36 The White Tiger (1/2)

Fang stared at the mewling white creature in shock.

”White...Tiger... King?” he murmured.

The little sparrow nodded, flying around the tiger. It growled playfully and the two began to romp about the garden.

Fang stared at the two divine beasts of legend. They were literally like children at this point in time. The image of powerful and majestic spirit beasts crumbled in his mind as he stared at the duo play in the garden.

Shaking his head ruefully, he turned around and walked back. Suzume immediately followed him, fluttering and chirping anxiously. The white tiger cub, seeing its companion leaving, quickly ran behind Fang and started to follow him.

Fang turned around to find the tiger following him happily. He sighed.

”Of course,” he muttered.

Waving his hands, he summoned a glowing, white contract. The tiger placed its paw on the contract and it dissolved with a sonorous hum.

Fang at the tiger stared at each other for a moment.

”What is your name?” Fang asked.

The white tiger looked confused. Then it began to smile.

”My name is Tora!” it cried in a rough squeal.

Fang sighed again.

”Well then, come along, we've got a lot of work to do,”

The sparrow, the tiger, and the human began to walk back to the simple wooden house, the sparrow fluttering cheerfully in the air and the tiger jumping about amongst the flowers.

Fang reached his home, opened the carefully carved door, and allowed the two creatures in.

”You two will not stay here,” he began.

The two stared at him in surprise, which quickly morphed into anger.

”HEY! We established the contract, didn't we? What's your is also ours” Suzume cried.

Fang smiled.

”Relax. I'm not going to keep you two outside but rather build the both of you your own homes to stay in!” he spoke placatingly.

The animals grinned joyfully in acceptance. They ran and flew about, cheerfully chirping and mewling at the unexpected present.

Fang smiled at the duo and walked back outside. Waving his hand, he summoned two large pieces of rock. Fusing them with the ground, he began to smoothen them until they became round domes. Snapping his fingers, he collapsed the front, creating a doorway for entrance and exit. Snapping his fingers again, he created a small marking denoting which one of the domes would go to Suzume and which one would go to Toru.