King Make Believe

Chapter 23

Hirokazu

I rubbed my eyes and groaned loudly. I looked up and saw an unfamiliar forest above me, I sat up and looked around. I was lying at the base of a large tree, it's trunk towering over me. I looked over to my right as I heard a crunch of leaves. I saw a hunched figure walk out of the trunks and I realised it was Yatsu. She bounded over to me upon seeing that I was awake. I laughed as she her tongue licked all sides of my face. I scratched her behind the ears and grinned when she purred contentedly.

"You're awake?" A gentle, familiar voice asked. I looked past Yatsu's huge build and saw Jae standing by a pile of logs and strips of cloth. She grinned and rubbed her head. "I was going to make a fire, but then I realised they're probably out looking for us—you—" She said.

I stood up and swayed slightly. As I did, I remembered everything. I remembered Anja's tormented screams as she watched her beloved Aleksei being attacked in the most singularly painful they could've thought of. "The palace, is...gone." I murmured, still leaning against the tree trunk. Jae walked slowly over to me.

"I wanted to go back and check the damage, but I couldn't leave you by yourself." She said, as if admitting a sin.

I shook my head. "It's okay—but where are we going to go now?"

Jae shrugged. "There's a nearby village across a river not far from here." I nodded slowly. I knew we had to get as far away as soon as possible. For Jae's safety, for my safety. For Baî's safety.

I sighed and walked out into the clearing, the soft wind and swaying grass, spattered with dots of reds and yellows pulled me into a state of mind. Something I hadn't experienced since before Tsuna arrived, I was always thinking, planning wondering what would happen next. If what I was doing was okay, if everyone else would be okay with me. If they wouldn't me, if they would accept how I thought, and how I acted when I wasn't around people When I was on my own.

"Hiro, we have to go, I can see their campfires." Jae said. I rubbed my face, falling to my knees in the most forgiving bow I could manage. You'll all survive without me...

I trudged through the sea of waist high grass. If I was going to get one more ant bite, I swore under my breath as Yatsu let out a soft wine. I called out to Jae who was trampling ahead of us. She made her way back and scratched Yatsu lovingly as I inspected her paw. I saw the stain of red and groaned.

"She must've hurt herself bounding up the hill when we escaped." Jae said, placing a hand on her chin as she tried to recall what it might've been.

I sighed and rubbed Yatsu's head affectionately. I couldn't lose her, I would rather someone else take care of her. Or if she returned home. I would rather never see ever again and know she would be fine than see her die. Jae patted my arm reassuringly. She grinned and pulled out a small plant from her pocket. She sent me a knowing look and I frowned. "What's that?"

She sighed, exasperated. "It's a root, when crushed up it can easily spend up the healing process."

I grinned. "Where the hell you'd get that from?"

Jae shrugged. "Figured we'd need some of it, after all the drama you caused yourself. I knew there was a river not far from here, so I decided to leave you in Yatsu's care and go off looking for some."

She winked happily. "It came out handy, didn't it?"

I sighed and grinned. "Yeah, it did." Jae grabbed a nearby stick and made a small clearing on the ground, she spent the next three minutes grinding up the root before she gingerly applied it to Yatsu's paw. She stood up and brushed her hands off.