Chapter Fourteen: The Hounds are Out:

The hunt began in the early morning hours. The hooded hounds could smell blood. However, they hunted with skill.

She was new and hunting alone this morning. Lucky for her, she wasn’t stupid. First, she found her center. Her mind dug past the dull sounds of the city. A faint light filled her focus.

 She sniffed the emptiness around her.

“Found you,” she said. She vanished in the darkness.

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The prey is young and inexperienced. Their smell is sweet and sickening to the predator. Why should they live when human children had to die because of them? Some hunters thought this payback. One seasoned hunter thought so.

Her name was Minako. Eight years old and full of life. The old hunter adorned his little granddaughter. She was going to a sleepover that night. She never made it to her friend’s house. His grief became his motive. He studied the scent of his prey for years. Knew it like the back of his hand. They had to pay. This was for Minako. Their lives for hers.

He could smell the prey this morning. The seasoned hunter moved out west.

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Their group didn’t have large numbers. They didn’t need powerful weapons. These had no need for such things. For them, it was a common goal.

The Eda-Kimoto clan had to die. They already vowed to carry this out.

By sunrise, three of their prey were dead. All children under the ages of twelve. Cousins from another branch to be exact. The first shots had been fired. No doubt that retaliation will follow.

Right now, she follows the prey to cram school. She didn’t like the fast kills. Her nature was slow and enjoyable on her part. At the moment, the boy walked into the cram school building with his bag on his shoulder. She could wait. She would have all day for the kill anyway.