Inari's POV;
“Ha, just wait until Lia sees what we've caught! This fella will taste great,” boasted Yosaku. He was dragging a large elephant sized tiger after him. The beast was tricky to spot, hard to catch and even harder to kill. We had to track fairly deep into the forest to find such a fine beast.
“Oy, be a bit more considerate would ya? Dragging that think on its tail is making Inari uncomfortable,” scolded Jonny while putting bandages back into a pouch. He had used them to clean a wound Yosaku has gotten during our battle with the mighty beast.
Yosaku looked at me and then down to the ground, embarrassed. “Oh, sorry,” he mumbled.
I tried to smile gratefully, but seeing the animal pulled on its tail was, as Jonny said, uncomfortable. I feel a phantom pain whenever I see something gets dragged or pulled on its tail. Being pulled on your tail hurts.
“No, I understand. Pulling there is the easiest way,” I said with a small smile. It was also true, my tail, any tail really, can be a major weak point.
That's why we Mink are training our tails especially hard. I can destroy stone with a swish of my tail. Sensei can even shatter hardened steel. There were legends about fox minks that can create a great tsunami or destroy mountains with a swish of their tail. Every fox mink strives to be one such person.
“No really, sorry. It was inconsiderate for me to do it. Us guys have something similar,” apologised Yosaku again, a bit more awkwardly.
“Really? How so? Is it something you lesser Mink have all in common?” I asked excitedly. The culture of lesser Mink is still a bit strange to me. I have learned much, but there is still a lot more to learn.
Yosaku looked troubled and over to Jonny, who was crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head. “Eh, how should I say. When a guy gets hit in the nuts all other present males feel some phantom pain from seeing something this cruel,” he finally explained after opening and closing his mouth a couple of times.
I cocked my head to the side. Haven't other males back home done the same whenever I hit them there. Is it something all Minks do and more gender specific? “Really? So other lesser Mink males would stop their attack for a moment, were I to stab my sickle inside their genitalia?”
Both Jonny and Yosaku shuddered visibly before Jonny answered. “Please don't target someone there, it's unfair and just not done.”
I did not understand what he meant with unfair. Back home it was almost the only thing that allowed me to get a hit in on Sensei. He and other male Mink were always a lot more defensive after a few attacks there. It allowed me to attack at my leisure, they would only think about defending that part, sometimes even 'sacrificing' other parts of their body for it.
Okay, I can understand that not being able to propagate is troublesome and might worry a lot of Minks, but those are enemies we are speaking about. They are not meant to live and get children. Why should I hold back then? Maybe something the lesser Mink have come up with.
There are other strange things lesser Mink have come up with. For example, they only care about their head fur and not about what little they have on their arms and legs, or in between. Was I in their position I would try to keep what little fur I have in extra pristine condition. But no, they even sometimes shave it off!
No one at home would believe me if they hear that there are people who WILLINGLY shave their fur off. Lia and Lara-sama are especially fixated on being as shaven as possible. Only their head has fur. As a normal Mink, you could only pity them. I shook my head at the strange ways a lesser Mink can think.
Still, it was nice of Yosaku to not continue his pulling on the tigers tail.
Our way back through the forest was mostly silent. Only the good meant banter between Yosaku and Jonny filled the air. They are sometimes like monkey Mink. Always bickering, but still part of a group and fiercely loyal to each other.
It's nice to see normal Mink behaviour in my friends, makes me nostalgic and fills me with the hope that maybe they can be like normal Minks. It's a work in progress. Currently, I am trying to teach them how to be more affectionate.
A normal Mink likes to hug and cuddle and shares the good feeling that fills you whenever you hug someone. Lesser Mink are less agreeable to hugs. I managed to ease my friends into cuddling and hugs, but they aren't doing it enough with each other.
Lia and Lara-sama are hugging and cuddling each other like real Minks, but sadly only each other. Yosaku is also sometimes hugging Nojiko, but almost never Jonny. The most he does is an extremely short hug with a clap on the back. How can they be satisfied with such a butchered hug?
Still, you take what you get and do small steps. A month ago Jonny would have been stiff whenever I hug him. But now he just smiles, pats my head and acts normal. Like right now, I wouldn't have been able to piggyback ride him, while hugging his head, when we first met. Normal Minks would think nothing by this standard hug.
We reached the shore with the Raptor still anchored in the water. However, something was wrong, there were a lot of different smells I don't know and I could see a lot of footprints in the sand. Someone was here, someone I don't know.
“Something the matter, Inari?” Asked Yosaku. He was looking at my bristling tail, great shame on me that it still acts on its own.
“People were here,” I said before jumping off of Jonny's back and over to a part with lots of footprints. A quick inspection revealed at least twenty pairs of shoes. And closer to the water I could also spot signs of a fight. Most were already washed away by the waves, but some could still be seen.
“Someone fought here, but it was a short and quick fight,” I explained while Yosaku jumped back on board of the ship. Jonny has stayed with me on the shore and was looking over my shoulder.
“Really? Didn't know you could read footprints,” he praised and followed the most obvious prints back to the forest line. “Well, they definitely came from the forest and left the same way,” he then said.
I looked at where he was pointing and saw how the plants were all unnaturally bent. A group of people, carrying stuff, has walked through that part of the forest.
“Guys, they robbed us and kidnapped Mrs Chicken Wing. I can't find her, nor Herbert. They also have gone through our stuff and took most valuables,” shouted Yosaku suddenly. Jonny and I quickly jumped on the ship to see for ourselves.
I only had to look at our training area to confirm what he said. The racks, once filled with weapons crafted by Lara-sama, were now empty.
“Not good, any idea what we should do?” Asked Jonny into the round.
Maybe we can search the surroundings, I could follow the path of the thieves. So much loot is not easy to carry and they will have left obvious signs on their way back.
“We should wait, Lara and Lia will know what to do,” suggested Yosaku.
I disagreed, these people might not be too far away, we can still catch up with them. “Yeah, anything good enough to kidnap Mrs Chicken Wing needs to at least be fought by Lia or Lara. Only they can fight her,” agreed Jonny.
“I could follow their tracks and scout their base out,” I suggested. Following them through the thick forest won't be hard, they will not know I am watching them.
“Nah, let's wait. It would be bad to lose you as well,” denied Jonny, but I had set my mind. I will find out where their base is. Lara-sama might need that information and perhaps they will help me clean my tail again. Lia and Lara-sama are very well versed in the art of cleaning a tail. Mine was never as lush and silky as it is now.
I hugged Jonny, it's nice that they care about me. “I'm confident in my abilities to stay undetected. If something happens I will retreat.”
He didn't look convinced but did not stop me as well. “I'll be back once I have found their base,” I assured while jumping down from the ship and into the forest. Both wished me luck and told me to be careful.
It wasn't hard following the trampled path through the forest. As if whoever did this wanted to be followed. I was instantly more alert, this might very well be a trap. I kept my ears up and my nose in the air, but also my eyes open for any movements.
More than once did I stop from a sudden movement in the foliage, only to see a small critter jumping from one tree to another.
However, nothing attacked me. I easily evaded the few hostile animals on my path and found after an hour or two I found myself in a forest with almost no carnivores. Not really bothered, but still wary, I continued on.
And it was only thanks to my constant vigilance that I managed to evade the attack that came rushing down at me from the back. I ducked under the attack and it sailed over my lowered head with only a few short millimetres to spare.
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The animal that attacked me rushed back into the foliage.
I instantly drew my short sword and got more guarded. Whatever, or whoever, this wasn't very tall. At most the height of a dog. However, size isn't everything. Lara-sama is also not very tall, but one of the strongest people I have ever seen. And don't forget Fiara, she was tiny and yet massively strong.
A rustle of leaves behind me was all I got as a forewarning before a dark blur shot out of the trees and at me. I raised my blade and parried the attack.
My foe was strong, but not strong enough. Training with Yosaku has shown what strength is and while this one was also fast, it wasn't as fast as Jonny.
The attack was stopped and I could get a good look at my assailant. It was a bird, it looked a bit like a parrot, but had deep green feathers. It seemingly blended in with its surroundings.
I punched out with my fist and hit the bird in its chest. However, before I could land a solid blow it managed to push itself off of my blade and lower the force of my hit. Instead of crashing into a tree it just did a somersault and landed in front on the forest floor.
“Chirp!” It chirped in a sweet melody like tone and then attacked again. A black claw shot at me and I had to evade to the left.
My tail swung out and caught the flying bird in the middle of its attack. A few of its light weighted bones were broken by my tail before the strength of my attack made it fly back to the ground. I followed up with a second attack. My elbow crashed into the face of the bird and knocked it out.
I stood back up and listened. My ears twitched and rotated, but there was nothing. No rapid flapping or other indicators for support. Maybe it was alone. It looked like a normal bird and the tiger knew Haki as well. Maybe a local animal and I stumbled too close to its nest?
I left the bird were I had knocked it out. I couldn't take its corpse with me, it would make too much noise. And killing an animal and then wasting it by not processing as much as possible is not okay.
Still, for my sneaking skills to be trounced by a bird. Had it been Mrs Chicken Wing, okay, but a forest bird? Let's not tell the others about it, it's kinda embarrassing.
It took longer but giving even more care to be as silent as possible proofed to be the right decision. The forest opened up into a clearing. There was a small settling within, small tents and other primitive housings were built across the open field.
The sound of chirping, clucking and croaking rung through the air. I could see a few young bird chicks playing around with some old looking birds watching over them.
Are all these birds like Mrs Chicken Wing? They don't look as cultivated as her, but there are some similarities.
“Man, that chicken the boss has gotten under his control really is something,” spoke suddenly a human voice.
I moved and tried to spot the speaker and found him, as well as another male, sitting on a tree trunk. They too were watching the chicks playing but without much care.
“Yeah, it beat up Rick before the boss could order it to stop,” agreed his companion. So Mrs Chicken Wing did fight them, but why should she listen to the words of some random attacker?
I could not dwell on that thought any longer, as suddenly a blur shot out of the village and straight at me. Only my Observation Haki and quick reaction saved me from the massive attack that destroyed the tree I was hiding in.
Both men shouted out in shock and jumped to their feet. “What?!”
I thought the same. Have I not been hidden enough? Or did I fail to mask my presence? I was sure that I did everything right, which only left the option of someone having a better Observation Haki than I do.
The dust cleared and I became even more confused. Out of it came Mrs Chicken Wing, it was her, no doubt. But why was she attacking me?
“Mrs Chicken Wing?” I asked, but instead of clucking in reply she simply vanished from the crater and reappeared directly in front of me. Her right leg kicked out and I had just enough time to place my short sword in between.
The sword broke from her attack and I was thrown back, through three thick trees and into a fourth. I groaned from the pain and hastily threw myself to the right. Just in time to evade another kick. The tree, I had been inside only moments before, exploded in a shower of splinters and wood.
I was confused, why was Mrs Chicken Wing attacking me? Maybe they are holding her husband prisoner? It would explain her attack, but not why she was doing it with such force. It's as if she was really trying to hit me.
I tried to spot something that might bring light into the situation. But she looked completely normal. “Intruder!” The shouts of the two men rung through the air. I knew that I had to flee, I am not strong enough to fight Mrs Chicken Wing and whomever else is here.
I turned and started to run back. However, they did not want me to escape. Mrs Chicken Wing, as well as three more birds attacked before I could gain any significant distance.
Wind blades, send off by the three birds, as well as beak Shigans shot by Mrs Chicken Wing were destroying the forest around me. I was trying to lose then in the thick foliage, but it will be hard with Mrs Chicken Wing's Observation Haki trained on me.
Then a beak Shigan from by Mrs Chicken Wing pierced through my shoulder and I stumbled. The wing of another bird hit me in the back and I was thrown to the ground.
I rolled to the side and evaded a doubled claw attack that created a mid-sized crater and toppled the surrounding trees. A quick Soru made another flying blade miss me and I was back on my feet.
Suddenly the beak Shigan's have stopped and the presence of Mrs Chicken Wing stopped following. I don't know why and won't question it. If she's not attacking I might have a chance at getting back.
But with a pierced shoulder I could hardly fight and my back was wet, the wing must have left a gash. I hope I will manage to outrun them.
Ten minutes later I still hadn't managed to outrun or hid from my three pursuers. They were slowly gaining up on me. Having a hole in your shoulder was not making it eager.
At last, it was only a few minutes before I am back. Jonny and Yosaku will be there.
I jumped forward, rolled once and then continued my sprint. Behind me, the forest floor had exploded from a heavy wing attack. My senses suddenly screamed at me to stop and just in time. The second bird came spearing through the air right in front of my face.
Its beak was shining in black Armament and his body easily pierced through a tree to my side. I then had to raise my arm and block the wing strike of my last attacker.
The blow will leave a bruise, but my own Haki could withstand theirs at least partially. I'm not as good in Armament as I am in Observation.
Still, the situation was looking bad. They had me cornered, one at the front. Another one at my back and the last one hidden in the trees.
I tried to get around the bird to my front, but he was doing good work in preventing that. His wings were wide and ready to attack me, where I to try and get past him.
The rustling of feathers alerted me of an immediate attack. The one behind me will attack in a moment, what am I going to do? The front is blocked, the back is blocked and another one was hidden.
I had just made my mind and was about to flee into the air, knowing that they will be able to pursue me, when suddenly the ground in front of me exploded.
The floor shook as if hit by an earthquake. Boulder-sized stones were uplifted, trees tumbled down and a massive crater formed where a moment before one of my attackers has been standing.
The dust quickly settled and only a bloody pulp of flesh and feathers was left of the bird. Standing over the unrecognisable dead bird stood Lara. Her expression was furious and the air around her shimmered.
Stones that were close to her disintegrated and the ground beneath was trembling.
Before I could say anything she vanished from my sight and a thundering crack exploded from behind me. Followed by a massive explosion and the noise of several dozen trees falling down.
I turned and saw Lara with an outstretched hand, the power of her Tremor Fruit was still coating her Haki enhanced fist. In the line of her attack was a devastated forest. A deep trench has been ploughed through the ground and any tree in its way was destroyed.
A few small feathers were falling down, but the owner was nowhere to be seen.
Lara then turned to me and looked at my wounds. I had a hand clasp on the hole in my shoulder, but I couldn't stem the gash in my back. “Are you okay or do you need immediate treatment?” She asked suddenly. Her expression now concerned, instead of angry.
“I'm good, Lara-sama, thank you for the help. There is a third one, hiding,” I assured, before looking around for the third bird.
I had not needed to. Lia came out of the foliage, she was holding the third bird by its neck. Its wings and legs were broken and bloody. The bird was barely alive. “It tried to attack from the back,” she explained. “And won't survive without treatment,” she added.
“We'll give it enough healing to survive. We can't heal them until we know more,” her eyes went back to me, “ I'll help you back to the ship, Inari. You should not strain yourself any further.”
“I'm sorry for failing you Lara-sama. However, I have gained at least a little bit of information,” I hastily apologised for not being stronger.
She patted my head and smiled softly. “Don't apologise, I'm sure you have done your best.” My traitor of a tail wagged from her kind words. I blame my father, he was more dog than fox.
She then helped me steady myself and jumped into the air, Lia was right beside her. Together we flew back to the Raptor and Josef started to fuss over my pierced shoulder and cut open back. The bone was easily mended and Lara's healing took care of the rest. While they healed me they told me about the village and the army of birds that had attacked. I got lucky, so many birds would have killed me quickly.
It was then my time to tell what I have found out. At the end everyone was quiet, Lara looked to be deep in her thoughts and the rest was looking uncomfortable, with the exception of Lia and Nami.
The first was not showing any signs of stress, fear or any emotion at all. While Nami was clearly looking a little more than worried.
“Okay, I don't exactly know why Mrs Chicken Wing attacked as she did. But it can't be normal, even with Herbert as a hostage, she would still pull her punches.”
Nojiko was the first to react to Lara's words. “Yeah, you think it's some kind of mind control? There are all kinds of Devil Fruits, why not one for controlling birds.”
“Possible, even likely. It might be a Paramecia that gives the user control over animals, birds specifically,” agreed Lia.
“So all we have to do is kill the one controlling them?” Asked Jonny. Normally he wasn't as quick to speak about death, but he too was angry. Enslaving one of our own, I don't think Lara-sama will give the one responsible an easy death.
Noa asked what we all were thinking. “But what are we going to do? They have an unknown number of human crewmembers, all of them with unknown strength. And on top of that at least 40 birds capable of Haki. And don't even speak about Mrs Chicken Wing, she alone can give most of us trouble.”
“I will fight Mrs Chicken Wing, Lia will take care of the one who manipulates them, while you will fight the rest. Stay together, use group attacks and play on the defensive side. Lia and I will try and thin out their ranks, before Mrs Chicken Wing and their boss come out.” I nodded. Had I not been wounded I could have beaten the three birds, no question there.
Lara then turned to Josef. “Jo, is Herbert strong enough to fight as well?”
“It's not the question about him being good enough or not. I don't know how strong the control of this unknown boss is. Without any restrictions, he can force Herbert even if he should not. He is not strong enough to truly fight. But if forced to he can still move enough to attempt a fight, which will set back his healing. We should try and knock him out before he gets the order.”
Lara looked at me. The question wasn't spoken yet, she was not sure if I could take out Herbert. I quickly nodded, before addressing everyone. My honour is already wounded from my previous failure, I can't disappoint Lara-sama again. “I will take him out. I just have to sneak in and make it quick. They won't find me if you cause a good enough distraction.”
Yosaku laughed humourlessly. “Hah, a serious fight between Lara and Mrs Chicken Wing not being a good distraction? We should worry about the island itself.” Jonny and Nojiko were nodding in agreement.
“I can give you a fast acting sedative. Herbert should be asleep after a few seconds, at most ten. But you'll have to evade his Devil Fruit, as well as his attacks in the meantime,” offered Josef. I thanked him and we continued our planning.
Tomorrow we will bring these thieves hell, no one enslaves a friend of us and survives.