The Crimson Sentinels

Chapter Two: Manami and the Spirits Foreshadowing

Kazuki followed Kihachi and Isami down the dirt path towards their home, all silent and lost with their own thoughts of what transpired that evening. Knowing full well that their father would give them advice or guidance, they were all anxious to get home to sit and speak with him. He wasn't sure if it were just his overactive mind or if he was pushing down some gut feeling, but Kazuki didn't feel at all comfortable with the warning look his older brother had given them.

'You have a strong sense of premonition.' His inner spirit muttered softly.

'Oh?'

'It certainly is not an overactive mind.'

Kazuki stopped on the path and blinked. 'You can hear my thoughts?'

'That surprises you?'

'Those are my thoughts.' Kazuki growled.

'I am a part of you as you are a part of me, what you see, feel, hear and smell I also sense.' The spirit chuckled.

Kazuki grunted softly. 'Fantastic.' He slipped through the door to their parent's hut and four sets of eyes turned to peer at them curiously. 'Bloody hell, even Chinami and Hisashi are here.'

Taizo chuckled in his head.

Okimoto stood with a wide grin on his face. "For the first time in years, I have all my pups under one roof."

Kazuki lifted a brow and bit his lip when Kihachi protested. "We aren't pups anymore, father."

"You are to me," Okimoto growled. "Now sit. Your mother has prepared a wonderful meal for tonight."

Isami groaned when the covering to the back rooms moved and Manami exited. "Why are you here?" 

Kazuki almost chuckled knowingly. He knew that Isami and Manami had always butted heads when it came down to events with the family.

Manami glared at the younger brother. "I came to speak with father."

Kazuki rolled his eyes and sat down at the fire pit in the middle of the room. To everyone's surprise, even Manami seated himself and growled softly when their mother ruffled the top of his hair. "Mother." He protested.

Their mother laughed as she walked by to get the meal she had prepared. Akiara handed over two of the platters and brought the last one herself, sitting next to Hisashi.

As soon as Okimoto sat down, all hands immediately went for the meat that waited for them. Their mother shook her head. "Goodness, don't they feed you at the barracks?" She said exasperated watching all the portions of meat disappear off the platter.

Kazuki bit into his portion of meat and eyed his older brother in speculation. At this moment, it was like Manami had never changed, eating and speaking softly with their father. He sighed quietly, glancing around the fire pit. Even Hisashi was grinning and teasing their sister, trying to distract her from her plate while Kihachi reached for a bit of food.

"Hey!" Akiara growled, pulling her plate out of Kihachi's reach, but missing as Isami snagged a piece as the plate swung to his side. Her eyes swerved to Isami and she snarled. "No fair."

Manami chuckled as he watched. "All is fair when you do not pay attention, little sister."

Kazuki lifted a brow in surprise. "What was with that look at the barracks?" He asked after swallowing his mouthful of food.

Manami glanced at him curiously. "You saw that?"

"Was I not supposed to?" Kazuki grunted softly.