A gentle wind caressed the tree line, cradling leaves as they rustled. The sun was setting behind a nearby mountain, creating an orange halo around it. Pink and purple skies eased yellow and orange clouds beyond the horizon.
Oichi walked, or limped, rather, toward the tree line to watch the sunset. She placed a hand on each tree trunk to catch her balance and steady herself. You watched her, unsure if she needed help or not. Her shadow hands had not appeared, so you assumed she was fine enough for them to not bother. On a previous trip after a battle, you had tried to help her by offering to be a support for at least one side, but she gave you a frustrated look and continued on.
After basically demolishing the enemy's forces, most often only within minutes, Oichi staggered away, always aware of which direction was home to her. She always looked tired, you noticed. Like every smack from her shadow hands, every shadow nail duh into a soldier's torso was hitting her, instead. Regardless, she pressed forward with no sign of stopping - well, until she stopped. Once she had stumbled over to a tree at the edge, she leaned against it and allowed her back to slide down until she was sitting on the cold grass. Oichi placed a hand in the blades, fiddling with individual strands, careful not to pull any from their roots.
"My Lady?" spoke a soldier, seemingly nervous. His hands were shaking as much as his voice, and he was very subtly (not at all subtly) hiding behind you. "Would you like for us to make camp here tonight? It's late and the castle is still rather far."
She didn't acknowledge him, but whispered a "yes, that will do" audible enough for her forces to begin setting up tents and fires.
You left to retrieve firewood, which, with large trees surrounding you, was not difficult to find. After about ten minutes you returned and saw that Oichi had not moved a centimeter. You watched her for two seconds to make sure she was actually still breathing. Her body lulled extremely gently, gentler than the breeze that has eased to being barely felt, but it was enough to let you know she was, in fact, breathing. Her head was leaned against the tree trunk, her hand in the grass but no longer fiddling.
Setting the wood down, you braved the three meter circumference around her that everyone had been avoiding the entire time. You turned back to glance at the other soldiers, making sure no one was watching. All of them were. Well, whatever, you thought.
Approaching slowly, almost like she were an injured forest animal, you asked, "May I sit next to you?"
Her head raised and her eyes widened - she was totally out of it, wow - but she smiled warmly. She shifted her body a little to the left, allowing you room to lean on the same tree, so you did. You kept your knees bent and stretched against the trunk. "It's a nice evening."
Eyes still half-focused on the sky, she responded, "It is."
Hm. This is kind of awkward. Or maybe it's just you. You glanced again at everyone else, still staring. Yeah, okay, maybe a little awkward. You tried making a shoo motion with your hand where Oichi wouldn't notice. Even if she had, there likely wasn't a reaction that would tell you so.
After the soldiers scrambled and pretended to not be paying attention enough to where you were comfortable, you cleared your throat and laid your legs down. "Are you feeling okay?" you asked in a low voice.
She didn't answer, but turned to look at you. You looked back at her, trying to determine what her expression was conveying. "I don't need to be treated as a child," she finally said. Now you could tell she was annoyed. "I am not a child. And though I am not... not always sound, I can take care of myself." She gave a small huff.
"I know that," you replied, tilting your head so you could keep looking at her. "I know that you are strong, and could take my head off if you so pleased - but you're hurt, too. And I want to be here to support you through the pain, because you're strong enough to handle the wound."
She stared at you with upturned eyebrows while you considered how ridiculous what you said sounded. "Or, I mean, like- um..."
Oichi continued watching you. "I don't know what I mean. I just want to be here for you whenever you need or want me. I think that makes sense."
"You make very little sense, yet I understand." Her smile reached her eyes, gleaming against the darkening sky.
"It makes me happy that you know that, and feel that way about me." She focused on you again, this time turning her entire body in your direction and grabbing both of your hands in hers. "I will take care of you too. I will support you."
Her voice was gloomy, but her face was bright. "I, um, well, that's not what I-"
"Because you are strong too, and we can be strong together. We can help each other. We can be like birds."
"Birds?"
She pointed straight up, above her head, at a tree branch with a birds' nest resting on it. Multiple birds, all of different colors and shapes that could fit in the nest all at once, were inside it. "Those birds."
"I have no idea what those birds are doing, but sure. We can be birds."
You smiled back at her and squeezed her hands. Oichi's face bloomed like a rose as her body froze, eerily similar to a deer hearing a twig snap in the middle of the night. Her eyelashes fluttered, blinking repeatedly while her brain restarted. You let go of her, but her hands remained suspended in the air for a solid second before she retrieved them, rubbing her thumbs over the opposite hand's warm palm. You leaned against the tree again and relaxed. She copied you and, with no regard for your personal space, scooted closer so she good lean onto your shoulder as well.
In a minute or two, she was asleep. You closed your eyes as well, but felt the other soldiers watching. Some were shrugging, others mouthing "what just happened?" and others still pretending like they weren't paying attention the entire time. Your hand pulled Oichi's head so she could rest on your chest instead, and drew the hair on her face to her side. You eventually fell asleep to the sound of birds chirping.
