Never Let Go [Hiatus]

Part II, Chapter 3- I'll Do It

The boy's POV

Kaede sat cross-legged on a futon cushion, his dominating aura radiating throughout the tent. Michiko beckoned for me to sit on the tatami mat opposite while she settled herself beside him.

The tent was a bit different from the rest in that it was more spacious and airy, which allowed the accommodation of an assortment of weapons and chests of scrolls. I caught sight of one of the scrolls that had rolled open, instantly making sense of the list of names, some already crossed out. I shirked at the thought. These people were really... A giant paper map hung on one side of the tent, annotated with red crosses, arrows and circles that reflected the considerable thought and effort that have gone into them.

I looked around nervously, my eyes darting from one weapon to another. I felt as though I had entered the domain of a war general. Swords, katanas, kunais, shurikens, daggers, nunchaku, smoke bombs, needles, powder and a bottle of poison (?)- I didn't know what that dark liquid was but it looked suspicious. A set of bow and arrows that perched proudly on a black wooden stand caught my attention and I found myself actually gazing at it, my initial fear and anxiety pushed to the back of my mind. It was nothing flashy, really. No exquisite engravings or gold coating. Just a plain equipment. Yet I adored its elegance and simplicity. The way it was placed amongst the duller weapons easily made it the centrepiece, and--

'Er hum,' Kaede cleared his throat, bringing my attention back to their presence. My face heated up with embarrassment at my apparent rudeness and disregard towards them.

'S-Sorry,' I stammered. I expected the creases on the forehead of the solemn man to deepen but instead he broke into laughter, his small eyes twinkling with amusement.

'Why the nervousness, boy? We're not going to eat you up! Michiko, what did you tell him?' I was surprised at his response.

'Come, come! Have a drink. The morning is unusually cold these days,' he offered, pouring me a cup of hot green tea from a ceramic pot. I received the cup gratefully, taking small sips to avoid burning my tongue. He made small talk, about the speciality of the tea and the bizarre weather, occasionally cracking awkward jokes to which I laughed in politeness.

'And I see you're interested in the bow and arrow?' he inclined his head towards the set of weapons I was admiring earlier. I nodded my head meekly, and he proceeded to tell me of its ling history of owners. Gradually, I realized that the chief was not as intimidating and unapproachable as I thought. In fact, he was just as friendly, warm and amiable as the rest. I started to enjoy the casual conversation that flowed smoothly between us. Then, the conversation took a more serious turn ,and Kaede's tone changed as he made a tactful move towards the purpose of this affair.

'So.. Michiko told me you were curious about us, yes?'

I gave a slight nod.

'But after all these talk, I believe you already have a few possibilities in mind?'

'Erm.. more or less.. but it's not good to jump to conclusions,' I replied earnestly. I didn't want to offend them with something they were not.

'I see...' he leaned back and gave a low laugh. 'But we are a highly secretive organization. At this point of time, I have no wish to divulge information to an outsider.'

His voice became gruff and authoritative, a complete opposite from the tone he had been using. It reminded me of the first time I saw Michiko. Their ability to switch personalities so quickly scared me. They could be threatening and heartless one moment, and then sweet and caring the next.

'Er...' I gulped. I didn't know the right way to respond. I had seen things I should not, heard things I should forget. Were they going to dispose of me now? Surely not, right...? I laughed nervously, locking my eyes to the ground, unsure and afraid of what is to come. My initial fear resurfaced. Maybe everything had been a farce. Maybe they had meant to kill me afterall, and were just waiting for the right time and place. I suddenly remembered. Hide said there was a cave nearby, right?