The blue eyed reaper

Hope and a trail

"Easy there, child," a soothing voice cooed. "You're safe."

Bolt struggled to move his eyes in the direction of the voice. It was an older woman, dressed in a white apron that was stained with blood. "You had us worried for a moment, there. Thought you wouldn't pull through," she said.

"Huh? Who, are you…" Bolt managed to gasp out. His tongue was painfully dry. As if understanding, the woman held a bowl of water to his lips, which Bolt drank greedily.

"My name is Hera, Satoshi's wife. I'm a doctor. Though I haven't used my skills since leaving the Land of Frost, I managed to patch you up," the woman, Hera, explained.

Bolt chuckled, which sent him into a coughing fit. "Thanks," he managed to get out, taking deep gasps of air.

The old woman smiled kindly and patted his cheek. "Don't you worry, my dear. Just rest. The village is safe, thanks to you," Hera said. Bolt sighed and closed his eyes, all too happy to obey the doctor's orders.

It was nearly three weeks before Bolt was ready to leave. Hera, the old hag, as Bolt had grown to know her, insisted he stay longer. Bolt assured her that he was fine. He and his sister healed faster than most people, it was something his dad said ran in the family. Hera had none of that, and demanded he rest until she was sure their savior wouldn't die in the mountains because his arm broke again.

The village was much livelier than Bolt had ever imagined it could be. The people wore bright smiles and weren't looking so malnourished after Bolt had slain the demon bear. The bear itself provided enough meat for the entire village to survive off of for a month, and without the threat of the beast lurking in the mountains, hunting parties were once again safe to venture out. The butcher had mounted the skull of the beast on a post at the entrance of the village, and, much to Bolt's embarrassment, the carpenters had created a sign that hung below the skull. "Bolt's Great Village," was what they were named. Bolt prayed that Sarada would never find the village named after him, or he would never live it down. She'd brag about it just to irritate him.

"Are you sure you have to leave?" Satoshi asked, worry clear on his face.

Bolt nodded, being careful not to jostle his arm that rested in a sling. "Positive. I was on my way to the Land of Water before I stopped here. I need to resume my journey," he explained.

Satoshi nodded sadly. "Here, we want you to have this," he said, handing Bolt a large leather pack. "We don't have any money, but we've all pitched in a little. Supplies for the road. Hera might be a poor doctor, but she makes delicious jerky."

Bolt smiled as the old woman elbowed Satoshi in the ribs, hard.

"Thank you," Bolt said, a few unshed tears threatening to spill. Though they lived in conditions that the Hidden Leaf Academy would have instructed them in for survival, the people here opened their homes to him and shared what little they had.

He grew up surrounded by wealth and modern conveniences, and yet he couldn't deny that the people here lived lives as full as anyone in the Hidden Leaf.

"Know that you'll always have a home in Bolt's Great Village," Chie said, stepping forward and handing him an object wrapped in blue cloth. It was his headband. The scratch through the leaf symbol blatantly visible. "Even if you don't have a place to call home," she added softly.

Bolt smiled and nodded, taking the headband and tying it around his forehead. "Farewell, Mitsuki!" Satoshi called out as Bolt turned and went on his way. The men of the hunting party cheered and called out his name.