Utsushiyo Monogatari: Crimson Shadow

Chapter Twenty One : Humans Part 2

"Why did that Fujiwara flee up here when Katori shrine is nearer to Sōma?" Yamashiro  asked Seimei as they rode along the tall Cypress trees. 

"Katori is currently being re-dedicated from a reconstruction," Seimei answered distractedly as he watched Ōya Tarō Mitsukuni riding ahead. He smelled trouble on the aura of the military officer.  So did Gu-in as she glanced at the curious kodama peeping at them - the man was a  yōkai magnet. The moving shadows within the mountains also meant that the Tengu were stalking him from the hidden growth. Hopefully no action. Amanozako knew about her connection with Onigami. That may buy some time. Seimei himself looked fairly uneasy. 

"He better not go too far up," Gu-in said as she reached Yamashiro and Seimei.

"OI ŌYA-DONO SLOW DOWN," Yamashiro yelled out. "Damn what's Mitsukuni's hurry?"

It's like someone placed a curse on him," she and Seimei unknowingly echoed each other. Hair standing on ends, Yamashiro beckoned them to hasten their pace as the other five riders started increasing their pace. 

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As they entered yet another empty village at dusk, the eerie silence followed. Past the forests. All the wooden homes looked like people had left them in a hurry. Scattered pots, firewood all burnt out. Seimei stopped the men from proceeding further. From his sleeve, he held up 4 paper figures between his fingers. Uttering a spell, he threw them and they transformed into humans.

"They will do the inspections of the homes. And don't start a fire yet," he instructed the men as Gu-in dismounted. The dusk was blood-red like the many battlefields she had seen. Oddly for a habitat, there was not even a yurei  in sight even. The four shikigami came towards Seimei and pointed at the houses deemed safe. With a gesture, they followed him to the biggest structure - the only one with a proper wooden door frame. Probably the village leader's home. No rooms but subdivided simply by a dais with a pit stove in the middle. 

Mitsukuni, Yamashiro and their men glanced at her. Awkwardly Mitsukuni turned to Seimei and said, "she is a woman."

"We have to stick together. There is nothing natural with the state of the village. I cannot even sense a yurei," Seimei explained. "Propriety is not a priority, besides she is a priestess with the protection of ŌTakemikazuchi Kamisama and all of us are honourable men."

"I will sleep near the door," she interrupted. A step lower and she was not human. Rest was not an issue. 

"Oh no, that's not a good thing. You are still a lady..."

"I will be fine. Your men need rest and fire for warmth," she replied as she walked to the corner and sat there quietly as the men picked their rest spots. Some took out their rations of pickled vegetables, rice and water packed in bamboo cylinders. Some root vegetables were thrown near the lighted firewood, found at the side of the home. A container of sake was offered to her by a guilty looking Mitsukuni. She nodded politely and took a sip as a courtesy to ease his conscience. Human food and water were not really necessary for sustenance. Only as a deceptive tool to camouflage among the mortals. 

Seimei went over and sat next to her with an offer of some sour plums. Politely refusing, she offered him a small rice ball which he accepted.

"You don't need to eat and you don't need to pretend in front of me," he whispered to her. "Grand uncle Ryoku told me what you are."

She looked at him incredulously. Young Daiyōkai Ryoku. A grand uncle. That would explain the resemblance. 

"His father can be considered my maternal great grandfather - no one can be sure if my grandmother was adopted and taught the arts or a part kitsune," Seimei looked at the men in the circle. She struggled to resist the urge of laughing. No doubt, Yakō is his maternal great grandfather - he was well known for his libertine ways but there was one thing about Yakō. He never abandoned his children. He died alongside so many of them.