บท 278: Horned Kabuto

The shadow of a four-legged creature became sharper and sharper before the eyes of the two travelers hiding behind the rocks. When the creature jumped over the river and reached the bank where Takuma and Yoichi were standing a moment before, the moonlight revealed its appearance.

A hound demon was frantically sniffing the ground in search of something or someone. Large black spikes protruded from its back and shoulders, partially covered in hair and black scales.

That dog demon's long ears were pointed up and turned backwards, as if, in that position, it was trying to focus only on its sense of smell. The nostrils of its big canine nose were wide and just a few millimeters far from the riverbank.

It reached the exact spot where Yoichi had hesitated before hiding, noting that the grass was stomped unnaturally in some specific places. On the turf of the valley, in fact, their horses' hooves had left marks that were still fresh.