Asuka: Island of Shadows

Chapter 2

Chapter 1

I stared into the forest, feeling a sense of disquiet. I still could not believe that Grandmother had allowed me to go into the forest for her. True she had not been feeling well lately, and yes, I did know everything she needed, but she never let me out normally.

I wasn’t used to going into the forest myself, because Grandmother always accompanied me, saying it was not safe, especially since we did not have any weapons.

I had always felt annoyed before, when she said that, but now all I felt was nervousness. I was supposed to go into the forest by myself? At night? Maybe Grandmother really was ill.

Grandmother Haruki hardly let me out of her sight, especially since I had the knack for getting into trouble, even when it seemed impossibly hard to do so.

She had only let me go into the forest without her when Satoru came to visit us.

My name is Hikairi, I am fourteen years old, with light brown hair and silver blue eyes. My Grandmother Haruki, raised me. She has silvery hair, with dark brown streaks from when her hair was brown, and blue eyes like my father’s used to be.

Satoru is my best friend. Grandmother and I don’t know where he came from, but one night, when I was eight, I wandered from Grandmother while we were picking berries, and got myself lost in the meadow.

While I don’t doubt she would have found me had I stayed still, she did not, because the instant I realized I couldn’t find her, I panicked and ran.

Satoru found me lost on the edge if the forest, more than two hours walk from my home. My first sight of him frightened me. I was sitting at the base of a tree, crying, when suddenly he jumped out of the bushes in front of me.

Satoru is two years older than I, with black hair and brown eyes. Even then he was tall and muscular for his age, and the sight of him, a wild boy with a dagger in his belt, and his hair flying everywhere, caused me to scream.

He led me back to Grandmother, who thanked him calmly, and took me home.

Satoru has come back to visit us many times, telling us his name on his third visit.

Satoru hasn’t visited in a year though, and Grandmother says she is worried, because the spirit of the land is low, and she fears he may have gotten himself in worse trouble than I ever could.

I sighed, wrenching my thoughts away from my friend, and headed into the forest. I might as well get in, and get it over with. I would walk in, trembling with fear, and walk out longing to be back again.

I was looking for white Birch, to collect some of the bark and sweet sap. Clover for the entire thing, currant, for the berries, and pine bark and nuts.

I wasn’t on a huge gathering trip today, but Grandmother had told me she was expecting a storm, and she wanted me to make sure we had enough food, just in case it lasted for more than a few days.

After traveling for a few minutes, I felt my shoulders relax, and began to enjoy the sunshine glowing through the bright green leaves, shedding a dim dappled light on the forest floor.

I had hardly noticed the shift from being nervous, back to being myself in the forest, because it happened almost every time I went with Grandmother as well, although I never paused in front of the border of trees when I was with her.

She disapproved of my fears, as well as my longing to leave our small farm in the middle of the countryside.

The only people I remembered seeing, were Grandmother, Satoru, my parents, and two people who I cannot remember.