Someone to Protect: Toga x Izayoi

Chapter 6: Just a Glimpse - Part 2

Picture by Chandra 

The next day as they worked to mince herbs at the house, Kana commented offhandedly, "Geeze, Izayoi, did you not sleep well? You have dark circles under your eyes--and your skin looks pale and a little green. You look horrible."

"I-I do?"

Kana saw panic flash into the girl's eyes; Toga was supposed to be back this afternoon.

"Ok, um, let's see, I should take some of this, and this, and maybe some of that--" Izayoi quickly started gathering herbs together to make herself some medicine.

Kana face-palmed herself when the girl wasn't looking. Dang it. Her student was too... studious. She was grabbing all the right herbs for the nonexistent afflictions.

"You know what, Izayoi," she said, putting her arm around the girl's shoulders and turning her away from the work table, "the more I look at you the more I think it's just a simple case of fatigue. I must have overworked you. You need to rest today."

"But--"

"And the quickest way to recuperate is a nice, long soak in the hot springs."

"The hot springs? I don't know, Kana. It's kind of far out and isolated," Izayoi said hesitantly.

"I think if you go soon you'll be in tip top shape by lunch time," Kana nudged. You know, when Toga gets back, she added silently.

Izayoi's conflict showed on her face, "But Lord Toga said I should never go out alone--"

"I'll go with you!" Kana immediately volunteered. The girl was so close to agreeing.

Izayoi stared at her in shock, "But you hate hot springs."

Because they smell. "Yes, but I'm going to gather some herbs that grow nearby. I'll be close if you need me, so you won't be alone, but you will have privacy."

Come on, take the bait--

Izayoi's grateful smile made her feel guilty. Well, only slightly. Ok, not at all. If all went according to plan the girl would be thanking her in a few hours.

"Ok, Kana-sama. You do know what's best."

"Yes I do, and don't you forget it!"

Kana led Izayoi to the hot springs and made sure the girl was good and relaxed--meaning naked--before she started her search for the herbs she "needed".

She kept her eye on the sun as she gathered some edible mushrooms and spices. Maybe they'd have stew tonight. Toga usually brought fresh meat with him.

It had been about an hour when she felt his presence close by. A wicked grin covered her face as she retraced her steps. Izayoi looked like she had fallen asleep.

Perfect.

She mentally calculated how far she'd have to be for Toga to hear her scream but Izayoi to not.

Unfortunately she was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the centipede until it was far too close to her.

She sensed it and jumped to the side right as it attacked. She hit a tree, hard, and heard the bow she kept strapped to her back crack.

"Oh, no. No, no, no! Izayoi!" She screamed. "RUN!"

She turned to the confused yokai and taunted, "You'll never catch me, ugly!"

The male centipede didn't like that. "You won't get away. Your body will feed my mate and offspring."

Crap. There were more? She had to lead them away from Izayoi. No matter what, Izayoi had to live to have that baby!