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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SolidSnake" data-source="post: 1984158" data-attributes="member: 102">Chapter 4“What do you mean,” Saburo demanded.  His voice must have been louder than he intended, for Yatsen seemed embarrassed by his lack of control and disrespect for his own father.“Ren’s father is dead,” Nobutaka said sadly.“Whaa-how,” Saburo asked frantically.“We think it was a wild animal,” Yatsen interjected from his seat in the corner of the room.Saburo had known Yatsen as long as he had known Ren and Jin-qua.  They had all grown up together and collectively bonded.  All of them looked out for one another and helped each other when they could.  This must have been Yatsen’s way of helping Saburo; telling him the truth and not allowing the rumors of what would happen slowly eat away at his spirit.“We suspect this happened not too long ago,” Yatsen continued.  “It must have been after you left though.  My father and I received the alarm from Kenichi when he went to go check on his father in the stables.  He tends to check the horses at night personally before he goes to bed.  When he did not return promptly, Iriye grew anxious and sent Kenichi to investigate.  He found his body badly mutilated in the barn.  Apparently there was a struggle of sorts as he was tangled up in a harness and a horse escaped.  The Eta who are now preparing the body have instructed my father that only an animal as large as a bear could have made those wounds on a man the size of Ichiro.  As soon as I was allowed to take my leave, I came here.  Men are still at the house now and Ide Chukuun-dono is issuing a curfew for the next few days until this bear can be found.  I suspect that both Ren and Iriye will need some help over the next few days as well, but I will be helping my father patrolling the countryside.  It would be nice of you to go and help them in whatever you can.”“Father, I have nearly comp-“ Saburo blurted out.Nobutaka held up his hand.  “Go.”Within moments Saburo had packed up most of his belongings, his eyes only resting moments upon the sake bottle he had intended to give Ichiro this past night.  How silly and disgracing it would be to bring it along now.  Ripping his thoughts from the porcelain jug, he hurried towards Ren’s home.___________________________________After depositing his things in the house and paying his respects to Iriye, he went to find Ren in the stables.  Giyoshi was outside, as he volunteered to keep an eye out on the family until the Ceremony of Passage was completed for Ichiro and Kenichi ascended to head of the household officially.  Saburo found Ren quickly enough.  She was stroking Blaze’s face whilst weeping.“Ren, I…I’m so sorry.”She forced a smile.“At least he tried to fight it off as best he could.  I know Blaze here tried to help him,” she said.The horse whinnied as if to answer her.“Any trouble catching him this time,” Saburo joked.“Not this time, Saburo.”“Come one, we should go inside and get some rest.”Saburo gently reached out touch her shoulders and Ren broke down into tears.  He held her as she sobbed against his chest.  Let it out Ren, let it out.___________________________________________________________The next day, Saburo waited for no one to begin helping.  He knew very little about horses, but had had some experience with Jin-qua in the past.  He brushed down all eight and walked them personally for about a mile before turning them loose in the pasture.  Saburo wasn’t sure, but he thought he caught Giyoshi smirking in the background as he patrolled the area.  Everything was going very well until Saburo reached Blaze.  When he went to wipe the horse down, he noticed that the horse was dirtier than he expected.  Reaching down to clean off her flank, Saburo saw blood on Blaze’s hooves.  Poor Ren.  She thought the horse was trying to protect her father when it was probably just scared out of its mind.  No doubt it trampled Ichiro’s body.  A good thing he had already past by that time.  Ren doesn’t need to know, she has enough to worry about already.As he was about to place Blaze back in her stall, he heard something.  A child’s laughter…but wrong.  His eyes scanned the stable and found nothing.  I must be going crazy.  The giggle came again, only this time the sound came at him from all direction filling his mind with fear.  Saburo’s head snapped back and forth, straining to find the source.  Suddenly he was thrown backwards into one of the stalls.  The breath blasted from his body as he impacted into the hard wooden door.  Damnit, I spooked the horse!You scare no one human!  The voice filled his mind.  It was then he realized that Blaze was staring directly at him.  She intentionally threw me into the wall!  The mare’s eyes began to glow bright red and crimson tendrils shot out at Saburo, holding him fast in their embrace.  Blaze’s bared her teeth, showing the row upon row of fangs filling her mouth.  Her jaw began to open…too wide!  Bone and sinew popped as the horse’s mouth underwent a hideous transformation in front of him.  Its jaws grew and grew until its maw was half his size.Know that I am your master now, slave!Saburo screamed as Blaze closed for the kill.</blockquote>

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