C5 Find The Animal No Matter What

*Second Kingdom*

Aimi alongside Hiroshi laid out the table for everyone to eat. The other members of the family had arrived and were resting inside. Aimi was extremely unsettled, she was at her wits, hoping that the conversation with her eldest son Botan would go well.

Her husband was a fun-loving man, he would be glad of Akihiro's return in a heartbeat. But the eldest son was the problem, his defenses were impenetrable.

"Okaasan...will we be able to pull this off?." Hiroshi asked setting the cutleries for their dinner.

Their family was an aristocratic samurai type of family, they held a good political position in the second country and we're highly respected. Yet, they retained the skills and values of the martial arts.

"I hope so, Hiro must keep my new son Torashi out at all times," Aimi said sounding worried, biting on her lower lip.

*Outside*

Hiro was attempting to climb a tree just like Torashi had done but it was proving difficult for him. It even seemed as if the animal was mocking him.

"Come and help me up. If eldest brother Botan catches me here he'll send me to the training camps." Hiro yelled at the tiger who stayed up comfortably on the tree.

"Hey! I said help me!." Hiro demanded, but Torashi didn't move an inch, it stretched its body and readjusted its position, the animal even let out a growl.

'Has Torashi found out that I want to sell him off?." Hiro thought to himself. He was successful in finding someone to buy Torashi, a blind old woman with no company.

'What a wonderful thing am doing. An old woman will get a new family and Torashi will be blessed by the heavens for keeping a smile on an old woman. But most importantly...my pockets won't stand dry." Hiro thought to himself, a devilish grin resurfacing on his face.

"Come on down Torashi..." he got cut off by the son of voices and footsteps approaching his direction. He attempted to hide behind the tree but fell because of a branch that had fallen.

"Botan...there is no one there..."

"Yes, brother..."

Those whimpers were from his mother and elder brother Hiroshi. It seemed as though the conversation had failed miserably, Botan must be out looking for him at the very moment.

"Rice balls!." Hiro cursed in panic, he desperately tried to climb the tree, as his life depended on it, 'I cannot die like this.' Hiro thought.

Just as he was about to finally succeed, a branch broke off the tree which sent him crashing down to the hard Earth.

"Who is that?." A tall figure asked, holding a lantern in his hand, "there is no one here son. Don't leave food out too long let's go..." Botan cut his mother off.

"Akihiro?." he called out to, the young boy who laid flat on the ground, trying to use leaves as a cover stepped out of his hiding.

Botan stood there looking indifferent, using only his eyes to access the situation at hand. 'He's looking clean, and well-fed. Hiroshi and Okaasan must have welcomed him earlier than usual. ' Botan thought.

'He has a scratch on his arm, was he in a fight with someone?.' Botan pondered his hand on his chin suggestively.

"How did he get here?." Hiroshi asked in a loud unnatural tone, his voice took up all the attention.

His pretentious gaze met his mother's confused one, 'better to save my skin than that brat Hiro.' Hiroshi thought.

"Hiro?. When...When did you arrive?." Aimi asked, picking up on the pretense. Her only concern at the moment was the safety of her new son, the one who would stay more often.

The other five brothers came out of the Minka to watch their youngest brother be laid to waste by their eldest.

Their Otousan was inside sleeping, all the meetings tired the old man out immensely, even the sword lessons he gave to his fourth, fifth and sixth son took a massive toll on him.

"Akihiro?. Why did you show your face here?. You know you are not welcomed here, this family will not accept such a tyrant." Botan said.

"Brother, how can you say such defamatory things about your youngest brother?. Can't a younger one make a mistake and seek redemption?." Hiro asked walking closer to his mother.

"This family has a value of forgiveness, am I right? So spread your arms and forgive your youngest brother." Akihiro said.

Botan started to laugh all of a sudden, his laugh took everyone by surprise, Hiroshi who was confused joined in the laughter, wanting to stay on his elder brother's good side.

Botan chuckled at last, and stared at Hiro, a warm smile on his face.

"I'll forgive you and let you inside," Botan said, Aimi looked relieved instantly. She knew it was wise not to interfere with the affairs of Botan, she only wished her sleeping husband could wake up.

"Thank you eldest brother," Hiro said, a warm smile plastered on his face. 'I never knew eldest brother Botan could satisfy the role of a deceivable man. He has turned soft to my charm hehehe..' Girl thought.

"But, you must earn that forgiveness," Botan said and took a fighting stance, he signaled Haru, the second eldest son to deliver him his sword.

Haru drew out the sword and flung it to Botan, who caught it effortlessly, pointing its sharp tip at Akihiro, ready to attack him.

"Come at me, and if you can land one punch on me then you can spend the night here you rug-rat," Botan said inviting Hiro to charge at him.

'Hiro, you have done it now, your love for money will be the sole cause of doom. It will take a miracle to escape this doom.' Hiro thought to himself, regretting his decision to come back home.

*Gates of the second kingdom.*

A unit of soldiers marched towards the gates of the second kingdom, holding painted pictures of the missing tiger. Their march was put to a halt, the guards who stood by the gate of the second kingdom put up a resistance to their march.

"It's night, you must get a written statement from our commanding officer, giving you his consent to carry out this search." The head of security said.

One of the soldiers brandished his sword in front of the guard, almost pointing it at his neck in rage.

The helpless man watched the sharp blade with his eyes, being cautious not to say anything that would anger the man who yielded the sword.

"These are direct orders from the proud Emperor himself! You will open these gates or we will tear them down if we have to!." The soldier said with raw bloodlust in his eyes.

While they badgered the gate guards, three men dressed in shabby clothes snuck past them pushing a cart of vegetables into the second kingdom. The soldiers were too invested in the unit to ask the men if they were traders or trespassers.

Once the men could no longer be heard the men threw off their disguises and abandoned the cart of vegetables.

The one with the claw mark wore a bold grin, "Bao, where do we start looking for that animal?." One of his men inquired.

"We will divide and conquer, search the city thoroughly," Bao said. The men nodded in affirmation, before they turned to disperse, Bao gave them one last order.

"Destroy anything or anyone in your path to getting that animal," Bao said with a serious look on his face, his men smiled twistedly in compliance with the plan. Touching the knives they had hid in their clothing.