#;rising the dead with a purr (bakeneko)

[hyakkiyagy0]

;; tag drop uwu

[kusunogatari]

[ Tsukimono-Suji ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Sachiko, Suigin Ryū, Hatake Kakashi, Nohara Rin ] [ Animal abuse, death ] [ Verse: River Runs Deep ]

He can still remember it like it was yesterday.

It was pouring. The streets were muddy, the sky so dark one would swear it was nearly nightfall, not midday. And he was alone, huddled behind a few steps leading up into one of the village’s raised houses. By now, he can’t recall what happened to his mother, father, siblings...or if he ever had them. All he remembers is being alone. It felt as though he’d always been alone.

And being a kitten all on one’s own is never easy.

Humans tended to be wary of cats, what with their superstitions. Bakeneko and their brethren nekomata had always been a great fear of theirs, along with all of the other yōkai that lurked in the shadows. Should a feline live too long, grow too large...then they believed it would turn into a monster capable of shifting to a human guise, speak, and even raise and puppeteer the dead. They even feared a cat with a long tail, seeing fit to dock them when young to help prevent the transformations.

But he didn’t know anything about that. All he knew was that he was wet, cold, muddy...and alone. Humans kept warmth in their homes with their fires...but they always chased him away. From then on, he’d been huddled along the outskirts of the village, stealing scraps and hiding away in places hidden from the humans that seemed to hate him.

It was there, under the furthest house up on the hill, that she found him.

The floor above him creaked, and the kitten stiffened, waiting to see if someone would find his hideaway and cast him out into the rain. A light bloomed in the growing darkness: a lantern held aloft by a wrinkled hand. Wearing tall geta to stay above the mud, she squinted out into the rain...and then, like some kind of knowing, she peered down under the house.

Scuttling backwards, he gave his best hiss, which was little more than a wisp. Black, matted hair stood on end, attempting to make himself look as big as he could!

“Oh, goodness...what a feisty little thing,” the old woman chuckled. Crouching as best she could, she slowly extended a hand. Within was a strip of fish.

Immediately, the potent smell reached his nose, and pupils widened in want as his belly clenched. He hadn’t had anything to eat that day, too bogged down by mud to properly search.

“Come on, now...can’t have you wasting away in the rain. You poor little thing…”

Torn between fear and hunger, the kitten hesitated for a long few minutes. And all the while, the old woman waited patiently.

In the end, however...hunger won out. Carefully, oh so carefully, he stretched his neck...and then snatched the prize, retreating back under the stairs to devour it whole.

“There we go...there’s more if you want.” Reaching into a satchel at her waist, the old woman held out another strip.

And so it went until he’d eaten his fill, little belly rounded and energy quickly spent digesting.

“Now...can we get you into the house…?” Very carefully, she made to reach for him.

At first, he attempted to flee, but between exhaustion and a full belly...he didn’t get very far. The wrinkled hand gently took his scruff, lifting him from the mud and setting him atop her knees. An apron then scooped him up, and into the house he was carried.

“Oh, you poor little thing...look at this mess!” Ignoring the kitten’s feeble cries of protest, she set him into a basket, beginning to warm some water over the fire. “A bath is what you need. And a combing. And look! Your tail is still long. What a lucky little thing you are. Now, don’t you worry...you’re safe here with Sachiko-bā. We Uchiha have always loved our cats…”

Huddled into a corner of the basket, he stared up with wide eyes. She hadn’t hurt him yet...but nor had a human ever done this, either. Was she going to eat him? Fatten him up and then boil him in a stew? Through the gaps in the wicker, he could see her heating a pot. Oh no...oh no!

“There...warm, but not too hot!” Removing the lightly-steaming water, Sachiko reached in and retrieved the little kitten, gently easing him into the bath.

At first, he flailed and he hissed and he sputtered! But then...oh...the warmth felt so nice...and the mud was washing away…!

Ever so carefully, a comb worked at the knots in his fur, and the little kitten went lax in the water, careful not to sink up to his nose or ears. Nearly sleeping, he let the old woman do as she pleased. And all the while, she hummed a little song, hands so nimble, so gentle.

“Oh, little kitten...so alone, so scared...what a thing it is to be abandoned. But you have a home now, little kitten. You and I will be good friends. You’ll catch the mice, and I’ll feed you fish! And keep you safe from all those nasty people who don’t know a noble creature when they see it…”

Silence fell again for a time before she began to muse aloud. “Now...only one thing left. What to call you, little kitten...for a kitten is what you are, not who. Hm…” Combing at his fur, she paused, and then chuckled. “Well...the first of you I touched was the scruff of your little neck. I think then...I’ll call you Obito.”

Utterly unaware, Obito didn’t fuss at the title. No one had given him a name before...but if this human was as kind as she appeared, it was one he would take gladly.

“Well, then...Obito it shall be. You just stay here with old Sachiko-bā. My son has gone to start a life of his own, and I’ve no daughter to pass on my talents...so I’m glad for the company. Yes, yes...we Uchiha have always loved our cats.”

Once he was clean and dried, Obito set about exploring his new surroundings. He’d never been in a house before...not properly. Snuck in a few times, poked around...and then been chased back out again. But Sachiko just watched him, eyes squinted with a smile that deepened her crow’s feet. As he stuck his nose into every crevice, she slowly went about tidying up, throwing out his bathwater into the already-flooded streets. They then shared a meal - Obito still full from his baiting bites before. And as was the custom for the eldery, she sank into sleep with the sun.

Making small circles on the edge of her blankets, he snuggled down...and joined her.

The next morning was sunny at last, puddles still shallow on the road. Early to rise, Sachiko went about making her breakfast while Obito was content in simply lounging on the fabrics, still warm.

The old woman just chuckled, watching him curl on his back with paws tucked. “What a character you are! Happy to have a bed, hm?”

Eyes closed in contentment, he began to purr.

“Bāchan!”

Startled, Obito flipped to his feet, eyes wide and fur bristled.

“Oh, now now...nothing to fear. We’re not the only misfits on the mountain, you and I,” Sachiko assured him, moving to the door. “Hello, dear! You’re here rather early.”

“I slept early cuz of the rain, so I thought I’d use the morning, bāchan!”

“You’re such a darling. Well, in that case, I won’t stop you. Just the usual please dear, if you would.”

“Mhm!”

Closing the door, Sachiko gave Obito a wink. “A little helping hand of mine. These bones are brittle and these muscles meek. She handles my garden and runs my errands for a share. Poor thing is called cursed...you’ll see why when she returns. But she’s a dear girl. In fact, I think I might…”

Fading into silence, Sachiko tottered back to her chores.

Obito, confused, simply sat and tilted his head. A cursed human? Curious…

The morning passed slowly, and by noon a knock was heard at the door. “Come in, dear! You must meet my new friend…!”

Shoes left behind, a girl of six or seven climbed curiously into the house. Grey eyes then moved to the corner, and widened. “...a cat…?”

“Yes...poor thing was drowning in the mud, all alone. He and I will be good friends, I’m sure.”

As the girl stared, Obito stared back. He’d never seen a human like her before. Watching her approach and carefully crouch, hugging her knees, he tilted his head.

Every inch of her was white as snow. Hair, skin, lashes, brows...even her eyes were a faint, light grey. She did indeed have a rather strange aura about her…

“Obito, this is Ryū-chan. She was left behind much like you. She’s my student, and my helper.”

“Obito…?” Ryū murmured, offering a hand. “...hello, Obito-kun.”

Wary and yet curious, he took slow steps forward, little nostrils flaring as he took in her scent: clean air, damp earth, and something...wild.

...they weren’t human smells.

“Are the bundles all tied up outside?”

“Yes, bāchan.”

“Oh good, good. Well, you know well what to do by now, hm?”

“Hai!”

“Then we’ll see you when you come back from the village.”

Smiling, Ryū took her leave, Obito scampering to the door to see what all the fuss was about. Tied up in bundles were all sorts of vegetables, which were then looped over a bamboo pole. Hefting it over her shoulders, Ryū started down the road toward the village at the bottom of the hill by the shore.

Sitting at the threshold, Obito’s tail flickered. And as Sachiko sat nearby, slowly wafting a fan against the humidity, he watched the road.

“Oh, don’t you worry. She’ll be back with our rice and our fish. As superstitious as those folks may be, they can’t refuse good trades. Nothing beats my vegetables.” She gave the cat a wink and a smile. “Grandma magic, hm?”

Obito’s head tilted.

...what strange humans.

Once the afternoon had aged, Obito curling up and having a nap, an ear flicked at the sound of sloppy footsteps. Head lifting, he saw the girl returning! Gone were the vegetables, replaced by bags of rice and strung fish.

Clearly tired, she gave a grin. “I-I’m back!”

“Good, good! Just in time for some supper, hm? Come, come! Oh...Ryū-chan, where are your sandals?”

“I lost them in the mud…” Lifting a caked foot, she shrunk sheepishly. “It’s okay...I go barefoot all the time, bāchan.”

“My, my...well, we’ll rinse you off and get you inside!”

Passing along the foodstuffs, Ryū spared a hand to gently scritch at Obito’s ears. “Hey, kitty!”

Immediately, the kitten gave a throaty purr.

And so it went. Day after day, the routine repeated. As the seasons changed, they adjusted. Ryū kept returning, receiving lessons of all sorts from the wise old woman. From mythos to basket weaving, from rites to knot tying: what plants were safe, how to prepare a fish, and how to start a fire from nothing.

One late Winter night, when the girl was curled up by the fire, Sachiko slowly stroked Obito’s fur, the young cat nestled atop her lap. “She makes for a fine apprentice,” Sachiko mused. “Soon, we can breach into the more important lessons. Things that shouldn’t be forgotten...the old ways.”

Ear twitching, Obito turned to look at the old woman curiously.

As always, she winked an eye. “People like us...we belong to both planes, Obito. We walk the line between them. We tsukimono-suji are both blessed, and cursed. My clan was once mighty...and now we are spread thin. My son is far from me, his wife a non-believer. I have no one to share my craft...to pass along my secrets and my little tsukimono. Only a girl can carry on the legacy. She’ll do well, I’m sure. For she, too, is not wholly of this world. Yūrei, they call her. Cursed, outcast...but she sees what they do not. Someday, Obito...you will pass from my care to hers. Do you understand?”

He didn’t. Not truly. He was young, then. Not yet old enough, wise enough, to realize what he was becoming as his long tail curled around his body.

“Well...there’s time, yet. I’m not so old as to leave now. I still have much to teach her. And you still have much growing to do, little bakeneko, before you’re ready to serve your mistress.”

Bakeneko…? He wasn’t a bakeneko! Just...an ordinary cat! Tsukimono-suji...ghosts, and monsters, and witches...none of it made any sense.

...but it would.

When he was five years old, Spring came with a vengeance. Grass grew quickly, trees burst into leaves, and prosperity seemed to reign. The seaside village was thriving, and things seemed...peaceful.

...for some.

Basking in the sun upon the front step waiting for Ryū to come, Obito was awakened by the sounds of footsteps. But rather than his mistress’ student...it was a group of boys, perhaps a few years her senior. His posture tensed, preparing to bolt.

“Ara ara...it’s a cat!”

“And look how long its tail is! That’s bad luck!”

“Your mom was right...this old hag is a witch! She’s makin’ pacts with yōkai!”

“Get it, get it!”

Hissing, Obito’s back arched, teeth bared as several hands made to grab him. Claws cut through skin, yowling and screaming as they pulled him from the front step. One palm drove his face into the sharp gravel, the rocks biting into his flesh as they pinned him down.

“Quick, cut its tail!”

“STOP IT!”

Just as the outburst sounded, one of the boys gave a holler, staggering as Ryū barreled into him. Though smaller and lighter, she was clearly determined, climbing up his form like a monkey and tugging at his arms.

“Yūrei!

“It’s the yūrei!”

“This whole mountain’s full of monsters!”

“Run for it!”

Teeth bared in a snarl, she kept fighting even as the others sprinted off, quitting only as her target threw her down to the road with a scream. She landed with a thump and a roll, catching her breath as the boys ran shrieking back down the hill.

“Ryū-chan!” Having been in the rear garden, too slow to catch them in the act, Sachiko tottered around to the front, expression grave. “Are you all right?”

“Obito...they had Obito…!”

They both turned to the cat, who laid limp in the road. “...oh no…”

Hefting to her feet, Ryū crossed to him, kneeling and gently pulling him to her lap. “Obito…”

Cuts marred the cat’s face where he’d been crushed into the rocks, a large tear in his ear. Wincing in pain, he managed a weak yowl.

“Bāchan, what do we do…?”

“Come...let’s get him inside. We must wash the wounds, and I’ll mix up a poultice…”

Ever so carefully, Ryū brought him inside by the hearth, still lit against the chilly nights and mornings. Gentle hands cleared away the grit, smoothing the blood and torn flesh with a warm, wet cloth.

All the while, Sachiko mixed together a mash of herbs, spreading it across the wounds. “There, now...he needs to rest.”

Teary-eyed, Ryū curled around the creature, as if to form a protective shell. “I’m sorry, Obito...I should have been here sooner...I’m sorry...”

Injured eye closed and the other half-lidded, Obito managed a weak purr before passing into sleep.

Weeks passed...and with them came grave news. One by one, misfortune began to befall the boys of the village. The rumors of Sachiko’s witchly ways only grew, and slowly but surely, the traders refused to barter, the shops refused her coin. Supplies became harder to come by.

“I don’t understand...we didn’t do anything to them!” Ryū bemoaned. “It isn’t our fault.”

Sachiko watched her carefully. “...I think, my dear...it’s time we begin your new lessons.”

“...new lessons?”

“What do you know of the tsukimono-suji?”

White brows furrowed. “...witches?”

“Of a sort. They are women who make deals with spirits. They become like...partners. The spirit can grant their mistress great fortune...and misfortune on her enemies. So long as she cares for her familiar, and treats them well, the spirit does so in return.”

“...you mean...they’re real…?”

That got the old woman to laugh. “But of course! Haven’t you told me about the spirits you see?”

She had no retort for that.

“...some humans are more closely tied to the spirit world than others. I do not know how you became entangled with them my dear, but you certainly are. Just as I, and my mother, and her mother have always been. Most tsukimono-suji pair with more notorious spirits, like the kitsune. But we of the Uchiha have always been partial to cats...or the bakeneko, more specifically. Not a common partner, but powerful all the same. Most of our bakeneko have died or been lost out with the fading of our line...but they can still be found. Still be tamed.”

She gestured to her lap, where Obito was laying, sound asleep. His wounds had healed, skin bare of fur and his ear misshapen...but alive.

“...when I found this little one, I knew he needed me, just as I needed him. Just as you and I need each other. You needed a teacher...and I, a student.”

“...you want me to be…?”

“When I’m gone, he’ll need someone to look after him,” Sachiko replied. “This world is not an easy one to traverse for humans or spirits. But you will have each other. A tsukimono-suji can only pass her familiar and her secrets to a daughter...of which I have none. Therefore, you will have to do. I’ve done my best to teach you to live, and now...to navigate the world so many are blind to. You will always have one foot in both. You must know both to survive.”

Looking at her teacher with an uncertain expression, Ryū then looked to Obito. “...so...he’s a spirit…?”

“Not yet. But he will be. Every bakeneko must begin as a mortal cat. Already he’s been embittered to humans…” The old woman’s face weighed with despair. “...I never meant for him to suffer so. But few yōkai view humans favorably. As I said...the tsukimono grants boons to their mistress, and revenge upon her enemies.”

“Then...those boys…?!”

“...I’m not sure. He is yet young to have such power...but spirits are powerful, mysterious things. Perhaps, even without fully intending it, he’s begun to use that power. A power that will help keep you safe, as you in turn protect him.”

Ryū went silent, clearly overwhelmed. “...w-what else can a bakeneko do?”

“They are most notorious for changing their shape, as others like the kitsune or the tanuki do. They can also manipulate the dead, and learn to speak...and control spirit fire. They are powerful beings. Most come from cats with long lives, long tails...or great size. Or those that gorge themselves on lamp oil. When I found him, his tail was still long...and I knew he would become strong. All he needed was help to grow. So long as you care for him, he’ll be with you always. Until you pass him to the next.”

The girl mulled that over. “...so...you don’t know why I am...the way that I am?”

“No...you were already steeped in the spirit world when I found you. Stay there long, and the body drains of color. Eyes turn grey, and hair bleaches white. The fact you’ve never reverted puzzles me greatly...but there’s much about the spirits we don’t know. It’s why the others fear you. They fear what they do not understand. But I think it will make you a powerful witch. If...that’s what you want to become. Either way, you will always be marked as an outsider.” Sachiko’s chin declined toward her chest, giving Ryū a calculating look. “...if you are to be different...why not embrace it, hm? You’ll have the means to protect yourself.”

Silence fell for a long while, Ryū’s eyes flickering over nothing as she thought. “...o-okay. I’ll do it.”

The old woman smiled. “...then tomorrow, we will begin.”

From then on, Ryū remained with Sachiko and Obito full-time. Breakfast and chores were early in the morning, followed by hours of studying. Practical application wasn’t begun until she had proven her memorization of the basics...and then they breached into magic.

Ryū’s inner energies, according to Sachiko, were most finely attuned to water.

“Water is the element of flowing. It also ties into other flowing things: music, learning, time, and words. It’s also tied to healing. O-Benzaiten-sama, the protectress, will likely be your guiding kami. She is closely associated with such elements, as well as serpents and dragons…” Sachiko had mused. “...the latter of which, of course, is your name: Ryū.”

“...do you think my mother knew as much, and named me thus?”

“It is possible. Now...my element is fire, so our lessons may be a bit...difficult. Obito, too, as a bakeneko will wield fire. But opposites can also be compliments. Water is free, and sometimes difficult to control. You must learn to flow with it, and urge it to your bidding. Fire is hungry, and must be fed and reined in. I can teach you some of the basics...but the rest you will need to learn on your own: your element is beyond my reach, as mine is to you.”

Ryū’s training was difficult, but her determination was not to be outdone. Even as years passed under Sachiko’s tutelage, her growth never wavered.

...but the passage of time was not kind to them both.

As Sachiko weakened, Ryū did her best to keep her teacher tied to the mortal plane: using her magic to heal the old woman’s aches and pains, attempting to bolster her vitality.

“You mustn’t be afraid to let go of what must leave, Ryū. We all must return to the earth when our time comes. I have faith that you are ready.”

Unlike his mistress, Obito didn’t fade as the years went on. His coat remained sleek and black, saved for the jagged scars where the gravel had bit him. If anything, he seemed to get stronger with time.

They all knew why.

It was a rainy Autumn day when Sachiko finally faded. With her son long gone, it was Ryū who carried out the rites, carefully following all twenty steps as best she could on her own. With their seclusion from the village, some roles normally carried out by others she shouldered herself...including the burning of the body, and the ashes carefully sealed into their vase and placed within her shrine.

Knelt before them for hours in reflection, Ryū moved only when Obito sat silently beside her.

“So long as you care for him, he’ll be with you always.”

Considering the cat silently, the weight of her new responsibilities seemed to settle over her. Soon, according to Sachiko’s estimations, Obito would reach his thirteenth year...and officially become a yōkai. Already he had a kamidana within Sachiko’s tiny home...which was now Ryū’s. Where the old woman had always prepared the offerings for it, Ryū would now step in.

Gently, she laid a hand atop the feline’s head. His own sorrow was obvious. “...she saved us both, didn’t she? I guess now...we’ll have to save each other.”

The silence of the house filled with purring.

Since then, life has continued on much as it always has. With Winter approaching, Ryū does her best to prepare for the long, cold season. Wood, gathered all year, is ready to burn. Rice is stockpiled, and other foods prepared against the bite of time. Any repairs needed for the house are done, and Ryū readies her warmer Winter wardrobe.

Soon snow is flying, dumped even heavier on them being so far up the hill from the shore. Ice settles over any still water, and the stream she fetches from must be broken every morning. Breath pluming in the cold as she checks her nets, Ryū pauses, as she always does, to stare up into the mountains.

Like a string tied around her heart, the sight always seems to pull at her chest: beckoning.

...but she has a home now. So with bucket in one hand and a small string of fish in the other, she begins to make her way back down to the little house, alight from within by the hearth.

Obito trots obediently beside her, occasionally leaping at one distraction or another. Little paw prints are dotted in the snow, marking his passing beside her own. Holding her catch up out of his batting reach, Ryū laughs. “Now now, these are for supper. Patience!”

Obito yowls in want as they round a bend in the pass...and then they see it.

Black smoke belches up from the little house, flames licking and snapping into the sky. Around it, a crowd of villagers shout and rally with cries of witch.

With a clatter, the bucket falls from her hands, fish lying forgotten in the road. Her home...Sachiko’s home...Obito’s home…

It’s all burning…!

It’s burning like before!

With a cry, she races down the hill, sandals soon lost in the mud as she sacrifices them for speed. Rage sparks in her eyes, and the villagers turn with sounds of terror and confusion. But rather than them, she focuses on the house. Reaching for the water all around them, Ryū pulls with all of her might. Following her commands, it converges and washes over the little house. Fires die with geyser-like hisses, and several of the people are knocked aside as she struggles to save what is left.

...it isn’t much.

Most of the roof is already gone, the thatch burning like tinder despite the snow. The tatami mats are scorched, fusuma little more than sooty frames.

...even Obito’s kamidana is ruined.

In the wake of her grief and disbelief, the water falls and drains, Ryū staring barefoot and sopping wet at the wreckage.

For a long moment, stunned silence reigns.

Then the shouting returns, the people rallying after the obvious display of magic. Ryū just looks at them sorrowfully. Never has she harmed them. Never has she cursed them. All she ever wanted was to live in a peace she was always denied…!

One particularly brave man attempts to lead a charge, fishing spear in hand. Too devastated by all she’s lost, Ryū doesn’t move. Her eyes just close, almost wanting to disappear as everything else has vanished -

...but the blow doesn’t come.

Instead, a weight leans against her back, and an arm wraps behind her, a clawed hand gripping her arm tightly and digging through the sleeve of her yukata. The smell of smoke and heat of fire seems to halo around her...and Ryū opens her eyes.

Frozen in fear, the villager stares over her other shoulder and trembles, still gripping the shaft of his spear. But the tip hasn’t reached her, held at bay by another hand around the iron of the spear’s tip, similarly clawed as the one that holds her.

Following his gaze to her left shoulder, Ryū sees what he’s staring at.

Ruddy eyes with feline pupils stare, wide, furious, and challenging beneath black brows. A crown of ebony locks are short and unruly as the man behind her reaches around to stop the blow. Dressed in an ensemble of haori, nagagi, and hakama all of obsidian black, he looks every part some kind of nobleman. But what catches her eyes the most are the scars along his closer brow and cheek...and the tattered, pinned-in-anger ear she can see.

...this...is Obito.

Bakeneko at last.

Around him, sparking and spitting orbs of yellow flame loom like werelights, casting sharp shadows as the sky seems to darken.

“...you will not touch her.”

His voice is as rough as his yowls, and something about it sends a thrill up Ryū’s spine where his chest is pressed. With a flick of his wrist, he breaks the spearhead from its handle with a loud report, the wood cracking and splitting as the human falls back with a gasp. Held in his grip, it bursts into flames, tongues wrapping around his hand as he squeezes.

“M...monster…!”

Lip lifting and the bridge of his nose wrinkling with a snarl, Obito bears pointed teeth at the mob. “Haven’t you caused us enough grief? Did you ever consider that you humans create what you fear when you treat those different than you with contempt? I have tread your streets, I have followed your footsteps...and none among you can claim kindness in your hearts nor care in your actions that this one can. Yet you turned up your noses to her and her teacher, you let your superstition blind you to reality. You let it make you cruel. But this is the final blow. You fear the bakeneko, do you…? Let me remind you why -!”

“No!”

Lurching as Ryū grips his haori, Obito lets his gaze lower, and soften. “...they have hurt you, mistress. Hurt all of us…!”

“It’s not what I want…”

“But -?”

“I want to leave. I want to turn my back on this place, and never return. Without Sachiko-bā...without our home...what’s left to tie us here where we are unwanted?”

Eyes narrowing, Obito pins mismatched ears in frustration. “...I cannot disobey you. But are you so willing to swallow this pain?”

“...I have always been in pain.”

Something in her words wilts his form. With a thud, he releases the half-melted spearhead to the street. And then without a word, he takes the witch into his arms...and begins ascending the mountain road.

Behind them, the villagers simply stand beside the corpse of the house, fear in their eyes.

Obito, however, ignores them. Instead, he walks further and further up into the mountains. Ryū keeps her brow to his chest, silent. With every step he takes, the tug in her chest seems to get stronger.

...but soon, they’re no longer alone.

Ears flickering back to listen, Obito’s expression sours. “If you think I’m going to stumble and drop her, you’re bound to be disappointed, okuri inu.”

Behind them, silvery and ghost-like, a canid follows exactly in his footsteps, eyes trained on his back. “Humans so rarely walk my pass these days...the smell is enticing after so long.”

“This one’s under my protection, dog.”

“...or are you under hers? Rare to see a tsukimono-suji and a bakeneko...I thought they preferred the wily fox, or the clever snake?”

“There are exceptions to every rule.”

“Hm…” The dog goes quiet. “...what brings you here, cat?”

“...I don’t know. It’s where she’s headed.”

“...is this the ghost child?”

“You know of her?”

“The whole mountain knows. Neither human nor spirit. A foot in both planes. She used to run through these peaks wild and barefoot until the witch took her. Seems the old hag got what she wanted.”

Obito tosses a sharp glare over his shoulder. “You will respect Sachiko-sama.”

“Your prior mistress, eh? You’re lucky...not many cats live long enough to end up like you. And yet you’re bound to a human...how pitiful.”

“...I was alone. Now, no longer. That is enough for me. I will protect what in turn protected me.”

Soon trees begin to engulf the road, and Obito can smell running water. Creeks and springs crop up...and in the distance, the roars of waterfalls and the churning of rapids meet his sensitive ears.

“...do you know where she came from?”

“No. One moment, nothing...then the next, the ghost was lying along the riverbank, pale as snow and reeking of the other side. It seeped into her bones. Seems even now, it’s yet to run out. No wonder she ended up a witch’s student and mistress of a monster. She was both blessed and cursed when she appeared here.”

So...the river, then. That’s where he’ll go first. Her magic, her name...it’s all starting to make sense. The answer lies just beyond his knowing.

Around them, spirits and kami begin to gather, curious as such a wild and untouched place bleeds through to the plane of the gods. From the edge of a pond, an umber-eyed kappa woman looks on in intrigue. And all of them whisper: she’s returned.

The ghost of the river.

Reaching the banks, Obito then notices a path that runs along it, brow furrowing slightly. Should he...follow it? He’s never strayed this far into the mountains before. Admittedly...he’s a bit nervous about what they’ll find. But they can’t go back to the village, and he knows nowhere else to go. So he turns and keeps walking, eyes and ears both piqued for danger.

He may be a yōkai, and a powerful one...but you never know what you might find in places this touched by the spirit world.

Around them, the woods are silent, almost as if holding their breath. The thick trees mean there’s little snow along the forest floor, and his passing mostly goes unnoticed. A plethora of little spirits run and tumble around him, attracted to the strong magic.

...but eventually, he slows to a stop.

Like flesh-stripped bones, the carcasses of houses rise up from the undergrowth. Charred and rotting...it’s clear what happened here.

...is this...where she came from?

Ruddy eyes slowly pass over the sight, eventually beginning to walk again through the village. A heavy, oppressive atmosphere hangs over like a thick fog, and the echoes of tormented spirits ring in his ears, which flicker and turn to every little sound.

...no wonder she’d panicked at the sight of the fire. If this is where she was born...perhaps she remembers the flames.

But that still doesn’t explain her current state.

Eventually, he comes up short at one last surprise. At the very tail end of the valley, half-consumed by a gargantuan camphor tree, is a shrine...completely untouched by fire. The closer he gets, the calmer he feels...until the weight of the ghosts behind him all but fades.

It’s clearly the shrine of a local deity. Water trickles down a bank into the temizuya through a carved stone dragon’s mouth. A sizeable shimenawa hangs along the entrance, littered with shide. And ema, carrying the wishes of villagers long dead, clatter softly in the breeze.

Unable to purify his hands as they carry his mistress, Obito lingers along the edge of the temple grounds. As he does, the okuri inu sits beside him.

“This is the shrine of O-Suigin-sama. The god of the river.”

“Suigin…?”

The dog nods, and in a blink takes the form of a man. Shaggy silver hair is pushed back by a hand with a sigh. An angry scar cuts through one eye, clouded with blindness. “...she was the village’s patron deity. It was steeped in the old ways. Or so they say. It was gone by the time I found my way here.”

“It was lightning that started the fire.”

The pair look over their shoulders, spying a female spirit in her human guise. The kappa’s expression is somber, eyes far in the past. “It was Autumn, and uncommonly dry. The village had been falling on hard times, and their offerings to O-Suigin-sama were low. Her waters were drying up. Then a storm came, and they thought it a blessing with rain. But the lightning struck, and caught the trees...much of the forest to the north burnt, and it worked its way here. All of the humans perished...save for one.”

Obito’s eyes widen. “...but...how did -?”

“Her mother carried her to the river, trying to find sanctuary from the flames. She was horribly burnt...and prayed for O-Suigin-sama to save her baby. She had been the miko of her shrine. The river god took the baby, also wounded...and to save her, took her through to the spirit world, and kept her within her banks. Much time passed, and the child grew within the other plane, soaking up the magic of our world until it consumed her. Only once she was healed and old enough to survive did the god bring her back here. Time passes much faster here...and by then, the ruins were overgrown, and most had forgotten about the humans. But I remembered…”

“...that explains her strangeness, then,” the okuri inu muses. “Humans that linger in the spirit world too long take some of it with them. No wonder she was an outcast.”

“O-Suigin-sama saved her life, but marked her forever. For a time, she was a child of the forest, wild as the wind and water. But we knew she couldn’t stay...so we tried to bring her to the village at the shore. They shunned her, but...the tsukimono-suji saw her for what she was, and took her in.”

“Sachiko-sama,” Obito offers. “She was the one who took me in as well. Made me a bakeneko.”

“She was a good human,” the kappa agrees. “Not many carry the old ways anymore. I suppose it was only a matter of time before she came back here. There’s no place for those like her, now. She’s not a spirit, but not a human. Both, and yet neither.” Looking to the witch, the kappa then turns eyes to Obito. “...you’re her familiar, then?”

“Obito.”

“I’m Rin. That’s Kakashi. And don’t worry about him - he’s never actually eaten a human.”

The dog scoffs, arms folding. “I’ve just never gotten the proper chance.”

Rin only smirks, mirroring his posture. “You can’t fool me, Kakashi. I remember you running with her back then. You just pretended not to see when she stumbled.”

“...she was just a kid. And you said it yourself, she’s not really a human.”

“...I do not know where else to go,” Obito then admits. “If she can’t be with humans, but nor with gods…”

“Bah,” Rin replies, waving his words away. “She’s always belonged here. The spirits here know her. Besides...her mother was a miko. If she wants, she can take up that mantle. The spirits on the human side need someone to care for them. Where else can a being like her belong? This place is human...but the spirit world bleeds through. We thought being with her kind was what was best...but we know now: this is where she belongs.”

“Mm…”

Stiffening, Obito looks to his arms to see Ryū stir at last. Greys flutter open, fogged with confusion. “...Obito…?”

“I’m here.”

“...where…?”

“We’re in the mountains. Where you were born.”

Letting Obito ease her to her unsteady feet, Ryū takes in her surroundings. “...I...recognize this place…”

“Hey tadpole.”

Eyes moving to the kappa, the witch frowns. “...Rin…?”

“You remember! I knew you would!” The water spirit takes her hands, beaming. “What about him? Remember this grouchy mutt?”

The okuri inu deadpans. “I’m not a mutt…”

“I...remember a dog with hair like that. Kakashi…?”

At his name, his lips twitch. “...hey pup. Though, not much of a pup now...are you?”

Ryū brings a hand to her brow. “...it’s all rather...hazy. But it all seems familiar.”

“This is your home. Where you were born, and where O-Suigin-sama brought you back from the spirit world.”

“...I was in the spirit world?”

Rin nods, but for now doesn’t reiterate the story. “I’m sorry for how the humans treated you...we thought it was where you belonged. But this is your home, Ryū-chan. That is...if you want to stay.”

Looking around once more, Ryū murmurs, “...the tug is gone.”

“Tug…?” Obito asks.

“...I’ve always felt this...pull to the mountains. Ever since I can remember. But now that I’m here, it’s...gone.”

“No need to pull if you’re where you’re meant to be,” Kakashi muses.

“...I can...really stay?”

“Of course!” Rin cuts in. “You belong to the kami, Ryū-chan. Your mother gave you to the river to save your life. So long as you want to stay, you know we’ll have you.”

“But...there’s nothing left but the shrine…”

“She’s not about to mind you finding refuge there for a while. All things considered, you’re pretty much her miko. Almost like her mikogami, really. You can stay here until we figure out the rest, ne?”

“What about Obito…?”

“Hm…” Rin strokes her chin. “Well...most tsukimono-suji have foxes...which are often O-Inari-sama’s avatars. Bakeneko don’t exactly have shining reputations…”

“Kitsune can be devilish, too,” Kakashi offers. “And so can kappa. And okuri inu.”

Rin can’t help a laugh. “Yeah...that’s true. Besides, I think this one’s been rather tamed,” she then notes, grinning at Obito and making his face alight pink. “He can stay...just be sure he minds his manners.”

“I always mind my manners,” the cat mumbles in retort, practically pouting.

Ryū gives a smile. “We’ll both be on our best behavior. Do you...think we’ll be able to speak to O-Suigin-sama…?”

“Mm...maybe. She’s a rather reclusive god, but I’m sure she knows you’re here. She’ll probably wait for you to settle in first. It’s not every day you meet a god, ne?”

“Of course.”

“We need to get her inside,” Obito then offers. “She’s been barefoot all this time.”

“She ran barefoot all the time before,” Kakashi retorts.

“I am a little cold,” Ryū admits.

Mouth curled in a moue, Obito puts an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go in.”

The pair go through the cleansing ritual, stepping carefully into the shrine. Almost immediately, it feels a good bit warmer. Even so, Obito summons several orbs of flame, keeping them close and controlled.

“...wow…”

Above them, along the ceiling, a huge mural is painted depicting a silver dragon, winding like the river outside.

“...do you remember her?”

“...I think so. It was so long ago...Sachiko-bā found me when I was maybe...five?”

“Time passes slowly in the spirit world. The years you spent there were many times that here. No wonder you feel confused.”

“Mm…” Kneeling along a wall, Ryū looks over the shrine curiously.

Obito sits behind her, one leg tucked and the other extended as he leans around her almost protectively.

“...do you think we’ll be happy here…?” she murmurs.

“I will be happy so long as I’m with you,” he offers, unable to lie.

In spite of herself, Ryū alights a soft pink. “...I’m happy I don’t have to be alone,” she admits, leaning back against his chest with a sigh. Like when he first changed and protected her, it makes her feel...safe.

“We will never be alone. Sachiko-sama made sure of that.”

That brings a smile to her face. “...I wonder if she knew.”

“Knew what?”

“How much we would need each other.”

He hums in thought. “...perhaps she did.” Gaze softening, he allows himself to gently nuzzle his nose to the crown of her hair, taking in her scent.

“That tickles,” Ryū offers with a wisp of a giggle.

“Sorry…”

“...don’t stop.”

Encouraged, he brings his arms around her front, sleeves helping to keep her warm. “...will you miss being among humans? Do you fear being alone…?”

That earns a sigh. “...I don’t know. I miss Sachiko-bā, but...she wasn’t like most humans. And we won’t be alone here. There’s Rin, and Kakashi…”

At the mention of the okuri inu, Obito sours slightly, ears pinning. “...the dog annoys me.”

“That’s because you’re a cat,” she giggles in reply. “He’s not as tough as he makes himself out to be. Or at least...that’s not how I remember him. I’m sure you’ll get along once he relaxes.”

“Hn…”

Eyes growing heavy in her comfy perch, Ryū sighs. “...thank you, Obito.”

“For what?”

“For...a lot of things. But mostly stopping the villagers. I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t there…”

Recalling her inaction in the face of danger, something greatly disquiets in Obito’s chest. If she’d been hurt, if he hadn’t been able to intervene… “...I’ll always be with you. Until the end.”

She manages a gentle smile. “...then...no, I’m not afraid. I’m not alone anymore…”

Feeling her relax on the verge of sleep, Obito too lets himself unwind. A purr of contentment rumbles in his chest. “...neither am I.”

Terminology mentioned in the fic:

A tsukimono-suji is a kind of witch that makes a pact with a tsukimono, aka a 'possessing spirit', most often kitsune but also other spirits. They're tied to the female line and are inherited! Basically the witch cares for her familiar, who brings her good fortune, and MISfortune to her enemies.

Now I don't know for sure if bakeneko count as tsukimono. Some sources say they can possess, others don't, so I'm kinda stretching things here, but Uchiha have connections to cats, so we're just kinda blurring over that line lol

Bakeneko are cats that live long enough / get big enough to become a yōkai, or spirit. They're usually nasty buggers who love to dance, can puppeteer the dead, take a human form, speak, and control fire! Neat! That's what Obito is based on.

Okuri inu are dogs / wolves that follow travelers through mountain roads. If the person stumbles, the dog will attack and eat them. But they also deter other monsters! So if you make it through, you're supposed to thank the dog for "seeing you off", and then leave a reward for it outside when you get home. This is Kakashi's spirit type.

Kappa are a weird mix of like...turtles and amphibians? They're kinda strange and sometimes eat people, but love kids and look a lot like kids. I made Rin one because of Isobu, and also her being rather childlike due to her dying as a child in canon. Anyway, they have to keep their heads wet or they can die!

Dragons are often conflated with water, be it rain or rivers or oceans. One plays a heavy role in my OC's lore, hence doing so here again. Basically I wanted her lore + Uchiha and cats + traditional Japanese mythology cuz it's neat.

Actual ANs:

OKAY. This took...way too long. And has been in my brain for weeks and weeks, but I've been too burned out to write. I just really like the idea of Obito as a bakeneko...I love Japanese mythology as a whole. And the witch / familiar dynamic is easier to make a lil shippy with a yōkai cuz they can also be humanoid :3c

And lbr who doesn't like neko!Uchiha? I mean really?

...anyway, this is entirely self indulgent. Which...admittedly all my fics are, but especially this one lol - all I wanna do is write this ship cuz I'm addicted to it, m'kay. Also Sachiko's name is fully credited to AbyssalFool and her iteration of Obito and his grandma. But I totally just took her and ran with her in this, haha!

But I guess there's not much else to note about it. Just some attempts at blending canon and mythos and ships. If you made it all the way through this monster, thanks for reading! Now I'll...probably go write another one cuz I have a Problem.