the owl's wish

prologue

Long, long ago, before the rabbit lived on the moon and the crane left her husband, there lived the Great Kami. The oldest and wisest of spirits, The Great Kami wandered throughout the land for twelve long centuries, growing and maturing until they could hold a council and discuss the fate of their world. Among them, they divided gifts and responsibilities, and created great kingdoms for themselves to rule over. They guarded and cared for the spirits who lived in their lands, blessing souls with their attributes and talents.

But as their empires grew and the population increased, the Great Kami found that their lands were too large to visit one another. It became increasingly hard to hold councils and communicate with each other. Finally, they decided on choosing a spirit to be their messenger. They each searched their kingdoms for a soul worthy of this task.

After months of debate and bickering, they finally chose the Tanuki Lord. With his sharp understanding and excellent communication skills, the Great Kami decided he would be the best fit for the job. They sent him to work as soon as they came to an agreement.

However, as the Tanuki Lord traveled from palace to palace, he found himself getting angry over their elegant homes and illustrious lifestyles. He envied their power and secretly wished to become a Great Kami himself.

When he arrived at the home of the leader of the Great Kami - the Crow Shogun - the Tanuki Lord's jealousy finally consumed him. He vowed to take the place of the Crow Shogun, and soon came up with a devious plan.

Through shining teeth and deepest bows, his sly words undermined and insulted the leader of the Great Kami. His arrogance leaked through his half-hearted compliments, and the Crow Shogun's infamous temper steadily rose.

On the third day of their discussions, the Crow Shogun finally snapped. In a fit of anger, he drew his katana and attacked the Tanuki Lord.

One of the Crow Shogun's servants managed to stop him before he killed the Tanuki Lord, but the damage had already been done. By attacking the Tanuki, the Crow Shogun had broken the code of honor, and was required to commit seppuku. The Crow Shogun obeyed, and was buried at the snowy peak of the North Mountain.

The other Great Kami were distraught. The Crow Shogun had been widely beloved for his steady assistance and caring nature. Unsettled by this loss, they held a secret council to discuss what should be done about the Tanuki Lord.

The Owl King was furious. His callused hands curled into fists and his great wings beat powerfully as he demanded revenge on the Tanuki Lord. At his side, the Cat Khan echoed this idea, elaborating that they needed to get revenge on the lowly spirit who had brought down their leader. His calm, clever words easily swayed the majority to his side.

But the Fox Guardian, keeper of souls and king of the afterlife, disagreed. In his even tone, he argued that their code of honor forbade them from attacking anyone without true reason. And although yes, the Tanuki Lord had driven the Crow Shogun to anger, the decision to draw his blade had ultimately been the Crow Shogun's.

The Owl King vehemently disagreed, exclaiming that their code of honor also demanded revenge. He bellowed that they needed to punish the Tanuki Lord for what he had done. Again, the Cat Khan voiced his agreement, long tail twitching, saying The Crow Shogun - and, by extension, the rest of the Great Kami - had been disgraced by a mere spirit. They could not just let this matter go.

This sent the Great Kami into a heated debate. For days they argued, until they decided that the Tanuki Lord needed to pay for his disrespect with his life. The Fox Guardian, however, refused to agree with this and chose not to take part in this plan for revenge.

The Cat Khan, gifted to travel wherever he wished, gathered the rest of the Great Kami all together and brought them to the base of the Tanuki Lord's home. As one, they stormed the house searching for the Tanuki Lord, ripping away floorboards and tearing shingles from the roof. Each of their keen senses scoured every corner for the spirit's tiny body.

But it was the Owl King, who had been gifted to find whatever he desired, who was the first to come across the Tanuki Lord. He burst into the secret room where the Tanuki Lord and his wife had been hiding, wings casting jagged shadows onto their tearful faces. The Tanuki Lord's wife begged the Owl King to spare him, her slender hands cast in front of her in fruitless prayer.

But the will of the Owl King was stronger than steel and burned hotter than the sun. He drew his katana with steady hands and did not even flinch as the Tanuki Lord fell to his knees, voice raised in futile pleas.

The last thing the Tanuki Lord saw before his head dropped to the floor was the wild, burning eyes of the Owl King.