Sunshine

Here to there

I woke many times earlier in the night from pain until I was so exhausted my body forced me to sleep.

I woke with a jolt as I heard a loud stick snap nearby. With tired eyes, I looked around, spotting the old man crouching in the woods, picking something up. I relaxed slightly, as it was most likely him who had made the sound.

I was disappointed to not find Kakashi. I wish I could reach out like before to feel him there or to hear his voice in my head. I pushed up on the bench, feeling my arms shake with fatigue. I rubbed my face and looked down at my leg in the new light of the day.

It didn't look very good at all. It was swollen and turning a deep purple on the skin. I grabbed the edge of the bench and slid so I was sitting up straight. I let my head fall into my hands and tried to keep from crying. I hurt worse now than I did last night. I was tired from sleeping so badly as well.

"You okay?" The old man asked me from the edge of the wagon. He noticed my leg and he paled a little. "Girl, your leg looks like it is going to fall off." He shook his head. "Your husband hasn't returned?" He looked at me as if I were abandoned.

I cleared my throat, unsure... what do I say? I scanned the edge of the forest. He was here, right? My mind felt sluggish and I felt my anxiety going up as the old man stared at me. I was panicking and bad. "He was here." I said it in a shaky voice.

"He was?" He seemed surprised by my answer and looked around, not seeing him either, of course. He looked back at me, looking at me suspiciously. "You're breathing rather heavily. Where is your husband?"

I swallowed; just lie! anything! "He is checking the area and asked us to continue on. He is worried about the war. He said he will trail behind to make sure they are not following." I said it so fast I forgot half of what I said as I spoke. "I'm very sorry; I just hurt really bad, mister." I said it, finally letting out a breath. I mean, it wasn't all a lie.

He looked to have accepted it and nodded. "Its alright, girl." He grabbed onto the wagon and pulled himself up next to me. "We best be on our way then; this old man had enough excitement. I don't even know what happened yesterday." He grabbed the reins from beside me.

I stayed quiet. I wasn't going to complain about him taking the reins. I was terrible at it and it stressed me out. I would probably crash.

A silence fell between us as we continued onward. I leaned against the wagon and felt it rattle and sway as it moved. I looked over the landscape. It was beautiful but so open and had hardly any trees. I leaned over the edge, looking back. I didn't see Kakashi, just empty fields and the other horse trailing behind the wagon.

I wanted to jump off and run toward the forest. I sat back straight, looking ahead. I saw a river with a bridge that went over it. There was a village! Oh thank goodness! I turned to the old man, seeing the look of relief on his own face.

"Oh, by the way, what's your name?" I asked, feeling bad for never asking him to begin with.

"Ah, you can just call me Gyi." He smiled, looking ready to be home. "And you are Mori? I believe I heard your husband call you that?"

I nodded. "Yes, are you alright, by the way? I saw you gripping your chest last night."

He looked embarrassed. "Ah, I am just an old man. Too much going on for someone like me. I thought you died when you flew off the wagon."

I looked away to hide my face. Gosh, a man of little faith. I suppose people have died over less in these times. I turned back to him. "I will live. Thank you for worrying, Gyi." I tried my best to smile but really it was hard.

I frowned when I saw the sun starting to dip down already. I was so hungry. My stomach felt like it was trying to eat itself. I couldn't believe that the old man hadn't even wanted to stop. I guess he wanted to get home and would rather starve a bit than stop.