<b>"Hikaru! Father is stronger than you think. Far stronger than you can begin to imagine. You should hold no fear for his fate. He'll join us soon, he gave us his word and father never lies"</b>Tatsuo called back to the boy riding on his back. He could understand the fear the human could possibly have for the fate of his father....but it was unfounded at best. Tatsuo and his brother had both lived a long time under the care and protection of their father and never had they seen him fall in battle. It was something Tatsuo doubted he'd ever see happen.<br/><br/><b>"Tatsuo is right, Hikaru. Father has yet to be beaten in combat and Touma is nothing but a speck of dirt on his radar. Do not concern yourself over needless things. Father will be back with us soon, never you doubt that. Have faith in him.....he has never failed us yet. Besides  if we go back now we'll just be in his way"</b>Natsume was quick to add in his own voice as he raced beside his brother. The sounds of explosions, the shrieks of demons and the raw feel of power was getting dimmer and dimmer as they placed more distance between them, and that was for the best. The last thing they knew their father would want is for them to be in the line of combat....especially with the fact that they were carrying such precious cargo for him. Even if Hikaru argued and fought, the two would do as they were told and they would wait for their father at the edge of the village.<br/><br/>Streaking further into the forest, further away from civilization, the sounds of battle and closer to the scents of home, the pair of Kitsune found whatever tension they might have been carrying, vanish completely. While they had still been in their clan's territory during their encounter with Touma, the presence of the other demon and his clan members had tainted the air. Made it heavy and lacking the purity of the breeze sweeping across this part of the forest. The scents of foliage, different berries and plants, the sounds of small animals scurrying about as the kitsune raced past.....it all felt like home. Even the fresh smell of lake water just a few miles from their clan's village, was as welcoming as the roar of the massive waterfall that lay just about a mile outside their village.<br/><br/><b>"We're almost there, little one. Rest assured, you'll be reunited with father in just a few moments. His scent is strong, he has already begun his journey to meet us"</b>Tatsuo reassured the human on his back just as he and his brother rounded a bend and were greeted with the sounds of soft but lively music and soft conversation coming from behind what looked like a tall wall made of fallen tree limbs, logs, and forest greenery. The sounds of life behind the barrier were clear but it was impossible to see what awaited them. The only way in was through the massive wooden gate guarded by two of their best warriors that instantly had straightened when the brothers had come into sight and proceeded to stiffen at the smell and sight of a human with them.<br/><br/><b>"Tatsuo-sama, Natsume-sama....welcome back.....though you seemed to have brought with you a trespassing human.....what is the meaning of his presence here?"</b>One of the guards stepped forward to ask the moment Tatsuo and Natsume had come to a stop just feet away. However before either brother could answer, their heads and tails already raised with a sense of authority, another voice interrupted them.<br/><br/>"The human is here under my request. Stand at ease, he means us no harm. He is under my direct protection".<br/><br/><i><b>"Father!"</b> </i>Both kitsune breathed in relief and happiness at the arrival of their father while the two guards instantly bowed to their leader and greeted him with infinite respect and subordination.<br/><br/><i><b>"Our Lord".<br/>
</b></i><br/>Nodding briefly at the guards and waving at them in a gesture to have them relax, Seirei turned his attention on his sons and Hikaru as he stepped out of the shadows. While there was some blood splatter on his clothing, for the most part he appeared entirely unharmed and untouched. There wasn't even a hair out of place and his tails remained impeccable clean, without the trace of even the slightest amount of dirt. It would be impossible to guess he had been in battle had it not been for those small splatters on his clothing.<br/><br/>"I trust your journey here was uneventful" Seirei directed his first statement to his sons and when they had nodded, he turned his gentle golden gaze on Hikaru. "Are you hurt anywhere? Did Touma's demons manage to wound you, little one?" He asked with that effortlessly soft, warm tone of voice.