Sabertooth

Chapter 7) Lost

"Stop!" Raika heard himself yell. The guy turned, his eyes gazing pitiful downward at the two haphazardly sitting in morning-dew soaked mud.

"Thought I told you to piss off!" He croaked, spitting into a random plot of dirt.

Raika fell inside. Was this guy serious? He was what, sixty-seven years old? And he still had the audacity to tell him to go to Hell. How spineless could he be? He had stolen that mark, and somehow, someway it was important.

The old man shook his eyes and went back his walking. Only this time a figure emerged from the brush.

Raika could only see it for a brief moment. It was clad it some type of brown armor. On its back was a jagged broadsword, taller than the old man.

The guy turned, shifting ever so slightly.

"Halt!" The figure called. "In the name of the Imperials of Animagi Enforcement!"

The old man froze. "The IAE?? Fuck!" He added unnecessarily.

The man shoved himself backwards with youth-like speed. The man smirked, "I'm Sir Walter Exxumeo, and you I take it you are Growga, the Crest Thief."

"I go by Browning these days" the old man snarled, "I'm no longer the young and exciting Companion I used to be."

Raika blinked. "You were a Companion?"

Browning rolled his eyes. Suddenly he stepped back and reached at his forearm. He turned it over and it produced three crests. One of which was of course, the Sabertooth-crest.

He pointed to the top one, it was the symbol of a tree. More like that of a stump, actually. "This is Oaklan, the tree Animagi. And my first friend." He chirped sounding distant. As if he knew the fate that would be served to him this day.

"What's that one-?"Raika asked.

Walter shoved passed him, "That's enough kid, he's a known criminal not a show-and-tell item. Walter grabbed him by the arm, quickly stripping him of his bow and of two knives after patting him down. Walter then proceeded to grab a piece of paper from the bag strapped around his bag. He took the paper and tossed it over the crest Raika had asked about.

"No! Please don't take Breezmos!" Browning cried. But there was nothing to be done, the officer layer the paper over the mark and after a few seconds he pulled the paper back to reveal the crest of Breezmos.

"One down, two to go." Walter snickered.

Browning started to laugh, his old throat heaving like a dying frog. "You realize I could've escaped by now?"

"Oh, really?" Walter said, sarcastically.

"Really." Browning confirmed, the crest of Oaklan glowed like a laser. Suddenly Browning sank into the dirt, his laughing echoing off the trees.

Walter's hands at stumbled to reach him but couldn't get a grip. He was that frail.

Raika's eyes stayed locked on him, the Sabertooth crest hissing like it was blinking at him, awaiting it's rescue,

"Bastard", Raika and Walter hissed at the same time.

Walter looked back and forth from Raika, to Kalein behind him, and the burrowed hole made by the Animagi. He stood up, shaking his head sorrowfully. "Shouldn't you two being getting on home?"

And they did.

* * *

Atsuki had waited for them back at the Foster house. And so of course, did Tessa who dive bombed into Raika's stomach the moment the two were in range.

"Atsuki said you two went out on a date!" Tessa blabbed.

Raika glared back at Kalein who was blisteringly red in the face. Typical sisters, Raika thought. Always being nosy.

"No!" Raika explained. "We went hunting."

"More like being hunt-ed" Atsuki garbled, coming from the house, Raika's mother in toe.

She looked stressed, shadows under her eyes and her hair whipped into a disgraceful ponytail. Tessa could've done a better one.

"What's wrong with you?" She said, her tone brimming with disgust. "Running off like you're wild deer!"

Raika starting to step back, but Kale pushed him even further forward. He silently cursed the girl. She would be in for Hell when he was done.

"Only leaving a note? How was I to know you weren't really kidnapped? Or going off to be a 'ma-"

"Momm, stoppp." Raika interrupted. "I'll accept any punishments you place upon me, just...don't continue. Please!"

She stiffened in her walk, her legs trembling slightly.

"Fine!" She hollered. "But your punishment is to clean the outhouse-"

"Done." Raika answered, tossing his feet to work.

"I wasn't done.." She smiled.

Raika swallowed, hard. He cast a sideways glance at Kale who only smiled up at him, shaking a sarcastic 'bye' at him that was strangely more so.

Atsuki was looking like he was trying to hold a straight face. He'd actually told his mom before hand.

Raika sighed, "this was going to be a long few weeks." He thought detested.