A bond lost in the forest

Chapter one-^• •^

Sabito's POV:

Snow fell quietly on Mount Sagiri, covering the land in a thick blanket of white. The air was cold, and every breath Sabito took formed a cloud before disappearing. He stood next to Momako, both of them holding their swords as they worked through their morning exercises. The soft sound of their blades cutting through the air filled the silence, each swing adding up to their goal of 200 for the day.

The only sounds around them were the crunch of snow under their feet and the creaking of trees, heavy with snow from the previous night’s storm. The sky was cloudy, but here and there, sunlight broke through, casting brief streaks of gold across the clearing.

Sabito paused, adjusting his grip on his sword and watching his breath swirl in the air. He glanced at Momako, still focused on her swings, her brow furrowed in concentration. She's getting stronger, he thought with a small smile.

Then, the peaceful silence broke.

A distant voice echoed through the forest, faint at first but growing louder. It was urgent, panicked. Sabito straightened, narrowing his eyes. It wasn’t Urokodaki-sensei—this voice was too high, too desperate.

Momako stopped mid-swing, lowering her sword. She looked at Sabito, her confusion clear. "Who... could that be?" she whispered, her voice tense.

Before they could decide what to do, the door to Urokodaki’s house flew open. Their usually calm master rushed out, moving with surprising speed across the snow. Without a word, he ran toward the voice.

Sabito and Momako exchanged a glance, but before they could follow, Urokodaki vanished into the trees. The voice grew clearer, a desperate cry for help.

Momako gripped her sword tightly, unease flickering across her face. "Sabito, what should we—"

Before she could finish, Urokodaki appeared again, carrying a figure in his arms. His normally calm demeanor was tense, his focus entirely on the limp body he held.

Sabito felt a strange pang in his chest as he looked at the boy Urokodaki carried. His black hair was matted with snow, and his clothes were torn and bloodied, soaked through as if he had been out in the storm for hours.

“Sensei… who is that?” Sabito asked quietly, concern edging his voice.

Urokodaki didn't answer right away. "I don’t know. A villager was carrying him here, asking for help," he said after a moment.

Sabito’s gaze darkened. The boy looked young, barely older than him. His face was pale, his eyes dark and sunken.

“We need to get him inside,” Urokodaki said firmly.

Sabito quickly sheathed his sword and opened the door wider. Momako followed, her movements quick but filled with nervous energy.

Once inside, they laid the boy on a futon near the fire, covering him with blankets. Sabito knelt beside him, examining the boy’s injuries. His breathing was shallow, and his body trembled despite the warmth of the room.

“What could have happened to him? He looks so young…” Momako whispered, wide-eyed with fear.

Urokodaki was silent for a moment, his eyes focused on the boy’s face. “I don’t know,” he said quietly.

The room fell silent, a heavy feeling settling over them. Sabito glanced at the boy again, his hand brushing against the boy’s cold skin. He wondered what had happened to bring him here, so fragile and bruised. There was something about him that made Sabito feel connected, like they shared some unseen fate.

The boy's eyes fluttered open for a brief moment. Sabito caught a glimpse of them—full of pain, but burning with a spirit that refused to break.

Urokodaki gently shooed the students outside after checking the boy's temperature. Sabito lingered, worried, but Urokodaki assured him that everything was under control.

Outside, Momako asked, "How is he?"

"I'm not sure. He’s sick, but... he looked kind of... gorgeous," Sabito blurted out without thinking.

"Gorgeous?" Momako giggled. Sabito’s face flushed. "I-I mean, not too sick. Yeah, that."

Momako chuckled but didn’t press him. Just then, Urokodaki emerged. "He’ll survive, but he has a high fever. He needs rest."

Relieved, Sabito sighed. "Now, back to your training," Urokodaki ordered. Sabito groaned, and Momako sighed as they returned to the training.

After a while, Sabito broke the silence. "Do you think he's a Demon Slayer like us?"

Momako shook her head. "If he was, he would’ve had a sword and been able to survive the weather conditions."

She was probably right. But Sabito couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to the boy’s story.