In a Cave

I

The sounds of the houses, objects and trees being licked by the flames, falling to the ground, were still in your ears as you moved as far possible from the village. The heat of destruction was still on your back while you fled with only the clothes on your body, from time to time covering your ears to avoid the animalistic screams of the enemies getting lost in the distance, but still being a threat for someone in your conditions: you were not a shinobi; didn't have anyone to protect you, and now the child you were about to deliver was the only family you had.

Your feet were in still in sandals, but they were bloated and numb by the sinuous path, so you doubted that they could carry you for much longer. Your body was becoming heavier at each second and the night was already there, limiting your sight's reach, yet you knew that you couldn't stop right now; you were aware that if you did, you wouldn't be able to move again until the child was born, and that could be the death of you two.

The territory, surrounded by trees and bushes, slowly descended, turning what could barely be a challenge for another person into a nightmare for you, but you couldn't stop without a protection for your head, so that you forced yourself ahead, your hands grabbing thin branches above and beside you as your feet tried to find the safest spots to step on.

The moonlight was present that time, a blessing among those misfortunes, and through it you discovered the entry of a cave not so far from your spot. Your eyes widened, but you hesitated for a second: maybe it was the shelter of a wild animal or an enemy's hideout. The agony of not knowing it deepened your anxiety, and you sensed new, intensified contractions. You tried to detect noises coming from inside the stone walls, but no growls or human sounds were perceived.

Unable to keep enduring the discomfort, you walked down to the entry and disappeared inside the shadows. Out of the moonlight's reach, you sat on the cold ground and leaned your back on one the cave's walls, knowing that the night was going to be long.

Your pain increased so fast that even you were scared: the advice you got from the elderly women in your village didn't hide this possibility from you, but nothing could have prepared you for this. The contractions were getting stronger as time passed, and it was better not to move so much, which was easier to say; your legs were no longer obeying you, spreading on the freezing stone, and your arms were now suffering with cramps. Despite the chilling air coming from outside, you were sweating as if in a fever and the mere act of breathing became a torture. Thick tears were falling through your face, blending with the sweat; you were so scared, but there was nothing you could do apart from screaming and waiting for the child to come out...

A swoosh was heard at the entry of the cave and you bit your lip to repress your voice. You glanced at that direction and saw a tall silhouette standing against the pale light, staring at the darkness. Your sight was blurry, but you recognized the rigid shape of an armor and what should be a sword on their hand. Suddenly your fear became as big as your pain.

The shadow didn't waste time and took the descending, narrow path that led to the cave's interior, if seeking for a hideout or preparing an ambush to their enemies, you couldn't tell and couldn't care. You were only hoping they didn't notice you...

But it now was too late for that.

Right after stepping out of the moonlight, the person turned his head to your direction and, after a moment deliberating, started walking toward you. Were they seeing you despite the shadows? It didn't matter. A new contraction came and you couldn't help screaming.

The stranger's reaction was immediate: once they heard you, they rushed toward you and knelt; a metallic noise echoed through the stone walls, and you knew it was their sword being laid on the ground.