The Sengoku Festival (An Oda Nobuna No Yabou fanfic)

Chapter 7

I watched as we all now had some decently-sized packs full of rice and other supplies on us and as we walked along the road to Okugawa, I felt the small pouch of around 150 koku, what I had left after the shopping for supplies. As I marched with my group, I had quickly managed to update my two new lieutenants armor.

The Blue Handed led the Bloody Ones along as they all marched in a column formation, two men across, 7 men deep. I lead the front while the Yellow Handed brought up the rear on his horse as I heard him call out, "I don't like the look of this forest... easy ambush site."

"You heard him, guys. Keep an eye out for trouble and keep your yari's ready for combat... remember, Bandits did attack Okugawa... they might still be sticking around." I said as I kept my hand on my yari and the katana at my side.

Although, to be honest, I did doubt that the bandits and Ronin were still skulking around but nevertheless, my ears and senses were attuned for any form of trouble. I also kept my eyes roving the woods as we kept marching but as we did march, the Blue Handed walked up behind me as he then said, "So.. when will we begin training."

"Perhaps when we reach Okugawa. Although I wish I had suggestions for the regime, I am as open to them from you." I told him as we walked side-by-side.

"Doesn't the blacksmith we will be escorting do lessons for Ashigaru?" asked Blue Handed.

"At a price, yes... lets hope it doesn't cost too much." I said to him as we continued along the road but as we did, I suddenly stopped the whole group.

I listened around us as I felt like we were being watched  and I took up my yari as I began to look around and everyone did that same as we slowly circled up and as I watched the Yellow Handed, with his armor of black covered in yellow hands, look around from his horse as he then said, "I think... we do have some followers...."

We all looked at the direction the Yellow Handed was looking at and we saw what looked like a dozen youngsters hiding their best in the bushes and we all suddenly went from ready fro a fight to putting up our weapons as I said to the children, "It is rude to stare at us... come on out."

Now, granted, I was probably very scary. But as I watched the youngster looked at the group, I looked to the Blue Handed, his blue hands looking almost indistinguishable with his black armor, as I said to him, "Do you think we have any extra food?"

"We have enough for maybe two weeks, sir... we may have gone overboard." said The Blue Handed but then he took his pack off as he began to unpack some food, a mixture of meat, fruits, and rice.

The moment he did, the children almost swarmed him but they all managed to back as he then stopped and ask, "Are you from Okugawa?"

All of the children nodded and my group looked at one another before I said, "Let's see if we can help out, then. We may be mercenaries and Ronin but we aren't heartless."

It made me feel like that wasn't suppose to be how Ronin were but as the group looked at one another, they all nodded as one little girl walked over to the Blue Handed and he smiled as he picked her up and carried her on his shoulders as the children soon became out escorts to Okugawa.

When we came to the remains of Okugawa, it was obvious that it was still being slowly repaired from the damage those bandits had done to it. The roofs were being slowly repaired from what few villagers remained and as our group slowly walked through the sagging gates, I looked around as I watched the villagers look over at us and what we had with us as even though they looked like they had food still, it looked like they needed help rebuilding their homes.