Masashi Yoshie, a mysterious, wandering samurai, traveled through valleys and up mountains trying to seek the ravaging white haired, red faced demon whom she suspects is the cause of the terror in the Land of the Rising Sun. Along her journey, she s...
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The shoji windows shook in their frames against the windy weather. They were no longer in the perfect condition they once were. The paper was torn, and barely hanging on to its frame. Beyond the frames was a muddy wasteland filled with ashes. Those who once resided no longer stayed; they had gone beyond the mountain for new homes. They couldn't stay, and they wouldn't either. Where the dead rose only meant a curse to them.
Fear was what chased them away. But for good reason. The horrors of that night would forever haunt them in their dreams. They will never forget the demons that destroyed their homes and the heroes that saved them from the fires of Hell.
But even these heroes have their own demons to deal with.
The fire seemed to dance before the samurais' eyes. Its tongue of flames waved around just as the wind commanded. The warmth it emitted was calming, although the cold bore its teeth with the wet garments the woman samurai refused to remove. Yoshie's fingers shivered even when they were close to the flames. Hanzo slept peacefully, while the blue samurai took a seat beside her.
Hours had passed since the incident with shikabane, and it has been only minutes since the shinobis with the samurais have gone back to where the demon samurai first appeared. Ieyasu wanted to come with them, but they refused him. If Hirohisa was dead, they didn't want him to see his body first. It broke the man's heart to stay with the wounded.
Silence lingered like a heavy fog, hiding the feelings they bottled up inside. Ieyasu didn't know what went through the woman's head as her eyes reflected the flames in the hearth. They had told her about the black samurai's appearance didn't they? The calm look in her eyes only confused him, and her wordless reply only left the others puzzled. Ieyasu's hand inched a little closer, but the fire's sudden crackle stopped him. Rainwater dripped from the strands of Yoshie's hair; her clothing dark from the water.
"You should remove your haori, Yoshie," Ieyasu finally broke the silence.
"I would prefer if I kept it on," she replied curtly. "A woman shouldn't undress in front of a man."
"You might get sick though. It's cold, and you're dripping."
"No."
Soft thumps suddenly echoed by the entrance, revealing the great white wolf that accompanied the whole company. Quietly, the creature circled around them for a while before laying down in front of Yoshie and Ieyasu. Rounds orbs stared at the confused couple, but the wolf wouldn't even blink. It let out a small wince before shutting its eyes.
