Daemon Hunter Moushigo

_Prologue - Rain Drops

By: Mune Metsukai_

Disclaimer: All characters are copyright Mune Metsukai. All characters and places are completely fictional, and should be viewed as such. This story contains some mature content and should not be viewed by any individual under the age of 18 years. If you are under the age of 18, please refrain from reading further. I take no responsibility for any psychiatric damage this story may cause, read at your own discretion. Send comments to [email protected] . I do not enjoy hate mail, so please refrain from sending such unconstructive criticism. Thank you for reading.

The dark chamber lay quiet, momentarily broken by a droplet of water until once more falling into silence. A single shaft of moonlight entered through a small hole in the stone walls. A small child lay unmoving on the floor of the chamber. The water surrounding him, lapped gently at his stationary body. He lay half conscious. His breaths coming in shallow gasps. His white feathered wings lay limp across his body. Fear gnawed at his young mind, despair eating at his soul. The scent of the enclosed space clung to him and dulled his every sense.

The sound of foot steps came to his ears, bringing them to attention. Every foot fall sounded like far off thunder. The sound of voices came through the stone wall, from the chamber beyond.

"Look at this mess." A masculine voice sounds.

"There is blood and gore everywhere." A second voice echoes in the child's ears.

The young boy struggles to move, to scream, but is unable to do either. He lays numbly in the freezing water, whimpering pitifully. His sick heart thudded in his heaving chest.

"So many victims... That daemon is insane."

"There seems to be no survivors..." A feminine voice says sadly.

The boy begins to whine, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion. His entire body aches.

"They look dragoon; almost every victim has the remains of wings..."

"Do you hear that?"

A third voice answers in surprise; "Sounds like crying... That door?"

The door slowly opens; heavy with the damp, humid air and completely made of thick oak. A young woman is first to see the little boy laying on the floor in the water. She crouches by his side and picks him into her arms. The child seemed almost dead to her, his body as lifeless as that of a corpse. The light of the next chamber glimmered over the floor, revealing the blood and water deep enough that it completely hid the woman's feet. She felt a sudden terror, followed by anger and hatred. How could anyone leave a child in such a horrible place, she wondered.

"Is he alive?" The third voice asks.

"I think so... He's breathing, although barely," she answers.

"Smell that?" The first male voice asks, catching putrid blood on the air. "He is soaked in it."

The boy begins to softly whine in the woman's arms.

"Shh... Everything will be alright little one. I will protect you." The female reassures gently.

"I may think I've found his mother..." The third voice says.

The cub's cheeks streak with tears, his mind clouding and slowly he goes unconscious. The woman holds him close; "Everything will be alright..." She sees the badly mangled body of a female white wolf, almost torn to pieces in a gory mess. She felt her own heart break as she held onto the cub. "Everything will be alright..." she repeats again.

*********************

"Lin... How are you going to take care of a kid?"

The young woman strokes the five-year-old's head fur gently. "I am a Hunter... I can not risk the child's life, he deserves better." She feels the first few drops of rain before it begins to pour. She huddles the child close in her jacket. "He deserves so much better than the dangerous life of the Hunter." The little boy groans and shifts in her arms, his white wings twitching slightly.

Lin's heart warms at the sight of the boy's eyes opening, a beautiful sapphire blue, glimmering wonderfully. His eyes looked at her curiously, as if to question her very existence.

Lin smiles warmly at the boy in her arms. "Hi little guy, my name is Lin. What's your name?"

The boy yawns and his eyes close again, his body still extremely weak in her grasp. The warmth of the female holding him brought comfort to him. The heat spread over him slowly, warming his numb bones. Lin wrapped her jacket in a bundle around the child as she walked to the car waiting for her. Soon she sat down in the back seat, leaving the rain outside, pitter-pattering on the sidewalks.

"Lin..."

She looks down when she hears the tiny and weak voice. "What is it little one?"

"Who... Who am I..."

For the second time that night, she felt her heart break. The child trembles terribly in her arms. She was crying, something she had not done since her mate was killed six years ago. She thought she had protected herself from such pain, but holding that innocent little boy in her arms, she realized how wrong she had been. Her tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I don't know little one..."

"I'm cold..." The boy whimpers, his body shivering violently. In the dim light; the child's eyes noticeably dimmed. She knew the boy was sick, she hoped he would live through this. She wanted him to have a chance at growing up and living. "I know you're cold my dear... You'll be warm soon."

"Lin. What's the plan?" One of the males ask.

"The hospital... We can't help him Lin. You know that." The driver gazes back at the female. "They'll find a safe place for him to live his life."

"I know." Lin answers gently.

"He can't replace him... You know that right?"

"I know that... He died along with my mate that night... But this child still has a chance." Lin strokes the child's head fur lovingly. "I can see him growing up to be a handsome young wolf. A caring person, and strong individual."

The car hurries along the city streets until it turns into the hospital. Lin carries the child in and waits at the check in desk for a nurse. It is not long before a nurse is at their aid. "Can I ask what his name is? And whom you might be?" "I don't know his name... neither does he. His parents... Listen, please take care of him..." The wolverine lowers her gaze to the unconscious boy. "I found him like this... Make sure he is kept safe from any more harm."

Lin leaves the hospital with tears in her grey eyes. She climbed into the car and they drove away. The storm had once more cleared and the moonlight flooded the world. The woman watched sadly that silver light. Somehow she knew the boy would be okay. He would live and grow up. She would see him again, she told herself. "He'll be safe at the Arkane Orphanage..." She whispered to herself. She slowly falls asleep.

To Be Continued...