Bonds as strong as Time [[For LoneDigger and Myself]]

February 24, 2019

"You're truly too kind to him for your own good, Princeling"

Katsu chuckled rolling his eyes. Honestly, even if the boy was simply teasing and playing around, the boy had a good heart. One that Katsu had sworn to protect at the cost of his very life. Dakari was more precious to him than almost anyone else. Hell, he only came second to Hiyori. Seeing the boy happy and messing around in the time of war they were in now, was the balm he needed to heal some of the unpleasant feelings coursing through his body.

"Clearly you've lost your mind"

The raven haired male remarked but before he could say anything else, Dakari had pulled him into these weird movements he seemed to assume was dancing. Disbelief filled his gaze as the snow leopard passively moved around with the Prince and the wild abandon of his actions before his brain snapped into focus. Planting his feet firmly and unmoving on the ground after one particularly horrifying movement, Katsu tightened his grip on Dakari and all but glared at him.

"Are you trying to summon a demon or kill your partner? Because I assure you, any more of this and you'll end up with a corpse in your hands instead of a willing dance partner. This dance of yours would be enough to give children nightmares....Hell, you might even scare your future mate away if you pull them into a dance like this".

The snow leopard hissed though there was no real fire in his voice. Breathing out an exasperated breath, Katsu pressed close to Dakari and wrapped an arm around the boy's waist, pulling him flush against him. Letting go of the boy's hand, he simply placed it on his shoulder, reached down to put the Prince's other hand on his other shoulder as well and wrapped his other arm around the young hyena's waist.

"Follow my lead and try to make you movements less jerky. I swear, it's like you're having a seizure or something"

He breathed, voice almost seeming to shake ar barely contained laughter. Beginning to move at the rythem of the music and couples around them, the snow leopard swayed his hips against Dakari and prompted the boy to follow his movement with a slight squeezing of arms around his waist.

"Listen to the music around you, watch the dance of the other couples. There is no jerking or pulling, everything is smooth and coordinated with the rythem. Don't think so much of taking control of the dance, just let yourself move"

February 24, 2019

At first Dakari thought this must have been going pretty good, because Katsu was going along with him and hadn't bitched or sent him another death stare so maybe this stumbling around business counted as a dance? But he knew that this facade couldn't last long and he was brought back to reality by the elder's scolding.

Well, that's not very a nice thing to say... So, that just meant he could be even nastier~

"You're already dancing with one, dumbass..."

He muttered underneath his breath, indignantly referring to himself as a demon.

"Well at least a dead body would complain less than you do! Plus, aren't you the one who just said that if my mate is anything like Kisame that they would be into it?"

The prince still was refusing to take this seriously, as evident by his endless bantering with the elder. But the teenager was quickly shut up when Katsu pulled him closer and adjusted their posture so that it seemed more, well... like how it was supposed to look when a couple were locked together in a dance. A real one and not the nonsense from before.

The snow leopard was telling him something, but all the hyena could focus on was the fact that they were standing way too close for comfort, and the fact that his hips kept brushing against his own only filled Dakari with more confusion of his own emotions, and a bit of shame for being so sensitive. This was innocent, and he was making it weird. Why did his body always have to betray him at the worst of times?

February 24, 2019

"Yes but I hope I'm dead and dust in the wind by the time you find yourself a mate. It's enough to have to protect and keep an eye an you, having to do the same for your mate as well....I'll probably end up losing my mind in the process"

Katsu scoffed lightly at the thought. He wasn't being entirely honest, if he had the mind frame to be honest. While protecting Dakari and whoever would be his future mate wouldn't be much of a challenge with the help of the other Sentinels, he just didn't want to be around to see it. Turning back into his reclusive ways wouldn't work on the Prince. Knowing Dakari, he'd just come find him and drag him out of the mountains. So if he was dead and gone by the time Dakari finally settled down, it would save him the pain of watching the boy with another. It was selfish of him perhaps, but really, it was the simpliest solution he could think of. Lest he considered ripping apart anyone who looked at Dakari with less than innocent interest.

Noticing the boy's clearly distracted state of mind, Katsu arched a brow and studied the boy's expression closely before realization slammed into him and a far too entertained laugh escaped him.

"Are you having an issue, Princeling? Don't tell me an innocent little dance is getting you all hot and bothered. Truly, what am I supposed to do with you?"

Katsu sighed amused, letting one the hands wrapped around Dakari's waist slowly run up the boy's back. Claws just barely skimmed the shirt keeping his touch away from naked skin but still, he entertained himself with drawing innocent little patterns on the cloth covered back as he continued to guide Dakari through the dance. If his hips brushed Dakari's with a bit more friction than what was strictly needed, well he wasn't going to admit it.

"Pay attention, Princeling. How am I supposed to teach you if your mind is on a completely different topic?"

The feline teased the boy calmly, mischief and laughter sparkling in those cerulean eyes. Eyes that seemed to know exactly when was happening to Dakari and had no intention on making it stop.

February 25, 2019

"Yeah! You're always my problem."

Dakari grumbled, but even in trying to sound so only gave away what he was truly feeling by acknowledging what the other had already noticed. He had been hoping that the other would have been at least a little disgusted by him and pushed him away and found someone else to dance with who wasn't horny over nothing. But it figured the one and only time he wanted the other to go away he was stuck right up against him, unmoving except for the dance steps which were really starting to get more intrusive, or maybe they were innocent and his dirty mind was just making it feel that way.

The hyena went along with it, hoping that if he did maybe Katsu would get bored of teasing him, though that seemed unlikely now that the tables had turned.

All that the young male knew was that if it weren't for the fact others were around he would have shown the snow leopard exactly what he thought about this.

"I'm not thinking about... Ugh! Are we really doing this?"

The prince groaned slightly, maybe he should just accidentally kick the other in the shin to make this stop. But that's not what he wanted either. He instead closed his eyes and decided to listen for once, to not only the music but Katsu. Concentrating on a little more than just... that he actually found himself beginning to sync up with the elder's movements. Their bodies actually moving more as one being than just two opposite elements that they were.

February 25, 2019

Huffing out a poof of amused air at the grumbling the younger male did, Katau continued his light touches on the Prince despite keeping an eye out at the crowd around them. It wouldn't due if anyone suspected that they were more friendly with each other than was strictly necessary. Dakari was a Prince and Katsu was a Sentinel, the two rarely mixed if ever and it was best to keep it that way. But Katsu couldn't help but want to rile the hyena up a bit. He couldn't truly blame it solely on the fact that he was mildly intoxicated, he just wanted to give Dakari a taste of his own medicine.

"Are we actually doing what, Princeling? If you find my actions or my attention distasteful, then perhaps we should do something to remedy the situation"

Katsu replied glancing at the pair of women he saw dancing behind Dakari and feeling the inklings of an idea stir in his mind. Dakari seemed to actually be getting the hang of dancing, his movements had settled and he appeared to have found his rythem. And while he enjoyed making Dakari somewhat uncomfortable, he didn't want to push his limits with the Prince. Especially not when he knew the mark warded Dakari off. Breathing in deeply, taking the boy's scent into his lungs, Katsu glanced up at him before leaning forward and stretching up to lightly nip at the Prince's earlobe teasingly for a moment.

"Your dancing appears to have gotten better, that's good. Let's have you try you new talent on someone more likeable to your taste"

He whispered into the Prince's ear, taking a small step back from him and shoving him lightly into the arms of the pair of awaiting women. Women that had locked eyes with him, appeared to have read his intent and had given him nods of approval before approaching silently.

"Take your time with them, Dakari. Woo them, have fun and most of all, enjoy this night. You did good in battle, you helped us win the fight. You deserve the best this night has to offer" Katsu spoke gently to the hyena before switching his gaze to the two women who were trailing their hands up Dakari's chest.

"Keep him for as long as you wish, make sure he thoroughly enjoys his time with you two. We have no need for him for the moment, so he's all yours. Make sure his first victory celebration is a memorable one" he addressed the women as he turned on his heel and headed back to Kisame.

Would he have enjoyed spending more time with Dakari, of having something like the events in the hot springs happen again....of course. But he was tainted and he refused to allow his tainted desires to bring any harm to Dakari. His job was to protect the Prince, even from his own heart and longing. Bending down to wrap one of Kisame's arms around his shoulders, he hoisted the shark up as gently as he could, swaying just lightly against the added weight on his side the moment he had secured an arm around Kisame's waist. Assuring himself that Kisams was steady enough, he half carried half dragged the shark through the dancing bodies and to the tent that would belong to his friend during their stay.

February 25, 2019

This was terrible. Just when he had gotten so comfortable -in a slightly uncomfortable way- with Katsu and this stupid thing called dancing, he was suddenly thrust out of his almost dream like state right into the arms of two females who he didn't even recognize. He was terrified, they were women so surely they would be even worse than the snow leopard when it came to his little problem. Lucky or not for them, he wasn't straight. But in this state everything seemed to be a trigger for unexplained arousal.

But even more so he was hurt at being throw away by the snow leopard. So hurt in fact this time he didn't chase after the elder. Katsu didn't like him, why had for even that split second back then had he ever believed it? The snow leopard was always calling him a brat -which even he knew were true- and he felt like more of a burden in front of him. Even if it were his job to protect him it got old probably having to look after some "kid" who was actually almost twenty but couldn't seem to do anything for himself.

It didn't matter that right after the sentinel had praised him before disappearing, he wasn't hearing anything. He was still too shocked by the rejection that he should have seen a mile away. But his heart -or something else- had wanted it to be true.

Dakari didn't know what to do, when he was upset unlike the snow leopard he craved attention, surrounding himself with others proved a better distraction than being alone with his thoughts which was honestly the most scary feeling to the hyena. Nor was it something he had ever been forced to deal with, everyone doted on him, and if they didn't he forced them to. Katsu was the only one he couldn't control that way and it only made it all the more alluring, but also painful.

Well, fine. If the old fuck didn't want to bother with him then he wasn't about to act like he cared. If he walked away would be like admitting defeat. So he tried to focus on the two ladies in front of him, but his heart wasn't really in it. But pretending would have to do. But for fuck's sake, why did a fucking gay snow leopard have to throw him towards women?! Wasn't there plenty of guys he could have chosen instead. It almost seemed like even now Katsu was still making things unnecessarily difficult for him.

February 25, 2019

"Is everything alright, My prince?" The female on the right asked softly, tone seductive to the ears as she ran a hand up his chest slowly.

"You seem upset....surely being alone with us isn't terrible for you. We can make it worth your time" the female on the left spoke just as softly, silver eyes peering up at Dakari while her hand drew circles against his back.

"Sentinel Katsu knows us well, you are in good hands. We will keep you safe and happy for him."

"She is right. You are important to him, we will nourish you and treat you with the utmost care. You have nothing to be concerned about"

The women weren't stupid and while they followed a different person, they could read between the fine lines Katsu had stated. He had shoved Dakari into them for a reason. There was a certain darkness, almost like defeat and regret in his eyes when he had looked at them. He was planning something....something unpleasant but it was not their place to question him. He had asked them to take care of the Prince for the night and they would do as he asked of them.

"Dance with us, My Prince. Forget everything else and give yourself to us" the one of the right spoke again, gently running her fingertips up his jawline as she pressed her body flush into his side. Her twin did the same from Dakari's left.

March 2, 2019

"Why did he do that? I must have done something wrong..."

The prince muttered to himself, not really answering their questions exactly as he was being asked but at least providing some clue. He was still in a bit of shock really, to have been dancing with the Sentinel and then pushed away just when he felt he was starting to get it. But hadn't that always been the snow leopard's nature? To be there on minute and then disappear the next. He should have known that their spirit animal's nature and even elements were too different to last together long.

Hah, but that was making it sound like it if there had every been anything at all. And technically Dakari knew that hadn't even been the case.

"I'm not at all."

He lied for self preservation, trying to make it sound real as he said it. But the doubt in his own voice was still there and it bothered him so much that he was showing his insecurity so easily.

"He never mentioned either of you to me before."

Dakari didn't mean to sound rude, he was just being a bit blunt. He didn't even know their names for fuck's sake.

The physical contact did little to comfort him, but it seemed he had to cling onto something that he could feel that wasn't the dread inside his chest. He had to try, he wasn't scared of anything. Not even the strange ways of the opposite gender and certainly not these two. If he weren't nervous, why were his hands shaking as he tried to take control? His nerves were getting the better of him again.

"...Guess I've had too much to drink."

He muttered, again such an obvious excuse.

March 3, 2019

Frowning at each other from across Dakari's chest, Hisoka and Honoka shared a thoughtful look in their usually serene expression before raising those eyes once more to look at their Prince's face. They had no idea if whatever was bothering Prince was strictly to do with what happened now or the dread they could feel pooling in their own guts, but Katsu had handed them Dakari to take of in his absence and they would strive to do so.

"You have done nothing wrong, My Prince" Hisoka murmured soothingly, continuing to run her hand along his chest.

"Sentinel Katsu has always been reclusive. And it would appear that he has something weighing on his mind. If he had nothing burdening him, I am certain he would not have consciously hurt your feelings" that was Honoka from Dakari's other side.

"However, a Sentinel's duties should not concern the Heir of this Kingdom. You should simply enjoy yourself tonight and leave your worries for the morning" Hisoka added a moment later.

When they finished tending to Dakari, the pair would approach their Lady Yuzuki. Later when they had a moment to really consider where this uneasy was coming from, they would discuss their anxiety with their Lady. Surely Lady Yuzuki would bring their concerns to Sentinel Yuuta and he could discuss things with Sentinel Katsu. As reclusive as the snow leopard was, he was acting off....his expression seemed almost sad and distant. As if he was biding someone a silent farewell. As if he was biding the Prince a silent goodbye. But that didn't make much sense to them. The Prince would be back with his Sentinel of Ice by morning, so there couldn't be a possible reason for such a look on the feline.

Neither of the pair truly realized the concerned expression that had marred their features, they didn't notice how their hands had stopped moving and they had paused in pressing their bodies against their Prince. It wasn't until they registered the shaking in Dakari's hands that they snapped their focus back to the boy and forced their minds back on what had been requested of them. Flashing the boy somewhat forced twin smiles, the two went about their introductions to the teenager.

"It is not surprising, we rarely leave our Lady's side and we reside in the Tower of Sentinel Yuuta" Honoka said.

"My name is Hisoka and this is my twin sister Honoka. We are Followers of Lady Yuzuki, mate to Sentinel Yuuta. We're sure you have met them already. We are the twin blades of Sentinel Yuuta's Tower, or that is what we are usually called" Hisoka added.

Swaying their bodies to the rythem of the music around them, the twin's gently helped Dakari's body move to the music, breasts pressed snug against his sides. Never quite pulling away but pushing almost impossible closer to the young hyena.

"Would you like for us to take you to your respective tent if your level of intoxication is to high to bare? We can always pleasure you there" Hisoka asked.

"Or would you like us to allow you to retire for the night? Truly you must be tired after today's events" Honoka asked a second after her sister.

March 3, 2019

"Twin blades... I suppose that refers to your reputation as soldiers."

Dakari smiled, trying to pay attention and act interested in what he was being told since Katsu had given him to the sisters so he might as well try to understand them. Even if he was almost positive that he would never ever truly 'get' females. They were just so... weird. Not in a bad way, but enough to make him think twice about it.

The prince didn't even know what he wanted right then other than the impossible.... which was already made clear that he did not want him back. But a more reasonable desire was that he didn't want to be alone. Even if that meant being in the presence of the twins he'd rather feel the comfortableness of that then the pain of loneliness.

Still it all seemed so impossible, how were they both so soft and delicate in one way, but deadly in another? It did almost seem like trouble, but... so far they had been harmless. The girls hadn't even laughed or mocked him once for not acting more like a man should in the presence of a lady. Maybe he could trust them, if only just a little. Katsu did, and that was good enough for him.

"Would be a shame to end the night prematurely for my sake... Maybe even getting more wasted would be a blessing."

March 5, 2019

"Indeed, perhaps one day you'll have the chance to see us in battle, though we hope that day is still far off"

Hisoka admitted with a little shrug of those slender shoulders. The Prince might have been with them physically but it wasn't so hard to see that he wasn't fully with them mentally. Perhaps taking him to where the snow leopard was would be a more feasible action.....yet something told her that Dakari wouldn't truly approve and Katsu.....the Sentinel would probably look at them as incompetent. He was usually kind to them, no matter how reserved his nature was, but things weren't as they once had been. There was a storm brewing between these two and despite wanting to help, neither sister knew exactly what to do.

"If it is liquor that you desire, then we would be happy to provide it for you" Honoka replied, offering the hyena a bottle of liquor that almost appeared to materialize in her hand out of thin air. It would take trained eyes to have been able to catch how she had snatched the bottle out of a passing soldier's grip without his knowledge.

"Drink that quickly if you wish to further your intoxication, My Prince. We will strive to provide more for you once that bottle is empty" Hisoka advised even as the pair began to sway Dakari away from the dancing bodies and towards the tents subtly.

Perhaps it really was best to get the boy back to Katsu, the Sentinel would know how to handle him. How to fix what he had caused. They just hoped that the boy would be much too intoxicated to realize where they were headed by the time they reached their target.

March 31, 2019

"I hate to break it to you... but I think that moment is any day now."

Dakari replied bluntly, thought he didn't seem to relish in the thought like he had expected himself to. Shouldn't war be somewhat exciting? As terrifying as it was, his spirit animal was more or less built for killing. But he kept going back and forth, one moment feeling reckless, the next wishing the earth would just swallow him up.

But wasn't his kingdom worth protecting? Of course it was... and it had been powerful this whole time. What made anyone think they could challenge that? They had some of, no-- the best soldiers in the whole realm.

Maybe when the moment came Katsu would finally rub off on him, and their training together. But he still felt insignificant compared to the sentinel. As mush as he tried to inflate himself and boast, it was all a lot of bluffing with not much to back it up.

The prince didn't even question where the liquor had come from, foolishly choosing to just drink it without further thought. He needed to feel something beside the anxiety prickling inside him, and finally it seemed he was downing enough to develop a bit of a buzz. His movements became less rigid, though more careless as he trailed after the pair of vixens.

"I'm not even... intox-- drunk. What do I look like to you then?"

Dakari questioned, just a hint of a slur in his voice as evident by avoiding to even try saying the larger word.

"Where are you taking me? Hm? Probably somewhere no good-- Aw, fuck no!"

The hyena suddenly put on the breaks as he saw he was standing right outside Katsu's tent. The elder had bigger things to worry about instead of babysitting for this over grown brat.

April 1, 2019

While war was indeed upon them and they were essentially stationed in a camp designated to serve as those fighting on the front lines, the sisters truly wished with all their hearts that their Prince would be kept away from most of the violence. Today was bad enough and while he had come away barely hurt....it was still something that had unnerved them. So while the two vixens knew how to kill and had no issue ripping down the lives of all those who thought to bring harm to their lands and their Royal family, they did not wish for the Prince's hands to be stained as theirs were. At least, not yet, he was still so young to be thrown into the heat of war.

Exchanging a glance between them at Dakari's question of his appearance and the clear slur to his words, the sisters turned their gazes back to him and bluntly said the word they had both been thinking.

"Intoxicated.....you appear to be intoxicated, our Prince".

No sooner had they said that that they were finally arriving at the tent that had been their destination all along. Ignoring the Prince's outburst when he realized who's tent they were standing in front of, Hisoka left the Prince in Honoka's care as she took the last two steps needed to close the gap between them and the entrance flap of the tent. Pushing it aside so the inside of the tent was visible, Hisoka started to speak calmly but in a moment her voice froze in her throat.

"Sentinel Katsu, we beg your forgiveness but-"

There in the middle of the tent, kneeling silently on the ground, was the Sentinel of Ice decked in full armor....almost as if he was heading into battle. His hair was fixed back away from his face neatly with only his long bangs flowing down to frame his face. The rosetta markings that spoke of his lineage glowed slightly in the shadows of the tent and his twin blades were neatly sheathed in the crossed position that was their normal location against his back. As the Sentinel slowly stood and faced them, the blaze of the symbol for Ice that marked his forehead had both the vixens breaths catching. Such a mark was not normally visible unless a Sentinel had made an ultimate decision, one that had always tended to have fatal consequences.

"Sentinel Katsu? What is the meaning of your appearance?" Honoka asked alarmed from where she still stood beside Dakari though she was no longer pressed to his side at the moment.

Instead of answering them, Katsu seemed to vanish before their eyes. In only a second, he reappeared beside Hinoka, sharply bringing a hand down against the pressure point on the back of her neck. Grabbing the vixen before her limp, unconscious body fell to the ground, Katsu wasted no time in moving towards Honoka and repeating the action. Gently holding both women in his arms, he carried them inside and laid them down softly on his makeshift bed before straightening once more.

"Princeling.....I hope with time, you will be able to understand and forgive me for the choice I am making tonight....I hope with time, you will not hate me as you might when you awaken. Just remember, my every action has always been to keep you safe....no matter the sacrifices required. You are dear to me and I will always wish for your happiness and safety....So please, do not forget that my decision tonight is so that you may live".

Katsu spoke silently to Dakari, slowly turning to face the youth. Usually calm and reserved eyes were touched with sadness, affection, regret.....and yet also with determination. The mating mark on the side of his neck burned into his flesh like nothing else and from it the snow leopard could read the intentions of the hellish mate he had. Erai would not rest until he saw Dakari dead. He and Akuhei would make sure the Kingdom lost their precious Prince even if it was the last thing they did. Katsu could read every intention the scorpion had and he could feel all the torture the dark entity wanted to drown Dakari in for the insult the Prince had left him with when he had injured Erai. Katsu could feel and see it so clearly and he'd be damned if he allowed Erai the chance to do so. The scorpion was injured, the ideal time to attack was now. While Katsu himself was not at his best, he knew that tonight.....tonight he could and would eliminate two of the Generals in the opposing army. He would do so....even if the price to pay for it would be impossibly high.

"You'll understand one day.....I'm sure of it. So when you awaken, rage and curse my name but do not lose your focus. You are our Prince, the heart of our Kingdom. Our people need you, win this war for them....show them your courage, your heart, and your strength. Make me proud...prouder yet than what you have made me these last few blessed years. And never forget, that you will always be my pride and joy".

The snow leopard said without raising his voice even as he closed the distance between them in a blink of an eye. Reaching up to cup the teenager's cheek in one hand, Katsu offered Dakari a small but truly genuine smile even as he stretched up to briefly brush his lips against that of the Prince's. It was a chaste kiss, fleeting at best, but filled with all Katsu wished Dakari to understand in these last few minutes. Pulling away a moment later, much more reluctantly than he would have wanted, Katsu's thumb stroked Dakari's cheek once more before he was parting his lips to say three slightly shaking, grief heavy words.

"Forgive me....Dakari"

No sooner had those words left his mouth that a powerful fist was slamming into the boy's stomach in an effort to render him unconscious like the vixens. Katsu couldn't have Dakari coming after him to try and stop him. Nor could he had Kisame or Yuuta...which is why he had encouraged them to get so drunk. This was a path he had to walk alone for their survival.

May 5, 2019

"I don't need to understand anything! You are making a huge mistake! I command you to stop!"

Dakari was so frantic his voice had grown louder than it's normal pitch, and the worried whimpering cries of his spirit animal was mixing into his words.

"No, they don't! I need you more than them! I can't even do anything right without your help! You can't just leave us now!"

But even screaming did not seem to sway the Sentinel of Ice now that the Snow leopard had made his choice, there seemed no returning now. Dakari truly did not know the meaning, but yet something deep down told him this was the end. Katsu would not be returning as he always did, even in the darkest of moments. This was not to be.

The hyena should have ran for help when he had the chance, to gather up the others to stop Katsu before it was too late. But suddenly he felt a sharp pressure against his abdomen and then nothingness surrounded him.

The blackness would have been welcomed compared to what came next. He was unconscious, not asleep, but perhaps dreaming? But these thoughts were not his own, it felt like he was intruding onto something he had no business of watching.

No... he wasn't even inside his own mind. How was that possible?

"You can never kill me..."

An echo, barely a whisper. His subconscious was telling him to wake up, but he was stuck. It felt like he was being suffocated, unable to move or even close his eyes, or maybe they already were. Because everything was blurry and dark. Then he felt something crawling, like a thousands insects swarming, all with needle like bites, devouring him alive.

May 8, 2019

Had there been more time, Katsu might had taken a few more moments to assure the boy that everything would be alright. That Kisame and Yuuta would help him achieve what was required of him in the snow leopard's absence. That he had no need to cling to a creature who had chosen which path to take to provide their Kingdom with an upper hand. He would have soothed those heartbreaking whines and promised everything would work out in the end. But if he wanted to have some success, he couldn't delay any longer...not even for Dakari.

So as he set Dakari down in an extra cot he had prepared in case of emergencies, Katsu simply spared a moment to run a hand lovingly through the honey locks of Dakari's hair and took one last lasting look at the teenager's face before stepping away. A thousand apologies and regrets lay buried in his eyes, but despite how hard it was to move away from the Prince...to know this was most likely the last time he could see him like this, Katsu had a mission. One he would not hold off further.

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It took a couple of hours before Dakari and the twins were found in the Sentinel's tent when word of their lack of presence was noticed. It was under Kisame's orders that Yuzuki was to watch over the three in her own medical tent with her followers while himself, Yuuta and a good amount of their soldiers went in search for the snow leopard. Fear batted deep in Kisame's heart but that wasn't the only thing that drove him. There was an emptiness there. In the place he could often find Katsu presence when he needed him most....it now laid void, empty...lacking of the brilliant, frigid light that had once been there. And despite knowing what that might mean, Kisame lead their troops on. Yuuta a quiet, strong presence at his side, one who felt the exact same thing Kisame did. As every Sentinel would.

By the time Kisame found his old friend, he almost wished he hadn't. The world around them had become nothing but a frozen wasteland of bodies. Blood, both frozen and quickly freezing, splattered the cold snow below. Birds in the middle of preparing for flight, were left frozen on on the equally frozen branches they had been departing from. Small creatures on the snow covered forest floor suffered the same fate and in the midst of them, body parts and the evidence of a brutal, bloody battle were scattered around. Katsu had taken down far more enemy soldiers than just the two Kisame had figured he had been after. There were at least 60 bodies of which he could see, yet he knew that that wasn't even the tip of the carnage his friend had left behind. Katsu's "Eternal Storm" was a thing of legends, one he had only had the chance to see once....and that had been enough....Because the attack had terrified him to his core.

By the time he actually found the snow leopard propped against the bark of a ice solid tree, Kisame knew his old friend had accomplished his goal. The bodies of Erai and the spider that had claimed a place as Kisame's own mate, were torn apart and held by spears of ice protruding out in various angles on the ground. There was no denying they were dead, for no one would have been able to survive the injuries those two had.

For Kisame, it felt like it took an eternity to approach his friend's broken body. Already, the tears rolling down his eyes were crystallizing into frozen droplets but the shark didn't care. His whole focus was on the still form of man he had known for centuries. Katsu's eyes were closed, and an expression of peace traced his friend's face. Gruesome wounded littered his body, his armor and robes were torn to shreds in some parts, half of his neck appeared to have a chunk ripped out and there were numerous, large puncture wounds damaging his body. Yet for all the pain he must have endured in his time of death, Katsu appeared liberated from all that might have physically distressed him. Without even having to be close to catch the whiff of death coming off the snow leopard, Kisame knew Katsu was somewhere far from here. Somewhere the shark couldn't follow, no matter how much he longed to.

It was with great care that the shark lifted the body of his best friend into his arms and while the reluctance of the men around him was understandable, Kisame ordered some to stay behind and deal with getting rid of the corpses. Traveling back to camp was something that passed in somewhat of a daze, no one spoke, not even Yuuta whose face was pale and eyes were wet with the tears he was shedding. Tears that matched Kisame's, though the shark was too numb to even realize it. When their return roused the sounds of alarm, Kisame barely noticed the sharp intakes of breath, the gasps, and the pained whispers of denial that swept through the army around them. The only thing that broke him out of his daze was the heartbreaking wail of grief that rose into the air when a familiar head of golden hair broke through the crowd.

Leading Hiyori to what had been Katsu's tent was not an easy task. The lioness was inconsolable, her small hands clung to every inch of her brother's lifeless form, pleas tumbled mindlessly past her lips and agonized cries escaped her with every step they took. Katsu's followers, all having arrived as quickly at they could the moment they had felt a disturbance with their Sentinel, trailed behind the pair....like lost children. Wide, tearfilled eyes bearing the weight of what they had just lost without being able to find a way to manage the grief yet. The only thing they knew was that they wanted to be near their Sentinel, even if their chosen leader's soul was no longer with them.

Pulling away from the group, Yuuta distantly gathered a shaking, grief stricken Yuzuki in his arms in a effort to comfort his mate, no matter how pointless it was.

"Where is the Prince?" The bear asked, voice sounding hollow....empty of all but grief. A grief he couldn't hope to control.

"I've left him in the care of my ladies....he had not awaken when we caught the scent of your return.....My love...How will we deliver this news to him?" Yuzuki asked, her voice shaking and uncertain.

"With as much clarity and honesty as he deserves.....I just hope that whatever his reaction is, we can hope to minimize it to acceptable levels" Yuuta responded quietly.

May 8, 2019

His own mind was like a prison, he needed to wake up from the hell inside his head! And his awakening couldn't have been any worse than the news that Katsu had... had...

His corpse will be rotting away because of you, it's all your fault~

That voice was so eerie, so familiar. How could he forget?

And all for nothing~ And you were so kind to give yourself as my shell. After all, it is because of you he died for nothing while I get to live in the perfect host... An emotionally unstable prince on the brink of War.

"S-Stop it!"

His own internal voice tried to scream out against the one that did not belong, but instead of that effect the two seemed to blend together into one distorted sound, til the point where Dakari couldn't even tell which voice was his own.

Erai was corrupting his mind, and he had no defenses to stop it. His resolve was too weakened from the shock of learning Katsu's death he had nothing to fight with. Almost as if the scorpion planned it from the start to happen this way.

The only thing that saved him from this agony was being shaken awake and the voices pulling him out of subconscious.

The last shred hope he had was that Erai only controlled his unconscious mind as he slept...

When told about the sentinel's death, the prince reacted in such a way that no one could have predicted what came next. Dakari seemed to hang in his head in silence, body being shaken what anyone would have assumed would be sobs, but then it became disturbing clear that the prince was not crying, he was laughing.

Maybe... maybe this was just the strange way Hyenas dealt with sorrow was by laughing, since the creature were known for making a wide range of sounds like laughs that did not mean anything humorous. Yet... it definitely sounded manic.

But then the sound stopped, and it changed into something more like a whimper.

"I... I was so scared... He's really gone? Thank the Gods..."

Dakari rubbed his ears, they were glistening with tears. But it wasn't really Dakari in there, this was Erai taking control. He then went on to weave an intricate web of lies, ones that claimed that the Sentinel had done terrible things to the prince ever since they first met, and that Katsu was planning to betray them all by joining the realm of darkness, to return to his true mate, Erai. But when the scorpion refused to take the snow leopard back he killed them both in a fit of rage.

May 12, 2019

It wasn't long before rumors began to spread around the camp and said rumors reached Kisame's ears. Frowning at what he was hearing from outside, the shark quickly weaved his way through the crowd of soldiers and slipped back into his best friend's tent where he had left Katsu's body in the care of Hiyori and their followers while he had gone to check on Dakari....At least that had been his plan before the murmurs and the words he could just make out from the Prince had reached him....What Dakari was saying were lies....revolting and damaging lies....and Kisame couldn't understand why the boy would willing spout them out when he knew what they might provoke. After all, even if the soldiers didn't want to believe it, it would be the words of their Prince against that of a dead Sentinel. One who could no longer defend himself.

"We have to move. Now!" Kisame commanded in a quiet yet sharp tone the moment he had swept back into the tent.

"Kisame....what is the meaning of this? We mustn't move Katsu's body....it is improper without a ceremonial funeral" Tsubaki snarled softly at the shark from where the Polar bear was positioned beside Natsume who had a hand gently rested on a nearly catatonic Hiyori's shoulder. The owl flickering a glance over at Kisame as Himora buried deeper against Tsubaki's side.

"There is something seriously wrong with the Prince....the things he's saying....they're not adding up. He is claiming Katsu harmed him throughout their years together and the reason for Katsu's death is that his intentions had been to join the Dark realm....despite it having not worked in his favor" the shark explained as quickly as he could even as he drew closer to Hiyori and Katsu.

"What?!" This time it was Natsume's outraged voice that lifted into the air, a voice quickly followed by the look of disbelief and anger Himora and Tsubaki shot him.

Nevertheless, what chilled him to his bones was the low, guttural snarl that had begun to slip out of Hiyori. A noise barely audible until the intensity of it had grown. Looking down at the lioness that had not moved from her brother's side nor dropped his lifeless hand since Katsu had been placed on the cot, Kisame felt himself tensing when livid, tear filled green eyes glared up at him from a distraught face.

"So it's not enough that my brother gave his life in order to protect him....that his body was torn apart in order to keep that damned brat safe.....now he wants to rub my brother's name through the dirt as well! I'll kill him! I'll rip him apart limb by limb! I'll teach him what fear truly is! I'll make him swallow every bloody lie he has ever said to corrupt Katsu's name!" The normally calm lioness nearly roared in her rage before Kisame was clamping a hand over her mouth and hushing her quickly.

"Hiyori....whatever is going on with Dakari

...I don't think he knows what he's saying. But that doesn't matter, we'll deal with that later. For now, we have to get Katsu out of here before things get worse" the shark whispered urgently . His words drawing reluctant nods from Katsu's followers and a colder glare from the grief ridden lioness.

"Take him to my mate's Tower. When we manage to calm things down here, I'll go to you. All hope might not be lost yet but I need Katsu's body to be safely delivered to Yuuta's Tower. And you mustn't delay too much unless you want his death to be permanent. I will call for a gathering of the Sentinels to undo what has been done. But you must go now!" Yuzuki softly interceded from where she had slipped into the tent in the midst of their argument.

Sweeping across the tent, the female softly laid a hand lovingly on Katsu's cold cheek and leaned down to press a kiss upon his forehead before straightening. Gaze turning to Hiyori, she smiled with reassurance in her expression stating "We will find a way to fix this, but it is not safe here. You all must go.....we will handle the Prince".

Keeping her eyes locked on Yuzuki for a little longer, Hiyori finally conceded and nodded, yanking Kisame's hand away from her mouth. Moving away from her brother just slightly so that Kisame could carefully lift Katsu into his arms again, the group waited for Yuzuki to give them a nod before they vanished into the night. Slipping out of the tent and then the camp completely, the group kept to the shadows as they worked on putting space between themselves and the revolt the Prince was causing.

-----------------------------

Watching from a realm that was untouchable by those amongst the living, Katsu frowned slowly, turning his attention off his escaping friends and back to Dakari. The snow leopard's soul drifted over to the tent the young Prince was in and as he continued to note the words Dakari was saying....there was no denying the fact that it wasn't the Prince....Erai....those words were coming from the scorpion, there was no doubt there. None at all.

Katsu knew killing Erai would never be that easy....but he had had very little choice. In what had been his current form, he hadn't been able to destroy Erai completely....he had just been able to get rid of the man's body. But his dark mate had more tricks to him that Katsu dared to care about and his revenge on Dakari had taken a dark turn.....However, the fact that the Prince given no indications of fighting back....well that was worrying.

"My darling....it appears as if your death has caused quite the ruckus and scandal....How distasteful" a voice so even toned, perfectly pitched and as beautiful as the woman it was coming from, caught his attention.

"Mother..." Katsu angled his head just slightly to greet the female with a tone incredibly full of love and happiness that it almost seemed to not belong to him. A warm smile lifted the corners of his lips as his mother's spirit stopped beside him to look upon the chaos happening.

Lady Asami was as beautiful in death as she had been in life. While shorter than her son by a good head, the woman's long velvet black hair and vibrant cerulean blue eyes were a direct reflection of her cub's. There was little wonder where Katsu got his looks from. Rosette patterns glowed with an unnatural blue light and like her son, her features were just a bit faded from what had once been her usual glory.

"What shall we do, my heartbeat? Would you think it just to help this young one? His lack of defiance against the loss of control is rather troubling.....Perhaps we should interfere..." Asami questioned her cub, infinite calm in her voice.

"I thought we were not meant to interfere with the living? Our realms should never touch" Katsu asked.

"They should not.....but this cub is important to you. I can feel he is, even after death and I know you want to help him. A mother always knows, don't you forget that, my darling...Call him to us. Bring his conciousness to our realm and we will see just how deep the damage has been dealt" Asami reassured, flashing a smile up at her cub.

Nodding slowly to her request, Katsu closed his eyes and willed his spirit to reach through the veil separating the realm of Spirits and that of the living. It wasn't easy, for he had never once done this before, but he could feel his mother's loving guidance directing his actions and not only her....His father was there as well, helping him and approaching his mate and cub. Leaning forward just a bit when he felt like his fingertips brushed Dakari's spirit, he stretched himself a bit further while sending out a call to the Prince.

"Dakari.....Princeling, come to me. Follow my voice...join me".

June 6, 2019

An echo, something was calling out to him. But didn't it realize that he was too far away to reach?

Dakari felt like he was drowning, suffocating in Erai's conscious corrupting his own memory. Everything in his mindscape seemed to be covering in a thick, tar like substance. It he tried to move through it, it was like acid on his flesh, burning him down to the skeleton, and then even eating away at his bones, to the marrow within.

Erai seemed to be using Dakari's spirit animal against him to create such a hell. The hyena's affinity for grave robbing used in reverse, as the soul of the dead stealing the living.

Dakari couldn't escape, he seemed to have lost the will to fight. Which was the most frightening thing of all. Everyone knew that the prince was a spit fire who didn't know when to quit, it was part of the hyena's nature to flirt with death itself, and his element fire was untamable. But it seemed he had been snuffed out. And it would seem Erai's doing, but truly it was the loss of Katsu that had killed him. Left his mind more vulnerable to the toxic take over.

The prince was barely even there, all that was left of him was a huddled form slowly being engulfed in the tar that seemed to be oozing from the walls of his mind, still drowning him, but also providing a false comfort. One that he would be gone from this place soon, as he didn't deserve to be here without Katsu. Hell was his only escape now. His next stop.

Again he thought he heard something, something that wasn't just the sound of Erai's thoughts consuming him. A sound that punctured through the madness and offered a glimpse of hope. He tried to reach for him, struggling through the sludgy darkness.

But if Dakari could hear this, then Erai's ears hadn't been failed to reach and he wasn't about to have Katsu interfere again. It didn't surprise him, after all, if he could survive death then of course Katsu's soul would try to do the same. Just another mild inconvenience. Not even that, he was still obsessed with his mate, and this... this just gave him another chance to play with his little ice kitten.

Erai tightened his grip on the prince's mind, he had already memorized his body and most of his memories, playing as him would be easy. But, why not add his own little flare to the brat?

More like making the worst version possible the the prince. Not even Dakari, but a distorted monster. A being that was neither male or female, not human or beast. A creature with the head of hyena, the torso of a women, the lower half ambiguous, almost morphing as it moved towards Katsu.

"Here's your precious little prince~"

June 8, 2019

It was funny how things worked when you were dead. While emotions still stirred through you and the want to keep loved ones safe was still prominent in your mind, everything else was hazy. Feelings like tiredness, laziness, incomprehension....they were all rather distant however in their place the emotions surfaced by rage, hatred, and intolerance rose like a tide. Especially when one dear to you was being tormented in a way they had no defense against. It was an odd sensation to feel the rage rippled inside his translucent form, if he still had had blood going through his veins, Katsu would have imagined the anger would be boiling his blood right now. But being dead didn't give him that luxury.

Instead, that rage transformed into a reflection of the element he commanded. The element that had chosen him as it's own. He couldn't physically feel anything anymore but there was an odd chill that swept through him just as his determination rose and the challenge Erai presented awoke something sleeping inside of himself. A part of his nature he had always reached for but had felt it impossible to ignite. What in life had been impossible for him to do, it seemed like in death the chains holding part of his power out of his reach, rusted and vanished. It was something that should be consider terrifying to those responsible for it's awakening yet oh so delightful for the snow leopard himself.

"Awaken your spirit, my love. Lift your eyes to the power that has been denied to you when your heart still beat. Show this insect exactly who you are. Who you have always been....and who you always will be. Remind him of his place.....show him the gravity of the mistake he has made" his mother's soothing voice echoed through his soul even as his father's far deeper, baritone voice joined hers.

"Claim your status, roar your power.....Let this fool see what true power is....show him what true terror is" his father's proud growl flowed around him, and with their guiding presences, Katsu knew what to do.

The land around them changed as he pulled them partially into his own mind scape. Sky touching, beautiful snow covered mountains surrounded his inner mind. The cold wind brushed across the beautifully frozen world, in the distance the sounds of animals vibrated in the air. Animals made to live and triumph in such an environment. Up high above them, in a sky that looked nearly painted with its breathtaking view, was a gorgeous bright full moon surrounded in an ocean of stars. And just in the middle of where the mountains gave way to a frozen portion of forest, a massive beast lay. It pelt was a mixture of light gray and pale brown, rosetta patterns scattered around its fur with no real direction. Deadly, large paws lay comfortably against the snow covered ground, a tuffed white tail flickered ideally from side to side. Surrounding the feline face, was a thick, dense mane of fur. One who was more brown than gray, though there was still patches of pale color within it. Familiar vibrant blue eyes peered out of the lion's face, and as the wind picked up speed to lift some flakes of snow into the air around him, the lion's only motion was to blink as it stared at the monstrosity that had become of Dakari's mind.

Katsu's mind landscape stopped sharply at Dakari's. The darkness of Erai's presence in the Prince's mind seemed to almost reject the brightness of Katsu's world. The dark tendrils that had been reaching for the Sentinel pulled back sharply, angry and pained hisses following those actions. And as the wind pushed some snow into Dakari's mindscape, it was almost like the darkness of Erai's presence was desperately trying to get away from it, pulling away from every place the snow hit.

Katsu could feel the scorpion's fear....no matter his bravado, the Sentinel could almost taste the creature's terror. Erai had never seen this form of the Sentinel before, he had never once experienced Katsu's true power. In the war, he had been in charge of poisoning the Sentinels well before the fall of a few of the Kingdom's protectors. He had used his betrayal in his favor, catching the Sentinels off guard and not giving them time to prepare....knowing full well that even if they had been ready, they wouldn't have been able to access their full powers with the limiters they all bore within them.

But death changed things. Death changed things immensely.....and it wasn't in Erai's favor. There was no chains around Katsu's soul now, no limiters and no one holding him back. Erai had stumbled into a fight he had no way of winning against an opponent that was as untouchable as a God. He might as well have signed his life over a second time.

"Erai..." Katsu's voice seemed to boom forth all around them even if he gave no indication of having said anything at all. Slowly, with a confidence and ease that only someone fully away of their power could have, the lion pushed himself to his paws. His true size fully coming into view. Katsu's father had always been considered large for a lion, some even thought him massive. Katsu's mother had not been as small as those of her kind either. She was bigger than the typical snow leopard, even if she still had been much smaller than her mate. With both of their blood having formed his body, Katsu was downright as massive if not a bit bigger than his father. And he was more powerful than both of them combined.

Asami had been leader of the Sentinels before her death, her mate and fellow Sentinel had been her second-in-command. It was only logical that her eldest child triumph them both.

"Shall I rip you to shreds in the land of spirits as well? If you are so adamant of having your existence erased from the realms, then I am all too happy to comply. But you will learn once and for all to never touch what belongs to me with your filth" Katsu spoke steadily, calmly even as his ice seemed to come alive with a mind of it's own. Shards of ice continued to push further into the darkness, reaching for Erai this time as a reaction to what Erai had been doing before. It was threatening terrifying and at the same time, strangely alluring.

"It truly is a pity.....one would think he had learned his lesson after being gorged alive" Asami's voice soon joined her son's within his world.

The shape of the absolutely gorgeous snow leopard appeared padding above the snow to brush her long tail against her cub's muscular flank, Asami's piercing blue eyes gazed unblinking into Erai's creation. There was no sadness for the creature she had once called one of her Followers, only disdain and disgust that was cooly reflected in that haunting stare.

"Not all are as intelligent as one would assume, my love. Though I did have some hope that he wasn't truly this ridiculously desperate. Especially to threaten us in a land he had no say in" came his father's voice as the beast of a lion came into view. Hironori's paws sank deeper into the snow unlike his mate's and his cub's but he still seemed to move with experienced ease. His golden bulk calmly taking it's place at his son's vacant side, shoulder brushing ever so slightly against Katsu's. Green eyes that reflected the color of Hiyori's all but glared with mock amusement at the creature of darkness.

All around the three felines, little orbs of light reminiscent of will-o-wisps swirled around them, bathing the trio in even more light.

June 10, 2019

Erai was afraid, but yet not completely without a sense of power. He had Dakari with him. Anything that was done or changed here, even if this wasn't the land of living, just memories and thought, would still affect reality. Right now even as time seemed to move inside the mind, the outside world moved faster. After all the now corrupted prince had a lot of work to do and not much time.

In the real world, Dakari was on a rampage. Hazing his followers for their loyalty, anyone who so much as didn't bow quickly enough in his presence was beaten to a shred just above death. No one was spared of his new cruel reign over his kingdom.

But it was not the prince in control, in fact he seemed unaware. He had been pushed out of his own head to the side to let over the dictation to Erai. He hadn't even struggled.

Perhaps this all was confirmed by the change in the hyena's eyes. The shade that had been born a warm brown, changed to a cooler blue when he fell in love with Katsu, and now it was the exact same shade as the scorpion's. Even in his mind scape, the monster that was standing in front of the trio of lions had Erai's orbs.

"You wouldn't just murder the one you died protecting, or do you really just want to throw away your own sacrifice?"

The creature smirked, or what would look like such on the face of such a beast. Lips curling over the pointed fangs in almost a snarl of a smile. One that held no warmth to it.

"If you want to kill me, you will also destroy your prince. His mind and soul belongs to me~"

Erai's distorted form stepped closer, every step taken blackened by the ice. He couldn't move into Katsu's mind without feeling the ice cold pain from the protective snow. But yet both the scorpion and hyena's desperation to be close to Katsu made him push through, til his legs were rotting away. Forcing him to stop halfway.

"Yet I haven't threatened you at all. I've only created your darkest desires. One where you get to have your mate and your secret lover in one~"

The monster tried to reach for Katsu, pushing through the snow on bloody stumps.

"This is all you have left of us. Back in the land of living we are both dead, and your prince is just as well off.

But here you can join us... then we can be together forever~"

June 10, 2019

The lion could hear them. He could hear the agonizing cries of the living that fell to Dakari's wrath....no, to Erai's wrath. He could feel the balance their lives hung in between life and death. He could feel Kisame and his group drawing further and further away from the chaos with his body and he could feel Yuuta desperately trying to save as many as he could as he snapped at them in hushed tones to get as far from the camp as they could, to head for his Tower where the other Sentinels would be waiting. Katsu could feel all the imbalance, the chaos that wrecked havoc in the real world. And while he didn't have full access to his emotions anymore, he could feel the rage that would have once dominated his mind at what Erai was doing. It was distant but it was there and it was something he latched onto as he watched the monster that had become of the young Prince drawing closer.

Swishing his tail in the air to signify his mother and father to wait, Katsu padded a few steps closer to the creature Erai had created. Those cerulean blue eyes never moving away from the unnatural eyes that stared back at him from what should have been Dakari's soul. Anyone else might have thought the young Prince lost forever but Katsu wasn't that easily forced to give up. Erai might have done some damage, might have caused some scars, but this fight wasn't over. Not as far as Katsu was concerned. Even if it was against the little one's desires, he would save him one way or another.

"Be together with you....forever. With a false mate, one who awakens nothing but disgust inside me.....No Erai....I would never choose to join you forever. No matter what tactics you would employ to gain my favor. You have always been nothing more than a speck of dirt in my eyes. An insect who thought himself cunning enough to take advantage of a situation provided to him. And while your hold on me may have worked while my heart still beat.....your words hold no power over me now. Your offer is a waste of your pathetic effort"

Katsu mussed calmly enough, sitting down regal in the snow mere inches from where the mutilated form was. Where that monstrosity was reaching for him. He was almost close enough to touch but the falling snow would not allow it. It was almost poetically mocking at best as Katsu stared down the creature with cold blue eyes. That he could be so close to Erai but the scorpion would never be able to lay a hand on him again, either physically mentally....that must be quite the blow for the piece of filth.

"I could tear you out of his mind....you know I can. It will be painfully, agonizing even. I can invoke a pain in you that you have never felt before. I could rip what remains of your soul to shreds. Teach you where you true place in the food chain is, make an example of you to any who dare test the will of a Sentinel. I could make your death last, make your torture unspeakable. You will wish for you destruction by the end of it.....but I will not hurt my Prince. It will be unpleasant for Dakari, but he will not die. Unlike you, the grip of a Sentinel is not as fragile as that who has no place in the mind of a Prince. It may have been harder to accomplish if I had been alone, but I am not alone, Erai. You are in the territory of the Ancients, and dead or alive, a Sentinel's duty is to the Royal family. I can and I will kill you, don't fret....your time will come, scorpion....but Dakari will not suffer more due to your influence"

The snow lion breathed out, a fine mist of frozen air coming out of his breath around his muzzle. A force of habit as he didn't require breath any longer. From behind him, behind where his mother and father sat silently, the forms of the other fallen Sentinels began to appear. Both those that had died in the war and those that had faded centuries before. All gathered in the forms of their spirit animals, creating a loss crescent around the area Katsu sat inches from the monstrosity that had been their Prince. It was a breathtaking sight to see them all appear, one by one, their individual cries rippling through the air as they joined the growing group. All united for the task of saving the Prince that had to be protected at all cost. Even if many had lived and died long before Dakari's birth.

The process of ripping Erai out of Dakari's mind would not be an easy one. It would hurt Dakari....there was no denying that. But Katsu would not allow it to hurt as much as Erai assumed it would. He would protect his Prince as completely as he had protected him in life. No matter the cost to his own soul, he would keep Dakari safe. However, he hoped it wouldn't come to having to leap to such depths. If he could will Dakari to fight, if he could rouse the boy's fire, then perhaps they'd be able to buy themselves time. They'd be able to push Erai far back into the recess of Dakari's mind long enough to teach the boy what he would need to throw Erai out of his soul with his own strength. If Dakari could do that, while it would weaken him, it would not cause as much damage as tearing Erai out of him would.

"Dakari ....Princeling, I know you can hear me. I know you're scared, I know you're confused and have grief in your heart....but do you truly intend to let your soul be crushed by the grip of a monster? Did you not once tell me you wished to be a Sentinel? To stand shoulder to shoulder with our kind? Did you not declare to me you'd be a Prince our people could be proud of? Was it not you that always tried your best to beat me in our spars, even if you could not? Did you not say your fire was more than enough for you to beat anyone in a fight? Were those all lies? Did you mean none of it? Have you decided to bow to one stronger than you just because you are frightened? Because the events that led to this have not been to your liking?" Katsu murmured gently to the part of this monstrosity that he knew was Dakari. No matter how small that part was, he knew he could reach him.

"You have always been my pride and joy. I have looked forward to the day where I can call you King. When I know that my lessons were not for naught. You are the heart of our people, the force of our Kingdom, the light in the darkness that threatenes to destroy our world....and you are my Princeling. My Prince. The boy I watched grow from toddler to a proud young adult. One who knows not how to watch his words and often does not phrase his meanings correctly. One who stumbles around still trying to run after those far ahead of him. One whose pride and foolishness have been the cause of many headaches and worries. You are Dakari, Prince of our people. Do not allow the will of another drown all I have ever taught you. Do not allow him to cause you to forget everything I have poured in you. You are my pride, you are my heart and you have always been my motivation since the day I met you as a cub....You are more than you know yourself to be. Prove to me that you will not roll over for this insect. Show me who you really are. Who you can be. Prove to me that whatever we have built over the years can not be destroyed in the face of a storm. Show me the Prince I've always said you have the potential to be. Prove to me that my sacrifice was not in vain, that my life meant as much as you claimed it did"

Katsu softly urged the boy, trying as best he could to get Dakari to awaken. To fight back in any way he could. He needed to know the boy was still able to hear him, that there was still a reason to try and save his soul. Even if it was just a small sign, Kstsu needed Dakari to show him that he was still willing to fight.

June 30, 2019

The lion could hear them. He could hear the agonizing cries of the living that fell to Dakari's wrath....no, to Erai's wrath. He could feel the balance their lives hung in between life and death. He could feel Kisame and his group drawing further and further away from the chaos with his body and he could feel Yuuta desperately trying to save as many as he could as he snapped at them in hushed tones to get as far from the camp as they could, to head for his Tower where the other Sentinels would be waiting. Katsu could feel all the imbalance, the chaos that wrecked havoc in the real world. And while he didn't have full access to his emotions anymore, he could feel the rage that would have once dominated his mind at what Erai was doing. It was distant but it was there and it was something he latched onto as he watched the monster that had become of the young Prince drawing closer.

Swishing his tail in the air to signify his mother and father to wait, Katsu padded a few steps closer to the creature Erai had created. Those cerulean blue eyes never moving away from the unnatural eyes that stared back at him from what should have been Dakari's soul. Anyone else might have thought the young Prince lost forever but Katsu wasn't that easily forced to give up. Erai might have done some damage, might have caused some scars, but this fight wasn't over. Not as far as Katsu was concerned. Even if it was against the little one's desires, he would save him one way or another.

"Be together with you....forever. With a false mate, one who awakens nothing but disgust inside me.....No Erai....I would never choose to join you forever. No matter what tactics you would employ to gain my favor. You have always been nothing more than a speck of dirt in my eyes. An insect who thought himself cunning enough to take advantage of a situation provided to him. And while your hold on me may have worked while my heart still beat.....your words hold no power over me now. Your offer is a waste of your pathetic effort"

Katsu mussed calmly enough, sitting down regal in the snow mere inches from where the mutilated form was. Where that monstrosity was reaching for him. He was almost close enough to touch but the falling snow would not allow it. It was almost poetically mocking at best as Katsu stared down the creature with cold blue eyes. That he could be so close to Erai but the scorpion would never be able to lay a hand on him again, either physically mentally....that must be quite the blow for the piece of filth.

"I could tear you out of his mind....you know I can. It will be painfully, agonizing even. I can invoke a pain in you that you have never felt before. I could rip what remains of your soul to shreds. Teach you where you true place in the food chain is, make an example of you to any who dare test the will of a Sentinel. I could make your death last, make your torture unspeakable. You will wish for you destruction by the end of it.....but I will not hurt my Prince. It will be unpleasant for Dakari, but he will not die. Unlike you, the grip of a Sentinel is not as fragile as that who has no place in the mind of a Prince. It may have been harder to accomplish if I had been alone, but I am not alone, Erai. You are in the territory of the Ancients, and dead or alive, a Sentinel's duty is to the Royal family. I can and I will kill you, don't fret....your time will come, scorpion....but Dakari will not suffer more due to your influence"

The snow lion breathed out, a fine mist of frozen air coming out of his breath around his muzzle. A force of habit as he didn't require breath any longer. From behind him, behind where his mother and father sat silently, the forms of the other fallen Sentinels began to appear. Both those that had died in the war and those that had faded centuries before. All gathered in the forms of their spirit animals, creating a loss crescent around the area Katsu sat inches from the monstrosity that had been their Prince. It was a breathtaking sight to see them all appear, one by one, their individual cries rippling through the air as they joined the growing group. All united for the task of saving the Prince that had to be protected at all cost. Even if many had lived and died long before Dakari's birth.

The process of ripping Erai out of Dakari's mind would not be an easy one. It would hurt Dakari....there was no denying that. But Katsu would not allow it to hurt as much as Erai assumed it would. He would protect his Prince as completely as he had protected him in life. No matter the cost to his own soul, he would keep Dakari safe. However, he hoped it wouldn't come to having to leap to such depths. If he could will Dakari to fight, if he could rouse the boy's fire, then perhaps they'd be able to buy themselves time. They'd be able to push Erai far back into the recess of Dakari's mind long enough to teach the boy what he would need to throw Erai out of his soul with his own strength. If Dakari could do that, while it would weaken him, it would not cause as much damage as tearing Erai out of him would.

"Dakari ....Princeling, I know you can hear me. I know you're scared, I know you're confused and have grief in your heart....but do you truly intend to let your soul be crushed by the grip of a monster? Did you not once tell me you wished to be a Sentinel? To stand shoulder to shoulder with our kind? Did you not declare to me you'd be a Prince our people could be proud of? Was it not you that always tried your best to beat me in our spars, even if you could not? Did you not say your fire was more than enough for you to beat anyone in a fight? Were those all lies? Did you mean none of it? Have you decided to bow to one stronger than you just because you are frightened? Because the events that led to this have not been to your liking?" Katsu murmured gently to the part of this monstrosity that he knew was Dakari. No matter how small that part was, he knew he could reach him.

"You have always been my pride and joy. I have looked forward to the day where I can call you King. When I know that my lessons were not for naught. You are the heart of our people, the force of our Kingdom, the light in the darkness that threatenes to destroy our world....and you are my Princeling. My Prince. The boy I watched grow from toddler to a proud young adult. One who knows not how to watch his words and often does not phrase his meanings correctly. One who stumbles around still trying to run after those far ahead of him. One whose pride and foolishness have been the cause of many headaches and worries. You are Dakari, Prince of our people. Do not allow the will of another drown all I have ever taught you. Do not allow him to cause you to forget everything I have poured in you. You are my pride, you are my heart and you have always been my motivation since the day I met you as a cub....You are more than you know yourself to be. Prove to me that you will not roll over for this insect. Show me who you really are. Who you can be. Prove to me that whatever we have built over the years can not be destroyed in the face of a storm. Show me the Prince I've always said you have the potential to be. Prove to me that my sacrifice was not in vain, that my life meant as much as you claimed it did"

Katsu softly urged the boy, trying as best he could to get Dakari to awaken. To fight back in any way he could. He needed to know the boy was still able to hear him, that there was still a reason to try and save his soul. Even if it was just a small sign, Katsu needed Dakari to show him that he was still willing to fight.

Erai, for his part, could feel his fear and desperation mounting as time mentally ticked by. Katsu's words burned and they stirred dark hatred and jealousy in his soul towards the being he controlled. As much as he wished to reach the leopard hybrid, as much as he wanted to possess what he never could in life....it was still an impossible task. All because of this little fool the leopard seemed intent on saving. When Erai had pushed Katsu to sacfirce his own life in the fight where the leopard had killed him and his little army, he had thought he'd win for sure. He'd cause damage to all who loved the Sentinel and he would have his revenge on the little brat who even thought himself a worthy mate for the leopard. His plan had been to break Dakari apart piece by painful piece before he traveled through the realm of the dead to get his rightful mate once and for all.

However, he couldn't have miscalculated it any worse.

Katsu was one of the strongest Sentinels to ever have lived, if not the strongest. Without his limiter, he would have surpassed his mother's power by leagues. He was a treasure to posses. The personification of grace, beauty, and unstoppable power. Anyone with a cunning way of thinking would leap at the prospect of being able to claim the leopard as theirs. And yet, he had never thought the leopard's will as strong as it was. To deny him even in death, to scorn him and attempt to save the Prince even if both the scorpion and the leopard had already lost their lives. It was not something he was considering and now he knew his time was running short.

The appearance of the Ancients behind Katsu had terror stirring in Erai and he felt his grip on Dakari weaken more than he would have liked. There was something reacting in the Prince that he couldn't stop or control, nor that he could afford to put much mind to it. If he didn't complete his self appointed task, he was sure to be ripped apart as the lion had promised....but he had to try and hold on. He wasn't going to go down without a fair fight, even if it was pointless. If he couldn't have the Sentinel, then no one ever would....Besides....His leader.....Rido was coming, Erai could already feel his approach. If he could just hold on long enough, then the tides of war would surely turn in their favor.

July 3, 2019

"I see you brought Mom and Dad along for this special occasion? It is only fitting that they meet their son in law."

That statement seemed to be torn if whether it was coming more from Dakari or Erai. Erai still had more of the reigns, but yet their was beneath the mocking an earnest that had to be coming from the prince genuinely being in awe and respect at the sentinels that made Katsu. Though there was also a deep fear, Erai knowing that his control was slipping away, and the hyena's deep instinctual terror of the lion, their apex rival.

The monstrosity that was neither human nor animal, living or dead rolled over on it's back to stare up almost melancholy at the falling snow out lining the Sentinel's face.

"You may have won this fight. But while both of us are rotting away, being claimed by insects, always the last creatures standing... So insignificant yet we feast when all others have fallen. How do you expect to win the war, when you are nothing and your prince is too pathetic to ever be a leader?"

The creature smirked, closing it's eyes.

"You have so much faith in him, but I can feel he's never done anything worth your pride. Face it, you were soft for him the moment you saw the little whelp. And he took full advantage of that. Who can blame the brat? You were trying so hard to change him, make him into something worthy, that you blinded yourself to the truth that he'll never become a true king."

Erai had plans to fix that, while Dakari could never lead. He was already planning for a perfect suitor to grace the kingdom soon. A man fit to lead and to put the prince in his rightful place.

"Go ahead, hyena. Tell Katsu that he's been wasting his breath on you. That everything he thought he knew of you was a lie, everything wasted."

The scorpion echoed in Dakari's mind, trying to keep his grip of corruption on the prince by feeding him every doubt he could dig up. It wasn't hard, but there was that annoying cockiness to get past. So many memories of a little cub who wouldn't quit, wouldn't listen to reason or his elders. It was actually quite disgusting his attitude towards others. But even Dakari wasn't strong enough to face loosing what he thought would always be his.

"K-Katsu... I... I'm sorry..."

The prince voice cracked weakly, sounding almost far away still. He didn't want to prove Erai right, but he never imagined a part of the journey to becoming a king would involve loosing the one he had been living for this entire time. He didn't want to go back, even if this was a hell in his mind, at least here Katsu existed, outside of that. Katsu was gone. He couldn't go back!

Even if he sounded so small and defeated in the deepest corners of his mind no one would have guessed such from the way the prince was rampaging in the land of the living. He forced everyone around him into complete submission, all loyalties were suspected of treason including the fleeing sentinels or anyone who dared to defend the deceased Katsu's reputation, no one was trusted. At the same time, the prince seemed to be celebrating this new order recklessly, with pure gluttony and disregard. Already even those close seemed to loathe this new attitude of their prince, and only served out of fear, but there was no trust or respect.

July 3, 2019

The lion hybrid could feel remnants of what would have been frustration and desperation growing inside him. With every passing moment he could feel the chaos happening in the realm of the living. He could feel his oath as Sentinel to protect his people, wanting to do something....anything to help. But he didn't have many options. If he couldn't bring Dakari to the surface as smoothly as he wanted to....then he had to try other tactics. Tactical that every fiber of his soul rebelled against. His pride, his blood right as Heir to the Sentinel leadership balked at the thought of what else he could do. As much as he wanted to protect Dakari....as much as he wished to spare the young one from any more pain and grief....he could not allow this to continue. He could not allow Dakari to remain hidden away from what was happening.

He had to bring the boy to the surface....one way or another. There was no other option. Their people needed him and Dakari could not fail them.

Closing his eyes in resignation, Katsu lowered his proud mane just a few inches as he forced his spirit to shift from his animal form to that of what had been his human appearance. Though transparent in some places, the male still looked about the same as he had always. His long, waist lenght raven hair laid smooth against his back...thicker now with the awakening of his full powers, yet still beautiful. Rosetta patterns still lightly graced his skin and the base of his jaw and neck. Cerulean blue eyes still appeared to give off that self imposed glow and despite seeming colder and almost a bit paler, they still held the warmth they had always had for the Prince. His armor had vanished and in its place, he bore his traditional white and black flaked robes.

Inhaling deeply, Katsu opened his eyes once more to gaze down at the creature that lay just inches from him. One that wasn't hyena nor human, living nor dead, man nor woman. Gentle love and compassion warmed his glacier gaze and even as a small quirk of the lips appeared on his usually indifferent, serene expression....Katsu knew that this tactic would be one that would either work or would be the last mistake he made. However, if Dakari cared about him....truly cared about him and his people...then this was the only way he could think of forcing the Prince to react. There was no other way less painful that he could think of.

"This is not your fault....never blame yourself for the ill intent of others. You were not trained for this, little one" he murmured softly to the spirit of the Prince he had sacrificed so much for and was willing to sacrifice what little he had left even now.

Turning his focus on Erai, Katsu grimly made up his mind as he forced his plan to motion. "You cause all this destruction for your own sick desires.....You break everything apart to get what you want. To pave a way for your army. You torture the mind of one much too young to fend off against a power as old as yourself.....And for what? To make this world bow to the will of your kind? To finally claim me as your own?......Is that what you truly wish for, mate, then very well. But I will not make this as easy as you seem to think it will be, Erai" the snow leopard murmured softly, rolling his shoulders as he pushed his will into that of the will of the element bonded to him

He could feel the sharp protest of his element almost as it was a blow to his mind. His ice protested, the snow whirled around him with more strength. Unwilling to do what it's host was asking. Katsu had been chosen to wield the power of this element and now it's host was urging it to drop it's protection. While his element was not fully sentient....even it had loyalties to that which it had chosen as it's own. And the snow leopard belonged to it. Yet Katsu was not one to be deterred, using more persuasion, he forced the snow around him to come to a stop, forced the snow at his feet to slowly disintegrate. Even as the dark tendrils of Erai's power eagerly began to reach for him in earnest now that Katsu's protection appeared to be fading....Katsu didn't falter. Not even when the first touch of the vile, darkness wrapped around one of his legs.

"My darling!"

"Son!"

The sharp calls of his parents earned nothing but a sharp look over his shoulder and a firm shake of his head. He could not allow them to interfere. This was a game of manipulation and wits. One that only those truly intertwined in it could participate in. And the three main players were Dakari, Erai, and Katsu himself. So even though the hold on his leg the darkness had burned his spirit like nothing else had, caused a soft hiss of pain to slip out of him, Katsu wasn't going to retreat. Not until he got the reaction he wanted.

"So you've chosen to finally give into me! My, my how the mighty have finally fallen, my love! You are making the right choice! At our side, you will never be taken from us again. You can watch us rule this pathetic Kingdom. Your little Prince will be able to have you and so will I. You're strength will finally be used for a proper cause!" Erai excited and elated voice rang out as the monstrosity on the ground grinned at the turn of events. More and more of the darkness that inhabited Erai's soul and now Dakari's mind wrapped around the Sentinel tightly as any protection the man seemed to have had faded into nothing.

Chuckling softly despite the pain the mere touch of that darkness invoked in the pureness of his own soul, Katsu grinned almost manically over at the creature that watched him so hungrily. "I do believe I told you this would not be so simple, didn't I, Erai?"

Unlike what Erai hoped to have happen when dragging Katsu to their side, Erai watched in horror and disbelief as the dark tendrils seemed to burn through the Sentinel's spirit. Black smoke rose from everywhere they were wrapped around and even as the snow leopard doubled over just slightly with an agony filled gasp at the growing pain of the darkness essentially destroying his soul, Erai tried to reel his power in. Yet it was impossible. Darkness didn't release its hold on light when it was already wrapped around something so pure. It was an age old battle against good and evil....and given the chance, evil would always destroy whatever pureness it found. In this case, devouring the soul of a Sentinel, ripping it to pieces, ending its existence....and that was something that the darkness was all too eager to do. This wasn't about forcing Katsu to change his alliances and state of mind....it was about destroying it's opposite.

"What are you doing?! What the hell are you doing, mate! Call upon your element! Stop this at once!" Erau screeched at the cat, fury having him hurling himself up into a sitting position and trying to advance the last few feet towards the feline.

"What's wrong, Erai? I thought this was what you wished for? You wanted me to give in, did you not? Am I not doing what you asked? I am submitting to your power.....however, I will never submit to your claim. I'd rather have my soul ripped to shreds and devoured before I give you any part of it. I will allow your power to destroy me, but I will never belong to you. No matter what ploy you attempt" Katsu laughed, short and pain laced but filled with wild intent and a will that would not be halted.

Behind him he could hear the protest from the other Sentinels, could hear how they held his parents back from crossing into the darkness to retrieve their cub. He was thankful to them, because as much as he craved the healing feel of his kind....he could not falter. Not yet. Not when he still needed to get the reaction he desired in order to know that there was still hope for this realm.

"Choose....Erai....Dakari. Is your desire to see this realm come a fall so strong that you would willingly allow yourself to lose the thing you have craved for so long. Is your lust to win strong enough to allow yourself to lose in this regard. Choose which option you want to take. Release the cub or lose your mate, and this time for good....because there will be no way of you finding any trace of what I was again. Make your choice.....but make it quick, who knows how long it'll take for your power to finish feasting on my spirit" Katsu spoke as lightly as he could manage himself to sound. He could feel his soul withering with every passing second, he could feel chunks of it being torn away and fed into the dark abyss he was willingly allowing himself to be in. And as painful as it was, he would play this game for as long as he could to get what he needed.

Rage and desperation rose like a tide in Erai. As much as he had dreamed for the destruction of this realm, for the rise of what would one day be it's one true King. As much as he was loyal to those of the Dark Realm, as much as he'd be willing to tear even small children apart to get to his goal....he was not willing to sacrifice this. Not his mate. He might not hold any true essence of love for the feline, but Katsu was still his and he would not lose him. Not even to his own darkness. It was an unacceptable outcome and he'd be damned if he allowed it.

"Stop him! Do whatever you must do, brat, but you stop him right now! I will not lose my mate out of his own stupidity!" Erai roared even as his words were directed inward towards the hyena. He didn't give a shit what his comrades or his leader thought, not now at least. Right now, what mattered was stopping his damnable mate. He would not bloody give the snow leopard up, even if he had to curve himself to the Sentinel's will.

In the outside world, Rido paused his battalion in their approach to the area he could sense Erai's spirit in. Dark storm clouds gathered on the horizon and a cold burst of wind raked the land below. If he hadn't known better, he'd say a blizzard was on the way...yet he knew who controlled storms like those and he had felt the Sentinel's death. However, as the cold wind slammed into the land around, the dark General instinctively knew that this was a battle in another plane of existence and while he could not see it, he could taste the power in the wind.

July 18, 2019

Dakari felt something terrible, even though it would seem impossible to sense anything bad while literally drowning in his own poisoned mind something was wrong. He could feel Katsu fading, his aura had been so strong, stronger than ever before just moments before, now it was flickering out like a candle in the wind.

He could let himself drown and be devoured by Erai's soul, but loosing Katsu was not something he could come to let pass. Ever. It was the only thing left fighting for now.

The hyena forced his way through the slurry in his memory, even as the sludge grew deeper he did not let himself wallow in it. There was a light ahead, and Katsu's fading energy was there. But there were others, and he was already there, standing in front of the snow leopard, but that was not him. It was something hideous Erai had made. He had to stop this now.

The prince tried to summon his power of fire, but the tar coating his body seemed to make it impossible to ignite. He threw himself against the snow covered ground, trying to rid his body of the strange substance. The white seemed to make it melt away into nothingness, as if there was no trace to begin. Shaking himself off, both literally and figuratively he faced Katsu. Just locking his gaze with the sentinel in his full glory caused his inner fire to burn brighter than ever as a wave of flame crashed right towards Katsu, licking at the darkness surrounding him. The flames spun around the snow lion, forming a vortex yet not once did the heat touch the Sentinel. Considering that Dakari normally couldn't control his element this seemed a feat that would have been impossibly dangerous.

Yet when one's soulmate's very existence was at stake seemed to spark something even more deadly, yet not for Katsu, but for anything that dare threaten his mate.

Bonds as strong as Time [[For LoneDigger and Myself]]

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