anything left in a few more generations."
"That may be true...but you can't be seen." Fai was all but begging him.
"I will fight if I have to."
"But you don't, no one but me knows your here. Stay away from the lake for a few days, they'll get bored and leave." Fai reasoned as Kurogane began to walk off. He followed after him trying to reason with Kurogane.
"I know. They'd have set fire to the forest to flush me out idiot."
"Ah, there's the grumpy Kuro I know." Fai joked. They would just have to wait and see.
--
Kurogane had sent him home and Fai hated it. He felt like a child, but when the other man could change into a giant sea serpent there wasn't much he could do about it. He sat in the inn pouting a bit and nursing a drink hoping Kurogane would take his advice.
This went on for two days, Fai anxiously watching as the military ran around. He watched as they went in and out of the loch and the town liked it. Liked that someone was taking them seriously. Fai just hoped Kurogane was hidden.
And in the evening when someone came in talking about how a boat had caught a glimpse of something moving in the water Fai's breath caught. Large spot lights had been set up along the shoreline for a good portion of the loch's expanse as boats travelled up and down. Heavy nets had been cast as well to try and catch something.
The next day Fai noticed people rushing about, military men talking in rushed whispers as they moved several horses and wagons out.
"One of them said they caught something last night. Tangled in the nets." Fai looked over to see Doumeki standing there, face emotionless as always as he held a bag of feed over his shoulder.
"A lake monster?" He asked and got a shrug.
"Something that wants them to hurry like this." Doumeki left him then as Fai stared out at the large fishing boat they had commandeered. Fai would have to check it out, but it would have to wait until dark.
So while he waited he ran back upstairs to his room. He would have to go out to where ever it was they were gathering. Maybe have to go through the woods to keep hidden. He just hoped they hadn't found Kurogane, that they were actually just leaving.
--
Fai should have known life wasn't that fortunate. He followed one of the game trails Kurogane had taken him on during their walks. It took nearly two hours to make it, but it was hard to look over when there was a large camp set up on the opposite side of the loch hidden away from any prying eyes along the road or the town. When he peered out from the undergrowth he watched as someone tried to reign in a horse, who snorted and reared in fright. Scanning over he noticed the wagons from before set up as well as tents that had been erected.
A loud clanging, that echoed in the small clearing made him pause before trying to find a way closer to the source of the sound. When he found it his heart dropped to his stomach. Kurogane was there body crammed into a metal cage that made Fai think of a tiger he had seen pacing behind iron bars in a travelling circus.
He was in his true form, and barely able to move which meant he couldn't gather the force to break out of his prison. Kurogane still had netting wrapped around one of his back legs and tail. Fai couldn't begin to wonder how they had managed to find him let alone capture and put him in a cage.
Fai peeked out from a bush trying to get the serpents attention and no one else. Grabbing a small rock he tossed it at the cage, missing it and cursing his aim. Though when large eyes turned toward him he thought maybe it wasn't so bad. Smiling he held a finger to his lips and ducked back down. He had to figure out a way to break the thick chains and lock on the cage door.
His pocket knife wouldn't do the trick. Fai moved along the outskirts of the camp stopping when someone walked too close. When he saw his chance he ducked into an empty tent. There were chests piled inside, boxes labeled for ammo and when he picked up a heavy glass bottle of chloroform he saw how they managed to get Kurogane.
Rummaging around through a box filled with rope and chains he stumbled across a bolt cutter and silently thanked his lucky stars. Now just to get back without being seen releasing the giant lake monster from his cage.
With his nerves on end Fai hunched down and snuck out of the tent trying to head back into the cover of the forest. Luckily they were near the back of the camp, but then on the other hand they were far from the lake so Kurogane would have to turn human to hide.
Knowing he could be caught at any moment was terrifying, he didn't want to ruin Kurogane's only chance of escape and when he came close to Kurogane's cage he had to duck behind a crate. There were men there, guns slung over their shoulders. By the glimpse of the medals they had though they seemed to be higher ranking. No doubt to keep just anyone from seeing what they had caught, words would spread like wildfire otherwise.
He had to get them away though, at least long enough to cut the chain. Sitting back he looked around him for anything, only seeing tarp and rocks. Getting an idea however he grabbed the rock and chucked it several yards away into the underbrush where it rustled the bushes there. He glanced up quickly and was fortunate enough to see them going off to investigate. Scrambling he hurried over to the cage with Kurogane watching him. Trying to make as little noise as possible and still get him out Fai grabbed hold of the lock and with the pliers tried cutting it. The metal was thick though and the cutters not as sharp as they should have been. Heart fluttering it took all his strength to finally cut through the metal.
Fai winced when the lock hit the edge of the cage, making a loud ringing sound as the chain fell as well. "Come on Kuro-san, we have to get you out." When he looked up Kurogane stood there, body changed into the horse he had met weeks before.
Opening the door he flinched as he groaned and moved so the horse could step out. Ducking back behind the tent nearby Kurogane nudged his arm and stared. Getting the message when he turned away from him and looked back Fai climbed up onto his back. While the horse looked waterlogged, he was barely damp which seemed odd to the blonde, but really they had no time for this as Kurogane snorted.
A bell rang loud and clear over the camp and Fai turned to look seeing men running towards the cage. "We've worn out our welcome Kuro-reed. Let's go." With that Kurogane shot off into the woods, but not before they were seen. A shot whizzed by him and thankfully hit neither of them. While they didn't know of Kurogane's other forms, it was clear they knew who had set their captive free.
Kurogane couldn't break into a gallop with the thick woods around them so Fai threaded his fingers into his mane and tugged. "This way! We need to get somewhere you can run!" At this rate they'd be caught. He wanted Kurogane to move closer to the loch, to the roads.
Fai could hear them, their horses snorting and crying as they were forced to weave through the cluster of trees. At least they were slowed down too.
Looking behind them he could see the lights of their lanterns in the darkness as they broke through the tree line and Kurogane began to gallop, the loch was still in the distance. Though when he saw Kurogane wasn't going around but straight to the lake he tugged at the dark matted mane. "What are you doing?!" He asked as the cold air stung his eyes. When he tried to kick the horse in the side to grab his attention he found his legs weren't moving. Staring down it looked as if his leg was glued to the others side. When he tried to let go of the mane to try and free his leg he stared wide eyed as his hands were stuck.
He stared in horror as they drew closer to the lake. Fai tried to pull away to no avail. "Stop! Stop!" Kurogane wasn't hearing him as he raced to the loch. He would drown if Kurogane didn't let him go. "Kurogane stop please!"
Kurogane's eyes, which had been glazed over since the first scent of the water had hit his nose, began to clear. Shaking his head he slowed to a trot realizing what he had been about to do. He had been about to drag Fai down into the depths of the loch and drown him. Turning, Fai fell off his back and scrambled away from him eyes wide with fear.
He was breathing hard, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Looking over towards the other he could see recognition in those eyes. "Kuro-wave?"
Kurogane's ears pinned back against his head. Relief flooded him, but it was short lived as he could hear the soldiers approaching. Shaking his head Kurogane trotted around him and snorted. He really had no other choice. Climbing back up he was hesitant this time around as he tangled his fingers into dark hair. "The shack."
With that Kurogane bolted, they would have to go towards the town to make it to the shack sooner. Another shot fired, making him wince and look over his shoulder to see behind them three riders. They were too far to catch up to them with the pace Kurogane was moving at, but they would still be able to try and shoot him.
It was the middle of the night so no one was out in the streets, which he was thankful for as Kurogane barreled down the road, tugging at his mane Fai wanted him to o to the inn. "I have an idea!"
Kurogane didn't know what it was, but it was better than being chased all night, so he relented and turned towards the back of the inn. When he saw the stables there he got the picture and jumped the fence of the small corral connected to the paddocks. Quickly he went into an empty stall and Fai slid off him and into the pile of straw there.
They were both hoping they hadn't been seen.
Fai tried to breath as beside them the horses currently being housed stared quietly unsure of the creature in the stall. He tried to calm himself, to say that they wouldn't kill him, he had done nothing wrong. They couldn't prove anything.
What he hadn't expected was Kurogane pushing gently against his shoulder with his snout. With a weary smile he patted his jaw. "Thank you Kuro-lake. Though you did give me a scare."
Kurogane snorted in reply, though he could admit that he owed the reporter his life. Fai laughed at the reaction, his body aching, but happy they were both alive.
---
They had both stayed up throughout the night waiting for the soldiers to find them, but they never did. However there were men about asking questions to the townspeople about last night. Kurogane had changed into a human once more and to Fai's surprise his clothes didn't appear as well, so he had had to ask Sakura for some spare clothes.
It was unusual seeing Kurogane not surrounded by trees and actually in town, but that was the least of his issues. Kurogane followed him around the town like some stray dog. It was sort of cute in a way.
"You there."
Fai turned to see an older man dressed in uniform, stone faced and sharp eyed, motioning for him. "Anything I can help you with officer?"
"There was some property stolen last night. Our guards say a blonde man was the culprit, rode a large horse. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
"Nope, I was working on an article in my room last night. I'm a reporter you see from the city. They sent me down here to write an article about some kind of lake monster, but from what I've heard it's just a bunch of drunken tales and an escaped cow swimming in the lake."
"A cow you say?" He gave Fai a suspicious look as Kurogane bristled behind him. A cow? That bastard.
"From what I've heard." He shrugged. "Nothing around here but fish, trees, and people. I planned on going back tomorrow actually."
The officer stared before he grumbled and nodded. "Move along then."
With a nod Fai and Kurogane left. "So, since you can't go back to your home yet what do you plan on doing?"
"Stay with you I guess until they leave."
"It may be awhile since they know now you live here." Fai really couldn't imagine Kurogane in a city. It would be like trying to make an elephant into a housecat. It just wasn't wise.
"This is my home though. I can't just leave it behind." Kurogane frowned, he wasn't about to lose his home to anyone, no matter what Fai tried to say.
"I suppose I could stay here. How much do you suppose it would cost to create a newspaper here?" Fai grinned as they headed down the street like it was normal for them.
"How should I know idiot?" He glared as Fai laughed at him, but the blonde was happy and relaxed. Kurogane could admit he liked that. When they rounded the corner he leaned down and kissed the blonde on the lips for a second before pulling away, a hint of a blush on his cheeks as he refused to make eye contact.
"Hmm...I'll have to look into it then since you're obviously terrible with money." Fai chided not teasing about the kiss, but it did make him smile wider.
"Fine. Whatever, but I'm not going to be the one lugging your shit around. I'm not a damn pack horse."
"But you could be." They continued on like nothing had happened, a small part of them just a little brighter, warmer and better off for meeting.
*notes
- fuath is an evil, Gaelic mythological water spirit. In Irish Gaelic, the word "fuath" means "hate". Its name is sometimes used as a regional variance for Kelpie.
-Kurogane is a mixture of a few creatures. A kelpie, each-uisge, and a sea serpent.
- Each-uisge a shape-shifter, disguising itself as a fine horse or handsome man. If, while in horse form, a man mounts it, he is only safe as long as the each-uisge is ridden in the interior of land. However, the merest glimpse or smell of water means the end of the rider: the each-uisge's skin becomes adhesive and the creature immediately goes to the deepest part of the loch with its victim.
-Kelpie is said to take the form of a black horse and once someone, usually a child, climbs onto it's back its skin becomes adhesive and dives into the water drowning its victims.
~the end.
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